cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Type 1 interferon to prevent leukemia relapse after allogeneic transplantation.

ABSTRACT A potent graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) response is crucial in preventing relapse, the major impediment to successful allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). In preclinical studies, Type-1 interferon (IFNα) enhanced cross-presentation of leukemia specific antigens by CD8α dendritic cells (DCs) and amplified GVL. This observation was translated into a proof-of-concept phase I/II clinical trial with long-acting IFNα (pegIFNα) in patients undergoing HCT for high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Patients with treatment resistant AML not in remission or poor risk leukemia were administered four dosages of pegIFNα every 14 days beginning at day -1 before HCT. Dose selection was established by adaptive design that continuously assessed the probability of dose limiting toxicities throughout the trial. Efficacy was evaluated by determining the six-month incidence of relapse at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Thirty-six patients (median age of 60 years) received pegIFNα treatment. Grade 3 or greater SAEs occurred in 25% of patients establishing 180mcg as the MTD. In phase II, the incidence of relapse was 39% at six-months, which was sustained through one-year post HCT. The incidence of transplant-related mortality was 13% and severe grade III-IV acute GVHD occurred in 11%. Paired blood samples from donors and recipients after HCT indicated elevated levels of Type-1 IFN with cellular response, persistence of cross-presenting DCs and circulating leukemia antigen specific T cells. These data suggest that prophylactic administration of pegIFNα is feasible in the peri-HCT period. In high-risk AML, increased toxicity was not observed with preliminary evidence for reduction in leukemia relapse after HCT. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02328755.
A Sense of Self: RIG-I's Tolerance to Host RNA

The innate immune sensor RIG-I recognizes viral RNA while avoiding unwanted activation by self RNA. In this issue of Immunity, Schuberth-Wagner et al. (2015) show that a histidine residue in the RNA binding pocket of RIG-I sterically excludes the cap1 structure of self RNA, thereby preventing downstream activation.
Chemical Mechanical Paired Grinding

Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) is a polishing process that planarizes a surface at both a local and global scale. The multi scale planarization capabilities of CMP are used extensively in the fabrication of Integrated Circuits (IC). Though a relentless reduction of feature scales have driven a continual refinement of the CMP process, defectivity levels remain problematic in current CMP processes. Chemical Mechanical Paired Grinding is a new planarization method, developed at Iowa State University, designed to provide a marked defect reduction at feasible and economic operational conditions. Proposed is a method of planarization that utilizes insights from the operational principals of polishing and grinding by combining the strengths of fixed abrasive grinding with those of free abrasive polishing while avoiding their drawbacks. Key features of the proposed CMPG method includes: Defect Mitigation via Minimization of Maximum Force, Effective Planarization via Profile Driven Determination of Force Gradient, and Robustness via Homogenization. Presented in this thesis is a review of past and present CMP machines, the background and conceptual development of CMPG, and the construction and testing of a prototype CMPG machine. The construction of the prototype CMPG machine, built as a proof of concept, is thoroughly documented as it exists at its current juncture of development. A set of tests that parameterize the process parameters and consumables are analyzed. The analysis provides a characterization of the planarization capabilities of the prototype CMPG machine.
Running to Stand Still: Dimensions of Firm Growth and Governance

Using establishment-level micro data on Compustat firms, we develop a novel decomposition of firm employment growth. Our decomposition reveals that on average, firms in this sample rely more on growth from acquiring and founding new establishments than on growth of existing establishments. Importantly, closures and sales of establishments make a significant negative growth contribution that more than offsets the growth of existing establishments. We then examine how the quality of governance, as measured by the strength of protection from takeovers, is associated with the various components of firm growth. In line with the literature, we find that poor governance is associated with lower firm growth. However, this lower growth for poorly governed firms appears to be the result of both a lower growth rate for existing and new establishments, and a significantly greater rate of establishment closures and sales. We do not find any significant differences in the contribution of acquisitions to growth. Together, our results suggest that well-governed firms are able to better manage growth through efficient investments and thus have a more balanced growth portfolio than poorly governed firms.
.ComQ : dimensionalizing, measuring, and predicting quality of the e-tail experince

Quality is related to customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty in both product and services settings. Thus, quality is expected to be a determinant of online retailer success as well. Based on online and offline focus groups, a sorting task, and an online survey of Harris Interactive's customer panel, the authors establish the dimensions of the e-tail experience, and develop a reliable and valid scale for the measurement of online quality. The analysis suggests that four factors - website design (including information, order processing, navigation, and product selection), fulfillment/reliability, privacy/security and customer service - are strongly predictive of customer judgments of quality and satisfaction, customer loyalty and attitudes toward the website (AST).
Initiation of cleavage in frog eggs: An analysis of active large granule fractions from frog liver tissue homogenates

