cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variable lymphocyte responses in rats after space flight

Most studies of human blood lymphocyte function following space flight have indicated that microgravity suppresses T cell proliferation. However, several other postflight experiments with animals have shown no decrease in proliferation of lymphocytes from peripheral lymphatic tissues, suggesting that different tissues may be variably affected by microgravity. Therefore, we examined the proliferation of lymphocytes from both spleen and lymph nodes of rats following a 4-day flight aboard the Space Shuttle. The experiments were designed to investigate tissue variability as well as potential mechanisms involved in suppressing proliferation. We found that proliferation of lymph node lymphocytes (LNL) from flight (FLT) animals stimulated with the antigen receptor-dependent T cell mitogen concanavalin A was depressed and could not be restored by supplementing cultures with interleukin 1 or interleukin 2 (IL-2). Response to another receptor-dependent mitogen, phytohemagglutinin, was not decreased. However, proliferation of FLT LNL following stimulation with the receptor-independent, mitogenic combination of phorbol ester and ionomycin was depressed. LNL IL-2 activity, cell surface marker expression, and B cell responses to mitogen were normal. Thus, deficits in antigen receptor/ligand interactions, cell surface marker expression, or IL-2 did not account for the suppressed lymphocyte proliferation observed postflight. In contrast to LNL, FLT splenocyte proliferation was not depressed. Assayable IL-2, IL-2 receptor expression, and cell surface marker expression likewise were unaffected by space flight. The differences between lymph node and splenic responses demonstrate the tissue-specific nature of microgravity effects on individual lymphatic tissues.
Zero-crossing zero-IF demodulator

A new zero-IF digital demodulator which is applicable to M-ary, narrowband digital FM signals is presented. This demodulator offers ease of integration and manufacturing, and requires less power and size than conventional demodulators. The performance of this demodulator is comparable to that of conventional demodulators.
The Mystery of Deduction and Diagrammatic Aspects of Representation

Deduction is decisive but nonetheless mysterious, as I argue in the introduction. I identify the mystery of deduction as surprise-effect and demonstration-difficulty. The first section delves into how the mystery of deduction is connected with the representation of information and lays the groundwork for our further discussions of various kinds of representation. The second and third sections, respectively, present a case study for the comparison between symbolic and diagrammatic representation systems in terms of how two aspects of the mystery of deduction – surprise-effect and demonstration-difficulty – are handled. The fourth section illustrates several well-known examples to show how diagrammatic representation suggests more clues to the mystery of deduction than symbolic representation and suggests some conjectures and further work.
Effects of digitalis on urinary bladder.

Abstract The effects of intravenous digitalis on the bladder were investigated in dogs. Digitalis consistently increased the intravesical pressure and decreased bladder capacity. The significance of our findings and its clinical application are discussed.
Localization and the invariant probability measure for a structural dynamic system

In the one-dimensional classical analogs to Anderson localization, whether optical, acoustical or structural dynamic, the periodic system has its periodicity disrupted by having one or more of its parameters randomly disordered. Such randomized systems can be modeled via an infinite product of random transfer matrices. In the case where the transfer matrices are 2x2, the upper (and positive) Lyapunov exponent of the random matrix product is identified as the localization factor (inverse localization length) for the disordered one-dimensional model. It is this localization factor which governs the confinement of energy transmission along the disordered system, and for which the localization phenomenon has been of interest. The theorem of Furstenberg for infinite products of random matrices allows us to calculate this upper Lyapunov exponent. In Furstenberg's master formula we integrate with respect to the probability measure of the random matrices, but also with respect to the invariant probability measure of the direction of the vector propagated by the long chain of random matrices. This invariant measure is difficult to find analytically, and, as a result, either an approximating assumption is frequently made, or, less frequently, the invariant measure is determined numerically. Here we calculate the invariant measure numerically using a Monte Carlo bin counting technique and then numerically integrate Furstenberg's formula to arrive at the localization factor for both continuous and discrete disorder of the mass. This result is cross checked with the (modified) Wolf algorithm.
An analog transient recorder-computer interface for solid-state NMR spectroscopy

Abstract Construction and operation of an interface between a Nicolet 2090-III transient recorder and a Nicolet NIC-80 computer is described. Recorded data are transferred by conversion to analog form followed by redigitization using AD converters contained in the computer. No modifications to the NIC-80 FTNMR software are required, and the interface may be used with quadrature detection. The chief disadvantage, introduction of an additional 1 to 2% of noise, is found to be of little practical importance. A description of NIC-80 data acquisition timing, unavailable elsewhere, is also given.
Electronic spreadsheet program for estimating two-compartment intravenous pharmacokinetic parameters by least squares linear regression analysis

