cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple Access-Inspired Cooperative Spectrum Sensing for Cognitive Radio

The first challenge of cognitive radio is spectrum sensing. Cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) has the advantage of better accuracy over non-cooperative schemes. One of the critical problems in CSS is the delay between sensing and decision. Wideband spectrum sensing forms another challenge due to its complexity and large dynamic range requirements. To solve these problems, we propose new co-operative spectrum sensing techniques inspired by multiple access methods: Time-division (TD), frequency-division (FD), staggered frequency-division (SFD), frequency-hopping (FH), irregular subband (IS), and staggered irregular subband (SIS) cooperative spectrum sensing. Co-operative users are first divided into groups. In TD-CSS, those groups in turn detect the presence of primary users to reduce delay. To tackle the difficulties of wideband spectrum sensing, FD-CSS assigns different groups to different spectrum bands. SFD-CSS can solve time delay and wideband spectrum sensing issues at the same time by making each group sequentially detect different frequency in different order. FH-CSS performs better than FD-CSS if the channel information is unknown. Finally, asymmetric band access concepts can be applied to CSS to allow different groups focus on frequency bands with irregular subband bandwidth using IS-CSS or SIS-CSS.
Energy and phosphorus status as factors affecting postpartum performance and health of dairy cows.

Abstract To determine if energy and phosphorus status would affect postpartum health and lactational performance, first-calf heifers were assigned at parturition, 12 per group, to either high (135% of requirement) or low (85% of requirement) energy, high (138% of requirement) or adequate (98% of requirement) phosphorus in a 2×2 factorial design. Treatments extended 84 days postpartum after which standard rations were fed. Milk yields were similar until wk 5 of lactation. From wk 5 to 12, cows fed adequate phosphorus (98% of requirement) yielded 1.8 kg/day more milk than high phosphorus groups. Energy did not affect milk yield until wk 9 when persistency of low energy groups declined. High energy groups had almost twice as much disease and higher rectal temperatures than low energy groups in the first 3 mo of lactation. All heifers had temperatures above expected during the 1st mo of lactation. Excess energy should be avoided for the 1st mo of lactation and then gradually increased. Phosphorus should be fed as recommended and no more.
Effective treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias with acebutolol

To evaluate the antiarrhythmic efficacy of the new beta adrenergic blocking agent acebutolol, 15 monitored patients with supraventricular arrhythmias received, in double-blind fashion, an intravenous infusion of either acebutolol or saline solution after a control period. Patients treated with saline solution demonstrated no change (P greater than 0.05) in heart rate or arterial blood pressure or conversion to sinus rhythm. After administration of acebutolol, significant (P less than 0.05) reductions in heart rate were noted at 5 minutes. Peak reduction occurred at 10 to 30 minutes and correlated with maximal acebutolol plasma concentrations, antiarrhythmic activity persisted for 24 hours. Mild reductions in systolic blood pressure were observed in the majority of patients. Two patients with atrial fibrillation and one with multifocal atrial tachycardia had conversion to sinus rhythm. Frequent premature atrial complexes noted in one patient were greatly suppressed after administration of the drug. In the nine patients with clinical evidence of chronic obstructive lung disease acebutolol was well tolerated. Adverse reactions were limited to transient dyspnea in one patient with prior heart failure and a decrease in systolic blood pressure to less than 90 mm Hg in three patients who remained asymptomatic. In the patients studied, acebutolol was an effective agent for the treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias and appeared to be of special value in those with chronic obstructive lung disease.
The use of the key grip procedure for improving hand function in quadriplegia.

Summary Reconstruction of the quadriplegic hand can give marked functional improvement. In 1975 the key grip procedure was introduced on the Spinal Injuries Unit at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. Twenty of the first twenty-four cases operated on have obtained a useful improvement, and the reasons for the four failures are readily seen. In correctly selected cases the key grip procedure is of benefit to the patient and complications are relatively minor.
Analysis of visual data from medium scale indentation experiments at Hobson's Choice Ice Island

Medium scale ice indentation experiments were performed at Hobson's Choice Ice Island using an indentor outfitted with a window and video camera so that the ice behavior could be observed in situ. The video images revealed high pressure zones of relatively intact ice, surrounded by crushed ice, that bore most of the load. The load data exhibited a sawtooth pattern which the video records showed was due to spalling of ice away from the contact area. This determined the shape of the high pressure zones. All damage to the ice, and actual movement of the indentor into the ice, occurred during the sharp drops in the sawtooth load data. Pressures in the high pressure zones, determined from the visual records and load data, agreed with the highest pressures measured by sensors on the indentor face (40 to 60 MPa range).
The Structure of Precursor Proteins during Import into Mitochondria

Precursor proteins must be at least partially unfolded during import into mitochondria, but their actual conformation during translocation is not known. Are proteins fully unfolded and threaded through the import machinery amino acid by amino acid, or do they retain some partial structure? The folding pathway of most proteins in vitro contains a partially folded intermediate known as the molten globule state, and it has been suggested that proteins are in the molten globule state during translocation across membranes. Here we show that precursors are normally fully unfolded during import into mitochondria. However, precursors containing residual structure can be imported, if less efficiently.
Social networks and immunosuppression during stress: Relationship conflict or energy conservation?

