cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Diffusion Model Account of the Lexical Decision Task

The diffusion model for 2-choice decisions (R. Ratcliff, 1978) was applied to data from lexical decision experiments in which word frequency, proportion of high- versus low-frequency words, and type of nonword were manipulated. The model gave a good account of all of the dependent variables--accuracy, correct and error response times, and their distributions--and provided a description of how the component processes involved in the lexical decision task were affected by experimental variables. All of the variables investigated affected the rate at which information was accumulated from the stimuli--called drift rate in the model. The different drift rates observed for the various classes of stimuli can all be explained by a 2-dimensional signal-detection representation of stimulus information. The authors discuss how this representation and the diffusion model's decision process might be integrated with current models of lexical access.
A synoptic-dynamic model of subseasonal atmospheric variability

Abstract A global synoptic–dynamic model (GSDM) of subseasonal variability is proposed to provide a framework for real-time weather–climate monitoring and to assist with the preparation of medium-range (e.g., week 1–3) predictions. The GSDM is used with a regional focus over North America during northern winter. A case study introduces the time scales of the GSDM and illustrates two circulation transitions related to eastward-moving wave energy signals and their connection to remote tropical forcing. Global and zonal atmospheric angular momentum (AAM) is used to help define the synoptic evolution of the GSDM components and to link regional synoptic variations with physical processes like the global mountain and frictional torque. The core of the GSDM consists of four stages based on the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) recurrence time. Additionally, extratropical behaviors including teleconnection patterns, baroclinic life cycles, and ∼monthly oscillations provide intermediate and fast time scales that are...
Perioperative lumbar drain placement: an independent predictor of tension pneumocephalus and intracranial complications following anterior skull base surgery.

Objective: To measure the effect of routine perioperative lumbar drain placement during anterior skull base surgery on the frequency of: 1) tension pneumocephalus and 2) total intracranial complications. Design: Retrospective review of a series of patients (n = 161) who underwent the transglabellar/subcranial approach to lesions of the anterior skull base between December 1995 and November 2009. A retrospective cohort (n = 45) underwent routine lumbar drain placement at the time of skull base surgery. The remainder of the series did not undergo routine perioperative lumbar drain placement. Intervention: Transglabellar/subcranial surgical approach to the anterior skull base, with or without routine perioperative lumbar drain placement. Results: Routine placement of perioperative lumbar drains was an independent predictor of tension pneumocephalus (P =.022, odds ratio = 11.22 [1.218–103.3]). In addition, this practice was also associated with an increased risk of intracranial complications overall (P =.025, odds ratio = 2.623 [1.104–6.233]). Conclusion: Routine placement of perioperative lumbar drain may be associated with an increased risk of tension pneumocephalus and intracranial complications during surgery of the anterior cranial base. Laryngoscope, 2011
Heart rate development and sensory-evoked cardiac responses in perinatal rats.

Sensory-evoked changes in heart rate (HR) are often used to assess sensory function in infants, but HR measures have not been applied in studies of perinatal sensory function. Normative HR data are needed to judge whether baseline characteristics and response properties of the late fetal and newborn heart are appropriate as a dependent measure in sensory studies. We compared parameters of HR development and phasic cardiac responses to stimulation across the perinatal period in Norway rats. EKG was measured in cesarean-delivered prenatal rats (embryonic day 20-day of birth; conception=E0) and compared to both cesarean and vaginally delivered neonates (day of birth-postnatal day 2; birth=P0). Resting heart rate increased monotonically across the perinatal period, except between E21 and DOB (Experiment 1). During an hour-long test, HR was strong and stable. Variations in HR across successive measurement intervals (10 sec) were uniformly low (<2%) in all age groups. In Experiment 2, fetuses and neonates responded with dramatic HR decelerations (20–80 bpm) to an intraoral infusion of lemon extract. HR responses did not appear to be reflexively mediated by changes in respiration. These findings suggest that parameters of resting HR and cardiac responses to stimulation are well suited to studies of perinatal sensory function.
Virtual experiments of heart valve tissues

The heart valve tissue mainly contains collagen fibers and valve interstitial cells (VICs) and constantly experiences different stress states during cardiac cycles. Due to the anisotropic architecture of collagen fibers and highly inhomogeneous cell population, the mechanical behavior of the heart valve becomes more complicated. It is known that external mechanical stimuli can lead to extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, cellular mechanotransduction, cell migration, and collagen synthesis; however, the mechanism of matrix-to-cell stress transfer remains unclear. Current study presents heterogeneously distributed collagen fibers responsible for transmitting forces into cells by an image-based finite element analysis incorporating histological photomicrographs of porcine heart valve tissues. Besides, nonlinear and anisotropic material properties tissue models are incorporated to quantify and visualize the overall stress distributions in heart valve tissues. By establishing an effectively predictive method with new computational tools and by performing virtual experiments on the heart valves, the role of load transmission in heart valves is clarified. The current study completely illustrates the stress distribution around cells and demonstrates the force transmission and reception between cells and matrix in the heart valve tissue. Therefore, our developed image-based finite element models provide new insights not only into clarifying the role of the force transmission and reception between heterogeneously distributed collagen fibers, but also a better understanding of relationships between the mechanical stimuli, cellular mechanotransduction, cell migration, matrix synthesis, and tissue remodeling in heart valves.
CRITICAL LOADS FOR INORGANIC NITROGEN DEPOSITION IN THE COLORADO FRONT RANGE, USA

