cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Euphorbia bicolor (Euphorbiaceae) Latex Extract Reduces Inflammatory Cytokines and Oxidative Stress in a Rat Model of Orofacial Pain

Recent studies have reported that the transient receptor potential V1 ion channel (TRPV1), a pain generator on sensory neurons, is activated and potentiated by NADPH oxidase-generated reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are increased by advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), which activate NADPH oxidase by upregulating Nox4 expression. Our previous studies reported that Euphorbia bicolor (Euphorbiaceae) latex extract induced peripheral analgesia, partly via TRPV1, in hindpaw-inflamed male and female rats. The present study reports that E. bicolor latex extract also can evoke analgesia via reduction of oxidative stress biomarkers and proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines in a rat model of orofacial pain. Male and female rats were injected with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the left vibrissal pad to induce orofacial inflammation, and mechanical allodynia was measured by the von Frey method. Twenty-four hours later, rats received one injection of E. bicolor latex extract or vehicle into the inflamed vibrissal pad. Mechanical sensitivity was reassessed at 1, 6, 24, and/or 72 hours. Trigeminal ganglia and trunk blood were collected at each time point. In the trigeminal ganglia, ROS were quantified using 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate dye, Nox4 protein was quantified by Western blots, and cytokines/chemokines were quantified using a cytokine array. AOPPs were quantified in trunk blood using a spectrophotometric assay. E. bicolor latex extract significantly reduced orofacial mechanical allodynia in male and female rats at 24 and 72 hours, respectively. ROS, Nox4, and proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines were significantly reduced in the trigeminal ganglia, and plasma AOPP was significantly reduced in the trunk blood of extract-treated compared to vehicle-treated rats. In vitro assays indicate that E. bicolor latex extract possessed antioxidant activities by scavenging free radicals. Together our data indicate that the phytochemicals in E. bicolor latex may serve as novel therapeutics for treating oxidative stress-induced pain conditions.
Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms and SSRI tolerability: review of pharmacogenetic evidence

Background Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line pharmacotherapy for mood and anxiety disorders. The common mechanism of drugs in this class is antagonism of the serotonin transporter. Within the serotonin transporter gene SLC6A4, two polymorphic sites termed 5-HTTLPR and STin2 are proposed to have functional consequences and thus have been attractive candidates for pharmacogenetic studies of SSRI efficacy and tolerability studies. Objective This review summarizes approximately 15 years of study of these polymorphisms as they relate to SSRI tolerability phenotypes. METHODS: Four online databases (PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, and PharmGKB were searched for articles on polymorphisms of SLC6A4 including 5-HTTLPR and STin2 utilizing a systematic approach. Specific and general psychopharmacology terms, along with adverse effect and tolerability concepts, added to the search strategy. The Human Gene Mutation Database was checked for additional references. Results Forty studies met the inclusion criteria. While null and occasionally opposite associations are reported, the low expression 5-HTTLPR S allele is generally associated with greater adverse drug reaction burden during SSRI therapy. The most convincing evidence is in studies of antidepressant-induced mania and gastrointestinal adverse events. Studies of STin2 are sparse and have conflicting findings. Conclusions The S allele of 5-HTTLPR may be predictive of increased adverse event burden, and this effect appears specific to certain classes of adverse events. Limitations and challenges in interpreting this body of evidence including assay errors, dissimilar grouping of genotypes, the role of ethnicity in associations, and study methodological differences. The clinical utility of serotonin transporter genotypes is not yet delineated but will ultimately depend on genotypic effects on both tolerability and efficacy of SSRIs This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Fortress Europe’s far-flung borderlands: ‘Illegality’ and the ‘deportation regime’ in France’s Caribbean and Indian Ocean territories

This article argues that the French overseas territories of the Caribbean and Indian Ocean, which are also European ‘outermost regions,’ make up the first borders of ‘Fortress Europe,’ geographical...
Clinical application of fluorescence in the operating room (Conference Presentation)

Intraoperative assessment of resection completeness remains challenging in oncological head and neck surgery as is illustrated by 20-30% of inadequate resection margins at final pathological assessment. Inadequate surgical margins correlate with a significantly worse overall survival and warrant additional treatments, such as radio- and chemotherapy, which often result in patient morbidity and increased healthcare costs. Fluorescence-guided surgery, which is based on intraoperative visualization of a systemic infused fluorescence-labeled tumor tracer, is being developed to improve visualization of the tumor borders while operating. This technology would add important information to traditional tactile and visual data. The following chapter discusses the clinical application of fluorescence-guided surgery techniques, that can assist the surgeon in achieving oncologically sound head and neck cancer resection.
Cardiovascular Outcomes of Thyroidectomy or Radioactive Iodine Ablation for Graves' Disease.

