cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracellular vesicles as distinct biomarker reservoirs for mild traumatic brain injury diagnosis.

Mild traumatic brain injury does not currently have a clear molecular diagnostic panel to either confirm the injury or to guide its treatment. Current biomarkers for traumatic brain injury rely mainly on detecting circulating proteins in blood that are associated with degenerating neurons, which are less common in mild traumatic brain injury, or with broad inflammatory cascades which are produced in multiple tissues and are thus not brain specific. To address this issue, we conducted an observational cohort study designed to measure a protein panel in two compartments-plasma and brain-derived extracellular vesicles-with the following hypotheses: (i) each compartment provides independent diagnostic information and (ii) algorithmically combining these compartments accurately classifies clinical mild traumatic brain injury. We evaluated this hypothesis using plasma samples from mild (Glasgow coma scale scores 13-15) traumatic brain injury patients (n = 47) and healthy and orthopaedic control subjects (n = 46) to evaluate biomarkers in brain-derived extracellular vesicles and plasma. We used our Track Etched Magnetic Nanopore technology to isolate brain-derived extracellular vesicles from plasma based on their expression of GluR2, combined with the ultrasensitive digital enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique, Single-Molecule Array. We quantified extracellular vesicle-packaged and plasma levels of biomarkers associated with two categories of traumatic brain injury pathology: neurodegeneration and neuronal/glial damage (ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1, glial fibrillary acid protein, neurofilament light and Tau) and inflammation (interleukin-6, interleukin-10 and tumour necrosis factor alpha). We found that GluR2+ extracellular vesicles have distinct biomarker distributions than those present in the plasma. As a proof of concept, we showed that using a panel of biomarkers comprised of both plasma and GluR2+ extracellular vesicles, injured patients could be accurately classified versus non-injured patients.
Pharmacological Adjuncts to Palliation in the Trauma Patient: Optimal Symptom Management

The purpose of this review is to discuss the pharmacological management of the common symptoms that palliative trauma patients experience at the end of life. The value of palliative care in trauma patients is increasingly being recognized through its positive impact on patients' symptom management, quality of life, and health care costs. There is a strong correlation between early recognition and intervention of symptoms and improvement in patients’ end-of-life care. Adequate palliative care includes effective pharmacological symptom management and a multidisciplinary team approach, especially in trauma patients. Palliative care and symptom management in trauma patients can be complex and present with unique challenges. Palliative care in trauma patients is evolving, and adequately trained staff should be involved in the care of these vulnerable patients. Effective pharmacotherapy can optimize patient care, symptoms, and quality of life.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROSS MOTOR SKILLS OF INFANTS RECEIVING BREASTMILK AND RECEIVING BREASTMILK-FORMULA MILK

Introduction : Development is the process of changing the functional capacity of the body's organs to a state that is increasingly organized and according to their respective functions. There are gross motor skills, fine motor skills, social skills, emotional abilities, language skills, and knowledge in the development domain. Gross motor movement is the ability to change various body positions using large muscles. Gross motor development begins before a child continues the developmental stage to the next domain. One of the factors in infant development is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can be done as a solution to prevent delays in motor development in children. Purpose : To determine the difference between the gross motor skills of infants receiving breastmilk and receiving breastmilk-formula milk in Gotong Royong Hospital. Method : This study used an observational analytic study with a research design retro cross-sectional. The sampling technique was carried out by random sampling. The data collection procedure was carried out by collecting secondary data based on medical records from the main study, "The Impact of Early Initiation of Breastfeeding on the Health Profile of Mother and Infant in Gotong Royong Hospital". In this study, using the statistical test Chi-square then data analysis was performed using software SPSS on the computer. Results : Based on the analysis test, there was no difference in gross motor development of infants aged three months who were breastfed and those who were breastfed and received formula milk with a value of p = 1,000 (p <0,05). Babies who experienced gross motor development were suspected (42%), while those who experienced normal gross motor development were (58%). Conclusion : There is no difference in gross motor development of infants aged three months receiving breastmilk and breastmilk-formula milk in Gotong Royong Hospital.
Late Levantine Mousterian Patterns of Adaptation and Cognition

For most of this century one of the central concerns of paleoanthropology has been with the origin of culture. Through investigations of fossils and artifacts archaeologists have attempted to identify the contexts in which our early hominid ancestors became increasingly dependent upon cultural adaptation. This progressive shift from organic to behavioral adaptation was accompanied by extraordinarily rapid rates in both biologic and cultural evolution, but over the last 100,000 years or so the tempo of cultural evolution has greatly exceeded that within the organic domain. As reflected in the changes seen in human material culture and economic systems, cultural evolution has steadily accelerated to its presently dizzying pace. At some point within this long, 3–4 million year evolutionary sweep hominids came to rely more upon behavioral responses than biologic ones in coping with environmental demands. These learned, patterned behaviors and their material consequences have come to distinguish the human species, for we are now and have been for some time dependent upon them for our survival.
A micro-mold based technique for the synthesis of scaffold-free, single tendon fibers

