cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytokine Responses of Human Blood Monocytes Stimulated with Igs

Using an in vitro system for stimulating human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with immobilized Ig, patterns of cytokine production as a function of different Ig classes and subclasses were elucidated. Wells were coated with IgA, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 or IgG4. Equivalent protein content on surfaces of wells was demonstrated by a human kappa chain ELISA. Isolated human PBMC were added to Ig-coated wells and incubated for 24 hrs before supernatants were assayed for cytokines. The IgG subclasses showed differences in cytokine production stimulated from PBMC, with the relative stimulation for TNF alpha being IgG2 > or = IgG3 > or = IgG1 > IgG4 and for IL-6 production, IgG2 > or = IgG3 > IgG1 = IgG4. In contrast, the relative stimulation for IL-8 was IgG1 = IgG2 = IgG3 = IgG4. IgA caused less production of TNF alpha when compared to IgG2, but similar levels of IL-8. Such differences may have important implications in the pathogenesis of immune complex mediated diseases.
Regulation of cell death and antitumor immunity by a natural triterpenoid in malignant lymphoma (TUM4P.930)

B-cell lymphoma is a leading cause of hematological malignancies, accounting for almost 10% of new cancer-related deaths in the United States. In this study, we report that Ganoderic acid A (GA-A), a natural triterpenoid from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, induces anti-proliferative activity and apoptotic cell death in human B-cell lymphoma lines and primary B-cell tumors. GA-A treatment induced caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death characterized by a dose-dependent increase in active caspases 9 and 3, up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bim and Bax proteins, and a subsequent loss of mitochondrial membrane potential with release of cytochrome c. In addition to GA-A’s anti-growth activity, we show that lower doses of GA-A enhance HLA class II-mediated antigen presentation and CD4+ T cell recognition of lymphoma in vitro. The therapeutic relevance of GA-A treatment was tested in vivo using the EL4 syngeneic mouse model of metastatic lymphoma. GA-A-treatment significantly prolonged survival of EL4 challenged mice and decreased tumor metastasis to the liver, an outcome accompanied by a marked reduction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in the host. Thus, GA-A not only selectively induces apoptosis in tumor cells, but also enhances cell-mediated immune responses by reducing MDSC and elevating Ag presentation and T cell recognition. The demonstrated therapeutic benefit indicates that GA-A is a candidate for future drug design for the treatment of lymphoma.
California's New Homestead Law

This Comment deals with California's new residential exemption law. Like the homestead law, the new law protects a debtor's residence from the claims of unsecured creditors; but the residential exemption law does not require a declaration of homestead before a judgment against the debtor is recorded. The author finds that although the new law adds significantly to the protection of debtors, it presents a number of technical difficulties.
Multianalyte profiling of serum cytokines for detection of pancreatic cancer.

Early detection of pancreatic cancer might improve clinical outcome. Significant alterations in the levels of individual serum cytokines have been reported in pancreatic cancer. We hypothesized that a multicytokine panel could serve as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. To evaluate the diagnostic utility of such a panel, we have utilized a novel multianalyte LabMAP™ profiling technology that allows simultaneous measurement of multiple markers. In this study, a panel of 31 serological markers including cytokines, chemokines, growth and angiogenic factors in combination with CA 19-9 was analyzed in sera of pancreatic cancer patients, patients with chronic pancreatitis, and matched control healthy subjects. Statistical analysis identified a multicytokine panel that was able to distinguish pancreatic cancer from healthy controls with a sensitivity of 85.7% and specificity of 92.3%, which was superior to performance of CA 19-9 alone. Importantly, a multicytokine panel allowed the discrimination of pancreatic cancer from chronic pancreatitis with high sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 96.4%. In conclusion, we demonstrated that analysis of multiple serum cytokines using a novel LabMAP™ technology is a promising approach for development of a diagnostic assay for pancreatic cancer.
Breast tumor cell contamination of hematopoietic stem cell collections.

The survival for patients with advanced breast cancer following conventional combination chemo- therapy remains limited. Attempts to circumvent drug resis- tance have involved high-dose chemotherapy along with autologous hematopoietic stem cell support. Despite this, relapse remains the primary cause of death. Breast tumor cells are commonly found in hematopoietic stem cell collec- tions. The role of reinfused occult tumor cells in malignant relapse following high-dose chemotherapy has yet to be determined but is likely to have a negative im- pact. Strategies to decrease stem cell contamination under investigation include: (1) improved regimens for stem cell mobilization, (2) enhanced techniques for tumor cell detec- tion, (3) targeted tumor cell purging and (4) alternative sources of stem cells. These approaches hold promise for improving the outcome of patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell reinfusion for poor-prognosis breast cancer.
Chloridodiphen-yl{[1-(1,3-thia-zol-2-yl-κN)ethyl-idene]-4-phenyl-thio-semicarbazidato-κN,S}tin(IV) methanol monosolvate.

