cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determinantal Ideals and the Capelli Identities

Abstract Recent work in the formal calculus of variations and also in Riemannian geometry and general relativity have relied upon certain important, previously established properties of determinant ideals in characteristic zero. This note presents direct, elementary proofs of these properties by utilizing the Capelli identities of classical invariant theory.
Rigid local systems on Gm with finite monodromy

Abstract We construct certain rigid local systems on G m over finite fields, using the theory of Deligne–Lusztig curves and some recent results on finite simple subgroups of complex Lie groups.
The eccentricity effect: Target eccentricity affects performance on conjunction searches

The serial pattern found for conjunction visual-search tasks has been attributed to covert attentional shifts, even though the possible contributions of target location have not been considered. To investigate the effect of target location on orientation x color conjunction searches, the target's duration and its position in the display were manipulated. The display was present either until observers responded (Experiment 1), for 104 msec (Experiment 2), or for 62 msec (Experiment 3). Target eccentricity critically affected performance: A pronounced eccentricity effect was very similar for all three experiments; as eccentricity increased, reaction times and errors increased gradually. Furthermore, the set-size effect became more pronounced as target eccentricity increased, and the extent of the eccentricity effect increased for larger set sizes. In addition, according to stepwise regressions, target eccentricity as well as its interaction with set size were good predictors of performance. We suggest that these findings could be explained by spatial-resolution and lateral-inhibition factors. The serial self-terminating hypothesis for orientation x color conjunction searches was evaluated and rejected. We compared the eccentricity effect as well as the extent of the orientation asymmetry in these three conjunction experiments with those found in feature experiments (Carrasco & Katz, 1992). The roles of eye movements, spatial resolution, and covert attention in the eccentricity effect, as well as their implications, are discussed.
Neurobiology: at the root of brain cancer.

A small subpopulation of cells, 'brain-cancer stem cells', has been identified in humans. They have the exclusive ability to drive tumour formation, and could prove an effective target for therapies.
SWR mice are resistant to collagen-induced arthritis but produce potentially arthritogenic antibodies.

SWR mice are resistant to collagen-induced arthritis but produce antibodies to type II collagen. To determine if these antibodies have arthritogenic potential, serum from collagen-immunized mice was concentrated and passively transferred to DBA/1 mice. The recipients developed severe arthritis within 72 hours. To evaluate the role of complement, SWR mice were bred with congenic inbred B10.D2/oSn (complement deficient) and B10.D2/nSn (complement normal) mice. Collagen-immunized (SWR x B10.D2/nSn)F1 mice had high levels of C5 and were susceptible to arthritis, while (SWR x B10.D2/oSn)F1 mice were deficient in C5 and were resistant to arthritis.
Risk reduction for DDT toxicity and carcinogenesis through dietary modification

Organochlorine pesticides, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), are an environmental hazard due to their persistent nature and potential health effects. DDT and 1,1,dichloro-2,2,bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE) are lipid-soluble pesticides which accumulate in fatty tissues and are, therefore, more present in fat-containing foods such as meat, fish, milk, cheese and oil than in fruit, vegetables and grain. Scientists have for some time been concerned about the human exposure to DDT and the potential risk of breast cancer due to its oestrogenic activity. The introduction of foods containing chemopreventive agents in the diet could inhibit the oestrogenic effects of DDT and the risk of developing cancer. Phytooestrogens are weak oestrogens found in certain plants such as soybean. They compete with DDT for oestrogen receptors and inhibit the oestrogenic effect of DDT on cultured human breast (MCF) cells. Curcumin, a spice widely used in Indian dishes, has anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. It also inhibits the oestrogenic effects of DDT and is synergistic with phytooestrogens. Indole-3-carbinol, a compound naturally found in cruciferous vegetables, stimulates oestrogen metabolism towards 2-hydroxyoestrone which reduces the oestrogenic response in MCF cells and the risk of breast cancer. Since DDT is lipid soluble and accumulates in adipose tissue it could have a role in lipid metabolism. Would a low fat diet reduce DDT bioaccumulation? A reduction in calories can decrease oestrogen levels and possibly reduce the risk of breast cancer. A dietary modification with the introduction of soy products, curcumin, cruciferous vegetables and low fat could be beneficial in reducing the risk of developing cancer and possibly the effects of DDT.
Pulp response to Enamelite restorations in teeth of rhesus monkeys

The average magnitudes of cellular displacements, superficial responses, and deep responses were less for specimens restored with ZOE than for Enamelite specimens at the 1 week postoperative period. Of 20 teeth treated, three abscesses were found in the 1 week Enamelite postoperative period when the remaining dentin was 0.3 mm. or less. This indicates the presence of ingredients that are toxic to the pulp when there is little remaining dentin or when the material is placed directly over an exposure. Teeth restored with Enamelite in the 6 week group had values comparable to the ZOE teeth for the same time period.
Measurement of whole-cell calcium current in voltage-clamped vascular muscle cells