We suggest an empirical approach for determining critical loads for inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition in wetfall to the central Rocky Mountains (USA). We define “critical loads” as a deposition amount above which natural resources can be negatively affected. The arithmetic average from 1992 to 1996 of annual inorganic N deposition in wetfall at the eight National Acid-Deposition Program (NADP) sites located at elevations >2500 m in the central Rocky Mountains ranged from 2.5 to 3.5 kg·ha−1·yr−1. In contrast, inorganic N deposition was <2.5 kg·ha−1·yr−1 at all 23 NADP sites below 2500 m in elevation. At the Niwot Ridge NADP site in the Colorado Front Range, a simple linear regression of inorganic N in wetfall with time shows a significant increase in deposition of inorganic N in wetfall at the rate of 0.32 kg·ha−1·yr−1 (r2 = 0.62; P < 0.001, n = 13). In turn, the increasing amount of inorganic N in wetfall is causing episodic acidification in headwater catchments of the Green Lakes Valley in the Colorado Front Range, with acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) values below 0 μmolc/L in surface waters during snowmelt runoff at 9-ha and 42-ha sampling sites. At present rates of ANC decrease, we can expect the 9-ha and 42-ha sites to become chronically acidified within the next decade and the 220-ha basin of Green Lake 4 to become episodically acidified. A synoptic survey in 1995 of 91 high-elevation lakes in the central Rocky Mountains suggests that water quality is being affected by inorganic N in wetfall throughout the region. Federal land managers are required to “err on the side of protection” when assessing the amount of deposition that will alter ecosystem processes. However, given the political and economic ramifications of policy decisions, land managers are aware of the need to provide a scientific basis for these decisions and to balance conflicting needs. To achieve this balance and to allow for natural-resource protection, we make a conservative recommendation that critical loads of inorganic N in wetfall to Class 1 areas in the central Rocky Mountains be set at 4 kg·ha−1·yr−1. Target loads may be set at lower levels of inorganic N deposition in wetfall to allow a margin of safety to protect extremely sensitive natural resources.
OsIII(N2)OsII Complexes at the Localized-to-Delocalized, Mixed-Valence Transition

On the basis of the appearance of ν(N⋮N) from 2007 to 2029 cm-1 in CD3CN, oxidation states at Os in cis,cis-[(bpy)2(Cl)OsIII(N2)OsII(Cl)(bpy)2]3+ (4), trans,trans-[(tpy)(Cl)2OsIII(N2)OsII(Cl)2(tpy)]+ (5), [(tpm)(Cl)2OsIII(N2)OsII(Cl)2(tpm)]+ (7), and [(Tp)(Cl)2OsIII(N2)OsII(Cl)2(Tp)]- (8) are localized. For 5 this conclusion is reinforced by the crystal structure of the BF4- salt, which shows that the Os sites are unsymmetrical. Five narrow, solvent-independent bands appear in the near-infrared. They can be assigned to a combination of intervalence (IT) and interconfigurational dπ → dπ transitions. From integrated band intensities the magnitudes of the resonance energies from electronic coupling across the μ-N2 bridge vary from 1500 to 2500 cm-1. Intramolecular OsII → OsIII electron transfer is rapid on the time scale for solvent reorientation, but a barrier still exists from low-frequency, coupled Os−Cl and Os−N vibrations.
CAVASS: a framework for medical imaging applications

Computer Aided Visualization and Analysis Software System (CAVASS) is an open-source software system that is being developed by the Medical Image Processing Group (MIPG) at the University of Pennsylvania. CAVASS is freely available, open source, integrated with popular toolkits, and runs on Windows, Unix, Linux, and Mac OS. It includes extremely efficient of the most commonly used image display, manipulation, and processing operations. Parallel implementations of computationally demanding tasks such as deformable registration are provided as well using the inexpensive COW (Cluster of Workstations) model. CAVASS also seamlessly integrates and interfaces with ITK and provides a graphical user interface for ITK as well. CAVASS can easily interface with a PACS by directly reading and writing medical images in the industry standard DICOM format and can also input and output other common image formats as well. We describe the key features, general software architecture, interface with ITK, parallel architecture, and the CAVASS build and test environment. New stereo rendering capabilities are described as well.
Ultrahigh-Pressure Mineralogy: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth's Deep Interior (Reviews in Mineralogy Volume 37)