Abstract Mature unfertilized frog eggs can undergo cleavage if injected with cytoplasmic granular extracts from a variety of tissues. In an attempt to determine which particulate component in the cell is the active one, subcellular fractions were prepared from liver tissue of Rana pipiens by differential and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The fractions were assayed for mitochondrial, lysosomal, and peroxisomal marker enzymes and samples were injected into eggs of Rana pipiens to determine their capacity to initiate cleavage. Subjecting the large granules to freeze-thawing, sonication, storage for days at 2–3 °C, and heating to 52 °C results in the loss of most or all of their cleavage-initiating (CI) activity. A comparison of the centrifugal distribution of mitochondria, lysosomes, and peroxisomes with CI particles from the variously treated or untreated preparations reveals that probably none of these organelles are identical with the CI agent. The concentration of granules in the injected material was shown to be of importance in determining the percentage of eggs which undergo cleavage and the extent of the cleavages. The CI factor very likely either functions as a division center or catalyzes the formation of such a center in the egg.
Progression of renal cell carcinoma is inhibited by genistein and radiation in an orthotopic model

We have previously reported the potentiation of radiotherapy by the soy isoflavone genistein for prostate cancer using prostate tumor cells in vitro and orthotopic prostate tumor models in vivo. However, when genistein was used as single therapy in animal models, it promoted metastasis to regional para-aortic lymph nodes. To clarify whether these intriguing adverse effects of genistein are intrinsic to the orthotopic prostate tumor model, or these results could also be recapitulated in another model, we used the orthotopic metastatic KCI-18 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) model established in our laboratory. The KCI-18 RCC cell line was generated from a patient with papillary renal cell carcinoma. Following orthotopic renal implantation of KCI-18 RCC cells and serial in vivo kidney passages in nude mice, we have established a reliable and predictable metastatic RCC tumor model. Mice bearing established kidney tumors were treated with genistein combined with kidney tumor irradiation. The effect of the therapy was assessed on the primary tumor and metastases to various organs. In this experimental model, the karyotype and histological characteristics of the human primary tumor are preserved. Tumor cells metastasize from the primary renal tumor to the lungs, liver and mesentery mimicking the progression of RCC in humans. Treatment of established kidney tumors with genistein demonstrated a tendency to stimulate the growth of the primary kidney tumor and increase the incidence of metastasis to the mesentery lining the bowel. In contrast, when given in conjunction with kidney tumor irradiation, genistein significantly inhibited the growth and progression of established kidney tumors. These findings confirm the potentiation of radiotherapy by genistein in the orthotopic RCC model as previously shown in orthotopic models of prostate cancer. Our studies in both RCC and prostate tumor models demonstrate that the combination of genistein with primary tumor irradiation is a more effective and safer therapeutic approach as the tumor growth and progression are inhibited both in the primary and metastatic sites.
Is the pulsed xenon ultraviolet light no-touch disinfection system effective on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the absence of manual cleaning?

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been shown to survive on ambient surfaces for extended periods of time. Leftover MRSA environmental contamination in a hospital room places future patients at risk. Manual disinfection supplemented by pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) light disinfection has been shown to greatly decrease the MRSA bioburden in hospital rooms. However, the effect of PX-UV in the absence of manual disinfection has not been evaluated. Methods Rooms that were previously occupied by a MRSA-positive patient (current colonization or infection) were selected for the study immediately postdischarge. Five high-touch surfaces were sampled, before and after PX-UV disinfection, in each hospital room. The effectiveness of the PX-UV device on the concentration of MRSA was assessed employing a Wilcoxon signed-rank test for all 70 samples with MRSA in 14 rooms, as well as by surface location. Results The final analysis included 14 rooms. Before PX-UV disinfection there were a total of 393 MRSA colonies isolated from the 5 high-touch surfaces. There were 100 MRSA colonies after disinfection by the PX-UV device and the overall reduction was statistically significant ( P Conclusions Our study results suggest that PX-UV light effectively reduces MRSA colony counts in the absence of manual disinfection. These findings are important for hospital and environmental services supervisors who plan to adapt new technologies as an adjunct to routine manual disinfection.
Trends in traumatic spinal cord injury

Trends in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury To the EditorTheuseof theNationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) by Dr Jain and colleagues1 to estimate trends in the incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury in theUnited States raises several questions. Their finding of an incidence of 53 to 54 cases per 1 million inpatient hospitalizations appears only slightly lower than the cumulative incidence estimates from a study basedontheNationwideEmergencyDepartmentSample (56.4 per 1million),whichusedamore conservative approach todefine acute traumatic spinal cord injury by including only persons with a principal diagnosis.2 To quantify traumatic spinal cord injury burden as accurately as possible would require a comprehensive nationwide survey similar to those used in prior regional, countylevel studies, which is an arduous task involving significant costs and resources.3,4 Hence, identifying a proxy approach to estimating nationwide traumatic spinal cord injury burden is essential. Aprimaryconcernwiththeuseofdata frominpatientsonly is the potential to substantially underestimate populationlevel incidence. Prior population-based regional studies suggest that up to 38% of individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury die before receiving definitive inpatient care.3,4 In addition,althoughthemajorityofpatientspresentingtotheemergencydepartmentwithsuch injuriesarehospitalizedatashortterm hospital, others are not. Nearly 15% of survivors are not admitted to short-term facilities that form thebasis of theNIS, instead undergoing transfers to long-term facilities (including specialty rehabilitation centers), being discharged, leaving against medical advice, or having no discharge destination recorded.2 Although patients who are not admitted to short-term facilities after emergency department presentation may have relatively minor injuries,2 it is still important that they be accounted for when discussing traumatic spinal cord injury incidence. For example, a patient with an incomplete L4 injury resulting from a fall may not be admitted to a short-term hospital but may require rehabilitation services in the future. Apart from injury severity, inpatient admission may also be influenced by insurance coverage, patient circumstances, familypreferences, andphysician recommendations.As such, using inpatient records todetermine traumatic spinal cord injury incidence misses not only those who die prior to definitive inpatient carebut also individualswithminor injuries and those who are unable to access inpatient care.
Anterograde tracing of trigeminal afferent pathways from the murine tooth pulp to cortex using herpes simplex virus type 1

