cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Basis for the naturally occurring activity of rostral ventrolateral medullary sympathoexcitatory neurons

Publisher Summary Sympathetic nerves that control the heart, vasculature, and other visceral organs are tonically active under a variety of conditions in man and animals. Such activity is critical for the maintenance of blood pressure within normal limits. There is a general agreement that neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) whose axons project to the thoraco-lumbar intermediolateral nucleus (IML) constitute the primary source of sympathetic nerve discharge (SND). This chapter describes two theories, network oscillator vs. intrinsic pacemaker, on the generation of the major component of SND—the 2- to 6-Hz rhythm in the cat and the 2- to 10-Hz rhythm in the rat. Evidence from experiments on cats strongly supports the hypothesis that the 2- to 6-Hz rhythm is an emergent property of a network oscillator located in the brain stem. Specifically, it proposed that the 2- to 6-Hz component in SND arises from an ensemble of different types of neurons interconnected in such a way to generate the rhythm. There is no evidence for the existence of intrinsic pacemaker neurons in this network.
Dynamics of Aggregation Processes

The time dependent cluster size distribution function and its moments are used to describe the dynamics of aggregation processes. In particular, the scaling theory for the cluster size distribution in both irreversible and steady-state aggregation phenomena is reviewed.
Recipe for Trouble: Some Thoughts on Meaning, Translation and Normative Theory

As an initial matter, I owe a great debt to Professors Lawson, Lessig, and Fleming for their thoughtful responses to my article. The richness of the positions each takes demonstrates the inevitable artificiality of the categories of constitutional theory and theorists utilized in my principal article, Integrating Normative and Descriptive Constitutional Theory: The Case of Original Meaning. To cast Lawson in the role of originalist, Lessig as moderate originalist, and Fleming as nonoriginalist would be to understate the degree to which each shares the premises of the other two (and myself) and to mask the degree to which each of the broad categories includes a great many variants. In the space below, I consider (some of) their specific objections and try to avoid treating each scholar as a spokesperson for, or representative of, some interpretive camp.
Justice and Mr George: What Henry George knew, what the neoclassicists forgot, and why it matters

Purpose – Henry George was acclaimed by the general public and disdained by the professional economists, largely for the same reasons. For the general public, progress, and poverty seemed to go to the heart of the matter, treating economics as a question of justice. But for the professionals, George was often regarded as a dangerous radical, even though he reasoned within the tradition of Smith, Ricardo, and Mill. However, he conducted his studies at the precise moment of the marginalist revolution, just as the profession was undergoing a transition from political economy to economics. For the former, economic science was embedded in particular political and cultural systems, while the latter aspired to be a pure science with its own mathematics. While some of the marginalists, such as Walras and Marshall, could maintain a commitment to justice, many others found the whole question superfluous. The purpose of this paper is to argue, however, that without some notion of justice, and especially justice in p...
Tourism as ethnic preservation: the Cajuns of Louisiana

Abstract This paper addresses the impact of tourism on the preservation of ethnic identity with specific reference to the Louisiana Cajuns. Tourism has helped the Cajuns retain a separate identity by reinforcing the differences between Cajuns and outsiders. Cajuns are increasingly relinquishing their traditional culture in favor of standard U.S. values, but they retain a strong sense of identity and ethnic pride. A growing tourist industry was institutionalized at about the same time as the development of ethnic pride, and the two phenomena have profoundly influenced each other. Cajuns have become tourists in their own culture, joining outsiders in seeking and celebrating their brand of “local color” Cajun culture is now enacted on a “tourist stage” for the benefit of locals and their visitors. The tourist stage is an arena for the expression of ethnic differences, and it helps perpetuate an ethnic boundary that might otherwise disappear due to acculturation. Using the Cajuns as a case study, this paper proposes a model for the process of ethnic preservation through tourism.
Validation of the Electronic Portfolio Student Perspective Instrument (EPSPI)

AbstractWith the explosive growth of e-portfolios in teacher preparation programs, it is essential for administration and other relevant stakeholders to understand the student perspective of e-portfolios’ organizational uses. This article describes the validation of the modified Electronic Portfolio Student Perspective Instrument (EPSPI). The analysis includes descriptive analyses, exploratory factor analysis, and internal consistency reliability analyses. The article also reports the second major data collection effort involving preservice teachers (N = 224) in a southeastern public university. Results suggest that student perspectives toward e-portfolios are multidimensional, involving four distinct and highly internally consistent underlying constructs accounting for 69% of the cumulative variability: learning, assessment, visibility, and support. This research provides further evidence that the EPSPI is a reliable measurement system. Recommendations for future research are provided.
Between reason and common sense: On the very idea of necessary (though unwarranted) belief

