cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short-term dynamic instability of a nonlinear stochastic SDOF system

Theory of marginally unstable stochastic systems, recently developed for linear systems with lumped parameters, is applied here to a nonlinear single-degree-of-freedom system. The name “marginal instability” is used for nominally stable systems with potential short-term instability due to temporal random variations of parameter(s) with brief excursions out of the stability domain. Prediction of the corresponding brief outbreaks in response is based on parabolic approximation of the parameter variation during excursion (asymptotic analysis of the Slepian model). The theory provides probabilistic description of the response (such as response probability density function (PDF) or solution to the first-passage problem) in terms of that of the parameter(s) variations. Systems with nonlinear restoring forces are considered in this Note with the use of quasiconservative version of averaging over response period. Presented results illustrate influence of nonlinearities on the response characteristics which are important for reliability evaluation.
Spectroscopic characterization of the alternate form of S-methylcoenzyme M reductase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain ΔH)

Two forms (MR 1 and MR 2 ) of S -methylcoenzyme M reductase were purified from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain ΔH) as recently described (Rospert, S., Linder, D., Ellerman, J. and Thauer, R.K. (1990) Eur. J. Biochem. 194, 871–877). MR 2 was at least 50-fold more active than MR 1 , independent of assay conditions. The two forms are spectroscopically similar, but not identical, by UV-visible, magnetic circular dichroism and resonance Raman spectroscopies. MR 2 exhibited an EPR signal corresponding to 20% of the enzyme-bound nickel. Strong EPR signals similar to those previously assigned to Ni(I)F 430 bound to methylreductase in Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg) (Albracht, S.P.J., Ankel-Fuchs, D., Bocher, R., Ellerman, J., Moll, J., Van der Zwann, J.W. and Thauer, R.K. (1988) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 955, 86–102) were observed in MR 2 -rich, log-phase, as well as in MR 1 -rich, slow-growing bacteria. Log-phase cells had dramatically different EPR spectra depending on whether they were removed from the fermenter (under gas flow) before or after cooling to 10°C. EPR spectra of slow-growing cells were insensitive to harvesting conditions. The possible biological significance of the alternate form of methylreductase is discussed.
Shark immunity bites back: affinity maturation and memory response in the nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum

The cartilaginous fish are the oldest phylogenetic group in which all of the molecular components of the adaptive immune system have been found. Although early studies clearly showed that sharks could produce an IgM-based response following immunization, evidence for memory, affinity maturation and roles for the other isotypes (notably IgNAR) in this group remained inconclusive. The data presented here illustrate that the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is able to produce not only an IgM response, but we also show for the first time a highly antigen-specific IgNAR response. Additionally, under appropriate conditions, a memory response for both isotypes can be elicited. Analysis of the response shows differential expression of pentameric and monomeric IgM. Pentameric IgM provides the 'first line of defense' through high-avidity, low-affinity interaction with antigen. In contrast, monomeric IgM and IgNAR seem responsible for the specific, antigen-driven response. We propose the presence of distinct lineages of B cells in sharks. As there is no conventional isotype switching, each lineage seems pre-determined to express a single isotype (IgM versus IgNAR). However, our data suggest that there may also be specific lineages for the different forms (pentameric versus monomeric) of the IgM isotype.
Non-specific effects of aquaMEPHYTON (vitamin K1) on prothrombin expression in human hepatoblastoma (HepG2) cells.

Abstract In order to determine the effects of vitamin K 1 on prothrombin production, we have treated cultures of human hepatoblastoma cells with an aqueous colloidal suspension of vitamin K 1 . Dose-response analysis demonstrated increases in secreted prothrombin antigen levels ranging from 3 to 3.7-fold over controls. Time-course analysis demonstrated increases in secreted prothrombin antigen levels over controls up to 6 hours of treatment. Between 6 and 24 hours, secreted prothrombin antigen levels increased at a rate parallel to controls. Vitamin K 1 treatment also resulted in a parallel increase in total secreted protein levels. Prothrombin mRNA size (approximately 2.1 kb) and levels (ranging from 390–480 prothrombin mRNA molecules per cell) were determined by Northern and quantitative solution hybridization analysis, respectively, and were unaffected by vitamin K 1 treatment. The increases in secreted prothrombin antigen levels most likely result from non-specific effects of vitamin K 1 or agents used to emulsify vitamin K 1 on protein release from HepG2 cells.
The isolation of the vitamin B12 coenzyme and the role of the vitamin in methionine synthesis.