There is a growing clinical demand for the development of replacement constructs that can emulate native tendon tissue. In this study, a technique to synthesize scaffold-free, single tendon fibers using micro-molded channels is presented. This mold-based channel fabrication technique replaces our previously established laser-based technique, to provide greatly improved reproducibility in 3D channel geometries, as well as increased throughput in channel fabrication. Herein, we utilize a custom-fabricated micro-mold to create growth channels, and explore the influence of UV crosslinking, cell-seeding density and graded cellular loading, on fiber formation and integration. Loading the channels with a cell-density gradient, and using a higher cell-seeding density, worked synergistically to promote fiber formation and integration into collagen “anchors”. This new technique allows rapid and consistent fabrication of single-fiber growth channels and effectively directs cells to form fibers by cellular self-assembly. Due to the high cellularity, direct cell-cell contact, and scaffold-free nature of this technique, this platform provides a model of fiber development, rather than one of remodeling. This allows for future study of the influence of mechanical stimulation (e.g., cyclic strain) and application of select growth factors, on the structure and function of developing fibers.
Round Up The Usual Suspects: The Decline of Unions in The Private Sector, 1973-1998

After documenting the long decline in private sector unionism over the last 50 years, we examine data on NLRB representation elections to determine if changes in the administration of the NLRA during the 1980s reduced the level of organizing activity and success. While organizing activity sharply declined in 1981 (just before President Reagan's showdown with the air traffic controllers' union, PATCO), we find little evidence that the changes in the administration of the NLRA later in the decade adversely affected the level of union organizing activity. We then present an accounting framework that decomposes the sharp decline in the private-sector union membership rate into components due to 1) differential growth rates in employment between the union and nonunion sectors, and 2) changes in the union new organization rate (through NLRB-supervised representation elections). We find that most of the decline in the union membership rate is due to differential employment growth rates and that changes in union organizing activity had relatively little effect. Given that the differential employment growth rates are due largely to broader market and regulatory forces, we conclude that the prospects are dim for a reversal of the downward spiral of labor unions based on increased organizing activity.
Neurodegeneration in Lurcher mice caused by mutation in δ2 glutamate receptor gene

Lurcher (Lc) is a spontaneous, semidominant mouse neurological mutation. Heterozygous Lurcher mice (Lc/+) display ataxia as a result of a selective, cell-autonomous and apoptotic death of cerebellar Purkinje cells during postnatal development. Homozygous Lurcher mice (Lc/Lc) die shortly after birth because of a massive loss of mid- and hindbrain neurons during late embryogenesis. We have used positional cloning to identify the mutations responsible for neurodegeneration in two independent Lc alleles as G-to-A transitions that change a highly conserved alanine to a threonine residue in transmembrane domain III of the mouse delta2 glutamate receptor gene (GluR delta2). Lc/+ Purkinje cells have a very high membrane conductance and a depolarized resting potential, indicating the presence of a large, constitutive inward current. Expression of the mutant GluR delta2(Lc) protein in Xenopus oocytes confirmed these results, demonstrating that Lc is inherited as a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from a gain-of-function mutation in a glutamate receptor gene. Thus the activation of apoptotic neuronal death in Lurcher mice may provide a physiologically relevant model for excitotoxic cell death.
Hypothalamic Adipsia Without Demonstrable Structural Lesion

The clinical and laboratory data of a 5-year-old boy with the syndrome of essential hypernatremia are presented. In a four-year follow-up, no demonstrable hypothalamic structural lesion has been identified. Review of the literature has uncovered four similar cases, suggesting a distinct syndrome of altered hypothalamic function. The syndrome is characterized by: adipsia-hypodipsia (5/5 patients), recurrent hypernatremia (5/5), obesity (4/5), inability to excrete a water load (5/5), lack of growth hormone release in response to provocative stimuli (4/4), blunted thyrotropin releasing hormone responses (3/4), hypothyroidism (2/4), and hyperlipemia associated with hypernatremic crisis (1/1). In one of the patients the syndrome has been attributed to a disturbance of the opioid-peptide system.
Introduction: DNA-Multiprotein Interactions in Transcription, Replication, and Repair

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the DNA-multiprotein interactions in transcription, replication, and repair. The chapter discusses the functional aspects of the interaction that were stressed over structural aspects. The objective of the chapter is to inform scientists in related fields of the latest developments in other fields. Some up-to-the-minute findings were reported, such that even the people directly involved in each respective field learned something new. There were poster sessions, for the first time, in which about two dozen posters were presented to encourage exchanges of nascent ideas. They served the function of stimulating discussion so well that they were left up for three days instead of one as originally planned. Because of the breadth of the subject and the limited time available, only a few aspects of replication, transcription, and repair were taken up by the formal presentations.
Transient Responses to Rapid Changes in Mean and Variance in Spiking Models

