cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural, Transitive and Latent Models for Biographic Fact Extraction

This paper presents six novel approaches to biographic fact extraction that model structural, transitive and latent properties of biographical data. The ensemble of these proposed models substantially outperforms standard pattern-based biographic fact extraction methods and performance is further improved by modeling inter-attribute correlations and distributions over functions of attributes, achieving an average extraction accuracy of 80% over seven types of biographic attributes.
Relationship of cortico-spinal tract growth to age and body weight in the rat.

The capacity of neurons of the central nervous system to grow throughout an animal's life has been a subject of continuing interest. Studies were undertaken in rat to ascertain if nerve fibers of the dorsal funicular cortico-spinal tract increase in diameter and/or number during the animal's growth. Animals were divided into four experimental groups: (a) 4-weeks, 156 gm; (b) 10-weeks, 181 gm; (c) 10-weeks, 281 gm; (d) 9–months, 563 gm. Spinal cords were fixed by perfusion with 2.5% glutaraldehyde and the eighth thoracic segment immersed in 1% osmic acid. Counts and size measurements were made from photomicrographs of 2 μ sections. The average number of myelinated nerve fibers in the tract was 13,723. There were no statistical differences in number of fibers between the various age and weight groups. Growth in this tract was related to increased fiber diameter with age concomitant with increased area of tract and of spinal cord. As the diameter of individual nerve fibers increased, myelin sheath and axis cylinder diameters increased proportionately. The cortico-spinal tract of the rat grows by increase in nerve fiber diameter from 4-weeks to at least 9-months of age. It is suggested that by means of this mechanism of central nervous system growth, the nerve fiber can transmit information at a more rapid rate over greater distances as growth proceeds, thus allowing for sensory and motor coordination of the animal during changes in body size.
Functional analysis of the two zinc fingers of SRE, a GATA-type factor that negatively regulates siderophore synthesis in Neurospora crassa.

Multiple GATA factors, zinc finger DNA binding proteins that recognize consensus GATA elements, exist in Neurospora crassa. One of them, SRE, is involved in controlling the iron metabolic pathway of N. crassa. In N. crassa, iron transport is mediated by a number of small cyclic peptides, known as siderophores. The siderophore synthesis pathway is negatively regulated by SRE; a loss-of-function sre mutant strain showed partial constitutive synthesis of siderophore. In the research presented here, the negative function of SRE was further confirmed by a heterokaryon test and by gene complementation. SRE was expressed as a GST fusion protein. In vitro EMSA revealed that SRE binds specifically to DNA molecules containing GATA sequence elements. Autoregulation of sre gene expression appears possible because the sre gene promoter itself contains GATA sequences. Mutations were introduced into sre that lead to amino acid substitutions in each of the zinc fingers that will disrupt their function. In vitro EMSA reve...
Comparison of the effects of pulsatile and continuous TRH infusion on TSH release in men

Pulsatile secretion of hypothalamic releasing factors modulates the release of pituitary hormones. To compare the effects of pulsatile and continuous administration of TRH on TSH secretion, we studied six healthy euthyroid 20- to 38-year-old men by obtaining blood samples every 20 minutes for 12 hours (8 AM to 8 PM) during five days of study. TRH was administered according to the following schedule: day 1 (no TRH, control); day 2 and subsequent day 3 (20 micrograms IV bolus of TRH every 96 minutes); 6 to 17 days rest; then consecutive days 4 and 5 (continuous infusion of 20 micrograms TRH/96 minutes) for 12 hours on and 12 hours off. The highest mean serum TSH levels occurred on the first day of pulsatile TRH. Serum TSH on pulsatile days 1 and 2 and continuous day 1 was significantly greater than on the control day. Similarly, the mean TSH on each day of pulsatile TRH was greater than the mean TSH on the corresponding days of continuous TRH administration. The highest serum T4 and T3 levels were observed on pulsatile day 2, suggesting that the decrease in serum TSH on this day was due to thyroid hormone negative feedback at the pituitary. The mean T4 and T3 values on continuous day 1 and 2 did not differ significantly, suggesting that other factors, including "down-regulation" of the pituitary TRH receptors by the continuous TRH infusion may be involved in the further decline of TSH levels on continuous day 2. We conclude that pulsatile TRH infusion releases more TSH, T3, and T4 than the corresponding amount of TRH administered continuously.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Automated segmentation of alloy microstructures in serial section images

This paper describes the application of the expectation-maximization/maximization of the posterior marginals (EM/MPM) algorithm to serial section images, which inherently represent three dimensional (3D) data. The images of interest are electron micrographs of cross sections of a titanium alloy. To improve the accuracy of the resulting segmentation images, the images are pre-filtered before being used as input to the EM/MPM algorithm. The output of the pre-filter at a particular pixel represents an estimate of the entropy at that pixel, based on the grayscale values of neighboring pixels. This filter tends to be biased towards higher entropy values if an edge is present within the window being used. This causes edges in the final segmentation to move out from higher entropy regions and into lower entropy regions. In order to preserve the locations of these edges, a multiscale technique involving the use of an adaptive filter window has been developed. We present experimental results demonstrating the application of this technique.
Alpha decays of light uranium isotopes