This essay is intended as a companion-piece to my article, “Reality in Common Sense: Reflections on Realism and Anti-Realism from a ‘Common Sense Naturalist’ Perspective.” (Philosophical Investigations, Vol. 25, No. 4 (October 2002). It explores the epistemological dimension of the Common Sense Naturalism that I developed in that earlier, predominantly metaphysical essay; a position that combines the views of David Hume, Thomas Reid, and the Wittgenstein of On Certainty. My ultimate aim is to produce a comprehensive philosophy of common sense, one that with future installments, will come to include an ethical and social-political philosophy as well. “Between Reason and Common Sense” offers a common sense naturalist reply to the skeptic. My basic argument is that the skeptic makes a Rylean category mistake, when he applies the concept of warrant to epistemologically basic beliefs, such as the belief in the external world or in the continued and distinct existence of bodies. He misidentifies these beliefs as being ordinary, when they are really a part of the framework that make the practices of believing and justifying possible. As a result, they are not themselves open to confirmation or disconfirmation. I also try to characterize the nature of the necessity carried by framework beliefs, in a way that avoids the charge that the common sense naturalist is simply a closet foundationalist.
Crystal structure, oxidation state and magnetism of La1.2Sr2.4RuO7: a new member of the [A2O][AnBn−1O3n] series of hexagonal perovskites

Abstract Single crystals of the new compound La1.2Sr2.4RuO7, an oxide related to the hexagonal perovskites, were grown from a BaCl2 flux. The structure was solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction. La1.2Sr2.4RuO7 crystallizes in the space group R 3 m with a=5.760(1) A and c=18.273(3) A. It is one of the rare examples of oxides with isolated RuO6-octahedra. The structure consists of alternating layers of RuO6-octahedra and trigonal (La,Sr)O6-prisms. These prisms are capped by one additional oxygen ion, which occupies a distorted position within the (La,Sr)O6-layers. La1.2Sr2.4RuO7 is the second member of the general [A2O][AnBn−1O3n] family of hexagonal perovskites with n=2 and the first ruthenate possessing this structure. XANES investigations, bond valence sum calculations and magnetic measurements show that ruthenium takes the oxidation state +5. Although the ruthenium ions have quite long distances, a medium strong antiferromagnetic interaction between these paramagnetic centers was observed.
Chronic ethanol intake leads to differential effects on the multivalent epigenetic state in liver (1120.1)

The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the epigenetic state of key regulators of liver function, repair and regeneration. Rats were fed a liquid diet following established Lieber-DeCarli protocol, with the treatment group of animals receiving 36% of total calories derived from ethanol, and pair-fed control animals receiving an iso-caloric liquid diet, for 5 weeks or 7 months. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and high-throughput RT-PCR assays were performed to test the level of H3K27me3, H3K9me2, H3K9ac, H3K18ac at a selected target promoters, using Diagenode autoChIP protocols. Expression of H3 methyl and acetyl protein was tested by Western blotting. Overall histone acetylation and methylation levels were found to be decreased at both 5 week and 7 month time points as revealed by Western blot assays. However, nearly all of the histone markers tested showed differential methylation and acetylation, with significant increase at several key target p...
The Effects of Macrobenthos on Chemical Properties of Marine Sediment and Overlying Water

The composition of any environment or object is determined by a particular balance between material transport processes and chemical reactions within and around it. In the case of marine sedimentary deposits, the dominant agents of mass transport are often large bottom-dwelling animals that move particles and fluids during feeding, burrowing, tube construction, and irrigation. Such biogenic material transport has major direct and indirect effects on the composition of sediments and their overlying waters. In this chapter I review some of what is presently known about these effects, their implications for both chemical and biological properties of a deposit, and how they can be conceptualized in quantitative models.
Mineral transformation and biomass accumulation associated with uranium bioremediation at Rifle, Colorado

Injection of organic carbon into the subsurface as an electron donor for bioremediation of redox-sensitive contaminants like uranium often leads to mineral transformation and biomass accumulation, both of which can alter the flow field and potentially bioremediation efficacy. This work combines reactive transport modeling with a column experiment and field measurements to understand the biogeochemical processes and to quantify the biomass and mineral transformation/accumulation during a bioremediation experiment at a uranium contaminated site near Rifle, Colorado. We use the reactive transport model CrunchFlow to explicitly simulate microbial community dynamics of iron and sulfate reducers, and their impacts on reaction rates. The column experiment shows clear evidence of mineral precipitation, primarily in the form of calcite and iron monosulfide. At the field scale, reactive transport simulations suggest that the biogeochemical reactions occur mostly close to the injection wells where acetate concentrations are highest, with mineral precipitate and biomass accumulation reaching as high as 1.5% of the pore space. This work shows that reactive transport modeling coupled with field data can be an effective tool for quantitative estimation of mineral transformation and biomass accumulation, thus improving the design of bioremediation strategies.
Water dispersible microbicidal cellulose acetate phthalate film.

