cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Targeting tumor-associated neutrophils in immunotherapy

Abstract Tumor-associated neutrophils play an important role in determining therapeutic outcomes of immunotherapy in cancer. There are several key events that lead to the recruitment and immunosuppressive activity of neutrophils into the tumor immune microenvironment, which can be targeted through pharmacological means. The two main areas consist of reducing the number of immunosuppressive neutrophils (or polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells, PMN-MDSCs) that can be recruited into the tumor immune microenvironment, either by blocking biogenesis and recruitment, or by ablating PMN-MDSCs through induction of cell death. The second way in which PMN-MDSCs can be targeted is by perturbing the mechanisms through which they inhibit antitumor immunity. This can be achieved by inhibiting enzymes that block T-cell function, supplementation of nutrients depleted by PMN-MDSCs, or through trans-differentiation of PMN-MDSCs into tumor-suppressive neutrophils. Several ongoing clinical trials involve targeting tumor-associated neutrophils in combination with immunotherapeutics, which may pave the road for the next wave of effective immunotherapy.
Matrix permeability and flow-derived DFN constrain reactivated natural fracture rupture area and stress drop — Marcellus Shale microseismic example

Abstract Microseismic events associated with shale reservoir hydraulic fracturing stimulation (HFS) are interpreted to be reactivations of ubiquitous natural fractures (NFs). Despite adoption of di...
Workforce Issues under Health Care Reform

The events that transpired in Washington during the 1993 and 1994 years regarding proposed alterations in health care have resulted in no actual federal legislation affecting the physician workforce. However, an understanding of the thoughts and beliefs that drove the process and discussions are important both to understand the assumptions and philosophies that underlaid the debate and to predict future events. The purpose of this chapter is to address the issue of the workforce from the point of view of the physician body. Obviously others, including but not limited to nurses and physician assistants play a major role in the delivery of health care.
Exercise in heart failure: Effectiveness versus safety

Exercise training in patients with heart failure has been shown to improve exercise tolerance and quality of life and reduce symptoms of heart failure. Recently, the first large-scale trial evaluating the effects of exercise training in heart failure, the Heart Failure – A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training (HF-ACTION) trial, was presented. Although there was no improvement in the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality and hospitalization, there was a mortality benefit demonstrated for patients with clinical signs of increased mortality and for those that actually performed exercise training of at least 3 metabolic equivalent (MET) hours per week. This chapter reviews the results of this trial and the safety of exercise training for patients with chronic heart failure.
Chopsticks: Dish, rice or noodle? The changing use of chopsticks

At your birth when they first hung out the bow, I was the most honored guest at the birthday feast. Wielding my chopsticks I ate boiled noodles, and composed a congratulatory poem on a heavenly unicorn. Liu Yuxi (772–842) The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star. Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, Physiologie du Gout (1825) In his masterpiece, Records of the Grand Historian , Sima Qian relates many fascinating episodes happening during the Han dynasty (206 bce to 220 ce ), a great era in early imperial China. Some of them, interestingly, feature chopsticks. In his biographical account of Liu Bang (256–195 bce ), Sima records that while preparing to seize power, Liu, who grew up in northern Jiangsu near Longqiuzhuang and later became Emperor Gaozu after founding the dynasty, once considered a strategic plan by a counselor over a meal. But Zhang Liang (256–186 bce ), his main and most trusted advisor, opposed it. In order to persuade Liu, Zhang borrowed several chopsticks and made a strong counterargument. And he prevailed in the end; Liu decided to adopt his plan instead. Sima does not tell exactly how Zhang used chopsticks to explain his objection. But the story has been well remembered in history ever since. It reveals that Liu and his staff, among others, used chopsticks in eating their food. Chopsticks appear in another biography in the Records of the Grand Historian . Its protagonist is Zhou Yafu (199–143 bce ), a distinguished and capable general under Han Emperors Wen (r. 176–157 bce ) and Jing (r. 157–141 bce ), son and grandson of Emperor Gaozu. Thanks to his remarkable accomplishments, Zhou became trusted by both emperors during most of their reigns. But in the end, perhaps due to his arrogance, Zhou lost Emperor Jing’s trust. Sima records an episode in which one day Zhou was summoned to court to dine with the Emperor and found a big chunk of meat in his food tray with no sliced pieces, nor chopsticks. He turned around asking for chopsticks, only to be mocked by the Emperor: “Was this treatment not good enough for you?” Feeling insulted and humiliated, Zhou thanked the Emperor and left the court without touching the food.
Signaling Pathways Involved in Cardiogenesis

