cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated coregistered imaging using a hand-held probe-based optical imager.

Near-infrared optical imaging holds a promise as a noninvasive technology toward cancer diagnostics and other tissue imaging applications. In recent years, hand-held based imagers are of great interest toward the clinical translation of the technology. However hand-held imagers developed to date are typically designed to obtain surface images and not tomography information due to lack of coregistration facilities. Herein, a recently developed hand-held probe-based optical imager in our Optical Imaging Laboratory has been implemented with novel coregistration facilities toward real-time and tomographic imaging of tissue phantoms. Continuous-wave fluorescence-enhanced optical imaging studies were performed using an intensified charge coupled device camera based imaging system in order to demonstrate the feasibility of automated coregistered imaging of flat phantom surfaces, using a flexible probe that can also contour to curvatures. Three-dimensional fluorescence tomographic reconstructions were also demons...
424: Anti-CD20 prevents alloantibody production and attenuates cardiac allograft vasculopathy in monkeys treated with anti-CD154

Purpose: Blockade of CD40-154 prolongs cardiac allograft survival in cynomolgus macaques, but cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) causes graft failure, and is closely associated with appearance of anti-donor antibody (Ab). We hypothesized that depletion of CD20 B-cells might interfere with formation of anti-donor plasma cells and alloantibodies, and thus prevent CAV. Methods and Materials: Thirty MLR-mismatched heterotopic cardiac cynomolgus allograft recipients were treated with anti-CD154 high intensity monotherapy ( CD154; n 17, 6 with ATG) or CD154 with additional CD20 (20mg/kg q wk for 4 weeks: CD154 CD20; n 13, 11 with ATG). Some animals received an additional donor thymus graft or bone marrow infusion. Acute rejection was usually treated with steroids; graft survival was censored at 90 days. Results: 10 animals died with beating grafts, mainly with ATG-associated lung pathology, and are excluded from the survival analysis. Graft survival with CD154 CD20 (median 90d) and proportion of grafts surviving to 90 days (5/5) was significantly increased relative to CD154 (median 43d, IQR(25-75) 35-82d, p 0.007; 3/15 90d). With CD154, 15/15 (100%) developed anti-donor IgM and 14/15 (93%) IgG, usually weeks before graft failure, whereas no IgG was detected in samples analyzed to date from the CD154 CD20 group, and weak IgM was transiently detected in only one animal. All CD154 grafts had severe CAV (score 3 on 0-4 scale), in many instances with fibrosis and unscorable vessels due to infarction. In stark contrast, CD154 CD20 was associated with CAV 1 in 4 of 5 grafts, and CAV 2 in the 5, and preserved myocardial architecture. Conclusions: Using CD20 with CD154 is associated with decreased elaboration of alloAb, prolonged graft survival to 90 days, and significant attenuation of CAV. Concomitant thymus transplant or ATG induction did not appear to be necessary to this effect; ATG is associated with significant morbidity. These findings suggest that CD20 may reduce the incidence of CAV, perhaps by inhibiting alloAb.
Matthew and marginality

This article explores marginality theory as it was first proposed in the social sciences, that is related to persons caught between two competing cultures (Park; Stonequist), and, then, as it was developed in sociology as related to the poor (Germani) and in anthropology as it was related to involuntary marginality and voluntary marginality (Victor Turner). It then examines a (normative scheme' in antiquity that creates involuntary marginality at the macrosocial level, namely, Lenski's social stratification model in an agrarian society, and indicates how Matthean language might fit with a sample inventory of socioreligious roles. Next, it examines some (normative schemes' in antiquity for voluntary margi-nality at the microsocial level, namely, groups, and examines how the Matthean gospel would fit based on indications of factions and leaders. The article ,shows that the author of the Gospel of Matthew has an ideology of (voluntary marginality', but his gospel includes some hope for (involuntary marginals' in the real world, though it is somewhat tempered. It also suggests that the writer of the Gospel is a (marginal man', especially in the sense defined by the early theorists (Park; Stone-quist).
Acquisition and change of an evaluative concept as a function of word frequency and type

Development and change of evaluative concepts were studied as a function of positive- vs. negative-concept acquisition with high- vs. low-frequency adjectives previously rated as positive vs. negative. Development of a positive or negative concept was accomplished by selectively reinforcing 25 evaluative adjectives, and change was accomplished by reversing the reinforcement pattern with 50 further evaluative adjectives. The positive concept was more readily acquired, and a small frequency effect during acquisition was increased during change. Interaction effects indicate resistance to change is greater with the positive, high-frequency words and depends upon the type of words experienced during acquisition and change. The results are interpreted as indicating that both semantic and nonsemantic word properties influence development and change of a type of concept considered to be the core of attitudes.
Adolescent Help-Seeking and the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program: An Evaluation

The Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program has gained national and international recognition for its school- and community-based activities. After the introduction of Yellow Ribbon to a Denver-area high school, staff and adolescents were surveyed to determine if help-seeking behavior had increased. Using a pre-post intervention design, staff at an experimental school and comparison school were surveyed about their experiences with student help-seeking. Additionally, 146 students at the experimental high school were surveyed. Staff did not report any increase in student help-seeking, and students' reports of help-seeking from 11 of 12 different types of helpers did not increase; the exception was help-seeking from a crisis hotline, which increased from 2.1% to 6.9%. Further research with larger, more inclusive samples is needed to determine whether Yellow Ribbon is effective in other locations.
Pleasant and Unpleasant Emotions in Literature: A Comparison with the Affective Tone of Psychology

(1968). Pleasant and Unpleasant Emotions in Literature: A Comparison with the Affective Tone of Psychology. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 70, No. 1, pp. 55-67.
The puffy periorbital protrusion

(1999). The puffy periorbital protrusion. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 105, No. 4, pp. 45-46.
Adaptations and Limitations in the Pulmonary System during Exercise

In most circumstances in health, efficient alveolar ventilation and alveolar-to-arterial exchange of O2 and CO2 are among the strongest of links in the gas-transport chain during maximal exercise. Indeed, in most instances, the metabolic cost of ventilation represents the only significant contribution of the pulmonary system to the limitation of O2 transport of locomotor muscles and thus to the limitation of maximum performance. Of the "weaknesses" inherent in the healthy pulmonary system response to exercise, the most serious one may well be its absence of structural adaptability to physical training or to the trained state. Thus, the lung's diffusion capacity and pulmonary capillary blood volume remain unaltered in the highly trained human or horse, while maximum pulmonary blood flow rises linearly with the enhanced max VO2. Similarly, ventilatory requirement rises markedly, with no alteration in the capability of the airways to produce higher flow rates or of the lung parenchyma to stretch to higher tidal volumes, and little or no change in the pressure-generating capability of inspiratory muscles. The case of the elderly athlete who remains capable of achieving high maximum pulmonary blood flows and ventilatory requirements and whose lung undergoes a normal aging process underscores the importance of deficits (from "normal") on the capacity end of this continuum of cost versus capacity in the pulmonary system. The asthmatic athlete may represent another such example of limited flow-generating capacity; and the healthy, young, highly fit athlete who shows marked reductions in SaO2 and in max VO2 at even moderately high altitudes demonstrates that, in many situations, precious little room can be added to the demand side or removed from the capacity side before signs of failure can be seen.
Quantification and localisation of angiotensin II receptors and angiotensin converting enzyme in the developing rat heart

Objective: The aim was to determine the quantification and localisation of angiotensin II receptors and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in the developing rat heart. Methods: Quantitative autoradiography was used to determine the density of [125I]Sar1-angiotensin II binding to angiotensin II receptors and the density of [125I]351A binding to ACE. Results: Angiotensin II receptors were first detected in the myocardium on embryonic day 14, and reached a maximum density within the first postnatal week. During the perinatal period, the density of angiotensin II receptors was twofold higher in atrial than in ventricular myocardium [27(SEM 7) ν 11(1) fmol·mg−1 protein]. By adulthood, however, the density of angiotensin II receptors did not differ between atria and ventricles. A high density of angiotensin II receptors was first detected in the cardiac vasculature on embryonic day 19, with binding density decreasing during development. During the embryonic and early postnatal periods, most of the binding in the cardiac vasculature was to AT2 receptors. ACE was first detected in the myocardium on the day of birth, with the density of binding to ACE increasing during development. On postnatal day 56, the density of binding to ACE was fourfold higher in atrial than in ventricular myocardium [99(22) ν 22(4) fmol·mg−1 protein]. A moderate density of binding to ACE was first detected in the cardiac vasculature and heart valves on embryonic day 19, with binding density increasing during development. By adulthood, the density of binding to ACE was 10- to 25-fold higher in the cardiac vasculature and heart valves than in the myocardium. Conclusions: The density of angiotensin II receptors and the density of binding to ACE are developmentally regulated in the heart. Both AT1 and AT2 receptors were present in the rat heart by late gestation and could, therefore, mediate the effects of angiotensin II on early cardiac growth and development.
Physics, Computation, and Why Biology Looks so Different

Abstract The biological world is a physical system whose properties and behaviors seem entirely foreign to physics. The origins of this discrepancy lie in the very high information content in biological systems (the large amount of dynamically broken symmetry) and the evolutionary value placed on predicting the future (computation) in an environment which is inhomogeneous in time and in space. Within this context, "free will" can be described as a useful predictive myth.
Effects of non-ideal characteristics of substrate BJT on bandgap reference circuits

The non-­‐ideal characteristics of bipolar junction transistors (BJT) on the performance of band gap reference circuits are investigated. It is shown that the base spreading resistance (BSR) of a substrate BJT along with its temperature dependence has a significant negative impact on the performance of voltage references. It is shown that the temperature-­‐dependent forward current gain (β) also adversely affects reference performance. In a typical application in a bulk CMOS process, the base spreading resistance causes an increase in the reference output of about 1% and the temperature dependent β introduces an inflection point shift of around 30 °C. After calibration the TC changes by 25 ppm/°C. Keywords—base spreading resistance; temperature dependent β; bandgap reference circuit;
Potential Application of Models in Forecasting the Effects of Climate Changes on Fisheries

