cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spectroscopic studies of cutaneous photosensitizing agents. XVIII. Indomethacin.

— The photochemistry, photophysics, and photosensitization (Type I and II) of indomethacin (IN) (N-[p-chlorobenzoyl]-5-methoxy-2-methylindole-3-acetic acid) has been studied in a variety of solvents using NMR, high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy, transient spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance in conjunction with the spin trapping technique, and the direct detection of singlet molecular oxygen (l O2) luminescence. Photodecomposition of IN (λex > 330 nm) in degassed or air-saturated benzene proceeds rapidly to yield a major (2; N-[p-chlorobenzoyl]-5-methoxy-2-methyl-3-methylene-indoline) and a minor (3; N-[p-chlorobenzoyl]-5-methoxy-2, 3-dimethyl-indole) decarboxylated product and a minor indoline (5; 1-en-5-methoxy-2-methyl-3-methylene-in-doline), which is formed by loss of the p-chlorobenzoyl moiety. In air-saturated solvents two minor oxidized products 4 (N-[p-chlorobenzoyl]-5-methoxy-2-methylindol-3-aldehyde) and 6 (5-methoxy-2-methyl-indole-3-aldehyde) are also formed. When photolysis was carried out in 18O2-saturated benzene, the oxidized products 4 and 6 contained 18O, indicating that oxidation was mediated by dissolved oxygen in the solvent. In more polar solvents such as acetonitrile or ethanol, photodecomposition is extremely slow and inefficient. Phosphorescence of IN at 77 K shows strong solvent dependence and its emission is greatly reduced as polarity of solvent is increased. Flash excitation of IN in degassed ethanol or acetonitrile produces no transients. A weak transient is observed at 375 nm in degassed benzene, which is not quenched by oxygen. Irradiation of IN (λex > 325 nm) in N2-gassed C6H6 in the presence of 5, 5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) results in the trapping of two carbon-centered radicals by DMPO. One adduct was identified as DMPO/.COC6H4-p-CI, while the other was probably derived from a radical formed during IN decarboxylation. In air-saturated benzene, (hydro) peroxyl and alkoxyl radical adducts of DMPO are observed. A very weak luminescence signal from 1O2 at 1268 nm is observed initially upon irradiation (λex= 325 nm) of IN in air-saturated benzene or chloroform. The intensity of this 1O2 signal increases as irradiation is continued suggesting that the enhancement in 1O2 yield is due to photoproduct(s). Accordingly, when 2 and 3 were tested directly, 2 was found to be a much better sensitizer of 1O2 than IN. In air-saturated ethanol or acetonitrile no IN 1O2 luminescence is detected even on continuous irradiation. The inability of IN to cause phototoxicity may be related to its photo stability in polar solvents, coupled with the low yield of active oxygen species (1O2, O2−-) upon UV irradiation.
Use of Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotides in the Study of Neuroendocrine Aging

Abstract One of the difficulties in the field of the neurobiology of aging is that many of the studies are necessarily correlative in nature. Investigators interested in the neurotransmitter or neuropeptide control of a given brain function often describe the situation in young animals and compare these observations with findings for groups of aged animals. However, ascribing causation with such studies is difficult at best. The use of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides described in this article allows the investigator to target one or more neuropeptides expressed in a confined area of the brain for selective abiation. The assessment of cause and effect on the physiological endpoint of Interest then becomes more tractable. Having previously identified age-related changes in neuropeptide dynamics that may underlie certain aspects of endocrine aging, we used this method to determine whether specific antisense oligodeoxynucleotide treatment of young animals mimicked the effect of age on the endocrine system. The theoretical background and practical aspects of the method are presented in sufficient detail to allow investigators not familiar with the technique to design appropriate oligodeoxynucleotides and use them in their research.
On the approximation of the state equations of nonlinear permanent magnet synchronous motors

This paper presents an approximate linearized model for permanent-magnet synchronous motors. The linearized model is derived using an optimization technique, which is obtained by minimizing a cost function for a particular solution. Numerical experiments show good agreement of the method with the nonlinear system for both autonomous and non-autonomous cases. It turns out that unlike the classical linearization, the linearization method used here is not a first order approximation, but has the same order as the nonlinearity. The method can be used for the control of different types of permanent magnet synchronous motors.
Ring Expansions of 2-Haloethynyl-2-norbornanols

2-Haloethynyl-2-norbornanols react with iodine and Koser's reagent in acetonitrile to afford two ring-expanded products, 2-[(Z)-haloiodomethylidene]bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-one and 3-[(Z)-haloiodomethylidene]bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2-one. These results contrast with the 2-haloethynyl-2-bornanols which lead to the corresponding 3-octanones.
New Journals, New Societies, More Meetings— Do We Need Them All? Who Can Do It All?

