cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-Dependent Airway Epithelial and Inflammatory Cell Responses Induced by Influenza Virus A/PR/8/34 in C57BL/6 Mice:

The present study examines the kinetics of airway epithelial remodeling and inflammation in the airways of C57BL/6J mice infected with influenza virus A/PR/8/34 (PR8). Mice were intranasally instilled with 50 plaque forming units (pfu) of virus or its respective vehicle, saline, and then were sacrificed at 3, 7, 10, 15, or 21 days postinfection (dpi). PR8 treatment resulted in airway epithelial cell regeneration as suggested by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive staining at 7 and 10 dpi and mucous cell metaplasia (MCM) evident at 10, 15, and 21 dpi. PR8 treatment resulted in a classic pattern of inflammation observed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), in which neutrophils peaked at 3 and 7 dpi and monocytes, lymphocytes, and eosinophils peaked at 10 dpi before returning to background levels of detection. Chemokine (MCP-1) and cytokine (IL-6, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-5, IL-4, and IL-9) levels peaked at 7 dpi in BALF. IL-13 levels were unaffected by PR8 treatment. Concurrent with inflammation, MUC5AC gene expression was markedly increased by PR8 treatment at 7 dpi. Collectively, the results of this study indicate that the onset of MCM in airway epithelium occurs during the remodeling process and persists after the inflammatory response has diminished.
American Woodcock Fall Migration Using Central Region Band-Recovery and Wing-Collection Survey Data

Band-recovery and wing-collection survey data have the potential to provide information on American woodcock (Scolopax minor) fall migration ecology in the Central Region of the United States, yet researchers have not recently analyzed these extensive data sets. We analyzed all direct recoveries of woodcock banded in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, USA, as well as wing-collection survey data, to determine the progression of fall migration, the migration direction, and the final destination of woodcock migrating from these states. We did not observe migration initiation based on band recoveries until late October and early November, with most migration occurring during November. Wing-receipt data showed a similar trend, with most change in mean receipt latitude occurring from 1 November to 5 December. During November, wing receipts were spread through the entire Central Region. By 15–31 December, 92% (n = 26) of band recoveries were on the wintering grounds (south of latitude 33°N). Most banded woodcock from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin wintered in Louisiana, USA. Woodcock banded in these states will be exposed to harvest for most of the hunting season because they remain in these states through November. If the population status of local birds is a concern, managers should consider this migration pattern when setting season dates.
Dietary arginine prevents atherogenesis in the coronary artery of the hypercholesterolemic rabbit

Abstract Objectives. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that long-term oral supplementation of dietary l -arginine (to provide a sustained elevation of nitric oxide activity) would inhibit atherogenesis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits, as assessed by histomorphometric measurements. Background. Endothelium-derived nitric oxide inhibits a number of processes that are critical in atherogenesis. Hypercholesterolemia reduces endothelial nitric oxide activity, and we postulate that this may promote atherogenesis. This reduction in nitric oxide activity can be reversed acutely by intravenous infusion of l -arginine, the precursor of nitric oxide. We show that dietary supplementation of l -arginine abrogates the development of coronary atheroma in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Methods. Male New Zealand White rabbits were fed normal rabbit chow, 1% cholesterol chow or 1% cholesterol chow with dietary arginine or methionine supplementation to increase their intake of these amino acids sixfold. After 1 or 10 weeks of dietary intervention, the left main and left anterior descending coronary arteries were harvested for histologic study. Plasma cholesterol measurements were elevated to the same degree in all groups of rabbits receiving the 1% cholesterol diet, whereas plasma arginine levels were doubled in the arginine-treated group. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol values were not affected by arginine treatment. Results. In rabbits receiving the 1% cholesterol diet, with or without methionine supplementation, light and electron microscopy revealed a marked increase from 1 to 10 weeks in the intimal accumulation of macrophages, associated with an increase in the intimal area of the left main coronary artery. By contrast, in arginine-treated hypercholesterolemic rabbits, there was a near absence of adherent monocytes and tissue macrophages and no progression of intimal thickness from 1 to 10 weeks. Conclusions. Dietary supplements of l -arginine prevent intimal thickening in the coronary arteries of hypercholesterolemic rabbits. This antiatherogenic effect is not due to an alteration in plasma total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol or caloric or nitrogen balance. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that nitric oxide has antiatherogenic properties.
Trade-offs between retroactivity and noise in connected transcriptional components

National Science Foundation (U.S.). Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (Award 1058127)
Future Directions for Agricultural Policy