How high is “ultrahigh” and how deep is “deep”? In experimental Earth science, these terms have changed meaning over time, and it is now possible to access the entire pressure range from the surface down to the Earth's core. Our knowledge of the Earth's interior is shaped by constraints from cosmochemistry petrology of mantle rocks and xenoliths, and geophysical observations. The goal of the ultrahigh pressure mineralogist is to combine these constraints with analyses of the properties of materials at high pressures and temperatures to develop meaningful chemical, mineralogical, and thermal models of the planet's interior. Ultrahigh-Pressure Mineralogy: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth's Deep Interior describes recent advances in the ultrahigh pressure study of Earth materials, places the current understanding of physical properties firmly into the context of geophysical and seismological observations, and points to directions for new breakthroughs in our understanding of the Earth.
MACROCYCLIC INHIBITORS OF PENICILLOPEPSIN. 1. DESIGN, SYNTHESIS, AND EVALUATION OF AN INHIBITOR BRIDGED BETWEEN P1 AND P3

The macrocyclic peptidyl phosphonate 1-L was designed on the basis of the conformation of an acyclic analogue (4) bound to the aspartic protease penicillopepsin. This material and the two acyclic comparison compounds 2-L and 3 were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors; their binding affinity was found to be inversely related to the degree of conformational flexibility across the series: 3 (Ki = 110 μM), 2-L (Ki = 7.6 μM), 1-L (Ki = 0.80 μM). NMR methods in conjunction with molecular modeling were used to assign the stereochemical configurations of the precursor 16-L and its diastereomer 16-D and to determine the solution conformations of the macrocyclic ring systems. The conformation of the peptide backbone in 1-L closely approximates that desired for a mimic of the lead inhibitor 4, and it appears that the low-energy conformation of 1-L can be accommodated in the pencillopepsin active site without significant distortion.
The generalized process manufacturing systems package

Abstract Process manufacturing systems should not be considered a simple variation to a discrete manufacturing control system. The change is often quite complex and generally it becomes easier to create a new package customized for the process manufacturer rather than try to change an existing M RP-based-discrete package. This article discusses why a discrete-to-process conversion can be an ineffective way to create a production control system. It describes the types of changes that will be necessary for process manufacturing systems.
Reiter's syndrome

Frustrating and baffling are words used with Reiter's syndrome as there is much yet to be learned about this reactive arthritis. Having an understanding of the pathology, disease manifestations, and progress of the condition enables the nurse to better assess and manage care for these patients.
Letter by Brook et al Regarding Article “Diesel Exhaust Inhalation Causes Vascular Dysfunction and Impaired Endogenous Fibrinolysis”

To the Editor: We read with interest the results of the article by Mills et al1 demonstrating an acute impairment in microvascular endothelial function after the controlled inhalation of diesel exhaust particles by healthy men. As discussed, their observations complement our findings regarding exposure to both concentrated2 and ambient levels3 of particulate matter. The sum of evidence thus suggests that the acute triggering of systemic vascular dysfunction is likely a central mechanism …
Two-dimensional plasma flow past a laser beam

Analytical results are presented for laser beam deflection rate due to plasma flow when the ponderomotive force (PMF) is static and given. Explicit expressions are obtained in various parameter regimes including that of weak PMF for the case of a coherent (diffraction limited) beam and a beam whose fluctuations are spatially homogeneous, as in the case of a model random phase plate beam. When the Landau damping coefficient, γ0, is negligible and the beam is either coherent and cylindrically symmetric, or random with isotropic fluctuations, the deflection rate is obtained as a closed form function of plasma flow Mach number, M. For finite damping, results are expressed in terms of a universal, one dimensional integral parameterized by M and γ0. For arbitrary PMF and M small, the problem is identified with one in the theory of random dielectric media.
Point-of-care testing: inspection preparedness:

Point-of-care testing (POCT) in the operating room has changed dramatically since the implementation of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA '88), which became effective in September 1992. With the implementation of CLIA '88, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) mandated that human specimen testing 'for the purpose of diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any disease or impairment of, or the assessment of the health of human beings', must be performed by a certified laboratory or testing site. To attain and maintain accreditation, the need for more stringent and comprehensive documentation has become imperative. The Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAHO), the College of American Pathologists (CAPS), HCFA, and state regulatory agencies require data such as staff credentialling, staff training/competency, procedure manuals, quality control logs, quality assurance/corrective action plans, correlation studies, proficiency testing results, and equipment maintenance logs to assure specimens are analyzed in a reliable manner by competent personnel so as not to jeopardize the safety and well being of the patient. Developing a comprehensive, ongoing survey readiness plan that includes a pre-survey checklist of all the documentation required and having this documentation in order and up to date well in advance of the survey will greatly enhance the probability of a successful survey conducted by the various regulatory agencies.
Tunneling States of Defects in Solids

The various optical, caloric, dielectric, elastic, and microwave investigations which have been used to study the tunneling states connected with the motion of atomic and molecular impurities in alkali halides are reviewed.
Effects of bradykinin, GTPγS, R59022 and N-ethylmaleimide on inositol phosphate production in NG108-15 cells

Abstract Accumulation of inositol phosphates in NG108-15 neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cells, pre-labeled for 24h to equilibrium, was stimulated by bradykinin, guanosine 5′-o-(3-thiotriphosphate) and the diacylglycerol kinase inhibitor R59022. Only the stimulation by bradykinin was inhibited by the bradykinin receptor antagonist [D-Arg0, Hyp3, Phe7, Thi5,8] bradykinin. Neither bradykinin nor R059022 increased the labeling of the inositol phospholipids. The sulfhydryl-alkylating reagent N-ethylmaleimide at 100 μM essentially abolished the stimulation caused by all three agents, possibly by preventing the binding of GTP to a guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein of as yet unknown size.
Output ratio in air for MLC shaped irregular fields.