The mean input and variance of the total synaptic input to a neuron can vary independently, suggesting two distinct information channels. Here we examine the impact of rapidly varying signals, delivered via these two information conduits, on the temporal dynamics of neuronal firing rate responses. We examine the responses of model neurons to step functions in either the mean or the variance of the input current. Our results show that the temporal dynamics governing response onset depends on the choice of model. Specifically, the existence of a hard threshold introduces an instantaneous component into the response onset of a leaky-integrate-and-fire model that is not present in other models studied here. Other response features, for example a decaying oscillatory approach to a new steady-state firing rate, appear to be more universal among neuronal models. The decay time constant of this approach is a power-law function of noise magnitude over a wide range of input parameters. Understanding how specific model properties underlie these response features is important for understanding how neurons will respond to rapidly varying signals, as the temporal dynamics of the response onset and response decay to new steady-state determine what range of signal frequencies a population of neurons can respond to and faithfully encode.
An accurate method for two‐point boundary value problems

A second-order method for solving two-point boundary value problems on a uniform mesh is presented where the local truncation error is obtained for use with the deferred correction process. In this simple finite difference method the tridiagonal nature of the classical method is preserved but the magnitude of each term in the truncation error is reduced by a factor of two. The method is applied to a number of linear and nonlinear problems and it is shown to produce more accurate results than either the classical method or the technique proposed by Keller (1969).
Reactions of hydrated electrons, hydrogen atoms and hydroxyl radicals in micellar systems☆

Abstract Rate constants for the reactions of ρaq-, O H and H with micelle-forming surfactants— cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaLS), and neutral polyoxyethylen 1,5-nonylphhenol, Igepal CO-730-have been determined in aqueous solutions. The upper limit for the rate constants for the reactions of ρaq - with these surfactants is 106 dm3 mol−1 s−1, while those for H and O H are several orders of magnitude greater. Rate constants for the reactions of O H in these surfactants are significantly smaller at surfactant concentrations greater than the critical micelle concentration in which case the surfactants are in the form of aggregates, than at lower concentrations. The rate of electron addition to benzene is retarded by factors of approximately 2–3 by micellar NaLS and Igepal CO-730, but enhanced by a factor of about 8 by micellar CTAB with respect to that in pure water. The rate constants for the raction of hydroxyl radical with CTAB, NaLS and Igepal CO-730 solubilized benzene are ca. threefold smaller in the micellar solutions than in pure water. These results are discussed in terms of substrate-micelle interactions.
Application of holographic interferometry to the study of time-dependent behavior of rock and coal

Holographic interferometry has been applied in various fields of science and engineering. One of the most important functions of the technique is the capability of measuring displacement of any surface with a high accuracy without emplacing any gauges. In this study, the real-time technique of holographic interferometry was utilized as a new creep-testing method of rock and coal. Shale, sandstone and coal specimens were collected from the Alabama coal mines, and they were tested on a specially designed three-point loading apparatus. The results showed that the relationship of creep deflection vs. time generally followed the classical form of creep, and it varied according to physical conditions of the rock and coal specimens. This study proved that the new method can be successfully applied to the study of time-dependent behaviour of rock and coal with a high resolution and a low cost.
Photometric Properties of Saturn's Rings

The spectral reflectivity of Saturn's rings between 0.36 and 1.06 microns is derived from observations of the combined light of the Saturn system and the previously determined spectrum of the disk of Saturn. The rings are red relative to the Sun for wavelengths below 0.7 micron; at longer wavelengths, the spectral reflectivity declines. The amplitude of the opposition effect (anomalous brightening at very small phase angles) shows a maximum at both ends of our spectral range.
Effect of milling method on selected physical and functional properties of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) paste

Summary Particle size distribution (PSD) of cowpea meal is an important determinant of paste functionality and end product quality. Samples from various mills and screen sizes were used to determine PSD, water-holding capacity (WHC) and swelling capacity (SWC). Hammer mill (1.73 mm screen) meal had a geometric mean diameter (dgw) of 221 microns, whereas PM-360 [plate mill with one complete turn (360°) of clearance] meal had a dgw of 1559 microns. All other milling processes resulted in meal with an intermediate particle size. To reduce the particle size of cowpea pastes, cowpea meals were hydrated to pre-determined moisture contents, held for 15 min, and then blended in a blender before whipping. Blending increased the WHC and SWC of all samples.
Effect of comorbid chronic diseases on prevalence and odds of depression in adults with diabetes.

