cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ERα Signaling Increased IL-17A Production in Th17 Cells by Upregulating IL-23R Expression, Mitochondrial Respiration, and Proliferation.

Women have increased prevalence of Th17-mediated autoimmune diseases, including lupus and multiple sclerosis, and severe asthma. While estradiol and progesterone increased IL-17A production in Th17 cells by inhibiting Let7f miRNA expression and increasing IL-23 receptor (IL-23R) expression, it remained unclear how estrogen signaling through the canonical nuclear receptors, estrogen receptor α (ERα) and/or ERβ, regulated this pathway. We hypothesized that estrogen signaling through ERα increased IL-23R expression and IL-17A production from Th17 cells. To test this hypothesis, naive T cells from WT female, WT male, Esr1-/- and Esr2-/- female mice were differentiated into Th17 cells. IL-17A production and IL-23R expression were significantly increased in Th17 cells from WT female mice compared to Th17 cells from WT male mice. Deletion of ERα (Esr1-/-), but not ERβ (Esr2-/-), significantly decreased IL-17A production and IL-23R expression in Th17 cells by limiting IL-23R expression in a Let-7f dependent manner. ERα deficiency also decreased Th17 cell proliferation as well as decreased T cell metabolism as measured by ATP-linked oxygen consumption rate and proton leakage. Further, we found that Cox20 expression, a protein involved in mitochondrial respiration through assembly of cytochrome c oxidase in the electron transport chain, was increased in Th17 cells from WT female mice compared to Th17 cells from WT male and Esr1-/- female mice. Inhibition of Cox20 decreased IL-17 production in Th17 cells from WT female mice. Combined these studies showed that ERα signaling increased IL-17A production in Th17 cells by upregulating IL-23R expression and promoting mitochondrial respiration and proliferation.
Associations of Liver Disease with Alcohol Use among People Living with HIV and the Role of Hepatitis C: The New Orleans Alcohol Use in HIV Study

AIM This cross-sectional analysis of the New Orleans Alcohol Use in HIV (NOAH) study assesses whether current and lifetime alcohol use in people living with HIV (PLWH) are associated with greater liver disease and how hepatitis C-viral (HCV) co-infection (HIV/HCV+) modifies the association. METHODS Alcohol use was measured by Lifetime Drinking History (LDH), a 30-day Timeline Followback calendar, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and phosphatidylethanol. Liver disease was estimated by alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), AST platelet ratio-index (APRI), fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-fibrosis score. Associations between alcohol consumption and liver disease were estimated with multivariable logistic regression. Models were adjusted for age, sex, body-mass index, hepatitis B and HIV viral load. RESULTS Participants (N = 353) were majority male (69%) and black (84%) with a mean age of 48.3 ± 10 years. LDH was significantly associated with advanced liver fibrosis (FIB-4 aOR = 22.22 [1.22-403.72]) only among HIV/HCV+ participants with an LDH of 100-600 kg. HIV/HCV+ participants had a higher prevalence of intermediate and advanced liver disease markers than HIV/HCV- (P < 0.0001). Advanced markers of liver disease were most strongly associated with hazardous drinking (≥40(women)/60(men) grams/day) (APRI aOR = 15.87 (3.22-78.12); FIB-4 aOR = 6.76 (1.81-7.16)) and PEth ≥400 ng/ml (APRI aOR = 17.52 (2.55-120.54); FIB-4 aOR = 17.75 (3.30-95.630). CONCLUSION Results indicate a greater association of current alcohol use with liver disease than lifetime alcohol use, which varied by HCV status. These findings stress the importance of reducing alcohol use in PLWH to decrease risk of liver disease and fibrosis.
Development and Validation of the Computational Thinking Concepts and Skills Test

Calls for standardized and validated measures of computational thinking have been made repeatedly in recent years. Still, few such tests have been created and even fewer have undergone rigorous psychometric evaluation and been made available to researchers. The purpose of this study is to report our work in developing and validating a test of computational thinking concepts and skills and to compare different scoring methods for the test. This computational thinking exam is intended to be used in computing education research as a common measure of computational thinking so that the research community will be able to make more meaningful comparisons across samples and studies. The Computational Thinking Concepts and Skills Test (CTCAST) was administered to students in several courses, evaluated and revised, and then administered to another group of students. Part of the revision included changing half of the items to a multiple-select format. The test scores using the three scoring methods were compared to each other and to scores on a different test of core computer science knowledge. Results indicate the CTCAST and the test of core computer science knowledge measure similar, but not identical, aspects of students' knowledge and skills, and that item-level statistics vary according to the scoring method that is used. Recommendations for using and scoring the test are presented.
Transport and Fate of Virus-Laden Particles in a Supermarket: Recommendations for Risk Reduction of COVID-19 Spreading

AbstractThe transport of virus-laden particles was investigated numerically in an archetypical supermarket configuration of area 1,200 m2 and ceiling height of 4.5 m. The particles were tracked u...
Análisis de las experiencias de la Red de Microcines de Chaski (Perú) y Wordbytes de Worldwrite de Londres, en el desarrollo del sector audiovisual