The invitation to contribute a “Reflections” article has brought back many memories as I recall the events early in my career that were most significant in determining the path I have taken for more than 50 years. I could reflect on several periods in my career, such as the early work on serotonin biosynthesis and metabolism or later studies on the role of GTP and elongation factors in protein synthesis, but the period when I worked on vitamin B12 in the late 1950s and early 1960s especially stands out in my mind, and I will focus mainly on these studies. Of the known B vitamins at that time, only the coenzyme form of vitamin B12 had not been identified, and its role in metabolism was not known. The identification of the first B12 coenzyme in studies on glutamate metabolism in Clostridium tetanomorphum opened up this field, leading to an understanding of how this vitamin functions in other systems, such as methionine synthesis and deoxyribose formation. It also helped to explain the important metabolic interrelationship among vitamin B12, folic acid, and one-carbon metabolism. On a personal note, it was during this time that I made the transition from a postdoctoral fellow to an independent scientist, and as I will discuss, these studies on vitamin B12, directly or indirectly, provided the foundation for much of the later research I have been involved in. I am taking the liberty throughout this article to include some biographical information and personal thoughts since it is hard for me to reflect on my early years in science without providing some personal history. I was raised in the Bronx, the middle of three children with a brother, Arthur, 5 years older, and a sister, Carol, 7 years younger. I mention this because my brother, unknowingly, had a significant impact on my career. My parents barely had a high school education, and our family was financially close to the poverty line, but they were determined that their children obtain a good education. I followed my brother through the superb public school system in New York City, including the Bronx High School of Science, which was close enough to our apartment in the West Bronx that I could walk to and save the cost of public transportation. Perhaps even more important, Bronx Science had a mediocre baseball team that I felt I could easily make. My hidden dream was to be a professional baseball player, a dream that came to an abrupt end after playing baseball in my freshman year in college. However, selecting Bronx Science for my high school training was one of my fortunate decisions. It started me on the path that I have followed until now.
Ultrastructural Evidence for Co-localization of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor and μ-Opioid Receptor in the Rat Nucleus Locus Coeruleus

Abstract Previous studies have shown that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), an integral mediator of the stress response, and opioids regulate the activity of the locus-coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system during stress in a reciprocal manner. Furthermore, repeated opiate exposure sensitizes noradrenergic neurons to CRF. Previous studies have shown that μ-opioid receptors (μORs) are prominently distributed within somatodendritic processes of catecholaminergic neurons in the LC and axon terminals containing opioid peptides and CRF converge within the LC. To further examine cellular sites for interactions between CRF receptor type 1 (CRFr) and μOR, immunofluorescence and electron microscopic analysis of the rat LC was conducted. Triple immunofluorescence showed prominent co-localization of the CRFr and μOR in noradrenergic somata in the LC. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed dual localization of CRFr and μOR in common dendritic processes in the LC. Semi-quantitative analysis showed that of the dendrites exhibiting CRFr immunolabeling, 57% expressed μOR immunoreactivity. These data provide ultrastructural evidence that CRFr and μOR are co-localized in LC neurons, a cellular substrate that may underlie opiate-induced sensitization of brain noradrenergic neurons to CRF.
Relationships between categories of relevance criteria and stage in task completion

The process of information seeking involves a varied set of tasks and interactions. Exactly how the information seeker judges the relevance of what is retrieved has been a renewed area of interest in information retrieval studies. Various studies have identified facets or categories of relevance which go beyond simple topical relevance, and there has been some recent research on how these multi-dimensional concepts of relevance relate to the information seeking process. This study extends research on the relationship between multi-dimensional user relevance assignments and stage in the process of completing a task. Our results concur with and add detail to previous studies and suggest that users consistently identify relevance criteria beyond topical relevance. Our results also find a statistically significant relationship between the users' stage in the search process and relevance categories chosen using the convenience sample chosen for this study.
Histone H2B genes of yeast encode two different proteins

Abstract The two genetically unlinked histone H2B genes isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been sequenced. The genes encode H2B proteins that are 130 amino acids in length and that differ by 4 amino acids. The changes between them are Ala → Ser, Lys → Ala, Thr → Val and Ala → Val at amino acid positions 2, 3, 27 and 35, respectively. A comparison of yeast H2B histones with those of higher eucaryotes demonstrates a high degree of homology clustered mainly at the carboxyl terminus. There is extensive base substitution between the two H2B genes in nucleotides that do not affect the amino acid sequence. DNA prelude sequences show 64% divergence. The coding regions differ at 49 of the 390 bases (12.6% divergence). 41 of these changes are in silent positions. By using the number of amino acid differences in the proteins we estimate that the two H2B genes are the result of an ancient duplication event.
Specific fluorogenic probes for ozone in biological and atmospheric samples