Based on past developments, one might conclude that future directions of U.S. agricultural policy will be more of the same. Today's agricultural programs are only slight modifications of programs developed fifty years ago. It is probably a good bet that the upcoming 1985 legislation will be only a slight modification of the 1981 legislation. Farm programs generally have been developed in response to the economic and political climate existing at the time legislation was being written rather than based on longer-term analysis. The PIK program is the most recent example. The fact that the PIK program was needed to reduce grain stockpiles is clear evidence that farm programs with short-run perspectives operated subject to short-run, and perhaps short-sighted, budget constraints are inadequate to deal with the complexities of the U.S. agriculture sector. Farm programs have been justified on grounds that (a) price support programs are necessary to keep farm family income on par with nonfarm family income, and (b) without government intervention agricultural prices would fluctuate too widely and create hardships for both producers and consumers. Thus, most farm programs have had dual objectives of income support and price stabilization. The economic realities of today's agricultural sector are inconsistent with the assumptions and objectives of existing farm legislation. Consequently, these programs are increasingly expensive and difficult to manage. Changes in the nature of U.S. agricultural policies are required if our programs are to reflect the economic realities of U.S. agriculture.
The use of a flow test and a flow model in evaluating the durability of various nuclear waste-form materials

The comprehensive predictive model described in this paper has been briefly outlined for a single particular set of repository parameters in an earlier paper. A general detailed derivation and a detailed illustration of the use of this method in comparative evaluation of a variety of waste-form materials are given. The model focuses on the long-term leach rate of materials under all possible water flow rates through a repository site, given any exposure configuration (i.e., ratio between the exposed area of the waste form and the volume of water with which it is in effective contact) which is considered most representative of the actual repository conditions. The model permits direct calculation of the annual fractional release rate of the major matrix elements as well as of any other components of a waste form. This makes it possible to evaluate how well various waste forms meet long-term durability criteria such as those proposed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, makes it possible to obtain such release rates, corresponding to the entire range of flow conditions expected in a repository down to very slow flow rates by conducting dynamic laboratory tests at practical rates of leachant exchange at relatively high surfaceto-volume ratios, followingmore » the leachate composition until the leach rates approach constant values, and normalizing the data to the surface-to-volume ratio expected under repository conditions. The purpose of this paper is to outline the general derivation of the model and to describe the results of applying the model in dynamic leach tests carried out on five different waste-form materials over the entire range of effective flow rates expected under repository conditions.« less
Mn2+ does not uncouple adenosine "Ra" receptors from the liver adenylate cyclase.

Summary Stimulation of hepatic adenylate cyclase by “R”-site selective analogs of adenosine was blocked by methylxanthines and required GTP, consistent with “Ra”-receptor initiated coupling through the guanine nucleotide regulatory component. In contrast to the effect of high concentrations of Mn2+ to block activation of the liver cyclase by glucagon, activation of the enzyme by N6(phenylisopropyl) adenosine was not diminished by concentrations of Mn2+ up to 40 mM. The data suggest that Mn2+-induced uncoupling of receptor-cyclase interactions, common to stimulation of the cyclase by other hormones, does not apply to the adenosine “Ra”-receptor activation of the enzyme.
Lipid peroxidation in cataract of the human

Lipid peroxidation was investigated as one of the possible mechanisms of cataractogenesis in the human. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a major breakdown product of lipid peroxides, was significantly higher in cataractous lenses as compared to that in normal lenses. 2-Thiobarbituric acid-reactive material, isolated from cortical cataracts and purified by Sephadex G-10 column chromatography, was identified as MDA. In cataractous lenses the enzymic defenses against reactive species of O2 were impaired as evidenced by the significant decrease in activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Hydrogen peroxide in aqueous humor and vitreous humor of human eyes associated with cataract was increased 2-3 fold. It is possible that carbonyl groups of MDA could interact with primary amino groups of proteins and phospholipids of lenticular plasmalemmae by a cross-linking reaction forming Schiff-base conjugates and these mechanisms might be involved in the pathogenesis of cataract.
The Development of Physical Facilities for Research

The problems of designing a modern research laboratory approach the design complexities of a large industrial plant, and the satisfactory solution requires architectural and engineering talent and, in most cases, actual scientific participation. Over-all problems must be considered, programs of research must be analyzed, and facilities must be developed to meet future requirements. This paper describes how these problems were met by the Burean of Ordnance in establishing the Naval Ordnance Laboratory at Silver Spring, Md.
Per os challenge of Litopenaeus vannamei postlarvae and Farfantepenaeus duorarum juveniles with six geographic isolates of white spot syndrome virus