With the use of a velocity filter, the \ensuremath{\alpha}-particle decays of $^{224}\mathrm{U}$ and $^{225}\mathrm{U}$ were studied in $^{19}\mathrm{F}$ bombardments of $^{209}\mathrm{Bi}$. The data obtained for these two isotopes are compared with those of previous investigators, and the \ensuremath{\alpha}-decay rates of $^{222,224,226}\mathrm{U}$ are discussed within the context of partial \ensuremath{\alpha} half-lives for even-even nuclei with Z\ensuremath{\ge}84.
Binding of [3H]batrachotoxinin A-20-α-benzoate to a high affinity site associated with house fly head membranes

1. [3H]Batrachotoxinin A-20-alpha-benzoate (BTX-B), a radioligand that labels the alkaloid activator recognition site of the voltage-sensitive sodium channel, was bound specifically to high affinity, saturable sites in a subcellular preparation from house fly (Musca domestica L.) heads that was shown previously to contain binding sites for other sodium channel-directed ligands. 2. Specific binding of [3H]BTX-B was observed in the presence of 140 mM sodium or potassium and was inhibited by choline ion. 3. Saturating concentrations of scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus) venom stimulated the specific binding of [3H]BTX-B four-fold, increasing the proportion of specific binding of 10 nM [3H]BTX-B from less than 15% to 40%. Equilibrium dissociation studies in the presence of scorpion venom gave an equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) for [3H]BTX-B of 80 nM and a maximal binding capacity (Bmax) of 1.5 pmol/mg protein. 4. Parallel experiments in the absence of venom gave a KD value of 140 nM and a Bmax of 1.3 pmol/mg protein, indicating that scorpion venom stimulated [3H]BTX-B binding by increasing the affinity of this site approximately two-fold. 5. The specific binding of [3H]BTX-B was inhibited by the sodium channel activators aconitine and batrachotoxin and, to a lesser extent, by the anticonvulsant diphenylhydantoin. However, several other sodium channel-directed neurotoxins known to exert allosteric effects on the binding of [3H]BTX-B to mammalian brain preparations did not affect the binding of [3H]BTX-B to house fly head membranes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Rogue waves and downshifting in the presence of damping

Abstract. Recently Gramstad and Trulsen derived a new higher order nonlinear Schrodinger (HONLS) equation which is Hamiltonian (Gramstad and Trulsen, 2011). We investigate the effects of dissipation on the development of rogue waves and downshifting by adding an additonal nonlinear damping term and a uniform linear damping term to this new HONLS equation. We find irreversible downshifting occurs when the nonlinear damping is the dominant damping effect. In particular, when only nonlinear damping is present, permanent downshifting occurs for all values of the nonlinear damping parameter β. Significantly, rogue waves do not develop after the downshifting becomes permanent. Thus in our experiments permanent downshifting serves as an indicator that damping is sufficient to prevent the further development of rogue waves. We examine the generation of rogue waves in the presence of damping for sea states characterized by JONSWAP spectrum. Using the inverse spectral theory of the NLS equation, simulations of the NLS and damped HONLS equations using JONSWAP initial data consistently show that rogue wave events are well predicted by proximity to homoclinic data, as measured by the spectral splitting distance δ. We define δcutoff by requiring that 95% of the rogue waves occur for δ
Fiber optics. Part I. Optical properties of certain dielectric cylinders

Various novel applications of transparent fibers call for their high light conductivity and appropriate radiation properties. Different factors affecting the optical properties of dielectric cylinders are discussed and methods for making precise measurements on them have been devised. The geometrical optical properties of cylindrical and conical channels are dealt with. Microinterferometric technique is employed for the continuous testing of cylindricity and variation in diameter of long lengths of fibers. The surface structure of drawn glass fiber is studied using electron microscopy. Absolute refractive index and any inhomogeneities in fibers are measured using multiple beam interference and the fringes of equal chromatic order. It is seen that there exists a difference in refractive index of the glass fiber and the bulk material. The birefringence in various fibers is also measured on a polarizing microscope. Light transmission of certain glass fibers is measured and the optical properties of bent fibers are studied. The modification of radiation patterns of fibers curved on circular arcs is investigated and photometric measurements on them are made.
Through Any Means Available: Connecting People With Scholarship

ABSTRACT This paper will focus on the 21st century research library's role for connecting people to scholarship. Meeting this challenge requires new organizational strategies, communication techniques, funding approaches, and pedagogies to enable students, faculty, scholars, and alumni to connect to the resources they need. Connecting means locating, using, creating, and interacting. Connecting is active rather than passive and goes beyond the traditional boundaries of the library, the campus, and higher education. Connecting means exposing the world to the intellectual output of the university community. The research library will thrive if its focus is on the broad and deep connections that make sense to people as they engage in daily life.
Negative control of photoreceptor development in Drosophila by the product of the yan gene, an ETS domain protein

