cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complement Activation Contributes to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Pathogenesis

ABSTRACT Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is immune-driven pathologies that are observed in severe cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. SARS-CoV emerged in 2002 to 2003 and led to a global outbreak of SARS. As with the outcome of human infection, intranasal infection of C57BL/6J mice with mouse-adapted SARS-CoV results in high-titer virus replication within the lung, induction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and immune cell infiltration within the lung. Using this model, we investigated the role of the complement system during SARS-CoV infection. We observed activation of the complement cascade in the lung as early as day 1 following SARS-CoV infection. To test whether this activation contributed to protective or pathologic outcomes, we utilized mice deficient in C3 (C3–/–), the central component of the complement system. Relative to C57BL/6J control mice, SARS-CoV-infected C3–/– mice exhibited significantly less weight loss and less respiratory dysfunction despite equivalent viral loads in the lung. Significantly fewer neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes were present in the lungs of C3–/– mice than in C56BL/6J controls, and subsequent studies revealed reduced lung pathology and lower cytokine and chemokine levels in both the lungs and the sera of C3–/– mice than in controls. These studies identify the complement system as an important host mediator of SARS-CoV-induced disease and suggest that complement activation regulates a systemic proinflammatory response to SARS-CoV infection. Furthermore, these data suggest that SARS-CoV-mediated disease is largely immune driven and that inhibiting complement signaling after SARS-CoV infection might function as an effective immune therapeutic. IMPORTANCE The complement system is a critical part of host defense to many bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. It works alongside pattern recognition receptors to stimulate host defense systems in advance of activation of the adaptive immune response. In this study, we directly test the role of complement in SARS-CoV pathogenesis using a mouse model and show that respiratory disease is significantly reduced in the absence of complement even though viral load is unchanged. Complement-deficient mice have reduced neutrophilia in their lungs and reduced systemic inflammation, consistent with the observation that SARS-CoV pathogenesis is an immune-driven disease. These data suggest that inhibition of complement signaling might be an effective treatment option following coronavirus infection.
A follow-up study on the long-term effects of rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Background Autism spectrum disorders are complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Early intervention training is a very important treatment strategy. Under the current background of rehabilitation supply in China, the long-term efficacy of intervention is unexplored. Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of long-term rehabilitation and related factors affecting the recovery of autistic children. Methods A total of 137 autistic children were followed up for 3 years. They received two neuropsychological assessments at the first visit and 3 years after referral. Assessments included Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), and Developmental Diagnostic Scale of Children Aged 0-6 Years. All children were asked to visit rehabilitation centers for rehabilitation training. In the study, 105 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) received rehabilitation training according to the physician's orders (the rehabilitation group), and 32 patients did not receive rehabilitation training (the nonrehabilitation group). Results The ABC, CARS, and developmental quotient scores of the rehabilitation group were statistically significant between initial assessment and reassessment. No significant difference was observed in the nonrehabilitation group. Conclusions Rehabilitation training significantly improved the core symptoms and cognitive function in children with ASD, exerting a long-term rehabilitation effect. The initial language development quotient, children's training time, and parental participation time of autistic children significantly impacted the change in ABC.
THE ROLE OF THE ACRS IN NUCLEAR SAFETY

For over 25 years, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards has had primary responsibility for conducting independent reviews and evaluations of the health and safety aspects of nuclear power reactors, chemical processing plants, and associated activities within the nuclear fuel cycle. Through the support of its Subcommittees and Working Groups, the Committee currently issues summary reports on 25 to 30 nuclear facilities and safety related questions each year. Topics discussed in this paper include the views and thoughts of the Committee with respect to emergency core cooling systems, fuel densification, anticipated transients without scram, reactor pressure vessel failure, turbine missiles, steamline breaks, environmental monitoring, waste management, emergency planning, and seismicity.
Improved mortality in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia with the involvement of antimicrobial stewardship team and infectious disease consultation

A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the value of the antimicrobial stewardship team (AST) combined with infectious diseases consultation (IDC) on management and outcomes of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) in a tertiary-care academic center. Involvement of AST or IDC was associated with reduced mortality of SAB.
L2-Sobolev theory for the complex Green operator

These notes are concerned with the L2-Sobolev theory of the complex Green operator on pseudoconvex, oriented, bounded and closed Cauchy–Riemann (CR)-submanifolds of ℂn of hypersurface type. This class of submanifolds generalizes that of boundaries of pseudoconvex domains. We first discuss briefly the CR-geometry of general CR-submanifolds and then specialize to this class. Next, we review the basic L2-theory of the tangential CR operator and the associated complex Green operator(s) on these submanifolds. After these preparations, we discuss recent results on compactness and regularity in Sobolev spaces of the complex Green operator(s).
Low Serum Insulinlike Growth Factor II Levels Correlate with High BMI in American Indian Adults.