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is one of the most important pathogens of penaeid shrimp. It is widely distributed in most Asian countries where penaeid shrimp are cultured, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico and SE USA. The virulence of six geographic isolates of WSSV was compared using Litopenaeus vannamei postlarvae and Farfantepenaeus duorarum juveniles. The six geographic isolates of WSSV originated from China, India, Thailand, Texas, South Carolina, as well as from crayfish maintained at the USA National Zoo. For challenge studies, virus infected tissues were given per os to L. vannamei postlarvae and Fa. duorarum juveniles. Resultant WSSV infections were confirmed by histological examination. The cumulative mortality of L. vannamei postlarvae reached 100% after challenge with each of the six geographic isolates of WSSV. However, the Texas isolate caused mortalities more rapidly than did the other shrimp isolates; the crayfish WSSV isolate was the slowest. In marked contrast, cumulative mortalities of juvenile Fa. duorarum reached only 35–60%, and varied among the geographic isolates of WSSV. Interestingly, in Fa. duorarum, the Texas WSSV isolate was also the most virulent, while the crayfish WSSV was the least virulent. The findings suggest that slight differences in virulence exist among geographic isolates of WSSV, and that susceptibility may vary with species and lifestages of the host.
Cardiovascular responses to the intravertebral artery injection of hypertonic contrast media in the dog.

Central nervous system-mediated cardiovascular responses to contrast medium (CM) are believed the result of a vagal or of a sympatholytic response; these effects may be enhanced in the setting of dehydration. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate neurally mediated effects of intravertebral artery CM injections on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and regional vascular resistances in euvolemic and dehydrated dogs. Animal preparation consisted of food and water ad libitum (n = 7) vs. 2.0 ml/kg i.m. furosemide and 48 hours thirsting (n = 7). During pentobarbital anesthesia BP, HR and renal and femoral blood flows were continuously monitored and meglumine iothalamate 60% (1 ml/kg) injected via a left vertebral artery catheter at 3 ml/sec; matched volume injections of normal saline served as control. Decreases in BP, HR and femoral and renal vascular resistances post CM injection were observed in the first 10 seconds before the CM had reached the systemic circulation. Significant decreases in both BP (-10.6 +/- 1.7%) and HR (-11.5 +/- 1.6%) post CM injection were noted with dehydration (n = 7). In the euvolemic dogs (n = 7) the decrease in HR (-7.3 +/- 2.0%) was significant but the decrease in BP (-3.9 +/- 2.4%) was not. The decrease in femoral vascular resistance was -22.7 +/- 9.0% in euvolemic dogs and -21.9 +/- 8.8% in dehydrated dogs. No significant changes were noted with the intravertebral artery injections of normal saline in control euvolemic and dehydrated animals. The early cardiovascular responses to CM suggest a direct action on the vasomotor center of the medulla. The effects on BP and HR are more severe in the dehydrated than in the euvolemic state.
Analysis of IGF and IGFBP as prognostic serum biomarkers for adrenocortical carcinoma.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) lacks diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to guide treatment. A consistently dysregulated pathway in ACC is the IGF signaling pathway, specifically overexpression of IGF2, IGF-I-receptor, and IGFBP2. The objective of this study was to perform a comprehensive analysis of serum IGF and IGFBP levels and to determine their utility as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in ACC. Preoperative serum samples from 53 patients who underwent surgery for adrenocortical adenomas, 3 patients who underwent initial surgery for ACC, 16 patients who underwent reoperative surgery for ACC, and 5 healthy volunteer controls were analyzed. The serum concentration of IGF1, IGF2, IGFBP1, IGFBP2, and IGFBP3 was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. No difference in the levels of IGF2 (p = .231) and IGFBP2 (p = .511) was observed between patients with ACC, benign adrenocortical tumors, and healthy volunteers. IGF1, IGFBP1, and IGFBP3 levels were not detected. High IGFBP2 levels were associated with better overall survival (OS) (p = .001) and showed a trend toward better abdominal progression-free (APFS) survival (p = .070) in patients with ACC. A subanalysis of patients undergoing reoperation for recurrent ACC showed better OS with high levels of IGFBP2 (p = .003) and a trend toward better APFS (p = .107). There was no significant difference in IGF2 and IGFBP2 levels by extent of disease. IGF2 and IGFBP2 are not elevated in the serum of patients with ACC compared with patients with benign neoplasms and healthy volunteers. Elevated serum IGFBP2 is associated with better survival in patients with ACC and those undergoing reoperative surgery for recurrent ACC.
Investigation of the conjugase treatment procedure in the microbiological assay of folate

Abstract Microbiological assays have been conducted to determine the growth responses of Lactobacillus casei to pteroyl di-, tri-, tetra-, hexa- and hepta- glutamates relative to the monoglutamate (folic acid). Deconjugation using human blood plasma conjugase at acidic pH (4·5) results in a substantial degradation of folates while between pH 6·0 and 7·0, optimum results could be obtained using a slight excess of plasma. The end products of conjugase treatment with either plasma or chicken pancreas extract as the source of conjugase depend on, besides the conjugase source, the incubation pH and the inhibitory components present in the incubation mixture.
THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN FIELD DEPENDENCE AS A FACTOR IN LEARNING AND MEMORY1