Increased specialization, new technology, and fields of interest lead to an increase in journals, books, organizations, meetings, and courses. Are they all necessary? Do we need an American Board of Minimally Invasive Surgery? There is an International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery and their journal, Heart Surgery Forum. In 1999, Organ reviewed the problem of overlapping societies, memberships, and costs and called for a moratorium on further expansion and contracting. 1 Now the problem has intensified. Organ cited Billroth: It is a most gratifying sign of the rapid progress of our time that our best textbooks become antiquated so quickly. 1(p1344) How many societies today would Billroth join, how many journals would he subscribe to, and how many textbooks would he buy?
Maternal vitamin D and fetal growth in early-onset severe preeclampsia

Objective Recently, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risks for preeclampsia and diagnosis of early-onset, severe preeclampsia (EOSPE). The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association between vitamin D levels and small-for-gestational age (SGA) in patients with EOSPE. Study Design Patients with EOSPE were recruited, and demographics, outcomes, and plasma were collected. We assessed 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) by radioimmunoassay and reported our findings in nanograms per milliliter. Results were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman correlation and were reported as median (Q1-Q3). Results In patients with EOSPE (n = 56), 25(OH)D was lower in patients with SGA (16.8 ng/mL; range, 8.9–23 ng/mL) vs normal fetal growth (25.3 ng/mL; range, 16–33 ng/mL; P = .02). 25(OH)D was correlated significantly with percentile growth at delivery (ρ = 0.31; P = .02). Conclusion Vitamin D is lower among patients with SGA in EOSPE than those without growth retardation. We suspect that vitamin D may impact fetal growth through placental mechanisms.
Attitudes Toward Industrial Pollution, Strategies for Protecting the Environment, and Environmental‐Economic Trade‐offs

Attitudes toward industrial pollution, environmental-economic trade-offs, and endorsement of various strategies and activities to protect the environment were examined in a community sample. Environmental attitudes were measured using seven distinct factors organized around four cognitive themes: commercialist-expansionist-emphasizing industrial concerns even at the expense of environmental considerations; reformist-emphasizing the need and possibility of environmental quality; radical-emphasizing pessimism over the possibility of environmental quality, given the present economic and policital system; and finally, denial that the community has been harmed by pollution. Examination of the relationship between pollution attitudes and endorsement of the various proenvironmental activities yielded a pattern consistent with a cognitive, syllogistic model of the organization of attitudes. Those emphasizing a commercialist position neither favored nor regarded the various environmental activities as effective. Those who emphasized reform endorsed the various activities as both favorable and effective. Denial was associated with opposition to the various activities. Finally, those taking a radical position favored the various strategies but were not convinced of their efficacy.
Studies of the interaction of 5-hydroxytryptamine and the perivascular innervation of the guinea-pig caecum.

Summary 1 The action and interaction of noradrenaline (NA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and the sympathetic innervation was studied in the isolated taenia of the guinea-pig caecum. 2 Addition of 5-HT led to a contraction of the taenia while addition of NA or perivascular nerve stimulation resulted in relaxation. Responses to 5-HT or perivascular nerve stimulation were abolished by tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin did not affect responses to applied NA. Hexamethonium and hyoscine converted the 5-HT response to a relaxation and augmented the relaxation which followed low frequency perivascular nerve stimulation. Hexamethonium and hyoscine did not affect the dose-response relationship for NA. 3 Fatigue of mechanical responses of the taenia to perivascular nerve stimulation was accelerated when nerves were stimulated in the presence of 5-HT or α-methyl-p-tyrosine (α-MPT). These two agents were additive in this action. 4 Reserpine, 6-hydroxydopamine and α-MPT all reduced the NA content of the taenia. However, only after 6-hydroxydopamine could adrenergic activity be related to NA content. 5 Segments of taenia were incubated with either tritiated NA or 5-HT. An increased rate of release of radioactivity followed perivascular nerve stimulation after incubation with either substance. This release did not occur when tissue was taken from animals given reserpine or 6-hydroxydopamine. 6 It is concluded that 5-HT activates neural elements exclusively while NA has a direct effect on smooth muscle. 5-HT can apparently be taken up by adrenergic axons, and appears to enter the releasable neurotransmitter pool. Since none of the actions characteristic of 5-HT are seen when it is released by adrenergic axons as a false neurotransmitter, the released amine probably fails to reach neuronal receptors for 5-HT.
Discussion on the Forum Article, “What is the aurora?”