Abstract A microcomputer program using an electronic spreadsheet program was developed to calculate pharmacokinetic values of thiacetarsamide sodium, a drug used to kill the adult heartworm ( Dirofilaria immitis ) parasite of the dog. A least squares, semilogarithmic regression analysis was done on data using a two compartment intravenous model. The data entered includes the time after injection and the drug concentration at that time. A graph of the points can be viewed or plotted, with the time on the x-axis, and the natural log of the drug concentration on the y-axis. The program was developed on a Televideo (512 kbytes) microcomputers ∗∗ ∗∗Televideo 1605, MS-DOS, Sunnyvale, California, U.S.A.. The spreadsheet used was Lotus 123 ∗∗∗ ∗∗∗Lotus 123, Lotus Development Corporation, Cambridge, Massachussetts, U.S.A. with the pharmacokinetics program occupying 16 kbytes of memory (720 cells) out of the 400 kbytes available with Lotus.
Open Reading Frame E3-10.9K of Subspecies B1 Human Adenoviruses Encodes a Family of Late Orthologous Proteins That Vary in Their Predicted Structural Features and Subcellular Localization

Subspecies B1 human adenoviruses (HAdV-B1s) are important causative agents of acute respiratory disease, but the molecular bases of their distinct pathobiology are still poorly understood. Marked differences in genetic content between HAdV-B1s and the well-characterized HAdV-Cs that may contribute to distinct pathogenic properties map to the E3 region. Between the highly conserved E3-19K and E3-10.4K/RIDα open reading frames (ORFs), and in the same location as the HAdV-C ADP/E3-11.6K ORF, HAdV-B1s carry ORFs E3-20.1K and E3-20.5K and a polymorphic third ORF, designated E3-10.9K, that varies in the size of its predicted product among HAdV-B1 serotypes and genomic variants. As an initial effort to define the function of the E3-10.9K ORF, we carried out a biochemical characterization of E3-10.9K-encoded orthologous proteins and investigated their expression in infected cells. Sequence-based predictions suggested that E3-10.9K orthologs with a hydrophobic domain are integral membrane proteins. Ectopically expressed, C-terminally tagged (with enhanced green fluorescent protein [EGFP]) E3-10.9K and E3-9K localized primarily to the plasma membrane, while E3-7.7K localized primarily to a juxtanuclear compartment that could not be identified. EGFP fusion proteins with a hydrophobic domain were N and O glycosylated. EGFP-tagged E3-4.8K, which lacked the hydrophobic domain, displayed diffuse cellular localization similar to that of the EGFP control. E3-10.9K transcripts from the major late promoter were detected at late time points postinfection. A C-terminally hemagglutinin-tagged version of E3-9K was detected by immunoprecipitation at late times postinfection in the membrane fraction of mutant virus-infected cells. These data suggest a role for ORF E3-10.9K-encoded proteins at late stages of HAdV-B1 replication, with potentially important functional implications for the documented ORF polymorphism.
IR overtone spectra of KDP, ADP, RDP and H2SeO3, and their temperature dependence

Abstract Polarized infrared transmission spectra of the oriented single crystals of KH 2 PO 4 (KDP), NH 4 H 2 PO 4 (ADP), RbH 2 PO 4 (RDP) and H 2 SeO 3 have been obtained in the overtone region, 4000–7200 cm -1 . The temperature dependence of this region has been investigated in the temperature range - 196 to 200°C. Some spectral features appear to undergo significant change around their respective suspected high temperature phase transition temperatures. The data appear to suggest that the observed spectral changes which are closely connected with the hydrogen bond network are in some way related to the high temperature phase transition mechanisms.
Electron transfer through photosystem II acceptors: interaction with anions

We present an overview of anionic interactions with the oxidation-reduction reactions of photosystem II (PSII) acceptors. In section 1, a framework is laid for the electron acceptor side of PSII: the overview begins with a current scheme of the electron transport pathway and of the localization of components in the thylakoid membrane, which is followed by a brief description of the electron acceptor Q or QA and the various heterogeneities associated with it. In section 2, we review briefly the nature of the active species of the bicarbonate (HCO 3 − ) effect, the location of the site of action of HCO 3 − , and its relationship to interactions with other anions. In section 3, we review data on the anion effects on the reoxidation of Q A − and on the various reactions involved in the two-electron gate mechanism of PSII, and provide a hypothesis as to the action of HCO 3 − on the protonation reactions. New data obtained by one of us (G) in collaboration with J.J.S. van Rensen, J.F.H Snel and W. Tonk for HCOg 3 − -depleted thylakoids, demonstrating the abolition of the binary oscillations contained within the periodicity of 4 observed for proton release, are also reviewed. In section 4, we comment on the measured binding constant of HCO 3 − at the anion binding site. And, in section 5, we review our current concept of the mechanism of the HCO 3 − effect on the electron acceptor side of PSII, and comment on the possible physiological roles for HCO 3 − . Measurements of HCO 3 − reversible anionic inhibition in intact cells of a green alga Scenedesmus are also reviewed.
Carboxylate Platform: The MixAlco Process Part 1: Comparison of Three Biomass Conversion Platforms