The direct measurement of transmembrane calcium current in single vascular muscle cells has been accomplished recently using the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique. The small size of the vascular muscle cell and the proportionately smaller magnitude of its inward calcium current necessitate refined instrumentation, but also make the vascular muscle cell an ideal candidate for whole-cell voltage-clamp recording. Calcium current in vascular muscle cells appears to have some, but not all, characteristics in common with calcium currents similarly isolated in neuronal and cardiac cells, including voltage-dependent activation and steady-state inactivation of calcium current, the presence of two current types, and sensitivity to inorganic and organic calcium channel modulating drugs. Future voltage-clamp analysis of calcium currents in vascular muscle is needed to further our understanding of the control of the calcium channels in physiological and pathophysiological states.
Separation of nucleotides from microgram amounts of RNA by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate membranes.

Abstract Nucleotides obtained from alkaline hydrolysis of yeast and tissue RNA were separated by a 15-min electrophoresis on cellulose acetate membranes and assayed spectrophotometrically in microcells. The lower limit for analysis of each nucleotide was about 0.15 μg and the reproducibility of measurement was ±3%.
Homomorphisms of \(L_{\infty }\) modules

An \(L_{\infty }\) module is a natural generalization of a Lie module. It is a language equivalent to the representation theory of \(L_{\infty }\) algebras. We define homomorphisms of these structures with the goal of generalizing homomorphisms of classical Lie modules from a homotopy perspective.
A Geographical Approach to an Analysis of the Distancing Hypothesis

This paper reacts to the Sasson–Kadushin–Saxe and Cohen–Kelman papers on distancing of American Jews from Israel. I argue that the problem with both of these papers is that they utilize data from a consumer panel. These data are clearly not a random sample of American Jews. I further argue that data from local Jewish community studies have much to say about the issue, revealing that distancing is occurring to different degrees in different American Jewish communities.
Reliability impact on planetary robotic missions

In the mobile robotics literature, there is little formal discussion of reliability and failure. Moreover, current work focuses more on the assessment of existing robots. In contrast, our work predicts the impact on reliability on robotic missions. In our previous work, we presented a quantitative analysis to predict the probability of robot failure during a mission and use this to compare the performance of different robot team configurations. In order to comprehensively characterize robot failure, we proposed a taxonomy system which divides planetary robotic missions into three classes and showed how the taxonomy can be used as a framework to explore the reliability characteristics of each mission class. In this paper, we define and simulate common mission scenarios for each class in the taxonomy system and attempt to extract general reliability trends and mission characteristics for given robot and environment parameters. Our results show that, for comparable mission scopes with a fixed budget, exploration-type missions have maximum mission success probability for smaller team sizes than is the case for construction-type missions.
DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSOR INSTABILITIES

A new approach to failure detection and identification is proposed that combines an analytic estimation method and an intelligent identification scheme in such a way that sensitivity to true failure modes is enhanced while the possibility of false alarms is reduced. We employ a real-time recursive parameter estimation algorithm with covariance resetting that triggers the fault detection and identification routine only when potential failure modes are anticipated. A possibilistic scheme based on fuzzy set theory is applied to the identification part of the algorithm with computational efficiency. At the final stage of the algorithm, an index is computed—the degree of certainty—bas ed on Dempster-Shafer theory, which measures the reliability of the decision. The proposed algorithm has been applied successfully to the detection of rotating stall and surge instabilities in axial flow compressors.
A controlled trial of placebo versus real acupuncture

Abstract We sought to determine whether a novel method of placebo acupuncture can be differentiated by subjects from real acupuncture treatment. A single-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial with an independent observer was performed. Forty-nine healthy subjects over the age of 18 years were randomly assigned to one of 2 experimental groups: 24 subjects received real acupuncture, and 25 subjects received placebo acupuncture. Placebo acupuncture was performed by administering a blunted acupuncture needle through a foam pad at the Large Intestine 4 acupoint. The blunted needle touched but did not penetrate the skin. Real acupuncture was performed by administering an acupuncture needle through a foam pad at the Large Intestine 4 acupoint. The needle pricked and penetrated the skin to a depth of 10 to 20 mm. A simple questionnaire followed, asking whether the subject believed they received real or placebo acupuncture. Twenty-two (88%) of the 25 subjects who received placebo acupuncture believed they received real acupuncture. Nineteen (79.2%) of the 24 subjects who received real acupuncture correctly determined they received real acupuncture. The Fisher exact test showed an insignificant difference between real and placebo acupuncture treatments (P = .463). Subjects were not able to differentiate between real or placebo acupuncture, thereby validating this novel method of administering placebo acupuncture as a good control for acupuncture-naive patients. Perspective The method of placebo acupuncture herein described is a valid control for acupuncture research involving acupuncture-naive patients.
Saints and the "Long Civil Rights Movement": Claiming Space in Memphis