In a recent Forum article—“What is the Aurora?” (Eos Trans. AGU, 85(52), 567, 28 December 2004)—John Clarke has raised an important issue: how we define the aurora. I, too, was confronted by the same question when I was writing a review entitled “Auroral emissions of the giant planets” with Randy Gladstone [Bhardwaj and Gladstone, 2000]. I widely searched the literature then, to find how the aurora should be defined. Finally we defined the aurora as “electromagnetic radiation emanating from the high latitudes of a planet (also called auroral or polar latitudes).” We also defined auroras as “(generally) high-latitude atmospheric emissions that result from the precipitation of energetic charged particles from a planet's magnetosphere.”
The restriction of the recombination of mitochondrial DNA molecules in the zygotes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Crosses were made between strains carrying a nuclear control factor (NC) and strains classified with respect to their omega allele (ω+ or ω-). The characteristic asymmetrical transmission was always observed (as was seen) in crosses not involving the ω factor. The analysis of functional recombinants in a cross involving an NC factor has indicated that the absence of the ω effect may be caused by a restriction in the zygote of the recombination of mitochondrial DNA molecules.
Neurochemical characteristics of rats distinguished as benzodiazepine responders and non-responders in a new conflict test

Using a new rat conflict test it was found that 30% of the subjects failed to respond to benzodiazepines and other anxiolytic agents. This value is similar to that reported using more classical procedures such as the Geller-Seifter and Vogel conflict tests. Biochemical analysis of various brain regions from responder (R) and non-responder (NR) subjects revealed no significant differences in 5-HT1, 5-HT2, GABA receptor binding or GABA-activated benzodiazepine binding. However, a small, but significant, increase in basal benzodiazepine binding was noted in the hippocampus of NR rats. These findings suggest that the insensitivity of these animals to anxiolytics is probably unrelated to an alteration in serotonin, GABA or benzodiazepine binding sites in brain.
Modeling the Microbial Food Web

Models of the microbial food web have their origin in the debate over the importance of bacteria as an energetic subsidy for higher trophic levels leading to harvestable fisheries. Conceptualization of the microbial food web preceded numerical models by 10–15 years. Pomeroy's work was central to both efforts. Elements necessary for informative and comprehensive models of microbial loops in plankton communities include coupled carbon and nitrogen flows utilizing a size-based approach to structuring and parameterizing the food web. Realistic formulation of nitrogen flows requires recognition that both nitrogenous and nonnitrogenous organic matter are important substrates for bacteria. Nitrogen regeneration driven by simple mass-specific excretion constants seems to overestimate the role of bacteria in the regeneration process. Quantitative assessment of the link-sink question, in which the original loop models are grounded, requires sophisticated analysis of size-based trophic structures. The effects of recycling complicate calculation of the link between bacteria or dissolved organic matter and mesozooplankton, and indirect effects show that the link might be much stronger than simple analyses have suggested. Examples drawn from a series of oceanic mixed layer plankton models are used to illustrate some of these points. Single-size class models related to traditional P-Z-N approaches are incapable of simulating bacterial biomass cycles in some locations (e.g., Bermuda) but appear to be adequate for more strongly seasonal regimes at higher latitudes.
Tetraspecific ligand for tumor-targeted delivery of nanomaterials.

Abstract The polygenetic nature of most cancers emphasizes the necessity of cancer therapies that target multiple essential signaling pathways. However, there is a significant paucity of targeting ligands with multi-specificities for targeted delivery of biomaterials. To address this unmet need, we generated a tetraspecific targeting ligand that recognizes four different cancer biomarkers, including VEGFR2, α v β 3 integrin, EGFR, and HER2 receptors, which have been implicated in numerous malignant tumors. The tetraspecific targeting ligand was constructed by sequentially connecting four targeting ligand subunits via flexible linkers, yielding a fusion protein that can be highly expressed in Escherichia coli and readily purified to near homogeneity. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI) studies and extensive cellular binding analyses indicated that all the targeting ligand subunits in the tetraspecific fusion protein recognized their target receptors proximately to the corresponding monospecific ligands. The resulting tetraspecific targeting ligand was applied for the delivery of nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for targeted hyperthermic killing of various cancer cell lines with biomarkers of interest expressed. We demonstrate that the tetraspecific ligand can be facilely introduced on the surface of AuNPs and efficient target-dependent killing of cancer cells can be achieved only when the AuNPs are conjugated with the tetraspecific ligand. Significantly, the tetraspecific ligand simultaneously interacts with more than one receptors, such as EGFR and HER2 receptors, when they are expressed on the surface of the same cell, as demonstrated by in vitro binding assays and cell binding analyses. Our results demonstrate that the tetraspecific ligand, through multivalency and synergistic binding, can be readily used to generate various ‘smart’ biomaterials with greatly broadened tumor targeting range for simultaneous targeting of multiple signaling pathways on many different cancer types.
Chemical origami: Formation of flexible 52-membered tetranuclear metallacycles via a molecular square formed from a hemilabile ligand

A novel tetranuclear rhodium complex has been synthesized by reaction of N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-bis-[2-(diphenylphosphino)ethyl]-1,4-phenylenediamine with a "Rh(I) source" generated from the reaction between [RhCl(coe) 2 / 2 (coe = cyclooctene) and AgOTs (OTs = p-toluenesulfonate). Significantly, the complex can be reacted with small molecules that selectively break the N-Rh links to afford flexible, 52-membered tetranuclear macrocycles.
Impact of lymphocyte apoptosis on the innate immune stages of infection

Infection of mice with Listeria monocytogenes has led to a puzzling observation: mice deficient in lymphocytes are more resistant during the early innate immune response. This is counterintuitive, because mice deficient in the adaptive immune response are unable to clear the infection and eventually die. This work will highlight some of our recent work on Listeria induced apoptosis and its immunological consequences. We show that Listeria produces a toxin, listeriolysin O (LLO), which causes apoptosis of lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo. Early during the infection, type I interferon sensitizes lymphocytes to die by LLO-induced apoptosis. The cell death peaks during the first two days of the infection, leading to the production of IL-10 and downregulation of anti-microbial activity in the spleen. The induction of apoptosis by Listeria creates an infective niche in the peri-arteriolar lymphoid sheaths of the spleen which allows the bacteria to grow exponentially.
THEORY OF A FIXED-POLE POMERANCHUKON BOOTSTRAP.