Background Cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) has been used for several decades in the pharmaceutical industry for enteric film coating of oral tablets and capsules. Micronized CAP, available commercially as "Aquateric" and containing additional ingredients required for micronization, used for tablet coating from water dispersions, was shown to adsorb and inactivate the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), herpesviruses (HSV) and other sexually transmitted disease (STD) pathogens. Earlier studies indicate that a gel formulation of micronized CAP has a potential as a topical microbicide for prevention of STDs including the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The objective of endeavors described here was to develop a water dispersible CAP film amenable to inexpensive industrial mass production.
Teaching More by Lecturing Less

We carried out an experiment to determine whether student learning gains in a large, traditionally taught, upper-division lecture course in developmental biology could be increased by partially changing to a more interactive classroom format. In two successive semesters, we presented the same course syllabus using different teaching styles: in fall 2003, the traditional lecture format; and in spring 2004, decreased lecturing and addition of student participation and cooperative problem solving during class time, including frequent in-class assessment of understanding. We used performance on pretests and posttests, and on homework problems to estimate and compare student learning gains between the two semesters. Our results indicated significantly higher learning gains and better conceptual understanding in the more interactive course. To assess reproducibility of these effects, we repeated the interactive course in spring 2005 with similar results. Our findings parallel results of similar teaching-style comparisons made in other disciplines. On the basis of this evidence, we propose a general model for teaching large biology courses that incorporates interactive engagement and cooperative work in place of some lecturing, while retaining course content by demanding greater student responsibility for learning outside of class.
Contribution of Genome-Wide HCV Genetic Differences to Outcome of Interferon-Based Therapy in Caucasian American and African American Patients

Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has six major genotypes, and patients infected with genotype 1 respond less well to interferon-based therapy than other genotypes. African American patients respond to interferon α-based therapy at about half the rate of Caucasian Americans. The effect of HCV's genetic variation on treatment outcome in both racial groups is poorly understood. Methodology We determined the near full-length pre-therapy consensus sequences from 94 patients infected with HCV genotype 1a or 1b undergoing treatment with peginterferon α-2a and ribavirin through the Virahep-C study. The sequences were stratified by genotype, race and treatment outcome to identify HCV genetic differences associated with treatment efficacy. Principal Findings HCV sequences from patients who achieved sustained viral response were more diverse than sequences from non-responders. These inter-patient diversity differences were found primarily in the NS5A gene in genotype 1a and in core and NS2 in genotype 1b. These differences could not be explained by host selection pressures. Genotype 1b but not 1a African American patients had viral genetic differences that correlated with treatment outcome. Conclusions & Significance Higher inter-patient viral genetic diversity correlated with successful treatment, implying that there are HCV genotype 1 strains with intrinsic differences in sensitivity to therapy. Core, NS3 and NS5A have interferon-suppressive activities detectable through in vitro assays, and hence these activities also appear to function in human patients. Both preferential infection with relatively resistant HCV variants and host-specific factors appear to contribute to the unusually poor response to therapy in African American patients.
Finite element simulation of a turbulent MHD system: comparison to a pseudo-spectral simulation

Abstract A finite element MHD algorithm is used to simulate a two-dimensional, viscous and resistive turbulent model, namely the Orszag-Tang vortex. The results are compared to a pseudo-spectral simulation of the same system reported by Dahlburg and Picone (Phys. Fluids B 1 (1989) 2153). The agreement of results from both methods supports the contention that the finite element method can appropriately simulate systems exhibiting turbulence, thus enabling the use of realistic geometries and boundary conditions, as well as adaptive refinement on simulations of turbulent systems. A short discussion on the behavior of ▿· B is presented. An inverse correlation between spatial resolution and the magnitude of ▿· B was found. The relevance of our findings to Adaptive Mesh Refinement is briefly discussed.
Hemodialysis catheter placement and recirculation in treatment of hyperammonemia

A 2-year-old girl with carbamoyl phosphate synthetase deficiency underwent emergency hemodialysis (HD) for treatment of acute life-threatening hyperammonemia. HD was performed via catheters placed in each femoral vein serving as vascular access. The tip of one of the catheters (aspirating line) was in the left external iliac vein and the tip of the other catheter (the return line) was in the inferior vena cava (IVC). High blood flow rates were used in order to rapidly lower the blood ammonia (NH3) levels. However, unanticipated marked recirculation in the IVC, between the dialysis aspirating and return catheters, was encountered, preventing significant reduction in blood NH3. The recognition of this problem, suggested solutions, and prevention are described.
Eddy Current Loss Minimization in Conducting Sleeves of High Speed Machine Rotors by Optimal Axial Segmentation and Copper Cladding