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effect of coexisting chronic conditions on prevalence and odds of depression in individuals with diabetes. Methods Data on 1794 adults with diabetes from the 1999 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed. Six chronic conditions were identified: hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic arthritis, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and end-stage renal disease. Chronic conditions were counted and categorized into 4 groups: diabetes alone, diabetes + 1 condition, diabetes + 2 conditions, and diabetes + 3 or more conditions. Prevalence of depression was calculated by number of chronic conditions and for each condition. Adjusted odds of depression were calculated by number of chronic conditions and for each chronic condition while simultaneously controlling for covariates and for each chronic condition using multiple logistic regression. STATA was used for statistical analyses. Results Using diabetes alone as reference, adjusted odds of major depression by number of conditions were: diabetes + 1 (1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-2.55), diabetes + 2 (2.09; 95% CI, 1.06-4.12), and diabetes + 3 or more (4.09; 95% CI, 2.04-8.17). Adjusted odds of major depression for each coexisting chronic conditions were: hypertension (1.22; 95% CI, 0.78-1.90), coronary artery disease (2.00; 95% CI, 1.27-3.14), chronic arthritis (2.02; 95% CI, 1.35-3.02), stroke (2.15; 95% CI, 1.10-4.31), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (0.96; 95% CI, 0.52-1.81), and end-stage renal disease (1.19; 95% CI, 0.57-2.49). Conclusion Odds of major depression are significantly increased among adults with diabetes in the presence of two or more coexisting chronic conditions, and coexistence of coronary artery disease, chronic arthritis, and stroke in particular, are associated with increased odds of major depression.
Application of a Parabolic Wave Equation to Sub-Micron Thermal Radiation Analysis

Coordinate transformation of the homogeneous Helmholtz equation is applied such that, upon invoking the paraxial wave approximation, a parabolic wave equation is derived that is independent of the propagation vector, in the limit of wave transmission over very short distances. Thus, similarity solutions applicable to wavelengths in the UV and IR range can be calculated using this approach. This work proposes that these solutions are appropriate for analysis of thermal radiation at sub-micron distances from a surface, as interference effects are captured by this method. Furthermore, by employing a source tensor as the boundary condition, surface wave effects can also be accounted for. In this paper, the method is applied to a case where surface wave propagation is limited to one direction. The solution of the normalized amplitude field is shown to be equivalent to the Green function for thermal emission.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
An active and structural strain model for magnetostrictive transducers

We consider the modeling of strains generated by magnetostrictive materials in response to applied magnetic fields. The active or external component of the strain is due to the rotation of magnetic moments within the material to align with the applied field. This is characterized through consideration of the Jiles-Atherton mean field theory for ferromagnetic hysteresis in combination with a quadratic moment rotation model for magnetostriction. The second component of the strain reflects the passive or internal dynamics of the rod as it vibrates. This is modeled through force balancing which yields a wave equation with magnetostrictive inputs. The validity of a combined transducer model is illustrated through comparison with experimental data.
Effects of interferon-γ treatment on surgically simulated wound infection in mice

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) has been shown to have immunoregulatory properties and is able to modulate resistance to several microbial infections. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of IFN-gamma treatment in a mouse model of infection that simulates many clinical conditions associated with surgical wound infection: viz, a bacteria laden suture and tissue injury. The test bacteria were Klebsiella pneumoniae. Groups of CBA/J mice received either IFN-gamma or RPMI-1640 medium (controls) subcutaneously. IFN-gamma was administered daily at a dose of 7500 units for 5 days prior to bacterial challenge. Mice treated with IFN-gamma survived significantly longer than controls. Systemic bacterial recovery was significantly reduced in the IFN-gamma treated group but local bacterial recovery was unaffected.
α1-antitrypsin deficiency in intracranial aneurysms and cervical artery dissection

The pathogenesis of ruptured intracranial aneurysms and cervical artery dissections is poorly understood but may be similar in these two disorders. We report four patients with alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency who developed a ruptured intracranial aneurysm or spontaneous dissection of the cervical internal carotid artery. Three patients were heterozygous for the deficient allele (PiMZ or PiGZ) and one was homozygous (PiZZ). A deficiency of alpha 1-antitrypsin or one of the other protease inhibitors could result in degradation of the arterial wall through an imbalance between proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors, thereby predisposing the arterial wall to dissection or aneurysm formation.
Underreporting of nursing home utilization on the CMS-2728 in older incident dialysis patients and implications for assessing mortality risk.

The usage of nursing home (NH) services is a marker of frailty among older adults. Although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revised the Medical Evidence Report Form CMS-2728 in 2005 to include data collection on NH institutionalization, the validity of this item has not been reported. There were 27,913 patients ≥ 75 years of age with incident end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 2006, which constituted our analysis cohort. We determined the accuracy of the CMS-2728 using a matched cohort that included the CMS Minimum Data Set (MDS) 2.0, often employed as a “gold standard” metric for identifying patients receiving NH care. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for the CMS-2728 NH item. Next, we compared characteristics and mortality risk by CMS-2728 and MDS NH status agreement. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the CMS-2728 for NH status were 33%, 97%, 80% and 79%, respectively. Compared to those without the MDS or CMS-2728 NH indicator (No MDS/No 2728), multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for mortality associated with NH status were 1.55 (1.46 – 1.64) for MDS/2728, 1.48 (1.42 – 1.54) for MDS/No 2728, and 1.38 (1.25 – 1.52) for No MDS/2728. NH utilization was more strongly associated with mortality than other CMS-2728 items in the model. The CMS-2728 underestimated NH utilization among older adults with incident ESRD. The potential for misclassification may have important ramifications for assessing prognosis, developing advanced care plans and providing coordinated care.
Mach reflection and aerodynamic choking in two-dimensional ducted flow