For accurate monitor unit calculation, it is important to calculate the output ratio in air, S c , for an irregular field shaped by MLC. We have developed an algorithm to calculate S c based on an empirical model [Med. Phys. 28, 925–937 (2001)] by projecting each leaf position to the isocenter plane. Thus it does not require the exact knowledge of the head geometry. Comparisons were made for three different types of MLC: those with MLC replacing the inner collimator jaws; those with MLC replacing the outer collimator jaws; and those with MLC as a tertiary attachment. When the MLC leaf positions are substantially different from the secondary collimators (or the rectangular field encompassing the irregular field), one observes an up to 5% difference in the value of headscatter correction factor, HCF, defined as the ratio of output ratio in air between the MLC shaped irregular field and that of the rectangular field encompassing the irregular field. No collimator exchange effect was observed for rectangular fields shaped by MLC (e.g., 5×30 and 30×5 cm2 diagonal) when the secondary collimators are fixed, unlike that for the rectangular fields shaped by the inner and outer collimator jaws, where it can be 1–2%. For the same MLC shaped irregular field, the value of S c increases from the Elekta, to the Siemens, to the Varian accelerators, with an up to 4% difference. The calculation agrees with measurement to within 1.2% for points both on and off the central-axis. The fitting parameters used in the algorithm are derived from measurements for square field sizes on the central-axis.
Elixir of life: In vino veritas

The wine grape, Vitis vinifera, is a member of the Vitaceae, a family of vigorous, climbing, woody plants that live in the Northern Hemisphere. The plants are ill-adapted to tropical climates, and thus never crossed the equator (except those transported by humans, which are cultivated in Argentina, Chile, Australia, South Africa, and other regions in the Southern Hemisphere). The genus Vitis consists of some 48 species distributed between 30° and 50° latitude north throughout all continents from Japan to the western United States. Only one species, V. vinifera, is native to Europe and the Near East, 12 species are native to Asia, and 35 are native to North America. Two subspecies of V. vinifera are V. vinifera vinifera, the domestic table and wine grape, and its wild relative, V. vinifera sylvestris. Several thousands of cultivars, often known as “varieties,” of V. v. vinifera are known. In PNAS, Myles et al. (1) have characterized genome-wide patterns of genetic variation in several hundred cultivars of V. v. vinifera and 59 of V. v. sylvestris. They show that V. v. vinifera was domesticated from V. v. sylvestris in the Near East and have identified parent–offspring and sibling connections, most of them first-degree relationships, between some well-known varieties. The relationships are often surprising.
The effect of craniectomy size on mortality, outcome, and complications after decompressive craniectomy at a rural trauma center.

Introduction: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) has increasing support with current studies suggesting an improvement in both survival rates and outcomes with this intervention. However, questions surround this procedure; specifically, no evidence has indicated the optimal craniectomy size. Larger craniectomy is thought to better decrease intracranial pressure, but with a possible increase in complication rates. Our hypothesis is that a larger craniectomy may improve mortality and outcome, but may increase complication rates. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational therapeutic study was undertaken to determine if craniectomy size is related to complication rates, mortality, or outcome. Our institution's Trauma Registry was searched for patients undergoing DC. Craniectomy size was measured by antero-posterior (AP) diameter. Mortality, outcome (through admission and discharge Glasgow Coma Score and Glasgow Outcome Scale), and complications (such as re-bleeding, re-operation, hygroma, hydrocephalus, infection, and syndrome of the trephined) were noted. Complications, mortality, and outcome were then compared to craniectomy size, to determine if any relation existed to support our hypothesis. Results: 20 patients met criteria for inclusion in this study. Craniectomy size as measured by AP diameter was correlated with a statistically significant improvement in mortality within the group. All patients with a craniectomy size less than 10 cm died. However, outcome was not significantly related to craniectomy size in the group. Similarly, complication rates did not differ significantly compared to craniectomy size. Discussion: This study provides Level 3 evidence that craniectomy size may be significantly related to improved mortality within our group, supporting our initial hypothesis; however, no significant improvement in outcome was seen. Similarly, in contrast to our hypothesis, complication rates did not significantly correlate with craniectomy size.
The Relation of Multiple Flow Regimes to the Climatic Error in General Circulation Models: Southern Hemisphere Winter.