The principal objective of the article is analyses the role of the middle ground film organizations although the experiences of two particulars cases which are the Chaski Group (Lima) y Worldwrite (London). To achieve this, the objectives and strategies proposed by each organization are analyzed within their training programs for exploitation and exploration of content. The organizations analyzed reflect the maturation of each of the creative cities where they live and coincide in the search for development of a new creative class, building more critical and creative audiences from the exploitation of new audiovisual content. Two organizations that have pursued their objectives through training programs such as the Community Film Workshop of the Microcines Network (Chaski) and the television program Wordbytes (Worldwrite).
AxonDeep: Automated Optic Nerve Axon Segmentation in Mice with Deep Learning.

Abstract Purpose Optic nerve damage is the principal feature of glaucoma and contributes to vision loss in many diseases. In animal models, nerve health has traditionally been assessed by human experts that grade damage qualitatively or manually quantify axons from sampling limited areas from histologic cross sections of nerve. Both approaches are prone to variability and time consuming. Automated approaches have begun to emerge, but shortcomings have limited wide-spread application. Here, we seek improvements through use of deep-learning approaches for segmenting and quantifying axons from cross sections of mouse optic nerve. Methods Two deep-learning approaches were developed and evaluated: (1) a traditional supervised approach using a fully convolutional network trained with only labeled data and (2) a semi-supervised approach trained with both labeled and unlabeled data using a generative-adversarial-network framework. Results From comparisons with an independent test set of images with manually marked axon centers and boundaries, both deep-learning approaches performed above an existing baseline automated approach and similarly to two independent experts. Performance of the semi-supervised approach was superior and implemented into AxonDeep. Conclusion AxonDeep performs automated quantification and segmentation of axons similar to that of experts without the time- and labor-constraints associated with manual performance. The quantitative and objective nature of AxonDeep reduces variability arising from differences in model, methodology, and user that often compromise manual performance of these tasks. Translational Relevance Use of deep learning for axon quantification provides rapid, objective, and higher throughput analysis of optic nerve that would otherwise not be possible.
JUUL and other e-cigarettes: Socio-demographic factors associated with use and susceptibility in California.

Abstract This study examined which socio-demographic factors are associated with susceptibility (lack of commitment to avoid future use), past-12-month and past-30-day use of JUUL and other e-cigarettes, and reasons for and against using JUUL. An online survey of 3,075 Californians ages 15–29, including 24.3% who identified as LGBTQ, were recruited via social media in January-March 2019. Multi-level weighted logistic regression models suggest that LGBTQ participants were more likely to be susceptible to JUUL [AOR = 2.11 (1.60, 2.79) (parentheses include 95% Confidence Intervals)] and other e-cigarettes [AOR = 2.31 (1.75, 3.05)], and more likely to use JUUL [AOR = 1.27 (1.02, 1.58)] and other e-cigarettes [AOR = 1.66 (1.35, 2.05)] in the past 12 months. Susceptibility to using JUUL was more likely among adolescents (ages 15–17) [AOR = 1.72 (1.30, 2.28)] and young adults (ages 18–20) [AOR = 1.26 (1.00,1.58)] than adults (ages 21–29). At the community level, living in jurisdictions with higher median household income was associated with a higher likelihood of being susceptible to using JUUL and other e-cigarettes. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Asian/Pacific Islanders were less likely to use JUUL [AOR = 0.68 (0.54, 0.86)] and other e-cigarettes [AOR = 0.60 (0.48, 0.76)] in the past 12 months. Past-30-day JUUL use was more likely among males than females [AOR = 1.44 (1.11, 1.88)]. Common reasons for using JUUL were: friends’ use, flavors, “safer” than cigarettes, no one will notice, and nicotine rush is greater than other devices. Common reasons against using JUUL were: harmful to self/others, contains nicotine and is addictive. E-cigarette prevention and cessation efforts should include tailored messaging for people who identify as LGBTQ and reinforce reasons for not vaping nicotine.
Agonistic Privacy & Equitable Democracy