Due to its predominantly nociceptive innervation, viral tracing from the tooth pulp provides a potential means for tracing central pain pathways. The neural pathways from the tooth pulp to cortex were determined using in situ hybridization to detect the anterograde transneuronal spread of herpes simplex virus type 1 strain H129 following inoculation into the murine mandibular incisor pulp. Virus first appeared in the brain at day 3 in the dorsomedial region of all three subnuclei of the spinal trigeminal nucleus and the principal sensory nucleus. By days 5-6 virus had spread to the contralateral medial nucleus of the medial geniculate complex, posterior thalamus, and ventroposteromedial thalamus. At days 7-8 virus was detected in laminae IV and Va of the primary somatosensory cortex and lamina IV of the secondary somatosensory cortex in regions previously shown to receive input from the lower jaw. Several mice also showed infection of laminae II/III of the ipsilateral dysgranular insular cortex, along with labeling for virus in the ipsilateral external lateral parabrachial nucleus, posterior thalamus, and posterior basolateral amygdala. Our results are highly consistent with previous tracing and electrophysiological studies utilizing the tooth pulp and with studies implicating the infected structures in nociception. Viral spread appeared to define two separate afferent systems with infection of structures which have been implicated in the sensory-discriminative aspects of pain, such as the ventroposteromedial thalamus and somatosensory cortex, as well as in the dysgranular insular cortex and related subcortical nuclei which may have a role in the affective-motivational aspects of pain.
Response to Professor Nimi Wariboko

Abstract Professor Wariboko has rightly responded to Fire from Heaven in the context of the entire span of my writing from The Secular City to The Future of Faith and has pointed out some persistent themes. The thesis of The Secular City was that God remains present and active in a secularizing world, albeit not always under “religious” auspices. A new generation of thinkers, including Charles Taylor, has now picked up this theme. Fire from Heaven described the “surfacing” of this primal piety in the global Pentecostal wave, and The Future of Faith suggests what the next stage may be. The Pentecostal movement and the resurgence of Islam have made it clear that the “secular” is now only one possible worldview among others. Also, there are a number of different forms of secularism. The emerging global cosmopolis will be multicultural, a world city “where strangers meet.” Using the metaphor of jazz, faith now follows no “score” but improvises within a chord structure, with players responding to each other. The question of whether the Pentecostal movement can “play” in such a setting is still an open one.
Analytical/Experimental Investigation of Energy Absorption in Grid-Stiffened Composite Structures Under Transverse Loading

In this paper we summarize preliminary results from an analytical/experimental study of the energy absorption characteristics of grid-stiffened composite structures under transverse loading. Tests and quasi-static finite element analysis simulations were carried out for isogrid E-glass/polypropylene panels in three-point bending. The results of the tests and simulations show that these types of structures have excellent damage tolerance and that most of the energy absorption occurs beyond initial failure. It is also observed that even though the peak load is greater for loading on the skin side, the specific energy absorption and the range of displacements over which energy is absorbed are significantly better when the load is applied on the rib side.
H-bonding additives act like Lewis acid catalysts.

A combination of NMR, IR, and ab initio techniques reveals the striking structural similarities of an exemplary H-bonded complex of an N-acyloxazolidinone with an N,N‘-disubstituted electron-poor thiourea and the corresponding Lewis acid complex. Although the H-bond association constant is lower than for the Lewis acid adduct, Diels−Alder reactions are accelerated and stereochemically altered in a fashion similar to weak Lewis acids.
Neurosecretory system of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae). II. Distribution of secretory cell types, axonal pathways and putative neurohemal‐neuroendocrine associations; comparative histological and anatomical implications