Ozone exposure is a growing global health problem, especially in urban areas. While ozone in the stratosphere protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet light, tropospheric or ground-level ozone is toxic and can damage the respiratory tract. It has recently been shown that ozone may be produced endogenously in inflammation and antibacterial responses of the immune system; however, these results have sparked controversy owing to the use of a non-specific colorimetric probe. Here we report the synthesis of fluorescent molecular probes able to unambiguously detect ozone in both biological and atmospheric samples. Unlike other ozone-detection methods, in which interference from different reactive oxygen species is often a problem, these probes are ozone specific. Such probes will prove useful for the study of ozone in environmental science and biology, and so possibly provide some insight into the role of ozone in cells.
Selective irradiation for the treatment of recurrent ovarian carcinoma involving the vagina or rectum.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of selective irradiation in the management of recurrent or persistent ovarian carcinoma involving the vagina or rectum after initial surgery or surgery and chemotherapy. Methods. Twenty-eight patients with recurrent or persistent vaginal and/or perirectal disease from ovarian carcinoma received selective irradiation and were evaluated for local control, survival, and quality of life. Seventy-nine percent had previously received various combinations of chemotherapy after initial surgery. At recurrence, 68% of the 28 patients were treated with external beam irradiation only, 7% with brachytherapy only, and 18% with both external beam irradiation and brachytherapy. In addition, 50% of the patients received various combinations of chemotherapy before or after radiotherapy and 3 patients received additional surgery. Results. Vaginal bleeding was controlled in all patients and a complete symptomatic response was achieved in 79% of the symptomatic patients. Survival after recurrence at 2 years was 57% for patients who had no liver or extra-abdominal metastasis at the time of radiotherapy (21 patients) and 0% for patients who had liver or extra-abdominal metastases (7 patients). Median survival of 5 patients with abdominal and pelvic disease and 16 patients with no extrapelvic disease at the time of recurrence was 2.16 (0.16–10.67) and 2.08 (0.58–27) years, respectively, after recurrence. Fifty percent of the 16 patients without extrapelvic disease had a complete response to radiotherapy (CR group) and the remaining had a partial response or stable disease (non-CR group). The 1-year survival after salvage irradiation in this same group was 100% in the CR group and 37.5% in the non-CR group ( P Conclusions. Radiation can be considered an effective treatment option for patients with vaginal and/or perirectal recurrences of ovarian carcinoma. It offers excellent palliation to patients with disseminated disease and may result in both local control and long-term survival in patients with nondisseminated disease. This location may represent a sanctuary site from chemotherapy. Pelvic irradiation alone may be effective salvage and the addition of brachytherapy may improve local control, particularly in patients with disease confined to the pelvis who undergo debulking or chemotherapy.
A geospatial analysis of market integration: the case of the 2004/5 food crisis in Niger

Food prices are an important component of the food security equation. Stable prices promote food security, whereas price instability and volatility can contribute to and exacerbate food crises. Understanding market integration, or the co-movement of prices between different markets, can therefore provide important insights into food security and threats to it. The value of a geographic perspective is illustrated through an examination of market integration with spatial analysis. Results from an analysis of the 2004/5 food crisis in Niger indicate that market integration in Niger tends to be local and deteriorates rapidly during shocks or periods of crisis.
Overmedicating “Difficult” Patients

In the classic article “Taking Care of the Hateful Patient,” Groves identifies 4 types of patients whose behaviors and attitudes elicit strong feelings of aversion, anger, and depression among health care providers. These reactions are often related to underlying feelings of powerlessness on the part of their caregivers—these patients may be clingy, demanding, manipulative, even self-destructive. Providers who lack reliable, legitimate means to alleviate such behavior may resort to inappropriate and unethical means for controlling said patients, such as excessive medication as a form of restraint. This case illustrates how these feelings of powerless and frustration, triggered by the behaviors of these patients, can lead to faulty decision making on the part of an otherwise excellent longterm care facility. If not for outside intervention, this patient would have been needlessly over medicated.
Urban Economic Growth and Migration: Their Interaction

The objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly, a simultaneous-equations model that takes into account the interaction between various economic aspects of urban growth, and migration to and from urban areas is specified. Secondly, the model is estimated for the 100 largest Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States. Among the jointly dependent variables utilized are civilian labor force outmigration, civilian labor force inmigration, income growth, employment growth, unemployment growth, and natural increase of the civilian labor force.
Local excision of distal rectal cancer: an update of cancer and leukemia group B 8984.

Purpose The efficacy of local excision in the treatment of some early-stage distal rectal cancers is still being debated, because few high-quality, long-term prospective data on outcomes are available.
The mechanism of the second step of pre-mRNA splicing.