Flow through a two-dimensional duct with supersonic inflow is numerically investigated, from the viewpoint of the formation of Mach reflection, aerodynamic choking, and the possibility of constructing a curve similar to that for the quasi-one-dimensional flow in a converging-diverging duct. Such a curve can be used to determine whether a duct with a certain area ratio will or will not choke for a given inflow Mach number. Plots of pressure and mass flux contours are obtained for a given duct configuration. It is found that the two-dimensional flow always chokes at a higher Mach number than the corresponding quasi-one-dimensional flow for a given throat/inlet flow area ratio.
The ritual origin of geometry

Let us sum up the history of geometry from its beginnings in peg-and-cord constructions for circles and squares.
Lipopolysaccharide Up-Regulates Heat Shock Protein Expression in Rat Lung Pericytes

Background Heat shock proteins (HSP) function as molecular chaperones, participating in protein folding and maturation throughout the cell. Serum HSPs may correlate with acute lung injury. Pericytes are perivascular cells located abluminally from endothelial cells, and play a regulatory role in capillary leak. It is our hypothesis that pericytes express HSP 60 and HSP 70, and these HSPs are up-regulated in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods Rat microvascular lung pericytes were isolated and cultured. Cells from passages three to five were used and treated with LPS (control, 10 ng/mL, and 100 ng/mL) for either 4 or 18 h. Immunoblotting and real-time PCR were used to analyze the presence and quantity of HSP 60 and HSP 70. Results Immunoblotting revealed the presence of HSP 60 and HSP 70 in control pericytes. After 4 h of treatment with LPS (10 ng/mL and 100 ng/mL), no increase in protein expression of HSP 60 or HSP 70 was seen. However, after 18 h an increase in protein expression of HSP 60 and HSP 70 was seen. Real-time PCR demonstrated the presence of HSP 60 mRNA and HSP 70 mRNA in control pericytes. An increase in mRNA was seen after 18 h of LPS treatment, but not after 4 h. Conclusions This study provides the first in vitro evidence that rat lung pericytes express HSP 60 and HSP 70. HSP 60 and HSP 70 are up-regulated after 18 h of LPS exposure. Pericyte heat shock protein expression may contribute to the lung’s response seen in sepsis.
Demonstrating the impact of multitasking in the classroom

The advent of laptops, mobile devices, and ubiquitous connectivity in the classroom has created both opportunities and challenges for the learning environment. Students, often feeling that they are good multitaskers, will use their laptops to read e-mail or browse the web during classes. Telling students the results of multitasking research may convince some students not to become distracted, but experiencing it first-hand provides a more active learning approach to the lesson. The goal of this project was to design a meaningful demonstration of the negative effects of multitasking so that students would internalize the message and, hopefully, change their behavior, if necessary. In this demonstration students were assigned to three groups, one which had no computing distraction (students were asked to take notes on paper), one which had a single on-line distraction, and one group which had dual on-line distractions. All groups were told that distractions should not be allowed to interfere with their class work. At the end of the lecture, students completed a quiz on the material just presented to test their level of understanding. There was a significant effect on quiz performance. The group without distractions obtained higher quiz scores than either distraction group. End-of-semester feedback showed that 63.5% of the students reported modifying their behavior in class based on the demonstration.
Effect of hypoxia on fetal rabbit gastrointestinal motility.

During fetal hypoxic stress, blood flow is shunted from nonvital to life-preserving organs, including the heart and brain. Reduced oxygen to the small intestine (SI) induces mucosal injury and may contribute to neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). As little is known about the relationship between fetal hypoxia and GI motility, we assessed potential effects in a rabbit model. Twenty-one pregnant rabbits were randomized into two groups, hypoxia (Hyp) and control (Cont). Seven litters were studied at Gestational Days 24, 27, and 30 of their normal 31-day gestation. Under ultrasound guidance each fetal stomach was percutaneously accessed. Fluorescein, labeled with color-coded microspheres for precise fetal identification, was injected. Hyp rabbits breathed 11% oxygen for 1 h after recovery from anesthesia; Cont rabbits breathed room air. Two hours after injection, fetuses were delivered and weighed. The SI was harvested, the length recorded, and the distance fluorescein traveled measured by UV light optical density. Results were analyzed by the unpaired Student test. All injected fetuses (N = 167) survived. The length fluorescein traveled was shorter in Hyp than Cont at all gestational days studied (P < 0.01): Day 24, Hyp = 6.7 +/- 2.0 vs Cont = 8.4 +/- 2.1 cm; Day 27, Hyp = 10.1 +/- 2.9 vs Cont = 19.1 +/- 4.4 cm; and Day 30, Hyp = 16.8 +/- 3.5 vs Cont = 23.1 +/- 5.2 cm. The percentage motility, defined as the length of fluorescein travel divided by total SI length, was also significantly less at all gestational days. Fetal rabbit GI motility was significantly decreased by maternal hypoxia during the last third of gestation. Hypoxia-induced reduction in GI motility may contribute to neonatal NEC.
Ion emission from fused silica under 157-nm excimer laser irradiation at fluences below plasma formation threshold: the role of surface defects