Histological observations using specialized techniques reveal neurosecretory cells in 18 centers throughout the rind (cortex) of the central nerve mass or synganglion of Dermacentor variabilis. Many cells contribute to complicated networks of neurosecretory pathways and tracts in pre- and post-esophageal portions of the synganglion. The four types of neurohemal-neuroendocrine associations found in Dermacentor resemble structures found in soft ticks (Argasidae) and in other Arachnida, but are more diverse than those described from any other single species. Neurosecretory terminals are distributed diffusely and in two concentrated associations within the perineurium of the synganglion and major peripheral nerves. Terminals are also distributed in the perineurial layers of lateral segmental organs which lie in the general hemocoel at the level of the pedal nerves. A retrocerebral organ complex surrounds the esophagus at its junction with the midgut. The complex includes dorsal and ventro-lateral lobes (containing neurosecretory terminals and intrinsic secretory cells) and the proventricular (neurohemal) plexus. This plexus seems to be a modified (concentrated) cardioglial association. Cardioglial associations are also formed by the neurosecretory innervation of vascular walls of the dorsal aorta and circulatory sinuses which envelope the synganglion and major peripheral nerves. Inferential considerations of neurosecretory and endocrine interactions in the Acari are based on these anatomical and histological data which also provide the basis for evolutionary considerations of anatomical relationships and specializations in the neurosecretory systems of other Arachnida.
Hybrid silicon and lithium niobate electro-optical ring modulator

Of all oxides, lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is the gold standard electro-optical material in fiber-optic transmission systems. Modulators based on diffused waveguides in bulk LiNbO3 substrates are, however, relatively large. In contrast, ring modulators based on silicon-on-insulator are of interest for chip-scale electro-optical modulation, but unstrained crystalline silicon does not exhibit a linear electro-optic effect, so modulation is based on alternative mechanisms such as the plasma dispersion effect. Here, we present a hybrid silicon and LiNbO3 electro-optical ring modulator operating at gigahertz frequencies. The modulator consists of a 15 μm radius silicon microring and an ion-sliced LiNbO3 thin film bonded together via benzocyclobutene. Fabricated devices operating in the TE optical mode exhibit an optical loaded quality factor of 14,000 and a resonance tuning of 3.3 pm/V. The small-signal electrical-to-optical 3 dB bandwidth is measured to be 5 GHz. Digital modulation with an extinction ratio greater than 3 dB is demonstrated up to 9 Gb/s. High-speed and low-tuning-power chip-scale modulators that exploit the high-index contrast of silicon with the second-order susceptibility of LiNbO3 are envisioned.
Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Human Thyroid Carcinoma and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Objectives: Cyclooxygenases (COX) are enzymes that catalyze the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. COX-2, unlike the constitutively expressed COX-1, is an inducible enzyme upregulated during cell proliferation and inflammation. More recently, COX-2 has been implicated in the development of numerous types of epithelial cancers. In addition, COX-2 is highly expressed in several inflammatory diseases. Because of its dual role in inflammation and cancer, we were interested in determining if COX-2 plays a role in the development of human thyroid carcinoma and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition frequently associated with thyroid malignancy. Materials and Methods: Twenty paraffin-embedded human tissue specimens, including normal, inflammatory, and neoplastic thyroid sections, were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining for expression of human COX-2. In addition, COX-2 protein expression was verified by Western blot in two specimens. Results: Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of COX-2 in thyroid epithelial neoplasms, including papillary and follicular carcinomas. Moreover, COX-2 expression was observed in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. COX-2 expression, however, was not observed in normal thyroid tissue, multinodular goiter, or anaplastic carcinoma. Conclusions: We have shown that cyclooxygenase-2 is expressed in thyroid carcinoma and thyroid epithelium from patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis but not in normal thyroid. The expression of COX-2 in both of these thyroid pathologies may provide a basis for the relationship between carcinogenesis and autoimmunity.
When craft and science collide: Improving therapeutic practices through evidence-based innovations

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a model of clinical decision-making that is increasingly being advocated for use in the field of speech-language pathology. With the increased emphasis on scientific evidence as a form of knowledge important to EBP, clinicians may wonder whether their craft-based knowledge (i.e., knowledge derived from theory and practice), remains a legitimate form of knowledge for use in clinician decisions. This article describes forms of knowledge that may be used to address clinical questions, to include both craft and science. Additionally, the steps used when engaging in EBP are described so that clinicians understand when and how craft comes into play. The major premise addressed within this article is that craft is a legitimate form of knowledge and that engagement in EBP requires one to employ craft-based knowledge.
Clinical predictors of arrhythmia inducibility in survivors of cardiac arrest: Importance of gender and prior myocardial infarction

