cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amplification-Free Detection of Cryptosporidium parvum Nucleic Acids with the Use of DNA/RNA-Directed Gold Nanoparticle Assemblies

Abstract: This study describes the development and evaluation of an amplification-free molecular assay for detection of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. The assay employed a pair of oligonucleotide-functionalized gold nanoparticle (AuNP) probes that were complementary to adjacent sequences on C. parvum 18s rRNA. Hybridization of the probes to the target RNA resulted in the assembly of AuNPs into target-linked networks, which were detected both visibly and spectroscopically, by a redshift in the wavelength of light scattered by the gold nanoparticles. The limit of detection was between 4 × 105 and 4 × 106 copies of RNA per microliter reaction mix, when a short synthetic target or full-length in vitro transcribed target was employed. With total nucleic acids purified from C. parvum oocysts spiked into 100-mg stool, as few as 670 oocysts/μl reaction mix were detected. The ability to detect the nucleic acids of C. parvum oocysts in stool, without the need for complex amplification, offers unique advantages f...
Cambiando las éticas y las políticas delconocimiento: lógica de la colonialidad ypostcolonialidad imperial

From a modernity/coloniality’s perspective, this article exams the epistemic and geopolitical distinctions between postcolonial studies and subaltern studies, as well as the different genealogies and geopolitical articulations between the postmodern and the postcolonial. Likewise, it analyzes the epistemic shift from the ego-politics linked to the Cartesian subject to the biopolitics and geo-politics related with the historical movements which have made evident the irreducible difference of the bodies and places within the world system in the production of knowledge. Finally, this article is focus on to show the specificities of a proposal based on «decolonial thought» and the differences of the modernity/coloniality’s perspective in relation with the predominant models of interpretation of the contemporary world system.
System Maximum Power Tracking among distributed power sources

Presented herein is Uniform Input Voltage Distribution (UIVD) control [6–9] for Distributed-Input Series-Output (DISO) converter power systems. The primary control objective of UIVD for DISO converters is to achieve grouped maximum power throughput from non-identical renewable power sources. Secondly, this paper features a revised Maximum Power Tracking (MPT) controller design developed for DISO configurations that facilitate simultaneous processing of distributed power flows. In earlier research, the distributed source peak powers are individually tracked by converters controlled by independent MPT controllers without UIVD. However, when distributed power sources have similar peak power voltages with an achievable tracking efficiency of greater than 96%, such independent MPT controllers are not necessary. By utilizing UIVD control, near-maximum use of available power is achieved using a single MPT controller. The resulting system and control architectures offer near-maximum power transfer with a lower parts count. Two DISO power converter bus architectures are described herein: one having a battery-dominated output voltage and the other with a regulated output voltage. Through computer simulation, both power architectures are validated for fault-tolerant grouped UIVD control.
The course of the temporal branch of the facial nerve in the periorbital region.

Abstract Purpose: This study identified the terminal temporal and zygomatic branches of the facial nerve as they enter the orbicularis oculi muscle and related these branches to identifiable surface markings. Materials and Methods: The temporal and zygomatic branches of the facial nerve were dissected from 5 preserved cadavers (10 sides). The most superior temporal branch entering the orbicularis oculi muscle was identified and related to the lateral canthus of the eye. A vertical line was passed through this point so that the line was equidistant from the nasal tip and chin point. A line perpendicular to the vertical line through the lateral canthus served as the horizontal scale. Vertical and horizontal lines through the lateral canthus were used to establish the anatomic relationship between the lateral canthus and the branch of the temporal nerve entering the orbicularis oculi muscle. Results: The temporal branch was an average of 2.85 ± 0.69 cm superior to the lateral canthus and an average of 2.54 ± 0.43 cm lateral to the lateral canthus as it courses into the orbicularis oculi muscle. At the lateral border of the orbicularis oculi muscle, where the temporal and zygomatic nerves insert into the muscle, the mean vertical distance between the temporal and zygomatic nerves was 1.72 ± 0.62 cm. Conclusion: Incisions superior or inferior and parallel to the course of the facial nerve, can provide access to the fronto zygomatic suture and the superior and lateral orbit without damaging its branches. © 2001 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Southern Green Stink Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) as Vectors of Pathogens Affecting Cotton Bolls — A Brief Review

Abstract. The southern green stink bug, Nezara viridule L., is a member of the stink bug complex that has become more economically important in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., production in recent years. A disease of cotton bolls, identified as South Carolina boll rot, seemed coincidental to the increase in abundance of stink bugs. The relationship between the occurrence of the cotton disease and the southern green stink bug is discussed here. This review documents: the identification and description of the disease; potential causal agents and insect vectors; conclusive identification of Pentoea egglomerans (Ewing and Fife) Gavini et al. as the causative agent of the disease; establishment of southern green stink bug as a model insect based on ingestion, retention, and transmission of the disease to cotton bolls; determination of vulnerability of bolls of different ages to disease; and, transmission of other disease agents by southern green stink bugs. Future research needs also are discussed.
Chemically Programmed Cell Adhesion with Membrane-Anchored Oligonucleotides

