cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved assessment of lumbar vertebral body strength using supine lateral dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry

Clinical and biomechanical investigations indicate that assessment of vertebral body bone mineral density (BMD) by anteroposterior dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a useful index of vertebral body strength and fracture risk in osteoporosis. However, inclusion of non-force-bearing and small-force-bearing mineralized structures, such as the posterior elements and aortic calcifications, in the measurement of anterior BMD obscures the assessment of vertebral body mass by this technique. Indeed, such interference is particularly severe in the presence of posterior element degeneration or previous spinal surgery. Recent anatomic studies illustrate that the lateral view provides unobstructed visualization of the L3, L4, and possibly L2 vertebral bodies, suggesting that supine lateral BMD may more accurately assess vertebral body fracture risk. We evaluated this hypothesis in a blinded study using human cadaver spines to compare the value of supine lateral and anteroposterior BMD in assessing vertebral body fracture force, average compressive stress, maximum stored strain energy, and strain at failure. Both measures of BMD significantly correlate with these biomechanical measures. However, statistical comparison of the methods using multiple and stepwise regression reveals that supine lateral BMD provides a better assessment of the vertebral body fracture properties than anteroposterior BMD. The enhanced predictive value of supine lateral BMD occurs because of the variable contribution of posterior element mineral to the anteroposterior BMD measurement. Evaluation to test the utility of supine lateral BMD for the assessment of fracture risk and a fracture threshold in patients with osteoporosis is therefore recommended.
Formulation and analysis of stability for spacecraft formations

A formulation of stability for formation flying spacecraft is presented. First, a formation is defined via control interactions between the spacecraft. Then, stability is formulated on the basis of input-to-output stability with respect to a partitioning of the formation dynamics. The particular form of input-to-output stability used here is based on the peak-to-peak gain of a system from its input to its output. This formulation of stability is shown to be useful in characterising disturbance propagation in the formation as a function of the partition interconnection topology, and also in analysing the robustness of sensing, communication and control topologies. Stability analysis results are presented for hierarchical, cyclic and disturbance attenuating formations in terms of the input-to-output gains of the partitions in the formation. Finally, Lyapunov stability analysis results are provided in terms of linear matrix inequalities for a general class of formations.
Cerebrovascular complications of Fabry's disease

Fabry's disease (FD) is a rare, sex-linked disorder resulting from alpha-galactosidase deficiency. Cerebrovascular complications have been reported in the literature but have not been systematically analyzed. We report 2 patients and review 51 previously reported cases (descriptive meta-analysis) to clarify the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features. The average age at onset of cerebrovascular symptoms was 33.8 years for hemizygous individuals (n = 43) and 40.3 years of heterozygotes (n = 10). The most frequent symptoms and signs were as follows (in descending order of frequency): hemiparesis, vertigo/dizziness, diplopia, dysarthria, nystagmus, nausea/vomiting, head pain, hemiataxia, and ataxia of gait, in the hemizygote group; and memory loss, dizziness, ataxia, hemiparesis, loss of consciousness and hemisensory symptoms, in the heterozygote group. The vertebrobasilar circulation was symptomatic in 67% of the hemizygotes and 60% of the heterozygotes. Intracerebral hemorrhage was found in 4 patients (3 hemizygotes and 1 heterozygote). Elongated, ectatic, tortuous vertebral and basilar arteries were the most common angiographic and pathologic features. For the hemizygotes, the recurrence rate for cerebrovascular disease was 76% and the death rate was 55%; 86% of the heterozygotes had recurrent cerebrovascular event(s) and 40% died. The cerebrovascular manifestations of FD, in both hemizygotes and heterozygotes, are predominantly due to dilative arteriopathy of the vertebrobasilar circulation, frequently recur, and portend a poor prognosis.
Nuclear PI(4,5)P2: A new place for an old signal

Over the last decades, evidence has accumulated suggesting that there is a distinct nuclear phosphatidylinositol pathway. One of the best examined nuclear lipid pathways is the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI4,5P 2 ) by PLC resulting in activation of nuclear PKC and production of inositol polyphosphates. However, there is a growing number of data that phosphoinositides are not only precursor for soluble inositol phosphates and diacylglycerol, instead they can act as second messengers themselves. They have been implicated to play a role in different important nuclear signaling events such as cell cycle progression, apoptosis, chromatin remodeling, transcriptional regulation and mRNA processing. This review focuses on the role of specifically PI4,5P 2 in the nucleus as a second messenger as well as a precursor for PI3,4,5P3, inositol polyphosphates and diacylglycerol.
Petroleum Hydrocarbons: Uptake and Discharge by the Marine Mussel Mytilus edulis