Privacy is paramount to ensuring that the public sphere is an equitable, heterogeneous environment where ideas can be contested, democracy realized, and society enhanced. As it stands, both the physical public square and the digital public sphere are characterized by unequal access, harassment, surveillance, and violence. The harms originating in each context rebound and intensify as the law often fails to appreciate the interconnectedness between digital and physical space.This cycle harms individuals, particularly those who belong to marginalized groups. But it also imposes group harms, pushing and erasing entire segments of society from the hegemonic public sphere, contributing to homogeneity of identities in public. This in turn creates societal-level harms to democracy including conformity of ideas within the dominant public sphere, with marginalized groups effectively segregated from that space, contributing to consequent political polarization. As I argue in this Essay, legal privacy protections—which enable individuals to control their visibility within public space—play a vital role in disrupting this subordinating, anti-democratic process and should be at the forefront of efforts to reform the operation of both digital and physical public space. Robust privacy protections are a touchstone for empowering members of different marginalized groups with the ability to safely participate in both the physical and digital public squares, while also preserving space for vibrant subaltern counterpublics. Ensuring the participation of marginalized groups is critical to a well-functioning democracy. Political and democratic theories—ranging from deliberative democracy to civic republicanism to agonistic pluralism—underscore (in different ways and with distinct points of emphasis) that ensuring space for the exchange of ideas and contestation in the informal public spheres where ideas and viewpoints are debated is not something to fear, but something to embrace. Appreciating privacy’s manifold agonistic and participatory benefits, along with its expressive, First Amendment pedigree, will be a critical component of any efforts to rectify the problems besetting our public sphere. Privacy helps people from marginalized groups appear in public on their own terms, avoiding violence and harassment. In turn, it helps them enrich and shape the public sphere, often through agonistic acts of surveillance resistance and privacy performances. And that agonistic friction, if safeguarded through privacy protections, may also help decrease some of the dangerous polarization plaguing the American political landscape.
The relationship of vancomycin 24-hour AUC and trough concentration.

Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose Prior to the 2020 release of a joint consensus guideline on monitoring of vancomycin therapy for serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, clinicians had escalated vancomycin doses for 2 decades while targeting trough concentrations of 15 to 20 µg/mL, leading to an increased frequency of nephrotoxicity. For MRSA infections, the 2020 guideline recommends adjusting doses to achieve a 24-hour area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 400 to 600 µg · h/mL; however, monitoring of trough concentrations has been entrenched for 3 decades. Calculating dose regimens based on AUC will require obtaining an increased number of vancomycin serum concentrations and, possibly, advanced software. The aim of this investigation was to determine the relationship between AUC and trough concentration and the influence of dosing regimen on goal achievement. Methods The relationship between trough concentration and AUC was explored through derivation of an equation based on a 1-compartment model and simulations. Results 24-hour AUC is related to dosing interval divided by half-life in a nonlinear fashion. The target trough concentration can be individualized to achieve a desired AUC range, and limiting use of large doses (>15-20 mg/kg) can protect against excessive 24-hour AUC with trough-only monitoring. Conclusion After initially determining pharmacokinetic parameters, subsequent monitoring of AUC can be accomplished using trough concentrations only. Trough concentration may be used as a surrogate for AUC, although the acceptable target trough concentration will vary depending on dosing interval and elimination rate constant. This work included development of an AUC-trough equation to establish a patient-specific target for steady-state trough concentration.
Seasonality of Airborne Fungi

The microbiology of the atmosphere has been studied in many parts of the world using a variety of methods and approaches. Among the first to sample continuously over long periods of time was Miquel (1885) in the late 1800s at the Observatorie Municipal Montsouris, Paris. However, his and other studies under taken throughout the first half of the 20th century were qualitative but not quantitative.
Searching for Virtue in the City: Bell and Her Sisters

The hope for virtue in the city is to be found not just in the individual propensity to be virtuous but, more so, in the development of political and organizational rules and procedures, in virtuous leadership, and in the development of a virtuous public culture. This claim is made as a way to view what has come to be known as the Bell scandal—a scandal that fits squarely in the tradition of the municipal reform movement. The article places the scandals in Bell and its neighboring cities in this context and grounds its claims in a framework of municipal reform ethics.
Computational Modeling of Healthy Myocardium in Diastole.

In order to better understand the mechanics of the heart and its disorders, engineers increasingly make use of the finite element method (FEM) to investigate healthy and diseased cardiac tissue. However, FEM is only as good as the underlying constitutive model, which remains a major challenge to the biomechanics community. In this study, a recently developed structurally based constitutive model was implemented to model healthy left ventricular myocardium during passive diastolic filling. This model takes into account the orthotropic response of the heart under loading. In-vivo strains were measured from magnetic resonance images (MRI) of porcine hearts, along with synchronous catheterization pressure data, and used for parameter identification of the passive constitutive model. Optimization was performed by minimizing the difference between MRI measured and FE predicted strains and cavity volumes. A similar approach was followed for the parameter identification of a widely used phenomenological constitutive law, which is based on a transversely isotropic material response. Results indicate that the parameter identification with the structurally based constitutive law is more sensitive to the assigned fiber architecture and the fit between the measured and predicted strains is improved with more realistic sheet angles. In addition, the structurally based model is capable of generating a more physiological end-diastolic pressure–volume relationship in the ventricle.
Comparison of diastolic function parameters using MRI and SPECT