OBJECTIVE Insulinlike growth factor II (IGF-II) regulates metabolism and growth. In humans, both positive and negative relationships have been reported between serum IGF-II levels and obesity. This study assessed the relationship between serum IGF-II levels and BMI and determined whether IGF-II levels predict weight gain. METHODS Serum samples were available from 911 American Indians with a recorded BMI. IGF-II was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Serum IGF-II levels were negatively correlated with BMI (r = -0.17, P = 4.4 × 10-7 , adjusted for age, sex, and storage time). The strongest correlation was in participants aged ≥ 30 years (r = -0.28, P = 3.4 × 10-8 , N = 349), a modest correlation was in participants aged 20 to 29 years (r = -0.15, P = 7.6 × 10-3 , N = 322), and participants aged 15 to 19 years had no correlation (r = 0.05, P = 0.48, N = 240). IGF-II levels did not predict weight gain. However, among individuals who had genotypes for 64 established obesity variants (age ≥ 20 years, N = 671), a genetic risk score for high BMI was associated with lower IGF-II (β = -0.08 SD of IGF-II per SD of the genetic risk score, P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS There is a negative relationship between IGF-II levels and BMI, in which the correlation is stronger at older ages. The association between genetic risk for BMI and IGF-II levels suggests that this correlation may be due to an effect of obesity on IGF-II.
Fetal Cardiac Interventions

This chapter discusses the ethical issues surrounding fetal diagnoses and their in-utero management, two subjects that are becoming increasingly commonplace in pediatric cardiac care centers. Specifically, the problematic notion of having a diagnosis with an unclear natural history in utero that may lead to critical illness postnatally and that may warrant fetal intervention to prevent such postnatal illness is discussed within the framework of medical ethics, clinical reviews and postmodern philosophy.
Iron oxide supported on silicalite-1 as a multifunctional material for biomass chemical looping gasification and syngas upgrading

Abstract Iron oxide supported on silicatite-1 was synthesized as a novel oxygen carrier for biomass chemical looping gasification (BCLG) with additional functionalities of its reduced form as a catalyst for tar decomposition and an adsorbent for capturing CO2 in syngas. The temperature-programmed-reduction/oxidation profiles showed that the iron oxide supported on silicatite-1 had lower reduction and oxidation temperatures than the iron oxide supported on conventional silica. It was found the iron oxide supported on silicatite-1 was resistant to the formation of strong metal-support interaction and irreversible silicate in the temperature range of 650–1000 °C and exhibited high thermal/chemical stability in a cyclic process. The experimental results showed that at 900 °C, the temperature which maximize the gaseous products, the syngas contained only 0.6% C1-C4 hydrocarbons/oxygenates, 3.5% one-ring aromatics, 5.7% heavier hydrocarbons/oxygenates, and 13.2% steam, meanwhile the overall selectivity towards CO2 and CO was 77.0%. The cracking conversion of toluene over the 15Fe/S-1 was 34.8% at 700 °C. The iron supported on siliclaite-1 had a better catalytic activity in tar decomposition than the iron on a conventional silica support as the silicalite-1 had higher surface area and showed better metal dispersion. As an adsorbent for CO2 capture, the reduced oxygen carrier with 15% Fe had a 1.01 mmol/g CO2 adsorption capacity at 30 °C under 1 bar, which is comparable to other CO2 adsorbents reported in literature. Therefore, the iron oxide supported on silicatite-1 is an effective looping material as an oxygen carrier for biomass gasification, a catalyst for tar decomposition and an adsorbent for CO2 capture.
Moving Violations: Pairing an Illegitimate Learning Hierarchy with Trainee Status Mobility for Acquiring New Skills When Traditional Expertise Erodes

We explore how members of a community of practice learn new tools and techniques when environmental shifts undermine existing expertise. In our 20-month comparative field study of medical assistant...
O Ensino da programação de computadores na perspectiva de Gagné aplicado no contexto da educação prisional

Robert Mills Gagne foi um psicologo norte americano muito influente no campo da educacao entre as decadas de 60 e 70, onde se destacou ao conseguir harmonizar as principais contribuicoes behavioristas e cognitivistas em prol da educacao. Neste trabalho mostramos que, ao utilizar principios da teoria da aprendizagem de Gagne, e possivel ensinar programacao de computadores a pessoas em privacao de liberdade. Nossos resultados demonstram tambem que e possivel manter esses individuos ocupados, com o desenvolvimento de solucoes computacionais criativas, durante o tempo que antes ficavam ociosos dentro das celas.
Think Tanks: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going

Ed Feulner, Founder and Former President of The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC, explores the history, evolution and future of think tanks and policy advice in the United States.
Maternal vaccines: ten considerations for vaccine introduction and scale-up in low- and middle-income countries from the maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health perspective.

Despite significant reduction in childhood mortality, infant – particularly neonatal – mortality continues to be unacceptably high. A substantial proportion of these deaths could be averted by vacc...
Improving Effective Mental Health Consultation for Rural Older Adults Living With Depression and Pain: Learning From the Experiences of Rural Primary Care Physicians.