Despite the apparent health benefits of social relationships, some studies indicate that larger social networks can be associated with greater vulnerability to infectious disease, particularly if stressors are also present. Two possibilities for such effects are, first, that more social contacts lead to more negative affect and social conflict during stressors, or second, that maintaining more social contacts is an energetically costly activity, and ecologically motivated immunosuppression is one means of providing energy to maintain social resources. First-year law students (N = 76) completed questionnaires and had delayed-type hypersensitivity skin tests at five time points during their first 6 months of law school. Both moving away from home and a smaller social network associated with larger DTH responses (both p < 0.05) across all time points. However, negative affect, either broadly defined or as specific affects (hostility, sadness, guilt), did not mediate social network effects, suggesting that negative affect and social conflict are less plausible explanations than ecological immunosuppression. Ecological models would predict that temporary immunosuppression is less harmful to health in the long run than loss of social resources.
POSSIBILITY OF MANY MAGNETIC STATES IN CLUSTER SYSTEMS : V AND CR CLUSTERS

The possibility of more than one magnetic state in cluster systems has been explored using the local spin density linear combination of Gaussian orbitals method. Fixed moment calculations were done and their converged states were used to determine input potentials to find as many stable states as possible for the V and Cr clusters having body-centered-cubic (bcc) symmetry. Several calculations were made at different atomic spacings for ${\mathrm{V}}_{9}$ and ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{9}$ clusters. It was found that for some atomic spacings, as many as four or five magnetic states exist for a cluster. In addition to the states reported previously with small average magnetic moments of 0.33${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ and 0.67${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ per atom, states with moments as large as 2.78${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ and 3.78${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ per atom are also found to be possible for ${\mathrm{V}}_{9}$ and ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{9}$ clusters, respectively, as well as intermediate-moment states in some cases. The ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{15}$ cluster is found to have a state with 0.80${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ per atom in addition to the 0.40${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ state reported previously. The local moments for the 0.80${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}_{\mathit{B}}$ state in ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{15}$ clusters are found to be very close to that which has been reported by other groups.
Human-inspired underactuated bipedal robotic walking with AMBER on flat-ground, up-slope and uneven terrain

This work presents human-inspired control strategies required for achieving three motion primitives in walking—flat-ground, uneven terrain and up-slope—in an underactuated physical bipedal robot: AMBER. Formal models and controllers which provably guarantee the stability of walking are developed and verified in the simulation. Computationally tractable conditions are given that allow for the experimental implementation of these formal methods through the closed form approximation of constraints that restrict maximum torque, maximum velocity and ensure proper foot clearance. Considering the special property of the motors used in the robot, i.e., low leakage inductance and high angular speed, we approximate the motor model and translate the formal controllers satisfying these constraints into an efficient voltage-based controller that can be directly implemented on AMBER. The end result is robotic walking on AMBER for the three motion primitives that shows good agreement with the formal results from which it was derived.
Modal Decomposition of the Low-Frequency Currents and Baroclinic Instability at Drake Passage

Abstract Recently collected hydrographic data show that each of the four water mass zones previously identified in Drake Passage is characterized by a distinctly different vertical profile of Brunt-Vaisala frequency. Stratification in Drake Passage is rather weak, resulting in small values of the first baroclinic radius of deformation varying from 17.3 km for the Subantarctic Zone in the north to 7.7 km for the Continental Zone in the south. Using current meter records collected in 1979 at nine moorings, the vertical structure of the low-frequency currents is described in terms of dynamic normal and empirical modes. Dominance of the barotropic and first baroclinic modes was evident irrespective of mooring location, accounting for typically 83–98% of record variance. The first empirical mode, which explains more than 90% of record variance at most moorings, is surface-intensified, and appears to be a superposition of the barotropic and first baroclinic modes due to the observed modal coupling between the b...
Exploiting Partially-Forgetful Memories for Approximate Computing

While the memory subsystem is already a major contributor to energy consumption of embedded systems, the guard-banding required for masking the effects of ever increasing manufacturing variations in memories imposes even more energy overhead. In this letter, we explore how partially-forgetful memories can be used by exploiting the intrinsic tolerance of a vast class of applications to some level of error for relaxing this guard-banding in memories. We discuss the challenges to be addressed and introduce relaxed cache as an exemplar to address these challenges for partially-forgetful SRAM caches. Preliminary results show how adapting guard-bands to application characteristics can help the system save significant amount of cache leakage energy (up to 74%) while still generating acceptable quality results.
The use of principal component analysis and discriminant analysis in differential sensing routines.