The literature relating individual differences in field dependence to learning and memory is reviewed in four areas: (1) the effects of cue salience in discrimination learning; (2) participant vs. spectator roles in learning; (3) repression as a factor in forgetting and (4) the effects of interpersonal orientation on acquisition of social information and on the effectiveness of social reinforcers.
Galerkin methods for parabolic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions

A variety of Galerkin methods are studied for the parabolic equationu t =??(a(x)? u),x?Ω?? n ,t? (O,T], subject to the nonlinear boundary conditionu v =g(x,t,u),x??Ω,t? (O,T] and the usual initial condition. Optimal order error estimates are derived both inL 2 (Ω) andH 1 (Ω) norms for all methods treated, including several that produce linear computational procedures.
On the retino-cortical mapping

Abstract Based on Hubel & Wiesel's physiological findings on the projection from retina to cortex, a schematic model of that stage of visual processing is constructed and its properties investigated. The projection or mapping appears to carry out an automatic “normalization of description” for the same object independent of retinal image size. This property suggests new concepts regarding (1) contrast sensitivity, (2) the nature and role of indirect vision, (3) the role of eye movements and (4) the recognition of patterns and the analysis of scenes.
Hand-assisted laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass grafting.

Abstract Objective: Aortobifemoral bypass grafting is a durable operation for arterial reconstruction in patients with symptomatic aortoiliac occlusive disease. In several small laparoscopic series technically demanding aortic operations have been described that have not gained widespread acceptance or applicability. To simplify the laparoscopic approach to the aorta, we have developed a technique of aortobifemoral bypass grafting that uses hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) to minimize the complexity of aortic dissection and reconstruction. Methods: Five patients with symptomatic aortoiliac occlusive disease underwent successful HALS aortobifemoral bypass grafting. With the use of a specialized sleeve device (Hand-Port), an operative hand was introduced into the laparoscopic field while pneumoperitoneum was maintained. Laparoscopic dissection of the infrarenal aorta was then performed with retraction provided by the operative hand. Proximal aortic anastomosis was performed with an open technique through the same 7.5-cm Hand-Port incision, and femoral anastomoses were performed in the standard fashion. Results: Five hand-assisted laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass grafts were performed (two end-to-end, three end-to-side proximal anastomoses). Mean operative time was 231 minutes. Mean blood loss was 440 mL. All patients underwent extubation immediately after surgery, were ambulatory on postoperative day (POD) 1, and were tolerating their diet by POD 3. The mean length of hospital stay was 3.8 days. One patient was discharged on POD 5 and started a clear liquid diet after a self-limiting postoperative ileus. All patients were asymptomatic and back to full activity/work by 14.6 days postoperatively, on average (range, 11-20 days). Conclusion: The HALS offers the advantages of tactile feedback, flexible retraction, and the introduction of conventional surgical instruments, all of which extend laparoscopic surgery and its established benefits to a wide array of more complex surgical problems, including major vascular surgery. Ease of performance, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery times all suggest that HALS may become a valuable adjunct to conventional aortobifemoral bypass grafting. (J Vasc Surg 2000;31:1142-8.)
The dynamical and liquid water structure of the small cumulus as determined from its environment

This paper examines the evidence for the model of a small cumulus cloud represented as a quasi static but turbulent entity, growing on the upshear side and decaying on the downshear side. While the air just outside the cloudy outline is, on average, stationary relative to the embedding airmass, there is a slight flow, upwards and forward as though the updraft has induced upward motion in the clear air outside the cloud, on the growing side. On the decaying side the motion is downwards and away from the cloud. This is a flow pattern which is not consistent with the air flowing around the cloud as it moves forward but it agrees well with the picture given. Decayed remnants of cloud are found throughout the air previously occupied by the cloud. The cloud outline moves through the embedding air at a velocity which is almost as large as the relative motion of the subcloud feeding airflow (which is almost free from internal wind shear in strong convection). The mixing of dry air from above the inversion yields the observed diluted liquid water content in small cumuli, if such mixing is allowed to proceed until the cloud density equals that of the surrounding air. Quantitative conditions relating the liquid water to inversion temperature and moisture changes, and to the stability of the environment are presented. The strong vertical mixing from the top of the cloud downwards is important to microphysical processes.
Reading up books: An introduction to laser literature: Laser technology will produce new discoveries and new challenges, providing fertile ground for the well-trained and the well-read

Texts that deal expressly with the laser at the advanced undergraduate and first-year-graduate-student level are listed, and the strengths and weaknesses of each are discussed. Also recommended are certain texts on atomic theory, solid-state physics, and optics.
Coarse Graining Protein-Phospholipid Interactions and Diffusion with MsbA Flippase