OBJECTIVE Novel approaches are needed to assist rural primary care physicians (PCPs) in caring for older patients living with depression and pain who are at an elevated suicide risk. To refine and improve a model of care (PREDICTOR: Pharmacy Identification and Primary Care Intervention of Older Adults at Risk for Suicide), we conducted qualitative interviews with rural PCPs about (1) caring for seniors with depression, pain, and suicidality and (2) their favored procedures for working with psychiatric consultants and the professional characteristics desired in an effective consultant. METHODS The study utilized a best-practice approach (including double coding) for qualitative interviews with 10 PCPs practicing in rural Pennsylvania. PCPs were interviewed about 3 themes related to caring for older adults with depression, pain, and suicidal ideation and working with psychiatric consultants. The study was conducted from January 2019 to May 2019. RESULTS Four primary themes emerged from the interviews. (1) Rural PCPs become comfortable managing depression in older adults out of necessity, but desire collaboration on more complex mental health care. (2) Comorbid depression and pain are universally described as related through a vicious cycle in older adults. (3) Rural PCPs experience varying comfort with prescribing opioids for pain management in older patients, but most prefer not to prescribe opioids, and some refuse to do so. (4) PCPs endorsed the PREDICTOR remote consultation model as potentially beneficial to themselves and their older patients, but strongly desired that the consultant work with them as collaborators and for a collegial professional relationship with the mental health specialist. CONCLUSIONS Rural PCPs are comfortable with remote consultation for older patients living with depression but desire collegial relationships with these consultants, supporting a collaborative approach. We describe explicit plans for implementing these findings as we refine PREDICTOR, in efforts to promote PCP practice change.
Comparison of contemporary and historical outcomes of elective and ruptured open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND Recently, open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (OSR) has become less common and will often be reserved for patients with more complex aortic anatomy. Despite improvements in patient management, the reduced surgical volume has raised concerns for potentially worsened outcomes in the contemporary era (2014-2019) compared with an earlier era in which OSR was more widely practiced (2005-2010). In the present study, we compared the 30-day outcomes of open AAA repair between these two eras. METHODS The American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program general database was queried for open AAA repair using the Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th, codes. The cases were stratified into two groups by operation year: 2005 to 2010 (early) and 2014 to 2019 (contemporary). In each era, the cases were further divided into elective and ruptured groups. The 30-day outcomes, including mortality, major morbidity, postoperative sepsis, and unplanned reoperation, were compared between the contemporary and early eras in the elective and ruptured groups. Preoperative variables with a P value 3 in the elective contemporary era (39% vs 24%; P < .0001). The contemporary elective repair group demonstrated increased 30-day mortality (3.7% vs 3.2%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.36; P = .006), major adverse cardiac events (5.7% vs 3.4%; aOR, 1.87; P < .0001), and bleeding requiring transfusion (58.5% vs 13.7%; aOR, 8.96; P < .0001). The incidence of pulmonary complications (12.1% vs 15.2%; aOR, 0.80; P = .02) and sepsis (3.7% vs 8.4%; aOR, 0.47; P < .0001) had decreased in the contemporary era, with a similar rate of unplanned reoperations (8.4% vs 7.7%; aOR, 1.16; P = .09). The incidence of renal complications in the contemporary era had increased, with a statistically significant difference. However, the absolute increase of <0.5% was likely not clinically relevant (5.5% vs 5.1%; aOR, 1.23; P = .049). In the ruptured cohort, contemporary repair was associated with increased 30-day mortality (41.4% vs 40%; aOR, 1.53; P < .0001), major adverse cardiac events (25.8% vs 12.8%; aOR, 2.49; P < .0001), and bleeding requiring transfusion (88.2% vs 27%; aOR, 23.03; P < .0001). The incidence of pulmonary complications (36.9% vs 48.1%; aOR, 0.67; P < .0001), sepsis (14.6% vs 23%; aOR, 0.75; P = .03), and unplanned reoperations (18.1% vs 22.7%; aOR, 0.74; P = .008) had decreased in the contemporary OSR group. No differences were detected in the incidence of renal complications. CONCLUSIONS The 30-day mortality has worsened after open AAA repair in the elective and rupture settings despite the improvements in perioperative management over the years. These complications likely stem from increased bleeding events and major cardiac events, which were increased in the contemporary era.
The HCG-β-subunit radioimmunoassay: Potential error in HCG measurement related to choice of labeled antigen