Cell adhesion organizes the structures of tissues and mediates their mechanical, chemical, and electrical integration with their surroundings. Here, we describe a strategy for chemically controlling cell adhesion using membrane-anchored single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. The reagents are pure chemical species prepared from phosphoramidites synthesized in a single chemical step from commercially available starting materials. The approach enables rapid, efficient, and tunable cell adhesion, independent of proteins or glycans, by facilitating interactions with complementary labeled surfaces or other cells. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by imaging drug-induced changes in the membrane dynamics of non-adherent human cells that are chemically immobilized on a passivated glass surface.
Paraumbilical collateral veins on MRI as possible protection against portal venous thrombosis in candidates for liver transplantation

We retrospectively evaluate the potential protective influence of patent paraumblical vein (PUV) collaterals against portal vein (PV) thrombosis and reduced PV diameter in candidates for orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) Dynamic 3D contrast-enhanced MRI at 1.5T was obtained in 309 patients with cirrhosis without evidence of malignancy. All MR studies were reviewed by one reader for PUV collaterals, PV thrombosis and PV diameter. Statistical analysis was performed by Fisher exact tests; 50 selected studies were reviewed independently by two additional readers to determine interobserver agreement via intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Patent PUV was noted in 119 of 309 patients (38.5%). Mean PV diameter was 13.4 ± 3.0 mm in patients with PUV compared with 11.3 ± 3.6 mm without PUV (P < 0.01). Main PV thrombosis was present in 13 of 309 patients (4.2%) and significantly more frequent in those without PUV than with PUV (6.3% vs. 0.8%, P < 0.05). ICC indicated almost perfect agreement among three readers for presence of PUV collaterals (ICC = 0.91) and PV thrombosis (ICC = 0.96). Our results suggest that patients with patent PUV appear less likely to develop main PV thrombosis or small PV diameter, suggesting a protective effect of PUV on PV patency.
Acidity studies of Eaton's catalyst, methanesulfonic acid—phosphorus pentoxide

Abstract The acidity of Eaton's regent, methanesulfonic acid-phosphorus pentoxide, was determined by 13 C NMR using mesityl oxide as indicator extrapolated to infinite dilution. It was found that addition of P 2 O 5 decreases the strength of MeSO 3 H. The mixed anhydrides and the polyphosphoric acids identified by 13 C- and 31 P-NMR behave, therefore, as weak bases in methanesulfonic acid solution. Addition of small amounts of water produces a steep decrease in acidity of MeSO 3 H but has little effect on the acid strength of MeSO 3 H-P 2 O 5 , acid mixture. Phosphorus pentoxide is thus able to delay the deactivation by the strong base water, when this is a product of the reactions catalyzed by Eaton's catalyst.
Alkaline phosphatase activity in skin, as shown by staining en bloc.

A modification of Gomori's method for alkaline phosphatase was applied to 5-7 mm cubes of fresh, unfixed human skin. Exposure to the substrate of buffered Na-β·glycerophosphate was varied from 8-36 hr, to the 2% Co(NO3)3, 2-12 hr; and to ammonium sulfide (containing approximately 1% NH3), 1-2 hr. Optimum timing for these treatments were found to be 24, 4 and 1 hr, respectively. After staining, blocks were embedded in paraffin and serial sections were made. In such small blocks, the staining was uniform throughout the block. Alkaline phosphatase activity was seen in the walls of the subepidermal and periappendageal capillaries, as well as in the eccrine sweat glands, and did not differ from that seen in stained frozen sections. In particular, there was no loss of specificity and no diffusion of the enzyme.
Improving the Quality of Cancer Care: Crossroads or Convergence?

Insurers and payers are demanding performance measurement, whereas professional boards are urging practice-based quality improvement projects. Will these two streams improve day-to-day practice or add administrative burden?
Determinants of shrimp importation into the USA: an application of an augmented gravity model

Shrimp farmers in the USA are facing the situation of increased imports resulting in reduced market share, falling prices, and reduced profitability for their farm-raised shrimp. The study examined the determinants of shrimp imports from China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia using an augmented gravity model of international trade. The results reveal that US imports from the four exporting countries are significantly affected by the GDP of exporting countries, GDP of the USA, exchange rate, unit import value (proxy for import price) of shrimp, and tariff. Tariff policy has implications for the US shrimp industry.
Uncertainty and Social Penetration Theory Expectations about Relationship Communication: A Comparative Test.