The common marine mussel Mytilus edulis has been observed to rapidly take up mineral oil, [ 14 C] heptadecane, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene, [ 14 C] toluene, [ 14 C] naphthalene, and [ 3 C] 3,4-benzopyrene from seawater solution. This species of mussel did not metabolize any of these compounds, and transfer of the mussel to fresh seawater, after exposure to the hydrocarbon in solution, resulted in the discharge of most of the hydrocarbon, although significant amounts remained (between 1 and 400 micrograms per mussel). The nontoxic paraffinic hydrocarbons mineral oil and heptadecane were taken up (10 milligrams per mussel) to a much greater extent than the aromatic hydrocarbons (2 to 20 micro-grams per mussel).
Detailed Terrain Characterization from a Space Based Imaging Spectrometer

Imaging spectrometers have been developed and matured over the past 30 years beginning with developmental airborne systems. Beginning with the NASA Hyperion instrument, space borne systems are providing data to a broad user community to explore the myriad applications of spaceborne imaging spectrometer data. This presentation will explore the range of terrain characterization applications and products which are being addressed currently and those that could be met in the future as sensors are improved and tailored to the user needs.
Black on the Block

Black on the Block: The Politics of Race and Class in the City. Mary, Pattillo. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Sometime last year, as I recall, the Chicago Tribune featured an article about the various pieces of significant social research that had their origins on the South Side of Chicago. It was a very thoughtful and informative article, reviewing the seminal contributions of, among others, St. Clair Drake and Horace Cayton (1970), James Grossman (1991), and William Julius Wilson (1987). At the time I thought it astonishing to realize that this part of Chicago has given birth to so much important sociological/urban research: it is testimony to the skills and abilities of the various researchers, but as well to how heavily U.S. social science research has been focused on this part of Chicago. The Chicago School of Sociology, however different it is today from its origins in the writings and work of its founders for example, Robert Park, Louis Wirth, and Ernest Burgess remains very much alive and well. Mary Pattillo's latest book on Chicago, Black on the Block, represents yet another important contribution that builds on these foundations. Examining the processes of gentrification and revitalization in the North Kenwood-Oakland (NKO) area, she provides an insightful analysis of how the people and the neighborhood changed and often in unexpected and unanticipated ways. Whatever the good sentiments and tough policies behind gentrification, it is a process that takes on a life of its own, leading to many material improvements in an area, but often at the expense of harming the lives of those people it is designed to help. Pattillo's book is not simply an imaginative sociological analysis of gentrification in a black neighborhood, it also tells how this part of Chicago has changed from its origins in the late nineteenth century as an exclusively white wealthy area to the present day, and it does so in a concise and intelligent manner. Hence, anyone who wishes a sense of the history of the NKO neighborhood, and also of the role of key institutional actors, such as the University of Chicago, can benefit from reading this book. There are a number of lessons that the book intends to teach its readers.
Posttranslational activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity in newborn rats.

Nitric Oxide (NO) can be cytotoxic or cytoprotective depending on amount and location of its generation. eNOS is important in modulating blood flow and is allosterically regulated. Inducible NOS (iNOS) tends to produce large quantities of NO leading to cell injury. We studied the role and regulation of NOS in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatotoxicity in newborn rats. eNOS was expressed before birth, significantly increased on day of life (DOL) 2 reaching a maximum at DOL-20. iNOS was absent at all ages. CCl4 treatment resulted in hepatic injury in newborn rats and damage was intensified by co-administration of a general NOS inhibitor. CCl4 treatment increased eNOS activity without change in mRNA or protein levels. Administration of CCl4 resulted in an increase in phosphorylation of threonine protein kinase (Akt) and eNOS, associated with an increase in eNOS activity. Administration of wortmannin (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, PI3 K, inhibitor) attenuated the phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS and reduced eNOS activity. Co-administration of CCl4 and wortmannin potentiated the degree of hepatic injury. iNOS was not detectable in CCl4-treated rats. This data indicates a protective role for eNOS in CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in newborn rats with protection accomplished by activation of eNOS via posttranslational modification of the PI3 K/Akt signaling pathway.
A health and demographic profile of noninstitutionalized older Americans residing in environments with home modifications.