Statistical analysis techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) have become an integral part of data analysis for differential sensing. These multivariate statistical tools, while extremely versatile and useful, are sometimes used as “black boxes”. Our aim in this paper is to improve the general understanding of how PCA and DA process and display differential sensing data, which should lead to the ability to better interpret the final results. With various sets of model data, we explore several topics, such as how to choose an appropriate number of hosts for an array, selectivity compared to cross-reactivity, when to add hosts, how to obtain the best visually representative plot of a data set, and when arrays are not necessary. We also include items at the end of the paper as general recommendations which readers can follow when using PCA or DA in a practical application. Through this paper we hope to present these statistical analysis methods in a manner such that chemists gain further insight into approaches that optimize the discriminatory power of their arrays.
Internal fixation devices for the treatment of unstable osteochondritis dissecans and chondral lesions

Most commonly seen in the knee, elbow and ankle, osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) represents an underlying bony fragment separation from the subchondral region with or without articular involvement. Osteochondral or chondral injuries are associated with trauma and can occur in any joint. Unstable OCD and traumatic osteochondral or chondral lesions demand operative treatment, particularly if displaced. Principles of treatment include anatomic reduction, rigid fixation, enhancement of blood supply, and restoration of articular congruity. Internal fixation can be achieved through open or arthroscopic approaches with one of many devices including cannulated screws, metal pins, and bioabsorbable pins. Cannulated screws can provide rigid fixation and compression across lesions. AO screws must eventually be removed to avoid articular damage and allow weightbearing. Headless, variable pitch screws, however, can be placed below the articular margin, do not need to be removed, and provide compression because of their differential pitch designs. Metal pins in the form of Kirschner wires (K-wire) can be placed antegrade through the lesion, or retrograde from behind the lesion. K-wires can potentially migrate, bend or break, and they must eventually be removed. Bioabsorbable pins have several advantages including bioresorbable properties obviating the need to remove them, low-profile designs, and a decrease in stress-shielding compared with metal implants. The most common reported complication with bioabsorbable pins is a reactive synovitis. Newer devices recently described for OCD lesions of the capitellum include pull-out wires and dynamic staples. The purpose of this article is to present different options for operative fixation of these lesions.
Metallurgical Structure and Microhardness of Four New Palladium‐Based Alloys

Purpose This investigation compared the Vickers hardness and microstructures of four recently marketed, palladium-based alloys for metal-ceramic restorations. Materials and Methods Wax patterns simulating copings for maxillary central incisors were invested in a fine-grained, carbon-free, phosphate-bonded investment. Following burnout, the palladium alloys were fused with a gas-oxygen torch, centrifugally cast, and bench-cooled. Representative castings were embedded in transparent metallographic resin and sectioned to yield two mirror-image specimens. The specimens were evaluated in either the as-cast condition or following heat treatment simulating the firing cycles for Vita VMK porcelain. Vickers hardness measurements (n = 50) were made using a 1-kg load, and photomicrographs of polished and etched specimens were obtained with a scanning electron microscope. Results The measured values of microhardness for the as-cast alloys were in excellent agreement with values reported by the manufacturer. The hardness in the as-cast condition was significantly greater for the Pd-Cu-Ga-In alloy, compared with the other three alloys, which did not contain copper. For the three high-palladium (≥ 75 wt%) alloys, there were small (4%-8%) decreases in hardness following heat treatment, whereas a larger decrease (13%) in hardness occurred for the Pd-Ag-In-Sn alloy after heat treatment. The porcelain firing cycles caused microstructural homogenization for all four alloys, and the relatively thick near-surface oxidation region in the Pd-Cu-Ga-In and Pd-Ag-In-Sn alloys was not observed in the two heat-treated Pd-Ga-Ag-In-Au alloys. Conclusions The multiphasic microstructures of these alloys may have some significance for the in vitro and clinical corrosion behavior and the metal-ceramic bond strength. The hardness for the three high-palladium alloys may be controlled by submicroscopic precipitates that remain unaltered by heat treatment. The significantly greater hardness for the Pd-Cu-Ga-In alloy may cause greater difficulty for finishing castings in the dental laboratory compared with the other three alloys studied. The strengthening mechanism for the Pd-Ag-In-Sn alloy has significant temperature dependence, which might be exploited to achieve optimum mechanical properties.
Phosphate mobilization from striated muscle following parathyroid hormone administration to thyroparathyroidectomized rats.