The molecular mechanisms of the second step of pre-mRNA splicing in yeast and higher eukaryotes are reviewed. The important elements in the pre-mRNA, the participating proteins, and the proposed secondary structures and roles of the snRNAs are described. The sequence of events in the second step is presented, focusing on the actions of the proteins in setting up and facilitating the second reaction. Mechanisms for avoiding errors in splicing are discussed. WIREs RNA 2012, 3:331–350. doi: 10.1002/wrna.112 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. This article is a U.S. Government work, and as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
Laboratory studies identify a colloidal groundwater tracer: implications for bioremediation

We have identified and tested a new colloidal tracer for use in hazardous waste site characterization and other environmental applications. The tracer is primarily composed of the dead ice nucleating active (INA) bacterium Pseudomonas syringae. Assay conditions are simple and based on the observation of the freezing behavior of 10 μl solution volumes. Under specific assay conditions (−5 to −7°C) these drops freeze only if the tracer is present. The results are available within 3 min of sample collection thus, providing near real-time results. The tracer detection limits are in the range of ng/l, it is stable over a pH range of 2–11, and maintains its high activity in the presence of a variety of contaminant compounds. In a simple column experiment this colloid tracer eluted just prior to NaCl with little or no tailing.
The Preparation of Several N-Substituted and N,N-Disubstituted Ferrocenesulfonamides

Abstract Several N-mono and N,N-disubstituted ferrocene-sulfonamides were prepared from ferrocene via ferrocenesulfonyl chloride. It was found that modification of the usual two-step procedure allowed synthesis of ferrocenesulfonyl chloride directly from ferrocene. All attempts to hydrolyze N,N-dimethylferrocenesulfonamide met with failure.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cryoglobulinemia: Analysis of whole blood and plasma HCV-RNA concentrations and correlation with liver histology

The influence of cryoprecipitate (CP) on liver histology and peripheral titers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA was evaluated for 115 patients with chronic hepatitis. Fifty-four patients had measurable CP levels whereas 61 did not. Assessment of liver biopsies for grade of fibrosis revealed that patients with CP had increased fibrosis (P <.001) and incidence of cirrhosis (P =.001) compared with those without CP. In contrast, there was not a significant difference in the inflammatory activity score between the 2 groups. HCV RNA in whole blood (WB) and plasma (Pl) was evaluated in patients with or without CP by end-point-limiting dilution titer. Among patients with CP, WB titers were significantly higher than Pl titers (P <.001); however, there was no difference in WB or Pl titers in patients without CP (P =.068). Histological activity and fibrosis scores of patients from either group were compared with peripheral viral titers of WB and Pl, percentage of CP, rheumatoid factor (RF) titer, and serum alanine transaminase (ALT). There were significant correlations between the amount of fibrosis and the percentage of CP and rheumatoid factor titer, yet neither of the latter parameters was correlated with inflammatory activity. These data suggest that patients with CP and chronic hepatitis owing to HCV are more likely to have progressive disease than patients without CP. Furthermore, the presence of CP in patients infected with HCV appears to influence the amount of virus detected in patient Pl, suggesting that WB assays may be more reliable for HCV-RNA quantitation in patients with CP.
Adaptive third-order Volterra filter for detection and tracking of nonlinear oscillations in ultrasound echo data

Microbubble ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) have been extensively used in medical ultrasound for enhancing the echo components from blood vessels. However, their ultimate promise of enhancing the echoes from the microvasculature with high specificity remains unfulfilled using existing methods. We have previously shown that the Volterra filter can be used to enhance UCA echo components from flow channels with dimensions similar to peripheral vessels, e.g. the carotid artery. In this paper, we investigate a new receiver architecture based on an adaptive third-order Volterra Filter (VF) in conjunction with beamformed echo data from imaging tumor microvasculature in vivo. It is shown that the cubic and quadratic components of the VF provide significant enhancement of the UCA echoes from the tumor compared to the echoes from the same tissue regions in the absence of the UCA. We describe an adaptive recursive least squares (RLS) implementation of the VF and give examples of the contrast enhancement. Further enhancement of the UCA contrast is achieved by applying a dynamic statistical decision rule that produces a parameter we refer to as the temporal perfusion index (TPI). The TPI rewards transient echo oscillations while rejecting tissue motion and noise variation. These in vivo results demonstrate the potential for advanced signal processing in increasing the sensitivity and specificity of medical ultrasound in imaging tissue perfusion, a form of functional imaging.
Preparation of rhinovirus antisera in the South American hystricomorph rodent, Octodon degus (38507).