The title compound, [Sn(C6H5)2(C12H11N4S2)Cl]·CH4O, is formed during the reaction between 2-acetyl­thia­zole 4-phenyl­thio­semicarbazone (Hacthptsc) and diphenyl­tin(IV) dichloride in methanol. In the crystal structure, the Sn atom exhibits an octa­hedral geometry with the [N2S] anionic tridentate thio­semicarbazone ligand having chloride trans to the central N and the two phenyl groups trans to each other. The Sn—Cl distance is 2.5929 (6), Sn—S is 2.4896 (6) and Sn—N to the central N is 2.3220 (16) A. The MeOH mol­ecules link the Sn complexes into one-dimensional chains via N—H⋯O and O—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds.
Eficácia e segurança dos imuno-estimulantes na prevenção das infecções agudas do tracto respiratório nas crianças

Introducao: As infecoes agudas do tracto respiratorio (IATR) constituem a principal causa de morbilidade nos paises desenvolvidos, tendo grande impacto socio-economico. Embora a maioria das IATR seja causada por virus, a prescricao de antibioticos no seu tratamento e frequente, aumentando as resistencias aos mesmos. Assim, o uso de imuno-estimulantes na prevencao das IATR recorrentes tem sido muito enfatizado e, apesar da controversia existente sobre a sua eficacia, estes tem sido muito usados em criancas. O objectivo e rever a evidencia disponivel sobre a eficacia e seguranca dos imuno-estimulantes na prevencao das IATR nas criancas.Metodos: Pesquisa bibliografica em Janeiro de 2012 de artigos com os termos MeSH immunological adjuvants, respiractory tract infections e child, em bases de dados de medicina baseada na evidencia, publicados entre janeiro de 2000 e Janeiro de 2012.Resultados: Obtiveram-se 49 artigos, dos quais duas meta-analises e uma revisao sistematica cumpriam os criterios de inclusao. Em todos os artigos foi demonstrado que os imuno- estimulantes reduzem a incidencia de IATR nas criancas susceptiveis e que o seu beneficio e tanto maior, quanto maior a susceptibilidade das criancas as IATR. O imuno-estimulante mais estudado e o OM-85 BV, apresentando bons resultados na reducao da incidencia de IATR de repeticao nas criancas. A incidencia de efeitos adversos associados aos imuno-estimulantes foi comparavel a verificada com o placebo.Discussao: A evidencia actual indica que os imuno-estimulantes sao eficazes na prevencao das IATR nas criancas susceptiveis (SOR B) sendo o OM-85 BV, em particular, eficaz na prevencao das IATR de repeticao (SOR A). O uso de imuno-estimulantes e seguro nas criancas (SOR B) e deve ser limitado as criancas com elevada susceptibilidade para as IATR.
Parametrized structure from motion for 3D adaptive feedback tracking of faces

A real-time system is described for automatically detecting, modeling and tracking faces in 3D. A closed loop approach is proposed which utilizes structure from motion to generate a 3D model of a face and then feed back the estimated structure to constrain feature tracking in the next frame. The system initializes by using skin classification, symmetry operations, 3D warping and eigenfaces to find a face. Feature trajectories are then computed by SSD or correlation-based tracking. The trajectories are simultaneously processed by an extended Kalman filter to stably recover 3D structure, camera geometry and facial pose. Adaptively weighted estimation is used in this filter by modeling the noise characteristics of the 2D image patch tracking technique. In addition, the structural estimate is constrained by using parametrized models of facial structure (eigen-heads). The Kalman filter's estimate of the 3D state and motion of the face predicts the trajectory of the features which constrains the search space for the next frame in the video sequence. The feature tracking and Kalman filtering closed loop system operates at 25 Hz.
Formulation of numerical procedures for dynamic analysis of spinning structures

The paper presents the descriptions of recently developed numerical algorithms that prove to be useful for the solution of the free vibration problem of spinning structures. First, a generalized procedure for the computation of nodal centrifugal forces in a finite element owing to any specified spin rate is derived in detail. This is followed by a description of an improved eigenproblem solution procedure that proves to be economical for the free vibration analysis of spinning structures. Numerical results are also presented which indicate the efficacy of the currently developed procedures.
Single-valued conversion of decimal numbers to rational fractions

A single-valued conversion of decimal numbers to rational fractions has been formulated using a continued fraction expansion under the condition that the precision of the numbers to be converted is matched with the maximum expected denominator.
Impact of endovascular options on lower extremity revascularization in young patients.