Parathyroid hormone administration to thyroparathyroidectomized rats resulted in a significant reduction in inorganic phosphate content of a variety of striated muscles. Most other organs were unaffected. Much of the extra urinary phosphate present after parathyroid hormone stimulation may be released from the muscles.
Effects of sequences of sucrose reward magnitudes with short ITIs in rats

Two experiments assessed the role of aftereffect learning in rats rewarded with sucrose solutions. In Experiment 1, rats were trained in a single straight runway for two trials on each of 18 days, each trial terminating with either large (20% scurose) or small (3% sucrose) reward. The ITI was 3–5 min. The sequence of daily rewards for each of four groups was small-small (SS), small-large, (SL), large-small (LS), or large-large (LL). Response patterning and a simultaneous negative contrast effect were observed in LS and SL relative to the consistently rewarded controls. During 10 massed extinction trials, resistance to extinction was greatest for Group SL, followed in order by Groups SS, LL, and LS. Experiment 2 examined single alternation of large and small rewards administered for 10 trials on each of 31 days with an ITI of 60 sec. Reward for one group was 20% or 3% sucrose while another received 1 or 10 45-mg Noyes pellets. Appropriate patterning developed only in the food-pellet rewarded animals. The overall results suggest that sucrose rewards may produce high-amplitude and long-duration aftereffects which interfere with learning in designs employing several massed daily trials, but which may facilitate learning—relative to food-pellet rewards—with longer intertrial intervals and fewer daily trials.
Readout Chip for an L1 Tracking Trigger Using Asynchronous Logic

Adding a silicon based tracker to the level 1 trigger systems for LHC detectors can substantially increase the ability of these systems to find events with patterns of high Pt tracks. This is especially true for high luminosity running where there may be several hundred interactions per crossing. Cooling and mass constraints require that the readout chips have low power and generate little electrical noise. The LHC crossing clock and experiment trigger latency requires that a trigger be able to be made in less than 100 LHC crossings of 25 ns each. One way to minimize power and noise is to use asynchronous logic. We present a readout chip design for both level 1 trigger and event readout that is entirely asynchronous. The only clock used is the LHC crossing clock.
Optical stimulation of excised murine sciatic nerve using 1.8-μm wavelength laser

While recording of compound actions potentials is a mature technique, it becomes problematic to use traditional electrical nerve stimulation on very short nerves due to the large electrical stimulus artifact and short propagation times. Novel methods of stimulation using focused infrared laser radiation may permit stimulation and measurement in closer proximity with much finer spatial resolution than conventional techniques. This project involved the development of a murine sciatic nerve model for action potential stimulus and measurement in vitro, including refinement of a dissection protocol and development of a small-scale stimulation and measurement dish specific to murine sciatic nerve. It demonstrated successful recording of compound nerve action potentials (CNAPs) using traditional current-mode electrical stimulus. Lastly, optical nerve stimulation was attempted on the same nerve prep using an infrared laser source of 1.86um. In this preliminary study, the conventional stimulus was been successfully demonstrated, however the optical stimulus failed to produce measurable CNAPs, We later learned that other investigators have only succeeded with in vivo experiments in the mouse sciatic nerve, and in vitro experiments have not been demonstrated. More work is needed to achieve success in the in vitro model.
Histological studies of the periodontal syndrome in rice rats and the effects of penicillin

Abstract Three experiments involving histological studies of periodontal disease in rice rats were performed: 1. 1. Studies of the initiation and progression of the periodontal syndrome in ninetyone susceptible rice rats have demonstrated that the lesions of the soft and mineralized tissues of the periodontium were first evident at approximately 5 weeks of age. Deterioration of the periodontium progressed rapidly until extensive periodontal disease and degeneration were present at 15 weeks. 2. 2. Similar studies of seventeen rice rats from a periodontal syndrome-inactive strain of rice rat showed that these rice rats did not develop any noticeable lesions of the soft tissues of the periodontium even at 45 weeks, but did develop small areas of alveolar bone resorption. 3. 3. One hundred periodontal syndrome-susceptible rice rats were used in the study of the effect of penicillin administered by various routes on the prevention of the periodontal syndrome. Penicillin, regardless of the route of administration, almost completely prevented soft tissue lesions and caused highly significant reduction in the number and extent of areas of alveolar bone resorption.
Threshold voltage instabilities in high-/spl kappa/ gate dielectric stacks

Over recent years, there has been increasing research and development efforts to replace SiO/sub 2/ with high dielectric constant (high-/spl kappa/) materials such as HfO/sub 2/, HfSiO, and Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. An important transistor reliability issue is the threshold voltage stability under prolonged stressing. In these materials, threshold voltage is observed to shift with stressing time and conditions, thereby giving rise to threshold voltage instabilities. In this paper, we review various causes of threshold voltage instability: charge trapping under positive bias stressing, positive charge creation under negative bias stressing (NBTI), hot-carrier stressing, de-trapping and transient charge trapping effects in high-/spl kappa/ gate dielectric stacks. Experimental and modeling studies for these threshold voltage instabilities are reviewed.
Correction of intrinsic spectral broadening errors in doppler peak velocity measurements made with phased sector and linear array transducers