Objectives:In this analysis the authors investigate the demographic characteristics, the health conditions/events, and the disabilities of community-dwelling Americans 70 years of age and older that are associated with residing in environments with specific home modifications. Methods:Data from a large population-based study of the elderly are used to estimate logistic regression equations that reveal profiles of older individuals who are likely to have distinct home modifications. Results:Having diseases such as diabetes and stroke, having experienced a hip fracture, a fall or a joint replacement, and having greater limitations with activities of daily living raise the likelihood of having home modifications. Lowincome, Hispanic, and African American elderly appear underrepresented among those with modifications. Discussion: The authors conclude that specialized housing alternatives will be an increasingly important issue in the future as individuals aim to achieve and maintain the delicate balance betwe...
Optical Pathlength Control Experiment on JPL Phase B Testbed

An experimental implementation of a nanometer level optical pathlength control for large baseline space interferometry is presented. The pathlength compensation system is installed on a large flexible experimental truss, thus structural motions play a dominant role in the control system design. The associated control structure interaction problem is addressed to maintain the optical pathlength within the prescribed variation of 10-15 nanometer rms. By a successful blend of a structural control for damping augmentation and a direct pathlength control for the pathlength compensation, the optical pathlength variation has been maintained with 6 nanometer rms under the laboratory ambient disturbance and within 9 nanometer rms under a severe forced resonant disturbance.
Mid-infrared emission from In(Ga)Sb layers on InAs(Sb).

We demonstrate infrared light emission from thin epitaxially-grown In(Ga)Sb layers in InAs(Sb) matrices across a wide range (3-8µm) of the mid-infrared spectral range. Our structures are characterized by x-ray diffraction, photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Emission is characterized by temperature- and power-dependent infrared step-scan photoluminescence spectroscopy. The epitaxial In(Ga)Sb layers are observed to form either quantum wells, quantum dots, or disordered quantum wells, depending on the insertion layer and substrate material composition. The observed optical properties of the monolayer-scale insertions are correlated to their structural properties, as determined by transmission electron and atomic force microscopy.
Checkerboard EBG Surfaces for Wideband Radar Cross Section Reduction

Electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) structures have noteworthy electromagnetic characteristics that include their reflection phase variations with frequency. This paper applies this unique reflection phase property to alter the direction of the fields scattered by a radar target to reduce its radar cross section (RCS). This redirecting of the scattered fields occurs when a surface is covered with a checkerboard of alternating EBG structures, and results in a wider frequency band RCS reduction. RCS reduction compared to a PEC surface of 10 dB can be realized over 60% frequency bandwidth. Simulations of monostatic and bistatic RCSs of two dual EBG checkerboard surfaces, square and hexagonal, are compared with those of equal-sized PEC ground planes. The simulated monostatic RCS is also compared with measurements. Both $\bf{TE}^{\bf{z}}$ and $\bf{TM}^{\bf{z}}$ polarizations for oblique incidence are considered. Excellent agreement is obtained between simulated and measured patterns, for both the square and the hexagonal EBG checkerboard surfaces. An approximate analytical expression is provided as a guideline for a 10-dB RCS reduction of a dual EBG checkerboard surface compared to that of a PEC.
Reversible neural inactivation by cooling in anesthetized and freely behaving rats

Abstract The design and use of a miniaturized cryoprobe to allow reversible neural inactivation were investigated in the rat. Tissue temperature measurements around the cryoprobe in the cerebellum of anesthetized rats established that significant heat loss (lower than 20° C) was localized within 1.5 mm of the cryoprobe tip. To physiologically test the effectiveness of the cryoprobe, two specific behaviors mediated by well defined neural structures were measured; electrically elicited hindleg flexion in ketamine-anesthetized rats, mediated by the pyramidal tract; and the acoustic startle reflex in freely behaving rats, mediated by the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. Cooling of the pyramidal tract at a tip temperature of - 5° C reversibly blocked electrically elicited hindleg flexions within about 21 s. Cooling of the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus at 0° C reversibly blocked the acoustic startle reflex. These effects were obtained when the cryoprobe tip was within 0.5 mm of the respective neural targets. The results suggest that cooling produces fully reversible neural blockade with a very rapid onset and offset. The advantages and limitations of cooling in the rat are discussed.
Teaching alternative approaches to the firm