This study compared uncertainty and social penetration theory expectations about the amount and nature of question usage in relationships. Expectations that strangers would employ more questions than friends, but that the nature of the questions used would not differ, were derived from uncertainty theory, while the opposite expectations were derived from social penetration theory. No differences were found in the amount of question usage, but friends did use more evaluative questions than strangers.
Basement Influences on Tectonic Cycles in Basins: ABSTRACT

Although direct information from deep boreholes and indirect data from geophysics add significantly to interpretations, the geometry and composition of the basin fill remain the most fruitful fields from which to draw inferences on the behavior of major sedimentary basins. Geometric and compositional data are capable of analysis to yield interpretations through geologic time of the rate of subsidence in basins, their degree of differentiation from surrounding neutral and positive elements, the positions and stability of the hingelines along which such differentiation is accomplished, and the position and character of source areas contributing to the basin fill. Evaluation of the sedimentary record of basins in the interior of the North American craton indicates that, for the period since late Precambrian, such basins, in harmony with the rest of the craton, have been involved in six major sedimentary cycles. Four of these, corresponding with the times of accumulation of the Sauk, Tippecanoe, Kaskaskia, and Zuni Sequences, exhibit records of five distinct stages that appear to have simultaneous effects on all cratonic basins. None of the cratonic cycles shows any systematic correlation in space and time with orogenic events in extracratonic mobile belts. These essentially stratigraphic deductions raise questions that require consideration in the development of geologically meaningful basin models. Such models must include simultaneous consideration of the composition, structure, and dynamics of the continental crust and upper mantle. End_of_Article - Last_Page 548------------
Kant on geometry and spatial intuition

I use recent work on Kant and diagrammatic reasoning to develop a reconsideration of central aspects of Kant’s philosophy of geometry and its relation to spatial intuition. In particular, I reconsider in this light the relations between geometrical concepts and their schemata, and the relationship between pure and empirical intuition. I argue that diagrammatic interpretations of Kant’s theory of geometrical intuition can, at best, capture only part of what Kant’s conception involves and that, for example, they cannot explain why Kant takes geometrical constructions in the style of Euclid to provide us with an a priori framework for physical space. I attempt, along the way, to shed new light on the relationship between Kant’s theory of space and the debate between Newton and Leibniz to which he was reacting, and also on the role of geometry and spatial intuition in the transcendental deduction of the categories.
Evaluation of Acrylamide Treatment on Levels of Major Brain Biogenic Amines, Their Turnover Rates, and Metabolites

Abstract Acrylamide, a widely used andchemically active substance, has caused delayed distal neuropathy in man and in experimental animals. Male rats administered 50 mg/kg/day acrylamide for 5 days demonstrated ataxia in preliminary rotorod experiments. Additional groups of rats were dosed with 5, 15 or 50 mg/kg/day acrylamide for 5 days, then sacrificed on day 6 at various time intervals after iv injections of tritiated tyrosine (Tyr) or tryptophan (Trp). Brain levels of Tyr, Trp, norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and respective metabolites, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol sulfate (MOPEG-sulfate), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were assayed fluorometrically. Turnover rates of NE, DA and 5-HT were estimated by evaluating the rates of specific activity changes in neurotransmitters and precursor amino acids over time. A slight reduction of whole brain NE content was observed in rats administered 50 mg/kg/day acrylamide. Other neurotransmitter levels were not affected by acrylamide levels administered, nor were turnover rates affected. Levels of MOPEG-sulfate and DOPAC were unchanged at any dose tested. Increased levels of 5-HIAA were observed in rats receiving 15 and 50 mg/kg/day acrylamide. Results suggest that acrylamide neurotoxicity does not entail widespread damage to the neurons associated with these biogenic amines; however, the acid metaolite efflux from brain was significantly inhibited.
Estrogen therapy after menopause: role in normal cognition and Alzheimer's disease

Preclinical biological studies in vitro and in vivo as well as epidemiological surveys in humans strongly support the importance of adequate estrogen support for cognitive function in the older female and identify the cognitive and biological consequences of estrogen loss. Nonetheless, therapeutic intervention studies have not shown definitively that estrogen administration is salutary for brain function after menopause, and in fact some studies (e.g., the Women’s Health Initiative) have actually shown either no improvement or increased risk of cognitive impairment or dementia. Significant progress has been made in understanding the molecular and cellular consequences of estrogen loss and treatment. What has been lacking has been a linkage between these advances in estrogen neurobiology and known mechanisms of age- and disease-related cognitive impairment in humans. This paper briefly reviews advances in the known effects of estrogen on the aging brain and recent evidence regarding the nature of some of t...
Multiphase equilibria behavior of nitrous oxide +n-paraffin mixtures

Abstract Liquid—liquid—vapor (LLV) and solid—liquid—vapor (SLV) phase equilibria for the binary mixtures nitrous oxide+n-nonadecane and nitrous oxide+n-tetracosane were experimentally studied using a visual cell (stoichiometric) technique. The pressure, temperature, compositions and molar volumes of the liquid phases in all the multiphase systems are reported. For the homologous series of nitrous oxide+n-paraffin binary mixtures, the topographical nature of the LLV loci is similar to that of the ethane+n-paraffin homologous series. n-Octadecane was found to be the first member of the series to exhibit LLV immiscibility with nitrous oxide. A transition in the nature of the LLV locus occurs in the series between n-docosane and n-tricosane. The termination of LLV immiscibility occurs with n-penta-cosane.
Design aspects of the Trans-Rotary Magnetic Gear