Abstract Commercial duplex ultrasound systems primarily measure peak velocity of blood flow to provide important information in diagnosing vascular disease. However, due to errors caused by intrinsic spectral broadening (ISB), the accuracy decreases as the Doppler angle increases. In general, vascular technologists and surgeons keep the Doppler angle under 60°. Even at 60°, ISB can produce an overestimation of peak velocity as high as 40%. This would indicate the necessity of reducing the Doppler angle even lower than 60°. Since most vessels in the body run parallel with the skin surface and criteria requiring a Doppler angle of say 45° or less would be difficult to achieve. Using the transverse Dooppler equation as a correction for ISB, in conjunction with the classical Doppler equation, accurate peak velocity measurements were obtained at Doppler angles as high as 80°. Corrections were made using both phased sector and linear array transducters for steered and unsteered beams. However, for beams steered at large angles, 20° or more, corresponding to Doppler angles of
Ethical conflicts reported by registered nurse/certified diabetes educators: a replication.

Ethical conflicts reported by registered nurse/certified diabetes educators: a replication¶ The purpose of this study was to identify types of ethical conflicts reported by certified diabetes educators who are also registered nurses (RN/CDEs) and to examine their relationship with demographic, educational and practice setting variables. This study is a replication of an earlier pilot study. Ethical conflicts expressed by RN/CDEs in active practice in New York and Pennsylvania were analysed according to four themes. Disagreement with medical practice was by far the most dominant clinical context for the conflicts (61%), as it had been in the pilot study (75%). Participants believed that 32% of the ethical conflicts were resolved. Ethics committees and consultants were very rarely used. Of the relationships between the kinds of conflicts and their resolution, and demographic, educational and practice setting variables of the participants, only kind of position was significantly (P < 0·005) related to practice context of the ethical conflict.
Viral infection abrogates CD8(+) T-cell deletion induced by costimulation blockade

Abstract Background. Treatment with a single donor-specific transfusion (DST) plus a brief course of anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody (mAb) prolongs skin allograft survival in mice. It is known that prolongation of allograft survival by this method depends in part on deletion of alloreactive CD8+ T cells at the time of tolerance induction. Recent data suggest that infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) abrogates the ability of this protocol to prolong graft survival. Methods. To study the mechanism by which viral infection abrogates allograft survival, we determined (1) the fate of tracer populations of alloreactive transgenic CD8+ T cells and (2) the duration of skin allograft survival following treatment with DST and anti-CD154 mAb in the presence or absence of LCMV infection. Results. We confirmed that treatment of uninfected mice with DST and anti-CD154 mAb leads to the deletion of alloreactive CD8+ T cells and is associated with prolongation of skin allograft survival. In contrast, treatment with DST and anti-CD154 mAb in the presence of intercurrent LCMV infection was associated with the failure to delete alloreactive CD8+ T cells and with the rapid rejection of skin allografts. The number of alloreactive CD8+ cells actually increased significantly, and the cells acquired an activated phenotype. Conclusions. Interference with the deletion of alloreactive CD8+ T cells mediated by DST and anti-CD154 mAb may in part be the mechanism by which viral infection abrogates transplantation tolerance induction.
Selective binding properties of vitamin D transport protein in chick plasma in vitro.

WHILE vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 are equipotent antirachitic agents in most mammals1 ergocalciferol (D2) is approximately 1/100 as potent as cholecalciferol (D3) in preventing or curing rickets in young chicks2. Although the basis of the insensitivity in chicks to D2 has not yet been elucidated, it had been noted that radioactive vitamin D2 is cleared from blood more rapidly than radioactive D3 while inactive metabolites of D2 are excreted more rapidly in the bile and faeces3. We have shown that a specific transport protein for vitamin D and D metabolites exists in the plasma of D-deficient chicks as well as in the plasma of several mammalian species4. These specific transport proteins serve to solubilise vitamin D compounds in the aqueous environment of plasma and to protect the steroids from oxidative inactivation5. Since vitamin D requires efficient plasma transport to the liver and the kidney for successive enzymatic hydroxylations6–8 and the ‘activated’ metabolites must, in turn, be transported efficiently to the target tissues, we undertook studies to test the hypothesis that the lower potency of D2 might, in part, reflect weaker binding of vitamin D2 and its metabolites to the chick plasma transport protein.
Exploratory Test Structures for Image Evaluation in Optical Projection Printing