Objective This study assessed outcomes of revascularization strategies in young patients with premature arterial disease. Methods Lower extremity revascularization outcomes from 2000 to 2008 were retrospectively compared among consecutive patients with comparable indications and procedures: age 60 years (control group C). Patency, limb salvage, and survival by limb or patient level were assessed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses. Results A total of 409 limbs in 298 patients were treated: 44% for claudication and 56% for critical limb ischemia (CLI). Group A patients were more likely to be smokers and have a hypercoagulable state but less likely to have diabetes and renal failure. Treatment indications were comparable among groups, and procedures were equally distributed between open surgical and endovascular interventions. Two perioperative deaths occurred in group C (2%). Mean follow-up was 29 months, and 16% of claudicant patients in group A progressed to CLI (B, 3%; C, 2%; P P = .045) vs B (65.7%, 81.4%, 86.8%; P = .01) and C (57.9%, 78.9%, 83.9%; P P = .60). Younger patients had a significantly higher 3-year survival (A, 89.5%; B, 85.3%) compared with patients aged >60 years (C, 71.4%; P = .005). The 2-year freedom from major amputation rate was significantly lower in claudicant patients in group A vs C undergoing endovascular revascularization ( P = .002), but not in patients treated with open revascularization ( P = .40). Predictors of loss of primary patency included age P = .003), endovascular revascularization ( P = .005), and progression from claudication to CLI ( P 60 years ( P = .05). Conclusions Endovascular options are commonly being used in young patients, especially those with claudication, but patency rates and outcomes remain very poor.
Application of real-time PCR for simultaneous identification and quantification of larval abalone

A paucity of direct studies of marine invertebrate larval dispersal motivated the development of a high-throughput method for identification and quantification of pinto abalone (Haliotis kamtschatkana) larvae in seawater. DNA extracted from sample retentate provided template to screen for species-specific cytochrome oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial DNA sequence via quantitative PCR (QPCR) technology. Primers and a dual-labeled probe were designed and used to identify and quantify DNA from the target species in blind tests of unknown samples alongside a standard template quantity series. Quantity estimates derived from QPCR standard curves were verified via direct enumeration of larvae using light microscopy. Multiplex reactions containing an internal positive control minimized underestimation of quantity and false negatives via partial or full PCR inhibition, respectively. Planned controlled field release and collection experiments to examine larval dispersion patterns via sampling over short and long postrelease times anticipate similar QPCR assays for other marine invertebrate species to aid investigations of larval dispersal in the marine environment.
Impedance studies of nickel/cadmium and nickel/hydrogen cells using the cell case as a reference electrode

Impedance measurements have been made on several Ni/Cd and Ni/H2 flight-weight cells using the case as a reference electrode. For these measurements, the voltage of the case with respect to the anode or cathode is unimportant provided that it remains stable during the measurement of the impedance. In the cells measured so far, the voltage of the cell cases with respect to the individual electrodes differ from cell to cell, even at the same overall cell voltage, but they remain stable with time. The measurements can thus be used to separate the cell impedance into the contributions of each electrode, allowing improved diagnosis of cell problems.
Electron-energy-loss spectroscopy of ordered oxygen overlayers on Ru(001)

High-resolution electron-energy-loss measurements and relevant theoretical calculations for the vibrational structure of ordered oxygen overlayers on the Ru(001) surface are presented. The vibrational spectrum of the $p(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ overlayer shows a single dipolaractive mode above the substrate phonon band. Because of a reduction in symmetry of the threefold adsorption site, however, the vibrational spectrum of the $p(1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)$ overlayer is fundamentally different, showing two dipolar-active modes above the substrate phonon band.
Confronting the Urban in Urban School Reform.

The ways in which urban schools respond to and are affected by the urban environment are explored through a case study analysis of Lowell Middle School, located in the West Oakland section of Oakland, California. The connection between the social environment and urban schools is generally ignored in most school reform initiatives. The unwillingness of policymakers to confront the environmental aspects of the problems facing urban schools is due to the often unstated belief that nothing can actually be done to address the plight of urban areas. In many of these communities, the urban public school is one of few social institutions that provide a degree of stability and social support to the individuals and families that are served. As the only public agency charged with serving all young people regardless of their status, the urban school has the potential to play a leading role in the revitalization of urban areas. This possibility is explored within the context of ongoing efforts at Lowell Middle School to promote educational reform by bridging the gap between the school and the community.
Controlled atmosphere, modified atmosphere and modified atmosphere pack- aging for vegetables

Purpose of Review: This review is aimed at illustrating the directions in which research on controlled atmosphere (CA), modified atmosphere (MA) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for fresh and fresh-cut vegetables has been focused since about 2000, and to highlight significant new findings in the field. Findings: In the last 5 years, little research with vegetables has been carried out to attempt to elucidate the underlying physiological and biochemical mechanisms related to the effects of CA and MA on produce. In contrast, there have been several applications of CA, MA and MAP to a surprisingly large number of previously underexploited vegetables and fresh-cut vegetable products; the potential for using superatmospheric O2, primarily in MAP, has also been extensively evaluated. Coincident with the continuing development of fresh-cut products, there has been great interest in how the growth of microbial pathogens can be controlled in MAP. Limitations/implications: Since little economic incentive exists for long-term CA or MA storage of most vegetables, recent research has been more focused on using MAP for better quality maintenance within existing supply chains. The main limitations of more successful application of MAP are the seemingly inherent problem of fluctuating temperatures that occurs during distribution, and problems with mixed loads of different products held at compromise temperatures, both of which interfere with the maintenance of proper package atmospheres. Directions for future research: Understanding the basic mechanisms that explain vegetable product tolerance to different gas atmospheres could help to streamline the optimisation of MA systems for new products. Feedback systems that allow atmospheres to be adjusted in response to indications of product stress could replace current static MA systems and address the problem of fluctuating temperatures.
Rational obstruction theory and rational homotopy sets

