cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multifactorial nature of human immunodeficiency virus disease: implications for therapy

The immunopathogenic mechanisms underlying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease are extremely complex; the disease process is multifactorial with multiple overlapping phases. Viral burden is substantial and viral replication occurs throughout the entire course of HIV infection. Inappropriate immune activation and elevated secretion of certain cytokines compound the pathogenic process. Profound immunosuppression ultimately occurs together with a disruption of the microenvironment of the immune system, which is probably unable to regenerate spontaneously. Thus, therapeutic strategies in HIV disease must not be unidimensional, but rather must be linked to the complex pathogenic components of the disease and must address where feasible each of the recognized pathogenic processes for the possibility of therapeutic intervention.
Developing Reservation Economies: Native American Teamsters, 1857–1921

Abstract The Act of March 1, 1877 (19 U. S. Stats. 291), accorded American Indian entrepreneurs the right to transport almost all freight shipped by the Indian Department to Indian agencies, reservations, agency schools and Indian Department hospitals. American Indian teamsters, stevedores and seamen who had worked in these capacities for decades, adopted the Act as their own. Native Americans moved millions of pounds of freight from ships, docks, overland, and over long and short hauls for government contractors, federal Indian agencies, Indian traders, and the military and for private individuals. The entrepreneurs were essential to logging, fishing and whaling, home building, lumber industries, haying and farming, milling, and building and maintaining Indian agency infrastructures, schools, local communities and military posts. American Indians managed ponies, horses, oxen and mules, captained sailing schooners and contracted seagoing canoes, and traversed climatic and topographical challenges as they ...
Development and evaluation of aptamer magnetic capture assay in conjunction with real-time PCR for detection of Campylobacter jejuni

Abstract A prototype method for the concentration and detection of Campylobacter jejuni was developed using a previously reported biotinylated DNA aptamer in conjunction with qPCR. The so-called aptamer-based magnetic capture-qPCR (AMC-qPCR) assay was compared to a similar immunomagnetic separation (IMS)-qPCR assay. In small volume experiments (300 μl) applied to serially diluted C. jejuni suspended in buffer containing a mixed culture of other common food borne pathogens, the lower detection limit of the AMC-qPCR method was 1.1 log 10 /300 μl C. jejuni cells, one log 10 better (lower) than that of IMS-qPCR (2.1 log 10 CFU/300 μl). AMC-qPCR capture efficiency was 10–13% at assay detection limit. In 10 ml scale-up experiments, the lower detection limit of AMC-qPCR was 2.0 log 10 CFU/10 ml with corresponding capture efficiency of 4–7%. Nucleic acid aptamers are promising alternatives to antibodies for magnetic bead-based capture followed by qPCR detection.
Transesophageal echocardiographic guidance of cardioversion in patients with atrial fibrillation

The role of TEE in the guidance of cardioversion of atrial fibrillation was studied. Thirty-seven (18 %) of 206 patients had left atrial thrombus. Cardioversion was attempted in 153 patients receiving no (n = 107) or <7 days (n = 46) of anticoagulation prophylaxis, in 27 patients after ≥3 weeks of anticoagulation, and was cancelled in 26 patients, primarily on the basis of TEE findings. Left atrial thrombus was observed in 37 (18%) of 206 patients. No embolic complications occurred over a 4-week follow-up period. In 7 (41 %) of 17 patients new left atrial appendage spontaneous echocardiographic contrast developed immediately after electric cardioversion. In this group, significant decreases occurred in the left atrial appendage maximal emptying shear rate (11.1 ± 11.1 sec−1 vs 5.0 ± 5.1 sec−1; p < 0.05), maximal filling shear rate (6.7 ± 5.9 sec−1 vs 3.7 ± 3.5 sec−1; p < 0.05), and peak emptying velocity (0.38 ± 0.29 cm/sec vs 0.19 ± 0.14 cm/sec; p < 0.05). In one patient a left atrial appendage thrombus formed after electric cardioversion. Left atrial thrombus resolved in 1(5 %) of 21 patients and became immobile in 0 (0%) of 16 patients after 3 to 5 weeks of anticoagulation but resolved (n = 9) or became immobile (n = 6) in 15 (71%) of 21 patients after ≥5 weeks of anticoagulation. TEE-guided cardioversion was safely done without or with <7 days of anticoagulation prophylaxis in selected patients, but the potential for left atrial thrombus to form after electric cardioversion makes anticoagulation advisable in all patients. The conventional recommendation of 3 to 4 weeks of anticoagulation prophylaxis before cardioversion is usually inadequate for left atrial thrombus to resolve or to become immobile.
Molecular characteristics of chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis

Abstract We have studied the expression of c- abl and c- myc in leukemic cells of patients in all clinical phases of chronic myelogenous leukemia. We demonstrate that an aberrant 8-Kb c- abl related transcript is present in the RNA of the leukemic cell from all patients with Ph+ CML and that the loss of both normal chromosome #9 is associated with the loss of the normal c- abl related transcripts. This represents direct evidence that the normal c- abl related transcripts derive from the normal c- abl gene locus on the normal chromosome #9, while the aberrant c- abl related transcript in Ph+ CML derives from the hybrid bcr-abl gene, formed as a result of the t(9;22). We further demonstrate that trisomy 8 in some instances is associated with enhanced expression of the c- myc oncogene.
Ethical and policy issues of human cloning

Tremendous debate was stirred by the announcement of the successful cloning of a sheep from a differentiated somatic cell. One result was that the National Bioethics Advisory Commission was asked by the president of the United States to report on the ethical and legal issues arising from the possibility that the cloning of humans could become a reality. In this Policy Forum, the chairman of that commission, Harold Shapiro of Princeton University, summarizes the recommendations of the panel and the challenges and concerns that led them to advocate a moratorium on the cloning of humans at the present time.
A Horizon Sensitivity Simulation of a Multistage Linear Programming Aggregate Operations Model

A firm that uses an aggregate operations planning model faces an important problem. Because it is multiperiod, solutions of a model with different horizon lengths can result in significantly different decisions, especially if aggregate shortages are allowed. This study illustrates methods of reducing the horizon length effects of a general linear programming model used by a plastic product manufacturer. As shown, that model originally had solutions of dubious value because of horizon effects. These effects were greatly reduced by eliminating aggregate shortages, but that precluded their use during peak seasonal demands. A more effective method was to penalize shortages during only the last period of a horizon. This improved the model's solutions without increasing its complexity, and also made it acceptable to responsible managers. Similar benefits should occur to users of analogous operations models which allow aggregate inventory shortages.
Role of osmolality in blood pressure stability after dialysis and ultrafiltration

Role of osmolality in blood pressure stability after dialysis and ultrafiltration. To clarify the mechanisms involved in the stability of blood pressure during ultrafiltration (UF) alone versus regular dialysis, this study systematically examined the importance of changes in serum potassium, osmolality, and plasma norepinephrine during several dialysis maneuvers. Six stable, normotensive chronic dialysis patients were subjected to a uniform 2 to 3% decrease in body weight during the 2 hours of each dialysis maneuver. Supine to upright mean blood pressure (MBP) decreased (90 to 75 mm Hg, P Role de l'osmolalite dans la stabilite de la pression arterielle apres dialyse et ultrafiltration. Afin de clarifier les mecanismes impliques dans la stabilite de la pression arterielle au cours de l'ultrafiltration (UF) seule par comparaison avec la dialyse habituelle ce travail evalue systematiquement l'importance des modifications de la kaliemie, de l'osmolalite et de la norepinephrine plasmatique au cours de plusieurs tactiques de dialyse. Six sujets stables, normotendus, en hemodialyse chronique ont subi une diminution de poids corporel de 2 a 3% au cours des 2 heures de chaque tactique de dialyse. La pression arterielle moyenne a diminue de la position couchee a la position debout (de 90 a 75 mm Hg, P
Analysis of tetramethylene disulfotetramine in foods using solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Abstract An automated solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME–GC–MS) method for the determination of tetramethylene disulfotetramine in foods was developed. A comparison of direct immersion (DI) and headspace (HS) extraction techniques using a 70 μm carbowax/divinylbenzene (CW/DVB) fiber is presented. The optimized DI-SPME method provided an aqueous extraction limit of detection (LOD) of 9.0 ng/g while the HS-SPME LOD was 2.7 ng/g. In both SPME modes, recovery was highly matrix dependent and quantification requires standard addition calibrations. Analysis of foods using DI-SPME encountered many obstacles including fiber fouling, low recovery and poor reproducibility. HS-SPME was successfully applied to food analysis with minimal interferences. Standard addition calibration curves for foods gave high linearity (R2 > 0.98), reproducibility (RSD
Mechanisms of disilane decomposition on Si(111)-7 × 7

The mechanisms of disilane surface decomposition on Si(111)-7 × 7 have been studied for surface temperatures (Ts) from 80 to 500°C using temperature programmed desorption (TPD), static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS), and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Below 400°C, the surface becomes passivated when covered by SiHx species after Si2H6 exposure and Si2H6 decomposition reactions do not proceed beyond the monolayer level. Near 80°C, both Si2H2 and SiH species are detected by SSIMS after 5000 monolayers exposure to disilane, while above 350°C only SiH is detected. Between 80 and 400°C, the total H coverage measured by TPD after this exposure increases with increasing Ts. Between 400 and 500°C, when the surface is covered with SiH, an ordered hydrogenated film exhibiting a 1 × 1 LEED pattern is detected after Si2H6 exposure. At 500°C and above, epitaxial growth (7 × 7 LEED pattern) is observed. Observations are reported here which support reaction mechanisms proposed in the preceding paper (S.K. Kulkarni et al., Surf. Sci. 239 (1990) 13, ref. [1]). The slow desorption of H2 wish a desorption time constant on the order of 1 s at H coverage of 0.05 H/Si or less, and Ts up to 800°C is confirmed here. Removal of pre-adsorbed D atoms by Si2H6 exposure at Ts = 490°C is also observed.
Moral Reasoning about Animal Treatment