Several design aspects of a recently introduced magnetic device are studied in this paper. The device, named Trans-Rotary Magnetic Gear (TROMAG), resembles a mechanical lead-screw. It can convert linear motion to rotation, and vice-versa, through magnetic fields, while offering a gearing action. For instance, high force, low speed translation can be converted to high speed, low torque rotation. Once integrated with a conventional winding, the resultant system may be used as a compact machine for high force linear motion applications. The paper investigates the design of the TROMAG by means of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Piece-wise helix effects, 2D approximation, demagnetization possibility, magnet dimensions impact, scaling, and flux density distribution are studied.
Laser-Enhanced Ionization in Microwave-Induced Plasmas

Laser-Enhanced Ionization (LEI) signals have been detected for Na, Li, and Ba analytes in a microwave-induced plasma (MIP). A 300-mW continuous-wave (cw) dye laser pumped by a 5-W argon-ion laser was used to promote measurably increased ionization rates for these elements. A low-power, high-efficiency microwave plasma at 1 atmosphere with nitrogen and nitrogen-containing support gas was employed as the atom reservoir. The effects of varying applied microwave power, support gas composition, electrode voltage, and geometry were studied and results are given. The experimental variables that most significantly affect LEI signal intensity are: (1) electrode geometry, spacing, voltage, and distance above the cavity; (2) applied microwave power; (3) gas composition in an argon and nitrogen mixture; and (4) laser intensity. Experimental results are presented from the studies of Na LEI signals as a function of each one of these variables. Preliminary analytical studies yield Na detection limits in the low ng/mL range, showing this method to be competitive with other laser-based ionization methods.
Initial experience with same day discharge after laparoscopic appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis.

Background: Although many laparoscopic procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, patients who have undergone a laparoscopic appendectomy have typically stayed at least overnight. Recently, data in both the pediatric and adult literature suggest that same day discharge (SDD) for acute nonperforated appendicitis is safe and associated with high patient and parent satisfaction. We have recently begun attempting SDD for nonperforated appendicitis, and this study is an analysis of our initial experience. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for nonperforated appendicitis at our institution from January 2012 to July 2013 was performed. Demographics, length of stay, hospital course, and outcomes were
Comparison of the Nephrotoxicity of Netilmicin and Gentamicin in Rats

Abstract The nephrotoxicity of netilmicin relative to that of gentamicin was examined in Sprague-Dawley rats. Balance studies were performed on rats injected with netilmicin or gentamicin (50 mg/kg per day for 14 days, 100 mg/kg per day for 8 days, and 150 mg/kg per day for 8 days). Control rats were injected with saline. Both drugs caused a dose-related decrease in urine osmolality and increases in urine volume, water intake, and serum creatinine; however, the magnitude of these changes was significantly less in netilmicin- than in gentamicin-injected rats. Light microscopy of renal tissue revealed less proximal tubular cell necrosis in netilmicin- than in gentamicin-injected rats. There was no significant difference between the renal cortical concentrations of the two drugs. Both drugs stimulated uptake of p-aminohippurate in rat renal cortical slices to the same degree. The data indicate that netilmicin is less nephrotoxic than gentamicin in rats, that the difference in nephrotoxicity cannot be explained by a difference in drug concentration in the renal cortex, and that the ability of aminoglycosides to stimulate the organic acid transport system of proximal tubular cells does not correlate with their nephrotoxic potential.
Transmission of sound through annular ducts of varying cross sections and sheared mean flow

An asymptotic solution is presented for the transmission and attenuation of acoustic waves in an annular duct of slowly varying cross section which carries a sheared mean flow. The analysis also takes into account the growth of the boundary layer as well as any slow variations in the acoustic liner properties. The problem is reduced to the solution of a first-order ordinary differential equation for the amplitude. The analysis is used to estimate the effects of the variations of the duct cross section and boundary layer growth on the different acoustic modes.
Differential Requirements of Sodium for Coupling of Cannabinoid Receptors to Adenylyl Cyclase in Rat Brain Membranes

: Sodium is generally required for optimal inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by Gl/o-coupled receptors. Canna-binoids bind to specific receptors that act like other members of the Gl/o-coupled receptor superfamily to inhibit adenylyl cyclase. However, assay of cannabinoid inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in rat cerebellar membranes revealed that concentrations of NaCI ranging from 0 to 150 mM had no effect on agonist inhibition. This lack of effect of sodium was not unique to cannabinoid receptors, because the same results were observed using baclofen as an agonist for GABAB receptors in cerebellar membranes. The lack of sodium dependence was region-specific, because assay of cannabinoid and opioid inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in striatum revealed an expected sodium dependence, with 50 mM NaCI providing maximal inhibition levels by both sets of agonists. This difference in sodium requirements between these two regions was maintained at the G protein level, because agonist-stimulated low Km GTPase activity was maximal at 50 mM NaCI in striatal membranes, but was maximal in the absence of NaCI in cerebellar membranes. Assay of [3H]WIN 55212–2 binding in cerebellar membranes revealed that the binding of this labeled agonist was sensitive to sodium and guanine nucleotides like other Gl/o-coupled receptors, because both NaCI and the nonhydrolyzable GTP analogue Gpp(NH)p significantly inhibited binding. These results suggest that differences in receptor-G protein coupling exist for cannabinoid receptors between these two brain regions.
Transcriptional control of human diploid fibroblast collagen synthesis by γ-interferon