We develop an obstruction theory for homotopy of homomorphisms \(f,g : {\mathcal M }\to{\mathcal N }\) between minimal differential graded algebras. We assume that \({\mathcal M }=\Lambda V\) has an obstruction decomposition given by \(V=V_0\oplus V_1\) and that f and g are homotopic on \(\Lambda V_0\). An obstruction is then obtained as a vector space homomorphism \(V_1\to H^*({\mathcal N})\). We investigate the relationship between the condition that f and g are homotopic and the condition that the obstruction is zero. The obstruction theory is then applied to study the set of homotopy classes \([{\mathcal M},{\mathcal N }]\). This enables us to give a fairly complete answer to a conjecture of Copeland-Shar on the size of the homotopy set [A,B] whenA and B are rational spaces. In addition, we give examples of minimal algebras (and hence of rational spaces) that have few homotopy classes of self-maps.
Impurely Applied: The Architecture and Landscape Architecture of Vito Acconci

Par un survol sommaire de la demarche de Vito Acconci – de la poesie a l’art de la performance, a l’installation et a l’art public – et par une discussion plus approfondie de ses recents projets d’architecture et d’amenagement de l’espace public, nous examinons certaines questions centrales de la pratique du design, notamment celle des definitions toujours mouvantes de la criticalite et celle des repercussions sur le design contemporain de la polarite persistante entre le « pur » et l’« applique ».
Data envelopment analysis of technical efficiency and productivity growth in the US Pacific Northwest sawmill industry

This paper uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to characterize the changing production frontier (technical efficiency, productivity growth, technical and efficiency change, and returns to scale) of the sawmilling industry in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) US using geographical panel data for the period 1968–2002. Unlike past DEA studies, we develop confidence intervals for all estimates using an improved bootstrapping method. The results indicate that the gap between the least and most efficient regions in PNW has grown and the least efficient regions are falling further behind the most efficient regions. For the Oregon regions, the null hypothesis of constant returns to scale (CRS) could not be rejected for any year. For the Washington regions, returns to scale varied year by year, although only two of the five regions showed strong tendencies away from CRS. For PNW as a whole, mean productivity growth was 0.5% per year between 1968 and 1992. Between 1992 and 2002, the regional mean was 1.3%, although with...
Determination of IAA and ABA in the same plant sample by a widely applicable method using GC-MS with selected ion monitoring

A method for the purification and subsequent quantification of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) from the same sample of highly pigmented green tissue has been developed and tested in several species. Solvent partitioning and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used for purification. Separate fractions from HPLC-containing IAA and ABA were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) using selected-ion monitoring (SIM). Isotope dilution was used to correct for incomplete recovery. Results are presented for tissue samples from 11 different species and five different plant organs. The method can be completed, for both IAA and ABA, for two samples in 8 h by an experienced technician. IAA and ABA were the dominant peaks in the gas chromatograms from HPLC-purified samples, and amounts of about 1 ng can be detected. The extract was partitioned into an aqueous solution of pH 9.5, a step suspected of ester hydrolysis. By analyzing samples known to contain esters of IAA and ABA and comparing the results with methods which excluded this step, we have shown that this partitioning does not result in erroneously high values due to ester hydrolysis. A direct comparison of the method with one in which HPLC was not employed indicates that our method measures IAA and ABA in samples in which these compounds are not detectable when HPLC is omitted. Thus, HPLC is an essential purification step for samples where contaminating compounds co-purify with IAA and ABA through the solvent-partitioning steps.
Distributing media transformation over multiple media gateways

Media gateways have been proposed as a solution to the network heterogeneity problem in media multicasting. Services on the gateways transform media streams as they flow through the gateways. In this paper, we present our work on composable services in media gateways. A user can request a computation to be performed on a set of media streams. The system then distributes the computation over multiple gateways for execution. We present an algorithm for decomposing the computation into sub-computations, and an application-level protocol that locates appropriate media gateways to run these sub-computations.
Development of fluidized catalytic reactors: Screening and scale-up

A systematic procedure that helps develop gas-solid and gas-liquid-solid catalytic fluidized-bed reactors has two components-screening and scale-up. In screening, a reactor type is selected first from the variety of multiphase reactors. If fluidized-bed reactors are chosen, further screening is carried out using experimentally verified models to account for the detailed hydrodynamic features of the reactor. Decisions are made on the fluidization regime, heat management scheme, solid recirculation, use of reactor internals, and so on. In addition, heuristics are presented to anticipate and address issues such as catalyst agglomeration, breakage and deactivation, and changes in the nature of fluidization over the long term. The second component provides criteria to directly scale up the bench reactor to the production reactor, while maintaining a selected reactor performance index such as conversion, product yield, and selectivity.
Effects of chronic systemic insulin delivery on insulin action in dogs