A self-consistent model of asymptotic high-energy hadron-hadron scattering determining the $t$ dependence at small angles is formulated and compared with available experimental results. This model takes the Pomeranchuk singularity as a fixed pole, self-generating through unitarity in the $s$ channel. The production mechanisms assumed to be most important in the elastic-scattering unitarity sum are those involving essentially the Pomeranchukon; they are "diffraction dissociation," or "strong bremsstrahlung" with the pion (as the lightest hadron) mass determining the scale for $t$ dependences. In addition to pion propagators, a form factor which is required in the production model may be determined self-consistently by postulating a certain universality and the Chou-Yang hypothesis. Specific predictions for diffraction-peak widths at asymptotic energies are given and are in qualitative agreement with presently available data.
Predicting flooding probability for beach/dune systems

The determination of the risk from flooding that shorefront communities face is an important component of coastal management that has not been resolved successfully. Wave runup offers one way of quantifying the risk of coastal flooding that results from overtopping by storm waves. The calculation of runup probabilities uses wave frequency analysis and an average beach/dune profile for a given shoreline segment. The amount of risk is determined by using a runup probability curve for specific shoreline locations within the segment. The procedure is demonstrated using the New Jersey shoreline as an example, and results indicate a higher degree of risk in the southern part of the state. Although the procedure is attractive, there is a need for additional field research to test: (1) the accuracy of the calculation procedure; (2) the applicability of a design profile for a shoreline segment; and (3) whether a non-storm beach/dune profile may be used in the calculation. In terms of the broader subject of coastal hazards, these runup calculations need to be integrated with research on beach erosion to provide a comprehensive assessment of the risk at specific locations.
Asynchronous Bends in Pacific Seamount Trails: A Case for Extensional Volcanism?

The Gilbert Ridge and Tokelau Seamounts are the only seamount trails in the Pacific Ocean with a sharp 60° bend, similar to the Hawaii-Emperor bend (HEB). These two bends should be coeval with the 47-million-year-old HEB if they were formed by stationary hot spots, and assuming Pacific plate motion only. New 40Ar/39Ar ages indicate that the bends in the Gilbert Ridge and Tokelau seamount trail were formed much earlier than the HEB at 67 and 57 million years ago, respectively. Such asynchronous bends cannot be reconciled with the stationary hot spot paradigm, possibly suggesting hot spot motion or magmatism caused by short-term local lithospheric extension.
THE EFFECTS OF FISCAL SHOCKS ON CONSUMPTION: RECONCILING THEORY AND DATA*

Recent research has stressed the inconsistency between empirical evidence and the theoretical prediction of both the standard real business cycle and the New Keynesian models regarding the impact of fiscal shocks on consumption. Some authors have attempted to bridge this gap by relying on assumptions about the effects of government spending on preferences and production, or on deviations from the intertemporal optimizing framework. In this paper we follow a different route. We show that introducing at the same time imperfect competition, sticky prices and deviations from Ricardian equivalence through an overlapping generations model helps to solve the inconsistency between theory and data. Our paper can also be seen in the light of the classic controversy between Keynesians and monetarists on the effectiveness of fiscal policy. From this angle, our model can be considered a reincarnation of the classic work of Blinder and Solow (Journal of Public Economics, Vol. 2 (1973), pp. 319–337).
Operational dynamic configuration analysis

Seventy-eight air traffic sector configurations, recorded in operational data for Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center on February 8, 2007, were analyzed. A method is used to select a sequence of configurations and trigger times from the operational sector combination data. The selection process considers two key characteristics of sector combining and splitting operations: controller familiarity and sector continuity. Based on a distance score, the method selects three representative configurations. Configurations selected from the clustering algorithm were compared with the actual operational configurations. The main findings of the study were: 1) on average 2.8 sectors were changed at each reconfiguration event, 2) on average, after a reconfiguration about two aircraft were handed-off, two aircraft were received, and five aircraft remained in the sector, and 3) aircraft density change is the best sector change metric to access new dynamic airspace designs using a simplified reconfiguration.
A UNIX Based Computer Workstation For Spectroscopic Data Manipulation