Loss-of-function mutations in the yan gene result in the differentiation of supernumerary photoreceptors in the Drosophila eye. The yan gene encodes a protein with an ETS DNA-binding domain that accumulates in the nuclei of undifferentiated cells during the early stages of eye development. Our data suggest that yan functions as a cell-autonomous negative regulator of photoreceptor development; in the presumptive R7 and cone cells, yan appears to act antagonistically to the proneural signal mediated by sevenless and Ras1.
Unnatural parity levels at high excitation in 20 Ne

$\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decaying states at high excitation in $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ have been studied via the $^{12}\mathrm{C}(^{12}\mathrm{C},\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\gamma})^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ reaction in an attempt to identify new unnatural parity levels in $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$. In addition to $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray decay schemes, accurate measurements of the ratio of cross sections at average scattering angles of 12\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 1\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} were made, and the combination of a strong $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decay mode and vanishing cross section at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} were taken as the signature of an unnatural parity level. Previously suggested unnatural parity levels at 9.88 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.03, 10.69 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.02, 11.56 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.02, and 11.67 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.03 MeV have been confirmed, and limits on their spins and parities have been established from the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ ray decay schemes. The results are compared with shell model calculations.
An unusual case of lung torsion.

We report a case of complete torsion of the right lung induced by transthoracic needle biopsy. While a delay in diagnosis occurred, viability of the torsed lung was maintained, thereby allowing for effective surgical repair. (CHEST 1995; 108:575-78)
TLR2 Promoter Hypermethylation Creates Innate Immune Dysbiosis

Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease that is initiated by a complex microbial biofilm that poses significant health and financial burdens globally. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a predominant pathogen that maintains chronic inflammatory periodontitis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in periodontitis by recognizing pathogens and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Deficiencies in TLR expression and downstream signaling may reduce the host's innate defenses against pathogens, leading to bacterial persistence and exacerbated inflammation, which are now being better appreciated in disease pathologies. In the case of periodontitis, gingival epithelial cells form the first line of defense against pathogens. Innate immune dysregulation in these cells relates to severe disease pathology. We recently identified a blunted TLR2 expression in certain gingival epithelial cells expressing diminished cytokine signaling upon P. gingivalis stimulation. Upon detailed analysis of the TLR2 promoter CpG Island, we noted higher CpG methylation in this dysregulated cell type. When these cells were treated with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, TLR2 mRNA and cytokine expression were significantly increased. If TLR2 expression plasmid was ectopically expressed in dysfunctional cells prior to P. gingivalis stimulation, the cytokine expression was increased, confirming the requirement of TLR2 in the P. gingivalis-mediated inflammatory response. We designed a chronic in vitro infection model to test if P. gingivalis can induce DNA methylation in normal gingival epithelial cells that express higher TLR2 upon agonist stimulation. Chronic treatment of normal epithelial cells with P. gingivalis introduced de novo DNA methylation within the cells. In addition, increased DNA methylation was observed in the gingiva of mice infected with P. gingivalis in a periodontitis oral gavage model. Moreover, tissues obtained from periodontitis patients also exhibited differential TLR2 promoter methylation, as revealed by bisulfite DNA sequencing. Taken together, DNA methylation of TLR2 can modulate host innate defense mechanisms that may confer increased disease susceptibility.
Incorporating Gender Issues in Practice with the Satir Growth Model

This article reports an investigation of practitioners' views and practices regarding gender and the Satir growth model. Quantitative and qualitative data were used to determine if and how Satir-ba...
Optically induced birefringence and holography in silk

In this study, we demonstrated that thin films of azobenzene-modified Bombyx mori silk showed optically induced effects similar to those found in other polymers incorporating azobenzene moieties. Optically induced anisotropy in refractive index reached 7 × 10−3 with 18 J cm−2 required to reach 50% of steady state. Holograms were formed with diffraction efficiencies reaching 2.5%. The holograms were accompanied by surface relief gratings and measurements of the mechanical properties of films with surface relief gratings showed that the raised areas were more adhesive than the lower areas. We also demonstrated the fidelity of holographic images. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011
Pulsed electron-beam source for high-resolution high-throughput microlithography

Research and development of a broad area (> 1 cm diameter), high brightness (approximately 10 7 A/cm 2 rad 2 ), high current density (> 50 A/cm 2 ), pulsed electron beam source for high throughput, high resolution ( 30 2 - 3 inch wafers/hr). The electron beam is produced by the back-lighted thyratron (BLT) and is transported through a dielectric tube to achieve focusing and collimation. Replication of 10 $,mum line structures in PMMA using a nickel grid mask has been achieved. At present, masks comprised of diamond thin film (1 - 15 micrometers ) membranes on a silicon substrate are being fabricated to study the replication of submicrometer structures in PMMA. In this case, of primary importance are mask heating and deformation.
Ex vivo 3D diffusion tensor imaging and quantification of cardiac laminar structure