AbstractDevelopmental psychologists argue that children's moral-reasoning abilities develop through a sequence of stages, stimulated by interactions with the social environment. This study attempts to extend Lawrence Kohlberg's (1984) theory of human moral-reasoning development to interpret moral thinking about animal treatment. The study addresses the following questions: (1) Are boys capable of using consistent patterns of reasoning about animal-treatment dilemmas? (2) Does each boy reason at different levels for humans and animals and for different types of animals? (3) Are boys' animal moral-reasoning abilities related to their ages, indicating developmental advancement? (4) Do environmental interactions influence boys' levels of animal moral thinking? Interviews were conducted with 81 eighth- and twelfth-grade boys from suburban and rural Connecticut. Each boy was asked to resolve hypothetical human moral dilemmas and animal dilemmas involving three animal types: chimpanzees, dogs, and turkeys. The r...
An iterative method of solving a system of linear equations and its physical interpretation from the point of view of scattering theory

The iterative method is useful to find the approximate solution of large systems of linear equations when the exact method becomes too expensive to be implemented. One well-known iterative method is the Gauss-Seidel method. The author presents an alternative algorithm which has certain simplicity in its formulation. He uses the system of linear equations encountered in the theory of coupled antennas to illustrate this method and give a physical interpretation of the successive approximations from the point of view of scattering theory. A simple numerical example is given to compare the products resulting from this method and those obtained by the Gauss-Seidel method
Phrenic nerve responses to lung inflation and hypercapnia in decerebrate dogs

The effects of changes in static airway pressure (Paw) and arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) on phrenic nerve activity were studied in unanesthetized, decerebrate dogs and compared with previous results from chloralose/urethane anestetized dogs using the same experimental preparation (Mitchell et al. 1982; Mitchell and Selby 1987). In ten mid-collicular decerebrate dogs, the lungs were independently ventilated while the left pulmonary artery was occluded and the right vagus nerve was transected. Changes in left lung Paw, therefore, exerted effects on pulmonary stretch receptors without altering blood gases; changes in the inspired gas ventilating the right lung controlled blood gas composition, without altering lung volume feedback. Phrenic burst frequency (f) and integrated amplitude (Phr) were monitored while Paw was varied between 2 and 12 cmH2O at various constant levels of PaCO2 between 31 and 69 mmHg. The major findings of this study are: (1) hypercapnia decreases the slope of the relationship between expiratory duration (tE) and Paw in both decerebrated and anesthetized dogs; (2) hypercapnia increases the inspiratory duration (tI) in decerebrated, but not anesthetized dogs; and (3) hypercapnia decreases the slope of the relationship between f and Paw due to these effects on tE and tI. These results support previous studies indicating that vagal and suprapontine mechanisms exert independent effects on respiratory timing. It is concluded that neither suprapontine influences nor anesthesia are necessary in the mechanism underlying interactions between stretch receptors and CO2-chemoreceptors in modulating tE. Furthermore, decerebration reveals a unique effect of CO2-chemoreceptors on tI, an effect found in anesthetized dogs only after carotid denervation.
Uptake of Lp (a) lipoprotein by cultured fibroblasts.

Summary Lp(a) lipoprotein is bound and taken up by cultured human fibroblasts and increases cell cholesterol content and cholesterol esterification. The increase in cell cholesterol content and cholesterol esterification in low density lipoprotein receptor negative cells was minimal, which suggests that Lp(a) lipoprotein was taken up by the low density lipoprotein receptor pathway.
K-Ar dating of Italian plio-pleistocene volcanic rocks

Abstract K-Ar ages were determined on whole rocks and mineral separates from southern Italy volcanics which yielded ages from 6.0 to 0.2 m.y. Most dates of different separates from the same rock are consistent and also coherent from a stratigraphic point of view. In two cases the K-Ar ages are largely inconsistent. The age pattern indicates contemporaneous beginning of activity for different volcanoes, and stresses once again the variation of construction times of volcanic cones.
Interactions of IgG from SLE patients with peripheral blood mononuclear cells and adherent cell populations.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from normal control subjects were studied for their interactions with IgG isolated from normal or active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sera. Preincubation of PBMCs with SLE IgG at 0.5–1.0 mg for 24 h followed by washing and subsequent cell culture for 7 days resulted in marked relative increase in cell supernatant IgG. These findings were noted with and without inclusion of cyclosporin A or indomethacin in cultures. Experiments using isolated normal adherent cell populations showed that SLE IgG but not normal IgG, when preincubated with adherent cell macrophage/monocyte populations, was capable of inducing the latter to produce suppressor factors capable of down modulating IgG production or release from normal non-adherent cells cultured with pokeweed mitogen. These findings suggest that IgG from active SLE patients may interact with both IgG-producing PBMC populations as well as adherent-cell populations to influence IgG production or release from subsequently cultured cells.
Enabling Open Development Methodologies in Climate Change Assessment Modeling