To convert biomass to liquid fuels, three platforms are compared: thermochemical, sugar, and carboxylate. To create a common basis, each platform is fed “ideal biomass,” which contains polysaccharides (68.3%) and lignin (31.7%). This ratio is typical of hardwood biomass and was selected so that when gasified and converted to hydrogen, the lignin has sufficient energy to produce ethanol from the carboxylic acids produced by the carboxylate platform. Using balanced chemical reactions, the theoretical yield and energy efficiency were determined for each platform. For all platforms, the ethanol yield can be increased by 71% to 107% by supplying external hydrogen produced from other sources (e.g., solar, wind, nuclear, fossil fuels). The alcohols can be converted to alkanes with a modest loss of energy efficiency (3 to 5 percentage points). Of the three platforms considered, the carboxylate platform has demonstrated the highest product yields.
Estimating the impact of estimator variables on eyewitness identification: A fruitful marriage of practical problem solving and psychological theorizing

The trier of fact has the practical problem of trying to estimate the impact of several estimator variables on the reliability of an eyewitness's identification. Until relatively recently, psychologists were either unsure as to the direction and magnitude of effect on eyewitness memory of certain estimator variables (e.g. heightened stress) or could offer the trier of fact only vague empirical generalizations (e.g. forgetting increases over time, most rapidly at first). At present, however, a number of meta-analytic reviews of the effects of certain estimator variables have accumulated, as have a number of theoretical analyses of their operation in the eyewitness identification context, theoretical treatments resulting from fruitful application of theories from cognitive psychology and behavioural neuroscience. The combined accumulations are now sufficient to constitute a 'critical mass' of knowledge, thereby permitting the trier of fact to gain more precise information regarding the impact of these estimator variables on the fidelity of eyewitness report. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Cerebrovascular Risk Factors and 1-Year Depression Outcome in Older Primary Care Patients

OBJECTIVE: A model in which cerebrovascular disease contributes to the pathogenesis of depression in later life was the basis of the authors’ hypothesis that cerebrovascular risk factors at intake are independently associated with depression at 1-year follow-up. METHOD: The subjects were 247 patients aged 60 years or older in primary care practices. The study measures were completed at intake and 1-year follow-up. Multiple regression techniques were used to determine the independent association of initial cerebrovascular risk factors with depressive symptoms and diagnoses at 1 year. RESULTS: The authors found that the severity of initial cumulative cerebrovascular risk factors was significantly independently associated with 1-year depressive symptoms and diagnoses, but not after also controlling for overall medical burden. CONCLUSIONS: The results lend some support to the cerebrovascular model of depression.
Using Relevant Humor to Moderate Inappropriate Conversations: Maintaining Student Communication Satisfaction in the Classroom

This study assessed students’ (N=195) perceptions of instructors’ relevant humor and inappropriate conversations in the classroom and used expectancy violation theory (EVT) as a lens to position instructor relevant humor as a moderator between instructors’ inappropriate conversations and student communication satisfaction. Results showed a positive association between students’ perceptions of instructors’ use of relevant humor and student communication satisfaction, and in contrast, a negative relationship between perceptions of instructors’ inappropriate conversations and student communication satisfaction. Consistent with the tenets of EVT, results also indicated that instructors who use relevant humor in the classroom may overcome students’ negative perceptions of inappropriate conversations and maintain student communication satisfaction.
Immunolocalization of selected cytokines and proteases in canine articular cartilage after transarticular loading

Cytokines and proteases are thought to play a role in the destruction of cartilage and the development of osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to document chronological involvement of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), stromelysin (MMP-3), fibronectin, and alteration in the chondroitin sulphate sulfation pattern. Canine patellae underwent a closed-joint impact to induce the development of osteoarthritis. The animals were killed at 2, 12, 24, and 52 weeks. The patellar damage included cracks in the superficial zone of cartilage and the zone of the calcified cartilage-bone interface, vertical step-off fractures in the zone of calcified cartilage, and loss of proteoglycan around the cracks in the deep and superficial zones of cartilage. With avidin-biotin immunohistochemistry, these specimens were stained with antibodies to IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, MMP-3, fibronectin, and altered proteoglycan sulfate with the monoclonal antibody 3-B-3. Three of the four specimens obtained at 2 weeks demonstrated a strong cellular and weak matrix staining pattern for IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, MMP-3, and fibronectin around the cracks in the superficial and transitional zones of cartilage. No consistent staining pattern was noted in the cracks in the deep zone. None of the specimens obtained at 12, 24, or 52 weeks stained for these antibodies. No staining for the abnormal sulfation with the 3-B-3 antibody was evident in any specimen. The specimens obtained at 52 weeks showed healing of the step-off fractures and a filling-in of the proteoglycan loss. This model probably reflects the short-term cartilaginous changes in the patella after trauma; thus, only transient elevations in the cytokines and proteases were evident.
Ex Vivo Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Neuropathological Correlation in a Murine Model of Hypoxia–Ischemia-Induced Thrombotic Stroke:

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a powerful method to visualize white matter, but its use in patients with acute stroke remains limited because of the lack of corresponding histologic information. In this study, we addressed this issue using a hypoxia–ischemia (HI)-induced thrombotic model of stroke in adult mice. At 6, 15, and 24 hours after injury, animals were divided into three groups for (1) in vivo T2- and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, followed by histochemistry, (2) ex vivo DTI and electron microscopy, and (3) additional biochemical or immunochemical assays. The temporal changes of diffusion anisotropy and histopathology were compared in the fimbria, internal capsule, and external capsule. We found that HI caused a rapid reduction of axial and radial diffusivities in all three axonal bundles. A large decrease in fractional anisotropy, but not in axial diffusivity per se, was associated with structural breakdown of axons. Furthermore, the decrease in radial diffusivity correlated with swelling of myelin sheaths and compression of the axoplasma. The gray matter of the hippocampus also exhibited a high level of diffusion anisotropy, and its reduction signified dendritic degeneration. Taken together, these results suggest that cross-evaluation of multiple DTI parameters may provide a fuller picture of axonal and dendritic injury in acute ischemic stroke.
Investigations of solder ball drop reliability: BGA versus WLP

In this paper, finite element modeling is performed to investigate the mechanisms ofreliability performance for wafer level packages (WLP) compared to chip scale ball grid array (BGA) packagesunder impact or drop loading conditions. Several scenarios are defined to reveal the different mechanisms of dynamic performance in WLP and BGA packages. Global/local finite element modeling is performed with the use of the direct acceleration input (DAI) method. In the first scenario of the simulation, a WLP (ball on I/O) package is compared to a BGA package with same ball geometries when package size is fixed. The vertical compliance at the package corner balls in BGA, due to the corner ball attachment to the compliant substrate/mold compound, makes BGA producing significantly less stresses than in WLP. However, when considering the second scenario, in which the same die is packaged with BGA and WLP (ball on I/O), respectively, the size of the package in BGA has increased, which presents the opposite effect in reducing the solder ball drop reliability. In the third scenario, a copper post WLP package is studied. It is found that the horizontal compliance by the epoxy layer, which is used to encapsulate the copper posts, has released the stresses in solder balls greatly under impact loading. Package size, vertical local compliance in BGA, and the horizontal compliance in WLP, constitute the major factors in determining the reliability performance of final products. Therefore, in the last scenario, a same device is packaged with a copper post WLP and a BGA, respectively. It is found the drop performance of a WLP is comparable to a BGA package. Wafer level packages are demonstrated to have comparable or even better drop performance than a BGA package. Existing experimental data show excellent agreement with the findings and observations in this study.
Dose-related effects of ethanol on avoidance-avoidance conflict behavior in the rat.

The effects of ethanol on avoidance-avoidance conflict behavior were examined, utilizing a 3-×-3 factorial design in which rats were trained and tested after drinking sugar-water solutions containing 0,3, or 6% ethanol. Avoidance tendencies were established by initially training rats to escape from electric shock fy running in one direction in a white alley, and in the opposite direction in a black alley. In subsequent shock free conflict tests, the rats were placed into an alley with one black wall and one white wall, an environment in which incompatible tendencies to avoid both ends of the alley were aroused. During training, ethanol decreased the speeds with which rats escaped shock. In the subsequent avoidance-avoidance conflict tests, rats that previously received shock escape training after drinking ethanol ran more slowly, and exhibited lower total movement and oscillation range scores than did animals trained after drinking plain sugar-water. Administration of ethanol just prior to the conflict tests resulted in dose-related increases in running speeds, total movement scores, and oscillation ranges. These results suggest that moderate doses of ethanol increased responding by differentially weakening conflicting avoidance tendencies.
Reduced order Kalman filter

The order of the Kalman filter equations for a wide class of aerospace navigation problems is reduced, yielding an optimal sequential linear filter with a substantial decrease in computer requirements. A theorem is proved generalizing the Kalman filter to handle step-wise correlated noise. An illustrative example is then presented in which computer computation time and storage requirements are reduced by more than half with negligible increase in programming complexity.
Market‐based success, organizational routines, and unlearning

Information, whether it is acquired from an external source or generated internally, is subjected to perceptual filters made up of the organization’s norms, procedures, and beliefs that influence what information the organization attends to and ultimately accepts. This paper examines the role which these organizational filters play in unlearning; viewed here as a specialized form of organizational learning. Unlearning is defined as the “process by which firms eliminate old logics and make room for new ones” by Prahalad and Bettis. The author argues that firms which engage in unlearning activities are better able to cast aside established routines in order to replace them with ones that ultimately result in superior value to their customers.
The low-frequency vibration rotation bands of the ammonia molecule☆

Abstract The absorption spectra of ammonia from 1440 cm −1 to 1840 cm −1 and from 510 cm −1 to 1280 cm −1 have been obtained with a vacuum grating spectrometer. The frequencies of the observed lines are given and the energy levels for the ν 4 , ν 2 , and 2 ν 2 vibration-rotation modes computed. A theoretical discussion of the Coriolis interaction between the ν 2 and ν 4 band and the “giant” l-type doubling observed in the ν 4 band is given and the results applied to the observed data.
Peano scanning based classified vector quantiser