A three-dimensional (3D) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) method for measuring cardiac fiber structure at high spatial resolution is presented. The method was applied to the ex vivo reconstruction of the fiber architecture of seven canine hearts. A novel hypothesis-testing method was developed and used to show that distinct populations of secondary and tertiary eigenvalues may be distinguished at reasonable confidence levels (P < or = 0.01) within the canine ventricle. Fiber inclination and sheet angles are reported as a function of transmural depth through the anterior, lateral, and posterior left ventricle (LV) free wall. Within anisotropic regions, two consistent and dominant orientations were identified, supporting published results from histological studies and providing strong evidence that the tertiary eigenvector of the diffusion tensor (DT) defines the sheet normal.
Resolution modification for target implantation in real background imagery

The diversity and complexity of background materials and clutter features in the infrared makes modeling backgrounds a more difficult effort than modeling target signatures. It may be appropriate to implant modeled target images into measured background images for simulation purposes because the target signatures are more reliably predicted and can be altered to match the measured background environment conditions. The extrapolation of measured target signatures to environmental conditions similar to those of a measured background image was described earlier. The extrapolated synthetic target image can be implanted into a real background image with radiometric consistency. Target implantation introduces the possibility of a number of non-physical artifacts, one of which is a difference in the resolution of the target and background parts of the image. Faceted target models contain highly resolved edges and internal features, while real background images contain blurring due to the measurement system. An approach is presented which blurs the internal detail of the target to match the known resolution properties of the background measuring instrumentation, and then adjusts the target-background boundary without introducing additional blurring to the background zone around the target. The resultant synthetic image is optically and radiometrically consistent with an image of a real target in the same background. Figures show details of target/background interfaces after resolution modification. Other artifacts illustrated include partial target obscuration by background objects and simulated motion of the target within the image.
Mesh-supported submicron parylene-C membranes for culturing retinal pigment epithelial cells

In this work, a mesh-supported submicron parylene-C membrane (MSPM) is proposed as an artificial Bruch's membrane for the therapy of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Any artificial Bruch's membrane must first satisfy two important requirements. First, it should be as permeable as healthy human Bruch's membrane to support nutrients transportation. Secondly, it should be able to support the adherence and proliferation of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells with in vivo-like morphologies and functions. Although parylene-C is widely used as a barrier layer in many biomedical applications, it is found that parylene-C membranes with submicron thickness are semipermeable to macromolecules. We first measure the permeability of submicron parylene-C and find that 0.15-0.30 μm parylene-C has similar permeability to healthy human Bruch's membranes. Blind-well perfusion cell viability experiments further demonstrate that nutrients and macromolecules can diffuse across 0.30 μm parylene-C to nourish the cells. A mesh-supported submicron parylene-C membrane (MSPM) structure is design to enhance the mechanical strength of the substrate. In vitro cells culture on the MSPM (with 0.30 μm ultrathin parylene-C) shows that H9-RPE cells are able to adhere, proliferate, form epithelial monolayer with tight intracellular junctions, and become well-polarized with microvilli, which exhibit similar characteristics to RPE cells in vivo. These studies have demonstrated the potential of the MSPM as an artificial Bruch's membrane for RPE cell transplantation.
Fluoroquinolone Antimicrobials: Singlet Oxygen, Superoxide and Phototoxicity

The fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents possess photosensitizing properties that lead to phototoxic responses in both human and animal subjects. The phototoxicity order reported in humans is: fleroxacin > lomefloxacin, pefloxacin >> ciprofloxacin > enoxacin, norfloxacin and ofloxacin. Studies both in vivo and in vitro have related this phototoxicity to the generation of reactive oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide and the hydroxyl radical. We determined the quantum yields of singlet oxygen generation (phi delta) by detection of the singlet oxygen (1O2) luminescence at 1270 nm for several fluoroquinolones, naphthyridines and other structurally related compounds. All the fluoroquinolones examined have low phi delta values ranging from 0.06 to 0.09 in phosphate buffer at pD 7.5. We also determined the 1O2 quenching constants for these compounds and their values were on the order of 10(6) M-1 s-1, except for lomefloxacin whose rate constant was 1.8 x 10(7) M-1 s-1. The phi delta values were significantly decreased in a solvent of lower polarity such as methanol (0.007 300 nm) of superoxide by these antibacterials in dimethylsulfoxide using electron paramagnetic resonance and the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide. Although there is not a one-to-one correspondence between the relative rates of superoxide generation and the phototoxicity ranking of the fluoroquinolones, the more phototoxic compounds tended to produce superoxide at a faster rate. Nevertheless, the magnitudes of the observed differences do not appear sufficient to explain the range of fluoroquinolone phototoxicity potencies in human and animal subjects in general and the high activity of fleroxacin and lomefloxacin in particular. For these latter drugs the photoinduced loss of the F8 atom as fluoride and the concomitant generation of a highly reactive carbene at C-8 provide a more plausible mechanism for their potent phototoxic and photocarcinogenic properties.
Disruption of Src function potentiates Chk1-inhibitor–induced apoptosis in human multiple myeloma cells in vitro and in vivo