Extended, perpetual July integrations of the NCAR Community Climate Model, versions CCM1 and CCM0, at rhomboidal wavenumber 15 truncation are examined to determine the influence of the models' ability to capture observed planetary-scale flow regimes on their level of climatic error. The Southern Hemisphere (SH) was chosen as the domain of study because the absence of major sources of stationary zonally asymmetric forcing make it a relatively less complicated case compared to the Northern Hemisphere. CCM1 exhibits a distinct deficit in grid point 500 mb height variance and insufficient persistence at large planetary-scale wave amplitude compared to observations or to CCM0. This deficit appears to be connected with the failure of CCM1 to simulate the observed planetary-scale flow regimes in the SH, exemplified in observations as bimodality in the wavenumber 3 amplitude. In particular, CCM1 does not achieve the observed large-amplitude wavenumber 3 regime. On the other hand, CCM0 does capture the wave amplitude bimodality and coincidentally has larger grid point height variance and greater persistence at large amplitude than CCM1. The CCM1 perpetual July SH climate resembles observed SH summer more closely than observed winter in terms of the wavenumber 3 amplitude distribution and the kinetic energy spectrum. 19more » refs., 13 figs.« less
Nostoclide I and II, extracellular metabolites from a symbiotic cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp., from the lichen Peltigera canina.

Abstract Two chlorine-containing metabolites, nostoclide I and II have been isolated from the culture of a symbiotic blue-green alga, Nostoc sp., in Peltigera canina , a common lichen. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data and x-ray diffraction.
The alchemy of abstinence-only education: will the new study be sufficient to end it?

In the last decade, the US government has spent more than a billion and a half dollars to instruct American students to abstain from sexual activity (i). Throughout the country, public funds support programs that teach that sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects (2). Many of these programs denigrate contraception, particularly male condoms. Federal support for abstinence-only education has increased dramatically during the presidency of George W. Bush, who believes that abstinence is the only fail-safe way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. This belief, however, is not grounded in evidence, but in the hopes of Mr. Bush and Congressional conservatives. Critics from public health and elsewhere have pointed out that the majority of young people are sexually active and they need realistic options to reduce their health risks (2,3). A recently released, Congressionally mandated, evaluation of abstinence-only education by Mathematica Policy Research found no difference in the sexual behavior of students who had received instruction in abstinence-only education programs and those who had not. Students in both groups initiated sexual activity at the same average age and had the same number of sexual partners and rates of unprotected sex. In terms of knowledge, students who had received abstinence-only instruction were less likely to know that condoms are effective in preventing many sexually transmitted diseases (4).
Relationship of the suppression of macrophage mediated tumor cytotoxicity in conjunction with secretion of prostaglandin from the macrophages of breast cancer patients.

Abstract Peripheral blood monocyte derived macrophages obtained from breast cancer patients are noncytotoxic towards human tumor cells. However, when indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor, was added to the macrophage tumor cell incubation mixture, the breast cancer patient's macrophages became capable of killing the tumor cells. Furthermore, the macrophage preparations obtained from breast cancer patients demonstrated a 64% increase in the secretion of PGE2, when compared with macrophages obtained from normal donors. It is already known that prostaglandin can inhibit both natural lymphocyte cytotoxicity and antibody dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against human tumor cells in vitro. These results indicate that increased synthesis of prostaglandin can also inhibit macrophage mediated cytotoxicity. Therefore, it is possible that manipulation of this mechanism might enhance the effectiveness of the macrophage response and should be a consideration in assessing macrophage-tumor cell interaction in vitro and in vivo.
Reading your own lips: Common-coding theory and visual speech perception

Common-coding theory posits that (1) perceiving an action activates the same representations of motor plans that are activated by actually performing that action, and (2) because of individual differences in the ways that actions are performed, observing recordings of one's own previous behavior activates motor plans to an even greater degree than does observing someone else's behavior. We hypothesized that if observing oneself activates motor plans to a greater degree than does observing others, and if these activated plans contribute to perception, then people should be able to lipread silent video clips of their own previous utterances more accurately than they can lipread video clips of other talkers. As predicted, two groups of participants were able to lipread video clips of themselves, recorded more than two weeks earlier, significantly more accurately than video clips of others. These results suggest that visual input activates speech motor activity that links to word representations in the mental lexicon.
Effect of varying number and volume of transfusions on mortality rate following septic challenge in an animal model.