Abstract Increased concentrations of carbon dioxide and other “greenhouse gases” in the atmosphere and the possible resulting climatic changes will affect marine and freshwater fisheries. Many of the links in the causal chains relating these environmental changes to possible changes in fish stocks may be amenable to prediction through mathematical modeling. The adequacy of existing types of mathematical models relating changes in atmospheric CO2 to changes in environmental conditions and ultimately to changes in fish stocks is reviewed in the context of an overall strategy for forecasting changes in fish stocks. The model types include ecosystem models, fish physiological process models, and fish population models.
Tacrine-mefenamic acid hybrids for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex syndrome characterized by the degeneration of the brain and central nervous system that may be caused by an assortment of genetic and environmental factors. Consequently, a conjunctive approach targeting multiple affecters of AD could lead to improved drug candidates for the treatment of AD. A convergent chemical synthetic approach yielded a series of tacrine-mefenamic acid hybrids that were evaluated for their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE). A majority of the compounds tested showed low nanomolar IC50 values, an improvement over the parent compound, tacrine, suggesting that they could be effective in increasing cholinergic function. Additionally, an assay to evaluate the compounds upon exposure to reactive oxygen species was performed, the results of which may suggest a role for the mefenamic acid moiety in the inhibition of AChE. Molecular modeling studies were performed to rationalize the experimental results.
The Natural History of Idiopathic Hyperprolactinemia

Idiopathic hyperprolactinemia (IH) can be defined as the presence of elevated serum PRL levels in a patient in the absence of demonstrable pituitary or central nervous system disease and of any other recognized cause of increased PRL secretion. This study examined the long term clinical outcome of 41 patients (mean age, 26 yr) with IH followed for up to 11 yr (mean, 5.5 yr). Initial and final PRL levels were determined by RIA in the same laboratory. A correction factor was used to obviate periodic changes in the potency of the NIH standards used in the PRL assay, so that all results are expressed in terms of the original VLS no. 1 standard. The initial serum PRL levels ranged from 27.2-243 ng/ml, with a mean of 57 ng/ml. Only three patients had initial serum PRL levels greater than 100 ng/ml. All had a normal skull x-ray and/or brain computed tomographic scan during their initial visit. All 41 patients had galactorrhea and/or amenorrhea. Serum PRL levels remained the same, decreased, or returned to normal in 34 of 41 patients. The mean PRL level at the time of reevaluation was 35 ng/ml. Thirty-four percent of the patients had a normal serum PRL level. Only 17% of the patients had serum PRL levels that were significantly higher (greater than 50% of their original value). Six of 9 patients with an initial serum PRL level less than 40 ng/ml had normal levels. One patient developed a pituitary tumor (initial PRL, 150 ng/ml). All patients reevaluated with brain computed tomographic scans had normal pituitary size. No patient reported a worsening of signs or symptoms, and in many, improvement (n = 16) or complete resolution (n = 8) of the amenorrhea and/or galactorrhea occurred. Twenty-seven spontaneous or bromocriptine-induced normal pregnancies and deliveries occurred without development of a pituitary tumor. Therefore, our data clearly challenge the use of ablative pituitary therapy for IH and raises questions of the benefit of chronic medical therapy for this condition.
The role of superoxide and singlet oxygen in lipid peroxidation.

— An investigation into the mechanism of lipid peroxidation catalyzed by xanthine oxidase showed a dependence upon superoxide, singlet oxygen and adenosine 5'-diphosphate chelated iron (ADP-Fe3+). In the absence of ADP-Fe3+ or in the presence of superoxide dismutase there is complete inhibition of enzymatic peroxidation. Initiation of peroxidation likely occurs through an ADP-perferryl ion complex formed by ADP-Fe3+ and superoxide. Use of the singlet oxygen trapping agent 2,5-diphenylfuran showed that singlet oxygen does not participate in the initiation of peroxidation but rather in the propagation of peroxidation. The mechanisms of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase-catalyzed and ADP-Fe2+ catalyzed lipid peroxidation parallel that of xanthine oxidase in that initiation occurs through a superoxide dismutase-sensitive reaction and that singlet oxygen is present during propagation of lipid peroxidation.
Conflict Resolution and Social Reorganization in a Lebanese Village

A change of considerable magnitude has occurred throughout the world during the past two decades. Populations and the territories they inhabit, previously under the hegemony of others, have attained the status of sovereign states. The evidence has become apparent, however, that to be a state does not necessarily mean to be a nation. Within their territories, many of these states have not yet welded through law and sentiment an internal hegemony which is a mark of national identity.
A mechanism for the suppression of estrogen production in polycystic ovary syndrome.