Ras/MEK/ERK pathway activation represents an important compensatory response of human multiple myeloma (MM) cells to checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitors. To investigate the functional roles of Src in this event and potential therapeutic significance, interactions between Src and Chk1 inhibitors (eg, UCN-01 or Chk1i) were examined in vitro and in vivo. The dual Src/Abl inhibitors BMS354825 and SKI-606 blocked Chk1-inhibitor–induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation, markedly increasing apoptosis in association with BimEL up-regulation, p34cdc2 activation, and DNA damage in MM cell lines and primary CD138+ MM samples. Loss-of-function Src mutants (K297R, K296R/Y528F) or shRNA knock-down of Src prevented the ERK1/2 activation induced by Chk1 inhibitors and increased apoptosis. Conversely, constitutively active Ras or mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase 1 (MEK1) significantly diminished the ability of Src inhibitors to potentiate Chk1-inhibitor lethality. Moreover, Src/Chk1-inhibitor cotreatment attenuated MM-cell production of vascular endothelial growth factor and other angiogenic factors (eg, ANG [angiogenin], TIMP1/2 [tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1/2], and RANTES [regulated on activation normal T-cell expressed and secreted]), and inhibited in vitro angiogenesis. Finally, coadministration of BMS354825 and UCN-01 suppressed human MM tumor growth in a murine xenograft model, increased apoptosis, and diminished angiogenesis. These findings suggest that Src kinase is required for Chk1-inhibitor–mediated Ras → ERK1/2 signaling activation, and that disruption of this event sharply potentiates the anti-MM activity of Chk1 inhi-bitors in vitro and in vivo.
Olivine-Spinel Transformation

IN the light of A. E. Ringwood's recent synthesis of a spinel form of fayalite (private communication), Fe2SiO4 (the iron end-member of the fayalite–forsterite mixtures which comprise the bulk of natural olivines), it seemed worth while to attempt a synthesis of a spinel form of forsterite, Mg2SiO4. Ringwood prepared the fayalite-spinel at about 50 kilobars and 500° C., and his calculations indicated that the forsterite-spinel should become stable at about 100 kilobars and 500° C. It is possible that olivine is abundant in deeper layers of the Earth (50–1,000 km.) and hence some knowledge of its phase transitions would be of geological interest1.
Metal-Filled Resin Composites. II

Various particulate materials were combined with a BIS-GMA resin, and the resulting composites were evaluated. The fillers prevented, altered, had no apparent effect, or accelerated polymerization. Coupling agents also influenced polymerization. Physical properties varied widely with different fillers.
Trauma Exposure versus Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Relative Associations With Migraine

Background Recent research has uncovered associations between migraine and experiencing traumatic events, the latter of which in some cases eventuates in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, existing studies have not attempted to explore the relative associations with migraine between experiencing trauma and suffering from PTSD. Objectives The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the predictive utility of trauma exposure vs PTSD in predicting migraine status and headache frequency, severity, and disability. Methods One thousand fifty-one young adults (mean age = 18.9 years [SD = 1.4]; 63.1% female; 20.6% non-Caucasian) without secondary causes of headache provided data from measures of headache symptomatology and disability, trauma and PTSD symptomatology, and depression and anxiety. Three hundred met diagnostic criteria for migraine and were compared on trauma exposure and PTSD prevalence with 751 participants without migraine. Results Seven hundred twenty-eight participants (69.3%) reported experiencing at least 1 traumatic event consistent with Criterion A for PTSD, of whom 184 also met diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Migraineurs were almost twice as likely as controls to meet criteria for PTSD (25.7% vs 14.2%, P < .0001) and reported a higher number of traumatic event types that happened to them personally (3.0 vs 2.4, P < .0001). However, experiencing a Criterion A event only was not a significant predictor of migraine either alone (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, P = nonsignificant) or after adjustment for covariates. By comparison, the OR of migraine for those with a PTSD diagnosis (vs no Criterion A event) was 2.30 (P < .0001), which remained significant after controlling for relevant covariates (OR = 1.75, P = .009). When using continuous variables of trauma and PTSD symptomatology, PTSD was again most strongly associated with migraine. Numerous sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings. PTSD symptomatology, but not the number of traumas, was modestly but significantly associated with headache frequency, severity, and disability in univariate analyses. Conclusions Consistently across analyses, PTSD was a robust predictor of migraine, whereas trauma exposure alone was not. These data support the notion that it is not exposure to trauma itself that is principally associated with migraine, but rather the development and severity of PTSD symptoms resulting from such exposure.
An evaluation of an automated hollow-fibre ultrafiltration apparatus for the isolation of colloidal materials in natural waters