In the twentieth-century American South, black religious institutions played key roles in shaping and reshaping urban landscapes. In doing so, these institutions made significant, but often overlooked, contributions to the “Long Civil Rights Movement.” In Memphis, no church better exemplified the intimate intertwining of race, space, and religion than the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). The history of COGIC in Memphis complicates the assumption that the Civil Rights Movement dictated a simple move from segregated black space to racially integrated space and breaks down false spatial dichotomies such as black/white and religious/secular. Instead, COGIC built segregated worship space, moved into white residential space, adapted black religious space for overtly political purposes, and finally, claimed white secular space for black religious purposes. Alongside the properly celebrated deeds of national leaders, local reconfigurations of urban space by religious institutions deserve to be recognized as a pri...
Management of cerebrospinal fluid leak associated with craniomaxillofacial trauma

Abstract Purpose The management of persistent, post-traumatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea and otorrhea remains a surgical challenge. Repair of CSF leaks has evolved from that of an intracranial approach to one that is primarily extracranial and endoscopic. The purpose of this retrospective analysis is to determine the incidence of persistent CSF rhinorrhea and otorrhea and assess the clinical outcomes of patients presenting to a level 1 trauma center with posttraumatic CSF leaks who were managed by both surgical and nonsurgical means. Patients and methods The records of all patients with basilar skull fractures and/or severe facial trauma presenting to a major level 1 trauma center from 1991 to 2001 were reviewed. Patients diagnosed with CSF otorrhea or rhinorrhea, who had not undergone an intracranial procedure, elevation of depressed skull fractures, or received a ventriculostomy, were identified and their demographics recorded. For purposes of statistical comparison, patients were divided into 2 groups: “leak” and “no leak.” All patients in the leak group were initially observed for a period of 7 to 10 days. Persistent CSF leaks were managed by CSF diversion via lumber drainage for 5 to 7 days. Extracranial repair was performed only if lumbar drainage failed to resolve the leak. Results Seven hundred thirty-five patients were identified who met the criteria for inclusion in the study. Thirty-four patients (incidence, 4.6%) were identified with CSF leak presenting as otorrhea (n = 25 [75.8%]) or rhinorrhea (n = 9 [26.5%]), which was diagnosed by clinical, laboratory, or radiographic examination (average age, 28.2 years; age range, 2 to 80 years; 23 males and 11 females). All patients in this study experienced successful resolution of CSF otorrhea or rhinorrhea by using a variable combination of observation, CSF diversion, and extracranial repair. There were no complications or cases of meningitis. Twenty-eight patients (84.6%) experienced uncomplicated resolution of the leak without treatment in 2 to 10 days. Persistent CSF leak, defined by drainage greater than 7 days after injury, was identified in 6 patients (incidence, 0.8%), all except 1 who underwent CSF diversion via a lumbar drain for a period of 5 to 10 days. Two of these patients were treated successfully; the remaining 4 patients required surgical procedures. Conclusions Post-traumatic CSF leaks are uncommon and will usually resolve without surgical intervention. Successful management in refractory cases often involves a combination of observation, CSF diversion, and/or extracranial and intracranial procedures.
Synthesis and turnover of the light-harvesting chlorophylla/b-protein inLemna gibba grown with intermittent red light: possible translational control.

Lemna gibba L. G-3 plants grown heterotrophically in the dark with intermittent red light (2 min every 8 h) contain a substantial amount of translatable mRNA encoding the light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl)a/b-protein. However, very little [35S]methionine is incorporated into the apoproteins during a 1-h labeling period in the dark in these plants compared to plants grown in continuous white light. The Chla/b-protein mRNA is found to be associated with functioning polysomes in plants grown in the dark with intermittent red illumination (R plants). The small amounts of the apoproteins which are synthesized by these plants are found in the membrane fraction; neither the mature apoproteins nor their precursor(s) can be detected immunologically in the soluble fraction. The protein does not accumulate in these plants. Pulse-chase experiments with the R plants demonstrate that the newly synthesized apoproteins have a half-life of about 10 h in the dark. This turnover is not sufficient to explain the observed 20-fold difference in [35S]methionine incorporation into the apoprotein between white-light-grown and R plants. We therefore suggest that the synthesis of the Chla/b-apoproteins can be regulated by a light-dependent step at the level of translation, and that this regulation occurs after the initiation of translation.
InGaN MQW LED structures using AlN/GaN DBR and Ag-based p-contact