A UNIX-based computer workstation for spectroscopic data reduction is described. A Heurikon Corp. HK-68 microcomputer (with Motorola 68000 CPU and UNIX operting system) accepts data downloaded from five spectrometer systems. Various hardware and software devices are used to optimize the downloading of data to the multi-user UNIX system. Software tools, written in Fortran 77, include: 1) screen interactive routines for Fourier smoothing, Fourier derivatives, Fourier self-deconvolution; 2) mathematical manipulation and plotting of spectra and of measurable spectroscopic parameters (e.g., peak position, halfwidth, intensity); 3) methods of displaying series of spectra. UNIX system features like shell script, shell variables, I/O redirection, and background processing are fully utilized to enhance the power and flexibility for the programs used in data reduction.
Reconstitution of the solubilized μ-opioid receptor coupled to a GTP-binding protein

Abstract A μ-opioid receptor-GTP binding protein (μ-opioid receptor-G-protein) complex from the 7315c cell was solubilized with CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate) and reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. Pretreatment of the tissue with either [3H]etorphine or morphine greatly improved recovery of the receptor and maintained it in a GTP-sensitive state. GTP sensitivity was consistent with the hypothesis that a receptor-G-protein complex had been obtained. Other evidence consistent with this hypothesis was that recovery of the solubilized, prelabelled receptor was decreased by approximately 70% by pretreatment of 7315c cells with pertussis toxin. The reconstituted receptor was μ-selective: DAGO (Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Met-Phe-NH(CH2)2OH), but not ICI 174864 or U50488-H, displaced [3H]etorphine binding with high affinity. The affinity of the reconstituted receptor for [3H]etorphine (1.25 ± 0.20 nM) was similar to that observed for the membrane-associated receptor (0.53 ± 0.25 nM). GTPγS decreased this affinity 3-fold without changing the number of binding sites. The potencies of GTPγS and GTP in diminishing [3H]etorphine binding were similar in the membrane and vesicle preparations, but were 10-fold lower than the potencies observed in diminishing binding to the solubilized receptor. The ability to reconstitute a functional μ-opioid receptor-G-protein complex will facilitate further study of the structure and function of the receptor and the specific identification of the associated GTP-binding protein(s).
An experimental test in two-ionic systems with permselective membranes of the theory of dynamic polyionic potentials across membranes of ideal ionic selectivity.

Abstract 1. 1.|A previously derived general equation for the dynamic polyionic potentials across ion-exchange membranes of ideal ionic selectivity is presented in its explicit form for two-ionic potentials. 2. 2.|The validity of this equation is verified in a variety of two-cationic and two-anionic systems with different permselective membranes, different pairs of critical ions, and different concentrations of these ions in the two solutions.
Between Domestic and Global Justice

What kind of normative constraints do domestic political theories generate at the global level? While much attention has been given to the global implications of specific domestic theories, little if any attention has been dedicated to the more general question - in what ways can a domestic theory of justice generate normative constraints for a global theory of justice? My aim here is to take first steps in addressing this meta-theoretical question. The main reason why global justice theorists have been ignoring this question is the implicit assumption that a domestic political theory can generate normative constraints for global theory only if its conclusions need to be replicated at the global level. While intuitive, I argue that this replication framework misses the possibility that domestic theories can have global implications by directly modifying, through their design process and output, the starting point of global theory. I elaborate this alternative modification framework in two main stages. The first introduces in detail the distinction between the replication and modification frameworks. The second stage demonstrates the distinctive value of the modification framework by applying it to two specific themes central to global political philosophy: the normative constraints that domestic egalitarianism generates for thinking about global distributive justice, and the nature of individual moral duties concerning global institutions. Understanding these issues through the modification framework will allow us to render coherent global theories that might seem incoherent with their domestic origins. More generally, this understanding might yield surprising normative conclusions about global affairs.
Space diversity and fade duration statistics at C-band for two overwater, line-of-sight propagation paths in the mid-Atlantic coast

The authors characterize space diversity and fade duration statistics at 4.7 GHz for two line-of-sight (LOS) overwater links in the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. Single-terminal and joint probabilities are generated for both annual and monthly cases for fade and fade duration distributions over the year period from June 1, 1989 to May 31, 1990. The fade and duration distributions during the months November-June were heavily biased by sustained deep fade events. These events were caused by persistent and severe subrefraction, which generally existed simultaneously over both sites. Although the height geometries are dissimilar (13.7 m and 45.5 m), these events mitigated the effectiveness of space diversity. During periods in February and March 1990, for example, fading continuously exceeded 20 dB (relative to the free-space power) at both sites for a duration in excess of 24 h. Space diversity does however appear effective during those months in which fading were predominantly caused by ducting (July-October) and when sustained deep fade events were generally not present. >
The Role of Immunity and Inflammation in Lung Senescence and Susceptibility to Infection in the Elderly