When a non-magnetic, high-strength metallic retaining sleeve offers advantages over a non-metallic (e.g. carbon fiber) one, it is possible to consider the application of a high conductivity shield "coating" on this sleeve to reduce the surface eddy current losses due to non-synchronous fields. One can start by using a Maxwell's equations based analytical model to "screen" for the optimal shield thickness and then employs a "2.5D" FE method that accounts for periodic fields and finite rotor length including axial segmentation and/or copper cladding. These are quantified to help design a low loss rotor sleeve for a high speed SPM machine with fractional-slot concentrated armature winding. With this type of windings the sleeve losses can be significant due to its rich asynchronous harmonic armature reaction mmf content.
Repeatability and sources of variability in multi-center assessment of segmental foot kinematics in normal adults

Abstract Multi-site application of biomechanical models can be a powerful tool as quantitative methods are employed to improve clinical care and to assess larger populations for research purposes. However, the use of such models depends on adequate validation to assure reliability in inter-site measures. We assessed repeatability and sources of variability associated with the assessment of segmental foot kinematics using the Milwaukee Foot Model during multiple testing sessions at two sites. Six healthy ambulators were instrumented and tested during comfortable ambulation; data were analyzed with variance components analysis using a mixed effects linear model. Results indicated that the largest source of variability was inter-subject; measurement error associated with Site and Session fell below 3.5° in over 80% of position measurements and below 2.5° in over 80% of ROM measurements. These findings support the continued use of the segmental foot model at multiple sites for clinical and research purposes.
Stratification of the discriminant in reflection groups

LetV be a complex vector space and letG⊂GL(V) be a finite unitary reflection group. Letγ:V →V/G be the orbit map. We show that the image of the orbit stratification underγ is determined by a matrix of polynomials called the discriminant matrix, and that this stratification agrees with the stratification ofV/G obtained from logarithmic vector fields tangent to the discriminant hypersurface.
Seasonal changes in cation transport in red blood cells of grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in relation to thermogenesis and cellular adaptation to cold.

1. Unidirectional influx of 42K was measured in red cells of grey squirrels at seasonal intervals over two years. 2. Na/K pump-related (i.e. ouabain-sensitive) K influx at 37 degrees C was maximal in cells collected in January and was more than three times greater than cells collected in summer. Na/K pump activity, maximized by loading the cells with Na, exhibited a similar difference. 3. At 5 degrees C in fresh cells, ouabain-sensitive K influx, expressed as per cent of that at 37 degrees C, was highest in March. In Na-loaded cells it was lowest in summer. 4. Passive "leak" K influx (i.e., the residual influx remaining in presence of ouabain and bumetanide) was highest in October, and declined progressively to the summer months, when it was only 27% of that in October. 5. Cotransport (i.e., bumetanide-sensitive K influx) exhibited the same seasonal pattern as Na/K pump activity in fresh cells. 6. Net gain of Na in cells stored at 5 degrees C for three days in March was less than half of that in January or summer. 7. High transport activity in January may correlate with a requirement for increased non-shivering thermogenesis. However, red cells of grey squirrels exhibit maximum resistance to low temperature in March and at this time resemble the red cells of hibernating mammals.
Mechanical dewatering techniques for fresh citrus

Abstract Five pilot-plant dewatering units were designed and tested. Two devices were based on surface contact with adsorption surfaces: either PVC rollers or a sponge roller-brush combination. Other units utilized aerodynamic forces to remove surface water from fruit conveyed on rod-type belting. Parameters used to evaluate whole fruit dewatering were water removal effectiveness (H 2 O removed/H 2 O input) and unit energy consumption (kJ/kg H 2 O removed).
Surface light-induced drift in porous media.

Diffusion and flow of gases in porous media have attracted considerable attention for many decades [1]. Interest in such research has been motivated by its many fields of application, such as surface catalysis, gas separations, soil physics, etc. Gas flows often arise here due to the difference in gas pressure or concentration between the opposing surfaces of the porous medium. In the following report, gas flows in porous media, caused not by the concentration or pressure gradients but by Surface Light-Induced Drift (SLID) [2–5], are discussed. Unlike the former case, the flow of a gas now becomes selective. Namely, one can force only the molecules of the resonant gas through the porous membrane, while leaving the other components untouched. It implies possible benefits in using the SLID for gas separations. Also, due to a high surface/volume ratio, porous media can be especially favorable for studying the state-specificity of surface chemical reactions [4] and catalysis.
Improved integral representation for the finite-temperature propagator in string theory

We present an improved integral representation for the space-time propagator in finite-temperature string theory. The new representation allows us to obtain closed-form expressions for finite-temperature n-point functions which are suitable for regularization and also for discussion of the problem of gauge invariance. An algorithm to obtain T\ensuremath{\ne}0 expressions from the zero-temperature theory is developed and explicit computations of one-loop self-energy diagrams are carried out. In particular we show the vanishing of the massless-vector-boson self-energy in the limit of zero momentum, as required by gauge invariance. Finally, we point out the possible relevance of the above representation and algorithm to the calculation of the free energy at higher genus.
Developmental expression of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene in the mouse retina.