SummaryRhinovirus antisera have been prepared for rhinoviruses (RV) 7, 9, 26, 32, 67 and 87 in guinea pigs and in degus. Titers achieved were either similar in the 2 animals (RV7), somewhat higher in the degu (RV9 and RV32) or clearly higher in the degu (RV26, RV67 and RV87). Specificity of the antisera was similar in both animals. In special instances where it is difficult to prepare high-titered rhinovirus antisera in the guinea pig, the degu offers an attractive alternative source.We wish to acknowledge the excellent technical assistance of Diane Rye and Barbara Abrams during the development of the pedigreed degu colony.
Optimizing nitrogen utilization in growing steers fed forage diets supplemented with dried citrus pulp

Our objectives were to compare the effects of sources of supplemental N on ruminal fermentation of dried citrus pulp (DCP) and performance of growing steers fed DCP and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) hay. In Exp. 1, fermentation of DCP alone was compared with that of isonitrogenous mixtures of DCP and solvent soybean meal (SBM), expeller soybean meal (SoyPLUS; SP), or urea (UR). Ground (1 mm) substrates were incubated in buffered rumen fluid for 24 h, and IVDMD and fermentation gas production kinetics and products were measured. Nitrogen supplementation increased (P 0.10) between SBM and SP. In Exp. 2, 4 steers (254 kg) were fed bahiagrass hay plus DCP, or hay plus DCP supplemented with CP predominantly from UR, SBM, or SP in a 4 x 4 Latin square design, with four 21-d periods, each with 7 d for DMI and fecal output measurement. Nitrogen-supplemented diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (11.9% CP), and all diets were formulated to be isocaloric (66% TDN). Intake and digestibility of DM, N, and ADF were improved (P 0.1) for SBM and SP. In Exp. 3, 24 steers (261 kg) were individually fed bahiagrass hay plus DCP (control), or hay plus DCP supplemented with CP predominantly from UR or SBM. Over 56 d, DMI and ADG were greatest (P 0.05) G:F compared with UR supplementation. We conclude that supplemental N is important to optimize ruminal function and performance of growing steers fed forage diets supplemented with DCP. Diets with supplemental N mainly from SBM improved diet digestibility and animal performance beyond that achieved by UR.
Electron paramagnetic resonance of Mn2+ in strained-layer semiconductor superlattices

Abstract We report giant crystal field splittings of Mn 2+ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) lines observed in ZnTe MnTe and ,nu> CdTe MnTe superlattices. The EPR spectra of isolated Mn 2+ ions diffused into the ZnTe or the CdTe layers provide a direct and precise measure of both the magnitude and the uniformity of strain produced by lattice mismatch between the superlattice constituents.
Association of contaminated gloves with transmission of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratus in an intensive care unit

Abstract purpose: Acinetobacter calcoaceticus var. anitratus is an important nosocomial pathogen that has been associated with environmental reservoirs. An increased isolation rate of A. anitratus in our intensive care units (ICUs), from 0.03% (two of 7,800) to 0.5% (seven of 1,300) (p patients, methods, and results: Ten patients were admitted to the surgical ICU and nine to the medical ICU during the outbreak period (late December 1987 to January 1988). Controls were all patients on the units who were not infected or colonized with the transmitted strain of A. anitratus . Three patients had A. anitratus pneumonia. A throat culture prevalence survey demonstrated three patients colonized with A. anitratus . Cases were placed in a cohort and symptomatic cases treated. An epidemiologic investigation was conducted to identify reservoirs and modes of transmission. Latex gloves were being used for universal precautions without routine changing of gloves between patients. Environmental sources culture-positive for A. anitratus included a small volume medication nebulizer and gloves in use for patient care. Plasmid typing showed that plasmid profiles of isolates from two symptomatic patients, two colonized patients, the nebulizer, and the gloves were identical. Other A. anitratus ICU isolates had distinct plasmid profiles. All patients with the transmitted strain had been in the surgical ICU. The need for changing gloves between patients and contaminated body sites was reinforced. conclusion: Gloves, used incorrectly for universal precautions, may potentially transmit A. anitratus .
Sex differences and sex bias on the Boehm test of basic concepts: Do they exist?

Form A of the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts (BTBC) was administered to 180 kindergartners—90 boys and 90 girls. Neither their mean scores nor their standard deviations differed significantly, and the distributions of scores for the two groups were virtually identical. Moreover, the application of three internal criteria for bias yielded totally negative results; thus, there was no evidence of either sex differences or sex bias in the data.
Electrostatics at rough interfaces

Abstract Electrostatic fields near the interfaces between conductors and dielectric materials are found to depend sensitively on interfacial roughness. An asymptotic method is outlined for analyzing the influence of arbitrary profiles, where the roughness scale is small compared to the distance between the electrodes generating the electric field. The impact of roughness-enhanced electrostatic fields on various problems is discussed.
Non-linear alignment of neural net outputs for partial shape classification