It is well established that transfusions given prior to transplantation diminish rejection, and recent reports suggest that transfused patients having surgery for cancer develop metastases more rapidly than do those not receiving transfusions. Recently, we have demonstrated in an animal model that allogeneic blood transfusions increase susceptability to infectious complications. To determine if this effect could be altered by changing either the number or the volume of transfusions, Lewis rats were given varying volumes of blood in both single and multiple dosages. A control group received only saline. These rats were subjected to a 30% total-body surface area full-thickness burn which was inoculated withPseudomonas aeruginosa1244 on postburn day one. The animals were then followed for 28 days to determine the mortality rates. Each group of transfused rats had an increased mortality rate compared to the saline group. There were no differences between the various transfusion groups. In conclusion, the increased susceptability to infections seen following transfusions does not appear to be influenced by the volume or the number of transfusions within the limits tested.
An equilibrium algorithm for the spatial aggregation problem of traffic assignment

Abstract Present traffic assignment methods require that all possible origins and destinations of trips taking place within a study area be represented as if they were taking place to and from a small set of points or centroids. Each centroid is supposed to represent the location of all trip-ends within a given zone, and this necessarily misrepresents points located at the edges of the zone. In order to alleviate this problem (which we refer to as the spatial aggregation problem) one could use smaller zones and more centroids, but existing traffic assignment algorithms cannot efficiently handle many centroids. This paper introduces an algorithm procedure which is designed to handle a substantially larger number of centroids. In the paper that follows, the technique is further developed to take into account a continuous distribution of population.
IgA Fc receptor (FcαR) cross-linking recruits tyrosine kinases, phosphoinositide kinases and serine/threonine kinases to glycolipid rafts

The human IgA Fc receptor (FcalphaR, CD89) triggers several important physiological functions, including phagocytosis, NADPH oxidase activation and antigen presentation. Efforts are underway to delineate FcalphaR signal-transduction pathways that control these functions. In a previous study, we demonstrated that cross-linking of FcalphaR increased its partitioning into membrane glycolipid rafts and was accompanied by gamma-chain-dependent recruitment and phosphorylation of the tyrosine kinases Lck/Yes-related novel protein tyrosine kinase (Lyn) and Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk). Here we have performed a more extensive characterization of signalling effectors recruited to rafts on FcalphaR cross-linking. We demonstrate that in addition to tyrosine kinases Lyn and Btk, FcalphaR cross-linking also recruits B-lymphocyte kinase (Blk) and spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) to rafts. We show recruitment of phosphoinositide kinases, including 3-phosphoinositide 3-kinase and phospholipase Cgamma2, and serine/threonine kinases such as protein kinase C (PKC) alpha, PKCepsilon, and protein kinase B (PKB) alpha. This suggests that lipid rafts serve as sites for FcalphaR-triggered recruitment of multiple classes of signalling effectors. We further demonstrate that tyrosine kinases and PKCalpha have a sustained association with rafts, whereas phosphoinositide 3-kinase and its downstream effectors have a transient association with rafts. This is consistent with temporally regulated divergence of FcalphaR signalling pathways in rafts. Furthermore, we suggest the spatial separation of signalling effectors by transport of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1, PKBalpha and PKCepsilon to endocytic compartments containing internalized FcalphaR.
A Critical Reevaluation of Radio Constraints on Annihilating Dark Matter

A number of groups have employed radio observations of the Galactic center to derive stringent constraints on the annihilation cross section of weakly interacting dark matter. In this paper, we show that electron energy losses in this region are likely to be dominated by inverse Compton scattering on the interstellar radiation field, rather than by synchrotron, considerably relaxing the constraints on the dark matter annihilation cross section compared to previous works. Strong convective winds, which are well motivated by recent observations, may also significantly weaken synchrotron constraints. After taking these factors into account, we find that radio constraints on annihilating dark matter are orders of magnitude less stringent than previously reported, and are generally weaker than those derived from current gamma-ray observations.
Synthesis and Properties of Novel Magnetorheological Fluids Having Improved Stability and Redispersibility

A novel class of relatively stable and redispersible MR fluids based on meso-scale magnetic particles of iron or nickel zinc ferrite and nano-scale additives is described. For a flux density B ~ 1 Tesla, the iron based MR fluids exhibited yield stresses of ~100 kPa. For ferrite based fluids the yield stress values were as high as ~15 kPa at B ~ 1T. The yield stresses at the flux density required for magnetic saturation increase quadratically with the saturation magnetization of the particulate material, in good agreement with a model for the yield stress of uniformly saturated particle chains. At lower flux densities, the yield stress was generally observed to increase as B3/2, consistent with models of the role of local saturation of the particle magnetization. The additives were found to enhance the stability and redispersibility of the MR fluids: they appeared to promote a small non-zero yield stress in the absence of a field but were found not to have a substantial effect on the field-dependent yield stresses.
PCR-based detection of Pythium and Lagenidium DNA in frozen and ethanol-fixed animal tissues

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the application of previously described Pythium insidiosum- and Lagenidium-specific nested PCR assays to the detection of oomycete DNA in animal tissues. DNA was extracted from 15 frozen and 10 ethanol-fixed tissues obtained from six animals with pythiosis, five animals with lagenidiosis, one animal with nonoomycotic skin disease and two animals without skin disease. First-round PCR, which utilized universal fungal primers ITS1 and ITS2P, amplified a single product of the expected size for each of the P. insidiosum- and Lagenidium-infected tissues, but not for tissues obtained from animals without fungal disease. Second-round PCR using the P. insidiosum-specific primers PI1 and PI2 produced a single 105-bp product for the P. insidiosum-infected tissues, but not for any of the other tissues. Second-round PCR using the Lagenidium-specific primers LAG1 and LAG2 produced a single 76-bp product for the Lagenidium-infected tissues, but not for any of the other tissues.
Accelerating Atomistic Simulations of Defect Dynamics: Hyperdynamics, Parallel Replica Dynamics, and Temperature-Accelerated Dynamics