Abstract Background Treatment options for Graves’ disease (GD) include medical management with antithyroid medications, radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation, or total thyroidectomy (TT). Definitive treatment with RAI ablation may be associated with worse cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than TT. We sought to determine the rate of cardiovascular morbidity before and after definitive treatment for GD. Methods This study is a retrospective single-institution study of sequential adult patients with GD from 2012 to 2018 treated with RAI ablation or TT. Patients with prior thyroid surgery or RAI ablation with subsequent thyroidectomy were excluded. Demographic and clinical variables were collected from diagnosis of GD to last follow-up. Data analysis was performed with descriptive statistics, univariate analysis with Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the Mann–Whitney U test for continuous variables. Results One-hundred and eighty-four patients underwent definitive treatment for GD during the study period, of which 164 met inclusion criteria. One hundred and ten patients (67%) in the study group had TT and 54 (33%) had RAI ablation with a mean dose of 18.4 mCi (standard deviation 6.1). There were no differences in clinical or demographic factors in patients undergoing RAI ablation versus TT for definitive treatment including age, sex, thyroid-stimulating hormone level, free thyroxine level, or thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin level at time of diagnosis, nor was there any difference in pretreatment cardiovascular comorbidity. Patients with TT had higher rates of resolution of arrhythmia after treatment than those undergoing RAI ablation, P = 0.02. There were no differences in treatment-related complications between the groups. Conclusions For patients undergoing definitive treatment for GD, TT is associated with improved rate of resolution of cardiac arrhythmia compared with RAI ablation.
The dimming of lights in india during the covid-19 pandemic

The monthly Suomi National Polar-orbiting (NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day–Night Band (DNB) composite reveals the dimming of lights as an effect of the lockdown enforced by the government of India in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes in lighting are examined by creating difference maps of a pre-pandemic pair and comparing it with two pandemic pairs. The visual raster difference maps are substantiated with quantitative analysis showing the proportion of population affected by the changes in the lighting brightness levels. In the pre-pandemic images of February and March 2019, 60% of the population lived in administrative units that became brighter in March 2019. However, in the first pandemic pair, 87% of the population lived in administrative units that became dimmer in March 2020 after the lockdown in comparison to February 2020. The nightly DNB profile at the airport in Delhi illustrate how the dimming of lights coincide with the date of the onset of the lockdown (in March 2020). The study shows the usefulness of the DNB nightly and monthly composites in examining economic impacts of the pandemic as countries throughout the world go through economic declines and move towards recovery.
Alzheimer's disease variant portal (ADVP): a catalog of genetic findings for Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) genetics has made substantial progress through genome-wide association studies (GWASs). An up-to-date resource providing harmonized, searchable information on AD genetic variants with linking to genes and supporting functional evidence is needed. We developed the Alzheimer’s Disease Variant Portal (ADVP), an extensive collection of associations curated from >200 GWAS publications from Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) and other researchers. Publications are reviewed systematically to extract top associations for harmonization and genomic annotation. ADVP V1.0 catalogs 6,990 associations with disease-risk, expression quantitative traits, endophenotypes and neuropathology across >900 loci, >1,800 variants, >80 cohorts, and 8 populations. ADVP integrates with NIAGADS Alzheimer’s GenomicsDB where investigators can cross-reference other functional evidence. ADVP is a valuable resource for investigators to quickly and systematically explore high-confidence AD genetic findings and provides insights into population- and tissue-specific AD genetic architecture. ADVP is continually maintained and enhanced by NIAGADS and is freely accessible (https://advp.niagads.org).
Liberal Displacement Policies Attract Forced Migrants in the Global South

Most forced migrants around the world are displaced within the Global South. We study whether and how de jure policies on forced displacement affect where forced migrants flee in the developing world. Recent evidence from the Global North suggests migrants gravitate toward liberal policy environments. However, existing analyses expect de jure policies to have little effect in the developing world, given strong presumptions that policy enforcement is poor and policy knowledge is low. Using original data on de jure displacement policies for 92 developing countries, and interviews with 126 refugees and policymakers, we document a robust association between liberal de jure policies and forced migrant flows. Gravitation toward liberal environments is conditional on factors that facilitate the diffusion of policy knowledge, such as transnational ethnic kin. Policies for free movement, services, and livelihoods are especially attractive. Utility-maximizing models of migrant decisionmaking must take de jure policy provisions into account.
Bio-Mimetic Swimmers in a 3D Incompressible Fluid: Empiric Modeling

In this chapter, we extend the 2D models of bio-mimetic fish-, frog-, and clam-like swimmers to the 3D case.
A population at risk: civil commitment of substance abusers after Kansas v. Hendricks.