Abstract Antiserum generated against the hormone-specific β-subunit of hCG was used with different labeled antigens to measure circulating hCG in patients having trophoblastic disease. When 125 I-hCG β served as the labeled antigen, a small number of patient sera failed to show parallelism with the second IS-hCG reference and erroneous estimates of hormone concentrations were obtained. Replacement of the 125 I-hCG β with labeled hCG corrected the nonparallelism exhibited by these samples. Inhibition curves obtained with purified hCG and hCG β suggested that both the nonparallelism and its correction with the change in labeled antigen would be consistent with the possibility that this assay aberration may result from the presence of free hCG β in these sera.
Structural changes of the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease as revealed by MR imaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The possibility of using MR imaging as a sensitive marker of the structural changes in Parkinson9s disease has been a long-sought goal. We describe a new method for imaging and quantifying the morphologic changes of the substantia nigra in Parkinson9s disease and compare radiologic findings with clinical evaluation. METHODS: Using a combination of two MR imaging inversion-recovery pulse sequences, the substantia nigra was imaged in six patients with Parkinson9s disease and six age-related control participants. A radiologic index was defined and used to quantify the signal changes that were observed in the patients. The radiologic index was compared with clinical scores obtained from the Unified Parkinson9s Disease Rating Scale. RESULTS: The images showed loss of signal in a lateral-to-medial gradient in cases of Parkinson9s disease, corresponding to the known neuropathologic pattern of degeneration. The radiologic index was highly correlated with the Unified Parkinson9s Disease Rating Scale score, and there was no overlap in radiologic indices between the patient and the control groups (P CONCLUSION: This study suggests that MR imaging is sensitive to structural changes in even the earliest cases of Parkinson9s disease, thereby indicating the potential for detecting presymptomatic disease. Furthermore, a radiologic measure has been defined that correlates with the conventional clinical measure of disease severity. Therefore, MR imaging could prove to be a sensitive biological marker for objective staging of the disease.
Transfer of Erythromycin Resistance from Clinically Isolated Lysogenic Strains of Streptococcus pyogenes via Their Endogenous Phage

Endogenous bacteriophage from clinically isolated, erythromycin-resistant strains of Streptococcus pyogenes, upon induction by treatment with mitomycin C, were demonstrated to cause transduction of antibiotic resistance yielding transductants resistant to relatively high concentrations of erythromycin. Transduction of resistance to erythromycin via endogenous phage may play a significant role in the emergence of streptococci with multiple resistance in the clinical environment.
Acquisition of drug resistance and dependence by prions.

We have reported that properties of prion strains may change when propagated in different environments. For example, when swainsonine-sensitive 22L prions were propagated in PK1 cells in the presence of swainsonine, drug-resistant variants emerged. We proposed that prions constitute quasi- populations comprising a range of variants with different properties, from which the fittest are selected in a particular environment. Prion populations developed heterogeneity even after biological cloning, indicating that during propagation mutation-like processes occur at the conformational level. Because brain-derived 22L prions are naturally swainsonine resistant, it was not too surprising that prions which had become swa sensitive after propagation in cells could revert to drug resistance. Because RML prions, both after propagation in brain or in PK1 cells, are swainsonine sensitive, we investigated whether it was nonetheless possible to select swainsonine-resistant variants by propagation in the presence of the drug. Interestingly, this was not possible with the standard line of PK1 cells, but in certain PK1 sublines not only swainsonine-resistant, but even swainsonine-dependent populations (i.e. that propagated more rapidly in the presence of the drug) could be isolated. Once established, they could be passaged indefinitely in PK1 cells, even in the absence of the drug, without losing swainsonine dependence. The misfolded prion protein (PrPSc) associated with a swainsonine-dependent variant was less rapidly cleared in PK1 cells than that associated with its drug-sensitive counterpart, indicating that likely structural differences of the misfolded PrP underlie the properties of the prions. In summary, propagation of prions in the presence of an inhibitory drug may not only cause the selection of drug-resistant prions but even of stable variants that propagate more efficiently in the presence of the drug. These adaptations are most likely due to conformational changes of the abnormal prion protein.
Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 Observations of HH 1-2*

HH 2 has an extremely complex structure, but on a feature-by-feature basis much of the physical structure of HH 2 can be understood, leading to a consistent overall description of the object. The HH 2 jet is currently encountering dense ambient gas. The working surface of the jet is seen as bright, high-ionization emission in the central region of the complex. This emission shows a clumpy appearance due largely to the short cooling lengths behind shocks driven into dense material. The larger bow shock accompanying the jet working surface can be traced as well. Flanking the working surface are several locations where a momentum-driven shell is fragmenting as a result of hydrodynamic and thermal instabilities that arise as it, too, runs into dense ambient material. The dense obstacle being encountered by HH 2 is localized. Fossil bow shocks and "splatter" from the jet can be observed moving around this obstacle on either side of HH 2, giving the object its "indented" appearance. As in HH 1, a broader wind accompanies the HH 2 jet. Interaction of this wind with ambient material is responsible for a number of features in HH 2, including the knot seen farthest from the outflow source.
Synthesis and Application of Ratiometric and “Turn-On” Fluorescent pH Sensors: An Advanced Organic Undergraduate Laboratory