Resonant cavity light emitting diode (RCLED) structure was grown using digital AlGaN/GaN Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) and Ag-based p-contact. A five period of InGaN/GaN multi-quantum well (MQW) layers are placed between these two high reflectance mirrors. Digital AlGaN/GaN DBR have a maximum reflectivity of about 60 % at 445 nm and 90 % at 439 nm for 6 period and 12 period, respectively. Ag-based p-contact exhibits an average reflectance of around 85-90 % for a wavelength of 400-600 nm. The light output intensity of the RCLEDs with 12 period digital AlGaN/GaN DBR is higher by a factor of 3 as compared to that of the similar structure without digital AlGaN/GaN DBR at an injection current of 50 mA.
The relationship of bacteremia to the length of injection needle in endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy

The authors evaluated whether depth of needle insertion as determined by needle length is an important factor in sclerotherapy-associated bacteremia. In 18 consecutive sclerotherapy sessions in which sodium morrhuate was used, blood cultures were positive in 11% when using an injector with only 3 to 4mm of needle protruding beyond the sheath, compared with the 39% incidence of bacteremia previously observed when an injector was used which permitted 6 to 8mm of needle to protrude (0.01
Expressive disclosure and health outcomes in a prostate cancer population

Objective:This pilot study explored the feasibility and the efficacy of a brief, well-defined psychosocial intervention (expressive disclosure) in improving behavioral, medical, immunological, and emotional health outcomes in men with diagnosed prostate cancer.Method:Thirty prostate cancer patients receiving outpatient oncology care were randomized into experimental (disclosure) and control (non-disclosure) groups. All had been previously treated by surgery or radiation within the last 4 years and were being monitored without further intervention for change in PSA levels. Psychological and physical health surveys were administered and peripheral blood for PSA levels and immune assays was obtained upon study enrollment and again at 3 and 6 months post enrollment. Multivariate analyses were used to examine how the expressive disclosure impacted the hypothesized domains of functioning: physical and psychological symptoms; health care utilization; and immunocompetence.Results:Compared to controls, patients in...
Successful implementation of heart failure self management tools improves survival

Background: In 2002, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) mandated that hospitalized heart failure (HF) patients (pts) receive self-management instruction (SMI) before discharge. SMI was implemented in a 20-hospital, non-profit, integrated health care system and tracked by an electronic data system. We hypothesized that hospital-based SMI could be implemented successfully leading to improved outcomes. Methods: An SMI tool called MAWDS was developed that focused on HF instructions and monitoring of pt medications, activity, weight, diet, symptoms and when to call a provider for assistance. Providers and nurses were trained on the use of the tool, then nurses began formal SMI and tool delivery to hospitalized HF pts. Results: 745 pts who had documented formal MAWDS instruction and a comparison cohort of 1,041 pts without documented SMI of any kind were tracked for 2 years after discharge. After adjustments for age, length of stay, severity of illness, and gender, a survival benefit was observed (p 0.0002, RR 0.66) in pts that received MAWDSbased SMI.
Critical review of isolation, detection, and identification of yeasts from meat products.

Developpement des methodes rapides d'identification des levures dans les produits alimentaires, notamment dans les produits carnes, basees sur l'emploi de milieux selectifs a colorant de type triarylmethane et sur un systeme d'identification informatise, utilisant 23 tests physiologiques, elabore pour 84 especes de levures
Citric acid conditioning of roots affects guided tissue regeneration in experimental periodontal wounds.

The effect of citric acid conditioning of roots on the formation of a new connective tissue attachment was evaluated in the presence of a selective cell population. Fenestration wounds of standard sizes were made on the buccal aspects of mandibular premolars in 6 beagle dogs. The exposed root surfaces were curetted thoroughly and conditioned with citric acid (experimental) or distilled water (controls) for 3 minutes. The wounds were covered with Millipore filters to facilitate population of curetted root surfaces by cells from the adjacent periodontal ligament. Histologic analysis was made after 3 months of healing. The extent of new connective tissue attachment varied in both the experimental and control specimens. The percentage of surgically denuded root surface showing new cementum with inserting fibers was significantly lower in the experimental group compared with the controls. Root resorption was seen in both experimental and control specimens but involved a significantly larger percentage of denuded root surface in the experimental specimens. Ankylosis occurred more frequently in the experimental group compared with the controls, while no difference was seen in the degree of bone regeneration. The results indicate that new connective tissue attachment can form on denuded root surfaces by a selective cell population. Citric acid conditioning of roots appears to either delay or complicate healing in the presence of a selective cell population.
Pituitary—adrenal responsiveness of mothers to pups in mice of two inbred strains

Lactating A/J but not C57BL/6J mice had higher plasma levels of corticosterone if their pups were removed, shocked, and then returned in a wire-mesh basket than they did if their pups were removed and an empty basket was returned. The same results were obtained when mothers reared and were tested with pups of the nonmaternal strain. Nulliparous females of both strains showed no greater corticosterone response to shocked pups in a wire basket than they did to the basket alone. Finally, lactating A/J but not C57BL/6J mice had higher plasma levels of corticosterone if they and their litters were undisturbed than if their pups were removed 3 hr 15 min earlier. These results indicate that: (1) stimuli from inaccessible distressed pups can activate the pituitary—adrenal system of lactating mice; (2) interstrain variability observed in this response was due to a difference in maternal genotype; (3) this response does not appear to be common to females of all reproductive states; (4) direct contact with undisturbed pups can also stimulate increased maternal pituitary—adrenal activity in A/J mice.
Effect of Pretransplant Human Leukocyte Antigen Antibodies Detected by Solid-Phase Assay on Heart Transplant Outcomes