Publisher Summary This chapter gives an overview on signaling pathways involved in cardiogenesis and congenital heart disease (CHD) considering different regions of the developing heart. The transcription factor Tbx1, which appears to be a cause of cardiac and craniofacial disorders in humans, is a major transcriptional regulator of the serum response factor (SRF), and is necessary for proper development of conotruncal myocardium and fibroblast growth factor secretion. Islet1 (Isl1), a transcription factor involved in pancreatic development, is also necessary for its development. The Wnt signals play a dynamic and critical role in regulating cardiac progenitors. Wnt signals are necessary to promote mesoderm formation, but subsequently need to be repressed in order for cardiac mesoderm to emerge. A discrete dorsalventral (DV) polarity is present in the primitive heart tube in addition to the AP segmentation. Congenital cardiac defects involving the cardiac outflow tract, aortic arch, ductus arteriosus, and proximal pulmonary arteries account for 20-30 percent of all CHD. This region of the heart undergoes extensive and rather complex morphogenetic changes, with reciprocal interactions between neural crest cells and the second heart field (SHF) and endoderm playing critical roles. Disruption of SHF development by mutation of genes such as Tbx1 , Fgf8 , and Isl1 results in defects similar to those observed with neural crest disruption, including persistent truncus arteriosus, malalignment of the outflow tract of the heart with the ventricular chambers, and ventricular septal defects. SHF-derived myocardial cells neighbor neural crest-derived cells and secrete growth factors in a Tbx1 -dependent manner. Such growth factors influence neural crest cells, and reciprocal interactions between the SHF and neural crest-derived cells in the outflow tract are likely essential for normal development of heart.
Foreword - Systematically Thinking About Law Firm Ethics: Conference on the Ethical Infrastructure and Culture of Law Firms

In 1991 Professor Ted Schneyer wrote a seminal article calling for discipline of law firms. In that article, he used the term “ethical infrastructure” to refer to a law firm’s organization, policies, and operating procedures that cut across particular lawyers and tasks. In questioning how lawyer regulation focuses on the conduct of individual lawyers, he described the dynamics of practice and how various ethical breaches stem from organizational concerns that relate to lawyering in groups. Increasingly, legislators and regulators, as well as bar and firm leaders, have recognized the role of ethical infrastructure and culture in influencing lawyer conduct. Scholars, including Professor Schneyer have studied new legislation and initiatives that incorporate the concept of ethical infrastructure. To provide scholars and practitioners an opportunity to discuss law firm ethics and the impact of formal controls and informal influences on lawyer conduct, the Institute for the Study of Legal Ethics at Hofstra University and the Hofstra Law Review convened an April 5, 2013 Conference on the Ethical Infrastructure and Ethics of Law Firms. This piece introduces each symposium article. It concludes by urging experts to take the discourse to the next level by conducting empirical research related to firm infrastructure and culture.
Purification and characterization of a novel zinc-proteinase from cultures of Aeromonas hydrophila.

Abstract While searching for an enzyme capable of breaking epsilon-(gamma-Glu)-Lys isopeptide bonds cross-linking protein chains, we purified a metallo-proteinase which mimics the action of an isopeptidase on the gamma-chain dimers of cross-linked fibrin. The enzyme is present in the growth medium of the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila, isolated from the intestinal tract of the leech Hirudo medicinalis. It is a 19-kDa protein which specifically hydrolyzes the Gly-Ala peptide bond within the Gly-Gly-Ala sequence, located near the cross-link site in the gamma-chain dimer of fibrin. Substrate specificity studies with a number of synthetic peptides suggest that the enzyme prefers Gly-Gly or acetyl-Gly in the P2 and P1 positions, respectively (Schecter, I., and Berger, A. (1967) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 27, 157-162). Nonpolar amino acid residues seem to be favored in the P1' and P2' positions. The enzyme contains one atom of zinc and is inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline, but not by EDTA. Iodoacetate, leupeptin, diisopropyl fluorophosphate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, pepstatin, and alpha 2-macroglobulin have no effect on enzyme activity. Disulfide reducing reagents, such as dithiothreitol or 2-mercaptoethanol, inactivate the enzyme completely. The partial amino-terminal sequence shows 46% identity with a zinc metallo-proteinase from a strain of Lysobacter enzymogenes and 69% identity with the LasA protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Civil Recourse, Damages-As-Redress, and Constitutional Torts

Modern tort theory is dominated by the principle of loss allocation, which uses liability and damages as instruments for assigning losses to deter unwanted behavior and to compensate the plaintiff. Under loss allocation, the central principle of damages is to make the plaintiff whole through 'full" compensation. Recently, as an alternative to loss allocation, Professors John Goldberg and Benjamin Zipursky have advanced a civil recourse theory of damages. In contrast to loss allocation, civil recourse focuses tort law on empowering plaintiffs to seek redress by evaluating damages through the lens of 'fair" compensation. Goldberg and Zipursky's work is especially timely because, in the context of constitutional torts, recent Supreme Court decisions have suggested the need for a compelling alternative to the loss allocation model. Regardless of the strength of civil recourse theory as applied to tort law generally, the model at least offers a fresh perspective worthy of attention under the constitutional tort doctrine. This Article thus examines the distinctions between loss allocation and civil recourse in the context of constitutional torts and shows how applying civil recourse to this doctrine enhances one's understanding of what is at stake in such cases while offering a new set of standards for evaluating the Court's work. In doing so, this Article illustrates how applying civil recourse to constitutional torts properly puts constitutional rights, wrongs, and vindication at the core of the litigation and furnishes a normatively appealingset of principles for resolving the remedial issues raised in § 1983 and Bivens cases.
Electromagnetic Radiation From The Accelerating Universe