Colloidal materials and macromolecules that are less than 0.45 mircons in diameter can act to transport both hydrophobic and hydrophilic contaminations in subsurface waters. An automated hollow-fibre ultrafiltration apparatus is described and evaluated regarding its ability to physically size and isolate colloidal materials from natural waters. Sufficient size-fractionated colloidal samples can be obtained from 60 litre samples to perform inorganic, organic, and radionuclide characterizations, as well as allow the binding capacities of humic and fulvic materials to be evaluated. Samples processed in the field with the automated system were compared with laboratory analyses using single cartridge hollow-fibre ultrafilters and found to agree well with each other. Typical sample reproducibilities were with 15 per cent. The results indicate that field collection of colloidal materials is feasible with minimal sample perturbation using the automated sampler.
Selectors Make Set-Based Analysis Too Hard

A set-based program analysis establishes constraints between sets of abstract values for all expressions in a program. Solving the system of constraints produces a conservative approximation to the program's runtime flow of values. Some practical set-based analyses use explicit selectors to extract the relevant values from an approximation set. For example, if the analysis needs to determine the possible return values of a procedure, it uses the appropriate selector to extract the relevant component from the abstract representation of the procedure. In this paper, we show that this selector-based approach complicates the constraint solving phase of the analysis too much and thus fails to scale up to realistic programming languages. We demonstrate this claim with a full-fledged value flow analysis for case-lambda, a multi-branched version of lambda. We show how both the theoretical underpinnings and the practical implementation become too complex. In response, we present a variant of set-based closure analysis that computes equivalent results in a much more efficient manner.
Integrating Event- and Trend-Based Analyses to Improve Detection of Glaucomatous Visual Field Progression

Purpose To present and evaluate a new method of integrating event- and trend-based analyses of visual field progression in glaucoma. Design Observational cohort study. Participants The study included 711 eyes of 357 glaucoma patients or suspects followed up for an average of 5.0±2.0 years with an average of 7.7±2.3 standard automated perimetry visual fields. An additional group of 55 eyes of 55 glaucoma patients underwent repeated tests over a short period to test the specificity of the method. Methods Event-based analysis of progression was performed using the Guided Progression Analysis (GPA; Carl-Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA). Trend-based assessment used the visual field index (VFI). A hierarchical Bayesian model was built to incorporate results from the GPA in the prior distribution for the VFI slopes, allowing the event-based method to influence the inferences made for the trend-based assessment. Main Outcome Measures The Bayesian method was compared with the conventional ordinary least squares (OLS) regression method of trend-based assessment. Results Of the 711 eyes followed up over time, 64 (9%) had confirmed progression with GPA. Bayesian slopes of VFI change were able to detect 63 of these eyes (98%). An additional group of 49 eyes (7%) had progression by Bayesian slopes, but not by GPA. Slopes of VFI change calculated by the OLS method were able to identify only 32 of the 64 eyes (50%) with GPA progression. The agreement with GPA was significantly better for the Bayesian compared with the OLS method (κ = 0.68 vs. 0.43, respectively; P Conclusions A Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach for integrating event- and trend-based assessments of visual field progression performed better than either method used alone. Estimates of rates of change obtained from the Bayesian model had increased precision and may be superior to the conventional OLS method for providing information on the risk of development of functional impairment in the disease. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
A comparison of depression and anxiety symptom trajectories between women who had an abortion and women denied one

Background This study prospectively assesses the mental health outcomes among women seeking abortions, by comparing women having later abortions with women denied abortions, up to 2 years post-abortion seeking. Method We present the first 2 years of a 5-year telephone interview study that is following 956 women who sought an abortion from 30 facilities throughout the USA. We use adjusted linear mixed-effects regression analyses to assess whether symptoms of depression and anxiety, as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory-short form and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire, differ over time among women denied an abortion due to advanced gestational age, compared with women who received abortions. Results Baseline predicted mean depressive symptom scores for women denied abortion (3.07) were similar to women receiving an abortion just below the gestational limit (2.86). Depressive symptoms declined over time, with no difference between groups. Initial predicted mean anxiety symptoms were higher among women denied care (2.59) than among women who had an abortion just below the gestational limit (1.91). Anxiety levels in the two groups declined and converged after 1 year. Conclusions Women who received an abortion had similar or lower levels of depression and anxiety than women denied an abortion. Our findings do not support the notion that abortion is a cause of mental health problems.
Specialist and generalist strategies in sensory evolution