Advancing age is associated with a decline in the integrity of physical barriers and protection against invading pathogens, and age-related changes in the immune system are associated with increased susceptibility to the emergence of autoimmune phenomena, neoplasia, and infections. Respiratory tract infections can occur at any age, but the incidence of lower respiratory tract infections increases significantly with advanced age such that pneumonia is a leading cause of illness and death in the elderly. Changes in lung physiology and immune function coupled with inflammation induced by environmental exposures or endogenous factors such as predisposition to aspiration may, in part, account for the increase in susceptibility to respiratory infections. Additionally, age-associated alterations in immune regulation ("immunosenescence") with dysregulation of lung homeostasis may allow low-grade inflammatory changes that lead to anatomical and physiological changes that characterize the senescent lung. The presence of disease states in elderly populations, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or nonpulmonary organ system diseases, may increase the likelihood of developing severe respiratory infections. This article examines age-related changes in immune function that predispose elderly individuals to lung remodeling but focuses especially on lower respiratory tract infections. It will discuss risk factors, identify pathogens that typically lead to respiratory infections in the elderly, and review current approaches to treatment and prevention of respiratory infections in the elderly population.
High-temperature creep buckling phenomenon of steel columns subjected to fire

This paper presents highlights of on-going research, which aims at developing analytical, computational and experimental predictions of the phenomenon of creep buckling in steel columns subjected to fire. Analytical solutions using the concept of time-dependent tangent modulus are developed to model time-dependent buckling behavior of steel columns at elevated temperatures. Results from computational creep buckling studies using Abaqus are also presented, and compared with analytical predictions. Material creep data on ASTM A992M steel is also presented and compared to existing creep models for structural steel. Both analytical and computational methods utilize material creep models for structural steel developed by Harmathy, by Fields and Fields, and by the authors. Predictions from this study are also compared against those from Eurocode 3 and the AISC Specification. Results of this work show that neglecting creep effects can lead to erroneous and potentially unsafe predictions of the strength of steel columns subjected to fire.
Restriction of Farm Ownership as Rent‐seeking Behavior: Family Farmers Have It Their Way

. Restriction of foreign ownership of U.S. farmland has an obvious cost of foregone capital gains to farmers Yet their push to achieve state regulation of foreign investment in agricultural land has a sound economic basis. If required acreage expansion and high prices for land combine to force small, family farmers out of business, the value of their accumulated human capital falls precipitously, since it is soil specific With a large foreign demand for farmland which induces a tremendous rate of land price inflation, capital gains on their land swamp potential human capital losses. However, marginal participation in the U.S. farmland market by foreigners creates capital gains on land which are insufficient to compensate farmers for lost human capital, and creates a rationale for regulation The empirical results demonstrate that the pattern of legislative restrictions against foreign ownership of farmland is a function of the relative political power wielded by family farmers.
Spectral encoding of spatial frequency approach for quantitative visualization and characterization of 3D structures

We present spectral encoding of spatial frequency approach to form color map, where wavelengths correspond to object’s dominant 3D spatial frequencies, and to reconstruct 3D Fourier components of the scattering potential for each image point.
Mycoecology of willow and cottonwood lowland communities in Southern Wisconsin I. Soil microfungi in the willow-cottonwood forests

A survey of the soil microfungi in 5Salix nigra-Populus deltoides forests in southern Wisconsin was conducted. The dilution plate method was employed to obtain 500 isolates per stand. The species present and their frequencies of occurrence were determined. The dominant forms,Trichoderma viride, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Gliocladium roseum, Mucor hiemalis, Coniothyrium sp. 5154,Mortierella minutissima, andPenicillium thomii, accounted for 41 % of the 2,500 isolates but only 4.5 % of the 154 species. They were followed at a second level of prevalence byPenicillium janthinellum P. multicolor, Mortierella alpina, andPhoma sp. 5157. The distribution of these taxa and others in the willow-cottonwood community was found to be correlated with an organic matter gradient. The Dematiaceae and the Sphaerioidaceae characterized populations obtained from the dry “pioneer” sites; the Mucorales and Moniliaceae became increasingly abundant as the percentage of organic matter increased. The number of fungal propagules ranged from 3,000 to 234,000 per gram of dry soil, the highest numbers occurring in soils with greater organic matter. The willow-cottonwood microfungal population was most similar to one obtained from soils of the closely related southern Wisconsin wet-mesic forests and least similar to ones isolated from the northern Wisconsin bogs and spruce-tamarack swamps.
Trends in one-year recurrent ischemic stroke among the elderly in the USA: 1994-2002.