Abstract A neural network approach to the partial shape classification problem is derived. Although neural networks are generally robust static pattern classifiers, they are not effective in classifying patterns with inherent temporal variations. In order to compensate for temporal variations resulting from random partial occlusion, a multi-neural network system which includes a dynamic alignment procedure at the neural net outputs is proposed. In formulating the dynamic alignment stage, a similarity measure between an input and the neural net outputs is defined. Combining the robustness of neural networks with the non-linear alignment capability of dynamic alignment results in a classifier which can tolerate high degrees of random noise and random occlusion in shapes.
Intrinsic bursting activity in the pre-Bötzinger Complex: Role of persistent sodium and potassium currents

Computational models of single pacemaker neuron and neural population in the pre-Botzinger Complex (pBC) were developed based on the previous models by Butera et al. (1999a,b). Our modeling study focused on the conditions that could define endogenous bursting vs. tonic activity in single pacemaker neurons and population bursting vs. asynchronous firing in populations of pacemaker neurons. We show that both bursting activity in single pacemaker neurons and population bursting activity may be released or suppressed depending on the expression of persistent sodium (INaP) and delayed-rectifier potassium (IK) currents. Specifically, a transition from asynchronous firing to population bursting could be induced by a reduction of IK via a direct suppression of the potassium conductance or through an elevation of extracellular potassium concentration. Similar population bursting activity could be triggered by an augmentation of INaP. These findings are discussed in the context of the possible role of population bursting activity in the pBC in the respiratory rhythm generation in vivo vs. in vitro and during normal breathing in vivo vs. gasping.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma: The Role of Radiation in the Modern Combined Strategies of Treatment

A history of the treatment of Hodgkin's disease with radiation therapy and chemotherapy is presented. Studies are reviewed examining treatment for favorable and unfavorable presentation of stage I–II disease, stage III–IV disease, and relapsed disease. In this era of combined-modality therapy we have reached the point of near-total conquest of Hodgkin's lymphoma, but challenges remain. Directions for future research are discussed.
Alben Barkley's rhetorical victory in 1948

Senator Barkley's vice‐presidential nomination in 1948 is frequently attributed solely to his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. This study investigates the rhetorical and political milieu which influenced the convention to choose Barkley.
The uses of analogy: James Clerk Maxwell's ' On Faraday's lines of force' and early Victorian analogical argument

Early Victorian analogical arguments were used to order the natural and the social world by maintaining a coherent collective experience across cultural oppositions such as the ideal and material, the sacred and profane, theory and fact. Maxwell's use of analogical argument in ‘On Faraday's lines of force’ was a contribution to that broad nineteenth-century discussion which overlapped theology and natural philosophy. I argue here that Maxwell understood his theoretical work as both a technical and a socially meaningful practice and that embedding his use of analogy in the social and intellectual context of Victorian Britain provides a means of telling a sociocultural history of Maxwell's development of a new cognitive tool: a way of thinking on paper analogous to thinking with objects in the laboratory.And analogy can do no more, immediately or directly, than shew such and such things to be true or credible considered only as matters of fact.Bishop Butler, 17361
Intrafirm information management and wage dynamics

Abstract Firms continually have to decide what information to transfer to what workers. Better informed workers produce more, but they also demand higher wages reflecting improved outside options. Generally, the firm is shown to gradually transfer information to its workers over their employment lives. Correspondingly, the model can explain an upward sloping wage schedule or a return to tenure. This paper specifically examines how the strategic information transfer by the firm to its workers over their work lives reflects (i) the rate of depreciation of the information after a quit if any, (ii) its risk of obsolescence, and (iii) asymmetric information on the part of the worker regarding his outside options. Asymmetric information regarding outside options can explain that some workers leave the firm in mid-career.
Successful treatment of severe refractory hepatic graft-versus-host disease by cadaveric liver transplant

Severe steroid-refractory hepatic graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a highly lethal complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (alloBMT) with very few successful treatment options. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) from a cadaveric or a living donor has been very rarely performed as a last-resort therapeutic option in patients with hematologic malignancies who develop refractory hepatic GVHD following alloBMT. Here we report a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who successfully underwent OLT for severe refractory hepatic GVHD post alloBMT and review relevant literature.
Three-dimensional finite-element simulation of a turbulent push-pull ventilation system

A finite-element formulation with penalty approach to enforce continuity is employed here to simulate the three-dimensional velocity field resulting from a simple push-pull ventilation configuration. An analytic expression for the length scale and a transport equation for turbulent kinetic energy are coupled with the momentum equations. A coaxial square hood and jet are arranged with cross-draught perpendicular to the common centreline. Numerical predictions of the velocity and turbulence kinetic energy fields are evaluated in the plane of symmetry with hot film anemometry, and smoke-wire flow visualizations. The agreement of the simulated jet trajectories with flow visualizations is reasonable, as are velocities. Predictions of turbulence kinetic energy are not as good, particularly near the hood face. Despite the limitations the numerical approach is useful in assessing the impact of cross-draughts on the push-pull arrangement.
Estimating the economic value of water quality protection in the Catawba River basin