Abstract Clinical characteristics that correlate with arrhythmia inducibility were determined in 150 consecutive survivors of cardiac arrest. All underwent electrophysiologic study with a uniform protocol when they were not receiving antiarrhythmic drugs. A ventricular tachyarrhythmia (sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia) was induced in 113 patients (75%). The strongest correlates of inducing a tachyarrhythmia were male gender (p Induction of sustained monomorphic tachycardia alone was also strongly related to gender and prior infarction; in particular, none of 26 women without prior infarction had induction of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. Among patients with induced sustained tachyarrhythmias, those with induced monomorphic ventricular tachycardia were distinguished from those with induced ventricular fibrillation in that they were more likely to have coronary artery disease (p = 0.0001), healed myocardial infarction (p = 0.0002), left ventricular aneurysm (p = 0.0007) and ventricular tachycardia documented at the time of cardiac arrest (p = 0.02). Other variables showing significant correlations with arrhythmia inducibility were ejection fraction, documentation of ventricular tachycardia at the time of cardiac arrest and presence of an intraventricular conduction delay. However, stepwise logistic regression identified male gender and healed myocardial infarction as the only independent predictors of arrhythmia inducibility. On the basis of these two variables alone, arrhythmia inducibility or noninducibility could be correctly predicted in 89% of the patients in this series.
Imaging Techniques for the Patient With Renal Cell Carcinoma

The imaging of renal cell carcinoma continues to evolve from radiographic tomography to state-of-the-art three-dimensional imagery using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This article reviews the current techniques of imaging the patient with renal cell carcinoma. Careful and accurate imaging of these patients allows for the appropriate diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up care. At each point in the care of these patients, imaging plays an important role. In particular, the diagnosis and staging of renal cell carcinoma can be accomplished with CT and MRI, with each modality having strengths and weaknesses that are contrasted. Intraoperative ultrasound is used during laparoscopic or conventional partial nephrectomies, whereas ultrasound, CT, and MRI can be used for guiding ablative technologies. Imaging also plays an important role in the follow-up care of these patients. The particular follow-up care is dependent on the stage and grade of the lesion and the treatment modality used. In summary, this article reviews the current imaging approaches for the diagnosis, staging, treatment, and follow-up care of patients with renal cell carcinoma.
Theoretical models and computer simulations of neural learning systems

It has been generally assumed for a long time that learning is accomplished in the central nervous system (CNS) by modifying strengths of ties between neurons. Various mechanisms may contribute to this process, but it is not known which are the specific mechanisms, and what are the rules by which they operate. Theoretical models, which are based on that general assumption are introduced. The purpose of the models is to suggest plausible ways by which learned information may be stored in the neural network, and be retrieved when it is needed. The networks in the models consist of four basic subunits, in accordance with identified units in the CNS: sensing, response, feeling, and control, plus association areas. The suggested operation rules are based on established operation rules of individual neurons, and assumed rules when neurons in groups are considered. Computer simulations are done, to check the consistency of the models, and to illustrate how they work. They simulate how an hypothetical kitten learns part of its environment, and show how relevant information may be stored and retrieved in its neuronal network. The suggested mechanisms could be examined in experiments, albeit not easy ones to conduct.
Truth Thrives in Diversity: Battista Mantovano and Lorenzo Valla on Thomas Aquinas

Renaissance humanists tended to disregard medieval scholasticism. But most of humanist anti-scholasticism was directed against late medieval exaggerations in the areas of conceptualism and nominalism. Therefore, it is interesting to find out whether these humanists had a precise and justified view of medieval philosophers and theologians, and especially of Thomas Aquinas. Two writings of humanists, which expressly deal with Aquinas, namely the Encomium S.~ThomaeAquinatis by Lorenzo Valla (1457) and the Opus aureum in Thomistas (1490s) by Johannes Baptista Spagnoli Matnovano give witness of the humanist philosophical approach to the saint and teacher of the Church. A look at these two treatises discloses some basic features of humanist thought, and ex negativo of the importance and specific value of Thomas Aquinas in the post-medieval culture. They also show samples of how monopolizing one authority might endanger its very acceptance.
A fluorometric method for quantitating the enzymatic hydrolysis of fucose from porcine submaxillary mucin (A

Abstract A fluorometric method for quantitating the amount of α- l -fucose enzymatically released from porcine submaxillary mucin (A+) has been developed. The released fucose is oxidized with fucose dehydrogenase and NAD, and the NADH produced, in conjunction with diaphorase is then used to convert the nonfluorescent dye, resazurin, to the highly fluorescent product, resorufin. The method can detect as little as 0.05 nmol of α- l -fucose. α- l -Fucosidase from the mollusc Mercenaria mercenaria is employed for the hydrolysis reaction. The enzymatic release of fucose is maximal to pH 2.85 and, the reaction rate is linearly proportional to incubation time for 20 min under the conditions employed. The presence of fucose in the reaction mixture, after hydrolysis has occurred, is demonstrated by paper chromatography. This procedure provides a rapid, simple, and specific method for quantitating the release of α- l -fucose from porcine submaxillary mucin type A+.
Individual differences in the day-to-day variability of pain, fatigue, and well-being in patients with rheumatic disease: Associations with psychological variables