The metabolic consequences of the prolonged systemic insulin delivery associated with human pancreas transplantation have not been precisely defined. To determine if systemic insulin delivery in the absence of immunosuppressive agents results in alterations in hepatic or extrahepatic insulin action, three groups of dogs were studied 2 months after either a sham operation or after their pancreatic venous drainage was severed and anastomosed to the inferior vena cava or portal vein (sham, peripheral and portal groups, respectively). The pattern of venous drainage was documented by measuring vena cava and portal insulin concentrations before and after glucose injection. Systemic insulin concentrations were higher (p<0.05) in the peripheral group than in the portal group both following a 14-h fast and after intravenous glucose. During a hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp (1 mU·kg−1·min−1), glucose utilization (measured using [63H] glucose) was slightly lower (p=0.07) in the peripheral than in the portal group. Hepatic glucose release was equal in all groups. Carbon dioxide incorporation into glucose (an estimate of gluconeogenesis) was higher in the portal than peripheral group in the fasted state but not during insulin infusion. Plasma concentrations and flux rates of fatty acids and amino acids did not differ between groups. We conclude that chronic systemic insulin delivery results in a) systemic but not portal hyperinsulinaemia, b) a minimal impairment in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, without altering insulin-induced suppression of hepatic glucose release, and c) no effect on fatty acid or amino acid turnover. Although chronic systemic insulin delivery appears to have a minimal effect on insulin action, it remains to be determined whether it has other deleterious effects such as enhancing atherogenesis.
Exposure of infants to phyto-oestrogens from soy-based infant formula

Summary Background The isoflavones genistein, daidzein, and thier glycosides, found in high concentrations in soybeans and soy-protein foods, may have beneficial effects in the prevention or treatment of many hormone-dependent diseases. Because these bioactive phyto-oestrogens possess a wide range of hormonal and non-hormonal activities, it has been suggested that adverse effects may occur in infants fed soy-based formulas. Methods To evaluate the extent of infant exposure to phyto-oestrogens from soy formula, the isoflavone composition of 25 randomly selected samples from five major brands of commercially available soy-based infant formulas were analysed, and the plasma concentrations of genistein and daidzein, and the intestinally derived metabolite, equol, were compared in 4-month-old infants fed exclusively soy-based infant formula (n=7), cow-milk formula (n=7), or human breast-milk (n=7). Findings All of the soy formulas contained mainly glycosides of genistein and daidzein, and the total isoflavone content was similar among the five formulas analysed and was related to the proportion of soy isolate used in their manufacture. From the concentrations of isoflavones in these formulas (means 32–47 μg/mL), the typical daily volume of milk consumed, and average body-weight, a 4-month-old infant fed soy formula would be exposed to 28–47 per day, or about 4·5–8·0 mg/kg body-weight per day, of total isoflavones. Mean (SD) plasma concentrations of genistein and daidzein in the seven infants fed soy-based formulas were 684 (443) ng/mL and 295 (60) ng/mL, respectively, which was significantly greater (p Interpretation The daily exposure of infants to isoflavones in soy infant-formulas is 6–11 fold higher on a bodyweight basis than the dose that has hormonal effects in adults consuming soy foods. Circulating concentrations of isoflavones in the seven infants fed soy-based formula were 13 000–22 000 times higher than plasma oestradiol concentrations in early life, and may be sufficient to exert biological effects, whereas the contribution of isoflavones from breast-milk and cow-milk is negligible.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Requirements in an Annual Dryland Cropping System

Reduced tillage systems in the Central Great Plains have improved precipitation storage efficiency and increased the potential to crop more intensively than with the traditional crop-fallow system. More intensive cropping will require additional N input to maintain economical yields. Nitrogen fertility requirements for optimum crop yields in a dryland, annual cropping system were studied. Six N fertilizer rates (0, 22, 45, 67, 90, and 134 kg N ha⁻¹) were applied to the same plots for 8 crops on a Weld silt loam (montmorillonitic, mesic Aridic Paleustoll). Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown in rotation from 1984 through 1991. Although grain yields varied with crop and year, average annual grain production was 2108, 2683, 3162, 3459, 3382, and 3411 kg ha⁻¹ for the above N rates, respectively. This included 1 yr of zero yield, when a corn crop was lost due to hail, and 1 yr of low barley yields due to heat and water stress at anthesis. This compares with annualized winter wheat yields of 1381 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ produced in an adjacent crop-fallow system with adequate applied N. Application of 67 kg N ha⁻¹ each crop year or, based on regression analysis, an average available N (soil plus fertilizer) supply of 170 kg N ha⁻¹ was sufficient to optimize (95% of maximum) grain yields over the 8-yr period. These results indicate a high potential for adopting more intensive dryland cropping systems in the Central Great Plains to increase water use efficiency and better maintain soil quality. Contribution from the USDA-ARS.
Axonal branching of ventral tegmental and raphe projections to the frontal cortex in the rat

Axonal collateralization of neurons whose divergent branches innervate the medial prefrontal cortex (MFC) and the sulcal cortex was studied in the rat by using the retrograde double-labeling technique. Injections of bisbenzimide and propidium iodide into the MFC and sulcal cortex resulted in double-labeling of a small population of cells within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and pars compacta of the substantia nigra (SNC). More extensive double-labeling was evident in the midbrain raphe nuclei. Collateralization++ therefore does not appear to be an important property of the dopamine innervation of the prefrontal cortex.
From Ellis Island to LAX: immigrant prospects in the American city.