In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), follicle development arrests in the early antral stage when aromatase expression in the granulosa cells (GC) would normally occur. Despite high intrafollicular concentrations of androstenedione and bioactive FSH, in vivo estrogen biosynthesis remains low. When GC from PCOS follicles are stimulated with FSH in vitro, a marked stimulation of estrogen production occurs, suggesting that PCOS follicles contain an endogenous inhibitor of estrogen production. To test this hypothesis, GC from hyperstimulated women were cultured with increasing concentrations of follicular fluid (FF) from PCOS and normally cycling control women in the presence of androstenedione (10(-5) mol/L). FF from control women caused a small decrease (20%) in estradiol production. PCOS FF caused a dose-related inhibition of estradiol production (60%), indicating that there was significantly more inhibitory activity in PCOS FF. To determine whether abnormal androgen metabolism could play a role in inhibiti...
a-b plane anisotropy of single-domain crystals of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8

The polarized reflectance of thea-b plane of single-domain Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 crystals is anisotropic above and belowTc. The normal-state infrared conductivity is higher forE‖a whereas the high-frequency conductivity is higher alongb, particularly for transitions associated with the Bi−O layers. BelowTc there is a definite anisotropy to the far-infrared absorption, with a finite absorption forE‖b down to ≈20 meV. This anisotropy of thea-b plane could be due either to anisotropy of the superconducting gap or to anisotropy of the midinfrared component to the conductivity.
Does age make a difference in caregiver strain? Comparison of young versus older caregivers in early-stage Parkinson's disease

Family care research has identified negative outcomes of providing care to a spouse with Parkinson's disease (PD), such as declining physical and mental health. Research has also identified protective variables that decrease negative outcomes such as high mutuality and rewards of meaning. It is important for clinicians to identify "at risk" family caregivers and provide earlier interventions. Despite the importance of age and developmental stage there is a paucity of research comparing young versus older spouse caregivers. This study compared the difference in negative aspects of strain and modulators of strain in young and older PD spouse caregivers. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions were used to examine the contribution of age on both positive and negative aspects of the care situation for 65 (37 young, 28 old) PD spouse caregivers. Negative variables included 3 dimensions of strain; strain from lack of personal resources, strain from worry, and global strain. Positive or protective variables included mutuality, preparedness, and rewards of meaning. Even in early stage disease before significant care is required, young spouses (40-55) were found to be at greater risk for negative consequences of the care situation reporting significantly more strain from lack of personal resources, and lower levels of mutuality and rewards of meaning than older (greater than 70) spouses. As expected, young spouses were more likely to be working, caring for children in the home, and in better physical health than older spouses. Clinicians are well-situated to identify the unique needs of young spouses and intervene early in the caregiving trajectory. These findings provide ideas for targeted interventions. Future larger studies that compare young and older spouses should include later stage disease to more fully understand the developmental differences raised by the present findings.
Sex Differences and Sex Steroids in Lung Health and Disease

Sex differences in the biology of different organ systems and the influence of sex hormones in modulating health and disease are increasingly relevant in clinical and research areas. Although work has focused on sex differences and sex hormones in cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neuronal systems, there is now increasing clinical evidence for sex differences in incidence, morbidity, and mortality of lung diseases including allergic diseases (such as asthma), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, as well as pulmonary hypertension. Whether such differences are inherent and/or whether sex steroids play a role in modulating these differences is currently under investigation. The purpose of this review is to define sex differences in lung structure/function under normal and specific disease states, with exploration of whether and how sex hormone signaling mechanisms may explain these clinical observations. Focusing on adult age groups, the review addresses the following: 1) inherent sex differences in lung anatomy and physiology; 2) the importance of certain time points in life such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and aging; 3) expression and signaling of sex steroid receptors under normal vs. disease states; 4) potential interplay between different sex steroids; 5) the question of whether sex steroids are beneficial or detrimental to the lung; and 6) the potential use of sex steroid signaling as biomarkers and therapeutic avenues in lung diseases. The importance of focusing on sex differences and sex steroids in the lung lies in the increasing incidence of lung diseases in women and the need to address lung diseases across the life span.
Coded QAM Backscatter Modulation for RFID

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems, presently standardized under EPC Global Class-1 Gen-2, have attracted increasing interest as the next-generation technology for tagged object identification. One of the important objectives of this work is to highlight the fact that the performance of the backscatter uplink (determined by constellation choice and forward error correction) is coupled to the downlink via the power harvesting functionality. The concept of normalized power loss per bit is introduced for such RFID communication systems to capture the consequent trade-offs, that form the crux of the results. We explore the use of higher dimensional (4-QAM) modulation schemes in future RFID systems (beyond current binary modulation in Class-1 Gen 2) as a means to improve uplink bit rate. However, this results in significantly increased normalized power loss vis-a-vis 2-PSK, suggesting a role for FEC coding. New coded modulation schemes - based on unequal error protection - are proposed that provides additional degrees of freedom (via choice of code parameters) to trade-off spectral efficiency with normalized power loss. This is explored and quantified, resulting in design recommendations.
Ultrasound studies in premature infants after birth.