This report examines day-to-day variability in rheumatology patients' ratings of pain and related quality-of-life variables as well as predictors of that variability. Data from 2 studies were used. The hypothesis was that greater psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) and poorer coping appraisals (i.e., higher pain catastrophizing and lower self-efficacy) are associated with more variability. Electronic daily diary ratings were collected from 106 patients from a community rheumatology practice across 28 days (study 1) and from 194 osteoarthritis patients across 7 days (study 2). In multilevel modeling analyses, substantial day-to-day variability was evident for all variables in both studies, and individual patients differed considerably and somewhat reliably in the magnitude of their variability. Higher levels of depression significantly predicted greater variability in pain, as well as in happiness and frustration (study 1). Lower self-efficacy was associated with more variability in patients' daily satisfaction with accomplishments and in the quality of their day (study 2). Greater pain catastrophizing and higher depression predicted more variability in interference with social relationships (study 2). Anxiety was not significantly associated with day-to-day variability. The results of these studies suggest that individual differences in the magnitude of symptom fluctuation may play a vital role in understanding patients' adjustment to pain. Future research will be needed to examine the clinical utility of measuring variability in patients' pain and well-being, and to understand whether reducing variability may be an important treatment target.
The captive and the gift: cultural histories of sovereignty in Russia and the Caucasus

The captive and the gift: cultural histories of sovereignty in Russia and the Caucasus, by Bruce Grant, Ithaca, Cornell University Press, 2009, 216 pp., $21.95 (paperback), $68.50 (hardback), ISBN ...
Notes on a Theory of State Constitutional Change: The Florida Experience

T HE TRADITION OF THE WRITTEN CONSTITUTION is so pervasive in American culture that opportunities for empirical observation of particular manifestations of its development are practically inexhaustible. The profusion of material may, however, tend to produce an exaggerated concern with detail and a resultant loss of feeling for essentials. This danger is much greater as it concerns state constitutional change than in the case of the Federal Constitution, because the stable content of the latter has tended to focus attention on informal change, thus producing a vast literature on constitutional law, a good portion of which involves a discussion of basic issues. By contrast, the fluidity of the written constitutions of the states' has caused attention to be centered on formal change, at least in the political science literature. A perusal of the commentaries indicates that they are, on the whole, less concerned with relating the changes to general conceptions of constitutionalism than with a narration of the process of change or a criticism of particular (and sometimes far from basic) policies established in the constitution. The very fact that the constitution is written apparently gives rise to the tendency to regard the documentary expression of principles as tantamount to their realization, thus affording a convenient means for avoiding debate on the broader problems of the relation of the written constitution to the practice of constitutionalism which takes place in the political unit.2 Despite the differences between the national and the state consti-
SU-FF-I-14: New Approaches to Practical CT Dosimetry

Purpose: To outline the basics of conventional CT radiation dosimetry, to discuss difficulties that new cone‐beam and wide‐area detector geometries present to this conventional dosimetry approach, and to illustrate the practical application of recently proposed dosimetry techniques to both multirow and cone‐beam CT configurations. Method and Materials: Traditional CT radiation dosimetry is reviewed and its limitations in cases in which the radiation field is extended in the axial direction are discussed. Comparison is made between this approach, which is based on the use of the standard 100 mm pencil‐type ion chamber, and a recently proposed technique employing a small “point detector”ion chamber (e.g. an RMI type TDC‐100A with 0.1 ml volume)(RL Dixon, A new look at CT dose measurements: beyond CTDI, Med. Phys. 30, 1272–1280 (2003)). The specific corrections for using the small chamber are demonstrated in the case of full cone‐beam CT performed with rotational angiography equipment (Siemens ARTIS BA neuro‐angiographic room). A complete methodology for performing CT dose measurements with small chambers is presented. Results: Good agreement between the point chamber and pencil chamber methods was demonstrated for conventional CT geometries. Direct measurement in cone‐beam geometry is not possible with the pencil chamber, but can be performed with the point chamber. The estimated patient doses for conventional CTA were compared to those delivered by rotational angiographic equipment performing cone‐beam acquisitions and found to be larger by a factor of between 8 and 25, depending on the specific protocol employed. Conclusion: Modern CT equipment employs geometries that make conventional CT dosimetry inapplicable. The clinical physicist should be aware of this and of the necessity for developing new methods to characterize the radiation dose delivered to the patient.
Symmetries in nuclear β decay

A summary is presented of experiments which test time reversal invariance in nuclear beta decay. The principal measurements are of the angular correlation $$D\mathop J\limits^ \wedge \cdot (\mathop p\limits^ \rightharpoonup _e x\mathop p\limits^ \rightharpoonup _v )/E_e E_v $$ for which in neutron and19Ne beta decay one finds an upper limit of D≲10−3. As a second topic we also summarize the status of certain angular correlation measurements that bear on the question of second class currents.
Vigilance, Flock Size, and Flock Geometry: Information Gathering by Western Evening Grosbeaks (Aves, Fringillidae)