1. In the nervous system, Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a well-known, cell type-specific marker for astrocytes. 2. In the mammalian retina, Muller cells, the major class of retinal glia, do not express GFAP or contain only low amounts of this protein. In retinas with photoreceptor degeneration, however, high levels of GFAP are found. It is possible that GFAP synthesis in these retinas could result from “dedifferentiation” of Muller cells as a consequence of disruption of normal neuron-glia interactions. 3. We have carried out immunocytochemical andin situ hybridization studies to examine whether GFAP or its mRNA is expressed by retinal cells early in embryonic development. 4. Our results show that GFAP-containing cells, which are probably astrocytes, are found only in the ganglion cell and nerve fiber layers and that these cells appear after postnatal day-1 (P-1) and continue to form until P-10. 5. Astrocyte formation starts from the optic disc and moves toward the periphery of the retina at a rate of ~ 160–200µm per day. 6. An unexpected result from these studies is that GFAP mRNA levels are high in the first week of birth and decline rapidly as the animal develops. 7. Finally, we did not find either GFAP or GFAP mRNA in retinal cells other than astrocytes during normal development.
High laser damage threshold porous silica antireflective coating

A quarterwave-thick narrow-bandwidth antireflective coating for fused silica optical components and KDP crystals has been developed. The coating consists of porous silica prepared from a silica sol in ethanol. It is applied by dip or spin from a solution at room temperature and requires no further treatment. The laser damage threshold levels are about equal to the surface damage thresholds of the uncoated substrates.
Design Integrated in the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum: Assessment of the Engineering Clinics

At Rowan University, design has been infused into the curriculum through an eight-semester course sequence called the Engineering Clinics. Through this experience, students learn the art and science of design in a multidisciplinary team environment and hone their design skills throughout their 4-year career. This paper describes the objectives of the clinics, types of projects, and how the clinics complement traditional core courses in the curriculum. Impacts and benefits of the clinics on students and faculty are discussed, including retention and graduate study rates comparing Rowan University mechanical engineering students to their peers nationally. An assessment of the clinics is presented based on survey data and accreditation objectives and outcomes. Survey data from students were assessed to determine levels of students' satisfaction and confidence based on the clinics. Results of alumni and employer surveys also provide valuable feedback for assessing and improving the clinics as well as confirmation of the impact of clinics after graduation. Survey data are discussed along with challenges of the clinics at Rowan and adaptability of them at other institutions. Overall, the clinics are a positive and integrated design experience in the curriculum and assist students in achieving the program objectives.
A Fully Bayesian Inversion for Spatial Distribution of Fault Slip with Objective Smoothing

Abstract In inversion of geodetic data for spatial distribution of fault slip under smoothing and positivity constraints, subjective or incorrect techniques are often employed to select a smoothing parameter that determines the relative weight placed on fitting the data versus smoothing the slip distribution. A popular objective method based on Akaike’s Bayesian information criterion (ABIC) is incorrect if positivity constraints are employed. We introduce a fully probabilistic inversion method to simultaneously estimate the slip distribution and smoothing parameter objectively and correctly in a Bayesian framework. The complete solution to the inverse problem, the joint posterior probability density function of slip and smoothing parameter, is formulated using Bayes’ theorem and sampled with a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. We apply the new method to coseismic displacement data from the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake and compare the results of our method with conventional methods. The slip distribution estimated with our method is significantly smoother than that estimated by the ABIC-based method, demonstrating that the ABIC-based method may in general generate significantly undersmoothed or oversmoothed slip distributions under positivity constraints. On the other hand, the estimated slip distribution is similar to that estimated using another conventional method based on cross validation. Multiple trade-off curve plots between slip roughness and data misfit show that trade-off curves provide no basis for selecting a single smoothing parameter. The new method is easily generalized to slip inversions of multiple data sets with unknown relative weighting and to slip inversions with unknown fault geometry parameters.
A gradient of Bmp7 specifies the tonotopic axis in the developing inner ear

The auditory systems of animals that perceive sounds in air are organized to separate sound stimuli into their component frequencies. Individual tones then stimulate mechanosensory hair cells located at different positions on an elongated frequency (tonotopic) axis. During development, immature hair cells located along the axis must determine their tonotopic position in order to generate frequency-specific characteristics. Expression profiling along the developing tonotopic axis of the chick basilar papilla (BP) identified a gradient of Bmp7. Disruption of that gradient in vitro or in ovo induces changes in hair cell morphologies consistent with a loss of tonotopic organization and the formation of an organ with uniform frequency characteristics. Further, the effects of Bmp7 in determination of positional identity are shown to be mediated through activation of the Mapk, Tak1. These results indicate that graded, Bmp7-dependent, activation of Tak1 signalling controls the determination of frequency-specific hair cell characteristics along the tonotopic axis.
Engineered adipose tissue from human mesenchymal stem cells maintains predefined shape and dimension: implications in soft tissue augmentation and reconstruction.