483 Objectives This study compares the relationship of 2 common diastolic function (DFx) parameters - peak filling rate (PFR) and time to peak filling (TTPF) using Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) and technetium-99mTc-sestamibi myocardial perfusion Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomographic (SPECT) images. Methods 21 patients underwent gated SPECT and cardiac MR imaging with less than 2 hours between the studies. Endocardial contours on SPECT were automatically outlined over the entire cardiac cycle using the QGS algorithm. On MRI, endocardial contours were automatically propagated for all cardiac phases using manually outlined end-diastolic (ED) contours. For both modalities, the QGS algorithm quantifies DFx parameters using bicubic spline interpolation of the LV volume/time curve. The LV filling rate/time curve is computed from the first derivative of the volume/time curve. PFR corresponds to the peak value of the first derivative of the diastolic portion of the time–activity curve. Since ventricular filling is normalized to ED volume (EDV), the unit for PFR is EDV/s. TTPF (milliseconds) is the interval between ES and the PFR. Results Mean PFR using MRI and SPECT were 2.45±0.68 and 2.26±0.0.57 EDV/s respectively (p=0.06). PFR measured using MRI and SPECT correlated strongly (r=0.77, p Conclusions PFR obtained with SPECT and MRI although not similar, was well correlated. The correlation of PFR measured by MRI and SPECT was higher compared to TTPF measured by the two modalities.
Importance sampling for weighted binary random matrices with specified margins

A sequential importance sampling algorithm is developed for the distribution that results when a matrix of independent, but not identically distributed, Bernoulli random variables is conditioned on a given sequence of row and column sums. This conditional distribution arises in a variety of applications and includes as a special case the uniform distribution over zero-one tables with specified margins. The algorithm uses dynamic programming to combine hard margin constraints, combinatorial approximations, and additional non-uniform weighting in a principled way to give state-of-the-art results.
Flaxseed and buckwheat supplemented diets altered bacterial populations in the cecum and feces of mice (637.6)

Depending on the host’s dietary intake, bacterial populations in the gastrointestinal tract can vary in abundance and diversity. The objective of this research was to determine the growth and diversity of bacteria in the cecum and feces following flaxseed and buckwheat supplemented diets. Seventy-two C57BL/6J male mice were randomly assigned into one of the following diet groups and fed for eight weeks: Group 1 (45% Kcal fat, control); Group 2 (45% Kcal fat, 10% whole flaxseed); Group 3 (45% Kcal fat, 6% defatted flaxseed); Group 4 (45% Kcal fat, 4.5% flaxseed oil); Group 5 (45% Kcal fat, 10% buckwheat); and Group 6 (control diet, 12% Kcal fat, pair-fed to group 2). At week nine, fecal and cecum samples were collected for bacteria isolation. Significant differences in bacterial growth in the cecum (p < 0.0348) and feces (p < 0.0033) were observed among treatment groups. Within the Family of Enterobacteriaceae, including Serratia liquefaciens, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pantoea agglomerans, whole flaxseed a...
Gender susceptibility to mycobacterial infections in patients with non-CF bronchiectasis

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental microbes that cause a variety of diseases both in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Epidemiologic data indicate that there has been a global rise in the incidence of NTM infections. It has also been noted that NTM infections have a predilection to occur in postmenopausal women. In a recent study, it was demonstrated that in patients with non-CF bronchiectasis the probability of NTM isolation was significantly higher in elderly female patients and in those with a low body mass index. However, the mechanisms of causality of these gender differences and morpho-phenotypes remain enigmatic. The present study reviews the data and plausible mechanisms which might provide clues to this gender susceptibility and morpho-phenotypes of patients with bronchiectasis and NTM.
Building-level analyses to prospectively detect influenza outbreaks in long-term care facilities: New York City, 2013-2014.

Background Timely outbreak detection is necessary to successfully control influenza in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and other institutions. To supplement nosocomial outbreak reports, calls from infection control staff, and active laboratory surveillance, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene implemented an automated building-level analysis to proactively identify LTCFs with laboratory-confirmed influenza activity. Methods Geocoded addresses of LTCFs in NYC were compared with geocoded residential addresses for all case-patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza reported through passive surveillance. An automated daily analysis used the geocoded building identification number, approximate text matching, and key-word searches to identify influenza in residents of LTCFs for review and follow-up by surveillance coordinators. Our aim was to determine whether the building analysis improved prospective outbreak detection during the 2013-2014 influenza season. Results Of 119 outbreaks identified in LTCFs, 109 (92%) were ever detected by the building analysis, and 55 (46%) were first detected by the building analysis. Of the 5,953 LTCF staff and residents who received antiviral prophylaxis during the 2013-2014 season, 929 (16%) were at LTCFs where outbreaks were initially detected by the building analysis. Conclusions A novel building-level analysis improved influenza outbreak identification in LTCFs in NYC, prompting timely infection control measures.
Nucleation rate of particles in the lower atmosphere: Estimated time needed to reach pseudo‐steady state and sensitivity to H2SO4 gas concentration

[1] Using a kinetic model, we estimate the time-needed (t0) to establish a pseudo-steady state nucleation when sulfuric acid concentration ([H2SO4]) suddenly increases to a certain fixed level. We find that t0 is roughly inversely proportional to [H2SO4]. The assumption of instantaneously achieved pseudo-steady state concentration of critical clusters, on which the classical nucleation theories are based, is no longer valid when t0 is longer than the time period that [H2SO4] can be treated as constant. Under the lower marine atmospheric conditions considered in this study, the nucleation rate predicted by ion-mediated nucleation theory is very sensitive to [H2SO4] when [H2SO4] is low (<∼7 × 106/cm3) but such a sensitivity reduces significantly as [H2SO4] increases, which is quite different from that predicted with classical binary and ternary homogeneous nucleation theories.
Optical materials for ultraviolet applications