Abstract Recombinant γ-interferon (rec γ-IFN) caused potent inhibition of collagen synthesis by cultured confluent human diploid fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. Gel electrophoresis of the newly synthesized proteins from the culture media of rec γ-IFN-treated fibroblasts demonstrated a selective depression of procollagen without a significant change in non-collagenous proteins. Dot blot hybridization to a Type I procollagen cDNA probe showed that the inhibition of collagen production was accompanied by a decrease in the levels of collagen mRNA. These results indicate that rec γ-IFN is capable of exerting transcriptional modulation of collagen biosynthesis and suggest that it may play an important role in regulation of normal and pathologic fibrogenesis.
FIRST-LETTER CLUES IN THE RETRIEVAL OF PROPER NAMES FROM LONG-TERM MEMORY

Each of four experiments required retrieval of proper names from long-term memory. In Exps. I and II a picture of a well-known person was presented on each of a series of discrete trials and S was to say, as rapidly as possible, the surname of the person pictured. on each trial of Exps. III and IV S was given a book title, or titles, and asked to say the surname of the author. In some of the conditions the first letter of the target name was provided, and in some it was not. The results of each experiment indicated a small, but reliable, facilitation of name recall by a first-letter clue; the magnitude of the effect was independent of the class of stimulus materials and of other experimental conditions. In Exp. III, three titles corresponding to each author were rank-ordered by S according to their degree of association with the author. Exp. IV indicated that the proportion correct was higher and that the latency of correct responses was shorter, when a single-title stimulus was of high association with t...
On Becoming Extraordinary: The Content and Structure of the Developmental Networks of Major League Baseball Hall of Famers

We explore the structure and content of developmental networks depicted in 62 National Baseball Hall of Fame induction speeches to identify which developers and what support mattered most to induct...
Effect of fish oil concentrates on hemorheological and hemostatic aspects of diabetes mellitus: a preliminary study.

Abstract Fish oil concentrates (Max EPA) were given without other diet modification for eight weeks to five insulin-dependent diabetics and five healthy volunteers, in order to determine their effect on possible in vitro indices of thrombosis. Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin Alc, platelet count, and the osmotic fragility of red blood cells were not significantly changed from baseline values after eight weeks of fish oil consumption. Serum triglyceride levels were lowered by the fish oil (diabetics 130 ± 23 to 89 + 26 mg/dl: normals 107 + 16 to 57 + 5 mg/dl). Nine out of ten subjects required more arachidonic acid to aggregate their platelets, and six out of ten required more collagen. Whole blood viscosity at low shear rates was increased in diabetics before the fish oil ingestion, and was reduced both in normals and in diabetics after eight weeks of treatment. Before fish oil administration, the diabetics had higher levels of von Willebrand Factor (vWF) (208 + 31%) than did controls (117 + 26%). There was a statistically significant decrease of serum von Willebrand Factor both in diabetics (p
SOLAR Hα OSCILLATIONS FROM INTENSITY AND DOPPLER OBSERVATIONS

Chromospheric wave activity around flares and filaments has been a research focus for years, and could provide indirect measurements of local conditions that are not otherwise accessible. One interesting observed phenomenon is oscillations in filaments, activated by distant flares and the large-scale waves they produce. Characteristics of these oscillations, such as periods, amplitudes, and lifetimes, can provide unique information about the filament. We measure oscillation properties in flares and filaments from Hα chromospheric data using a new method that provides important spatial and frequency content of the dynamics. We apply the method to two flare events where filaments are observed to oscillate and determine their properties. We find strong oscillatory signal in flaring active regions in the chromosphere over a range of frequencies. Two filaments are found to oscillate without any detectable chromospheric wave acting as an activation mechanism. We find that filaments oscillate with periods of tens of minutes, but variations are significant at small spatial scales along the filamentary region. The results suggest that there is a frequency dependence of the oscillation amplitude, as well as a spatial dependence along single filaments that is more difficult to quantify. It also appears that the strength of the oscillations does not necessarily depend on the strength of the trigger, although there are other possible effects that make this conclusion preliminary. Applications of this technique to other events and different data sets will provide important new insights into the local energy densities and magnetic fields associated with dynamic chromospheric structures.
Endothelin action: Inhibition by a protein kinase C inhibitor and involvement of phosphoinositols.