Soft tissue augmentation is a widespread practice in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The objective of the present study was to engineer adipose tissue constructs with predefined shape and dimen...
Weak radiative decays of baryons in SU(4)

Various sum rules for the weak radiative decay amplitudes of charmed and charm-zero baryons are derived in the framework of SU(3) and SU(4) with and without octet/sextet and 20 dominance, respectively. The effects of the inclusion of the right-handed currents and short-distance contributions are discussed.
Current Polyolefin Manufacturing Processes

Abstract In this article on processes for manufacturing polyolefins, I shall be discussing a very active area of technology that is still changing and advancing rapidly. The purpose of the article is to give the background and an overview of manufacturing technology. The discussion is centered around these aspects: (1) Basic technical features (2) Process flexibility with respect to product properties (3) Recent and anticipated developments (4) Comparative economics
Fibronectin-α4β1 Integrin Interactions Regulate Metalloproteinase-9 Expression in Steatotic Liver Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia/reperfusion injury is a major cause of the highly dysfunctional rate observed in marginal steatotic orthotopic liver transplantation. In this study, we document that the interactions between fibronectin, a key extracellular matrix protein, and its integrin receptor α4β1, expressed on leukocytes, specifically up-regulated the expression and activation of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9, gelatinase B) in a well-established steatotic rat liver model of ex vivo ice-cold ischemia followed by isotransplantation. The presence of the active form of MMP-9 was accompanied by massive intragraft leukocyte infiltration, high levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, and impaired liver function. Interestingly, MMP-9 activity in steatotic liver grafts was, to a certain extent, independent of the expression of its natural inhibitor, the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1. Moreover, the blockade of fibronectin-α4β1-integrin interactions inhibited the expression/activation of MMP-9 in steatotic orthotopic liver transplantations without significantly affecting the expression of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2, gelatinase A). Finally, we identified T lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages as major sources of MMP-9 in steatotic liver grafts. Hence, these findings reveal a novel aspect of the function of fibronectin-α4β1 integrin interactions that holds significance for the successful use of marginal steatotic livers in transplantation.
Comparison of interleukin-11 and epidermal growth factor on residual small intestine after massive small bowel resection

Abstract Background/Purpose : Interleukin 11 (IL-11) is a multifunctional cytokine derived from bone marrow, which has a trophic effect on small bowel epithelium. This study compares the effects of IL-11 with epidermal growth factor (EGF), a growth factor known to enhance small bowel adaptation. Methods : Forty Sprague-Dawley rats (90 to 100 g) underwent an 85% mid-small bowel resection with primary anastomosis on day 0. Rats were divided into four treatment groups: controls (group I) received bovine serum albumin (BSA), group II received IL-11, 125 μg/kg subcutaneously (SC) twice daily, group III received EGF, 0.10 μg/g SC bid, and group IV received EGF and IL-11 in the above doses. Half of the animals (five per group) were killed on day 4 of therapy, and the rest were killed on day 8. Animals were evaluated for weight, mucosal length, and bowel wall muscle thickness on days 4 and 8, and expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in intestinal crypt and smooth muscle cells on day 8. Results : There were two deaths; both were 8-day controls. Body weight was similar at day 4 and day 8. Mucosal thickness in groups II (IL-11) and group IV (IL-11 and EGF) was significantly increased at day 4 and 8 when compared with controls (group 1) and EGF (group III, P P Conclusions : These data suggest that IL-11 has a trophic effect on small intestinal enterocytes, causing cell proliferation and increased mucosal thickness. EGF has a more generalized effect on intestine causing proliferation of both enterocytes and myocytes. IL-11, with or without EGF, may be a useful adjunct in instances of short bowel syndrome.
Mechanism of starch-sugar interconversion in Solanum tuberosum