Compact and efficient tunable solid state UV sources are highly desirable for a variety of optoelectronic and medical applications. During the past decade single crystals with certain types of boron-oxygen anionic groups have been identified as providing excellent short wavelength transmission and nonlinear properties which allows them to efficiently convert longer wavelength laser light to the UV and vacuum UV regions. In this review the properties, crystal growth methods, defect issues and device applications for the most important of these materials are discussed.
Axisymmetric stagnation-point flow impinging on a transversely oscillating plate with suction

The viscous fluid motion generated by axisymmetric stagnation-point flow of strain rate a impinging on a flat plate oscillating in its own plane with velocity amplitude U0 and frequency ω, including uniform suction of strength W0 is considered. A coordinate decomposition transforms the full Navier-Stokes equations into a primary equation describing the steady flow and a secondary equation describing the unsteady motion coupled to the primary solution. The solution to the boundary-value problem is governed by two dimensionless groups: the suction parameter S = W0 √aν and the frequency parameter Ω = ω/a, where ν is the kinematic viscosity. Numerical integrations performed with a Runge-Kutta routine provide an exact solution to the Navier-Stokes equations. Values of the steady shear stress are found to agree with asymptotic results for large values of |S|, with S>0 representing suction and S<0 representing blowing. The magnitude and phase of the unsteady shear stress are given over a range of frequencies sufficient to recover analytical asymptotic results at large values of Ω. The unsteady shear stress lags the wall motion by π radians for Ω → 0 and by 5π/4 radians when Ω → ∞. Velocity profiles at selected parameter values during a period of plate oscillation are presented and discussed.
The neural substrates for the rewarding and dopamine-releasing effects of medial forebrain bundle stimulation have partially discrepant frequency responses

Midbrain dopamine neurons have long been implicated in the rewarding effect produced by electrical brain stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). These neurons are excited trans-synaptically, but their precise role in intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) has yet to be determined. This study assessed the hypothesis that midbrain dopamine neurons are in series with the directly stimulated substrate for self-stimulation of the MFB and either perform spatio-temporal integration of synaptic input from directly activated MFB fibers or relay the results of such integration to efferent stages of the reward circuitry. Psychometric current-frequency trade-off functions were derived from ICSS performance, and chemometric trade-off functions were derived from stimulation-induced dopamine transients in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell, measured by means of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. Whereas the psychometric functions decline monotonically over a broad range of pulse frequencies and level off only at high frequencies, the chemometric functions obtained with the same rats and electrodes are either U-shaped or level off at lower pulse frequencies. This discrepancy was observed when the dopamine transients were recorded in either anesthetized or awake subjects. The lack of correspondence between the psychometric and chemometric functions is inconsistent with the hypothesis that dopamine neurons projecting to the NAc shell constitute an entire series stage of the neural circuit subserving self-stimulation of the MFB.
Frequency domain adaptive learning feedforward control

A learning feedforward control (LFFC) acts as an "add-on" element to an existing feedback controller (FBC). The LFFC signal is updated iteratively based on the output of a B-splines network (BSN), with the FBC signal of previous iteration as its input. There are only two parameters to tune: the B-spline support width d and the learning gain /spl gamma/. Frequency stability analysis requires that d should be greater than a minimum value d/sub min/, which determines a cutoff frequency of the low pass learning filter. Using a fixed support d for all iterations and for all time at each iteration may be conservative and the actual feedforward signal may in fact contain frequencies higher than the cutoff frequency determined by d. This is the case when there are hard nonlinearities in the system. A frequency domain adaptive scheme is proposed in this paper where d is a time function and changes from iteration to iteration. A time-frequency representation (TFR) of feedback signal is constructed using WVD (Wigner-Ville distribution) and then its first order time moment is used to obtain the time-varying support d(t) via an iterative updating scheme based on the difference of the windowed tracking error root mean squares between two previous iterations. Detailed design procedures are given.
A Novel Intralymphatic Nanocarrier-Delivery System for Cisplatin Therapy in Breast Cancer with Improved Tumor Efficacy and Lower Systemic Toxicity In Vivo

Background A lymphatically delivered nanoconjugate of cisplatin was evaluated in an orthotopic mouse model of locoregionally metastatic breast cancer (LABC) to determine if it can overcome some of the limitations of standard cisplatin therapy such as high systemic toxicity.
Quantitative subcellular distribution of platinum in rat tissues following i.v. bolus and i.v. infusion of cisplatin.