The authors present a classified vector quantiser (CVQ) based on Peano scanning. The Peano scanning, which is used to reduce the dimensionality of the data, provides a one-dimensional algorithm to classify an image block. The class of the block is determined based on its Peano scanning value from a look up table (LUT) of representative Peano scanning values and their associated classes. The Peano scanning algorithm is easily implemented in hardware, and the class can be determined in a logarithmic time proportional to the number of entries in the LUT when using a binary search algorithm on the sorted version of the LUT. Moreover, the class lookup table is easily implemented in real time. An effective algorithm is used to generate all the codebooks of the classes simultaneously in a systematic way by growing a greedy tree for each class in an interconnected way. The monochromatic images encoded in the range of 0.625 approximately 0.813 bits/pixel, with a 16-dimensional vector size, are shown to preserve the edge integrity and quality as determined by subjective and objective measures.
Application of guided-wave optics in signal processing and sensing

Research in the use of guided-wave optics for signal processing and sensing is reviewed, and advantages and limitations of the technology are discussed. The signal processors employ electrooptic, acoustooptic, and fiber-optic components to perform such functions as spectral analysis of radio-frequency signals, correlation and matched filtering, code and waveform synthesis, signal delay and storage, and analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. In most cases, the guided-wave approach is distinguished by the ability to perform a particular function at very high analog bandwidths or digital data rates. The second part of the review is concerned with sensor applications for guided-wave elements fabricated on planar substrates ("integrated optics"). Waveguides on an integrated optics chip have been used for sensing temperature, humidity, electric field, wavefront angle, and optical disc reflectivity. Also described are integrated optic phase and frequency shifters developed for use in fiber-optic sensors. In concluding remarks, an effort is made to provide some perspective on competing technologies and to indicate some areas where future research might prove fruitful.
Multiple band structure in 156Er

Abstract The 142Nd(18O, 4n)156Er reaction at 90–95 MeV was used to study 156Er high-spin states to spin 24. In addition to the background ground-state band, two well developed odd-spin side bands, one of each parity, were observed.
Ambient temperature, physical activity and aging in the housefly, Musca domestica.

Abstract The relative effects of temperature and physical activity on the life span of the adult houseflies are examined. Populations of male and female houseflies were maintained under conditions of high, intermediate and low levels of physical activity at 15°C and at 23°C. At 23°C life spans of different populations vary considerably in correspondence with the levels of physical activity. Life spans are considerably longer in flies undergoing lower physical activity. At 15°C, where physical activity is quite low, there are relatively small differences in life spans of different populations. The life spans of populations with high and intermediate levels of physical activity, following transfer from 15 to 23°C and vice versa during the first half of the mean life span, are intermediate between those kept continuously at 15 or 23°C. The life span of low activity populations are relatively little affected by the transfer between 15 and 23°C as compared to those kept constantly at one of these temperatures. The data suggest that the life span of the housefly is inversely related to physical activity. The effect of ambient temperature on life span is greatly dependent upon the temperature-associated variation in physical activity. Results of this study support the assumptions of the rate of living theory of aging. A possible explanation is provided for the data in previous studies advocating the converse threshold theory of aging.
Radiative Transfer And 4.3µm Atmospheric Clutter Observations

Detailed line-by-line computations have been made to assess the utility of balloon-borne sensors for determining the backgrounds that will be encountered by space-based 4.3µm surveillance systems. In this spectral region, the atmosphere becomes opaque at the CO2 line centers in a short distance everywhere in the atmosphere below an altitude of 100 km, whereas the atmosphere is quite transparent between lines down to around 25 km altitude. Thus radiation intercepted by a space-based sensor with a spectral bandwidth greater than a few Doppler line widths will originate from a variety of levels in the atmosphere, where the physical mechanisms leading to background variations or clutter may be quite different. Our calculations indicate that down-looking measurements from 30 km (a typical balloon altitude) will adequately determine the clutter originating below the balloon. On the other hand, the determination of clutter above the balloon by an up-looking sensor will be much more uncertain because radiation from this region will reach space with less attenuation than it will experience traveling down to the balloon. Quantitative results representative of various spectral locations in the 4.3-μm band of CO2 will be presented.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Palladium-103 plaque radiotherapy for choroidal melanoma: an 11-year study

Abstract Purpose: To describe 11 years of experience with 103 Pd ophthalmic plaque brachytherapy for intraocular melanoma. Methods and Materials: Since 1990, 152 patients have been diagnosed with uveal melanoma, found to be negative for metastatic disease, and treated with 103 Pd radioactive plaque radiotherapy. This study presents the first 100 patients treated with 103 Pd and followed for ≥2 years. Plaques were sewn to the episclera to cover the base of the intraocular tumor. Treatment involved delivery of a mean apical radiation dose of 80.5 Gy during 5–7 days' continuous treatment. Patients were evaluated for local tumor control, visual acuity, radiation damage (retinopathy, optic neuropathy, cataract), and metastatic disease. Results: Patients in this series were followed for a mean of 4.6 years (55.4 months). 103 Pd seeds were found to be equivalent to 125 I with respect to plaque manufacture and ease of dosimetric calculations. We noted a local control rate of 96% and six secondary enucleations. Including the enucleated patients, the visual acuity evaluations revealed that 35% lost six or more lines of vision and 73% had vision of 20/200 or better. Conclusion: Long-term results now exist describing the use of 103 Pd plaque radiotherapy for uveal (iris, ciliary body, and choroidal) melanoma. Compared with the results from centers using 125 I, patients in this series experienced equivalent local control rates and better visual function.
Spin Surface Crossing in Chromium-Mediated Olefin Epoxidation with O2