The acceleration of the expansion of the universe has been argued for by several research groups. If the universe is accelerating and if the universe or some part of the universe has a charge, then there may be electromagnetic radiation produced from the acceleration of the universe since accelerating charges produce electromagnetic radiation. This letter does a thought experiment to ask about the possible characteristics of the radiation from an accelerating universe. A value for the power, or rate of energy flow, of the universe's acceleration is calculated in this letter. A value of the power of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the universe's acceleration is calculated to be P = 5.99 x 10 -82 Joule/sec or 5.99 x 10 -82 Watts. This value for the power assumes only the charge of an electron as the value for the charge; larger charges would produce much larger rates of energy flow. The letter then reveals what a characteristic of a charged, accelerating universe would be.
Manufacturing science and manufacturing competitiveness

The author considers two aspects of the semiconductor manufacturing competitiveness problem. The first is an articulation of the critical technical factors in manufacturing sciences programs associated with the Semiconductor Research Corporation and the Sematech Centers of Excellence. The second is the relationship between science and the achievement of economic competitiveness. It is concluded that production capability is required for manufacturing competitiveness but that it is not sufficient. At least three key technical factors, quality, timeliness, and responsivity, must be addressed. >
A review of the fluid mechanics of ocean scour

Abstract The processes of scour hole formation are divided into components and discussed. The descriptive physics of ocean boundary layer flow and sediment dynamics are used to detail the similarities and differences between the processes of scour hole formation in marine and river environments. The processes which develop scour holes due to pure wave action are shown to be different from those associated with steady currents. The various combinations of processes which develop when waves and currents act together are also covered.
The effects of decreasing surface tension on the flow of irrigating solutions in narrow root canals.

O’Brien3 and others have shown the wettability of the solutions to be important to the penetration of these solutions into the small spaces formed by the dentin. It is probable, therefore, that the wettability of endodontic irrigating solutions is of primary importance in their penetration of the main and lateral canals and predentin dentinal tubules. percent sodium hypochlorite, 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite, and ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA). The surface tension was reduced by adding the chemical polysorbate 80.
Confronting top AFB with parity violation constraints

We consider the implications of low-energy precision tests of parity violation on $t$-channel mediator models explaining the top ${A}_{FB}$ excess measured by the CDF and D0 Collaborations. Flavor-violating $u\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}t$ or $d\mathrm{\text{\ensuremath{-}}}t$ couplings of new scalar or vector mediators generate at one-loop an anomalous contribution to the nuclear weak charge. As a result, atomic parity violation constraints disfavor at $\ensuremath{\gtrsim}3\ensuremath{\sigma}$ $t$-channel models that give rise to a greater than 20% ${A}_{FB}$ at the parton level for ${M}_{t\overline{t}}g450\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ while not producing too large a $t\overline{t}$ cross section. Even stronger constraints are expected through future measurements of the proton weak charge by the Qweak experiment.
A novel, ultrarapid parathyroid hormone assay to distinguish parathyroid from nonparathyroid tissue.

Background Frozen section is the gold standard for distinguishing parathyroid tissue from lymph nodes, thyroid nodules, or fat during parathyroidectomy and thyroidectomy. Although a very accurate procedure, it can be time-consuming and costly. We hypothesize that the extremely high concentrations of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in parathyroid tissue allow for modification of a standard PTH assay that would distinguish parathyroid from nonparathyroid tissue in substantially less time than frozen section or any currently available PTH assay. Methods A prospective, single-institution study using a modified PTH assay protocol and a manual luminometer was undertaken by testing 20 parathyroid adenomas and 9 control tissues. Analyses were performed simultaneously by the modified PTH protocol and the conventional intraoperative PTH assay. Results PTH luminescence values from parathyroid tissue and control tissue aspirates were significantly different at 60 seconds ( P = .015). ROC curve analysis showed the assay to be 100% sensitive and 100% specific in differentiating parathyroid from nonparathyroid tissue. Conclusion Our novel PTH assay accurately and reliably differentiates parathyroid from nonparathyroid tissue within 60 seconds of measurement onset. This assay provides a great advantage in time savings compared with frozen section as well as any currently existing PTH assays.
Construction and characterization of a region-specific microdissection library from human chromosome 2q35-q37