Background and Purpose: Of the 795,000 strokes occurring in the USA each year, over 20% are recurrent events. Little is known about how the rates of recurrent stroke in the country have changed over time. Our objective was to determine national trends in 1-year recurrent ischemic stroke rates by US county among the elderly from 1994 to 2002. Methods: One-year recurrent stroke rates following incident ischemic stroke (ICD-9 433, 434, 436) among all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries were determined by US county for 1994–1996, 1997–1999, and 2000–2002. Bayesian spatiotemporal Poisson modeling was used to determine county-specific trends in recurrent stroke rates over time with risk adjustment for demographics, medical history and comorbid conditions. Results: The analysis included more than 2.5 million beneficiaries (56% women; mean age: 78 years; 87% white; n = 957,933 for 1994–1996; n = 838,330 for 1996–1999; n = 895,916 for 2000–2002) aggregated to all 3,118 US counties. After adjustment for changing patient demographics and comorbidities, there was a 4.5% decrease in recurrent stroke rates from 1994–1996 (13.2%) to 2000–2002 (12.6%; p for trend Conclusions: The overall recurrent ischemic stroke rates declined by almost 5% from 1994 to 2002, but temporal patterns varied markedly by region. Additional research is needed to identify the reasons for this geographic disparity.
Epileptiform lesions in rat hippocampus and acquisition of two-way avoidance.

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects on the acquisition of two-way active avoidance of implantation into the hippocampus of rats of two substances (aluminum hydroxide, penicillin) known to produce epileptogenic electrical discharges. In Experiment 1 bilateral deposits of aluminum hydroxide (ALOH) were placed in the hippocampus and the effects of this manipulation were compared to the effects of bilateral hippocampal aspiration. Sufficient postoperative time (130 days) was allowed such that epileptogenic discharges developed in the ALOH-implanted rats. Both bilateral hippocampal-ALOH deposits and bilateral hippocampal aspiration resulted in facilitated acquisition of the two-way avoidance. The results of Experiment 2 replicated this observation, but also indicated that bilateral hippocampal deposits of penicillin did not cause detectable effects on acquisition of the avoidance. Epileptiform activity produced by the penicillin was observed to disappear by postoperative Day 4. In Experiment 3 unilateral hippocampal/aspiration was combined with contralateral implants of either ALOH or penicillin and avoidance training was begun 13 days postoperatively. Epileptiform activity was not observed in the ALOH-implanted rats and disappeared by postoperative Day 4 in the penicillin implanted rats. No significant changes were observed in the rate of acquisition of two-way active avoidance as a result of the manipulations done in Experiment 3. It is concluded that epileptiform discharge initiated focally within the hippocampus produces effects on the acquisition of two-way active avoidance which are similar to the effects produced by bilateral ablation.
Construction of a robust, large-scale, collaborative database for raw data in computational chemistry: The Collaborative Chemistry Database Tool (CCDBT)

A robust metadata database called the Collaborative Chemistry Database Tool (CCDBT) for massive amounts of computational chemistry raw data has been designed and implemented. It performs data synchronization and simultaneously extracts the metadata. Computational chemistry data in various formats from different computing sources, software packages, and users can be parsed into uniform metadata for storage in a MySQL database. Parsing is performed by a parsing pyramid, including parsers written for different levels of data types and sets created by the parser loader after loading parser engines and configurations.
Approaching the Concept of Change in Education for Social Work.

Abstract “Change” is one of the most confused and abused terms in social work literature, practice, and education. It is a very complex concept, but has been treated very casually and simplistically, and has suffered from a lack of analysis of its many dimensions and implications. This unclear usage results in a disservice to students when it is taught without full awareness of its multiple meanings, directions, and consequences. This paper attempts an analysis of these factors, with special emphasis on the nature of individual change and the role of a helping person in that process.
Development of a histological pseudocapsule and its use as a surgical capsule in the excision of pituitary tumors

Object The presence of a histological pseudocapsule around pituitary tumors was noted in the early 1900s. Since that time there has been no emphasis on the sequence of the stages of its development or on the relationship between these stages and the capacity to identify very small pituitary tumors at surgery in patients in whom preoperative imaging has been nondiagnostic. In addition, limited emphasis has been given to the pseudocapsule’s use for selective and complete resection of pituitary adenomas. Methods The development of the pseudocapsule was examined by performing histological analysis of portions of pituitary glands removed during 805 operations for Cushing disease. Twenty-five adenomas, each measuring between 0.25 and 4 mm in maximum diameter, were detected in the excised specimens; 17 were adenocorticotropic hormone–positive adenomas and eight were incidental tumors (four prolactin-secreting and four nonsecreting lesions). In 16 tumors the size of the adenoma could be established. The distribut...
Approximating eigenvectors and eigenvalues across a wide range of design

Abstract This paper concerns optimization of the design of large structures in which the solution to a finite-element-based vibration problem is part of the objective function. A method is presented where a spline-fit is used as an approximation of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors across a given design range. msc/nastran dmap subroutines facilitate nonlinear sensitivity calculations which provide the eigenvalue and eigenvector derivatives used in the approximation. This paper presents an example that illustrates good approximations to frequency and mode shapes valid across a wide range of design changes. The method provides the potential for changing mode shapes interactively, and using that information as part of the optimization process.
Applying fuzzy bi-dimensional scenario-based model to the assessment of Mars mission architecture scenarios