An analysis of the subcellular localization of platinum was conducted in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats following administration of an i.v. dose of 6 mg/kg cisplatin (bolus and infusion). Biodistribution studies were carried out in the liver and kidney of control animals, as well as in these same organs and in the tumor (Walker 256 adenocarcinoma) of SD rats. The results obtained illustrate that in addition to the platination of DNA in these tissues, significant amounts of Pt are also incorporated into the chromosomal protein (CP) and cytosolic fractions. The localization of Pt in the cytosolic fractions was highest in the kidney, followed by the tumor, and lowest in the liver when determined as the fractional percentage of the total amount of injected drug (%ID/g). The significance of such cytosolic and CP localization of Pt is not known at this time, but they may be involved in the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin, as this drug is cytotoxic to tumors and kidneys but not to the liver. The localization of cisplatin in the subcellular fractions of liver, kidney, and tumor showed a trend toward being higher after i.v. infusion than after i.v. bolus administration of the drug.
Dynamics of paramagnetic agents by off-resonance rotating frame technique in the presence of magnetization transfer effect

The simple method for measuring the rotational correlation time of paramagnetic ion chelates via off-resonance rotating frame technique is challenged in vivo by the magnetization transfer effect. A theoretical model for the spin relaxation of water protons in the presence of paramagnetic ion chelates and magnetization transfer effect is described. This model considers the competitive relaxations of water protons by the paramagnetic relaxation pathway and the magnetization transfer pathway. The influence of magnetization transfer on the total residual z-magnetization has been quantitatively evaluated in the context of the magnetization map and various difference magnetization profiles for the macromolecule conjugated Gd-DTPA in cross-linked protein gels. The numerical simulations and experimental validations confirm that the rotational correlation time for the paramagnetic ion chelates can be measured even in the presence of strong magnetization transfer. This spin relaxation model also provides novel approaches to enhance the detection sensitivity for paramagnetic labeling by suppressing the spin relaxations caused by the magnetization transfer. The inclusion of the magnetization transfer effect allows us to use the magnetization map as a simulation tool to design efficient paramagnetic labeling targeting at specific tissues, to design experiments running at low RF power depositions, and to optimize the sensitivity for detecting paramagnetic labeling. Thus, the presented method will be a very useful tool for the in vivo applications such as molecular imaging via paramagnetic labeling.
Effect of repeated measurements of blood pressure on blood pressure in essential hypertension: role of anxiety.

Over the past years, we repeatedly observed that of the hypertensive population entered into our behavioral treatment programs, more than half were actually false hypertensives. With repeated measurements of blood pressure (BP), only one-third remained hypertensive, while two-thirds showed a significant decrease in BP. The purpose of this study was to determine which factors correlate with the decrease in BP and could be useful in distinguishing the true and the false hypertensives. Of the 24 patients in this study, 15 decreased their mean arterial pressure by at least 5 mm Hg during a 6-week period of home and clinic BP measurement, while 9 did not. The 9 patients with BPs that did not change had lower State Anxiety, Trait Anxiety scores, lower diastolic BP, and lower heart rates compared to the group whose BPs decreased. These results suggest that under certain conditions a relationship exists between anxiety and elevated blood pressure. In a segment of the hypertensive population, anxious patients may be placed on inappropriate anti-hypertensive medication if a BP measurement period is not conducted before intervention.
ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations on lithiated sulfur cathode materials

Sulfur is a very promising cathode material for rechargeable energy storage devices. However, sulfur cathodes undergo a noticeable volume variation upon cycling, which induces mechanical stress. In spite of intensive investigation of the electrochemical behavior of the lithiated sulfur compounds, their mechanical properties are not very well understood. In order to fill this gap, we developed a ReaxFF interatomic potential to describe Li–S interactions and performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the structural, mechanical, and kinetic behavior of the amorphous lithiated sulfur (a-LixS) compounds. We examined the effect of lithiation on material properties such as ultimate strength, yield strength, and Young's modulus. Our results suggest that with increasing lithium content, the strength of lithiated sulfur compounds improves, although this increment is not linear with lithiation. The diffusion coefficients of both lithium and sulfur were computed for the a-LixS system at various stages of Li-loading. A grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) scheme was used to calculate the open circuit voltage profile during cell discharge. The Li–S binary phase diagram was constructed using genetic algorithm based tools. Overall, these simulation results provide insight into the behavior of sulfur based cathode materials that are needed for developing lithium–sulfur batteries.
PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTINUITY, FISSION, AND THE NON‐BRANCHING CONSTRAINT

: Those who endorse the Psychological Continuity Approach (PCA) to analyzing personal identity need to impose a non-branching constraint to get the intuitively correct result that in the case of fission, one person becomes two. With the help of Brueckner's (2005) discussion, it is shown here that the sort of non-branching clause that allows proponents of PCA to provide sufficient conditions for being the same person actually runs contrary to the very spirit of their theory. The problem is first presented in connection with perdurantist versions of PCA. The difficulty is then shown to apply to endurantist versions as well.
Growth of lightwave networks: average propagation delay in hierarchical architectures