A region-specific genomic library for human chromosome 2q35-q37 has been constructed using the microdissection and polymerase chain reaction-mediated linker-adaptor microcloning method. Twenty fragments from the chromosome region 2q35-q37 were dissected and a library consisting of 20,000 recombinant microclones was obtained. The insert size ranged between 50 and 800 bp, with a mean of approximately 270 bp. About 50–60% of the microclones contained unique sequences. The microdissection library has been demonstrated to derive from the dissected region 2q35-q37 by chromosome painting using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. Southern blot analysis of the unique sequence microclones from the library showed that 54% (26/48) of the clones are of human origin and chromosome 2 specific. Four of these microclones have been further mapped to the 2q37 region by using a cell hybrid containing only 2q37. The unique sequence microclones have also been characterized for their insert size and the hybridizing genomic fragments cleaved with Hin dIII. As shown previously, these microclones will be useful in isolating corresponding yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones with large inserts for high-resolution physical mapping and also in screening cDNA libraries to isolate expressed gene sequences as candidate genes to facilitate search for the crucial genes underlying genetic diseases and specific forms of cancer assigned to the region.
Speaker Diarization: About whom the Speaker is Talking ?

The automatic speaker diarization consists in splitting the signal into homogeneous segments and clustering them by speakers. However the speaker segments are specified with anonymous labels. This paper suggests a solution to identify those speakers by extracting their full names pronounced in French broadcast news. A semantic classification tree is automatically built on a training corpus and associate the full names detected in the transcription of a segment to this segment or to one of its neighbors. Then, a merging method permits to associate a full name to a speaker cluster instead of an anonymous label provided by the diarization. The experiments are carried out over French broadcast news records from the ESTER 2005 evaluation campaign. About 70% show duration is correctly processed for both development and evaluation corpora. On the evaluation corpus, 18.2% show duration is wrongly named and no decision is taken for 11.9% show duration.
An overview of neuropathic pain: syndromes, symptoms, signs, and several mechanisms.

Objective An overview is presented of neuropathic pain syndromes, their characteristic symptoms and signs, and recent approaches to identifying their pathophysiologic mechanisms. Design The results of recent clinical studies of neuropathic pain are reviewed. Chronic neuropathic pain syndromes are emphasized because these long-lasting and often disabling conditions present a much greater challenge for the clinician than acute pain. Peripheral neuropathic syndromes have received greater attention in the research literature than central pain, and studies of syndromes such as postherpetic neuralgia and painful diabetic neuropathy provide the basis for current knowledge of neuropathic pain. Conclusions Precise estimates of the prevalence of neuropathic pain are not available, but chronic neuropathic pain may be much more common than has generally been appreciated and its prevalence can be expected to increase in the future. There is considerable agreement that both peripheral and central processes contribute to many chronic neuropathic pain syndromes, and that these different mechanisms may explain the qualitatively different symptoms and signs that patients experience. The limitations of existing treatments for neuropathic pain and the inability to provide relief for many patients has stimulated ongoing studies that examine different approaches to preventing neuropathic pain.
Suicide in Adolescents: A Worldwide Preventable Tragedy

The tragedy of suicide in adolescents is experienced by all countries of the world with as many as 200,000 youth and young adults ending their life in the prime of their life because of self-murder each year. Such a tragedy should be unacceptable to clinicians of the world and this article examines factors leading to such death in our youth with recommendations on how to prevent such a worldwide carnage. A major issue in suicide prevention is to screen all children and adolescents for depression and other factors that may trigger suicide in adolescence.
Evidence-Based Pharmacologic Management of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Abstract Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a debilitating chronic disorder of the pulmonary vasculature characterized by elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure, right-sided heart failure, and early mortality. Objectives: This paper reviews the available information on PAH, including its pathophysiology, classification of its severity, current treatment options, drug interactions, pharmacokinetics, and cost considerations. The results of clinical trials of the available treatments are summarized, and a suggested treatment algorithm is provided as a guide to the medical management of PAH. Methods: Pertinent articles were identified by a search of MEDLINE through May 2007 using the terms primary pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary arterial hypertension, prostacyclin, pulmonary vasodilators, endothelin-receptor antagonists , and phosphodiesterase inhibitors . Trials with prospective, randomized designs were given precedence, and prospective studies having nonrandomized, open-label designs or using historical controls were included if they contributed useful knowledge. Retrospective studies were not included. Results: In two 12-week, randomized, open-label trials in patients with moderate to severe PAH (N = 81 and N=111), exercise capacity, measured on the 6-minute walk test (6-MWT), was significantly improved with intravenous epoprostenol compared with conventional therapy (+31 vs −29 m, respectively, in one study [ P = 0.002]; +46 vs −48 m in the other [P P P = 0.006). In a 16-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 213 patients with mild to moderate symptoms, the oral endothelin-receptor antagonist bosentan was associated with a significant improvement on the 6-MWT compared with placebo (+36 vs −8 m, respectively; P ≤ 0.001) and significantly less clinical worsening at 28 weeks (9/144 vs 14/69; P = 0.002). In a 12-week, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 277 patients with PAH, sildenafil 20, 40, and 80 mg TID were associated with significant improvements on the 6-MWT compared with placebo (all, P 20% decrease in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance immediately after challenge) had a survival rate of 94% at 1, 3, and 5 years. Conclusions: Patients who respond to an acute trial of a vasodilator may be treated with an oral calcium channel blocker, whereas oral therapies such as sildenafil and bosentan have been effective in patients with mild to moderate symptoms. Infusions of the prostacyclin analogues epoprostenol and treprostinil appear to be the treatment of choice for moderate to severe PAH, and agents with alternate routes of delivery such as inhaled iloprost may be advantageous in adjunctive roles. Future trials that focus on the long-term effects of currently available agents, as well as on combination therapy, are needed.
Plasticization effects of dihydroxyl soybean oil improve flexibilities of epoxy-based films for coating applications