Abstract Introduction The significance of pretransplant human leukocyte antigen antibodies (HLA-Abs), especially donor-specific HLA-Abs (DSA), as detected by single antigen bead assay (SAB), is not well characterized in cardiac transplantation (CTX). We analyzed the significance of DSA detected by SAB in predicting crossmatch (XM) results and post-transplant rejection. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective study of 85 CTX with negative cytotoxicity XM. We tested pretransplant sera collected within 24 hours of transplantation by flow cytometric XM (FXM) and SAB. DSA identified by SAB were utilized to perform a virtual crossmatch (VXM). Positive VXM was defined as the presence of DSA at mean fluorescence intensity (DMFI) > 1500. Additionally, to analyze the significance of low-level DSA weakly positive VXM was DMFI 300 to 1500. We defined a negative VXM as MFI Results Patients in the weakly positive and negative VXM had similar posttransplant rejections. DMFI > 1500 correlates well with FXM results (accuracy = 90%). Patients with DMFI > 1500 had a higher incidence of antibody-medicated rejection (AMR; P = .0052), AMR grade I (P 1R/1A (P = .018), and CMR grade > 2R/3A (P = .057). Similarly patients with positive FXM had a higher incidence of AMR (P = .091), AMR grade 1 (P 1R/1A (P = .05), and CMR grade > 2R/3A (P = .56). Conclusions In conclusion, SAB defined DMFI > 1500 can be used as a surrogate for FXM. Recipients with DMFI > 1500 pretransplant and positive FXM have significantly higher rates of AMR and CMR compared to recipients with DMFI
Geochemistry of igneous rocks from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, northern Baja California, Mexico

Abstract Fractional crystallization of basaltic magma, derived from an oceanic affinity source region present beneath the Salton Trough and emplaced into a pull-apart basin of this continental rift regime, produced a tholeiitic suite of hypabyssal rocks consisting of basalt, andesite and dacite within the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, located in northern Baja California, Mexico. Higher light-rare-earth-element abundances for a basalt from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field in comparison to basalts from the Gulf of California and the East Pacific Rise suggest partial assimilation of crustal materials into the parental magmas generated beneath the Salton Trough. The crustal contaminant may be present near the surface today in the form of granitoids of the Peninsular Ranges batholith, at deeper levels as hydrothermally altered materials near the base of the Salton Trough, or may be a relict feature of Tertiary subduction contained within the upper mantle beneath the Salton Trough. The Sr isotopic compositions of dacites from the nearby Cerro Prieto volcano range from 0.7029 to 0.7036, indicating an oceanic affinity source for these rocks. The suite of hypabyssal rocks of tholeiitic affinity present within the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, related by fractional crystallization, link the dacite volcano of Cerro Prieto to gabbroic plutons inferred to exist beneath the Cerro Prieto geothermal field.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND BALANCE SHEETS: ISSUES FOR THE REVISION OF SNA

This paper is an abridged version of a report with the same title originally written for the United Nations Statistical Office, as a part of the ongoing review of the System of National Accounts. Its purpose is to identify the issues in the financial statistics area that need to be considered in the course of the review. Particular attention is paid to problems of harmonization of SNA with related standards of the International Monetary Fund. The 1968 SNA provided a place in the framework for financial accounts and balance sheets, but did not develop them in any detail. In the 19 years since the revised SNA was published, policy and analytic interest in financial questions has greatly increased, and much work has been done on conceptual development and statistical compilation of financial statistics, both within and outside of the SNA framework. It is now apparent that some of the early decisions taken when financial considerations were not the focus of attention need reconsideration, some of the makeshift solutions that have grown up over time are no longer adequate, and some issues that have not been dealt with at all need to be addressed. This paper is not intended to propose solutions, but rather to reflect questions that have been raised, and to present alternatives that have been proposed.
Continental paleoclimate estimates from the late Mississippian Redwall karst event: northern and north-central Arizona (USA)

The Redwall Limestone of northern and north-central Arizona (USA) was investigated to determine if suitable secondary silica precipitates were present and which could be used to estimate continental weathering temperatures for the late Carboniferous period. Secondary (authigenic) silica precipitates in lag deposits of chert and residual rubble breccia of oxidized and durable earth material under subaerial weathering during karst events. The Redwall Limestone was extensively karsted for millions of years during the late Carboniferous and suitable secondary silica precipitates were collected from chert lag deposits and residual breccias for isotopic analyses. The stable isotopic (oxygen and deuterium) composition of secondary silica has been successfully used by the author on samples as old as the late Proterozoic to estimate continental paleotemperatures. Isotopic data from secondary silica precipitated during the tropical karst event developed on the Mississippian Redwall Limestone indicate that continental weathering temperatures during the late Carboniferous ranged from ~21–34°C.
Polymorphisms of major surface proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi

Forty-five isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, were examined with monoclonal antibodies directed against the surface proteins, OspA and OspB. Eighteen of 21 strains of European origin could be distinguished from 24 North American strains on the basis of their reactivities with two antibodies, one specific for an OspA protein and one specific for an OspB protein. Differences in antibody reactivities were associated with differences in the electrophoretic migrations of OspA and OspB proteins. Thus, Lyme disease borreliae are polymorphic with respect to their major surface proteins. The demonstrated distinctions between the majorities of European and North American strains may have relevance for both epidemiologic and pathogenic studies of Lyme disease.
Practical Design and Use of Drill Template Jigs in Spacecraft Manufacturing

Drill templates are used frequently in the fabrication and assembly of scientific spacecraft at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). They are used to provide precision location of a hole pattern for mating parts and assemblies, from small parts to multi-million dollar space telescopes. Typically these interfaces are one of a kind and crucial to the success of the space mission. Although proper geometric dimensioning and tolerancing for CNC machining can often be relied upon, there are many situations where either it is too difficult to achieve the required tolerances, too difficult to inspect, or too uncertain. Once the decision is made to use a drill template at a critical interface, there are several key design considerations including how to hold the piece to be drilled, how to properly and repeatably align the template to the part, and how to step through the drilling process. In addition to these considerations, there are a remarkable number of tips and techniques used by the people on the shop floor to make the process work well. This paper includes many of these tips gathered from technicians and engineers from around NASA GSFC.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Effect of Freezing Colostrum on Resistance of Neonatal Lambs to Experimental Infection with Escherichia coli

Effects of freezing and thawing colostrum on resistance of neonatal lambs to experimental infection with Escherichia coli were evaluated using 16 newborn lambs. Eight sets of twins were fed colostrum from the ewe at 3.3 and 15.4 h of age. Colostrum was obtained from the ewe and divided into two equal portions. One portion was frozen in liquid nitrogen and then thawed in a water bath prior to feeding. The second portion was held at approximately 39°C in a water bath. Four sets of twins were orally inoculated with 3 2 108 to 1011 cfu of enterotoxigenic E. coli at 24 h of age. Blood was sampled at 0 and 24 h for IgG and differential leukocyte counts. Freezing and thawing reduced cell viability in colostrum from 43.1 to 10.1%. Neither freezing and thawing colostrum nor E. coli inoculation affected plasma IgG or total or differential leukocyte counts, fecal scores, respiration rates, rectal temperatures, fecal coliform excretion or intake. Shedding of K99+ E. coli was increased and body weight gain from 7 to 1...
Biodegradable dissolved organic carbon in urban and remnant soils in south-central Texas, USA

Abstract Urban streams have been found to have high exports of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) relative to native land use. While wastewater effluent is considered to be a contributor of carbon to streams, it does not wholly account for high concentrations of DOC above which would be expected from the watershed under native vegetation. This study examined biodegradable DOC (BDOC) in urban and remnant soils in order to understand the influence of urbanization on microbial carbon cycling. Average soil BDOC ranged from 24.4 ± 32.7% in a city parks under mixed, warm-season turfgrass to 52.9 ± 38.4% in remnant forests under senesced mixed forest leaf litter. Highest average soil %BDOC was observed in the soils of multi-family homes (61.4 ± 7.7%), which tended to have more weeds and species diversity and were not exposed to sodic irrigation water. Water extractable soil sodium explained 53% of the variability in %BDOC. Urban soils in the study area are generally irrigated using municipal tap water, which is high in sodium. This may lead to a buildup of sodium in the soil, and the noted reduction in %BDOC resulting in a greater availability of DOC for runoff to surface waters.
HDAC5: going with the flow

In this issue of Blood, Wang and colleagues uncover a novel mechanism by which fluid shear stress regulates expression of endothelial genes through effects on HDAC5 phosphorylation. The endothelium of blood vessels serves important functions in normal physiology including regulation of vascular tone, endothelial cell survival, smooth muscle cell proliferation, leukocyte recruitment, and thrombosis. 1.2 .
Pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema secondary to blunt chest injury

This is the case of a patient with a history of blunt chest trauma associated with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumothorax. The patient complained of inspiratory stridor on presentation. Anatomical relationships can explain the pathophysiological process.
Unifying simulation and execution in a design environment for FPGA systems