"This article seeks to bring the ?urban' back into immigration research. Each immigrant receiving area has its own particular group of newcomers, and the economic and political structures of the immigrant receiving areas are also distinctive. Those structures are not all determining, as immigrant trajectories are shaped by the interaction between distinctive urban institutions and the specific characteristics of the relevant ethnic groups. But in the last analysis, the urban context makes a difference, as this study shows by examining the leading [U.S.] immigrant destinations--New York and Los Angeles."
Continual feeding of two types of microalgal biomass affected protein digestion and metabolism in laying hens

A 14-wk study was conducted to determine the nutritional efficacy and ssmetabolic impact of 2 types of microalgal biomass as alternative protein sources in laying hen diets. Shaver hens (total = 150 and 26 wk old) were fed 1 of 5 diets: a control or a defatted green microalgal biomass (DG; Desmodesmus spp.) at 25% and a full-fatted diatom biomass (FD; Staurosira spp.) at 11.7% inclusion with or without protease. This experiment consisted of 5 replicates per treatment and each replicate contained 6 hens individually reared in cages (1 hen for biochemical data/replicate). Despite decreased ADFI (P = 0.03), hens fed DG or FD had final BW, overall hen-day egg production, and egg quality similar to the controls. Feeding DG or FD did not alter plasma concentrations of insulin, glutamine, and uric acid or alkaline phosphatase activity at wk 8 or 14 but decreased plasma 3-methyhistine concentrations (P = 0.03) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activities (P < 0.001) at wk 14 and improved (P = 0.002) ileal total AA digestibility. Although DG or FD exhibited moderate effects on intestinal brush border protease activities and mRNA levels of duodenal transporters Pept1, Lat1, and Cat1, both substantially enhanced (P < 0.05) phosphorylation of hepatic protein synthesis key regulator S6 ribosomal protein (S6) and the ratio of phospho-S6 to S6 in the liver of hens. However, DG and FD manifested with different impacts on weights of egg and egg albumen, proteolytic activity of jejunal digesta, plasma TRAP activity, ileal total AA digestibility, and several intestinal genes and hepatic proteins. Supplemental protease in the DG and FD diets produced mixed effects on a number of measures. In conclusion, our findings revealed the feasibility of including greater levels of microalgal biomass as a source of feed protein for laying hens and a novel potential of the biomass in improving dietary protein digestion and body protein metabolism than previously perceived.
Optimal control for parabolic variational inequalities

Consider the problem of maximizing a functional that depends on a control function $k(x,t)$ and on the solution $u(x,t)$ of a parabolic variational inequality with k appearing in the data. Necessary conditions are obtained for the maximizers $k_0 (x,t)$, and the structure of $k_0 $ is then analyzed. An application to the Stefan problem is given.
Neonatal infraorbital nerve crush-induced CNS synaptic plasticity and functional recovery.

Infraorbital nerve (ION) transection in neonatal rats leads to disruption of whisker-specific neural patterns (barrelettes), conversion of functional synapses into silent synapses, and reactive gli...
Reply to Tskhovrebova et al.: Titin’s IA junction does not control thick filament length

We thank Tskhovrebova et al. (1) for allowing us to clarify the conclusions that we drew from our studies. In this work, we genetically targeted a stretch of 14Ig/FnIII domains that comprises the IA junction and revealed that deleting the IA junction moves the attachment point of titin’s spring region away from the Z-disk, increasing the strain on titin’s molecular spring elements (2). Functional studies showed that this causes diastolic dysfunction and other symptoms of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), supporting titin’s important roles in diastolic function and disease of the heart. However, using both electron and optical microscopy, we convincingly showed that deleting the IA junction does not affect thick filament length, indicating that the mechanism that underlies thick filament length control is elsewhere. Hence, we stand by our conclusion that our findings disprove that the IA junction of titin is crucial for thick filament length control. We do agree that our work does not exclude that other regions within the A-band region of titin might play an important role in thick filament length control (3, 4) and state in our summary that “Deleting the IA junction does not affect thick filament length, indicating that the mechanism that underlies thick filament length control is elsewhere.”
Correction of double-outlet right ventricle with pulmonary stenosis and aortic insufficiency in a Jehovah's Witness.