[1] This study used stated preference methods to estimate the economic value of protecting water quality in the Catawba River basin of North and South Carolina at its current level. Telephone interviews were completed with 1085 randomly selected households, who were also mailed a short information booklet about these issues. Respondents expressed a mean willingness to pay $139 for a management plan designed to protect water quality at its current level over time. Aggregation of this mean willingness to pay value amounted to an annual economic benefit of over $75 million for all taxpayers in Catawba basin counties. By using a split-sample survey design, this study also compared the effectiveness of different combined mail and telephone survey formats. Results indicated that while a phone-mail-phone approach is preferred for some reasons over a mail-phone approach, the survey format did not significantly affect the economic valuation results.
Sensitivity Analysis for DSMC Simulations of High- Temperature Air Chemistry

This research centers on laying the groundwork for the application of Bayesian statistical methods for the calibration of parameters relevant to modeling a hypersonic shock layer with the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The DSMC method used in this work employs the algorithm of Bird (1994), with modifications to allow integration with sensitivity analysis and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) driver codes. The DSMC code was written and optimized with shock tube simulations in mind. Sensitivity analyses have been performed to determine which parameters most affect the simulation results for a 0-D relaxation which is similar in many respects to the relaxation behind a steady 1-D hypersonic shock. Analyses were performed for a pure nitrogen case and for a 5-species air case. The parameters which are most sensitive have been identified for future calibration with MCMC. The current work focuses on sensitivity analysis and on laying the groundwork for future parameter calibration. The DSMC method includes many parameters related to gas dynamics at the molecular level. Examples include elastic collision cross-sections, vibrational and rotational excitation probabilities, reaction cross- sections, etc. In many cases, the precise values of these parameters are not known. Parameter values often cannot be directly measured. Instead they must be inferred from experimental results, and by necessity parameters must often be used in regimes far from where their values were determined. More precise values for some of these important parameters could lead to better simulation of the physics, and thus to better predictive capability for DSMC. In the future Bayesian methods could also be employed to evaluate the plausibility of various models within the context of DSMC simulations. For example, comparisons could be made between the total collision energy (TCE) model for reaction cross-sections which was described by Bird (1994) and used by Ozawa (2008), and the vibrationally favored dissociation model, also described by Bird (1994). Future model development could also be guided by information gleaned from application of Bayesian statistical analysis to existing models. Our current work, however, focuses on using Bayesian methods to provide improved calibrations for models which are already in common use. Obtaining these calibrated parameters is the long-term goal of our work. In approaching that goal, the first step is a sensitivity analysis to determine which parameters most affect the simulation results in a case which is similar to a hypersonic shock. In this work, we have performed a rigorous sensitivity analysis in order to select appropriate parameters for calibration. This will set the stage for eventual calibrations with experimental data from the NASA EAST shock tube (see Grinstead et al., 2008) in future work.
Estimating DNA coverage and abundance in metagenomes using a gamma approximation

Motivation: Shotgun sequencing generates large numbers of short DNA reads from either an isolated organism or, in the case of metagenomics projects, from the aggregate genome of a microbial community. These reads are then assembled based on overlapping sequences into larger, contiguous sequences (contigs). The feasibility of assembly and the coverage achieved (reads per nucleotide or distinct sequence of nucleotides) depend on several factors: the number of reads sequenced, the read length and the relative abundances of their source genomes in the microbial community. A low coverage suggests that most of the genomic DNA in the sample has not been sequenced, but it is often difficult to estimate either the extent of the uncaptured diversity or the amount of additional sequencing that would be most efficacious. In this work, we regard a metagenome as a population of DNA fragments (bins), each of which may be covered by one or more reads. We employ a gamma distribution to model this bin population due to its flexibility and ease of use. When a gamma approximation can be found that adequately fits the data, we may estimate the number of bins that were not sequenced and that could potentially be revealed by additional sequencing. We evaluated the performance of this model using simulated metagenomes and demonstrate its applicability on three recent metagenomic datasets. Contact: sean.d.hooper@genpat.uu.se Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The role of hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells in the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis.

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the literature concentrating on the early interactions of viruses with sinusoidal and parenchymal cells of the liver in the acute phase of hepatitis. The complex interplay of factors operative in the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis is organized into two categories of viral-host responses. The first viral-host response involves the ability of the virus to adsorb, infect, and replicate in the host tissues with which it comes in contact, dependent on its route of inoculation. In the case of hepatitis, these cells always include hepatocytes, endothelial cells, and lymphoreticular cells that reside in liver, circulation, and extrahepatic lymphoid tissue. The second interaction involves the ability of the host to impede, contain, and finally free itself of the infecting virus. The chapter describes viral-host responses that involve liver-derived cells directly. Many of the viral-host responses may effectively occur before the virus ever arrives at the liver. The lymphoreticular cells in lymph nodes and circulation have important interactions with the virus before it enters liver tissue.
Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction--early and mid-term outcomes.