Computational simulation models help support scientifically grounded "what if" analyses by translating specialized knowledge into tools that can project the likely future impact of current actions. Models have thus become important in a variety of policy domains. In recent years, several software platforms for environmental policy-making and urban planning have added simulation models to decision support tools to provide stakeholders with direct access to these models. In this paper, we discuss the development of a publicly accessible Web service called ROMA (Radically Open Modeling Architecture) that allows anyone to create, combine, and run modular simulations, which can aid climate policy deliberations. ROMA currently provides the modeling functionality in the Climate CoLab (http:// climatecolab.org), a collective intelligence application in which large numbers of people work together to develop proposals to address climate change. In time, we hope that ROMA will support a community focused on model development and analysis.
General validity of Jastrow-Laughlin wave functions.

We construct a class of interacting-boson Hamiltonians whose exact ground-state wave functions are of Jastrow form. These Hamiltonians generally have both two- and three-body interactions; however, we show that the three-body interaction does not affect the long-wavelength physics. This enables us to deduce that (a) for Coulomb interacting bosons at T=0 the lower critical dimension is ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{c}}$=2; (b) in two dimensions, the ground-state wave function has the form of the modulus of the Laughlin wave function and exhibits algebraic long-range order; and (c) for short-range repulsions, we obtain a simple expression for the sound velocity. We also show that the Laughlin wave function is the generic ground-state wave function for fermions in a magnetic field corresponding to a filling factor of \ensuremath{\nu}=1/q.
Preventing Depression in Later Life: Translation From Concept to Experimental Design and Implementation

Objective The authors detail the public health need for depression prevention research and the decisions made in designing an experiment testing problem solving therapy as "indicated" preventive intervention for high-risk older adults with subsyndromal depression. Special attention is given to the recruitment of African Americans because of well-documented inequalities in mental health services and depression treatment outcomes between races. Methods A total of 306 subjects (half white, half African American) with scores of 16 or higher on the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale, but with no history of major depressive disorder in the past 12 months, are being recruited and randomly assigned to either problem solving therapy-primary care or to a dietary education control condition. Time to, and rate of, incident episodes of major depressive disorder are to be modeled using survival analysis. Level of depressive symptoms will be analyzed via a mixed models approach. Results Twenty-two subjects have been recruited into the study, and to date eight have completed the randomly assigned intervention and postintervention assessment. Four of 22 have exited after developing major depressive episodes. None have complained about study procedures or demands. Implementation in a variety of community settings is going well. Conclusion The data collected to date support the feasibility of translating from epidemiology to RCT design and implementation of empirical depression prevention research in later life.
The Use of Fluorescein Diacetate and Phenosafranine for Determining Viability of Cultured Plant Cells

Various stains were tested with suspension cell cultures of Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco), Oryza sativa (rice), Glycine max (soybean), Daucus carota (carrot) and Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato). A drop of the culture medium containing each dye was mixed with a drop of cells on a microscope slide and viewed after 5 min. The most suitable dyes tested were fluorescein diacetate for viable cells and phenosafranine for dead cells. These dyes stained specifically whether the cells were from cultures of different ages, of different species or if the cells had been treated in various, often toxic, ways. The viability of the cells was confirmed by observing cyclosis and plasmolysis, and whether the cells could grow further when cultured.
Noise theory of multiport networks and applications to phased array feeds, MRI coil arrays, and MIMO communications

Network analysis and classical two-port noise theory have come together in recent years to provide analysis and design techniques for communications array antennas, high sensitivity astronomical receivers, and other multiantenna systems. Key recent results are surveyed, including models for correlated antenna loss and receiver noise and impedance matching of multiport antennas and receivers for optimal SNR, and a simple approximation for correlated receiver noise is given.
Superfluid–Mott-insulator transition of light in the Jaynes-Cummings lattice

Regular arrays of electromagnetic resonators, in turn coupled coherently to individual quantum two-level systems, exhibit a quantum phase transition of polaritons from a superfluid phase to a Mott-insulating phase. The critical behavior of such a Jaynes-Cummings lattice thus resembles the physics of the Bose-Hubbard model. We explore this analogy by elaborating on the mean-field theory of the phase transition and by presenting several useful mappings which pinpoint both similarities and differences of the two models. We show that a field-theory approach can be applied to prove the existence of multicritical curves analogous to the multicritical points of the Bose-Hubbard model, and we provide analytical expressions for the position of these curves.
Endogenous opioid peptides: A guide to structures and terminology