Abstract Double-outlet right ventricle is a rare congenital anomaly that may go undetected or be misdiagnosed as tetralogy of Fallot or even simple ventricular septal defect. Cardiac catheterization and selective angiography are necessary for correct diagnosis. Patients with a double-outlet right ventricle and pulmonary stenosis frequently have associated aortic regurgitation as well. A 23-year-old Jehovah's Witness had a double-outlet right ventricle, pulmonary stenosis, aortic regurgitation, and an anomalous anterior descending coronary artery. Total surgical repair was successfully performed using hemodilution techniques for temporary cardiopulmonary bypass and avoiding the use of any blood, in accordance with the patient's religious beliefs.
In vitro metabolism of substituted steroids by rat liver.

The metabolism of 14 steroids with various structures has been investigated in liver slices. In all cases the rate of destruction was estimated by the Porter-Silber reaction to determine loss of the dihydroxyacetone sidechain; by the BTZ reaction to determine reducing power of sidechain without the 17-hydroxyl; by the absorption at 240 mμ to determine reduction in the Ring-A; and, by the Gornall reaction to determine alteration in reactivity to 2,4 initrophenylhydrozine. Substitution in Ring-A (1:2 ethylenic linkage, 2 methyl) did not change sidechain reaction, but depressed saturation of the Ring-A. Substituents in the 9 position had a similar effect on rate of metabolism. Natural steroids other than cortisone and hydrocortisone appeared to be inactivated much more readily than the substituted steroids. The activity of the substituted steroids cannot be explained solely on the basis of rate of metabolism.
Mutational Spectrum of DMD Mutations in Dystrophinopathy Patients: Application of Modern Diagnostic Techniques to a Large Cohort

Mutations in the DMD gene, encoding the dystrophin protein, are responsible for the dystrophinopathies Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD), and X-linked Dilated Cardiomyopathy (XLDC). Mutation analysis has traditionally been challenging, due to the large gene size (79 exons over 2.2 Mb of genomic DNA). We report a very large aggregate data set comprised of DMD mutations detected in samples from patients enrolled in the United Dystrophinopathy Project, a multicenter research consortium, and in referral samples submitted for mutation analysis with a diagnosis of dystrophinopathy. We report 1,111 mutations in the DMD gene, including 891 mutations with associated phenotypes. These results encompass 506 point mutations (including 294 nonsense mutations) and significantly expand the number of mutations associated with the dystrophinopathies, highlighting the utility of modern diagnostic techniques. Our data supports the uniform hypermutability of CGA>TGA mutations, establishes the frequency of polymorphic muscle (Dp427m) protein isoforms and reveals unique genomic haplotypes associated with “private” mutations. We note that 60% of these patients would be predicted to benefit from skipping of a single DMD exon using antisense oligonucleotide therapy, and 62% would be predicted to benefit from an inclusive multiexonskipping approach directed toward exons 45 through 55. Hum Mutat 30:1657–1666, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Integrated daylight harvesting and occupancy detection using digital imaging

This paper describes a proof-of-concept implementation that uses a high dynamic range CMOS video camera to integrate daylight harvesting and occupancy sensing functionalities. It has been demonstrated that the proposed concept not only circumvents several drawbacks of conventional lighting control sensors, but also offers functionalities that are not currently achievable by these sensors. The prototype involves three algorithms, daylight estimation, occupancy detection and lighting control. The calibrated system directly estimates luminance from digital images of the occupied room for use in the daylight estimation algorithm. A novel occupancy detection algorithm involving color processing in YCC space has been developed. Our lighting control algorithm is based on the least squares technique. Results of a daylong pilot test show that the system i) can meet different target light-level requirements for different task areas within the field-of-view of the sensor, ii) is unaffected by direct sunlight or a direct view of a light source, iii) detects very small movements within the room, and iv) allows real-time energy monitoring and performance analysis. A discussion of the drawbacks of the current prototype is included along with the technological challenges that will be addressed in the next phase of our research.
A prospective study of church attendance and health over the lifespan.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study was to help clarify the previously ambiguous results concerning the relationship between church attendance and later physical health. DESIGN: The current study examined the effect of church attendance on 4 different indicators of later health in a sample of inner city men followed throughout their lifecourse. Measures of previous health status, mood, substance abuse, smoking, education, and social class were used as covariates in regression analyses predicting health at age 70 from church attendance at age 47. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health at age 70 was assessed by 4 indicators: mortality, objective physical health, subjective physical health, and subjective well-being. RESULTS: Though church attendance was related to later physical health, this was only through indirect means, as both physical health and church attendance were associated with substance use and mood. However, findings do suggest a more direct link between church attendance and well-being. CONCLUSION: Indirect effects of church attendance on health were clearly observed, with alcohol use/dependence, smoking, and mood being possible mediators of the church attendance-health relationship. The effects of church attendance on more subjective ratings of health, however, may be more direct.
Liver dysfunction and parenteral nutritional therapies.