Sensors are the conduits through which biological organisms gain information about their surroundings. Organisms use sensory systems to ascertain external conditions, such that appropriate action can be matched to perceived conditions in a manner that enhances prospects for survival and reproduction. In the perception-coordinationaction loops that flow between organism and environment, sensory systems embody the causal linkages that connect states of an organism’s external world with its own internal, informational states. Sensors thus play a crucial role in determining what kinds of information an organism can have regarding its environment. They determine its perceptual categorical primitives. Like all other parts and functionalities of the body, sensory systems evolve. As with other body systems, evolution of structures and functions are guided by external demands posed by the environment. The possibilities that natural selection can favor or reject are in turn limited by structural and developmental constraints. As with the evolution of other systems, selective pressures in sensory evolution can favor the evolution of systems that subserve sensory functions of more general-purpose kinds or more specialized ones. An analogy can be drawn with the evolution of an animal’s gut—whether the gut permits its owner to digest and utilize many highly diverse food sources, or whether it is specialized to process a narrower range of particular food sources in a more efficient manner. In the sensory realm, a sensory system can be narrowly selective for detecting particular stimuli, or it can be capable of detecting and recognizing a wide range of possible forms. Here we take the sensory system to include not only the end-organs of sensation, which transduce physical energy into neural activity patterns, but also the neural codes and computations that subserve neural information processing. Taken together these subserve the functional capabilities of the system: what it can detect, discriminate, and recognize. The themes of generalist vs. specialist adaptive strategies, of course, run through evolutionary theory, but relatively less has been said of how these issues play out in sensory evolution. Their discussion most often appears under the rubrics of the evolution of behavior, ethology, ecological theories of perception, comparative psychology,
The Assessment of Alcohol Consumption by a Simple Self-administered Questionnaire

The authors evaluated the reproducibility and validity of alcohol consumption measured by a mailed, self-administered questionnaire in two large prospective studies. Subsamples of 173 women and 136 men from these cohorts completed two food-frequency questionnaires and multiple 1-week diet records (four for women and two for men) and provided a fasting blood sample. Intakes of alcohol reported over the previous year by food frequency questionnaire 2 correlated highly with intake assessed by multiple week diet records completed over this period (Spearman r = 0.90 in women and 0.86 in men). Mean daily alcohol intake as assessed by the diet records and the questionnaires was very similar. Serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly correlated with alcohol intakes estimated from the questionnaire (r = 0.40 in women and 0.35 in men) and for the diet records (r = 0.33 in women and 0.38 in men). Four years after completing the diet records, women were asked to report their alcohol intake of 4 years earlier; this estimate was highly correlated with the diet records (r = 0.84) and with the earlier high density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.40). These data suggest that a simple self-administered questionnaire can provide useful estimates of alcohol intake over an extended period of time in subjects participating in prospective epidemiologic studies.
Iatrogenic necrolytic migratory erythema: a case report and review of nonglucagonoma-associated necrolytic migratory erythema

Necrolytic migratory erythema is characterized by waves of irregular erythema in which a central bulla develops, and subsequently erodes and becomes crusted. It usually occurs in patients with an alpha-islet cell tumor of the pancreas. However, necrolytic migratory erythema has also been observed in patients without an associated glucagonoma. We describe a woman with iatrogenic necrolytic migratory erythema. She received intravenous glucagon for hypoglycemia associated with an insulin-like growth factor II-secreting hemangiopericytoma. After chemotherapy, she developed necrolytic migratory erythema. The characteristics of the previously reported patients with nonglucagonoma-associated necrolytic migratory erythema are reviewed. In patients with nonglucagonoma-associated necrolytic migratory erythema, the dermatosis-related conditions most commonly observed were celiac disease or malabsorption, cirrhosis, malignancy, and pancreatitis; less common conditions included hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, heroin abuse, and odontogenic abscess. Although the pathogenesis of necrolytic migratory erythema remains unknown, hyperglucagonemia appears to have had a causative role in the development of this dermatosis in our patient. Patients who develop necrolytic migratory erythema should be evaluated for the presence of a glucagonoma; if a glucagonoma is ruled out, evaluation for other conditions known to occur with necrolytic migratory erythema, such as liver disease, malabsorptive disorders, and nonislet-cell tumors is warranted.
Selecting a rutting performance test for airport asphalt mixture design

This paper presents results from a laboratory study to identify a performance-based acceptance test for hot asphalt mixtures when constructing airport pavements designed to accommodate high-tyre-pressure traffic. Four performance tests, intended to screen for rutting susceptibility, were performed on 26 hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures using one neat binder. Eight of these mixtures were also prepared with a polymer-modified binder. Results from four candidate tests are presented: asphalt pavement analyzer, triaxial creep, triaxial repeated load, and dynamic modulus test. Preliminary criteria associated with these tests that can be used to screen or select airport HMA paving mixtures are proposed. The efficacy of the screening tests and associated criteria were evaluated by constructing and trafficking full-scale pavements using an accelerated pavement tester.
Accurate vergence control in complex scenes