Endothelin tightly bound to rabbit aortic strips and caused a prolonged vasoconstriction both in the presence and absence of extracellular Ca 2+ , although only partial constriction (20–30%) developed in the latter case, indicating that its action may not be limited to the opening of a calcium channel. The endothelin-induced constriction was reversed by the protein kinase C inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinolynylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7). In contrast to the observation of Hirata et al (1), endothelin caused a robust phosphatidylinositol breakdown producing inositol mono-, bis-and trisphosphates in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells. It showed no effect on cyclic nucleotide levels in the same cultured cells. These results indicate that phosphatidylinositol turnover and protein kinase C activation are involved in endothelin-induced vasoconstriction.
Embryogenesis in 100% O2 at reduced pressure.

Fertile chicken eggs were incubated in an altitude chamber in a near 100% O2 atmosphere at 225 torr. Both N2 and CO2 were kept under 0.5%. Temperature was a standard 37.5° but a high relative humidity of 90% was required to prevent dehydration. In ten trials involving 382 eggs, hatchability averaged 21% of controls and weight of chicks was 11% less than controls, but embryo mortality was distributed similarly. Low pressureper se and small differences in O2 tension may have affected the results, but similarities to incubation in 21% O2-79% He call attention to absence of nitrogen as a possible explanation.
Limit Cycle Analysis of Hydroelectric Systems

Describing function analysis is used to predict limit cycles in a single-area hydroelectric power system. Backlash, rate limits, and a detailed hydrogovernor turbine model are considered in the analysis. The results provide evidence of the existence and nature of very low frequency limit cycles. Such theoretical evidence contrasts with early simulation studies and helps clarify anomalies among more recent observations and simulation studies.
The optime system for fitting theoretical expressions

Abstract This paper describes the OPTIME system, designed to help a user fit theoretical expressions to statistical distributions of events. The system makes available several types of estimators relying on maximization techniques to adjust variable parameters. The maximazing processes involve special stepping procedures, some of them using approximations for the second derivative matrix. The system also provides the possibilities to calculate error matrices, to perform integrations, and to make histograms. Much flexibility within the framework of FORTRAN allows an easy handling of all these features. The mathematical expressions used and some justification for them are given.
Simplified calculation of cell water content during freezing and thawing in nonideal solutions of cryoprotective agents and its possible application to the study of "solution effects" injury.

Abstract A simplified equation has been derived which reduces the time and complexity of calculating subzero cell water content during freezing and thawing as compared to calculation by means of the Mazur equation. The simplified equation also allows inclusion of the effects of nonideality of glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide aqueous electrolyte solutions. Furthermore, a very simple, iterative method of solving the simplified equation has been shown to give results which are equivalent to those obtained using the far more difficult and involved Runge-Kutta technique. It is hoped that these simplifications will make calculation of cell water content accessible to more cryobiologists. In addition, possible applications of such calculations to mechanistic issues in the area of “solution effects” injury are discussed.
Paget's disease of bone: indications for treatment and goals of therapy

Paget's disease of bone is a common disorder of unknown etiology characterized by increased bone remodeling and abnormal bone architecture. The pathologic process is initiated by an increase in osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, accompanied by a compensatory increase in bone formation. The increased bone remodeling results in a disorganized mosaic of woven and lamellar bone. This bone is highly vascular and gradually becomes enlarged and structurally weakened. Paget's disease is generally diagnosed in patients older than 40 years of age, usually as an incidental finding. The disease may be monostotic or polyostotic. The pelvis, femur, spine, tibia, skull, and humerus are most commonly involved. Most patients with Paget's disease are asymptomatic. Pain is the most common presenting symptom. Complications of the disease include bowing deformity of the long bones, fracture, and a variety of nerve compression syndromes. Malignant degeneration of Paget's disease is a rare complication. As safer, more effective therapies have become available, the indications for treatment and goals of therapy have changed. The difficult issue that clinicians are currently facing is whether to treat patients with asymptomatic disease. The progressive nature of the disease, the severity of its complications, its potential negative impact on quality of life, and the availability of therapy capable of controlling its activity have led many experts in the field to recommend treatment of asymptomatic patients who have active disease at sites where complications are likely to develop. There are, however, no data to prove that complications can be prevented by decreasing the rate of bone remodeling in Paget's disease, nor any data to define who is at risk for complications. Until more information is available, the management of patients with Paget's disease will continue to be based on clinical observation and theoretical considerations. This review examines the present understanding of Paget's disease, the rationale for the proposed indications for treatment, and the goals of therapy.
Highly Oriented Growth of Pulsed-Laser Deposited LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 Films for Application in Microbatteries

The miniaturization of devices for emerging electrochemical energy related applications combined with the requirement of enhanced performance with long-term stability requires the production of intercalation oxide electrodes with controlled structure and properties.We report highly oriented growth of pulsed-laser deposited LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 films for application in microbattery device applications.
Fast computation of spectral centroids