In its 1997 decision, Kansas v. Hendricks, the U.S. Supreme Court radically changed the face of civil commitment. In finding the Kansas Sexually Violent Predators Act constitutional, the Court liberalized the first constitutional requirement for involuntary commitment from "mental illness" to a much broader "mental abnormality" standard, without correspondingly restricting the second requirement of dangerousness. The decision essentially authorizes states to civilly commit a broad range of individuals without sufficient due process protections. This Comment explores the possibilities for expansion of civil commitment in the wake of Hendricks. It argues that the holding was unjustifiably broad, focusing in particular on the potential danger facing substance abusers. In conclusion, it offers several suggestions for mitigating the potential misuse of this dangerous precedent.
Video game programming: tutorial presentation

Almost everyone likes to play video games, especially young students. The reason is that video games are interesting, attractive, and promote brainstorming. May they be used as a teaching tool to attract students' attention and to make teaching tools for presenting visualizations? This idea promoted an investigation of game programming. 3D video game programs are a combination of computer graphics, mathematics, and physics. The first step is a design and implementation of a 3D game engine. Applying component-based technology for the design and implementation ends up with a component library. Then, the game programming becomes an assembly of the components. This tutorial is trying to present these ideas and demonstrate the effectiveness of these ideas.
Pediatric Transcatheter Valve Replacement: Guests at Our Own Table?

Transformative advances in medical technology rarely occur in isolation, but rather may be indirectly informed, if not accelerated, by advances in related fields. Bonhoeffer et al1 introduced the first transcatheter valve in 2000, implanting it in a 12-year-old boy with tetralogy of Fallot. The report of the transcatheter aortic valve by Cribier a mere 2 years later suggests the interdependence of investigators on breakthroughs in related fields.2 The advancements in cardiac devices are shared among pediatric and adult cardiologists, with benefits ideally befalling both patient populations when a breakthrough occurs, whether that technology was initially introduced for adults or children. Article see p 1960 It is notable that the Melody valve implanted in 2015 is in large part the same device and delivery system as the first transcatheter valve implanted in 2000. The operator learning curve has been significant, whereas the device has remained for the most part unmodified. The unchanging character of the valve speaks to 2 issues specifically. When considering the performance and clinical utility of a bioprosthetic valve, one might subscribe to the British surgeon Dr Donald Ross’s approach: the primary consideration is the early safety and efficacy of the valve, with secondary value placed on valve durability.3 In consideration of early safety and efficacy, the Melody valve has shown excellent results. As has been demonstrated in multiple studies, a significant learning curve occurred to optimize patient safety during transcatheter valve implantation – such as careful coronary artery assessment, prestenting the outflow tract, and anticipation of outflow tract tearing.4,5 It is worth remembering that some of the experiences on this technical learning curve are embedded within the results of the current midterm study by Cheatham et al6 in this issue of Circulation . Early efficacy has also been previously demonstrated …
Photon Statistics and Wave-Particle Correlations for an EIT System

We consider the photon statistics and wave-particle correlations of an EIT system, in free space and a cavity. We find nonclassical behavior that cannot be explained by coupled oscillators, unlike the transparency itself.
Primary care providers and childhood mental health conditions.

The survey by Rushton, Clark, and Freed1 in this issue of the Journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association addresses an important issue in the primary care management of mental conditions in children. For primary care clinicians, the situation for depression in adults has remarkable similarities to that of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. It occurs in 5% to 9% of the population,2 making it too common for the disorder to be totally managed in the mental health care sector, and it has psychopharmacological treatments (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) that are relatively safe and effective. Like ADHD, psychosocial interventions (primarily psychotherapy for depression) are effective alternative or complementary treatments. These characteristics have …
Dual rotor mutually coupled switched reluctance machine for wide speed operating range

A new dual rotor mutually coupled switched reluctance machine (DR-MCSRM) is proposed. The proposed machine has a magnetic circuit similar to the full pitched mutual coupled switched reluctance machine (FP-MCSRM) without short end windings. FP-MCSRMs have higher torque and power density, but they have longer end windings leading to unwanted copper loss. The construction of the proposed machine is similar to the merging version of the outer rotor and inner rotor FP-MCSRMs. An example machine is designed to meet specifications developed for automotive applications. A finite element model is developed and the machine is optimized to meet the performance targets. The machine performance is compared with a FP-MCSRM designed for the similar specifications.
trans‐3‐Penten‐2‐one

trans-3-Penten-2-One product: 3-penten-2-one byproduct: 4-penten-2-one Keywords: acylation; addition, to CC; elimination, miscellaneous; dichloromethane (methylene chloride); hydrogen chloride; propene
Enthalpy of dilution of aqueous sodium chloride at 348.15 to 472.95 K measured with a flow calorimeter

A flow calorimeter capable of measuring excess enthalpies of liquids at temperatures and pressures up to 473 K and 1.6 MPa is described. The enthalpy of dilution of aqueous solutions of NaCl from 0.1 to 6.0 mol · kg−1 at temperatures from 348 to 473 K have been measured. The results, together with literature data at lower temperatures, have been used to calculate the relative apparent molar enthalpy Lφ the difference in osmotic coefficient (φ(T)−φ(298.15 K)) on going from 298.15 K to T, and the logarithm of the ratio of the activity coefficients ln (γ(T)γ(298.15 K)). The results allow the calculation of the thermodynamic properties of aqueous NaCl solutions with good accuracy up to 473 K. The results also confirm the utility of flow calorimetry in making rapid and precise measurements of thermodynamic properties at high temperatures.
Accuracy and condition of curved (isoparametric) finite elements