An upper-division organic chemistry laboratory experiment exploring fluorescent sensing over two laboratory periods and part of a third is described. Two functionally distinct pH-responsive sensors are prepared through a dehydrative three-component coupling reaction. During the abbreviated (<1 h) first laboratory period, students set up reactions to prepare the two compounds. The second period involves purification using salt metathesis and characterization using standard techniques. The third period is spent exploring the fluorescent characteristics of the two compounds through visual (eye) and fluorometer analysis of solutions at varying pH. The two sensors show either a “turn-on” (photoinduced electron transfer, PET) or “ratiometric” (intramolecular charge transfer, ICT) response to protonation with these distinctions deriving from sterically induced differences in conformation. This experiment is appropriate for demonstrating steric effects on reactivity and macroscopic properties, multicomponent coup...
Neural Network Forecasting of Service Problems for Aircraft Structural Component Groupings

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States is responsible for regulating aircraft traffic and safety. A significant increase in domestic air traffic coupled with an aging population of aircraft has led the FAA to initiate new aircraft safety research efforts. These efforts are intended to provide the FAA's aviation safety inspectors (ASIs) with the means to evaluate and to control appropriate surveillance levels for aircraft operators. One of the FAA's databases is the service difficulty report (SDR) system. It provides FAA inspectors with reliability and airworthiness statistical data necessary for planning, directing, controlling, and evaluating certain assigned safety and maintenance programs. Neural network forecasting models are developed that predict the number of SDRs for aircraft structural component groupings, referred to as Air Transportation Association chapters. Data are used from two specific operators with homogeneous fleets, that is, same aircraft make. It is an extension of previous SDR forecasting research in that it stratifies forecasts by structural component groupings.
Using tap sequences to authenticate drivers

Most vehicles only require a key to authenticate the driver. However, with vehicles becoming portals to digital information, many drivers might find this authentication method inadequate. In this paper we explore using tap sequences on the back of the steering wheel to authenticate drivers. Our results indicate that drivers can learn to use an authentication system that uses such taps, and that the system could provide good protection from shoulder-surfing attacks.
Fit, focus and functionality: an essay on early language intervention:

A principled account of preschool language intervention can be derived from the nature of language learning in general and from our under standing of the needs of language-disordered children in particular. This essay attempts to explicate these relationships. The guiding concepts of FIT, FOCUS, and FUNCTIONALITY are used to generate ten instructional strategies for language disordered children in all settings.
Tubular aggregates in type II muscle fibers: Ultrastructural and histochemical correlation

Aggregates rich in DPNH and TPNH tetrazolium reductase activity appeared only in type II muscle fibers of some humans with mild or no clinical neuromuscular disease. They were composed of long tubules containing one or more inner tubules and some saccular dilations. Some abnormal tubules and sacs contained amorphous material like that in normal lateral sacs of the sacroplasmic reticulum (SR). The only relationship of the tubules with normal structures was a contiguity with, as if they were arising from, the lateral sacs of SR. The tubular aggregates were thought to be massive proliferations of the longitudinal component and/or lateral sacs of SR. The possibility was raised that they were formed in response to exogenous or endogenous “toxins”.
Lymph flow rate response to angiotensin II is decreased in pregnant sheep

Pregnancy in humans is associated with a number of physiologic changes including interstitial fluid retention (edema) and a decrease in the systemic vascular response to infused angiotensin II. In nonpregnant sheep angiotensin II increases the lymph flow rate by what appears to be a direct effect on the lymphatic vessels. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that during pregnancy the lymph flow rate response to angiotensin II infusion is decreased in relation to that of the nonpregnant state. We speculate that a decrease in lymph flow may explain the interstitial fluid retention observed during human pregnancy. In nine nonpregnant and five pregnant chronically catheterized ewes, we infused angiotensin II at rates of 0.1, 10, and 1000 ng/kg/min during a 5-minute period, with intervals of at least 15 minutes between doses. At the highest angiotensin II dose, peak lymph flow rate increased 286% in pregnant ewes compared with an increase of 344% in the nonpregnant sheep ( p p
Business activity patterns: a new model for collaborative business applications

In this paper, we describe the vision behind the Unified Activity Management project at IBM Research. In particular, we describe and discuss activities, activity-centered computing, and activity patterns and illustrate the potential impact of this approach and its value to individuals, teams, and the enterprise. We discuss business activities and their integration into the development of business processes. We share insights from user studies and feedback from customers on the benefits of the activity model in a variety of business settings.
Propulsion system considerations for research vessels

Research vessels are unique among ship types because of the extremely varied nature of their operating profiles and requirements. While most commercial ships and many naval vessels tend to operate in a transit condition at fairly constant speeds, research vessels encounter very different operating conditions depending on the nature of the scientific research being conducted. These varied profiles can put significantly different demands on a propulsion system and make it difficult to design a system that adequately satisfies all the requirements and is cost effective to operate.
A series criterion for moving maxima