Novel bio-based coating materials were developed through cationic ring-opening photopolymerization of dihydroxyl soybean oil (DSO) with commercial epoxy monomers [i.e., epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl-3,4-epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate (ECHM). The ether cross-linking and post-polymerization of the polymeric network were observed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermal properties of the bio-based coating materials and their copolymerization behaviors were examined using differential scanning calorimetry and a thermogravimetric analyzer. Cross-link density and molecular weight between cross-link were obtained from dynamic mechanical analysis. ECHM/DSO (1 : 1.43 weight ratio) films showed the highest elongation at break (49.2%) with a tensile strength of 13.7 MPa. After 2 months of storage, the elongation at break and tensile strength of films were 32% and 15.1 MPa, respectively. ESO/DSO films (w/w ratios of 1 : 0.1, 1 : 0.15, and 1 : 0.2) exhibited stable flexibility of 11–13% of elongation at break without significant reductions in tensile strength (2.5–4.4 MPa) during a 2-month shelf life. Optical transparencies of the films were comparable to commercial glass and polymers, and water uptake properties (0.72% and 2.83%) were significantly low. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41773.
Ion Mobility Studies of Electronically Excited States of Atomic Transition Metal Cations: Development of an Ion Mobility Source for Guided Ion Beam Experiments

The design of an ion mobility source developed to couple to a guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer is presented. In these exploratory studies, metal ions are created continuously by electron ionization of the volatile hexacarbonyls of the three group 6 transition metals. These ions are focused into a linear hexapole ion trap, which collects the ions and then creates high intensity pulses of ions, avoiding excessive ion losses resulting from the low duty cycle of pulsed operation. The ion pulses are injected into a six-ring drift cell filled with helium where ions having different electronic configurations can separate because they have different ion mobilities. Such separation is observed for chromium ions and compares favorably with the pioneering work of Kemper and Bowers (J. Phys. Chem.1991, 95, 5134). The results are then extended to Mo+ and W+, which also show efficient configuration separation. The source conditions needed for high intensities and good configuration separation are discussed in detail and suggestions for further improvements are also provided.
Challenges for on-chip optical interconnects

As integrated circuit interconnect dimensions continue to shrink and signaling frequencies increase, interconnect performance degrades. The performance degradation is due to several factors such as power consumption, cross-talk, and signal attenuation. On-chip optical interconnects are a potential solution to these scaling issues because they offer the promise of providing higher bandwidth. In this paper, progress on the major on-chip optical building blocks will be reviewed. It will be shown that significant advances have been made in the design and fabrication of waveguides, detectors, and couplers. However, major challenges in high speed electrical to optical conversion and signaling remain.
Graphical Communication of Uncertain Quantities to Nontechnical People

Nine pictorial displays for communicating quantitative information about the value of an uncertain quantity, x, were evaluated for their ability to communicate 2, p(x > a) and p( b > x > a) to well-educated semi- and nontechnical subjects. Different displays performed best in different applications. Cumulative distribution functions alone can severely mislead some subjects in estimating the mean. A “rusty” knowledge of statistics did not improve performance, and even people with a good basic knowledge of statistics did not perform as well as one would like. Until further experiments are performed, the authors recommend the use of a cumulative distribution function plotted directly above a probability density function with the same horizontal scale, and with the location of the mean clearly marked on both curves.
The Landry-Guillain-Barré-Strohl syndrome in childhood.