Field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based systems provide advantages over conventional hardware including: (1) availability of the hardware during design and debug; (2) programmability; and (3) visibility. These three advantages can greatly shorten the design and verification cycle. This paper discusses a design environment that exploits these three FPGA-specific advantages to create a unified simulation/execution debug environment implemented in the JHDL design system. The described system provides a hardware debugging environment with the functionality of a simulator but up to 10000/spl times/ faster. In addition, testbenches and other typical verification software used in simulators can be used to verify running hardware.
Postantibiotic Effect of Tigecycline against 14 Gram-Positive Organisms

The in vitro postantibiotic effects (PAEs), postantibiotic sub-MIC effects (PA-SMEs), and sub-MIC effects of tigecycline were determined for 14 gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. The pneumococcal, staphylococcal, and enterococcal PAEs were 1.9 to 5.1, 2.9 to 5.7, and 3.9 to 6.1 h, respectively, and those for Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Acinetobacter baumannii were 1.1 to 5.0, 1.9 to 2.1, 1.7 to 1.8, 1.0 to 1.7, and 0.7 to 3 h, respectively. The PA-SMEs (four times the MIC) ranged from 6.7 to >11 h for gram-positive organisms and from 2.3 to >11.3 h for gram-negative organisms.
Nomograms incorporating serum C-reactive protein effectively predict mortality before and after surgical treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

Objectives To incorporate C-reactive protein into nomograms estimating survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma. Methods Patients undergoing surgery for renal cell carcinoma from 2005–2012 were studied retrospectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and competing risks regression models including stage, grade, C-reactive protein levels and presence of metastatic disease were constructed. Outcomes analyzed include overall mortality overall mortality and renal cell carcinoma-specific mortality. Results The cohort included 516 patients with a mean follow up of 1.7 years (SD 1.4 years). One- and 3-year renal cell carcinoma-specific mortality was 8.8% and 13.5%, respectively. Four nomograms were generated using overall mortality and renal cell carcinoma-specific mortality as end-points, two each for pre- and postoperative counseling. The factor with the largest effect on all nomograms was preoperative C-reactive protein. Based on the internal validation with bootstrapping, the concordance indices for renal cell carcinoma-specific mortality in the preoperative nomogram, postoperative nomogram, and the Mayo Clinic stage, size, grade and necrosis score were 0.889, 0.893, and 0.832, respectively (P = 0.005 and 0.002 comparing with stage, size, grade and necrosis scores for preoperative or postoperative nomograms). For overall mortality, the preoperative nomogram, postoperative nomogram, and stage, size, grade and necrosis score showed concordance indices of 0.866, 0.897, and 0.828, respectively (P = 0.123 and 0.008 compared with stage, size, grade and necrosis score for preoperative or postoperative nomograms). Conclusions We have generated nomograms incorporating serum C-reactive protein levels that effectively predict overall mortality and renal cell carcinoma specific mortality. Our findings warrant external validation.
Shifting the burden: the private sector's response to the AIDS epidemic in Africa

As the economic burden of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) increases in sub-Saharan Africa, allocation of the burden among levels and sectors of society is changing. The private sector has more scope to avoid the economic burden of AIDS than governments, households, or nongovernmental organizations, and the burden is being systematically shifted away from the private sector. Common practices that transfer the burden to households and government include pre-employment screening, reductions in employee benefits, restructured employment contracts, outsourcing of low skilled jobs, selective retrenchments, and changes in production technologies. Between 1997 and 1999 more than two-thirds of large South African employers reduced the level of health care benefits or increased employee contributions. Most firms also have replaced defined-benefit retirement funds, which expose the firm to large annual costs but provide long-term support for families, with defined-contribution funds, which eliminate risks to the firm but provide little for families of younger workers who die of AIDS. Contracting out previously permanent jobs is also shielding firms from benefit and turnover costs, effectively shifting the responsibility to care for affected workers and their families to households, nongovernmental organizations, and the government. Many of these changes are responses to globalization that would have occurred in the absence of AIDS, but they are devastating for the households of employees with HIV/AIDS. We argue that the shift in the economic burden of AIDS is a predictable response by business to which a deliberate public policy response is needed. Countries should make explicit decisions about each sector's responsibilities if a socially desirable allocation is to be achieved.
A High-Fidelity Cell Lineage Tracing Method for Obtaining Systematic Spatiotemporal Gene Expression Patterns in Caenorhabditis elegans

Advances in microscopy and fluorescent reporters have allowed us to detect the onset of gene expression on a cell-by-cell basis in a systematic fashion. This information, however, is often encoded in large repositories of images, and developing ways to extract this spatiotemporal expression data is a difficult problem that often uses complex domain-specific methods for each individual data set. We present a more unified approach that incorporates general previous information into a hierarchical probabilistic model to extract spatiotemporal gene expression from 4D confocal microscopy images of developing Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. This approach reduces the overall error rate of our automated lineage tracing pipeline by 3.8-fold, allowing us to routinely follow the C. elegans lineage to later stages of development, where individual neuronal subspecification becomes apparent. Unlike previous methods that often use custom approaches that are organism specific, our method uses generalized linear models and extensions of standard reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo methods that can be readily extended to other organisms for a variety of biological inference problems relating to cell fate specification. This modeling approach is flexible and provides tractable avenues for incorporating additional previous information into the model for similar difficult high-fidelity/low error tolerance image analysis problems for systematically applied genomic experiments.
Calculated performance of indium phosphide solar cells under monochromatic illumination