Abstract In this minireview, I have described the primary structures of the various groups of naturally occurring peptides with activity in opiate bioassay systems, and the structural and biosynthetic relationships between them. Because different research groups have on occassion used different names to describe the same peptide, the most frequently used names are indicated, and the terminology which appears to be gaining general acceptance is noted. The possible relationships between the multiplicity of endogeneous opioids and the multiplicity of opioid receptor types is briefly discussed.
Diffuse patterns of nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage originating from the Basal cisterns have predictable vasospasm rates similar to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background Nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been historically associated with a benign clinical course. However, recent studies have suggested that nonaneurysmal SAH can present with different hemorrhage patterns that may be associated with differential rates of morbidity. Herein, we analyze a retrospective consecutive cohort of patients with nonaneurysmal SAH to determine outcomes. We also seek to evaluate a validated radiographic grading scale to determine its utility in predicting vasospasm in the setting of different hemorrhage patterns. Methods After institutional review board approval, the records of 563 consecutive patients admitted with spontaneous SAH between January 2007 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 138 of these patients had no identifiable source of hemorrhage and were further divided into 2 groups depending on their pattern of hemorrhage: perimesencephalic or diffuse. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were assessed. Results In nonaneurysmal SAH, 70 patients (50.7%) had a perimesencephalic pattern of hemorrhage, whereas 68 (49.3%) experienced diffuse SAH. Radiographic vasospasm developed in 6 patients (8.6%) with perimesencephalic SAH and in 14 patients (20.6%) with a diffuse SAH pattern. When comparing historical rates of vasospasm based on the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) scale and rates in the nonaneurysmal diffuse pattern in this series, there was no significant difference in distribution (chi-square; P = .149), compared with a difference seen with the perimesencephalic group ( P Conclusions Nonaneurysmal SAH is associated with the potential for vasospasm, with higher rates in the diffuse versus perimesencephalic SAH patterns. The BNI grading scale for aneurysmal SAH can be used to predict the risk of vasospasm in diffuse, nonaneurysmal SAH.
Children’s Critical Thinking When Learning From Others

A key component of critical thinking is the ability to evaluate the statements of other people. Because information that is obtained from others is not always accurate, it is important that children learn to reason about it critically. By as early as age 3, children understand that people sometimes communicate inaccurate information and that some individuals are more reliable sources than others. However, in many contexts, even older children fail to evaluate sources critically. Recent research points to the role of social experience in explaining why children often fail to engage in critical reasoning.
Fragmentation of myosin by papain--studies on myosin from adult fast and slow skeletal and cardiac, and embryonic muscle.

Abstract Digestion of insoluble myosin with soluble papain produces heavy meromyosin subfragment 1 (HMM-S-1) having ATPase activity and the ability to combine with actin. These fragments of myosin do not undergo appreciable changes in ATPase activity, chromatographic behavior, or actin combining ability during digestion up to 2 h but, as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, several splits occur in both the heavy and light polypeptide chains. The largest fragment of heavy chain present in fast, slow, cardiac and embryonic HMM-S-1 has a mass of 89,000 daltons. This fragment undergoes further degradation resulting in fragments having masses of the order of 70,000, 50,000, and 27,000 daltons. The latter fragment and other material resulting from the proteolysis of myosin appear as bands in that region of the gels where the light chains are found in electrophoretograms of the parent myosin. The precise size of the fragments and the rates of their formation depend on the type of myosin; slow and cardiac HMM-S-1 and their fragments show greater stability. Embryonic myosin has properties intermediate between those of fast skeletal and cardiac myosin. Experiments involving the combination of HMM-S-1 with actin and experiments with glutaraldehyde cross linking and chromatography on Sephadex G-200 indicate that the fragments separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis are held together by noncovalent forces in HMM-S-1.
Interference with smoking-cessation effects of varenicline after administration of immediate-release amphetamine-dextroamphetamine

An 18-year-old man with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was prescribed varenicline for smoking cessation. He quit smoking after 1 week of therapy and remained smoke free for the next 17 days. During that time, he had also been taking amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall) on work days for his ADHD. Because his supply of amphetamine-dextroamphetamine was diminishing, he took only half (30 mg every morning) of his prescribed dosage from days 4-12 of varenicline therapy. He further reduced his dosage to 15 mg every morning on days 13 and 14 of varenicline therapy, and his supply of amphetamine-dextroamphetamine was depleted on day 15. On day 23 of varenicline therapy, he received and filled a new prescription for amphetamine-dextroamphetamine and resumed his prescribed dosage (30 mg twice/day). He began smoking again within 48 hours. Rechallenge with varenicline while the patient continued to receive amphetamine-dextroamphetamine yielded similar results. Data suggest that addition of amphetamine to varenicline may negate the partial agonism of varenicline, resulting in elimination of the smoking-cessation aid's benefits. Other potential mechanisms for the drug interaction may also exist. Thus, varenicline may not aid smoking cessation in patients undergoing treatment with amphetamine and amphetamine-like drugs.
The greatest discovery since fire [microwave oven]