The spectral centroid of a signal is the curve whose value at any given time is the centroid of the corresponding constant-time cross section of the signal's spectrogram. A spectral centroid provides a noise-robust estimate of how the dominant frequency of a signal changes over time. As such, spectral centroids are an increasingly popular tool in several signal processing applications, such as speech processing. We provide a new, fast and accurate algorithm for the real-time computation of the spectral centroid of a discrete-time signal. In particular, by exploiting discrete Fourier transforms, we show how one can compute the spectral centroid of a signal without ever needing to explicitly compute the signal's spectrogram. We then apply spectral centroids to an emerging biometrics problem: to determine a person's heart and breath rates by measuring the Doppler shifts their body movements induce in a continuous wave radar signal. We apply our algorithm to real-world radar data, obtaining heart- and breath-rate estimates that compare well against ground truth.
Simultaneous maps of optical action potentials and calcium transients in guinea-pig hearts: mechanisms underlying concordant alternans

1. The mechanisms underlying electro-mechanical alternans caused by faster heart rates were investigated in perfused guinea-pig hearts stained with RH237 and Rhod-2 AM to simultaneously map optical action potentials (APs) and intracellular free Ca2+ (Ca2+i). 2. Fluorescence images of the heart were focused on two 16 x 16 photodiode arrays to map Ca2+i (emission wavelength (lamdda;em) = 585 +/- 20 nm) and APs (lamdda;em > 715 nm) from 252 sites. Spatial resolution was 0.8 mm x 0.8 mm per diode and temporal resolution 4000 frames s-1. 3. The mean time-to-peak for APs and [Ca2+]i was spatially homogeneous (8.8 +/- 0.5 and 25.6 +/- 5.0 ms, respectively; n = 6). The durations of APs (APDs) and Ca2+i transients were shorter at the apex and progressively longer towards the base, indicating a gradient of ventricular relaxation. 4. Restitution kinetics revealed increasingly longer delays between AP and Ca2+i upstrokes (9.5 +/- 0.4 to 11.3 +/- 0.4 ms) with increasingly shorter S1-S2 intervals, particularly at the base, despite nearly normal peak [Ca2+]i. 5. Alternans of APs and Ca2+i transients were induced by a decrease++ in cycle length (CL), if the shorter CL captured at the pacing site and was shorter than refractory periods (RPs) near the base, creating heterogeneities of conduction velocity. 6. Rate-induced alternans in normoxic hearts were concordant (long APD with large [Ca2+]i) across the epicardium, with a magnitude (difference between odd-even signals) that varied with the local RP. Alternans were initiated by gradients of RP, producing alternans of conduction that terminated spontaneously without progressing to fibrillation.
Rating dysthymia: an assessment of the construct and content validity of the Cornell Dysthymia Rating Scale.

Background: Mason et al. developed the Cornell Dysthymia Rating Scale (CDRS), a 20-item clinician-rated inventory, and hypothesized that it may be superior to the commonly-used Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) in assessing the symptoms of dysthymia, a form of chronic depression. The purpose of this study was to compare these instruments in an outpatient sample of dysthymic patients. Method: The CDRS and the HDRS and other inventories (including the Hopkins Symptom Check List (SCL)) were administered to 110 patients meeting DSM-IIIR diagnosis of dysthymia. Results: There was a significant correlation between the CDRS and the HDRS at baseline and termination, indicating concurrent validity. Distributional statistics were compared for baseline and termination severity scores, showing that the CDRS has greater severity range scores than the HDRS. Furthermore, results of the DSM-IV Mood Disorders Field Trial suggest that the CDRS has better content validity than the HDRS when it comes to the dysthymic population. Limitations: The results are limited by the use of a homogeneous sample, the absence of observer ratings of divergent symptoms, and less than excellent validity of self-report divergent symptoms. Conclusions: Our results support the value of the CDRS in assessing symptoms of dysthymia.
Maternal Chlamydia trachomatis Infections and Preterm Birth: The Impact of Early Detection and Eradication During Pregnancy

The risks for preterm birth are heterogeneous and there remains much to elucidate regarding etiology of this adverse perinatal outcome. Antenatal infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, a highly prevalent sexually-transmitted infection, may convey a higher risk of preterm birth. Early detection and eradication of this sexually-transmitted infection without recurrent/persistent infection during pregnancy may serve as an intervention that reduces the risk of preterm birth. The objective of this study was to characterize the association between early antenatal detection and eradication of maternal C. trachomatis infection and the likelihood of preterm birth among pregnant women in an urban county. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Hamilton County, Ohio (2006-2011) to evaluate the risk of preterm birth among women with maternal C. trachomatis infections detected and eradicated at or before 20 weeks gestation--the intervention group. Infected women whose infections were detected after 20 weeks gestation or persistent during the pregnancy represented the reference group. The study population contained 3,354 pregnant women with documented C. trachomatis infections. The relative risk for moderate to late spontaneous preterm birth (32-36 weeks gestation) was 0.54 (95 % CI 0.37-0.80) for women in the intervention group who were 19 years of age and younger. Pregnant adolescents benefited the most from early detection and eradication of antenatal C. trachomatis infections through a reduction in the risk of PTB at 32-36 weeks gestation. This finding suggests the importance of early antenatal detection and effective treatment of C. trachomatis.
Breastfeeding and the Bahá'í Faith.