Obtaining a good atomistic description of diffusion dynamics in materials remains a daunting task due to the time-scale limitations of the molecular dynamics method. We discuss new methods, derived from transition state theory, for accelerating molecular dynamics simulations of these infrequent-event processes. Two of these methods (hyperdynamics and parallel replica dynamics) have been presented previously, and are briefly reviewed here. The third, temperature-accelerated dynamics (TAD), is presented in detail. In TAD, the system temperature is raised to stimulate more rapid escape out of each potential basin, but attempted transitions are filtered to allow only those that would have occurred at the normal temperature. The characteristics of the methods are compared.
Intuitions and Individual Differences: The Knobe Effect Revisited

Recent work by Joshua Knobe indicates that people ' s intuition about whether an action was intentional depends on whether the outcome is good or bad. This paper argues that part of the explanation for this effect is that there are stable individual differences in how ' intentional ' is interpreted. That is, in Knobe ' s cases, different people interpret the term in different ways. This interpretive diversity of ' intentional ' opens up a new avenue to help explain Knobe ' s results. Furthermore, the paper argues that the use of intuitions in philosophy is complicated by fact that there are robust individual differences in intuitions about matters of philosophical concern. Joshua Knobe has produced perhaps the most intriguing set of data in experimental philosophy. He fi nds that people ' s intuitions about whether an outcome was intentionally produced seem to vary depending on the moral status of the outcome itself ( Knobe, 2003a, 2003b , forthcoming a and b). These striking results have attracted attention from numerous different fi elds of inquiry, including action theory ( Mele, 2003 ; McCann, forthcoming ), social psychology (Malle, forthcoming), moral psychology ( Hauser, 2006 ), philosophy of law (Nadelhoffer, forthcoming a), philosophy of language ( Adams and Steadman, 2004a , 2004b , forthcoming), and developmental psychology ( Leslie et al. , forthcoming ). What has not yet emerged, though, is a satisfying explanation of the phenomenon. In our view, the literature makes apparent that all of the prominent explanations have serious shortcomings. The puzzle persists. In this paper, we have two main goals. First, we want to present and defend a new proposal intended to explain part of the phenomenon that Knobe has uncovered. 1 We will argue that part of what drives Knobe ' s fi nding is a stable pattern of individual differences in intuitions. In particular, there seems to be
Red Blood Cell Lipids Form Immiscible Liquids

Monolayers at the air-water interface were prepared from lipids extracted from human red blood cells. Epifluorescence microscopy was used to show that monolayers simulating the inner and outer leaflets of the red cell membrane form immiscible liquid phases with critical points at surface pressures of 21 and 29 dyn/cm. At these pressures the monolayer lipid density is comparable to that in the red cell membrane. This suggests that lipid bilayers of a red blood cell are near a miscibility critical point, which should significantly affect the biophysical properties of the red cell membrane.
Reception and Retention Factors in Tone Duration Discriminations by Brain-Damaged and Control Patients

Summary The performances of 40 brain-damaged and 40 control patients on a temporal discrimination task were studied as a function of the interval separating the pair of tone durations compared and the position of the standard tone duration within each pair. Four intra-stimulus-pair intervals (I-PI) of .75, 1.5, 3, and 6 sec were used with 10 subjects from each major group. The performances were related to a short-term memory task and to choice reaction times in an effort to assess the validity of including consideration of reception processes as well as retention processes in theories of short-term memory. The prediction that brain-damaged patients would perform more poorly than controls over all I-PIs was confirmed. The prediction that the optimal interval for making comparison discriminations would be longer for the brain-damaged than for the controls was not confirmed, nor was the prediction that the standard stimulus would be less effective as a determiner of level of performance for the brain-damaged than for the controls. The ultimate effect of the position of the standard in a pair was essentially the same for both groups and contributed significantly to the accuracy of discriminations. The hypothesis that delayed development of perceptions impairs the ability to remember temporally ordered events was supported by a comparison of the median choice reaction times of patients who made fewer errors at a shorter I-PI for time discrimination with the reaction times of those who made fewer errors at a longer I-PI. A longer reaction times was found to be associated with longer optimal intervals for discrimination. It was predicted that the correlations between performance on a shortterm visual memory task and time discrimination performance at the 6 sec I-PI would be higher than the corresponding correlations for shorter time intervals (where it was presumed that memory would not be as important a determinant of performance level). The prediction was confirmed. A supplementary finding that among the brain-damaged patients there was no relation between pro-rated IQs and time discrimination performance suggested that the ability to make discriminations of brief tone durations may be impaired apart from general intellectual impairment. An association between impaired temporal discrimination and damage in the hemisphere dominant for language was found in the brain-damaged group and confirmed previous findings in this respect. It was concluded that individual differences in speed and accuracy of perception may account in part for observed differences in short-term memory for temporal durations and that the variable of stimulus reception as well as of stimulus retention should be considered in studies of shortterm memory.
TPM3-ALK and TPM4-ALK oncogenes in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are neoplastic mesenchymal proliferations featuring an inflammatory infiltrate composed primarily of lymphocytes and plasma cells. The myofibroblastic cells in some IMTs contain chromosomal rearrangements involving the ALK receptor tyrosine-kinase locus region (chromosome band 2p23). ALK—which is normally restricted in its expression to neural tissues—is expressed strikingly in the IMT cells with 2p23 rearrangements. We now report a recurrent oncogenic mechanism, in IMTs, in which tropomyosin (TPM) N-terminal coiled-coil domains are fused to the ALK C-terminal kinase domain. We have cloned two ALK fusion genes, TPM4-ALK and TPM3-ALK, which encode ∼95-kd fusion oncoproteins characterized by constitutive kinase activity and tyrosylphosphorylation. Immunohistochemical and molecular correlations, in other IMTs, implicate non-TPM ALK oncoproteins that are predominantly cytoplasmic or pre- dominantly nuclear, presumably depending on the subcellular localization of the ALK fusion partner. Notably, a TPM3-ALK oncogene was reported recently in anaplastic lymphoma, and TPM3-ALK is thereby the first known fusion oncogene that transforms, in vivo, both mesenchymal and lymphoid human cell lineages.
Meta-Analysis: Glycosylated Hemoglobin and Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes Mellitus