A theoretical explanation is given for the observed loss of accuracy in highly distorted isoparametric elements. A brief discussion is included on the condition of the stiffness matrix obtained with such elements and the accuracy of the numerical integration.
Partitioning of selected polychlorinated biphenyls to natural sediments

Abstract The partitioning of two polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures (Aroclor 1016 and 1242) and two tetrachlorobiphenyl isomers (2,5,3′,4′ and 2,6,2′,6′ tetrachlorobiphenyl) between water and four natural sediments was evaluated in laboratory investigations. For both Aroclor mixtures, the extent of adsorption was comparable on all four natural sediments studied. For individual isomers, partitioning was comparable with that observed for the mixtures. Both particle size distribution and total organic carbon were important factors in determining the extent of partitioning for the two isomers; but in the case of the mixtures, there was no correlation with organic content.
The scholar of religion as public intellectual: Some recent works by Cornel West

Atlantic Monthly, The New Republic, and the Village Voice all have recently published front-page articles focussed solely or in part on Cornel West (Boyn ton 1995, Wieseltier 1995, Reed 1995) Earlier this year West was profiled in The New Yorker (Berube 1995), and since the 1993 publication of his best selling Race Matters many other popular journals have discussed him (e g , Anderson 1994; White 1993) It is difficult to think of any contemporary North American intellectual with major interests in religion who commands wider public attention neither a scholar who speaks from the stand-point of religious faith nor an external analyst of religion Moreover, West blends both roles Thus his blend of neo-pragmatist philosophy and neo-Gramscian cultural analysis is an extremely important bridge between religious studies and inter-disciplinary cultural studies, and between both of these wings of the academy and the public West is among a handful of scholars regularly cited in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion as well as inter disciplinary forums such as Social Text and Critical Inquiry In addition, as
Partition of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding sites between the IGF-I and IGF-II receptors and IGF-binding proteins in the human kidney

Quantitative ligand binding autoradiography and in situ hybridization were employed to analyze [125I]insulin-like growth factor-I ([125I] IGF-I) and [125I]IGF-II-binding sites in human kidney sections. Binding sites for both ligands were concentrated in the inner medulla and glomeruli, with low levels present in the tubulo-interstitial cortex. Competition with cold IGF-I, IGF-II, and insulin was used to determine nonspecific binding and differentiate binding of ligands to the IGF-I and IGF-II receptors and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). Nonspecific binding was less than 20% of the total for both ligands. Insulin (10(-5) mol/L), which binds to the IGF-I receptor, but not to the IGF-II receptor or IGFBPs, displaced 39 +/- 8% of [125I]IGF-I binding in glomeruli, 60 +/- 7% in the tubulo-interstitial cortex, and 32 +/- 7% in the medulla. Insulin produced no detectable decrease in [125I]IGF-II binding in any region. IGF-I (10(-8) mol/L), which binds strongly to IGFBPs, but not appreciably to the IGF-II receptor...
Isotopic, Geochemical and Biological Tracing of the Source of an Impacted Karst Spring, Weldon Spring, Missouri

Abstract Weldon Spring is consistently enriched in 18 O relative to other karst springs in east-central Missouri and western Illinois, suggesting an evaporated source component. Regional potentiometric head maps of the shallow aquifer suggest that Prairie Lake, an artificial lake built between 1954 and 1982, could represent this component. Isotopic, biological and chemical tracing of the spring conclusively verify the hypothesis that this lake has impacted Weldon Spring. Mixing calculations indicate that Weldon Spring is now comprised of approximately 80% lake water and 20% groundwater. Recent measurements indicate that the discharge rate of the spring is now approximately 10 times the rate prior to the construction of the lake, confirming the augmentation of flow by a new source. Analysis of the isotopic trends indicates that the subsurface travel time is short, and suggests that the conduits connecting the lake and the spring may be progressively enlarging.
Complementary and alternative interventions in asthma, allergy, and immunology.

Objective To review which herbs are most commonly used as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for treatment of asthma, allergy, and immunologic conditions. Data Sources A review of the literature was performed using the PubMed and OVID databases searching the keywords asthma , allergy , and CAM to identify studies published between 1980 and 2003 that focused on Echinacea ( Echinacea augustifolia, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea purpurea ); garlic ( Allium ); angelica; chamomile; ephedra; gingko; grape seed extract; licorice root ( Glycyrrhiza ); St. John's wort ( Hypericum) ; kava kava ( Piper ); peppermint oil and leaf ( Mentha ); stinging nettle ( Urtica ); and ginseng ( Panax) published in the English and German literature. Study Selection Studies included in vitro and in vivo clinical trials and case reports selected according to the expert opinion of the author. Results Echinacea is one of the most common herbs used to treat symptoms of the "common cold" or upper respiratory tract allergies. Although no common drug interactions have been reported, there is a risk of hepatotoxicity, exacerbation of allergies and asthma, and anaphylactic reactions. Garlic is primarily used for cardiovascular health and relief of cough, colds, and rhinitis. Adverse effects commonly include gastrointestinal disturbances, change in body odor through the sweat and breath, and rarely allergic reactions or hypoglycemia. Other CAM agents, including angelica, German chamomile flower, ephedra, gingko, grape seed extract, licorice root, St. John's wort, kava kava rhizome, peppermint, stinging nettle, and ginseng, are also associated with significant adverse effects. Conclusion The specialty of allergy and immunology has seen the second largest increase in the popularity of CAM (second only to practitioners who treat lower back pain). Almost all of the CAM interventions have displayed adverse effects, usually in the form of a hypersensitivity reaction. Allergists and clinical immunologists need to become more knowledgeable about CAM so that they can inform patients about the use and possible abuse of these modalities.
Magnetic Assembly and Patterning of General Nanoscale Materials through Nonmagnetic Templates