Suppose U1, U2,… are independent random variables, uniformly distributed on the unit interval, and μn is a sequence of real numbers with 0 ⩽ μn ⩽ 1. Let Mn = max{Ui: n−an <i⩽n}, where an is an integer sequence satisfying 1 ⩽ an ⩽ n. We give a series criterion for determining when P{Mn <μn i.o.} = 0 1. We also find the set of limit points of the sequence Mn.
Intervalence-band THz laser in selectively-doped semiconductor structure

Monte Carlo simulation of carrier dynamics and far-infrared absorption in a selectively-doped p-type multi-layer Ge structure with vertical transport was performed to test a novel terahertz laser concept. The design exploits the known mechanism of THz amplification on intersubband transitions in p-Ge, but with spatial separation of light hole accumulation regions from doped regions, which allows remarkable enhancement of the gain. The structure consists of doped layers separated by 300-500 nm gaps of pure-Ge. Vertical electric field (~ 1-2 kV/cm) and perpendicular magnetic field (~ 1T) provide inversion population on direct intersubband light- to heavy-hole transitions. Heavy holes are found to transit the undoped layers quickly and to congregate mainly around the doped layers. Light holes, due to tighter magnetic confinement, are preferably accumulated within the undoped layers. There the relatively small ionized impurity and electron-electron scattering rates allow higher total carrier concentrations, and therefore higher gain, than in bulk crystal p-Ge lasers. In contrast to GaAs-based THz quantum cascade lasers (QCL), the robust design and large structure period suggest that the proposed Ge structures might be grown by the technologically-advantageous chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The ability of CVD to grow relatively thick structures will simplify the electrodynamic cavity design and reduce electrodynamic losses in future THz lasers based on the presented scheme.
Gustation as a factor in the ingestion of sweet and fat emulsions by the rat

This paper was written to pay honor to Professor Gerard P. Smith because of his strong influence on me to study the ingestion of sweet and fat mixtures. Three experiments are reported here, in which the laboratory rat was given an emulsion of a glucose+saccharin mixture with corn oil. In the first experiment, a two-bottle, 24-h test was given comparing the emulsion with water. Over 6 weeks, the concentration of the corn oil was gradually increased. When given only food and water, or the glucose/saccharin solution, the rats regulated their caloric intake and grew at a normal rate. In contrast, when the corn oil was present, the rats significantly increased their caloric intake, resulting in a marked increase in body weight. In the second experiment, a detailed analysis of the ingestion revealed that the rate of licking the emulsion during drinking bouts increased in a linear manner as the concentration of the corn oil was increased. In the third experiment, a conditioned taste aversion to the sweet/fat emulsion generalized to the fat more than to the sweet solutions. The implications for a gustatory input are discussed.
The effects of nebulized albuterol on esophageal function in asthmatic patients.

Purpose Albuterol reduces lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure in normal volunteers, although the effects of albuterol on esophageal function in asthmatic patients are not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of nebulized albuterol on lower esophageal function in asthmatic patients. Symptoms and a methacholine challenge test were used to identify asthmatic patients who were then enrolled in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover trial. Changes in esophageal function in response to nebulized albuterol or placebo were evaluated over two sessions spaced 1 week apart. Results Albuterol induced a dose-dependent drop in lower esophageal sphincter basal pressure with a threshold dose as low as 2.5 mg. Albuterol did not affect the amplitude of esophageal contractions. Conclusions Nebulized albuterol induces a dose-dependent reduction in LES basal pressure in asthmatic patients. These effects raise the possibility that gastroesophageal reflux may occur after bronchodilator therapy.
Lubrication Model of an Artificial Hip Joint: Pressure Profile Versus Inclination Angle of the Acetabular Cup

Formulation of a three-dimensional, quasi-static lubrication model of an artificial hip joint is proposed which includes the inclination angle of the acetabular cup. This is performed by deriving a transformed Reynolds equation accounting for this cup tilt angle. The numerical simulation also addresses mass conservation at the location of film rupture. A 3-D spherical representation of the articulating surfaces of the hip prosthesis is mapped onto a cartesian coordinate system of the entire geometry of the “ball and socket” joint. Results include the lubricating fluid pressure distributions for various inclination angles of the acetabular cup demonstrating that the greatest pressures occur for large eccentricities in the upward vertical direction.
Features and fusion for expression recognition — A comparative analysis

This paper looks at various low-level features, such as Local Binary Pattern (LBP), Local Phase Quantization (LPQ), Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), for performance comparison in subject independent facial expression recognition setting. We use Soft Vector Quantization (SVQ) to compute image-level descriptors. We also do a performance comparison of various pooling methodologies in SVQ. We later do classification using logistic regression followed by fusing likelihoods from the classifiers with various features to come up with joint decisions. Our analysis on the BU-3DFE show that SIFT and mean pooling outperform other features and pooling strategies and that classifier fusion helps in improving the recognition performance.
Protein synthesis in vitro with Tetrahymena mitochondrial ribosomes.