Coarse-grained (CG) modeling has proven effective for simulating lipid bilayer dynamics on scales of biological interest. Simulating the dynamics of flexible membrane proteins within the bilayer, on the other hand, poses a considerable challenge due to the complexity of the folding or conformational landscape. In the present work, the multiscale coarse-graining method is applied to atomistic peptide-lipid ‘soup’ simulations in order to develop a general set of CG protein-lipid interaction potentials. The reduced model was constructed to be compatible with recent CG models developed for protein-protein folding and lipid-lipid model bilayer interactions. The utility of the CG force field was demonstrated by simulation of the MsbA ABC transporter in a mixed DOPC/DOPE bilayer. An elastic network was parameterized to restrain the MsbA dimer in its open, closed and post-hydrolysis conformations while maintaining domain flexibility. Conformational stability enabled long time dynamics simulation of MsbA freely diffusing in a 25 nm membrane patch. Three-dimensional density analysis revealed that a shell of ‘annular lipids’ solvate the membrane accessible surface of MsbA and its interior substrate binding chamber. The annular lipid shell is a function of the orientation of grooves formed between transmembrane helices and may influence the alternating access mechanism of substrate entry and translocation.
Infection within a degenerated starr-edwards silicone rubber poppet in the aortic valve position

Infiltration of the silicone rubber ball of early model caged-ball prosthetic valves by serum lipids caused changes (ball variance) which often resulted in regurgitation, stenosis or embolization of the poppet. 1 Changes in manufacturing of the poppet in 1965 have almost eliminated ball variance. 2 We describe a patient who had a bare-strut caged-ball aortic valve prosthesis that functioned for 18 years and was electively removed for recurrent infection associated with a variant ball.
Energy Harvesting Receivers: Packet Sampling and Decoding Policies

When receivers rely on stochastic energy harvesting, power outages will reduce the reliable communication rate. To model the receiver, we decompose the processing tasks in two parts: (1) sampling or Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC), which includes all RF front-end processing, and (2) decoding. This work considers a time-slotted system in which a source transmits coded packets through a time-invariant channel to a receiver with a finite battery and a decoder whose energy consumption can be adapted from slot to slot. Based on the relative energy costs of sampling and decoding and a stochastic model for the energy harvesting, we determine sampling and decoding policies that maximize the packet throughput. When the receiver is battery-constrained, we show that the throughput is maximized by a deferred decoding policy that samples packets at every opportunity but decodes backlogged packets using only excess energy that would otherwise be discarded. This result is shown to hold for Markov-modulated energy harvesting processes with arbitrary memory. In addition, when the average energy harvesting rate is not sufficient to decode all packets, a modified policy that defers decoding only when the backlog is below a threshold is shown to perform well when the threshold is carefully chosen.
Elongated left lobe of the liver mimicking a subcapsular hematoma of the spleen on the focused assessment with sonography for trauma exam

The focused assessment with sonography for trauma examination has assumed the role of initial screening examination for the presence or absence of hemoperitoneum in the patient with blunt abdominal trauma. Sonographic pitfalls associated with the examination have primarily been related to mistaking contained fluid collections with hemoperitoneum. We present a case in which an elongated left lobe of the liver was misdiagnosed as a splenic subcapsular hematoma. It is imperative that emergency physicians and trauma surgeons be familiar with this normal variant of the liver and its associated sonographic appearance on the perisplenic window in order to prevent nontherapeutic laparotomies or embolizations.
A Multislotted Waveguide Antenna for High-Powered Microwave Heating Systems

A method of microwave power application is described for large industrial heating systems in which a preselected temperature distribution may be specified for typical work loads. This goal is approached through the use of a discrete number of fieldradiating slots cut in the broad side of an S-band waveguide. Uniform or graded distributions of microwave power are obtainable through design data that were experimentally determined and empirically recorded. Individual slot power is determined by the waveguide input power, the number of slots, and the location of the slots on the surface of the waveguide. In a system using 30 slots, work-load temperatures at 60-kW input levels were noted to meet a five-percent variation around a 100°C requirement.
New trends in vacuum-based photon detectors

Abstract Recent progress on vacuum-based photon detectors is reviewed. Even after rapid progress on various solid-state detectors, vacuum-based photon detectors such as photomultipliers still play a significant role in many high-energy experiments where high-speed detection of weak photon signals are critical. The latest development of hybrid devices such as HPD, HAPD, EBCCD and ISPA are reviewed and their advantage over conventional photon detectors is discussed in some detail.
Essential role of TNF receptor superfamily 25 (TNFRSF25) in the development of allergic lung inflammation