It is shown that hierarchical dual-ring networks can substantially reduce the average propagation delay seen in single-level dual-ring networks. Results for star networks indicate that multilevel architectures increase the average propagation delay only incrementally, yet multilevel stars may still be attractive when other design criteria (such as amount of fibre required) are also considered.
Much Ado About Very Little: Reply to Herron

While Herron (2004, Political Analysis 12:182-190) is correct that sensitivity to changes in underlying scale and how they affect estimates and inferences is generally important, our assumption in Rothenberg and Sanders (2000, American Journal of Political Science 44:310-319) that W-NOMINATE scales can be directly compared from one Congress to another to study legislative shirking is quite defensible because scale variability is not a substantial problem. Not only are the assumptions in our original analysis regarding variability very reasonable, because any variability is quite small, but effects on consistency are marginal and, to the degree that they are relevant, indicate that our test of the shirking hypothesis is conservative. Furthermore, even generous estimates of variability in W NOMINATE between one immediate Congress and another have little impact on results. In addition, Herron's analysis includes an unaddressed censoring problem that again, while unlikely to have much substantive relevance, indicates that Rothenberg and Sanders have worked against themselves in trying to find shirking. In conclusion, the issues that Herron highlights are of marginal consequence for the original analysis and, to the extent they matter, only buttress the findings generated and the inferences drawn.
Incoherent Scattered Radiation in Diatomic Molecules

Raman spectra excited in diatomic gases by the line λ2536 of mercury have been photographed with a quartz spectrograph. An apparatus for using gases at pressures from ten to fifteen atmospheres has been built, with great improvement as compared with the use of gases at atmospheric pressure. Results obtained with H2, N2, O2, NO are reported. A particularly complete investigation has been made of the hydrogen spectrum, leading to an accurate determination of the constants of the molecule in the normal electronic state. The numerical values are (in cm-1) B0=h/8π2I0c=59.40; ω0/1=4162.1. For N2, the corresponding values resulted to be: B0=1.992; ω0/1=2330.7. For O2: B0=1.436; ω0/1=1554.7. All these molecules are in Σ states, and the Raman spectra consist of Q-, double R-, and double P- form branches, as deduced from the Kramers-Heisenberg formula by the author and by Hill and Kemble. Nitric oxide is the only molecule so far investigated which is in a 2II state. The transition between the two terms of the doublet has been observed in the scattered radiation.
Proximal jejunoplasty in the treatment of jejunal atresia

Abstract Three cases of high jejunal atresia were treated successfully by proximal jejunoplasty and end-to-end anastomosis. The jejunoplasty is particularly applicable to situations in which resection of proximal dilated bowel may not be feasible.
An infinite-dimensional Laplacian operator

then F is called the Frtchet derivative. In finite-dimensional vector spaces it is called the directional derivative. The idea of the FrCchet derivative can be extended to both topological and nonnormed pseudotopological linear vector spaces, where it is called a functional derivative. The details of this extension, which is based on the concept of a remainder, can be found in [3]. The classical idea of the gradient can bc defined as follows. Let the primary topological space be a Hilbert space and let g, be a countable complete orthonormal set of vectors. Then the function,
Modification of radiation and dihydroxyanthraquinone-induced cell lethality by cysteamine and N-ethylmaleimide

Abstract The effect of alteration of sulfhydryl levels on the cell lethality induced by ionizing radiation and dihydroxyanthraquinone (DHAQ was investigated in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells. DHAQ produces a potentiation of radiation-induced cell lethality, both by increasing the slope and decreasing the shoulder of the survival curve. It has been suggested that DHAQ functions through the production of free radicals which then produce DNA strand breaks and crosslinks, resulting in cytotoxicity. If this mode of action predominates, then one would expect to be able to change the degree of cell kill by modifying conditions such that free radical processes were altered. This was accomplished by the addition of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) or Cysteamine (CYS) to the culture medium during treatment with DHAQ. It was observed that the combination of DHAQ and NEM did not produce more cytotoxicity than would be expected from an additive interaction. Likewise, CYS did not reduce the cytotoxicity induced by DHAQ. When cells were treated with DHAQ and radiation plus either NEM or CYS, the resultant survival was consistent with an additive interaction between the potentiation of DHAQ for radiation-induced cell kill and the extra effect of NEM or CYS. These results indicate that alterations of sulfhydryl levels do not produce changes in the cytotoxicity induced by DHAQ, nor in the enhancement by DHAQ of radiation-induced lethality. More investigation is required before definite conclusions can be reached as to the mechanisms of action by which DHAQ, alone or in combination with ionizing radiation, induces mammalian cell lethality.
Where the Headquarters Are: Location Patterns of Large Public Companies, 1990-2000

This article examines the location of headquarters growth of large public companies during the 1990s. Headquarters continue to be attracted by large metropolitan areas. Yet among that group, they continue to disperse into medium-sized centers. This article identifies six different categories of gross flows underlying the net change of headquarters observed during the 1990s. There is strong variation among the 50 largest metropolitan areas in terms of the composition of these gross flows. On average, entry and exit represent more than two thirds of all gross flow activity. Pure relocation of headquarters is found to lead to urbanization. Mergers tend to have no impact on the distribution of headquarters across Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). A binomial probability model of the decision to move uses company-level and MSA-level data and finds that MSA-level amenities affect a company’s choice about where to locate its headquarters.
Development of the Xenopus laevis VIIIth Cranial Nerve: Increase in Number and Area of Axons of the Saccular and Papillar Branches