Since its introduction into clinical medicine in the late 1960s, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) has been used safely for an expanded number of indications whenever it has been impossible or impractical to provide adequate enteral nutrition. 27,91 Its use, however, has been associated with several metabolic complications that have been largely remedied by changes in the types and composition of various intravenous formulas. Despite advances in the delivery of balanced parenteral nutrition, abnormalities of the liver and biliary tract are still observed, and in rare instances result in significant morbidity and mortality. Extensive investigation of TPN-related hepatobiliary disease has yielded some insight into the pathogenesis of these abnormalities, but studies have been confounded by several factors. 7,76,82,87 Liver biochemical abnormalities identified in the setting of the need for TPN are likely to be the consequence of multiple causes. Patients requiring TPN often have serious illnesses, sometimes requiring surgery and medical therapies, exposure to potentially hepatotoxic medications, and a lowered susceptibility to infection. Any of these problems can be responsible for liver enzyme elevations, which can be further aggravated by the introduction of TPN. 1,58,67,68 Investigators have had difficulty excluding metabolic disturbances associated with underlying or coexisting diseases, and essential liver histopathologic correlations have often been incomplete from published data. Therefore, in many instances it has been difficult to establish a cause-effect relationship between TPN and distinct pathologic abnormalities. With these caveats in mind, this article reviews a spectrum of hepatobiliary disorders associated with the use of TPN. Current concepts regarding the pathogenesis of these complications are also explored. Finally, potential management strategies to avoid and treat the more serious consequences associated with the use of TPN, including the role of transplantation surgery, are discussed.
Bromine Hyperfine and quadrupole fine structure in the MODR spectrum of sym-tetrabromobenzene in its lowest triplet state

This work was supported in part by AEC Contract No. AT(11-1) -3435 and he Research Corporation.
Analysis of Two-Phase Supersonic Flow in Jet Pumps

A jet pump may be constructed from a pair of concentric tubes in which the center tube is shaped as a converging-diverging nozzle. Primary fluid is allowed to accelerate through the nozzle, thus creating a low-pressure region at the nozzle exit. Secondary fluid flowing in the peripheral region is drawn into the low-pressure region and is thus accelerated. In this study, the jet pump is employed as part of a space thermal-management system based on a cycle known as the Solar Integrated Thermal Management and Power (SITMAP). The latter is a combined vapor compression cycle and a Rankine cycle with the compression device being a jet pump instead of the regular compressor. The jet pump has several advantages for space applications as it involves no moving parts, a feature that results in decreasing the weight and vibration level while increasing the system reliability. The working fluid is cryogenic nitrogen, which is readily present onboard the spacecraft. This study presents a detailed component analysis of the jet pump allowing for two-phase supersonic flow. The model also accounts for Fabri choking either at the inlet or at an aerodynamic throat in the mixing chamber. The model also accounts for flow choking at the exit of the mixing chamber. The different choking situations limit the ability of the jet pump to entrain more secondary flow once the flow is choked at any location. In this study the various choking regimes will be identified and the entrainment ratios corresponding to the different choking scenarios will be calculated.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Deep bypasses to the distal posterior circulation: anatomical and clinical comparison of pretemporal and subtemporal approaches.

OBJECTIVE: The subtemporal approach for a superficial temporal artery-to-superior cerebellar artery bypass requires significant superior retraction that can injure the temporal lobe, compromise veins, and cause edema postoperatively. In contrast, the pretemporal approach requires posterolateral retraction that seems to be less injurious to the temporal lobe and better tolerated clinically. We hypothesized that the pretemporal approach provides ample exposure, more gentle retraction, and better clinical results than the subtemporal approach. METHODS: Standard orbitozygomatic-pterional and subtemporal approaches were performed on both sides of 4 formalin-fixed cadaver heads for morphometric measurements. Temporal lobe retraction was quantified for each approach in terms of brain shift and retraction pressure by using both sides of 3 fresh, unfixed cadaver heads. Similar morphometric measurements were made in 14 patients in whom bypasses to the distal posterior circulation were performed. The effect of temporal lobe retraction was assessed with edema volumes on postoperative computed tomography scans. RESULTS: In cadaver heads and in patients, the pretemporal approach optimized exposure of the P2A segment of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) and the subtemporal approach optimized exposure of the lateral pontomesencephalic segment of the superior cerebellar artery (SCA). Working depths and lengths of exposed artery were similar with these 2 approaches, but the PCA was a larger recipient than the SCA. Brain shift was 42% less with pretemporal than with subtemporal retraction, and retraction pressure was 43% less with pretemporal than with subtemporal retraction. The volume of temporal lobe edema was 56% less in patients with bypasses performed with the pretemporal approach as compared with the subtemporal approach. CONCLUSION: Pretemporal exposure of the PCA is equivalent to subtemporal exposure of the SCA, but the pretemporal approach is facilitated by a larger recipient artery. Posterolateral temporal lobe retraction associated with the pretemporal approach is gentler than superior retraction with the subtemporal approach. These results validate our preference for the pretemporal approach over the subtemporal approach when performing deep bypasses to the posterior circulation.