We identify the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily 25 (TNFRSF25)/TNFSF15 pair as critical trigger for allergic lung inflammation, which is a cardinal feature of asthma. TNFRSF25 (TNFR25) signals are required to exert T helper cell 2 (Th2) effector function in Th2-polarized CD4 cells and co-stimulate interleukin (IL)-13 production by glycosphingolipid-activated NKT cells. In vivo, antibody blockade of TNFSF15 (TL1A), which is the ligand for TNFR25, inhibits lung inflammation and production of Th2 cytokines such as IL-13, even when administered days after airway antigen exposure. Similarly, blockade of TNFR25 by a dominant-negative (DN) transgene, DN TNFR25, confers resistance to lung inflammation in mice. Allergic lung inflammation–resistant, NKT-deficient mice become susceptible upon adoptive transfer of wild-type NKT cells, but not after transfer of DN TNFR25 transgenic NKT cells. The TNFR25/TL1A pair appears to provide an early signal for Th2 cytokine production in the lung, and therefore may be a drug target in attempts to attenuate lung inflammation in asthmatics.
Estimation of Pavement‐Layer Moduli using Nonlinear Optimization Technique

Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) testing is used for nondestructive structural evaluation of existing pavements. The deflection data from FWD can be used for estimation of layer moduli by an iterative technique. In the calculation process, commonly known as backcalculation, comparison is done between calculated deflections from a suitable theory and those measured by the FWD. The estimated moduli values correspond to the best fit of the measured deflection basin. In the present study, a nonlinear optimization technique has been used to estimate the layer moduli in the backcalculation process. The backcalculation scheme developed is applicable to 3-layer to 6-layer pavements. The method was verified by simulated deflection data from elastic-layer theory and FWD-deflection measurements on 13 in-service pavements in Arizona. They were found to approximate closely the manual approach of matching deflection basins. The algorithm has been coded in a computer program called the Arizona Deflection Analysis Method (ADAM).
Ground layer wavefront reconstruction using dynamically refocused Rayleigh laser beacons

Experiments have been carried out at the MMT telescope to validate ground layer wavefront reconstruction using five dynamically refocused Rayleigh laser beacons. Here we quantify the wavefront improvement expected from ground layer adaptive optics correction.
Controls on runoff generation and scale-dependence in a distributed hydrologic model

Abstract. Hydrologic response in natural catchments is controlled by a set of complex interactions between storm properties, basin characteristics and antecedent wetness conditions. This study investigates the transient runoff response to spatially-uniform storms of varying properties using a distributed model of the coupled surface-subsurface system, which treats heterogeneities in topography, soils and vegetation. We demonstrate the control that the partitioning into multiple runoff mechanisms (infiltration-excess, saturation-excess, perched return flow and groundwater exfiltration) has on nonlinearities in the rainfall-runoff transformation and its scale-dependence. Antecedent wetness imposed through a distributed water table position is varied to illustrate its effect on runoff generation. Results indicate that transitions observed in basin flood response and its nonlinear and scale-dependent behavior can be explained by shifts in the surface-subsurface partitioning. An analysis of the spatial organization of runoff production also shows that multiple mechanisms have specific catchment niches and can occur simultaneously in the basin. In addition, catchment scale plays an important role in the distribution of runoff production as basin characteristics (soils, vegetation, topography and initial wetness) are varied with basin area. For example, we illustrate how storm characteristics and antecedent wetness play an important role in the scaling properties of the catchment runoff ratio.
In vivo gene transfer into rat arterial walls with novel adeno-associated virus vectors

Abstract Purpose: We studied the ability of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors to achieve gene transfer in vivo to intact rat carotid arteries. Methods: Isolated segments of uninjured rat carotid arteries were incubated with (1) rAAV vectors that expressed a β-galactosidase gene, (2) a related vector with no promoter, or (3) a normal saline solution. Gene transfer was evaluated with in situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Transgene expression was assessed at intervals that ranged from 24 hours to 2 months by measurement of β-galactosidase activity and protein mass in tissue extracts with fluorometric and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, respectively. Dose dependence of expression was determined for virus concentrations that ranged from 5 × 10 4 to 5 × 10 5 infectious units (iu)/ml. Results: Light microscopic analysis of in situ PCR-stained histologic sections of transduced vessel walls showed approximately 90% of intimal and medial cell nuclei contained the β-galactosidase gene, compared with none in control arteries. In vivo β-galactosidase expression was (1) highest 24 hours after gene transfer, (2) elevated for 1 month, and (3) dose responsive. Conclusions: rAAV vectors can mediate focal gene transfer into the intact rat carotid artery with detectable levels of transgene expression for 1 month and are potentially useful agents for in vivo gene transfer into intact arteries. (J Vasc Surg 1997;25:347-55.)
Laparoscopic appendectomy: a simplified technique.

ABSTRACT Laparoscopic appendectomy can easily be performed by a surgeon familiar with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The technique described employs the same spatial relationships which are used in ...
Nucleic acid synthesis in preimplantation rabbit embryos. I. Quantitative aspects, relationship to early morphogenesis and protein synthesis.