Abstract The changes in glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, 3-phosphoglycerate, 2-phospho-glycerate, phosphoenol-pyruvate, pyruvate, adenosine mono-, di- and tri-phosphates, NAD and NADH, sugars and respiration of mature potato tubers (variety King Edward) caused by transfer from + 10° to + 2° and back to + 10° were followed throughout 4–8 weeks of storage. The results obtained showed a characteristic two phase pattern. In the case of the transfer from + 10° to + 2° a number of the phosphate esters showed wide individual variations in concentration during the first phase but only slow changes during the second phase when most of the phosphate esters tended to follow a common pattern. In the first phase the sugar concentration remained roughly constant, but in the second a considerable increase in both sucrose and respiration occurred. In the case of potatoes transferred from + 2° to + 10° the two phase character of the results was not so marked. In the case of potatoes transferred from + 10° to + 2° the changes in the phosphate esters in the first phase did not appear to be related to the conversion of starch to sucrose which only occurred to a significant extent in the second phase. Electron micrographs of potato tubers which had been stored at + 2° for 38 days (sugar content 2.4%) showed that the starch grains were still enclosed in a double membrane (amyloplast membrane). Analysis of starch grains prepared by a non-aqueous method from potato tubers stored at + 10° and + 2° indicated that a large part of the K, Na, Cl, citrate and glucose-6-phosphate was inside the amyloplast but that the sugar (storage at + 2°) was outside; sweetening therefore involved the transport of metabolites through the amyloplast membrane. Comparison with other treatments (anaerobiosis, cyanide, ethylene chlorhydrin) which cause sweetening suggested that the regulation of the starch-sugar interconversion was effected at the amyloplast membrane and possibly involved electron transfer. In the case of potatoes which sweetened due to senescence, electron micrographs showed that the amyloplast membranes were disintegrating.
Antimicrobial Chemotherapy for Legionnaires' Disease: A Review

Controlled trials of antimicrobial chemotherapy for legionnaires' disease have not been performed, although erythromycin and tetracycline appear to be effective therapies. Laboratory data indicate that the activities of the fluoroquinolone and newer macrolide/azalide agents against Legionella pneumophila are superior to that of erythromycin, and case reports substantiate that the activities of these agents are at least equal. Results of clinical treatment with and laboratory testing of macrolides, tetracyclines, co-trimoxazole, chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, beta-lactam agents, and streptogramins are reviewed. The drugs of choice for the treatment of legionnaires' disease in immunocompromised or severely ill patients should be one of the fluoroquinolone antimicrobials rather than erythromycin.
Computerized analysis of fetal heart rate variation in postterm pregnancy: Prediction of intrapartum fetal distress and fetal acidosis

Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate whether computerized analysis of fetal heart rate variation may improve fetal surveillance in postterm pregnancy. Study Design: Three hundred thirty-seven pregnant women who were delivered after 41 weeks' gestation and who had 610 antenatal tests were included in this study. Fetal tests included a nonstress test with a computerized analysis of the fetal heart rate, Doppler examination of the umbilical artery, and a biophysical profile, performed every 2 to 4 days. Induction of labor was performed when the fetal heart rate variation was reduced ( Results: Ten of 12 fetuses with reduced fetal heart rate variation had a trial of labor. Nine of these 10 fetuses had fetal distress during labor. Seven of the 12 fetuses with reduced fetal heart rate variation were acidotic at delivery (umbilical artery pH Conclusion: A computerized numeric analysis of fetal heart rate variation may improve fetal surveillance in postterm pregnancy.
The Punitive Turn in Social Policies: Critical Race Feminist Reflections on the USA, Great Britain, and Beyond:

This article reviews Loic Wacquant’s (2009) book Punishing the Poor, arguing that critical race or intersectional feminist theory and scholarship on the state provides important insights on social policy developments that are overlooked or under-theorized by Wacquant. We draw heavily from our own research on welfare state restructuring and grassroots welfare rights activism in the USA and Great Britain, but we also review other relevant scholarship on welfare and criminal justice policies. We conclude with both a research agenda for further critical race and feminist analysis of recent transformations in the state, and a political agenda informed by critical race feminism for those interested in challenging the punitive trends in policies towards the poor.
Trauma video review: a valuable resource.

To the Editor .— We read with great interest the article in Pediatrics by Oakley et al1 on using video recording to track resuscitation errors in pediatric trauma. We believe this article raises some significant issues regarding training and quality trauma care. The authors introduced videotaping emergency department resuscitations as a mechanism for detecting medical errors and auditing trauma team response. We support the use of videotaping resuscitation for quality assessment, but an educational opportunity is lost if the …
Optimized light–matter interaction and defect hole placement in photonic crystal cavity sensors

Photonic crystal slab cavities were investigated for increased light–matter interaction based on selective placement of sublattice hole sized defect holes inside L3 cavities. A multiple-hole defect (MHD) consisting of three defect holes placed in the regions of highest cavity mode field intensity were demonstrated through finite-difference time-domain simulations and experiments to exhibit the strongest light–matter interaction without introducing significant scattering losses. Compared to an L3 cavity without defect holes, these strategically designed three-hole MHD cavities presented higher quality factor and more than double the resonance wavelength shift upon exposure to a thin oxide and two small chemical molecules.
The Influence of Incarceration on Children at the Intersection of Parental Gender and Race/Ethnicity: A Focus on Child Living Arrangements