Between February 1970 and December 1971, 200 premature infants with birth weights of up to 2500 g were examined echoencephalographically within 48 hours of birth. The third ventricle and the brain-mantle-index (BMI) were determined. It was statistically proved that with increasing weight, advancing gestational age and growth of head circumference, the width of the third ventricle diminishes. The breadth of the third ventricle in premature infants and so-called “small-for-date-infants” was found to be essentially the same. An enlarged width of the third ventricle in cases of low birth weight and low gestational age, could possibly represent a physiological phase. BMI and third ventricle correlated closely. Conclusion: The more fully developed the premature infant, the smaller the width of the ventricular system.
A study on charge reduction in HfO/sub 2/ gate stacks

Charge in metal-organic chemical vapor deposition-grown HfO/sub 2/ gate stacks has been systematically studied using nMOS capacitors. It is found that, for these films, the charge in the stack is mainly concentrated at the interfaces between the layers and is negative at the HfO/sub 2//interfacial layer (IL) interface and positive at the Si/IL interface. In general, the calculated charge densities at both interfaces are of order 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/. A forming gas anneal (FGA) reduces both interface charge greatly. The FGA can also significantly reduce the hysteresis and interface state density. The effects of post deposition anneal at various temperatures and under various ambients have also been studied. It is found that a high-temperature dilute oxidizing ambient anneal followed by an FGA reduces the charge at both interfaces.
Acetylcholine receptor: complex of homologous subunits

The acetylcholine receptor from the electric ray Torpedo californica is composed of five subunits; two are identical and the other three are structurally related to them. Microsequence analysis of the four polypeptides demonstrates amino acid homology among the subunits. Further sequence analysis of both membrane-bound and Triton-solubilized, chromatographically purified receptor gave the stoichiometry of the four subunits (40,000:50,000:60,000:65,000 daltons) as 2:1:1:1, indicating that this protein is a pentameric complex with a molecular weight of 255,000 daltons. Genealogical analysis suggests that divergence from a common ancestral gene occurred early in the evolution of the receptor. This shared ancestry argues that each of the four subunits plays a functional role in the receptor's physiological action.
The Utility of the ABS In-Training Examination (ABSITE) Score Forms: Percent Correct and Percentile Score in the Assessment of Surgical Residents

Objective The American Board of Surgery (ABS) provides program directors with ABS In-Training Examination (ABSITE) scores in the following forms: Percent correct score and percentile score. It is of interest to note how residency programs utilize the different forms of ABSITE scores in assessment of surgical residents for progression in training. We conducted a survey of program directors to ascertain the present situation. Methods A structured questionnaire was sent to all program director members of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Results 114/210 program directors (54%) answered the survey. To assess residents, 3 programs used only the percentage correct score, 23 programs used only the percentile score, and 88 programs used both scores. The majority (70/89 or 79%) of the programs used a 30th percentile score as the minimum passing score. 88/111 (79%) programs had a remedial process for residents with poor performance on ABSITE. 60 percent of the programs had never used poor ABSITE performance to defer individual resident promotion. Programs that used ABSITE performance for remediation and deferral of promotion did it based on percentile score rather than percent correct score. Program directors felt that the better indicator of a resident's knowledge and progression in surgical residency was percent correct score (42%) vs percentile score (32%), while 10% felt that neither was an adequate indicator. Conclusions ABSITE score is being used as one of the measures to assess residents. Programs need to ensure that an effective remedial process is in place to assist residents with poor performance.
Orbital Solutions and Absolute Elements of the Eclipsing Binary AY Camelopardalis

New differential UBV photoelectric photometry for the eclipsing binary AY Cam is presented. The Wilson-Devinney program is used to simultaneously solve the three light curves together with previously published radial velocities. We determine absolute dimensions and estimate the age of the system. AY Cam is a detached binary consisting of two stars on the main sequence but evolved beyond their respective main-sequence life midpoints. As expected, the more massive star is the most evolved and about 145 K cooler than its less massive companion. We determine color indexes for the two stars and estimate color excesses.
INTERPOPULATION DIFFERENCES IN TOLERANCE TO CREOSOTE BUSH RESIN IN DESERT WOODRATS (NEOTOMA LEPIDA)