The ability of rabbit embryos to incorporate tritiated uridine and thymidine into acid-insoluble material in vitro has been quantitated by liquid scintillation counting at daily intervals throughout the preimplantation period. The ribonucleic acid content of the embryos has been determined by the orcinol reaction. It is shown that, in spite of a low level of Actinomycin D-sensitive uridine incorporation during cleavage, there is no net synthesis of ribonucleic acid until immediately prior to blastocyst formation. The acceleration of ribonucleic acid synthesis which occurs at that time precedes, by some 36 hours, the acceleration of protein synthesis. This finding is discussed from the standpoint of genetic expression in the preimplantation rabbit embryo, and with reference to the possibilities for post-transcriptional control of protein synthesis.
The thermodynamic properties of chroman and isochroman

Abstract Measurements leading to the calculation of the ideal-gas thermodynamic properties for chroman and isochroman are reported. Thermochemical and thermophysical properties were determined by adiabatic heat-capacity calorimetry, combustion calorimetry, comparative ebulliometry, and inclined-piston manometry. Density measurements are reported for chroman. Results were used to calculate standard molar entropies, enthalpies, and Gibbs energies of formation for the ideal gas at selected temperatures from near the respective triple-point temperatures to 500 K. The polynomial used in the JANAF Thermochemical Tables to represent the enthalpy of reference-state graphite from 298.15 K to 6000 K is published for the first time. Below 298.15 K, interpolated values used at NIPER are listed at 10 K intervals to 200 K. Published estimates of the ideal-gas properties of chroman and isochroman, based on group-contribution estimates, show large deviations from the experimental values reported here.
Boundary conditions in mixture theory and in CFD applications of higher order models

We discuss the importance of and the need for (additional) boundary conditions in Mixture Theory (also known as the Theory of Interacting Continua). Specifically, we will give an overview of the model due to Rajagopal and Massoudi which is appropriate for the flow of a linearly viscous fluid infused with solid particles. The solid particles are modeled as granular materials. In this formulation the need for additional boundary condition arises due to higher gradients of density (or volume fraction). The challenging issue of how to 'split' the total stress or the total velocity at the boundary is also discussed.
Transfer of ovine experimental allergic glomerulonephritis (EAG) with serum.

Serum globulin from donor sheep made nephritic by immunization with glomerular basement membrane and subsequently nephrectomized contained specific kidney-fixing antibody and was capable of inducing an immediate, although transient, glomerulonephritis when injected into unilaterally nephrectomized lambs. This nephritis was characterized by immediate proteinuria, PMN infiltration into the glomerulus, and localization of γG- and s1C-globulins in a linear fashion along the recipients' glomerular capillary walls. The nephritogenic property of the serum could be absorbed in vitro with isolated sheep glomerular basement membranes.
The radial transport of energetic solar flare particles from 1 to 6 AU

Data from the Pioneer 10 and 11 missions to Jupiter and beyond are used in a study of solar flare accelerated particles at distances of several astronomical units from the sun. The intensity-time profiles out to at least 6 AU are consistent with mainly diffusive interplanetary propagation. The outer boundary of the diffusion region is thought to be beyond 10 AU, since no obvious effects of a free escape boundary were observed. Four solar particle events are discussed in detail. The events are interpreted in terms of a spherically symmetric propagation model which includes the effects of diffusion, convection, and adiabatic deceleration and which assumes that the particles are impulsively injected at the sun.
Antimicrobial Activity of Butylated Hydroxyanisole, Tertiary Butylhydroquinone, and Potassium Sorbate in Combination

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), and potassium sorbate, alone and in combination, were tested for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium in trypticase soy broth. Concentrations of the antimcrobials which resulted in 0-50% growth lnhibition of the test organisms after 72 hr at 32°C were used in combination. Sorbate-BHA and sorbate-TBHQ combinations caused a 12 hr delay in growth initiation of S. aureus. No delay in growth initiation was found with BHA-sorbate combinations against S. typhimurium, but all combinations had synergistic antimicrobial activity against the: microorganism. TBHQ showed little or no effect on growth of S. typhimurium.
PEM fuel cell system identification and model order reduction for H infin; loop shaping controller design

Low order linear models are normally preferred over more complex ones particularly in the Hinfin control system framework. Controllers designed based on Hinfin linear control theory tend to exhibit orders higher than or equal to the order of the original system. In this contribution, two methods were utilized in order to obtain a low order linear MIMO state space model equivalent to the nonlinear automotive Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) power system developed in [2]. The principles of input-output system identification (prediction-error minimization) and balanced model order reduction were utilized. In the first method, a linear 8th order state space model was estimated to best reproduce the outputs of the nonlinear system. Model order was lowered one order at a time and a state space model was identified. The one step ahead prediction outputs of the linear modes (8th order through 4th order) were compared to the nonlinear model outputs of several input-output data sets. Outputs of the aforementioned linear models and the outputs of the nonlinear model were very closely matched. The identified 4th order linear model was deemed very suitable to represent the PEMFC system. In the second method, a balanced model order reduction technique was utilized to obtain a truncated 4th order linear model directly from the identified 8th order model obtained by the first method. The outputs of the truncated model and the outputs of the nonlinear model matched very well. Each of the 4th order models was capable of capturing the dynamics of the PEMFC system and each of their performances was deemed highly satisfactory. A simple yet effective Hinfin loop shaping power tracking controller was designed in order to set the net output power of the stack to its desired levels following dynamic changes in load demand by means of manipulating the input voltage of the compressor motor. The Hinfin compensated system exhibited faster transient response, less overshoot, higher robustness and lower sensitivity margins when compared to the results of basic feed forward controllers presented in [2], [4], and [10].
A 10 GS/s 6 b Time-Interleaved Partially Active Flash ADC