[CpCr(mu-Cl)Cl](2) reacted with dioxygen (O(2)) to produce CpCr(O)Cl(2) (1), which has been structurally characterized. Although 1 oxidized PPh(3) and 1,4-cyclohexadiene catalytically, it did not epoxidize olefins. DFT calculations have been performed on the system to characterize the potential energy surface for the epoxidation of ethylene and, in particular, the consequences of the crossing from the doublet surface of the starting materials to the quartet surface of the product (i.e. a chromium(III) epoxide adduct). These calculations suggested that "spin-blocking" was not a significant problem and that the reaction of CpCr(O)Cl(2) (3) with ethylene should have a lower activation barrier. On the basis of this computational prediction, 3 was prepared; it was found to epoxidize olefins stoichiometrically.
T-cell responses to hepatitis B surface antigen in lung transplant recipients.

Study Objective. To determine whether lung transplant recipients would have a less vigorous T-cell response to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) than that of patients awaiting lung transplantation and healthy subjects, we sought to measure and compare T-cell responses among these three groups. Design. Prospective study. Setting. Lung transplant clinic at a university hospital. Subjects. Twelve lung transplant recipients, 12 patients awaiting lung transplantation, and 15 healthy subjects. All participants had received the hepatitis B vaccine series and had a documented antibody response to it. Intervention. Blood samples were obtained from each participant. Measurements and Main Results. Participants' sex, age, time since lung transplantation (if applicable), and time since hepatitis B immunization were recorded. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from the participants' blood samples for the trans vivo delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) assay. These cells were mixed with saline, tetanus toxoid, or HBsAg and injected into the footpads of immunodeficient mice. Resultant swelling of the footpad was used as an index of human T-cell response. The healthy subjects were younger than the patients in both transplant groups. However, we found no significant difference in DTH response elicited by HBsAg among the healthy subjects, patients awaiting lung transplantation, and lung transplant recipients (mean ± standard error [SE] 34.7 ± 4.3, 32.1 ± 3.1, and 33.5 ± 4.0 × 10−4 in., respectively, p>0.8) or when tetanus toxoid was used as a positive control (15.7 ± 2.8, 22.8 ± 6.5, and 21.7 ± 3.9 × 10−4 in., respectively, p>0.3). No correlation between age or time since immunization and DTH response was noted. Conclusion. Lung transplant recipients maintained a T-cell response to HBsAg that was similar in vigor to that of both patients awaiting transplantation and healthy subjects even though their antibody concentrations waned rapidly after transplantation. The role of these T cells as a correlate of protection from infection remains to be investigated.
Source-limited inclusive routing: A new paradigm for multicast communication

In this paper, we study a combination of the multicast communication problem and the maximum disjoint paths problem. Specifically, we are given a directed tree T rooted at r, and we want to send a message from r to a subset of nodes in T. We accomplish this via a multicast schedule which consists of a number of time steps in which informed nodes deliver the message to uninformed nodes until all destinations have received the message. In each time step, any informed node s may forward the message to one of its uninformed descendant nodes d via the unique directed path, or dipath, p from s to d in ditree T. A multicast schedule is called edge-disjoint if the dipaths used in any time step do not share any edges. We call a multicast schedule a node-disjoint schedule if the dipaths used in any time step are node-disjoint. We show that directed trees can be used to represent source-limited inclusive routing, a realistic class of routing schemes used in popular direct network systems. We then show that node-disjoint multicast schedules in directed trees can be used to closely approximate optimal edge-disjoint multicast schedules. In addition, we show that node-disjoint multicast in directed trees can be reduced to an equivalent broadcast problem in directed trees. We describe an O(n2) greedy algorithm (GA) for performing node-disjoint broadcast in directed trees. The greatest advantages of the GA algorithm are its simplicity and its optimal performance in popular topologies such as meshes, tori, and hypercubes. We also describe an O(n3) algorithm that always produces minimum-length node-disjoint broadcast schedules for directed tree topologies, which can be easily transformed into an algorithm that produces edge-disjoint multicast schedules that are no more than twice the length of an optimal edge-disjoint multicast schedule for an arbitrary topology. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A RANDOMIZED, PROSPECTIVE COMPARISON OF ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR APPROACHES TO RADIOFREQUENCY CATHETER ABLATION OF ATRIOVENTRICULAR NODAL REENTRY TACHYCARDIA