At fluences well below the threshold for plasma formation, we have characterized the direct desorption of atomic ions from fused silica surfaces during 157-nm irradiation by time-resolved mass spectroscopy. The principal ions are Si + and O + . The emission intensities are dramatically increased by treatments that increase the density of surface defects. Molecular dynamics simulations of the silica surface suggest that silicon ions bound at surface oxygen vacancies (analogous to E' centers) provide suitable configurations for the emission of Si + . We propose that emission is best understood in terms of a hybrid mechanism involving both antibonding chemical forces (Menzel-Gomer-Redhead model) and repulsive electrostatic forces on the adsorbed ion after laser excitation of the underlying defect.
A concurrent dual-band low-noise amplifier for K- and Ka-band applications in SiGe BiCMOS technology

A 24/35-GHz BiCMOS concurrent dual-band low-noise amplifier (DBLNA) has been developed. The proposed concurrent DBLNA was designed using new active notch filters embedded into a wideband LNA. The concurrent DBLNA has measured peak gains of 21.9/16.6 dB at 23.5/35.7 GHz, respectively. The measured 3-dB bandwidths of the low and high pass-bands are 7.7 GHz (18.8-26.5 GHz) and 8.8 GHz (32.8-41.6 GHz), respectively. The best noise figures measured in the passbands are 5.1/7.2 dB at 22/35.6 GHz, respectively. The measured IIP3 performances are -10.4/-8.3 dBm at 24/35 GHz, respectively.
Determination of the linear coupling resonance strength using two-dimensional invariant tori.

Experimentally obtained Poincare maps in the resonant rotating frame for particle motion with linear coupling revealed invariant tori of the two-dimensional Hamiltonian. Using these tori, we obtained the linear coupling strength, the tune shift with betatron amplitude coefficients, and the proximity parameter to the resonance. The coupling strength obtained with this method agreed well with that obtained from measuring the betatron tune separation of the normal modes.
Mechanisms for low-frequency variability of summer Arctic sea ice extent

Satellite observations reveal a substantial decline in September Arctic sea ice extent since 1979, which has played a leading role in the observed recent Arctic surface warming and has often been attributed, in large part, to the increase in greenhouse gases. However, the most rapid decline occurred during the recent global warming hiatus period. Previous studies are often focused on a single mechanism for changes and variations of summer Arctic sea ice extent, and many are based on short observational records. The key players for summer Arctic sea ice extent variability at multidecadal/centennial time scales and their contributions to the observed summer Arctic sea ice decline are not well understood. Here a multiple regression model is developed for the first time, to the author’s knowledge, to provide a framework to quantify the contributions of three key predictors (Atlantic/Pacific heat transport into the Arctic, and Arctic Dipole) to the internal low-frequency variability of Summer Arctic sea ice extent, using a 3,600-y-long control climate model simulation. The results suggest that changes in these key predictors could have contributed substantially to the observed summer Arctic sea ice decline. If the ocean heat transport into the Arctic were to weaken in the near future due to internal variability, there might be a hiatus in the decline of September Arctic sea ice. The modeling results also suggest that at multidecadal/centennial time scales, variations in the atmosphere heat transport across the Arctic Circle are forced by anticorrelated variations in the Atlantic heat transport into the Arctic.
Annual changes in temperature and light requirements for Ipomoea purpurea seed germination with after-ripening in the field following dispersal

Abstract Field and laboratory experiments were conducted in SC, USA, in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 to determine the effect of temperature, light, and spring burial on Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth. seed germination over a 12-month period after seed maturation in the field. The seed collections used for the temperature and light studies had physical dormancy (water-impermeable), with 10–23% and 17–46% germination, respectively, of the freshly matured viable seeds. Freshly matured seeds used for the temperature study germinated to higher percentages at 15–25 °C constant. During winter (3 months after seed maturation), seed germination was higher at 30 °C constant or 22.5/37.5 °C fluctuating. During spring (6 months after seed maturation), there was a widening of thermal range (10–40 °C constant or 2.5/17.5 to 27.5/42.5 °C fluctuating) for germination. Germination of surface-lying or buried seeds was higher at 35–40 °C constant or 22.5/37.5–27.5/42.5 °C fluctuating in late summer (9 months after maturation) and autumn (12 months after maturation). Light had minimal influence on germination of surface or buried seeds of the tested population over the 12-month after-ripening period. A temperature-mediated annual dormancy continuum of I. purpurea seed has been proposed in this research, which will contribute to the development of weed emergence models aimed at improving strategies for I. purpurea control in the field.
The Influence of Interstitial Alloying Elements on the Phase Stability and Fracture Toughness of V3Au