This paper presents a new ADC architecture called partially active flash ADC. A 10 GS/s 6 b four-way time-interleaved ADC prototype in 65 nm CMOS demonstrated that this new ADC architecture offers better power efficiency than traditional ADC architectures in the ≥10 GS/s speed range. Various considerations towards high-speed ADC designs are discussed including a proposed source-follower based boot-strap track-and-hold circuit to reduce input kickback and improve the ADC bandwidth. Also discussed is the generation and skew calibration of the four-phase clocks for the interleaved channels to improve the ADC effective resolution at high input frequencies. By deriving the four-phase clocks from a Nyquist frequency input clock through pass gates, accurate timing skew calibration is achieved through a simple duty-cycle correction. Measured SNDR is 34.3 dB at low input frequencies and 32.0 dB at the Nyquist input frequency. The ADC including the input clock buffer consumes 83 mW with a FOM of 197 fJ/cs.
Electrical conductivity of carbon-filled polypropylene-based resins

Adding conductive carbon fillers to insulating thermoplastic resins increases composite electrical conductivity. Often, as much of a single type of carbon filler is added to achieve the desired conductivity and still allow the material to be molded into a bipolar plate for a fuel cell. In this study, various amounts of three different carbons (carbon black, synthetic graphite particles, and carbon nanotubes) were added to polypropylene resin. The resulting single-filler composites were tested for electrical resistivity (1/electrical conductivity). The effects of single fillers and combinations of the different carbon fillers were studied via a factorial design. The percolation threshold was 1.4 vol % for the composites containing only carbon black, 2.1 vol % for those containing only carbon nanotubes, and 13 vol % for those containing only synthetic graphite particles. The factorial results indicate that the composites containing only single fillers (synthetic graphite followed closely by carbon nanotubes and then carbon black) caused a statistically significant decrease in composite electrical resistivity. All of the composites containing combinations of different fillers had a statistically significant effect that increased the electrical resistivity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Blood Pressure and Disability: Novus Orsa

Disability has been defined as an inability to perform an action in a way that is consistent with the purpose of an organ or an organ system.1 Preclinical disability, often detected by self-report instruments, is the term for functional limitations that are not clinically diagnosed but nonetheless represent a transition between impairment and disability.1 Disability is a major public health problem,1,2 yet there is little information currently available with respect to the role of blood pressure (BP) in its development. It is clear that hypertension-associated diseases and events, eg, stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease, are risk factors for disability.1,3,4 Considerably less attention has been focused on the more direct associations between hypertension and disability. In 1985, hypertension was related to disability in the Framingham Heart Study.3 Nine years later, Hubert and Fries5 reported an association between the diagnosis of hypertension and disability in a university runners club. Thirteen years later, in this issue of Hypertension , Hajjar et al2 report a statistically significant association between hypertension and disability and concurrent and prospective associations between systolic BP and disability among 999 stroke-free men and women participating in the Charleston Heart Study, 39% of whom were African American. Concurrently and prospectively measured systolic BP values were positively related to increasing disability as assessed by 3 functional measures: (1) Nagi’s Congruency in Medical and Self-Assessment of Disability Scale; (2) the Rosow-Breslaw Scale; and (3) the Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale. Thus, demonstration of a “dose-response” relationship between BP and multiple functional disability …
The Role of the Salesperson in Establishing and Preserving the Pharmacist-Wholesaler Relationship

ABSTRACTMuch research in the past decade was dedicated to examining pharmacist satisfaction with wholesaler services and cooperation with wholesalers. A review of the marketing and pharmacy literature shows a lack of research on the development of trust and commitment among pharmacists toward wholesalers. Based on Morgan and Hunt's Commitment-Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing, the authors examine the antecedents and consequences of pharmacist-wholesaler relationship marketing. The Morgan and Hunt model included relationship benefits as an antecedent of commitment and trust. In the pharmacist-wholesaler relationship, these benefits are examined in detail, including corporate-level and boundary-spanning activities. Salesperson characteristics show positive effects on the development of trust and commitment.