Geometrical patterns with high sensitivity to optical imaging system parameters have been incorporated into electrical test masks and evaluated. The exploratory structures consist of targets such as fine-lines and small-dots, checkerboards with modified sizing, subimageable defects which interact with features, and lines along the inside and outside corners of large opaque regions. The patterns are sensitive to effects such as dose, focus error, lens and illumination aberrations, and flare. The patterns were projection printed at λ = 436 nm, NA 0.28 and σ = 0.7 on doped and annealed polysilycon, thin polysilicon and titanium coated wafers. The patterns after etching were automatically probed, analyzed and plotted on a flexible probing system. Significant flare and moderate linewidth variations across a die were observed. The exploratory focus targets gave greater sensitivity than the standard linewidth structures but were also strongly affected by exposure and bias both in mask making and in pattern transfer. A test pattern with programmed defects and an associated model for quantitative interpretation gave promising results for electrically monitoring the printability of defects.
Identification of an insulin fragment produced by an insulin degrading enzyme, neutral thiopeptidase

Abstract Previous studies have shown that neutral thiopeptidase (E.C.3.4.22.11, insulinase) degrades (processes) insulin with a high affinity ( K m = 30 × 10 −9 M). In the current studies, insulin was subjected to digestion with a highly purified rat liver neutral thiopeptidase and the peptides generated were separated by HPLC using a C 8 column. With the use of structural analysis (which included the determination of amino terminal residues and amino acid composition), the major product was identified as a peptide containing portions of both chains of insulin, A 1 to A 13 and B 1 to B 9 having two disulfide bonds, an interchain disulfide bond and presumably the intra-A chain disulfide bond as well. Examination of insulin-like biological activity using a primary cultured hepatocyte test system showed that the fragment promoted neither short-term (α-aminoisobutyric acid uptake) nor long-term (glycogen synthesis) bioactivities of insulin.
The Structure and Evolution of a Simulated Midlatitude Cyclone over Land

Abstract Using output from a mesoscale model simulation, this paper describes the evolution of the three-dimensional temperature and humidity structures of an intense cyclone that developed over the eastern half of the United States during 14–16 December 1987. Some specific findings include the following. • The occlusion process at the surface appeared similar to the classical paradigm, with the cold front catching up with the warm front. Aloft, a warm-type occlusion structure formed as an upper baroclinic zone merged with the surface-based occluded front. • The frontogenesis associated with the cold and warm fronts was initially continuous, but as the system evolved, a break in the frontogenesis along the northern section of the cold front developed. A single frontogenesis feature appeared to support both the warm and occluded fronts. • A quasi-linear region of convective activity was observed in advance of the surface cold front. This convective line was associated with an upper-level humidity front, wh...
Spectra of high-energy photons emitted from the compound system 64Zn in various nuclear reactions☆

Abstract Strong evidence for fast capture of protons is deduced from measurements of the high-energy γ -ray spectra in bombardments by protons, 3 He, and 4 He particles that produce the compound system 64 Zn at an excitation energy of about 30 MeV.
A Greek Roman Empire: Power and Belief under Theodosius II, 408–450 – By Fergus Millar

As early as the third century, the Greek‐speaking eastern half of the Roman Empire began to separate itself administratively from the Latin‐speaking western lands. Diocletian legitimized that tende...
ECS dissociation of learning and one-way cross-dissociation with physostigmine and scopolamine ☆

Abstract Mice were trained on a one-trial passive avoidance task and retested for retention 24 hr later. ECS administered 25 min before training or 25 min before retest significantly impaired retention, but ECS administered before both training and retest produced no impairment. These results suggest an ECS-induced state-dependent learning phenomenon. No such state-dependency was found when the training-retest interval was lengthened to 72 hr and ECS administered 24 hr before training and retest. Physostigmine administered before retest showed state dependency with ECS administered before training while scopolamine administered before training showed state dependency with ECS administered before retest.
Dose–Response Effect of Fetal Cocaine Exposure on Newborn Neurologic Function

Background. Studies of fetal cocaine exposure and newborn neurologic function have obtained conflicting results. Although some studies identify abnormalities, others find no differences between cocaine-exposed and cocaine-unexposed infants. To determine the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on intrauterine growth and neurologic function in infants, we prospectively evaluated 253 infants shortly after birth. Methods. Women who delivered a live singleton >36 weeks by dates were eligible for enrollment. Maternal exclusionary criteria were known parenteral drug use, alcoholism, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; infant exclusionary criteria were Apgar scores ≤4 at 5 minutes, obvious congenital malformations, seizures, or strokes. A total of 98% of infants were evaluated between 1 to 7 days of age. Newborns were assessed with the Neurological Examination for Children (NEC) by a pediatric neurologist (C.A.C.) who was blinded to exposure status. Gestational age was determined by Ballard9s examination. Cocaine exposure was determined for the last trimester by radioimmunoassay of maternal hair (RIAH). Exposure values ranged from 2 to 4457 ng/10 mg hair. Infants were excluded if a maternal hair sample was missing ( N = 13). The sample comprises 240 woman and infant pairs—104 cocaine-exposed and 136 cocaine-unexposed. Results. Compared with unexposed controls, cocaine-exposed infants exhibited higher rates of intrauterine growth retardation (24% vs 8%), small head circumference ([HC] 2 for trend); 1.0, 3.3, and 4.3 for global hypertonia (χ 2 for trend); 1.0, 3.4, and 7.4 for extensor leg posturing (χ 2 for trend); and 1.0, 3.8, and 3.8 for coarse tremor (χ 2 for trend). Significant associations between cocaine exposure and neurologic signs were found in logistic regression equations that controlled for 20 or more variables. Conclusion. We conclude that adverse neonatal effects associated with fetal cocaine exposure follow a dose–response relationship: newborns with higher levels of prenatal cocaine exposure show higher rates of impairments in fetal head growth and abnormalities of muscle tone, movements, and posture. Significant relationships between cocaine exposure and these outcomes remain in controlled analyses.
Costo Alto de Política Anti-imigrante Sobre la Familia y Educación 1 : The Adverse Consequences of Anti-Latino Immigration Laws