Stories of accidental or fortuitous invention have a powerful appeal. Roy Plunkett finds an unfamiliar substance inside a gas canister and turns it into Teflon. Samuel Colt sees a ship's wheel turn and uses the principle to invent his revolver. Alluring as such tales are, they obscure both the insight needed to take advantage of a chance observation and the hard work needed to develop it. In many cases, a simple origin myth like these can overshadow the extensive and detailed research that led to a world-changing invention. Consider the microwave oven. Many of us have heard how a Raytheon engineer walked past a microwave tube one day, noticed that a candy bar in his pocket had melted, and was struck with the idea of using microwaves to cook food. This incident, or something like it, may have occurred, but there is a lot more to the story than that. The idea of microwave heating was not founded on any single random discovery, and after the initial idea, it took years, even decades, of engineering and marketing to make it work.
Increase in Prostaglandin H synthase 2, but not Prostaglandin F2α synthase mRNA in intrauterine tissues during betamethasone-induced premature labor and spontaneous term labor in sheep

Prostaglandin F synthase (PGFS) catalyzes reduction of prostaglandin H2 to PGF2α,. No information exists on PGFS expression and regulation during pregnancy, either mRNA or protein, in relation to labor in uterine tissues in any species. We characterized PGFS mRNA expression in ovine myometrium, endometrium, maternal and fetal placenta in betamethasone-induced premature labor and spontaneous term labor using our cloned ovine PGFS riboprobe. Prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS) 2 mRNA was evaluated simultaneously as a control whose pregnancy related changes are well known. Poly-A or total RNA from fetal placenta, myometrium, and endometrium in control ewes at 143–147 days of gestational age (dGA, TCNL, n = 6), and ewes in spontaneous term labor at 145–147 dGA (STL, n = 6) and endometrium and maternal and fetal placenta in early control ewes not in labor (ECNL, n = 6) and betamethasone induced labor at 128–135 dGA (BL, n = 6) were analyzed for PGHS2 and PGFS mRNA. PGFS mRNA did not change at spontaneous term labor in myometrium, endometrium, and fetal placenta. PGFS mRNA decreased during betamethasone-induced premature labor in endometrium and maternal placenta (P < .05), but remained unchanged infetal placenta and myometrium. PGHS2 mRNA increased in endometrium, placenta, and myometrium during betamethasone-induced premature labor and spontaneous term labor. Increased PGHS2, but not PGFS mRNA was tightly associated with the onset of betamethasone-induced premature labor as well as spontaneous term labor in the endometrium, placenta, and myometrium. Transcription of PGFS mRNA may not be the rate-limiting step in the pathway contributing to increased PGF2α, at labor.
Frequency dependent and surface characterization of DNA immobilization and hybridization

The hybridization of oligomeric DNA was investigated using the frequency dependent techniques of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Synthetic 5'-amine-terminated single stranded oligonucleotides (ssDNA) were immobilized on the surface of the oxidized platinum driving electrodes of AT-cut quartz QCM crystals using 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane. Similar ssDNA coupling was accomplished on the exposed glass surface between the metallic digits of microlithographically fabricated interdigitated microsensor electrodes (IMEs). Confirmation of this covalent coupling surface chemistry was achieved using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR). Substantial changes in resonant frequency values (0.012% decrease) and electrochemical impedance values (both real and imaginary components) (35.4 and 42.1% increase in impedance magnitude at 1.0 Hz in buffer and deionized water, respectively) were observed resulting from hybridization of the attached ssDNA upon exposure to its complement under appropriate hybridization conditions. Non-complementary (random) oligomer sequence demonstrated a modest change in resonant frequency and a non-detectable change in impedance. Microarray glass slide surfaces modified with 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPS), shown to be advantageous in the design and use of microarrays of amine-terminated ssDNA, is confirmed to arise from direct covalent coupling of the DNA to the surface with little non-specific adsorption. The possibility to detect the binding state of DNA in the vicinity of an electrode, without a direct connection between the measurement electrode and the DNA is hereby reported. The potential for development of label-free, low-density DNA microarrays is demonstrated and is being pursued.
Sales forecasting using longitudinal data models

Abstract This paper shows how to forecast using a class of linear mixed longitudinal, or panel, data models. Forecasts are derived as special cases of best linear unbiased predictors, also known as BLUPs, and hence are optimal predictors of future realizations of the response. We show that the BLUP forecast arises from three components: (1) a predictor based on the conditional mean of the response, (2) a component due to time-varying coefficients, and (3) a serial correlation correction term. The forecasting techniques are applicable in a wide variety of settings. This article discusses forecasting in the context of marketing and sales. In particular, we consider a data set of the Wisconsin State Lottery, in which 40 weeks of sales are available for each of 50 postal codes. Using sales data as well as economic and demographic characteristics of each postal code, we forecast sales for each postal code.
Impact of nutrition on PCB toxicity.