Abstract Phenylalanine incorporation studies in vitro have established that 80-S ribosomes from Tetrahymena mitochondria function in protein synthesis. Rate of incorporation of [ 14 C]phenylalanine in the presence of poly(U) was approx. 126 pmoles/h per mg ribosomal protein. Incorporation was sensitive to chloramphenicol but not to cycloheximide. Mitochondrial ribosomes were found to be functionally distinct from cytoplasmic ribosomes and capable of synthesizing high-molecular-weight proteins in the absence of poly(U).
HSPA1A is an important regulator of the stability and function of ZNF198 and its oncogenic derivative, ZNF198–FGFR1

Mass spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that the HSPA1A protein is found in complex with the ZNF198 protein which is involved in a chromosome rearrangement with the FGFR1 gene in an atypical myeloproliferative disease. HSPA1A is a member of the HSP70 family of genes which has been shown to be inducible in a variety of circumstances. Exogenous expression of the ZNF198-FGFR1 fusion kinase gene as well as ZNF198 in a model cell system results in a large (>650-fold) increase in HSP70 mRNA levels. Using KNK437, a specific inhibitor of HSP70 transcription, we have demonstrated that an important function of HSPA1A is to stabilize the ZNF198 and ZNF198-FGFR1 proteins. In the absence of HSPA1A, specific functions of ZNF198-FGFR1 such as STAT3 phosphorylation is also lost. Treatment of cells with KNK437 in the presence of MG132, an inhibitor of proteasomal degradation of proteins, suggested that only the ZNF198-FGFR1 protein is subject to the proteasomal degradation pathway, while ZNF198 is not. These observations suggest an important role for HSPA1A in ZNF198 and ZNF198-FGFR1 mediated cellular function.
Retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein signals through inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity to disrupt PCNA function in S phase.

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (RB) is a negative regulator of the cell cycle that inhibits both G1 and S-phase progression. While RB-mediated G1 inhibition has been extensively studied, the mechanism utilized for S-phase inhibition is unknown. To delineate the mechanism through which RB inhibits DNA replication, we generated cells which inducibly express a constitutively active allele of RB (PSM-RB). We show that RB-mediated S-phase inhibition does not inhibit the chromatin binding function of MCM2 or RPA, suggesting that RB does not regulate the prereplication complex or disrupt early initiation events. However, activation of RB in S-phase cells disrupts the chromatin tethering of PCNA, a requisite component of the DNA replication machinery. The action of RB was S phase specific and did not inhibit the DNA damage-mediated association of PCNA with chromatin. We also show that RB-mediated PCNA inhibition was dependent on downregulation of CDK2 activity, which was achieved through the downregulation of cyclin A. Importantly, restoration of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2)–cyclin A and thus PCNA activity partially restored S-phase progression in the presence of active RB. Therefore, the data presented identify RB-mediated regulation of PCNA activity via CDK2 attenuation as a mechanism through which RB regulates S-phase progression. Together, these findings identify a novel pathway of RB-mediated replication inhibition.
Elimination of nocturnal thumbsucking by glove wearing

Abstract The use of glove wearing in the treatment of a child's long-standing habit of thumbsucking while sleeping is described. The application of a medication to inhibit thumbsucking was tried initially without effect. The subsequent use of glove wearing totally eliminated thumbsucking during sleep within three weeks.
Assessment of the quality of publicly reported central line-associated bloodstream infection data in Colorado, 2010

Background Validation of self-reported health care-associated infection data is essential to verify correct understanding of definition criteria, surveillance practices, and reporting integrity. Recent studies have found significant under-reporting of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) leading Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to examine the quality of Colorado’s CLABSI data. Methods Trained Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment staff members performed onsite validation visits that included interviews with infection preventionists to assess surveillance practices and retrospective chart reviews of patients with positive blood cultures in specific intensive care units (adult and neonatal) and long-term acute care hospitals during the first quarter of 2010. Results Fifty-five CLABSIs from the original sample were identified; 33 (60%) in the adult intensive care unit, 7 (12.7%) in the neonatal intensive care unit, and 15 (27.3%) in the long-term acute care hospital. Of the 55 CLABSIs identified by reviewers, 18 (32.7%) were not reported by the hospitals, 37 CLABSIs (67.3%) were reported correctly into the National Healthcare Safety Network, and 1 CLABSI was over-reported. Conclusions There was wide variation noted in surveillance practices as well as in application of definition criteria. With 33% under-reported cases, it was concluded that ongoing validation of health care-associated infection data is necessary.
Managed mental health in the oregon health plan

This chapter details the efforts of Oregonians to demonstrate the rationality of including mental health coverage in a comprehensive health plan.
Mixed Double-Diffusive Convection in Gas-Loaded Heat Pipes