BACKGROUNDTwo different techniques have been developed for radiofrequency catheter ablation of typical atrioventricular nodal reentry (AVNRT). Lesions made anteriorly near the apex of the triangle of Koch usually eliminate fast pathway function, whereas lesions made posteriorly near the ostium of the coronary sinus selectively affect slow pathway function. The current study compares the safety, efficacy, and electrophysiological effects of these two techniques in a prospective, randomized fashion.METHODS AND RESULTSFifty consecutive patients with typical AVNRT were randomly assigned to receive radiofrequency lesions either anteriorly (n = 22) or posteriorly (n = 28). If the initial approach failed to eliminate inducibility of AVNRT after 1 hour or 10 applications of radiofrequency energy, the alternative ablation technique was used. Patients underwent repeat electrophysiological testing 48 hours and 3 months after ablation. The primary success rates of the anterior and posterior techniques were similar (5...
Stimulability: A useful clinical tool

Although difficult to define, stimulability is an easily measured skill that can provide valuable information for clinicians treating children with phonological disorders. In this article, we review changing trends in the definition of stimulability, standardized and nonstandardized approaches to its measurement, and clinical implications of stimulability for prognosis and treatment plan development as they have evolved over a 40-year period. Clinical application of stimulability information in caseload management and intervention is emphasized.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Self-Efficacy in Asthma Self-Management and Quality of Life

Background. Cognitive variables such as knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy affect asthma patients' abilities to be effective self-managers. Objective. The objective of this cross-sectional analysis was to determine what patient and clinical factors were associated with these cognitive variables and to assess the contributions of these cognitive variables to clinical status. Methods. Primary care asthma patients were interviewed using the three domains of the Knowledge, Attitude, and Self-Efficacy Asthma Questionnaire (KASE), as well as established scales to measure social support, depressive symptoms, and ratings of asthma care. Clinical asthma status was measured with the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). Results. In total, 180 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 43 years and 84% were women. Knowledge was low, with only 50% of patients answering half or more questions correctly (mean score = 52, possible range 0–100, higher is more knowledge). Attitude toward asthma was generally po...
Sociodemographic, physical and psychosocial factors associated with depressive behaviour in family caregivers of stroke survivors in the acute care phase.

Primary objective: This study examined sociodemographic, physical and psychosocial characteristics of family caregivers of stroke survivors at risk for depression.Research design: A correlational study.Methods and procedures: Data were collected from 52 family caregivers and care recipients with ischemic stroke. Data were collected 1–2 days before discharge from a rehabilitative facility and at 5, 9 and 13 weeks post-discharge.Main outcomes and results: Compared to African Americans, Caucasians had ∼3.7 times higher odds of being at risk. The odds of being at risk for depressive behaviour decreased by 30% for each unit increase in belonging and increased by 5% for each unit increase in burden.Conclusions: Family caregivers who are isolated from others may benefit from therapeutic interventions that facilitate social interaction and decrease caregiver burden. Ethnic differences in caregiver depression merit further research.
Hopes and Goals Survey for Use in STEM Elementary Education.

This study reports the development and validation studies of the Hopes and Goals Survey, an assessment designed to measure the level of hope of elementary students from diverse backgrounds, and its relation to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and career. Data collected from students attending urban elementary schools were used for exploratory factor analysis (n = 265) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 193). Results suggest that Hopes and Goals Survey is a five factor model with internal consistency ranging from 0.609 to 0.904. In addition, multivariate analysis of variance results indicate that students from differing racial groups in the same school district report similar levels of Hopes and Goals related to STEM.
Geochemical evidence for paleoclimatic variations during deposition of two Late Pliocene sapropels from the Vrica section, Calabria

Abstract The near-shore paleosetting of the Vrica Pliocene–Pleistocene boundary section provides an expanded sedimentary sequence that is ideal for investigating small-scale variations in sapropel deposition. We analyzed a suite of geochemical parameters in samples from a freshly drilled core that includes sapropelic layers c (1.851 Ma) and d (1.829 Ma) to characterize their depositional variation. Both sapropelic layers differ from background sediment by having higher total organic carbon (TOC) contents, lower δ 15 N values, and higher contents of redox-sensitive and chalcophile elements. Layer c consists of a lower sub-layer in which TOC content is less than that of the upper sub-layer. Layer d exists as three sub-layers that are separated by low-TOC sediment. The lowermost sub-layer is weakly expressed and lacks chalcophile element enrichment. The other two sub-layers are strongly developed and illustrate that sapropel-forming conditions can be quickly established and interrupted. The two interruptions within layer d indicate a decrease in continental runoff, verifying the importance of humid conditions over continental borderlands and freshening of Mediterranean surface waters in forming sapropels. Although organic matter production was elevated during deposition of layers c and d, barium contents of sapropels and background sediment are similar, which shows that this paleoproductivity proxy is not suitable for shallow settings like Vrica. Our results confirm that considerable paleoclimatic variation can occur during deposition of an individual sapropel layer and in closely spaced sapropel events.
The postconcussion syndrome after mild head trauma part II: is migraine underdiagnosed?