Applied magnetic field represents an effective tool to rapidly assemble micro- and nanoscale magnetic objects into defined structures. Ordered assembly is typically achieved by using magnetic micropatterns, for which the downside is that they require advanced microfabrication techniques to produce. In addition, most conventional magnetic assembly strategies are restricted to target objects that possess magnetic properties. Herein we present a general strategy that allows convenient magnetically driven assembly of nonmagnetic objects in defined locations with high spatial resolution. The process involves immersing a polymer relief pattern in a uniformly magnetized ferrofluid, which modulates the local magnetic fields around the pattern. Nonmagnetic target objects dispersed in the same ferrofluid can then be magnetically assembled at positions defined by the polymer pattern. As the nonmagnetic polymer patterns can be conveniently fabricated at low cost through photolithography and soft-lithography processes...
Magnesium isotopic composition of the Moon

Abstract The Mg isotopic compositions of 47 well-characterized lunar samples, including mare basalts, highland rocks, regolith breccias, and mare and highland soils were measured to address the behavior of Mg isotopes during lunar magmatic differentiation, constrain the Mg isotopic composition of the Moon, and evaluate the degree of Mg isotopic fractionation between planetary bodies. The δ 26 Mg values range from −0.61 ± 0.03‰ to 0.02 ± 0.06‰ in 22 mare basalts, from −0.34 ± 0.04‰ to −0.18 ± 0.06‰ in 3 highland rocks, from −0.33 ± 0.05‰ to −0.14 ± 0.08‰ in 7 regolith breccias, from −0.23 ± 0.05‰ to −0.14 ± 0.07‰ in 6 highland soils, and from −0.41 ± 0.05‰ to −0.20 ± 0.09‰ in 9 mare soils. The limited Mg isotopic variation among bulk mare and highland soils and regolith breccias indicates negligible Mg isotope fractionation by lunar surface processes. By contrast, the large Mg isotopic fractionation between low-Ti and high-Ti basalts suggests the source heterogeneity produced during fractional crystallization of the lunar magma ocean, with ilmenite having lighter Mg isotopic compositions than olivine and pyroxene. Overall, the Moon has a weighted average Mg isotopic composition (δ 26 Mg = −0.26 ± 0.16‰) indistinguishable from the Earth (δ 26 Mg = −0.25 ± 0.07‰) and chondrites (δ 26 Mg = −0.28 ± 0.06‰), suggesting homogeneous Mg isotopic distribution in the solar system and the lack of Mg isotope fractionation during the Moon-forming giant impact.
Vaccinia Virus Telomeres: Interaction with the Viral I1, I6, and K4 Proteins

The 192-kb linear DNA genome of vaccinia virus has covalently closed hairpin termini that are extremely AT rich and contain 12 extrahelical bases. Vaccinia virus telomeres have previously been implicated in the initiation of viral genome replication; therefore, we sought to determine whether the telomeres form specific protein-DNA complexes. Using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we found that extracts prepared from virions and from the cytoplasm of infected cells contain telomere binding activity. Four shifted complexes were detected using hairpin probes representing the viral termini, two of which represent an interaction with the “flip” isoform and two with the “flop” isoform. All of the specificity for protein binding lies within the terminal 65-bp hairpin sequence. Viral hairpins lacking extrahelical bases cannot form the shifted complexes, suggesting that DNA structure is crucial for complex formation. Using an affinity purification protocol, we purified the proteins responsible for hairpin-protein complex formation. The vaccinia virus I1 protein was identified as being necessary and sufficient for the formation of the upper doublet of shifted complexes, and the vaccinia virus I6 protein was shown to form the lower doublet of shifted complexes. Competition and challenge experiments confirmed that the previously uncharacterized I6 protein binds tightly and with great specificity to the hairpin form of the viral telomeric sequence. Incubation of viral hairpins with extracts from infected cells also generates a smaller DNA fragment that is likely to reflect specific nicking at the apex of the hairpin; we show that the vaccinia virus K4 protein is necessary and sufficient for this reaction. We hypothesize that these telomere binding proteins may play a role in the initiation of vaccinia virus genome replication and/or genome encapsidation.
Real-world problem-solving, pedagogy, and efficient programming algorithms in computer education