UMMARY 46 patients admitted over an eight-year period for Landry-Guillain-Barre-Strohl syndrome included 16 with meningeal irritation, 2 with papilledema and 4 with elevated blood pressure. Respiratory support was necessary in 11 patients, and 4 patients died due to respiratory difficulties, EMG was often useful in making the diagnosis. A stiff neck seems more common, and facial weakness less common, in children than in adults. RESUME Le Syndrome de Guillain Barre chez l'enfant Pendant une periode de 8 ans, 46 malades ont ete admis pour un syndrome de Guillain Barre; 16 d'entre eux avec une irritation meningee, 2 avec un oedeme papillaire et 4 avec une tension arterielle elevee. Une assistance respiratoire a ete necessaire pour 11 d'entre eux et 4 moururent en raison de difficultes respiratoires. l'EMG facilita souvent le diagnostic. Une nuque raide se voyait plus souvent chez les enfants que chez les adultes, une paralysie faciale, moins souvent. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Das Landry-Guillain-Barre-Strohl Syndrom in der Kindheit 46 Patienten wurden in 8 Jahren wegen eines Landry-Guillain-Barre-Strohl Sndroms eingewiesen. 16 von ihnen zeigten eine meningeale Reizung, 2 ein Papillenoedem und vier hatten erhohten Blutdruck. Atemunterstutzung war bei 11 Patienten notwendig und vier starben an respiratorischen Schwierigkeiten. Das EMG erwies sich oft nutzlich bei der Diagnose. Nackensteife scheint bei Kindern haufiger und Facialisschwache seltener zu sein als bei Erwachsenen. RESUMEN El Sindrome de Landry-Guillain-Barre-Strohl en la infancia En un periodo de 8 anos fueron ingresados 46 pacientes con sindrome de Landry-Guillain-Barre-Strohl, incluendo 16 casos con irritacion meningea, 2 con edema papilar y 4 con presion arterial elevada. Once pacientes precisaron respiration asistida y cuatro fallecieron por dificultades respiratorias. El EMG fueutil con frecuencia para establecer el diagnostico. Parece que la rigidez de nuca es mas corriente y la paresia facial menos corriente en ninos que en adultos.
RATIONAL STRATEGY FOR RUBELLA VACCINATION

Current rubella vaccination programmes, devised when knowledge of vaccine characteristics was still incomplete, have not been fully successful in protecting those at maximum risk of the sequelae of rubella infection. Now that more is known of vaccine characteristics and the impact of the initially chosen strategies has been assessed, it is time to modify immunisation strategies, the priorities being first to protect women of childbearing age, and then to interrupt transmission of rubella.
Effects of luminal eccentricity on spontaneous coronary vasoconstriction after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Abstract Over the past several years there has been increasing recognition that spontaneous coronary artery vasoconstriction, or spasm, can occur in the dilated coronary segment after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). This vasoconstriction after PTCA has been quantitated in clinical studies, 1,2 and has been well described in clinical series and in case reports. 3–6 Although the etiology of vasoconstriction after PTCA is not fully understood, several mechanisms have been postulated, including the release of vasoactive substances from aggregating platelets at the site of endothelial injury and the release of endothelium-derived constricting factor(s) after balloon trauma. 7 Coronary spasm has been demonstrated to be one possible mechanism of acute vessel closure after successful PTCA. 5,6 Furthermore, clinical studies have suggested a significant correlation between spontaneous or provoked vasospasm in the dilated coronary segment with increased restenosis rates after PTCA. 8 It has been demonstrated that lesion eccentricity may be a risk factor for acute coronary closure after PTCA. 9 The observations that eccentric lesions may have a greater potential for dynamic changes in caliber in response to vasoactive stimuli 10 has led to speculation that vasospasm may be more pronounced after PTCA in eccentric compared with concentric lesions, leading to a greater incidence of acute closure, and possibly late restenosis. 11,12 This study was designed to examine whether there is any relationship between angiographically determined lesion eccentricity and the severity of spontaneous vasoconstriction early after PTCA in the dilated coronary segment.
Designing Evaluations: A Study Examining Preferred Evaluation Designs of Educational Evaluators.

Abstract A sample of educational evaluators was asked to design an outcomes-focused evaluation of a school program that aims to improve the academic achievement and self-esteem of students. Evaluators provided detailed descriptions of their evaluation design and methodology in their responses. These descriptions were coded and analyzed to determine the design trends of practicing educational evaluators. Findings from the study indicated that there was a preference for the use of mixed method designs that concurrently implement qualitative and quantitative elements to examine the validity of program outcomes. Evaluators who chose experimental designs almost always included a contingency plan in case their design was not feasible. The study offers a baseline to help detect design trends in the field of educational evaluation.
Walras allocations in infinite dimensional economies

Abstract In this paper, we prove a necessary and sufficient condition for an attainable allocation to be a Walras (competitive) allocation, in a coalition-production economy with an infinite dimensional commodity space.
Prediction of thermoset viscosity using a thermomechanical analyzer

A thermomechanical analyzer (TMA) in the parallel-plate configuration was employed to study the viscosity behavior of an unfilled, FR-4 type epoxy resin by monitoring its thickness change with time under a constant compressive force at various temperatures. With a dual-Arrhenius reheology model, we were able to predict viscosities under nonisothermal conditions of high heating rate from more easily obtained isothermal viscosity data. Due to its simplicity and speed, this technique is well suited for investigating resin viscosity behavior during composite lamination in a manufacturing environment.
Predictors of poor student performance at a single, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education–accredited school of pharmacy