The evidence for post-traumatic migraine as the cause of the postconcussion syndrome in a proportion of patients is reviewed. Conclusion: patients suffering recurrent post-traumatic headaches or other elements of the postconcussion syndrome should be treated for migraine.
Binary self-stabilization in distributed systems

Abstract Dijkstra introduced the problem of self-stabilization in distributed systems as an interesting exercise for achieving global convergence using local actions. In all the papers dealing with self-stabilizing systems so far, it has been assumed that each component machine of the distributed system has at least three states. This paper illustrates that it is feasible to design a self-stabilizing system with two-state or binary machines at the expense of a larger atomicity.
Cyclosporine immunomodulation retards regeneration of surgically transected corneal nerves.

Neurotrophins, regeneration-associated genes, and the presence of inflammation are factors demonstrated to affect regeneration of injured nerves.1–3 The emerging view regarding inflammation is that it may not be deleterious to regenerating nerves. Rather, it may have beneficial effects that preserve injured neurons and promote regeneration. In the literature, contrasting results have been reported regarding the neuroprotective effect of inflammation.4,5 Schwartz et al.6 reported that T-lymphocytes are neuroprotective after spinal cord crush injury, whereas Jones et al.7 reported that T cells exacerbate neuropathology after spinal cord injury. In the skin, evidence suggests that inflammatory conditions are associated with increased nerve innervation.8 In the cornea, specific cellular and molecular factors control inflammation, promote resolution, and afford neuroprotection.9 The cornea is densely innervated with nerves that terminate as free nerve endings. Although inflammation forms the pathophysiologic basis of many corneal disorders, the connection between corneal inflammation and nerve regeneration is largely unknown. Whether the inflammatory response is beneficial or detrimental to the corneal nerves, especially regenerating ones, is unclear. Data published so far have been conflicting with regard to corneal nerve density in eyes with underlying inflammation such as that seen in dry eye disease. Zhang et al.10 observed increased subbasal nerve counts in patients with dry eye and tear deficiency, whereas decreased nerve counts were noted by Benitez-del-Castillo et al.11,12 and Villani et al.13 Tuisku et al.14 and Tuominen et al.15 reported that, in patients with Sjogren syndrome, the corneal subbasal nerve exhibits abnormal nerve growth cone-like patterns and nerve sprouting, features suggestive of nerve regeneration. Various mechanisms have been proposed to explain the beneficial effect of inflammation on corneal nerve regeneration. Infiltrating T cells, neutrophils, and platelets promote nerve regeneration.16 Inflammatory cytokines in the tears have also been reported to promote nerve regeneration.17–19 Here, we investigated whether immunomodulation with cyclosporine (CsA), an anti-inflammatory drug, affects reinnervation after transection of corneal stromal nerves. Lamellar corneal surgery was performed in thy1-YFP+ mice, which express yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) under the direction of the promoter thy1, which is not only a pan T-cell marker in mice but also a neuronal marker.20,21 Therefore, thy1-YFP+ mice allow for simultaneous visualization of inflammatory cells and nerve fibers. To complement these in vivo studies, we performed compartmental culture of trigeminal ganglion cells to determine whether CsA has a direct effect on axonal growth in addition to its immunomodulatory actions.
Ribosomal DNA fingerprinting of Listeria monocytogenes using a digoxigenin-labeled DNA probe.

A nonisotopic ribosomal DNA fingerprinting technique was developed for the characterization of Listeria monocytogenes. Plasmid pKK3535 (a pBR322-derived plasmid containing rrnB ribosomal RNA operon of Escherichia coli) was labeled with digoxigenin-II-dUTP by random priming and used to probe EcoRI fragments of L. monocytogenes chromosomal DNA on nylon filters. The method was successfully applied to the characterization of two sets of patient and food isolates of L. monocytogenes.
Antarctic Shallow Drilling Project provides key core samples

The understanding of Antarctica's climate, cryosphere, and biosphere evolution is limited, which is due in part to the paucity of outcrops and cores that record changes during the Tertiary. This problem has been partially rectified using conventional drill ships, such as the JOIDES Resolution, but access to key areas of the continental margin has been restricted because of the inability of these ships to operate in ice-covered waters. While researchers are restricted in their ability to acquire long cores in ice-prone areas, nature has provided an alternative method. During past glacial maxima, ice sheets advanced onto the continental shelf, eroding deeply into the stratigraphic section. Several areas of the shelf are characterized by seaward dipping strata a few meters beneath the seafloor. However, these older strata are overlaid by glacial sediments that have proven to be impenetrable by standard piston coring. The Shallow Drilling Project (SHALDRIL) began with the idea of using an icebreaking vessel as the drill platform so that drilling could be conducted in areas that are inaccessible by standard drill ships.Though, even icebreaking vessels with a drill stem hanging beneath them are vulnerable to ever-present changes in sea state, winds, and ice conditions. Thus, the approach, by necessity, needs to be one of ‘drill and run.’ Two cruises, in the austral falls of 2005 and 2006, have shown the efficacy of this approach.