This study examines mixed double-diffusive convection in gas-loaded heat pipes and two-phase thermosyphons. The numerical simulation and experiments show that steady, laminar natural convection due to the combined effects of temperature and concentration gradients can greatly redistribute the noncondensable gas within the condenser. This change of the gas distribution, however, does not significantly alter the overall condensation heat transfer. This interesting result implies that even with natural convection present, much simpler integral models can still be applied with confidence for the design of variable-conductance heat pipes and thermosyphons.
Disassociation of postischemic recovery of renal adenosine triphosphate and cellular integrity

ABSTRACT: Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that postischemic infusion of thyroxin (T4) will augment the restoration of cellular ATP and enhance the recovery of renal function. It has not been clear, however, whether T4 has a direct effect on mitochondrial ATP synthesis or an indirect effect by stabilization of the plasma membrane. To differentiate these putative effects, rats were subjected to 45 min of renal ischemia and given either normal saline (0.5 mL) or T4 (20 μg/100 g body weight) during the first 15 min of reflow. Cellular ATP levels were assessed by 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was used as an index of plasma membrane integrity at 30 and 120 min of reflow. In rats given normal saline, renal ATP had returned to only 57.9 ± 1.4% of preischemic values at 30 min of reflow and 66.1 ± 1.4% by 120 min. LDH release was 13 ± 0.89% at 30 min and 14.6 ± 1.6% at 120 min. In contrast, T4-treated animals had ATP levels of 70.2 ± 2.0% at 30 min and 84.0 ± 1.9% at 120 min, whereas LDH release was elevated to values similar to those in normal saline-treated rats, 14.9 ± 1.5% and 14.4 ± 0.5% at 30 min and 120 min, respectively (nonischemic LDH 8.8 ± 0.8%). These data suggest that T4 stimulates the recovery of renal ATP by a direct effect on synthesis rather than an indirect effect related to global improvement in cellular integrity.
Tumor necrosis factor-α responses are depressed and interleukin-6 responses unaltered in feline immunodeficiency virus infected cats

Abstract Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a lentivirus similar to HIV, causes an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in cats. Similar to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the pathogenesis of FIV is associated with dysregulation of the cytokine network. While alterations in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression have been reported in HIV-infected patients, changes attributable to HIV and those caused by cofactors such as secondary infections cannot always be readily distinguished. This study evaluated the effect of FIV infection on TNF-α and IL-6 production in cats not exposed to other potential cofactors such as secondary infections. TNF-α and IL-6 activities were evaluated in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from FIV-infected and uninfected specific pathogen free (SPF) cats. Supernatants from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BAL cells from uninfected SPF cats had high levels of TNF-α and IL-6 activity, while stimulated BAL cell supernatants from FIV-infected SPF cats had significantly lower levels of TNF-α but unaltered IL-6 activity. Similarly, Con A/phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulated non-adherent (NA-) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from FIV infected cats synthesized less TNF-α than similarly treated NA-PBMC from uninfected cats. Feline immunodeficiency virus could be recovered from the culture supernatants of BAL cells from infected cats by co-cultivation with susceptible lymphocytes. In situ hybridization identified FIV mRNA in a small fraction of alveolar macrophages in the BAL cell cultures. Considering that these SPF cats have been infected with FIV for up to 3 years, yet remain asymptomatic and have no evidence of secondary infections, the present data suggest that the deficiency in TNF-α production by BAL cells and NA-PBMC is an intrinsic characteristic of the FIV infection.
Use of laser-diode arrays in holographic interconnections

Holographic interconnection schemes for high-speed data transfer have been demonstrated by other researchers. Because holographic recording materials presently available are sensitive to the visible spectrum but not to the near infrared, these studies used bulky gas lasers. Visible laser diodes, as they become available, will likely become a preferred source in a practical system because of their small size and high beam powers. The two mutually coherent beams needed to write the hologram have previously been implemented by using bulk optics to split a beam. In anticipation of the use of coherently coupled visible laser diode arrays as sources, it is shown that the individual elements of laser diode arrays currently available have sufficient mutual coherence to create reasonable holographic elements. This application is demonstrated with an infrared array because of the unavailability of visible arrays in this emerging technology. It is extrapolated that for visible coherently coupled laser diode arrays and current holographic materials, a holographic interconnection system is potentially feasible by using the mutually coherent beams from individual facets. This makes recording holograms more straightforward because the recording process eliminates beam splitting requirements. Therefore the system is more desirable for in situ recording situations such as those required for dynamic interconnection.
An Open-Label Trial of Bromocriptine in Nonfluent Aphasia: A Qualitative Analysis of Word Storage and Retrieval

Anomia is a commonly found in aphasia and has been attributed to a loss of representations (storage deficit) or to a loss of access to these representations (retrieval deficit). Bromocriptine, a dopamine agonist, was tested on four patients, two men and two women, with nonfluent aphasia. The patients were tested in an open-label ABBA design using a stochastic model that measured the degree of storage and retrieval deficits. All patients showed significant improvements in word retrieval. Bromocriptine may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of selected patients with a nonfluent aphasia in which retrieval deficits play a major role.