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) can affect survival, reproduction, and distribution of herbivores. Individuals with a high capacity to tolerate PSMs will experience fewer and smaller adverse effects than less tolerant individuals. Theoretically, the capacity to tolerate PSMs can be acquired during development, modulated during adulthood, or genetically fixed. We studied tolerance to phenolic resin from creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) in two populations of desert woodrats as a first step in understanding phenotypic habituation and genetic adaptation of this species to creosote resin. One population was from Mojave desert habitat where woodrats eat creosote bush, and the other from the Great Basin desert, where creosote bush is not present and woodrats consume mainly juniper (Juniperus osteosperma). For >1 mo in the laboratory, woodrats from both populations were fed rabbit chow with increasing amounts of phenolic resin extracted from creosote bush until they lost body mass or showed any sign of sickness. Woodrats from the Mojave population maintained body mass at higher concentrations of resin and remained in the experiment longer. There were no differences between populations in food intake across all resin levels; however, maximum resin intake was 25% higher for the Mojave population. Food intake decreased with increasing resin intake. Glucuronic acid excretion in urine, one indicator of detoxification capacity, did not differ between populations. Water consumption increased with increased levels of creosote resin in the diet in woodrats from both populations. The results are consistent with the idea of differential tolerance to creosote bush phenolic resin in desert woodrat populations. Woodrats appear to be a promising natural system to study the developmental or genetic factors underlying vertebrate adaptation to plant secondary metabolites.
Macrolide antibiotics and asthma treatment

Treatment for acute asthma exacerbations is a major need not adequately met by current therapies. Although virus infections are the major cause of acute exacerbations, other factors can increase the risk/severity of exacerbations. Increasing evidence suggests atypical bacterial infections contribute to exacerbation severity, as well as stable asthma, particularly severe asthma. Macrolide antibiotics and the new ketolide antibiotic telithromycin are active against atypical bacteria and also have anti-inflammatory activity. A recent study has shown telithromycin to be effective in the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma, although the mechanism or mechanisms of action were not determined. Controlled studies report small improvements in lung function with macrolide treatment of stable asthma. Further studies are urgently required to assess the role of such therapies in acute exacerbations and in severe stable asthma, in which the risk/benefit ratios are likely to be most in favor of therapy demonstrated to be effective.
Applications of immunomagnetic capture and time-resolved fluorescence to detect outbreak Escherichia coli O157 and Salmonella in alfalfa sprouts

Commercially available alfalfa seeds were inoculated with low levels (~ 4 CFU/g) of pathogenic bacteria. The inoculated seeds were then allowed to sprout in sterile tap water at 22°C. After 48 hours, the irrigation water and sprouts were separately transferred to bovine heart infusion (BHI) media. The microbes in the BHI samples were allowed to grow for 4 hours at 37°C and 160 rpm. Specific immunomagnetic beads (IMB) were then applied to capture the E.coli O157 and/or Salmonella in the growth media. Separation and concentration of IMB-captured pathogens were achieved using magnetic separators. The captured E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp were further tagged with europium (Eu) labeled anti-E. coli O157 antibodies and samarium (Sm) labeled anti-Salmonella antibodies, respectively. After washing, the lanthanide labels were extracted out from the complexes by specific chelators to form strongly fluorescent chelates. The specific time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) associated with Eu or Sm was measured to estimate the extent of capture of the E. coli O157 and Salmonella, respectively. The results indicated that the approach could detect E. coli O157 and Salmonella enterica from the seeds inoculated with ~ 4 CFU/g of the pathogens. Non-targeted bacteria, e.g., Aeromonas and Citrobacter exhibited essentially no cross reactivity. Since the pathogen detection from the sprouts was achieved within 6 hours, the developed methodology could be use as a rapid, sensitive and specific screening process for E. coli O157 and Salmonella enterica in this popular salad food.
The clasper-siphon sac mechanism inSqualus acanthias and Mustelus canis

Abstract 1. 1. Paired ventral, subcutaneous, muscular, epithelium-lined bladders called “siphon sacs” are filled with sea water in male Squalus acanthias and Mustelus canis by repeatedly flexing each clasper prior to copulation. 2. 2. In mating, one clasper is flexed medially, inserted and is anchored in the oviduct by a complex of cartilages at the clasper tip. 3. 3. Sperm pass from the urogenital papilla into the clasper groove and are washed into the oviduct by sea water and secretions expressed from a siphon sac. 4. 4. Claspers and siphon sacs grow most rapidly when S. acanthias are 48–58 cm and M. canis are 75–85 cm long; during this period sperm first appear in the testes.
High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of the pharmacologically active quinones and related compounds in the oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa L.)

An HPLC method for quantifying the putative pharmacologically active constituents: thymoquinone (TQ), dithymoquinone (DTQ), thymohydroquinone (THQ), and thymol (THY), in the oil of Nigella sativa seed is described. Extraction of the constituents from the oil was carried out using C18 PrepSep mini columns followed by quantification of the recovered constituents by HPLC on a reversed-phase muBondapak C18 analytical column, using an isocratic mobile phase of water:methanol:2-propanol (50:45:5% v/v) at a flow rate of 2 ml min(-1). UV detection was at 254 nm for TQ, DTQ, and THY, and at 294 nm for THQ. The above four compounds were separated with good resolution, reproducibility, and sensitivity under these conditions. This analytical method was used to quantify the above four constituents in a commercial sample of N. sativa seed oil, and provides a good quality control methodology for the pharmacologically active components in this widely used natural remedy.
Self-Interest Properly Understood: The American Character and Public Administration