Modern research and curricular reforms equate pedagogical soundness with the connection of instructional content with real-world problems. Software engineers facing real-world computer problems are continually concerned with the efficiency of the program that they write. Divorcing programming concerns from efficiency unsatisfactorily presents the responsibilities and full concerns of computer programmers. Therefore, when programming tasks are simplified to avoid concerns for efficiency, the assignments become antiseptic, lose the nature of real-world problems, and become inconsistent with the true nature of computer programming concerns. This brief investigation considers real-world problems, pedagogy within computer programming education, and the often-missed consideration of efficiency within instructional computer programming assignments. If-then-else algorithms are compared with algorithms using arrays in light of programming efficiency and pedagogy in computer education.
Transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations do not result from passive opening of the cardia by gastric distention

Background & Aims: Transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation is the main mechanism for gastroesophageal reflux. Although there is evidence that transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations are neurally mediated, another school of thought is that transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations result from gastric distention, which shortens the sphincter to the point where it opens and the pressure decreases. We assessed the relationship of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation to gastroesophageal junction opening in an unsedated human model. Methods: Seven healthy volunteers (6 men and 1 woman, aged 18–53 years) were studied while they were sitting. Manometry was performed by using a sleeve catheter passed through 1 nostril. A 5.3-mm endoscope was placed through the other nostril to obtain a retroflexed view of the cardia. The biopsy channel was connected to a barostat to distend the stomach with air at 15 mm Hg for 30 minutes. Manometric and endoscopic video-recording times were synchronized but scored independently. Results: The transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation onset invariably preceded gastroesophageal junction opening (median, 5.0 seconds; range, 0.5–20.7 seconds; P P Conclusions: These data refute the hypothesis that transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations result from passive mechanical distraction of the gastroesophageal junction. Rather, transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations must occur before the gastroesophageal junction can open.
The Proletarian Ethic and Soviet Industrialization

Conventional comparisons of national industrialization strategies place a strong emphasis on the cultural development of a modern ethic of work performance as an important component of effectively attaining industrial growth. In the case of Czarist and Soviet Russia, most studies maintain that Russian workers are exceptional inasmuch as they have always lacked a modern work ethic and therefore remain necessarily less productive than the more ethically disciplined work forces of Europe, Japan, and North America. However, such studies fail to deal with the problems of Soviet industrialization and distort the actual historical processes of Western capitalist industrialization. This analysis argues that a modern work ethic has developed within the Soviet workplace since 1917. it maintains that the social origins of this cultural code of disciplined labor are to be found, in large part, in the cultural values and group practices of the radical Russian intelligentsia before 1914, a group that pro. vided the concrete class bases of the Bolshevik reconstitution of Marxism as a culture-transforming ideology for industrializing Russia.
The impacts of combustion emissions on air quality and climate - From coal to biofuels and beyond

Combustion processes have inherent characteristics that lead to the release in the environment of both gaseous and particulate pollutants that have primary and secondary impacts on air quality, human health, and climate. The emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels and biofuels and their atmospheric impacts are reviewed here with attention given to the emissions of the currently regulated pollutant gasses, primary aerosols, and secondary aerosol precursors as well as the emissions of non-regulated pollutants. Fuels ranging from coal, petroleum, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, as well as the biofuels; ethanol, methanol, methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), ethyl tertiary-butyl ether (ETBE), and biodiesel, are discussed in terms of the known air quality and climate impacts of the currently regulated pollutants. The potential importance of the non-regulated emissions of both gasses and aerosols in air quality issues and climate is also discussed with principal focus on aldehydes and other oxygenated organics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and nitrated organics. The connection between air quality and climate change is also addressed with attention given to ozone and aerosols as potentially important greenhouse species.
Influence of a CVD carbon coating on the mechanical property stability of Nicalon SiC fiber

Abstract A thin carbon coating was applied to Nicalon NLM 102 fibers with the objective of improving both the stability of fiber strength and the matrix interface characteristics for reaction-bonded silicon nitride (RBSN) composites. Fiber strength was decreased by the 1100°C CVD coating process, but the much more severe degradation that normally results from heat treatment at 1350°C in N 2 was mitigated somewhat in the coated fibers. The carbon film was not strongly bonded to the fiber, and thus was favorable for composite toughening by debonding and pull-out. Fiber degradation was greatly reduced in the presence of silicon. Both coated and uncoated fibers heat treated in close proximity to Si powder at 1350°C in N 2 , simulating reaction-bonded silicon nitride composite processing, retained mean strengths of 1·6 GPa at 1 cm gage length.
MICROVESSEL QUANTIFICATION AS A MEASURE OF ANGIOGENIC ACTIVITY IN BENIGN BREAST-TISSUE LESIONS - A MARKER FOR PRECANCEROUS DISEASE