Abstract Studies are evolving which suggest that nutritional intervention can modify pathologies of diseases associated with environmental toxic insults. The diet is a major route of exposure to environmental toxins, such as persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals. Many persistent organics, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), bioaccumulate in our bodies and “bioremediation” is extremely difficult. Furthermore, many environmental toxins induce signaling pathways that are oxidative stress-sensitive and similar or the same as the ones associated with the etiology and early pathology of many chronic diseases. There is now increasing evidence that exposure to PCBs can contribute to the development of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Activation, chronic inflammation, and dysfunction of the vascular endothelium are critical events in the initiation and acceleration of atherosclerotic lesion formation. Our studies indicate that an increase in cellular oxidative stress and an imbalance in antioxidant status are critical events in PCB-mediated induction of inflammatory genes and endothelial cell dysfunction. We also have evidence that the plasma membrane microdomains called caveolae play an important role in endothelial activation and toxicity mediated by coplanar PCBs. Caveolae are particularly abundant in endothelial cells and play a major role in endothelial trafficking and the regulation of signaling pathways associated with the pathology of vascular diseases. There is a great need to further explore this nutritional paradigm in environmental toxicology and to improve our understanding of the relationship between nutrition and lifestyle, exposure to environmental toxins and disease. Our studies suggest that certain dietary fats can increase the risk of environmental insult induced by PCBs, while other dietary factors may provide protection. Nutrition may provide the most sensible means to develop primary intervention and prevention strategies of diseases associated with many environmental toxic insults.
R(+)-8-OH-DPAT, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, inhibits amphetamine-induced serotonin and dopamine release in rat medial prefrontal cortex

Abstract Pretreatment with R(+)-8-OH-DPAT, a selective serotonin (5-HT)1A receptor agonist (50 μg/kg, s.c.), inhibited d -amphetamine sulfate (1.0 mg/kg, s.c.)-induced increases in extracellular levels of both 5-HT and dopamine (DA) in rat medial prefrontal cortex, as determined by in vivo microdialysis. The inhibitory effect of R(+)-8-OH-DPAT was completely reversed by the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY 100,635 (100 μg/kg s.c.) administered 5 min prior to R(+)-8-OH-DPAT. These results suggest that stimulation of 5-HT1A receptors may inhibit amphetamine-induced release of 5-HT and DA in the medial prefrontal cortex.
Physical and chemical characterization of multilayered structures

It is important to know the physical and chemical properties of a multilayer if its performance is to be compared to theoretical predictions, or if guidance is needed for the production of superior multilayers. Accurate, nondestructive analytical methods, such as neutron activation analysis, are restricted to certain elements. Certain destructive methods, such as total carbon analysis by combustion, can be sensitive enough for use with very small samples. The method of choice depends upon sensitivity and specificity, both of which are discussed in this paper.
Knight shift measurements through the NiAsMnP structure change in vanadium monosulfide

Abstract Knight-shift data have been obtained for a series of nonstoichiometric VSx phases with the MnP and NiAs structure types. The data demonstrate that the change in symmetry is accompanied by an abrupt change in the Knight shift indicating that the symmetry change is accompanied by a change in the character of the conduction electrons.
The Tastes of Chairman Mao: The Quotidian as Statecraft in the Great Leap Forward and Its Aftermath

This article examines instances in which Mao Zedong used food as a symbol or administrative contrivance for mass mobilization and political maneuvering during the Great Leap Forward and its aftermath. This type of “food politics” was based on some seemingly trivial matters, such as Mao’s personal preferences for certain foods, a steamed bun brought to his attention by his bodyguard, his diet during the famine, and so on. On one hand, in a political environment dominated by Mao’s personality cult and in a culture that placed great importance on culinary matters, the “triviality” of Mao’s food preferences or comments nevertheless had a cascade effect that endlessly multiplied and extended into much broader statecraft. On the other hand, in a subtle and savvy way, grassroots society circumvented the established political legitimacy with the very same comments, effectively using Mao’s own words against the policies that Mao himself advocated and enforced.
Immune cell lethality induced by streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and endotoxin.

Streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin (SPE) A has many effects on the immune system, including immunolethality, which is characterized by a significant decrease in circulating immune cells as well as depletion of the spleen and lymph nodes prior to death of experimental animals. In this report, characterization of the mechanism of immunolethality has been undertaken. Synergistic induction of immunolethality was observed in vitro when human lymphocytes were treated with both SPE A and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The same effect was demonstrated in the absence of a mitogenic response with the murine T-cell receptor, as well as in the absence of antigen-presenting cells and their secreted cytokines. The addition of antigen-presenting cells did not significantly affect lethality. SPE A directly interacted with LPS through interaction with ketodeoxyoctonate as demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and iodinated exotoxin overlays. This interaction was demonstrated to be important for immunolethality, since simultaneous addition of SPE A and LPS was required, whereas sequential addition of SPE A and LPS did not result in lethality. LPS appeared to be acting, in part, to enhance the cell-binding ability of SPE A, since SPE A could only be detected in A.E7 cell membrane preparations after simultaneous incubation with SPE A and LPS.
High offspring survival of the brown-headed cowbird in an invaded habitat