This article explores the relationships among Founding thought, the American character, and public administration. It is argued that the Founders expected that individualism, acquisitiveness, and a...
Seed reserves in the tailwater pits of playa lakes in relation to waterfowl management

Seed reserves were monitored in the tailwater pits of 10 playa lakes on the Southern High Plains of Texas. These deep, steep-sided pits are excavated by famers to store water for irrigation and livestock. Unfortunately, pits partially drain the productive littoral zones of playa basins and thus, often have a negative effect on, wetland wildlife. We constructed experimental pits with step-like terraces on one side to create artificial liuoral zones in playa pits. Post-excavation seed numbers were near zero, but rainwater and irrigation tailwater later washed large numbers of seeds into the pits from the playa basins. The resulting seed bank was large and diverse enough to produce dense stands of wetland vegetation in all parts of the pits. Terraces produced more (P 0.05) in deep areas during winter, but seeds were depleted (P<0.05) on the terraces. All pits will produce wetland vegetation each year under almost any water regime because of the variety of seeds present.
Piloted simulator assessments of agility

NASA has utilized piloted simulators for nearly two decades to study high-angle-of-attack flying qualities, agility, and air-to-air combat. These studies have included assessments of an F-16XL aircraft equipped with thrust vectoring, an assessment of the F-18 HARV maneuvering requirements to assist in thrust vectoring control system design, and an agility assessment of the F-18. The F-18 agility assessment was compared with in-flight testing. Open-loop maneuvers such as 180-deg rolls to measure roll rate showed favorable simulator/in-flight comparison. Closed-loop maneuvers such as rolls to 90 deg with precision stops or certain maximum longitudinal pitching maneuvers showed poorer performance due to reduced aggressiveness of pilot inputs in flight to remain within flight envelope limits.
A Novel Approach to Arthroscopic Biceps Tenodesis

This study describes a new technique of arthroscopic biceps tenodesis termed the wedge tenodesis. The short-term results of patients undergoing arthroscopic wedge tenodesis versus open keyhole tenodesis versus tenotomy are compared. We undertook a retrospective clinical study evaluating the follow-up result of patients with refractory biceps pathology. All patients who underwent a wedge or keyhole tenodesis or biceps tenotomy from January 2002 to June 2004 were identified. Follow-up examinations were performed assessing strength, cosmetic deformity, and tenderness. The sample population included 22 wedge tenodesis, 17 keyhole tenodesis, and 10 tenotomies. This represented a 93% retrieval rate. All patients were satisfied with their respective procedures. A total of 15 of 22 wedge tenodesis, 10 of 17 keyhole tenodesis, and 2 of 10 tenotomy patients had near-normal strength in supination and flexion. Five of 22 wedge tenodesis, 1 of 17 keyhole tenodesis, and 2 of 10 tenotomy patients had tenderness to palpation in the proximal biceps groove. One wedge tenodesis, 1 keyhole tenodesis, and 8 tenotomy patients were found to have a cosmetic deformity at the proximal biceps. The arthroscopic biceps wedge tenodesis can be performed safely and effectively with respect to pain relief and maintenance of strength. Additionally, there is minimal cosmetic deformity. Early functional results are similar to the open tenodesis technique, and pain reduction is similar to the tenotomy technique.
Fuzzy logic control of an AGV

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have many potential applications in manufacturing, medicine, space and defense. The purpose of this paper is to describe exploratory research on the design of a modular autonomous mobile robot controller. The controller incorporates a fuzzy logic approach for steering and speed control, a neuro-fuzzy approach for ultrasound sensing (not discussed in this paper) and an overall expert system. The advantages of a modular system are related to portability and transportability, i.e. any vehicle can become autonomous with minimal modifications. A mobile robot test-bed has been constructed using a golf cart base. This cart has full speed control with guidance provided by a vision system and obstacle avoidance using ultrasonic sensors. The speed and steering fuzzy logic controller is supervised by a 486 computer through a multi-axis motion controller. The obstacle avoidance system is based on a micro-controller interfaced with six ultrasonic transducers. This micro- controller independently handles all timing and distance calculations and sends a steering angle correction back to the computer via the serial line. This design yields a portable independent system in which high speed computer communication is not necessary. Vision guidance is accomplished with a CCD camera with a zoom lens. The data is collected by a vision tracking device that transmits the X, Y coordinates of the lane marker to the control computer. Simulation and testing of these systems yielded promising results. This design, in its modularity, creates a portable autonomous fuzzy logic controller applicable to any mobile vehicle with only minor adaptations.
High-level interconnect model for the quantum logic array architecture

We summarize the main characteristics of the quantum logic array (QLA) architecture with a careful look at the key issues not described in the original conference publications: primarily, the teleportation-based logical interconnect. The design goal of the the quantum logic array architecture is to illustrate a model for a large-scale quantum architecture that solves the primary challenges of system-level reliability and data distribution over large distances. The QLA's logical interconnect design, which employs the quantum repeater protocol, is in principle capable of supporting the communication requirements for applications as large as the factoring of a 2048-bit number using Shor's quantum factoring algorithm. Our physical-level assumptions and architectural component validations are based on the trapped ion technology for implementing quantum computing.
Incidence and Characteristics of Antibiotic Use in Aged Nursing Home Patients