Neovascularization is a key step in the transformation of normal breast tissue into a cancerous phenotype. We investigated the angiogenic activity of 58 cases of histologically confirmed benign breast lesions quantitating angiogenic activity by factor VIII highlighting of endothelial cells. The mean microvessel count (MVC) for all patients was 51 per 0.19 mm(2) in the area of highest angiogenic activity at x400 magnification (range 21-113 per mm(2)). MVC in benign tissues were similar to those found previously in cancer tissues. These data suggest that the 'angiogenic switch' occurs early in breast transformation and that a role may exist for the use of MVC in the identification of persons at heightened risk for subsequent development of breast cancer.
Comparison of the Graf sea gravimeter with the Vening Meinesz apparatus on board the submarine U.S.S. Becuna

Measurements of gravity were made on boardU.S.S. Becuna (SS 319) with a Vening Meinesz pendulum apparatus and a Graf sea gravimeter at approximately the same time.
Quantum Oscillations of the Velocity of Sound in Gallium

Large-amplitude quantum oscillations of the ultrasonic velocity, $|\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}V}{{V}_{0}}|\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$, were measured in single-crystal gallium at $1.2^{\ensuremath{\circ}}\mathrm{K}lTl1.6^{\ensuremath{\circ}}\mathrm{K}$ in magnetic fields up to 150 kG. The measurements were carried out using 11- and 28-Mc/sec longitudinal sound waves with $\mathbf{q}\ensuremath{\parallel}\mathbf{H}\ensuremath{\parallel}$ ($b$ crystallographic axis). The experimental results are compared with three different theories of this phenomenon. The most satisfactory account of the experimental observations, including the amplitude of the velocity oscillations, is given by the Blank-Kaner theory, although some features of the data remain unexplained.
Two integral relations pertaining to the electron transport through a bipolar transistor with a nonuniform energy gap in the base region

Abstract The two integral relations by Moll and Ross for the current flow through the base region of a bipolar transistor, and for the base transit time, are generalized to the case of a heterostructure bipolar transistor with a nonuniform energy gap in the base region.
Infectious bursal disease virus infection induces macrophage activation via p38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways

In the present study, we show that infection with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes activation of macrophages, the key cells involved in inflammatory and immune-regulatory functions. Exposure of cultured spleen macrophages (SM) from SPF chickens to IBDV resulted in the production of nitric oxide (NO). In addition, there was upregulation of mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-8 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The signal transduction pathways involved in macrophage activation were examined. The role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) was tested by using specific pharmacological inhibitors. Addition of p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB-203580 and NF-kappaB inhibitor Bay 11-7082, suppressed IBDV-induced NO production and mRNA expression of iNOS, IL-8 and COX-2. The results suggest that IBDV uses cellular signal transduction machinery, in particular the p38 MAPK and NF-kappaB pathways, to elicit macrophage activation. The increased production of NO, IL-8 and COX-2 by macrophages may contribute to bursa inflammatory responses commonly seen during the acute IBDV infection.
Wide Dynamic Range Forward Looking Infrared Set (WDRF)

Honeywell has modified the Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories (AFWAL) Chaparral Forward Looking Infrared Set (FLIR) so that it may be used as an imaging radiometer. Additional outputs have been included that format the video signal in a manner suitable for a wide dynamics range digital recording system.
A match made in academia: you and your graduate advisor

Joe shivered as he looked out of his window at the falling snow. Even the cockroaches that usually haunted his office had moved on to cozier places. He was working late on his dissertation proposal, as he had been doing for months. He had hoped to defend it in a week's time, but yesterday his advisor had postponed the committee meeting and requested substantial revisions. Joe was furious, and had spent the day searching for ways to prove his advisor wrong. Now he was exhausted and alone in his cold office at 3:00 am on a Saturday, he lacked adequate proof, and he finally had to accept that his advisor was right. Like Joe, we graduate students look to our advisors for guidance, but it can sometimes be hard to accept their criticism. With good communication, you can develop a strong working relationship with your advisor, that will have positive and long-lasting impacts on your career. If you hope to shine brilliantly as a job candidate when you finish your graduate degree, the key person who can help you shine (or dull you completely) is your advisor. Most of us have good relationships with our advisors. We meet regularly, have fun exchanging ideas, collabo rate on research projects, co-author papers, and generally like each other. If a student-advisor relationship does not work out, it is usually for one of two main reasons:
Mechanism of the cardioprotective effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 in feline myocardial ischemia and reperfusion