Development of three branches of the VIIIth cranial nerve was examined in the anuran, Xenopus laevis. Sectioned tissue from the saccular, amphibian papillar, and basilar papillar branches of stage 52 larvae, 1 day postmetamorphosis juveniles, and 2-year adult animals was analyzed under the light microscope with a digital image analysis system. Numbers and cross-sectional areas of myelinated axons were measured in five to six nerve sections at each developmental age for each of the three branches. In all three branches, results show a significant increase in axon numbers between larval stage 52 and juvenile ages and negligible increase in axon number between the juvenile and adult ages. There were differences in the average number of axons between the saccular (704.4 ± 39.5; n = 5), amphibian papillar (508.4 ± 35.0; n = 5), and basilar papillar (316.0 ± 7.0; n = 5) branches of adult animals. Myelinated axons increase at an estimated rate of 11.7, 15.1, and 6.2 axons per day for the saccular, amphibian papillar, and basilar papillar branches, respectively. Axonal cross-sectional areas increased throughout the developmental ages of this study, with the greatest increase taking place between juvenile and adult ages. In adult animals, 98% of axons in all three branches have diameters between 2–10 μm. Ratios of axons to hair cells in adult animals were estimated at 0.3, 1.1, and 5.3 for the sacculus, amphibian papilla, and basilar papilla, respectively. The higher axon to hair cell ratio correlates with the increasing acoustical frequency sensitivity of the end organ. J. Morphol. 234:263–276, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Syntheses and X-ray Powder Structures of K(2)(ZrSi(3)O(9)).H(2)O and Its Ion-Exchanged Phases with Na and Cs.

A zirconium trisilicate compound, with composition K(2)ZrSi(3)O(9).H(2)O (1), was prepared under mild hydrothermal conditions and was structurally characterized by using its X-ray powder diffraction data. The compound crystallizes in the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a = 10.2977(2) A, b = 13.3207(3) A, c = 7.1956(1) A, and Z = 4. The asymmetric unit consists of a metal atom, a trisilicate group, and three lattice positions corresponding to two cations and a water oxygen atom. In the structure, the Zr atom is octahedrally coordinated by the six terminal oxygens of the trisilicate group. The trisilicate groups exist as linear chain polymers connected to each other through the Zr atoms. This arrangement leads to channels and cavities in the structure that are occupied by the cations and water molecules. The K(+) ions in compound 1 were exchanged for Cs(+) ions in two steps. In the first case about 50% of the K(+) ions were exchanged to give a compound with composition K(0.9)Cs(1.1)ZrSi(3)O(9).H(2)O (2). Compound 2 was then loaded with additional Cs(+) ions which resulted in a phase K(0.5)Cs(1.5)ZrSi(3)O(9).H(2)O (3). These exchanged phases retain the crystal symmetry of compound 1, but their unit cell dimensions have expanded as a result of large Cs(+) ions replacing the smaller K(+) ions. Structure analyses of the exchanged phases show that the cations found in the cavities of compound 1 are highly selective for Cs(+) ions. A small amount of Cs ions also go to a site in the large channel that is very close to that occupied by the water oxygen in compound 1. In the absence of Cs, this site is filled with water molecules. The second cation found in the channel of 1 is partially occupied by water and K(+) ions. The K(+) ions in compound 1 were completely exchanged for Na(+) ions, and the compound thus obtained, Na(2)ZrSi(3)O(9).H(2)O (4), was treated with Cs(+) ions in a manner similar to that carried out for compound 1. The low Cs(+) ion phase, Na(0.98)Cs(1.02)ZrSi(3)O(9).H(2)O (5), and the high Cs(+) ion phase, Na(0.6)Cs(1.4)ZrSi(3)O(9).H(2)O (6), show ion distributions very similar to compounds 2 and 3 except for the fact that in the Na phases a small amount Cs(+) ion also goes to the second cation site. Compound 1 on heating releases the lattice water and transforms into a hexagonal phase, K(2)ZrSi(3)O(9), corresponding to the mineral wadeite. In the high-temperature phase the silicate group exists as a condensed cyclic group and the K(+) ions are sandwiched between trisilicate groups. A possible pathway for this conversion is also discussed.
A stochastic two-phase growth model.

This article proposes a stochastic growth model that starts as a Yule process and is subsequently joined with a Prendiville process when the population attains certain prescribed critical size. In other words, the model assumes exponential growth in an early stage and logistic growth later on to reflect growth retardation caused by overcrowding. In the case that the population starts with a single unit, closed form expressions are given for the distribution of the population size and for the mean and variance functions of the process. Numerical solutions are briefly discussed for the process that starts with more than one unit.