The brood parasitic brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) is considered an important threat to bird conservation in North America because it reduces the reproduction of its numerous host species. Prior to the colonisation of America by Europeans, the cowbird was largely confined to the North American prairie region, but it has since invaded forests and other habitats and is now one of the continent’s most abundant breeding passerines. The objective of this study was to examine cowbird reproduction with different host communities to determine whether habitat-specific reproduction might contribute to the cowbird’s population expansion. Cowbird offspring survival was estimated with hosts breeding in fragmented deciduous forest (a newly invaded habitat) and old fields (a habitat more similar to the cowbird’s original range). Offspring survival was 1.8–3.1 times higher in forest compared to old fields and was high enough to cause the cowbird population to increase with most forest hosts. The results suggest that increased offspring survival in an invaded habitat facilitates cowbird population growth. Land management for extensive, continuous forests, which cowbirds are known to avoid, could help control the cowbird population and reduce parasitism levels for the >140 species of cowbird hosts.
Perceived health status and utilization of specialty care: Racial and ethnic disparities in patients with chronic diseases

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine racial and ethnic variations in specialty care utilization based on (a) perceived health status and (b) chronic disease status.Methods: Variations in specialty care utilization, by perceived health and chronic disease status, were examined using the Commonwealth Fund Health Care Quality Survey ( n = 6722). Multivariate logistic regression and chi-squared analyses were used.Results: Hypertension was the most common chronic disease (25 per cent). Respondents with negative perceived health and minorities were less likely to report specialty care. Non-English language and foreign-born status were predictors of low specialty care use.Conclusions: Efforts to improve outcomes should be tailored and provided in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. Bilingual efforts to promote specialty care and methods to eliminate patient and system level barriers are needed.
Airspace management of autonomous UAVs

One major issue currently preventing the adoption of autonomous unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) is the lack of airspace management to prevent the UAVs from colliding with each other, with human-piloted planes or helicopters, with static objects such as buildings, and with dynamic flying objects such as flocks of birds. In this work, we present a novel airspace management approach to autonomous UAVs. Our airspace management system allows UAVs to dynamically and autonomously choose between three modes of operation: (i) centralized, (ii) cooperative decentralized, (iii) noncooperative decentralized.
Chemical Sunset Technological Inflexibility and Designing an Intelligent Precautionary “Polluter Pays” Principle

This article provides a theoretical policy-making model of chemical sunset that gradually substitutes green alternatives for persistent toxic substances within a finite timeframe. The technological inflexibility of these substances is a tough obstacle to a chemical sunset, because a chemical sunset seeks to ultimately stop, within a short period of time, the risky businesses of these substances that are highly entrenched into our society. In wrestling with this obstacle, the intelligent precautionary “polluter pays” principle integrates three policy tools: a “precautionary `polluter pays' principle,” “intelligent trial and error,” and democratic “regulatory negotiation.” It is designed to promote technological pluralism and strong democracy, as well as to create either trust or mutual adjustment among relevant groups.
Stochastic diffusion model for crystal size distribution in an open flow system

Ce modele prend en compte les fluctuations de la vitesse de croissance, l'influence de la dimension des cristaux sur la vitesse de croissance et le temps de sejour du cristal
Timing-driven placement using design hierarchy guided constraint generation

Design hierarchy plays an important role in timing-driven placement for large circuits. In this paper, we present a new methodology for delay budgeting based timing-driven placement. A novel slack assignment approach is described as well as its application on delay budgeting with design hierarchy information. The proposed timing-driven placement flow is implemented into a placement tool named Dragon (timing-driven mode), and evaluated using an industrial place and route flow. Compared to Cadence QPlace, timing-driven Dragon generates placement results with shorter clock cycle and better routability.
Commentary: combination therapy with two nucleos(t)ide analogues in chronic hepatitis B

comes with along delay to support the superiority of extended combi-nation therapy with ADV and LAM vs. ADV alone intreatment-naive patients, who were either HBeAg-positiveor -negative. It is a small study, lacking a LAM mono-therapy arm but has the advantage of a long duration offollow-up and inclusion of histological responses andhistochemical evaluation of HBsAg and HBcAg in theliver. However, the inclusion in both arms of severalLAM experienced patients, with 70% of them LAM resis-tant, dilutes the ﬁndings in those who were treatmentnaive. On the other hand the conclusion that extendedcombination therapy with LAM and ADV is more effec-tive than ADV alone is not a questionable one.Despite these ﬁndings, in view of the overall potency,safety, and the excellent resistance proﬁle of the newﬁrst-line antivirals, the results of this study remain of lit-tle, if any, clinical relevance.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSDeclaration of personal interests: Member of advisoryboards for Gilead, Novartis and Pﬁzer. Declaration offunding interests: None.REFERENCES