Background The prevalence of patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is increasing. The aim of the present study was to assess the outcomes of patients with severe LVD undergoing CABG. Methods Outcomes of 115 consecutive patients with severe LVD (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] 30% (HEF). To further evaluate the LVD patients, they were divided into three subgroups base on LVEF: 0% to 10%, 11% to 20%, and 21% to 30%. Data were collected prospectively and entered into the departmental database of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Results Patients in the LVD group had increased incidence of diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), peripheral vascular disease, prior myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure, and less elective procedures compared to the HEF group. Despite this greater risk profile, operative mortality (LVD 2.6% vs. HEF 1.2%, p = 0.19), the incidence of stroke (2.6% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.13), and perioperative MI (0.9% vs. 0.7%) were not statistically different between the groups. The incidence of respiratory (14.8% vs. 1.9%, p Conclusion CABG in patients with severe LVD can be performed with a low mortality, albeit with higher morbidity and longer length of hospital stay, than patients with LVEF >30%. Low ejection fraction per se was not a predictor of hospital mortality. CABG should be considered a safe and effective therapy for low ejection fraction patients with ischemic heart disease. Mitral valve repair/replacement in the presence of moderate degree of MR should be considered at the time of the initial operation.
Enzymatic Determination of Serum Urea on the Surface of Silicone-Rubber Pads

An enzymatic, fluorometric method is described for determination of serum urea on silicone-rubber pads. In this method, the reagents are lyophilized on the surface of the pads, NADH on one side and a mixture of urease, glutamate dehydrogenase, and alpha-ketoglutarate on the other. The rate of disappearance of NADH fluorescence at 460nm (excitation wavelength, 340 nm) is monitored and related to serum urea concentration. The calibration curve is linear to 250 mg of urea per liter. The method affords a rapid, simple, and inexpensive means for urea assay, the results of which correlate well with automatic diacetyl monoxime method (correlation coefficient, 0.998).
Empirical analysis of dynamic correlations of stock returns: evidence from Chinese A-share and B-share markets

This paper examines the dynamic correlation structure between A-share and B-share stock returns based on three different measures of correlation coefficients. Testing the models by employing daily stock-return data for the period from 1996 through 2003, we reach the following empirical conclusions. First, the correlation coefficients between A-share and B-share stock returns are time varying. Second, the dynamic path of the correlation coefficients indicates that the correlation coefficients are significantly correlated with the trend factor. Third, there is a substantial spillover effect from the Asian crisis to Chinese stock-return dynamic correlations. Fourth, the evidence suggests that the time-varying correlations are significantly associated with excessive trading activity as measured by excessive trading volumes and high–low price differentials. Fifth, the correlation between A-share and B-share markets has increased since the relaxation of the restriction on B-share market investments by domestic ...
Model averaging and probable status of North Pacific striped marlin, Tetrapturus audax.

We show how model averaging can be applied to estimate the probable status of a fishery resource under assessment scenario uncertainty. This approach is applied to North Pacific striped marlin (Tet...
Tent spaces associated with semigroups of operators

Abstract We study tent spaces on general measure spaces ( Ω , μ ) . We assume that there exists a semigroup of positive operators on L p ( Ω , μ ) satisfying a monotone property but do not assume any geometric/metric structure on Ω. The semigroup plays the same role as integrals on cones and cubes in Euclidean spaces. We then study BMO spaces on general measure spaces and get an analogue of Fefferman's H 1 –BMO duality theory. We also get a H 1 –BMO duality inequality without assuming the monotone property. All the results are proved in a more general setting, namely for noncommutative L p spaces.
Seeing the forest and the trees: research on plant science teaching and learning.

In this editorial we link the articles published in this Special Focus section with the practical utility of using plants in education to transform and transcend traditional botany classes. We suggest current and future implications of research in this area.
Laser gain media based on nanocomposite materials

A new way of controlling the laser properties of optical materials by designing composite materials that exploit local-field effects is proposed. It is shown that the basic laser properties, such as the radiative lifetime of the upper laser level, small-signal gain coefficient, and saturation intensity can be controlled independently by means of local-field effects. These ideas could be used to design laser systems with significantly improved properties.
Young Children with Autism: Judicial Responses to the Lovaas and Discrete Trial Training Debates

In the last decade, parents have filed an increasing number of due process hearings and court cases requesting the Lovaas method, an intensive discrete trial training based on select principles of ...