Abstract Objectives This study assesses the extent to which various student demographics and admission criteria predict poor student performance in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. Methods Retrospective case-control evaluation of PharmD students enrolled at one public, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education–accredited school from 2001 to 2003 for which complete sets of data were available. Poor performers were defined as students who: (1) failed to graduate on time, (2) earned a first through third professional year cumulative grade point average (GPA) Results Birth in the United States, each 100-point increase in SAT verbal score, and each 1-point increase in cumulative GPA were found to be associated with decreased odds of student poor performance. Male gender was the only characteristic identified as a positive predictor of poor performance. Conclusion This study corroborates previously published studies demonstrating that traditional predictors of academic performance also predict PharmD program performance. The study also identified unique predictors such as birthplace, gender, and verbal SAT scores.
Biochemical correlates of GABA function in rat cortical neurons in culture

Abstract Serial biochemical studies of a rat cortical tissue culture system in which synapses regularly form showed that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is present in the cultures and increases with their maturation. The tissue GABA concentration in mature cultures is similar to that of adult rat cortex in vivo. The synthetic enzyme, glutamate decar☐ylase, also increases with age as does high affinity GABA uptake. GABA uptake was blocked by l -2,4-diaminobutyrate (DABA) and had the properties of neuronal GABA uptake. Specific release by depolarizing media of both exogenous [3H]GABA and GABA synthesized from d -[U-14C]glucose was demonstrated. The GABA released by high potassium media had higher specific activity and a greater contribution from glucose (as compared to acetate) than GABA found in the medium in the absence of depolarization. Calcium dependency of evoked GABA release could be shown only after pretreatment of cultures with ethyleneglycol-bis-(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N′-tetraacetic acid or EGTA. Synaptosomes may exhibit greater calcium dependence of evoked transmitter release than intact cells in culture because their intracellular calcium stores are depleted during preparation. Glycine uptake by the cultures was much less in amount than was GABA uptake, and specific release of glycine could not be demonstrated. Specific binding of both a GABA agonist ([3H]muscimol) and an antagonist ([3H]bicuculline) was shown by membranes prepared from the cultures. By contrast, when [3H]muscimol binding to intact cells was studied, essentially all binding was sodium dependent and had the properties of GABA uptake binding. We conclude that the use of [3H]muscimol for receptor studies is valid only after the elimination of GABA uptake systems. Biochemical data from these studies support the concept that GABA is the transmitter for many cortical synapses. Glycine and taurine are not likely to be transmitters in these cortical cultures. When considered together with physiological data from the preceding paper, we have satisfied Werman's criteria (see ref. 36) for accepting GABA as the major inhibitory transmitter in the cortical culture system.
Asymptotic stability analysis of θ-methods for functional differential equations

Stability analysis of ?-methods for functional differential equations based on the test equation $$\begin{gathered} y'(t) = ay(t - \lambda ) + by(t),t > 0 \hfill \\ y(t) = \psi (t),t \in \left[ { - \lambda ,0} \right] \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ ?>0, is presented. It is known thaty(t)?0 ast?? if and only if |b|<?a and we investigate whether this property is inherited by the numerical solution approximatingy.
Commercial versus public television audiences: Public activities and the Watergate hearings

An after‐the‐fact telephone survey in the Lexington, Kentucky, Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area assessed the audience for the summer 1973 Public Broadcasting System coverage of the Watergate Hearings. Responses from 480 households showed the PBS audience for hearing coverage to he roughly six times the audience for regularly scheduled PBS programming. In addition, the PBS audience for the hearings included more households whose members were involved in public activities: three out of four PBS households included a member who had delivered a public address.
Analysis of the interacting components between larval Schistosoma mansoni and schistosome-susceptible and resistant Biomphalaria glabrata

Cell-free hemolymph (serum) and hemocytes from Schistosoma mansoni-susceptible (PR albino M-line) and resistant (10-R2) strains of Biomphalaria glabrata were compared by SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting and radioiodination. Whole serum of both snail strains is dominated by hemoglobin (Hb) (MW = 160 Kd). SDS-PAGE. of Hb-depleted serum indicated that the 10-R2 strain has dominant polypeptides in the 50 to 30 Kd range whereas PR albino snails have few low MW proteins. Antibodies raised to whole PR albino and 10-R2 serum, and the 160 Kd (Hb) band reacted similarly in immunoblot assays. Analysis of hemocytes revealed that 10-R2 snails have a surface-exposed protein at about 80 Kd which is not present on PR albino hemocytes. An examination of primary cultured sporocysts indicated the presence of four major surface proteins (40, 50, 55, 70 Kd) and two minor surface-exposed polypeptides (92, 170 Kd). Antibodies raised against live, intact sporocysts reacted almost exclusively with sporocyst-surface proteins when tested by immunoblotting.
Methylmercury exposure during early Xenopus laevis development affects cell proliferation and death but not neural progenitor specification.