The Baha'i Sacred Writings reference breastfeeding literally and symbolically and provide guidance as to its practice. Breastfeeding is endorsed as the ideal form of infant nutrition. The importance of breastfeeding is underscored by the exemption of breastfeeding women from fasting, as well as by the identification of breastfeeding as being linked to the moral development of children. Several of the central principles of the Baha'i Faith, such as the equality of women and men and the harmony of science and religion, may engender attitudes that support the practice of breastfeeding. The implications of the Baha'i Writings with regard to breastfeeding are explored and summarized here.
Exponential decrease during aging and random lifetime of mouse spermatogonial stem cells

Variation in the number of spermatogonial stem cells during the lifespan of the mouse was examined by assaying the number of clonogenic cells, that is, spermatogenic stem cells, surviving known doses of radiation. The results indicated that the stem cell number decreased exponentially with age.
Microbial characterization of basalt formation waters targeted for geological carbon sequestration

Geological carbon sequestration in basalts is a promising solution to mitigate carbon emissions into the Earth's atmosphere. The Wallula pilot well in Eastern Washington State, USA provides an opportunity to investigate how native microbial communities in basalts are affected by the injection of supercritical carbon dioxide into deep, alkaline formation waters of the Columbia River Basalt Group. Our objective was to characterize the microbial communities at five depth intervals in the Wallula pilot well prior to CO2 injection to establish a baseline community for comparison after the CO2 is injected. Microbial communities were examined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction to enumerate bacterial cells and 454 pyrosequencing to compare and contrast the diversity of the native microbial communities. The deepest depth sampled contained the greatest amount of bacterial biomass, as well as the highest bacterial diversity. The shallowest depth sampled harbored the greatest archaeal diversity. Pyrosequencing revealed the well to be dominated by the Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria, with microorganisms related to hydrogen oxidizers (Hydrogenophaga), methylotrophs (Methylotenera), methanotrophs (Methylomonas), iron reducers (Geoalkalibacter), sulfur oxidizers (Thiovirga), and methanogens (Methermicocccus). Thus, the Wallula pilot well is composed of a unique microbial community in which hydrogen and single-carbon compounds may play a significant role in sustaining the deep biosphere.
Thermal diffusivity measurements on finite samples

Abstract High-speed computers have made it possible to solve many thermal problems that would not be practical by ordinary computational methods. A new technique has been developed for measuring the thermal diffusivity of small samples in which an IBM 650 computer has been used to perform the calculations. The samples were in the form of round rods of finite length, surrounded by a cylindrical guard fabricated from the same material. Both the sample and the guard were attached at one end to an electric resistance heater. Three thermocouples were attached along the sample at equally spaced intervals. After the heater was turned on, the temperature change occurring at each thermocouple was recorded as a function of time. The temperatures at the two outer thermocouples determined the boundary conditions for the heat-flow equation, which could then be solved for the sample midpoint by assuming various values of thermal diffusivity. These solutions were compared with the experimental data at the midpoint to obtain the best value of thermal diffusivity for this ambient temperature. This method has been shown to give values of thermal diffusivity for Armco iron, from room temperature to 1100°C, which are in good agreement with those obtained by other methods. Preliminary measurements have also been made on a silicon single crystal over the same temperature range.
Progesterone-induced hyperventilation in the guinea pig

Progesterone-induced hyperventilation has thus far not been reported in animals other than humans. Accordingly we investigated the effects of chronic progesterone treatment on ventilation in guinea pigs. Virgin female guinea pigs were divided into those treated with cholesterol as controls (C), progesterone (P), or estrogen plus progesterone (E&P). All hormones were administered in silastic capsules placed subcutaneously for 28 days. On day 28 arterial blood gases and respiratory rates were determined. Arterial pH was elevated in P- and E&P-treated animals compared with controls (7.43 +/- 0.04 and 7.43 +/- 0.03 vs 7.39 +/- 0.05, respectively, P less than 0.05). Arterial PCO2 was reduced in both progesterone-treated groups compared to controls (33.9 +/- 5.8 (P), 33.1 +/- 2.8 (E&P), 38.0 +/- 4.3 (C)), and was correlated with systemic progesterone concentrations in animals receiving E&P (r = -0.85, P less than 0.01) but not in animals receiving P alone (r = -0.07, P = N.S.). Arterial [HCO-3], PO2 and respiratory rates were not different between groups. We conclude that chronic progesterone administration produces hyperventilation in guinea pigs, and that estrogen facilitates this action of progesterone.