In binocular visual systems, vergence is the process of directing the gaze so that the optical axes intersect at a surface point. Correlation-based methods of disparity analysis provide fast estimates of the vergence error. Unfortunately most correlation techniques do not provide mechanisms to determine which image locations contributed to a given correlation peak. The result is that large correlation peaks may have contributions from image arena not relevant to the vergence task. This paper presents a vergence system that applies a cepstral filter to multiscale images obtained from a dominant-eye binocular sensor. As used by this system, the cepstral filter has two main advantages: it enhances targets through narrow-band signal suppression, and it supports a back-projection operation to determine the image locations associated with particular correlation peaks. The use of multiscale images allows the system to have both high resolution for precision in the final vergence and a large field of view for a wide range of initial camera orientations without undue computational cost. >
Synthetic Biology: An Emerging Engineering Discipline

Over the past decade, synthetic biology has emerged as an engineering discipline for biological systems. Compared with other substrates, biology poses a unique set of engineering challenges resulting from an incomplete understanding of natural biological systems and tools for manipulating them. To address these challenges, synthetic biology is advancing from developing proof-of-concept designs to focusing on core platforms for rational and high-throughput biological engineering. These platforms span the entire biological design cycle, including DNA construction, parts libraries, computational design tools, and interfaces for manipulating and probing synthetic circuits. The development of these enabling technologies requires an engineering mindset to be applied to biology, with an emphasis on generalizable techniques in addition to application-specific designs. This review aims to discuss the progress and challenges in synthetic biology and to illustrate areas where synthetic biology may impact biomedical engineering and human health.
Cytoplasmic [Ca2+] in Mammalian Ventricle: Dynamic Control by Cellular Processes

A quantitative reconstruction of [Ca2+]i transients is the desired goal, but that goal has yet to be reached. It will be reached by solving Equation 2., once an adequate mathematical description of all its terms is obtained. If computed [Ca2+]i transients match closely those recorded under many experimental conditions, then we can be confident that our understanding of the cellular processes that control [Ca2+]i is correct. The SL Ca2+ ATPase and the SL Ca2+ leak do not make an important contribution on a given beat. All the available data, physiologic and biochemical, indicate clearly that the Ca2+ fluxes via the SL Ca2(+)-ATPase and SL Ca2(+)-leak pathways are small in comparison to others. Over many beats, however, the fluxes through these pathways will contribute to loading of the SR with Ca2+. In the abnormal case of resting cardiac muscle, [Ca2+]i will be determined by the balance between Ca2+ influx via leak and Ca2+ efflux via Na/Ca exchange and SL Ca2+ ATPase. There is an emerging consensus that the amount of Ca2+ entering via Na/Ca exchange during normal activity is small. This consensus derives from direct observation of changes in [Ca2+]i attributable to Na/Ca exchange, from computations that utilize new quantitative data on the current-voltage relation of the exchanger and on the quantitative relationship of exchanger current to [Ca2+]i. Clearly, the efflux of Ca2+ via Na/Ca exchange on each beat is significant. From theory and the fact that SL Ca2+ pumping is small, the efflux of Ca2+ via the exchanger must equal the Ca2+ influx through SL Ca2+ channels, but experimental studies have not yet verified this quantitatively. All the studies, recent and older, indicate that the [Ca2+]i transient in all mammalian species is dominated by Ca2+ released from SR. Even in the rat, widely believed to be the species most dependent on SR, the Ca2+ current contributes measurable Ca2+ (24). Provided that the SR is not depleted by rest, it is the major cellular entity that determines the [Ca2+]i transient in mammalian ventricular tissue on a given beat. Quantitative knowledge of the flux of Ca2+ from it, required for evaluating theories of excitation-contraction coupling, still awaits determination.
Laparoscopic inguinal hernia inversion and ligation in female children: a review of 173 consecutive cases at a single institution

Purpose: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia inversion and ligation (LIHIL) is a method of hernia repair in which the hernia sac is inverted into the peritoneal cavity and subsequently ligated and excised. Since 2003, 5 surgeons at our institution have been performing LIHIL in girls. Methods: A retrospective review of inguinal hernias in girls from 2003 to 2009 was performed. Results: Two hundred forty-one LIHILs were performed on 173 girls. The average age of children undergoing LIHIL was 57 months (range, 1-210 months). Fifteen cases were ex-premature babies (8.7%). Of the unilateral inguinal hernias, 34% were found to have bilateral hernias intraoperatively, and these were repaired at the same operation. There have been no intraoperative complications. Postoperatively, there have been no wound complications and 2 recurrences (0.83%). Both recurrences were repaired using an open technique. Conclusions: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia inversion and ligation is a safe and effective operation in girls with a low recurrence rate. Benefits of this procedure include diagnosis and repair of the contralateral side using the same incisions, diagnosis of androgen insensitivity and other dysgenic situations, and excellent cosmesis. This operation is a straightforward technique that can be performed by most pediatric surgeons with basic laparoscopic skills.