Sending man to Mars has been a long-held dream of humankind. NASA plans human planetary explorations using approaches that are technically feasible, have reasonable risks and have relatively low costs. This study presents a novel Multi-Attribute Decision Making (MADM) model for evaluating a range of potential mission scenarios for the human exploration of Mars. The three alternatives identified by the Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) include split mission, combo lander and dual scenarios. The proposed framework subsumes the following key methods: first, the conjunction method is used to minimize the number of alternative mission scenarios; second, the Fuzzy Risk Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (RFMEA) is used to analyze the potential failure of the alternative scenarios; third, the fuzzy group Real Option Analysis (ROA) is used to estimate the expected costs and benefits of the alternative scenarios; and fourth, the fuzzy group permutation approach is used to select the optimal mission scenario. We present the results of a case study at NASA’s Johnson Space center to demonstrate: (1) the complexity of mission scenario selection involving subjective and objective judgments provided by multiple space exploration experts; and (2) a systematic and structured method for aggregating quantitative and qualitative data concerning a large number of competing and conflicting mission events.
REMO: Resource-Aware Application State Monitoring for Large-Scale Distributed Systems

To observe, analyze and control large scale distributed systems and the applications hosted on them, there is an increasing need to continuously monitor performance attributes of distributed system and application states. This results in application state monitoring tasks that require fine-grained attribute information to be collected from relevant nodes efficiently. Existing approaches either treat multiple application state monitoring tasks independently and build ad-hoc monitoring trees for each task, or construct a single static monitoring tree for multiple tasks. We argue that a careful planning of multiple application state monitoring tasks by jointly considering multi-task optimization and node level resource constraints can provide significant gains in performance and scalability. In this paper, we present REMO, a REsource-aware application state MOnitoring system. REMO produces a forest of optimized monitoring trees through iterations of two phases, one phase exploring cost sharing opportunities via estimation and the other refining the monitoring plan through resource-sensitive tree construction. Our experimental results include those gathered by deploying REMO on a BlueGene/P rack running IBM's large-scale distributed streaming system - System S. Using REMO running over 200 monitoring tasks for an application deployed across 200 nodes results in a 35%-45% decrease in the percentage error of collected attributes compared to existing schemes.
Layer-Specific Properties of the Transient K Current (IA) in Piriform Cortex

Piriform cortex in the rat is highly susceptible to induction of epileptiform activity. Experiments in vivo and in vitro indicate that this activity originates in endopiriform nucleus (EN). In slices, EN neurons are more excitable than layer II (LII) pyramidal cells, with more positive resting potentials and lower spike thresholds. We investigated potassium currents in EN and LII to evaluate their contribution to these differences in excitability. Whole-cell currents were recorded from identified cells in brain slices. A rapidly inactivating outward current (IA) had distinct properties in LII (IA,LII) versus EN (IA,EN). The peak amplitude ofIA,EN was 45% smaller thanIA,LII, and the kinetics of activation and inactivation was significantly slower forIA,EN. The midpoint of steady-state inactivation was hyperpolarized by 10 mV forIA,EN versusIA,LII, whereas activation was similar in the two cell groups. Other voltage-dependent potassium currents were indistinguishable between EN and LII. Simulations using a compartmental model of LII cells argue that different cellular distributions ofIA channels in EN versus LII cells cannot account for these differences. Thus, at least some of the differences are intrinsic to the channels themselves. Current-clamp simulations suggest that the differences between IA,LIIand IA,EN can account for the observed difference in resting potentials between the two cell groups. Simulations show that this difference in resting potential leads to longer first spike latencies in response to depolarizing stimuli. Thus, these differences in the properties of IAcould make EN more susceptible to induction and expression of epileptiform activity.
High Speed Video Data Acquisition System (VDAS) for H.E.P., Including Reference Frame Subtractor, Data Compactor and 16 Megabyte FIFO

A Video-Data-Acquisition-System (VDAS) has been developed to record image data from a scintillating glass fiber-optic target developed for High Energy Physics[ l],[2]. VDAS consists of a combination flash ADC, reference frame subtractor, high speed data compactor, an N megabyte First-In-First-Out (FIFO) memory (where N is a multiple of 4), and a single board computer as a control processor. System data rates are in excess of 30 megabytes/second. The reference frame subtractor, in conjunction with the data compactor, records only the differences from a standard frame. This greatly reduces the amount of data needed to record an image. Typical image sizes are reduced by as much as a factor of 20. With the exception of the ECL ADC board, the system uses standard TTL components to minimize power consumption and cost. VDAS operation as well as enhancements to the original system are discussed.
Video Based Surround Vehicle Detection, Classification and Logging from Moving Platforms: Issues and Approaches

This paper discusses the issues and approaches involved in developing a mobile vehicle-mounted system to detect, classify, and log the surrounding vehicles in a database for efficient query-based retrieval. This system consists of three components: (1) vehicle sensing, detection, and tracking (2) feature extraction and classification (3) database storage and retrieval. Relevant research in each of these components is described in order to guide the development of such a system. Such a system has applications including traffic analysis from mobile probes, analyzing driver behavior based on surrounding vehicles, as well as surveillance from mobile platform.