Abstract Methylmercury (MeHg) is a widespread environmental toxin that preferentially and adversely affects developing organisms. To investigate the impact of MeHg toxicity on the formation of the vertebrate nervous system at physiologically relevant concentrations, we designed a graded phenotype scale for evaluating Xenopus laevis embryos exposed to MeHg in solution. Embryos displayed a range of abnormalities in response to MeHg, particularly in brain development, which is influenced by both MeHg concentration and the number of embryos per ml of exposure solution. A TC 50 of ~ 50 μg/l and LC 50 of ~ 100 μg/l were found when maintaining embryos at a density of one per ml, and both increased with increasing embryo density. In situ hybridization and microarray analysis showed no significant change in expression of early neural patterning genes including sox2 , en2 , or delta ; however a noticeable decrease was observed in the terminal neural differentiation genes GAD and xGAT , but not xVGlut . PCNA , a marker for proliferating cells, was negatively correlated with MeHg dose, with a significant reduction in cell number in the forebrain and spinal cord of exposed embryos by tadpole stages. Conversely, the number of apoptotic cells in neural regions detected by a TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) assay was significantly increased. These results provide evidence that disruption of embryonic neural development by MeHg may not be directly due to a loss of neural progenitor specification and gene transcription, but to a more general decrease in cell proliferation and increase in cell death throughout the developing nervous system.
Thermal Destruction Curves for Salmonella oranienburg in Egg Products

Abstract This paper offers an improved method of constructing thermal destruction curves (T.D.C.). It summarizes data on the times and temperatures required to kill salmonellae in various egg products. Also, additional data are presented and T.D.C. are constructed for a wide range of conditions. Further evidence is obtained that Z for salmonellae varies in different products. Water activity influences Z. This concept provides a better method of predicting thermal process conditions. The data indicate that T.D.C. for different products intersect near a common point. A point of intersection was determined by minimizing the sum of the squares of the differences between the observed and hypothetical slopes of the T.D.C. This point for several egg products was at 29,240 minutes and 42.3°C.
The use of infauna by juvenile Penaeus aztecus Ives and Penaeus setiferus (Linnaeus)

Penaeus aztecus Ives, the brown shrimp, and Penaeus setiferus (Linnaeus), the white shrimp, co-occur in Texas salt marshes as juveniles. Although their life cycles are similar, evidence indicates that the species utilize different resources for the primary faunal element of their diets. Prey selection and growth studies have shown that brown shrimp successfully remove infauna from natural sediment. Further, a diet of polychaetes, whether alone or in combination with algae, produced growth in the species. Brown shrimp appear to be trophically linked to infaunal populations, thus the structure and dynamics of the benthic community may directly affect local brown shrimp productivity. Areas dominated by surface-dwelling polychaetes as opposed to deep burrowers may provide more accessible foraging opportunities for juvenile brown shrimp. By contrast, white shrimp neither removed infauna nor grew to a significant degree when provided polychaetes or amphipods as food. White shrimp are omnivorous but do not rely on infaunal material to the same extent as brown shrimp. The primary faunal element in the diet of white shrimp has not yet been identified. The dietary differences between the two species may play a role in determining which species dominates in regions with varying marsh accessibility. Although not the only factors influencing penaeid survival and growth, prey choice and availability may greatly affect production and local success of penaeid populations. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY081 00013
Effects of copulation on apomorphine-induced erection in rats

Abstract By testing the effects of antecedent copulation on subsequent apomorphine-induced penile erection we sought to test an implicit assumption in the research on drug-induced “spontaneous” erection—namely, that this research provides information relevant to the regulation of erection in copula. In experiment 1, male rats were observed after being injected SC with 0, 15, 30, 60, or 120 μg/kg apomorphine (APO); 60 μg/kg yielded the maximum probability of erection and yawning. In experiment 2, males were injected with 60 μg/kg APO after no exposure to females, after three intromissions, or after copulation to sexual satiety. There was no significant effect of three intromissions, but sexually sated males displayed no erections, the first evidence that copulation affects drug-induced erections. In experiment 3, males had one ejaculation, three intromissions, or no exposure to females immediately before injection with APO (60 μg/kg, SC) or ascorbic acid vehicle. APO induced both erection and yawning, but neither behavior was reliably affected by copulation in APO-treated males. Among vehicle-treated males, those having three intromissions or one ejaculation before the test had shorter erection latencies and more erections than males not exposed to females. Thus, a relatively small amount of copulation resulted in a level of erectile response similar to that of APO-treated males. Optimal doses of APO may be no more effective in promoting erection in male rats than are the natural neurochemical sequelae to copulation.
Quantum kinetic theory of current-induced torques in Rashba ferromagnets

Motivated by recent experimental studies of thin-film devices containing a single ferromagnetic layer, we develop a quantum kinetic theory of current-induced magnetic torques in Rashba-model ferromagnets. We find that the current-induced spin densities, responsible for the switching behavior, are due most essentially to spin-dependent quasiparticle lifetimes and derive analytic expressions for relevant limits of a simple model. Quantitative model parameter estimates suggest that spin-orbit coupling in the adjacent metal normal magnetic layer must play an essential role in the strength of the switching effect.