Additions of the interstitial elements oxygen and carbon to the A15 structure V3Au intermetallic compound resulted in the formation of the L’l2 perovskite structure. The composition of the L’l2 phase is about 17.5 at.% oxygen. Analysis of x-ray diffraction line intensities indicated that the interstitial stabilized phase was L’l2 perovskite structure rather than the L12, Cu3Au structure type. The microhardness of the L’l2 phase is about 20% lower than that of the A15 phase and its fracture toughness is 2 to 3.5 times greater. The mechanism for the improved fracture toughness in the L’l2 phase is the subject of continued research.
Some further results on the MV-optimality of block designs for comparing test treatments to a standard treatment

Abstract In this paper we further consider the problem of determining optimal block designs which can be used to compare v test treatments to a standard treatment in experimental situations where the available experimental units are to be arranged in b blocks of size k . A design is said to be MV-optimal in such an experimental setting it is minimizes the maximal variance with which treatment differences involving the standard treatment are estimated. In this paper we derive some further sufficient conditions for a design to be MV-optimal in an experimental situation such as described above.
Alterations in Intestinal Barrier Function Do Not Predispose to Translocation of Enteric Bacteria in Gastroenterologic Patients CJ O'Boyle, J Macfie, K Dave, et al Nutrition 14:358–362, 1998

In this provocative study the authors investigated whether intestinal permeability in preoperative patients correlated with changes in small intestinal histology and permeability. Forty-three patients (18 M, 25 F) aged 24 to 89 years (mean, 65 years) were studied. All patients were awaiting major abdominal surgery for the following diseases: colorectal cancer (n = 15), pancreatic cancer (n = 5), gastric cancer (n = 4), Crohn's disease (n = 4), ulcerative colitis (n = 3), diverticular disease (n = 3), and other (n = 9). No patient required total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or enteral nutrition support. "Subacute" obstruction was present in 18 patients (gastric outlet, intestinal, or colonic). Bacterial translocation was assessed by culture of a serosal biopsy taken from the antimesenteric border of the terminal ileum upon entering the abdomen and of a lymph node taken from the distal ileal mesentery. A simultaneous peripheral blood culture was taken. Histologic examination was performed on bowel removed fro...
Transluminal dilatation of internal carotid artery in fibromuscular dysplasia: a preliminary report.

A patient with transient ischemic attacks and fibromuscular dysplasia of the internal carotid artery was treated by Gruntzig balloon-catheter dilatation of the involved area of the internal carotid artery. The clinical and angiographic results were excellent.
High-Resolution CT of the Lung: Patterns of Disease and Differential Diagnoses

High-resolution CT (HRCT) has become a valuable tool for the evaluation of patients with diffuse pulmonary diseases. HRCT is now widely recognized as more sensitive and specific than chest radiography for the assessment of such patients, and it has been integrated into the diagnostic algorithms for the assessment of a number of diffuse lung processes, most notably the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, eosinophilic lung diseases, and obstructive lung diseases. Furthermore, HRCT has become a front-line test for the evaluation of patients with a number of very common clinical complaints, including patients with chronic cough and progressive shortness of breath or exertional dyspnea. Because HRCT is a commonly requested imaging technique, familiarity with the basis of interpretation of HRCT images is critical for accurate diagnosis. In essence, HRCT imaging, by use of narrow collimation and high spatial frequency reconstruction algorithms, seeks to maximize spatial resolution and thereby approach a pathologic representation of a disease process. Maximizing spatial resolution allows HRCT findings frequently to correlate closely with pathologic findings. As stated in the forward to the first edition of High-Resolution CT of the Lung by Webb et al [1] ,‘ ‘ .. .to the extent that gross pathology can be used to diagnose lung disease, HRCT can as well.’’ In some circumstances, this observation may even be extended to the histopathologic level. For this reason, much of the HRCT literature has focused on radiologic–pathologic correlations for various pulmonary diseases to improve appreciation for disease patterns on imaging. It is clear that detailed knowledge of normal pulmonary anatomy and an understanding of how normal anatomy is altered in disease states are required to appreciate fully HRCT findings in patients with pulmonary disease. With such a foundation, a pattern approach to HRCT interpretation may be used successfully.
Quantification of cluster size and low ambient temperature relationships in the honey bee

Determination de l'influence de la temperature ambiante sur le volume et la surface des grappes de A. mellifera en comparant l'evolution de ces parametres chez 3 grappes de tailles differentes face aux variations de la temperature
The impact of ethnicity on response to antihypertensive therapy