We studied the effects of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in a feline model of myocardial ischemia (1.5 hr) and reperfusion (4.5 hr). Myocardial ischemia followed by reperfusion resulted in severe myocardial injury, endothelial dysfunction, high cardiac myeloperoxidase activity indicative of neutrophil accumulation in the ischemic myocardium, and significant neutrophil adherence to the ischemic coronary endothelium. In contrast, intravenous administration of TGF-beta 1 (20 micrograms/kg) 30 min prior to reperfusion significantly attenuated myocardial necrosis (13.8% +/- 3.5% vs. 32.2% +/- 2.9% of area-at-risk, P < 0.01) and attenuated endothelial dysfunction (P < 0.01) associated with ischemia-reperfusion. Moreover, myeloperoxidase activity in the ischemic myocardium was significantly lower than vehicle controls (0.2 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.7 +/- 0.3 units/100 mg of tissue, P < 0.01) and neutrophil adherence to ischemic coronary endothelium was significantly (P < 0.01) attenuated in TGF-beta 1-treated cats. These results demonstrate that TGF-beta 1 exerts a significant cardioprotective effect in a feline model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. The mechanism of this protective effect appears to relate to endothelial preservation by TGF-beta 1 inhibiting circulating neutrophils from adhering to the endothelium, a critical step in neutrophil-induced reperfusion injury.
Multiplexed liquid arrays for simultaneous detection of simulants of biological warfare agents.

Liquid array-based multiplexed immunoassays designed for rapid, sensitive, specific, and simultaneous detection of multiple simulants of biological warfare agents have been developed. In both blind and standard laboratory trials, we demonstrate the simultaneous detection of four simulant agents from a single sample. The challenge agents comprise broad classes of pathogens (virus, protein toxins, bacterial spores, vegetative cells). Assay performance of each analyte was optimized, and dose−response curves and the limits of detection (LODs) for individual analytes are presented. Assay performance, including dynamic range, sensitivity, and LODs for liquid arrays and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay were compared and are shown to be similar. Maximum assay sensitivity is obtained in ∼1 h, and good sensitivity is achieved in as little as 30 min. Although the sample matrixes are very complex, even for highly multiplexed assays the samples do not exhibit evidence of nonspecific binding, demonstrating that the as...
A redisplay algorithm

This paper presents an algorithm for updating the image displayed on a conventional video terminal. It assumes that the terminal is capable of doing the usual insert/delete line and insert/delete character operations. It takes as input a description of the image currently on the screen and a description of the new image desired and produces a series of operations to do the desired transformation in a near-optimal manner. The algorithm is interesting because it applies results from the theoretical string-to-string correction problem (a generalization of the problem of finding a longest common subsequence), to a problem that is usually approached with crude ad-hoc techniques.
When two methods are better than one: combining user study with cognitive modeling

We discuss the benefits of combining user studies and cognitive modeling in the context of Firefox tabbed browsing. We studied new users' ability to use tabbed browsing without assistance, and then evaluated alternatives for closing browser tabs to improve the new user experience through user tests and cognitive modeling. In general, our experience highlights the advantages of using user studies and modeling together to do user interface evaluation: user studies provided validation of design intuitions and data to support modeling of user behavior; modeling provided a fast and efficient ability to play "what if" with the design change; the combination of qualitative user test data and quantitative modeling results proved to be a far more convincing package of evidence than either result in isolation, given the variety of perspectives inthe design and development team.
Habitat quality of historic Snake River fall Chinook salmon spawning locations and implications for incubation survival. Part 1: substrate quality

We evaluated substrate quality at two historic fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawning sites in the Snake River, Idaho, USA. The primary objective of this evaluation was to measure sediment permeability within these areas to determine the potential quality of the habitat in the event that anadromous salmonids are reintroduced to the upper Snake River. Riverbed sediments within the two sites in the upper Snake River were sampled using freeze cores and hydraulic slug tests. Sediment grain size distributions at both sites were typical of gravel-bed rivers with the surface layer coarser than the underlying substrate, suggesting the riverbed surface was armored. Despite the armored nature of the bed, the size of the largest material present on the riverbed surface was well within the size limit of material capable of being excavated by spawning fall Chinook salmon. The percentage of fines was low, suggesting good quality substrate for incubating salmon embryos. Geometric mean particle sizes found in this study compared to a 55% to 80% survival to emergence based on literature values. Hydraulic slug tests showed moderate to high hydraulic conductivity and were comparable to values from current fall Chinook salmon spawning areas in the Hells Canyon Reach of themore » Snake River and the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. Predicted estimates of mean egg survival at both sites (48% and 74%) equaled or exceeded estimates from fall Chinook salmon spawning areas in the Hells Canyon Reach and the Hanford Reach.« less
An investigation of the roles of individual differences and user interface on database usability

This research seeks to understand to what extent leveraging the graphical user interface's ability to convey spatial information can improve a user's ability to write effective database queries. This capability is believed to be especially important when nontechnical individuals, with diverse backgrounds and cognitive abilities, are expected to interact directly with these systems in the query formulation process.This study makes use of recent developments in graphical user interface technology to manipulate the level of spatial visualization support provided by the interface. A laboratory experiment was conducted to explore the influence of interface style and the spatial visualization ability of the user on the performance of the query development process. The application used in the experiment was a visual database query system developed for this study. One hundred sixty-two volunteers participated in the experiment. Spatial visualization ability was assessed using a paper-folding test. The results indicate that both spatial visualization support of the system and spatial visualization ability of the user are important components of database usability.