This meta-analysis of observational studies in patients with diabetes shows that increased serum hemoglobin A1c levels are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in both type ...
A placer for composable FPGA with 2D mesh network

FPGAs are predominantly used for acceleration of computationally intensive algorithmic kernels. The ubiquitous co-processor abstraction, in which an application offloads such kernels to the FPGA, does not scale with current and future architectural advancements in FPGA technology. The rapid march of fabrication technology into the sub-micron era has resulted in packing of multiple blocks of programmable resources such as hard CPU cores, DSP modules, and fast multipliers on contemporary FPGA. Optimisation benefits from these advancements and the unique advantage of programmability have made FPGA an attractive alternative for complex system on chip (SoC) designs over other solutions. Adoption of the co-processor model in current generation of programmable architectures relegates the hard problem of hardware abstraction to the application and hence, the programmer. We propose a FPGA abstraction with native 2D-mesh network in order to improve the run time reconfigurability of multiple accelerators. In this paper, we describe a composable FPGA virtualisation framework to wean away the dependence of FPGA applications on the co-processor model. A novel run time placement algorithm, which minimises the communication energy between the accelerator modules, is evaluated on an embedded video application to demonstrate the placement efficiency in our framework.
Challenges with Takayasu's arteritis: A case study

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a systemic vasculitis that involves an autoimmune-mediated transmural degeneration of the aorta and its major branches, leading to severe arterial stenoses or occlusions with subsequent cerebral, cardiopulmonary, mesenteric, renal, or limb ischemia. Patient history and physical examination, arteriography, magnetic resonance imaging, and specific laboratory tests facilitate the diagnosis of TA. Major treatments for the condition include the use of corticosteroids, cytotoxic agents, antiplatelet drugs, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), and surgical revascularization. Major nursing interventions for TA include teaching the patient and family about the progression and treatments of TA and performing periodic patient assessments for manifestations of systemic vasculitis, alterations in tissue perfuston, and alterations in coping.
Differential Transcriptional Analysis of the Cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. Strain ATCC 51142 during Light-Dark and Continuous-Light Growth

We analyzed the metabolic rhythms and differential gene expression in the unicellular, diazotrophic cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. strain ATCC 51142 under N2-fixing conditions after a shift from normal 12-h light-12-h dark cycles to continuous light. We found that the mRNA levels of ∼10% of the genes in the genome demonstrated circadian behavior during growth in free-running (continuous light) conditions. The genes for N2 fixation displayed a strong circadian behavior, whereas photosynthesis and respiration genes were not as tightly regulated. One of our main objectives was to determine the strategies used by these cells to perform N2 fixation under normal day-night conditions, as well as under the greater stress caused by continuous light. We determined that N2 fixation cycled in continuous light but with a lower N2 fixation activity. Glycogen degradation, respiration, and photosynthesis were also lower; nonetheless, O2 evolution was about 50% of the normal peak. We also demonstrated that nifH (encoding the nitrogenase Fe protein), nifB, and nifX were strongly induced in continuous light; this is consistent with the role of these proteins during the assembly of the enzyme complex and suggested that the decreased N2 fixation activity was due to protein-level regulation or inhibition. Many soluble electron carriers (e.g., ferredoxins), as well as redox carriers (e.g., thioredoxin and glutathione), were strongly induced during N2 fixation in continuous light. We suggest that these carriers are required to enhance cyclic electron transport and phosphorylation for energy production and to maintain appropriate redox levels in the presence of elevated O2, respectively.