The aim of this article is to provide indispensable background information about the significance of how anti-Latino immigration policies impact unauthorized 2 and mixed status students and families, particularly from Mexico and Central America. Throughout this article, I maintain that understanding issues of anti-Latino immigration are essential for the prospect of education and for the future of the profession in the United States. I argue that teacher education students and professional educators should be trained and provided professional development to be zealously knowledgeable and recognize how anti-Latino immigration discourses spill into the education profession and how these are interconnected with local and school politics. I advocate that professional educators associate themselves with local and national social justice movements that attempt to divert anti-Latino discriminatory social and educational policies that limit educational access and ultimately belittle the philosophy and practices o...
Temperature and food mediate long-term thermotactic behavioral plasticity by association-independent mechanisms in C. elegans.

SUMMARY Thermotactic behavior in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits long-term plasticity. On a spatial thermal gradient, C. elegans tracks isotherms near a remembered set-point ( T S ) corresponding to its previous cultivation temperature. When navigating at temperatures above its set-point ( T > T S ), C. elegans crawls down spatial thermal gradients towards the T S in what is called cryophilic movement. The T S retains plasticity in the adult stage and is reset by ∼4 h of sustained exposure to a new temperature. Long-term plasticity in C. elegans thermotactic behavior has been proposed to represent an associative learning of specific temperatures conditioned in the presence or absence of bacterial food. Here, we use quantitative behavioral assays to define the temperature and food-dependent determinants of long-term plasticity in the different modes of thermotactic behavior. Under our experimental conditions, we find that starvation at a specific temperature neither disrupts T S resetting toward the starvation temperature nor induces learned avoidance of the starvation temperature. We find that prolonged starvation suppresses the cryophilic mode of thermotactic behavior. The hen-1 and tax-6 genes have been reported to affect associative learning between temperature and food-dependent cues. Under our experimental conditions, mutation in the hen-1 gene, which encodes a secreted protein with an LDL receptor motif, does not significantly affect thermotactic behavior or long-term plasticity. Mutation in the tax-6 calcineurin gene abolishes thermotactic behavior altogether. In summary, we do not find evidence that long-term plasticity requires association between temperature and the presence or absence of bacterial food.
On the dielectric heating of dual-frequency liquid crystals

We have developed a non-contact birefringence probing method for studying the dielectric heating-induced temperature rise of dual-frequency liquid crystals (DFLCs). The dielectric heating effects of three DFLC mixtures are investigated quantitatively. By properly choosing the molecular structures, the dielectric heating effect can be minimized while keeping other desirable physical properties uncompromised.
1A-779 attenuates angiotensin-(1-7) depressor response in salt-induced hypertensive rats.

Abstract Chronic infusion of angiotensin-(1–7) [Ang-(1–7)] lowers blood pressure in salt-induced and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. In the present study, we have examined the acute effect of Ang-(1–7) in salt-induced hypertension using Dahl salt-sensitive rats placed on low (0.3%) or high (8.0% NaCl) salt diets for 2 weeks. Rats fed a high salt diet showed a greater rise in BP than those fed a low salt diet. Ang-(1–7) (24 μg/kg) reduced mean arterial pressure (MAP), enhanced the release of prostacyclin and nitric oxide, and suppressed thromboxane A 2 levels. A-779 (48 μg/kg, i.v), a selective Ang-(1–7) antagonist, partially blocked these effects of Ang-(1–7). The Ang-(1–7)-induced depressor response observed in these animals was related to an increase in vasodilatory prostanoids, a decrease in the constrictor prostanoid thromboxane A 2 , and an increase in nitric oxide levels in both plasma and isolated aortic rings.
Chemical estimation of interstitial and basement membrane collagen in obstructive nephropathy.