The aim of this review is to assess the prevalence of complications and responses to various antihypertensive drug therapies in ethnic minority groups in the United States. In some instances, these comments are extended to responses of citizens in their countries of origin. The incidence of hypertension, mortality from hypertensive heart disease, stroke, and hypertensive renal disease are higher in African Americans. Although some Hispanic Americans have a lesser risk for hypertension, they have a greater risk for other risk factors such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. There is a similar association between income and mortality for both African Americans and Hispanic Americans. When compared to European Americans and other ethnic minorities, African Americans respond less favorably to β blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. Nevertheless, the observed response in African Americans to ACE inhibitors and β blockers is clinically significant. The available literature indicates that Asian American responses to calcium antagonists seem to be more favorable than responses to ACE inhibitors and equivalent to their responses to diuretic and β blocker therapy. Although there are few published studies of drug efficacy in Hispanic Americans, there appears to be no hierarchy in response to the various antihypertensive drug classes. Ethnicity is not an accurate criterion for predicting poor response to any class of antihypertensive therapy. Thus, there is little justification to use racial profiling as a criterion for the avoidance of selected drug classes because of presumed lack of efficacy. Observed differences in the incidence of hypertension and its poor outcomes have led some investigators to postulate that the etiology of hypertension in ethnic minority groups is intrinsically different from whites. Awareness of racial differences in hypertension outcomes evolved in the United States within a historical context that does not fully appreciate that race is often a surrogate for many social and economic factors that influence health status and healthcare delivery. Poor outcomes in ethnic minority groups occur in many diseases, not only hypertension. The goal of ethnicity-related research should be to describe the diversity of disease expression in humans and to target at-risk groups for prevention and early intervention. The use of racial descriptors to explain genetic differences in ethnic groups should take a lesser priority.
Identification of virus-specific RNA in cells infected with Rous sarcoma virus.

Abstract The cytoplasm and nuclei of cells infected with Rous sarcoma virus contain RNA which can be annealed to single-stranded DNA synthesized by the RNA-dependent polymerase of the virus. Formation of DNA:RNA hybrids was detected by equilibrium centrifugation in Cs 2 SO 4 , and by step-wise elution from hydroxy-apatite. RNA which contains nucleotide sequences identical to those of the viral genome constitutes approximately 0.5% of the total RNA extracted from infected cells.
Water-quality variations in a forested Piedmont catchment, Georgia, USA

Abstract Variations in runoff water quality were investigated at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW), a 41 ha forested catchment in the Georgia Piedmont, from October 1985 to September 1988, to evaluate processes controlling solute transport. Routine weekly manual sampling was augmented by sampling during storms using a computer-controlled automatic water-quality sampler. Runoff from a 3 ha bedrock outcrop in the headwaters typically had high solute concentrations at the onset of a rainstorm. The SO 2− 4 and H + concentrations were higher in runoff from this outcrop than in the corresponding rain. These high concentrations were attributed to the wash-off of acidic-SO 2− 4 dry deposition that had accumulated on the outcrop during the preceding dry period. In contrast, both NH + 4 and NO − 3 were depleted in the runoff, probably because they were removed by the lichens and mosses covering the outcrop. Storm sampling of streamwater at the basin outlet indicated that NO − 3 was mobilized during some summer storms, particularly in late July of each year. Also, SO 2− 4 and alkalinity varied markedly during storms. As determined from the routine weekly sampling, the streamwater was sufficiently neutral to indicate that streamwater acidification by acidic atmospheric deposition was relatively unimportant: only 26% of the decrease in alkalinity was associated with SO 2− 4 concentration increases. The storm data, however, indicated that streamwater acidification did not occur during the storms sampled, but that the median alkalinity was much lower and SO 2− 4 concentrations were much higher than values determined from the weekly (base flow) sampling. The storm-sampling results indicate that episodic acidification may occur at PMRW.
Measles virus interacts with human SLAM receptor on dendritic cells to cause immunosuppression

Measles virus (MV) infects dendritic cells (DCs) resulting in immunosuppression. Human DCs express two MV receptors: CD46 and human signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (hSLAM); thus, the role played by either alone is unclear. Because wild-type (wt) MV uses hSLAM receptor preferentially, we dissected the molecular basis of MV–DC interaction and resultant immunosuppression through the hSLAM receptor by creating transgenic (tg) mice expressing hSLAM on DCs. After infection with wt MV, murine splenic DCs expressing hSLAM receptor had less B7-1, B7-2, CD40, MHC class I, and MHC class II molecules on their surfaces and displayed an increased rate of apoptosis when compared to uninfected DCs. Further, MV-infected DCs failed to stimulate allogeneic T cells and inhibited mitogen-dependent T-cell proliferation. Individual expression of human SLAM, interferon α/β receptor, tumor necrosis factor-α, and lymphotoxin-α or β from T cells was not required for MV-infected DCs to inhibit the proliferation of T cells.
Success in Using near Infrared Spectroscopy to Estimate Wood Properties of Pinus Taeda Radial Strips Not Due to Autocorrelation

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provides a rapid method for estimating several important wood properties of 10 mm sections of radial wooden strips. Successful calibrations have been obtained with NIR spectra collected from 3 to 16 consecutive 10 mm sections of the same wood core. The success of these calibrations might be due to an autocorrelation that exists between the adjacent sections of a core. In this study, we compared calibrations with spectra collected from consecutive 10 mm sections to calibrations obtained with spectra collected from unrelated 10 mm sections. Very similar calibration statistics were obtained with both sets of spectra, demonstrating that existing calibration success is not due to an autocorrelation.