Vigilance (scanning) and other behaviour patterns were studied in free-ranging evening grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) at feeders to assess how flock size and flock geometry influenced the behaviour of individual birds. The present results indicate that the way in which individual grosbeaks are positioned with respect to one another affects many aspects of their behaviour, especially when a flock contains four or more birds. Birds in a linear array which have difficulty seeing one another, when compared with individuals organized in a circle which can easily see one another: 1. are more vigilant; 2. change their head and body positions more often; 3. react to changes in group size more slowly; 4. show less coordination in head movements; and 5. show more variability in all measures. These differences in behaviour can be explained from a cognitive ethological perspective that favours intentional or representational explanations. Specifically, the data suggest that individual grosbeaks, when scanning and moving about, are visually monitoring the flock in which they are feeding and gathering information about a number of variables including flock size, what others are doing, where others are, which individuals are present, phenotypic features of flock members, food resources, or the location of potential predators. Individuals likely use visual records of the behaviour and perhaps the phenotypic features of others, and this information influences various aspects of their behaviour.
Acid phosphatases from latices of euphorbiaceae

Abstract Five phosphatases were isolated from the latices of three members of the Euphorbiaceae. From Euphorbia lathyris were obtained phosphatases 1 1 and 1 2 ; from E . trigona phosphatase t and from Elaeophorbia drupifera the enzymes d 1 and d 2 . Phosphatases 1 1 , 1 2 and t were purified to homogeneity. Amino acid compositions are reported and other properties of the enzymes are described. The two enzymes described from E . lathyris both have two pH maxima d(1 1 at 5.0 and 6.8,1 2 at 5.8 and 7.5) while t, d 1 and d 2 respectively have maxima at pHs of 5.6,5.6 and 5.0. On the basis of their responses to several residue-specific inhibitors the five phosphatases apparently comprise three groups: 1 2 and d 1 , t and d 2 , and 1 1 .
Flow Separation Control with Microflexural Wall Vibrations

A capacitively actuated active flexible wall (AFW) transducer has been developed for controlling boundary-layer flow separation. The transducer elements are first used as sensors to determine the most effective frequencies for wall actuation in the vicinity of a separating or marginally separated boundary layer. These frequencies typically result from an interaction of the flow with small-scale geometrical features of the wall. Microflexural vibratory actuation of selected regions of the transducer's flexible membrane at the aforementioned frequencies can then be used to defer separation as demonstrated in wind-tunnel experiments. The AFW transducer uses the preseparation velocity gradient at the point of actuation to amplify the microvibratory stimuli and cause it to modulate the pressure gradient. This subsequently promotes reattachment by enhancing mixing in the inflectional velocity profiles downstream. The high actuation efficiency and the ability to sense and actuate with the same hardware make the AFW transducer attractive for a wide range of practical aerodynamic problems for significantly extending the performance envelopes of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft and aircraft engines
Restrained eating (weight concerns) in the general population and among students

Restrained eating in a random sample of 2115 adults was studied as part of a broad health survey. Interview questions were derived from Herman and Polivy's Restraint Scale (1975, 1980). Restrained eaters were predominantly normal and overweight women under 65 years of age. Significantly more women (20.7%) than men (8.9%) were restrained eaters. A similar prevalence of restrained eating was observed in students and same-age nonstudents. There was substantial overlap (but not congruence) between respondents who were dieting and being a restrained eater. Binge eating was reported more often by restrained eaters than unrestrained subjects. The relationship between restrained eating and bulimia-related atypical eating disorders is discussed.
An Implementation of a State Assignment Heuristic

This paper presents the results of developing and integrating a Finite State Machine(FSM) state-assignment tool into the functional design part of the Intel PLA-based synthesis system. The tool developed is an heuristic adjacency-based state assignment program , based on the KISS program [DeMicheli85]. Statistics are presented, relative to the tool, on 28 FSM's. The current state of the functional design tool is described, as is the interface with the new tool. A new abstract mathematical method, which joins the adjacency and partition methods of assigning states is outlined.
Increased cGMP phosphodiesterase activity mediates renal resistance to ANP in rats with bile duct ligation