The performance of an experimental, high-efficiency, n/sup +/p InP solar cell under monochromatic illumination has been modeled. The cell modeling gives a peak efficiency in excess of 44% at 0.87 mu m and 25 degrees C. The effect of cell series resistance on its performance has also been studied. Calculated efficiencies for an optimized InP cell are in excess of 50% in the wavelength band of 0.75-0.925 mu m. Calculations of conversion efficiency versus source wavelength for InP solar cells are compared to results for other solar cell materials at a source illumination of 1 W/cm/sup 2/. >
The nonenzymatic reactivity of the acyl-linked metabolites of mefenamic acid toward amino and thiol functional group bionucleophiles.

Mefenamic acid (MFA), a carboxylic acid–containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is metabolized into the chemically-reactive MFA-1-O-acyl-glucuronide (MFA-1-O-G), MFA-acyl-adenylate (MFA-AMP), and the MFA-S-acyl-coenzyme A (MFA-CoA), all of which are electrophilic and capable of acylating nucleophilic sites on biomolecules. In this study, we investigate the nonenzymatic ability of each MFA acyl-linked metabolite to transacylate amino and thiol functional groups on the acceptor biomolecules Gly, Tau, l-glutathione (GSH), and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). In vitro incubations with each of the MFA acyl-linked metabolites (1 μM) in buffer under physiologic conditions with Gly, Tau, GSH, or NAC (10 mM) revealed that MFA-CoA was 11.5- and 19.5-fold more reactive than MFA-AMP toward the acylation of cysteine-sulfhydryl groups of GSH and NAC, respectively. However, MFA-AMP was more reactive toward both Gly and Tau, 17.5-fold more reactive toward the N-acyl-amidation of taurine than its corresponding CoA thioester, while MFA-CoA displayed little reactivity toward glycine. Additionally, mefenamic acid-S-acyl-glutathione (MFA-GSH) was 5.6- and 108-fold more reactive toward NAC than MFA-CoA and MFA-AMP, respectively. In comparison with MFA-AMP and MFA-CoA, MFA-1-O-G was not significantly reactive toward all four bionucleophiles. MFA-AMP, MFA-CoA, MFA-1-O-G, MFA-GSH, and mefenamic acid-taurine were also detected in rat in vitro hepatocyte MFA (100 μM) incubations, while mefenamic acid-glycine was not. These results demonstrate that MFA-AMP selectively reacts with the amino functional groups of glycine and lysine nonenzymatically, MFA-CoA selectively reacts nonenzymatically with the thiol functional groups of GSH and NAC, and MFA-GSH reacts with the thiol functional group of GSH nonenzymatically, all of which may potentially elicit an idiosyncratic toxicity in vivo.
Are pharmaceutical patents protected by human rights

The International Bill of Rights enshrines a right to health, which includes a right to access essential medicines. This right frequently appears to conflict with the intellectual property regime that governs pharmaceutical patents. However, there is also a human right that protects creative works, including scientific productions. Does this right support intellectual property protections, even when they may negatively affect health? This article examines the recent attempt by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to resolve this issue and argues that it fails. This is problematic because it means defenders of the present patent regime can continue using human rights documents to support their position. I offer a new framework for resolving the problem by examining the values that underlie human rights.
Autotetraploid gene segregation.

Autotetraploid gene segregation was studied in Zea mays L. using a marking system of two very closely linked genes (A1 and Sh2) in the repulsion phase. This system makes it possible to identify many euploid and aneuploid genotypes and enables the estimation of some parameters of autotetraploid gene segregation such as double reduction, numerical nondisjunction, and the relative transmission frequencies of monosomic, disomic, and trisomic gametes. It was found that these three types of gametes did not function at the same rates on the male and female sides. Differences in observed segregation ratios between reciprocal testcrosses were explained by this phenomenon. Estimates of the frequency of double reduction were made for loci used after eliminating the effect of numerical non-disjuction on the segregation ratios. The value of double reduction appears to be the same in the male and female tetrasomic tetraploid. Tetraploids which were disomic for chromosome 3 were not isolated although they might be expected to be common in the progeny of self-fertilized or sib-crossed trisomic tetraploids. Their absence may be explained in part by the low rate of transmission of monosomic gametes from the male parent. Autotetraploid populations which are unstable for chromosome number probably achieve an equilibrium between forces which produce aneuploidy and forces which remove aneuploids from the population.