Children of fathers are found to be more likely to live with their other parent during incarceration than are children of mothers in a state sample. Although patterns are similar for men across race and ethnicity, patterns differ among women: children of non-Hispanic White women are more likely to live with their other parent than are children of African American and Hispanic mothers. Among mothers, income levels explain racial and ethnic differences in the odds of living with the other parent during imprisonment. If race and ethnic disparities in income were reduced, disruption in child living arrangements during imprisonment may be minimized.
Resveratrol and health – A comprehensive review of human clinical trials

In the past decade, the small polyphenol resveratrol has received widespread attention as either a potential therapy or as a preventive agent for numerous diseases. Studies using purified enzymes, cultured cells, and laboratory animals have suggested that resveratrol has anti-aging, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties that might be relevant to chronic diseases and/or longevity in humans. Although the supporting research in laboratory models is quite substantial, only recently data has emerged to describe the effects of resveratrol supplementation on physiological responses in humans. The limited number of human clinical trials that are available has largely described various aspects of resveratrol's safety and bioavailability, reaching a consensus that it is generally well-tolerated, but have poor bioavailability. Very few published human studies have explored the ability of resveratrol to achieve the physiological benefits that have been observed in laboratory models, although many clinical trials have recently been initiated. This review aims to examine the current state of knowledge on the effects of resveratrol on humans and to utilize this information to develop further guidelines for the implementation of human clinical trials.
A multiple pulse laser system with synchronized mode-locked and Q-switched outputs

The development of a pulsed laser system which generates multiple synchronized output pulses on both a picosecond and nanosecond time scales is described. The system consists of a mode-locked Nd:YAG oscillator-amplifier system and a Q-switched Nd:YAG and Nd:Glass system synchronized by a versatile switching technique. The unique features of this laser include the synchronization of two 200 mJ 30 psec pulses with separation variable between 0 and 10 nsec with a shuttered portion of a Q-switched pulse variable in length from 5 to 30 nsec and with energy in the range of 1 to 10 J.
Study of the electronic structure of molecules. XI. Comments on some present aspects and tentative extrapolations

We have subdivided molecules into the following groups. Small molecules (up to 20 electrons in polyatomic or 50 in diatomic), medium molecules (up to 100 electrons), and large molecules. For small molecules one would expect not only Hartree-Fock functions but correlated (up to 80%-90%) functions. For the medium size molecules one can obtain at best Hartree-Fock functions for the next 2 to 4 years. The correlation correction can be obtained with techniques which relate empirically the electronic density to correlation energy. A simple empirical relation for atomic cases is presented. The medium size molecules will offer the appropriate examples for developing semi-empirical schemes of extreme simplicity where the knowledge of the molecular structure should in time suffice to give atomic gross charges and orbital energies. For large molecules these are likely the only computational possibility for some time to come, unless the molecule possesses trans-lational symmetry. The relation between atomic gross charges and the inner shell orbital energies is discussed for the cases of adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thiamine.
Ocean warming and freshening in the northern Gulf of Alaska

[1] Water column temperatures on the shelf in the northern Gulf of Alaska have increased more than 0.8°C and vertical density stratification has increased since 1970 near Seward, Alaska throughout the 250 m depth. This high latitude marine system has low water temperatures, high rates of precipitation, glacial melting, high wind speeds and high rates of biological productivity. A more than 300 km alongshore shift (locally westward) of isotherms is suggested. The observations are consistent with a conceptual ocean-atmosphere circulation model that employs coastal freshwater discharge, glacial ablation and wind forcing. Positive regional feedback mechanisms accelerate the discharge and poleward heat flux, leading to even higher temperatures, increased ocean stratification and increased storminess. This warming and ocean freshening will have significant impacts on the atmosphere and marine ecosystems of the Northeast Pacific, Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean and quite possibly global ocean circulation.
Neutrino oscillations in structured matter

A layered material structure in a monochromatic neutrino beam produces interference effects that could be used for the measurement of features of the neutrino mass matrix. The phenomenon would be most useful at high energies.
The ritualistic and pragmatic bases of political campaign discourse

(1977). The ritualistic and pragmatic bases of political campaign discourse. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 63, No. 3, pp. 219-238.
Content and Viewpoint Discrimination: Malleable Terms Beget Malleable Doctrine

Recent scholarship has demonstrated that the Supreme Court of the United States has defined poorly and inconsistently applied two core First Amendment concepts-content and viewpoint discrimination. This article systematically explores the malleability of the Court's speech discrimination principles. Using data from The Supreme Court Compendium that categorize the ideological voting behavior of justices on the Court, the article studies decisions in three socially divisive areas of law in which content and viewpoint discrimination have been central issues of significant cases. Analysis shows that the Court's weak definitions and inconsistent applications leave the content and viewpoint concepts especially ripe for manipulation. The article concludes, therefore, by suggesting a new method of analysis that would offer more consistency.