Abstract Analyses of total 3-hydroxyproline and 4-hydroxyproline in tissue samples can be used to estimate the quantity of two kinds of collagen: that of basement-membrane and that of the several interstitial Types. Applied to an experimental model for obstructive nephropathy in the rabbit, such data show that the large increase in collagen in the renal cortex (at the 32nd day following unilateral ureteral ligation) is primarily of interstitial type. However there is also an appreciable increase in basement membrane collagen. Both findings are in agreement with the qualitative impression from electronmicrographs. The chemical method offers an approach to quantitation of these two kinds of collagen (basement membrane and interestitial) in normal and diseased tissues.
Real-time image guidance for open vascular neurosurgery using digital angiographic roadmapping.

Objective Angiographic roadmapping, commonly used for catheter navigation in endovascular procedures, is the superimposition of a live fluoroscopic image on a previously stored digitally subtracted angiogram. We evaluated this technique for the first time as a method for image-guided navigation during surgical resection of intracranial and spinal vascular lesions. Methods After obtaining Institutional Review Board approval, we retrospectively reviewed 38 procedures in 35 patients at two centers performed by one neurosurgeon in which intraoperative roadmapping was used as an image-guided navigation tool for surgical resection of cranial and spinal arteriovenous malformations or fistulae. This technique requires femoral or radial artery access and a portable vascular C-arm capable of digitally subtracted angiogram and roadmap angiography in the operating room suite. Once a roadmap identifying the vascular lesion is obtained, a sterile radiopaque instrument is placed over the skin/wound to precisely localize the lesion in multiple dimensions. Results Angiographic roadmapping was used for resection of seven spinal arteriovenous malformations or fistulae, 23 cranial arteriovenous malformations or fistulae, one aneurysm, two carotid-cavernous fistulae, and transtorcular embolization of five vein of Galen malformations. In all cases, the technique helped us to make precisely localized incisions, avoid unnecessary bone removal, and readily directed us to the vascular lesion. In several cases, it allowed localization of small fistulae not visible on magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomographic angiography scans. Finally, this approach facilitated immediate angiographic confirmation of complete resection at the end of each case. Conclusion Angiographic roadmapping is an effective intraoperative navigation tool for resection of vascular lesions that has not been previously described and offers several advantages to frameless stereotaxy.
Innovation search of new ventures in a technology cluster: the role of ties with service intermediaries

In this study, we examine the relationships between new ventures' ties with service intermediaries (i.e., technology service firms, accounting and financial service firms, law firms, and talent search firms) and their product innovation in the context of a technology cluster. Because service intermediaries sit at the intersection of many firms, organizations and industries, they maintain extensive networks in a cluster. We propose that new ventures' ties with service intermediaries enable the ventures to plug into these networks and contribute to the ventures' product innovation by broadening the scope of their external innovation search and reducing their search cost. Moreover, we argue that the positive relationships between new ventures' ties with service intermediaries and their product innovation will become stronger when search in the networks in the cluster is more important to the ventures' product innovation. Based upon a sample of new ventures in a technology cluster in China, our results support these arguments. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of the effects of secobarbital and diazepam on the repeated acquisition of response sequences in humans

The present study was conducted to compare the acute effects of secobarbital (0–300 mg) and diazepam (0–30 mg) on learning in normal volunteers. The repeated acquisition of behavioral chains procedure was used to assess learning. Subjects were exposed to varying doses of secobarbital, diazepam, and placebo under double-blind conditions. Both compounds increased overall percent errors and decreased overall response rates as an orderly function of dose. No statistically significant differences were observed between these two compounds in onset, magnitude, or duration of effects. As expected, potency differences were observed with diazepam being approximately 10 times more potent than secobarbital. Overall these results indicate that secobarbital and diazepam produce a comparable profile of effects in humans responding under a repeated acquisition of behavioral chains procedure. Thus, with regard to learning impairment, the liability associated with using or abusing secobarbital vs. diazepam appears to be the same.
HCV therapy in HIV-infected patients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection is common among HIV-infected patients. Over the past 15 years, effective HIV treatment has led to dramatic reductions in the incidence of AIDS-related death; over the same time period, HCV-related liver disease has emerged as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Treatment with peginterferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) has been recommended for the treatment of HCV infection in HIV-infected patients at the greatest risk of developing liver disease. However, the effectiveness of this HCV treatment has been low because of limited efficacy in patients infected with HCV genotype 1. More recently, HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitors, telaprevir and boceprevir, in combination with PEG-IFN/RBV have led to significantly higher sustained viral response rates in HIV-uninfected patients with HCV genotype 1 infection. The potential use of these agents in patients with HIV/HCV co-infection is complicated by the potential for drug interactions between antiretroviral drugs and the HCV protease inhibitors and uncertainty regarding the safety and effectiveness of the combination therapy in this population.
Calcium and phosphate ion releasing composite: Effect of pH on release and mechanical properties

Objectives Secondary caries and restoration fracture are the two main challenges facing tooth cavity restorations. The objective of this study was to develop a composite using tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP) fillers and whiskers to be stress-bearing, and to be “smart” to increase the calcium (Ca) and phosphate (PO4) ion release at cariogenic pH.