Objective. To measure the prevalence, incidence, types, and certain characteristics of antibiotics prescribed in nursing homes. Design and Setting. Periodic survey over 1 year of patient charts in 53 stratified, randomly selected nursing homes in the state of Maryland. Patients. All patients 65 years of age or more residing in these nursing homes on the first day of study. Results. Of 4,165 patients in 53 nursing homes, records over the year were satisfactory in 3,899 patients in 52 nursing homes. The prevalence of antibiotic use on the first day of the study was 8%. Over the next 12 months, observations of more than one million patient-days revealed an incidence of 0.46 antibiotic courses/100 patient-days; 54% of the 3,899 patients received at least one antibiotic course. For presumed active infections, beta lactam antibiotics were the most commonly used, 54% of antibiotic orders. For all antibiotics, urinary tract infection was the most common indication, eliciting 36% of orders including 9% for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Skin, lower respiratory, and upper respiratory infections comprised 14%–17% each. Physicians prescribed 94% of courses but documented examinations of only 44% of patients at the outset of these courses. Consensus criteria for minimal diagnostic evaluation of four selected infections were met in only 11% of episodes of infection. Although the most serious infections tended to be better evaluated than others, 31% of the former were not noted to have been examined by a physician. Three percent of orders were for prophylaxis and two-thirds of these antibiotics were administered for more than 2 days. Conclusions. Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for aged nursing home patients, often in the absence of a physician's examination and other features commonly performed in evaluation of specific infectious diseases. More than one-fifth of antibiotics prescribed by presumed active infections were for two infections usually thought not to require antibiotic therapy, “viral” upper respiratory infection (13%) and asymptomatic bacteriuria (9%). To optimize antibiotic use in nursing homes, greater attention should be directed to appropriate durations of prophylaxis for urologic, dental, and minor surgical procedures; to standards for diagnostic evaluations of common infections; and to the roles of antibiotics in upper respiratory infections and in asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Flt3 ligand (FL) and its influence on immune reactivity.

Flt3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase 3) ligand (FL) is a potent hematopoietic cytokine that affects the growth and differentiation of progenitor and stem cells both in vivo and in vitro. Its capacity to augment strikingly the numbers of dendritic cells (rare antigen-presenting cells that induce and regulate immune responses) in mice and humans has stimulated considerable interest in its value as an investigational tool and therapeutic agent. In this review, we survey the hematopoietic properties and immunobiology of FL, and examine its therapeutic potential.
Loading Paradigms—Intentional and Unintentional—for Cell Culture Mechanostimulus

Recent interest in the response of cells or tissues to mechanical stimuli has led to the introduction of a variety of laboratory devices designed to deliver quantified mechanical inputs to culture systems. Such devices commonly rely upon distention of a flexible culture substrate, achieved either by direct platen abutment or by transmural pressure differentials. Unfortunately, the substrate distentions in such systems are often unintentionally nonuniform, and typically also induce motions in the overlying liquid nutrient medium-motions which in turn exert unintended reactive stresses upon the culture layer. In order to characterize the nature of these reactive fluid stresses, computer models have been developed for the nutrient medium flow fields (ie, the velocity and pressure distributions) for three established contemporary cell culture mechanostimulus systems. Temporal and spatial distributions of reactive normal and shear stresses are reported for typical duty cycles in these respective instruments.
Mass spectrometer sampling of a plasma jet igniter with a methane plasma feed

Molecular beam mass spectrometer sampling has been used to detect the products of a methane plasma produced by a plasma igniter fed with methane. Three types of experiments are reported here: a molecular beam mass spectrometer measurement of the total recombination products which result from injection of the plasma into argon at 32 kPa, direct mass spectrometer sampling of the plasma jet as the plasma expands into a vacuum, and sampling of a recombination situation which is intermediate between expansion into a vacuum and total recombination to stable products. We find that two, fuels, acetylene and hydrogen, are detected in all three experiments. In the latter two experiments several carbon-containing radicals are detected whose effect on the ignition process could be significant. A sizalbe amount of undissociated methane also remains and can contribute to local mixture stratification.
STUDY ON A HIGH PERFORMANCE INSOLE WITH HUMAN COMPATIBILITY

It is reported that the rate of elderly person in the total population of Japan is about 21.5% in 2007. Thus, the recent society of Japan is called as “Elderly Society”. In the society, many elderly people work or enjoy walking to keep health. However, some problems with respect to stumble over of elderly people are occurred. That is to say, in recent years, accidents of bone fracture with elderly people increase because of tendency to fall by a little step in a house. As one of this cause, it is considered that a center of gravity position with foot parts is changed.