Increased cGMP phosphodiesterase activity mediates renal resistance to ANP in rats with bile duct ligation. Background Liver disease resulting from common bile duct ligation (CBDL) causes abnormal sodium metabolism that is manifested by resistance to the natriuretic action of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). This resistance is corrected both in vitro and in vivo by zaprinast, a selective inhibitor of a guanosine cyclic-3′-5′-monophosphate (cGMP)-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE5). Several other PDEs with affinity for cGMP are expressed in kidney and could also be involved in this response. Methods We measured cGMP hydrolysis in inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cell homogenates from kidneys of sham-operated and CBDL rats and quantitated the amount of PDE5 protein by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation studies. We also characterized ANP responsiveness in vivo of kidneys of anesthetized sham and CBDL rats by measuring sodium excretion before and after volume expansion (VE). Results Kinetic analysis of PDE5 activity in homogenates of IMCD cells isolated from kidneys of sham-operated rats indicated a V max of 85.3 ± 1.7 versus 157 ± 2.9 pmol/mg/min from CBDL rats ( P m . Enzyme activity was inhibited competitively by 1,3-dimethyl-6-(2-propoxy-5-methanesulfonylamidophenyl)pyrazol[3,4d]-pyrimidin-4-(5H)-one (DMPPO), a potent and specific inhibitor of PDE5, with an apparent K i of 4.5 ± 0.7 and 4.9 ± 0.7 nmol/L and an IC 50 of 6.1 ± 0.8 and 8.7 ± 0.7 nmol/L in sham and CBDL rats, respectively ( P = NS). DMPPO exhibited very poor inhibitory activity against the calcium-calmodulin–dependent PDE1 in IMCD homogenates from sham rats ( K i 1.3 ± 0.1 μmol/L and IC 50 1.9 ± 0.2 μmol/L). Western analysis using an antiserum made against bovine lung PDE5 revealed a twofold increase in PDE5 protein in cytosolic extracts from IMCD of CBDL rat kidneys compared with sham-operated controls, and immunoprecipitation studies indicated that the increase in PDE5 protein accounted for the observed increase in cGMP hydrolysis. DMPPO (10 nmol/L) normalized the blunted ANP-dependent cGMP accumulation by IMCD cells from CBDL rats in vitro. Intrarenal infusion of DMPPO (0.5 nmol/min) in CBDL rats corrected both the impaired natriuretic response to VE and the blunted VE-related increase in urinary cGMP excretion from the infused, but not the contralateral kidney. Conclusion These results demonstrate that renal resistance to ANP in CBDL rats is accompanied by heightened activity of PDE5, which is due largely to an increase in PDE5 protein. Other PDEs could contribute only a minor part to the enhanced cGMP hydrolysis observed in kidneys of CBDL rats. This PDE5-dependent ANP resistance may represent an important contributor to the sodium retention of liver disease.
Chemical analyses of pore water from boreholes USW SD-6 and USW WT-24, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Analyses of pore water extracted from cores of boreholes USW SD-6 in the central part and USW WT-24 in the northern part of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, show significant vertical and lateral variations in dissolved-ion concentrations. Analyses of samples of only a few milliliters of pore water extracted by uniaxial or triaxial compression and by ultracentrifugation methods from adjacent core samples are generally in agreement, within the analytical error of 10% to 15%. However, the values of silica for water obtained by ultracentrifugation are consistently lower than values for water obtained by compression. The larger concentrations probably are due to localized pressure solution of silicate minerals during compression. The shallower water from core in borehole USW SD-6 was extracted from nonwelded units collectively referred to as the Paintbrush Tuff nonwelded (PTn). The deeper water was from core in both boreholes USW SD-6 and USW WT-24 in the nonwelded units referred to as the Calico Hills nonwelded (CHn). Significant differences in mean dissolved-ion concentrations in pore water between the PTn and CHn are (1) decreases in Ca, Mg, SO4, and NO3 and (2) increases in HCO3 and (Na+K)/(Ca+Mg) ratios. The decrease in NO3 and the increase in HCO3 could be the result of denitrification through the oxidation of organic matter. The decrease in Ca and associated increase in (Na+K)/(Ca+Mg) is the result of ion exchange with zeolites in the CHn in borehole USW WT-24. This effect is not nearly as pronounced in borehole USW SD-6, probably reflecting a smaller amount of zeolitization of the CHn in USW SD-6. Geochemical calculations using the PHREEQC code indicate that the pore water from both boreholes USW SD-6 and USW WT-24 is uniformly undersaturated in anhydrite, gypsum, and amorphous silica, but supersaturated in quartz and chalcedony. The saturation of calcite, aragonite, sepiolite, and dolomite is more variable from sample to sample.
Metal Dependence of the Contributions of Low-Frequency Normal Coordinates to the Sterically Induced Distortions of Meso-Dialkyl-Substituted Porphyrins

The influence of central metals of different sizes on the macrocyclic structure of a series of 5,15-disubstituted metalloporphyrins has been investigated with X-ray crystallography, molecular mecha...
Directional Sensitivity Analysis of a Hydrogel-Supported Artificial Hair Cell

An artificial hair cell sensor imitates the function of cilia in natural hair cells in order to detect surrounding fluid displacement. Here, a novel structure for creating artificial hair cell sensors uses established methods of creating lipid bilayers at the interfaces of millimeter scale hydrogel shapes. This paper describes the fabrication of the sensor components and the manner in which they are assembled and tested. The hair’s vibration can be detected by monitoring changes in the current produced by mechanical fluctuations in the bilayer. The cross-sectional geometry of the hair can be changed to enable directional sensitivity. Spectral analysis of the sensor current response indicates that frequencies and magnitudes change when a flattened hair is excited in different directions. Finally, the sensor is shown to become more sensitive with applied potential across the bilayer. Results agree with similar studies on this phenomenon.© 2013 ASME
MHC antigens and non-immune functions.

Thirty years of study of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have resulted in a satisfying picture of this complex in two species, mice and humans. Drawn by immunologists, it shows us a multigene complex whose main function is recognition in immune responses. The picture is only sketched in many places, but it fills its canvas. It is vivid and aesthetically pleasing and in many places details have been added to the bare outlines. But this is not the only picture extant of MHC function.