The purpose of this paper is to describe our pluralist course 'Alternative approaches to the firm'. The first section will discuss the myriad conceptualisations of the firm and contrast this with the staid conception of mainstream economics. The second section will discuss the specifics of the course content. It is hoped that our suggestions will be utilised by other professors interested in teaching a pluralist conception of the firm.
Qualitative research in accounting: the North American perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this Special Issue of Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management is to focus on qualitative research in accounting from a North American perspective. The goal is to highlight the possibility of greater contributions to qualitative research in accounting from researchers based in North America and to highlight some significant contributions produced by authors in North American universities in the qualitative domain. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is conceptual in nature. Findings – This sample of North American qualitative research in accounting provides an example of some of the different types of qualitative work being done. In most respects the articles are similar to qualitative research being done in other parts of the world. Perhaps the key difference is that the research has been undertaken for the most part by senior researchers who have been able to take some risks with a research paradigm that may not be widely accepted at their universities or they may be ...
Stable transformation of sorghum cell cultures after bombardment with DNA-coated microprojectiles.

Cells from a suspension culture of Sorghum vulgare (sorghum) have been transformed to either hygromycin or kanamycin resistance following uptake of pBC1 or pNGI plasmids, respectively, introduced on DNA-coated high velocity microprojectiles. Hygromycin- and kanamycin-resistant transformants contained hygromycin B phosphotransferase- and neomycin phosphotransferasehybridizing restriction fragments of the expected size, respectively. A second introduced, but unselected for, reporter uidA gene which encodes s-glucuronidase activity was also detected by DNA gel blot analysis in these transformants and shown to be expressed at low levels in two of the ten transformants analyzed. Transcripts from the introduced foreign genes accumulated to detectable levels in only these two transformants, both of which had a high copy number of genes integrated into their genome. This report further establishes the biolistic method as a useful route for delivery of DNA into the difficult-to-transform monocotyledonous plant species and represents the first stable transformation of this agronomically-important cereal grain.
Core-hole induced charge transfer and Coster-Kronig enhanced fluorescence at the 3d threshold of lanthanum studied by resonant inelastic scattering

Soft x-ray emission near the 3d threshold of La is studied with synchrotron radiation. At excitation energies above the ${M}_{\mathrm{IV}}$ edge we observe Coster-Kronig enhanced fluorescence that refills the 3d hole via 5p and 4f electrons. We find a new delayed onset of the fluorescence as the 7.5-eV inelastic scattering evolves into 3d-4f emission about 8 eV above the absorption threshold, which we attribute to the energy required to produce a charge-transfer hole. The 16.3-eV Raman-scattering loss is due to a net transition of a 5p electron into a 4f orbit. The results are compared with our calculations.
Developmental alterations in the frequency map of the mammalian cochlea.

THE position of an auditory hair cell along the length of the cochlea determines the sound frequency to which it is most sensitive. Receptors located near the proximal end (base) of the cochlea are maximally stimulated by high-frequency sounds; those occupying successively more distal (apical) positions respond best to progress-ively lower frequencies1. At present, it is unclear how this frequency place map emerges with respect to the development of the cochlea. It has been suggested, on the basis of acoustic trauma experiments with developing chicks2 and cochlear potential recordings3–5 from developing gerbils, that this map may arise through systematic changes in the spatial encoding of frequency along the cochlea. Others have inferred from frequency tuning curves derived from auditory-nerve recordings in developing mammals6 and chicks7, that the cochlear frequency-place map remains stable throughout development. We analysed frequency tuning curves obtained from gerbil spiral ganglion cells at a constant location within the basal cochlea, and report here that these cells undergo significant increases (up to 1.5 octaves) in their best-response frequencies between the second and third weeks of postnatal life. These recordings provide direct evidence for developmental changes in the tonotopic organization of the mammalian cochlea.
The emperor has no clothes

Sir, The paper by Mack et al. [1] would, by the title, appear to be a straightforward exposition of developmental anatomy and pathophysiology of CSF and extracerebral accumulation of fluid. Instead, the authors raise reasonable doubt regarding the traumatic origin of subdural hematoma (SDH) in infants. The authors present two pillars to support their argument: (1) they include SDH under the rubric of “subdural collection,” implying that a pathogenesis of blood between the dura and arachnoid is similar to effusion, which may result from a variety of causes (e.g., inflammation); and (2) they imply that falcine/tentorial hemorrhages in newborns are the same as SDH later in infancy. Equating dural/subdural hemorrhages in newborns, a phenomenon well-known to pediatricians, neurologists, and pediatric pathologists for decades to be a consequence of birth trauma, with SDH in infancy (a consequence of inflicted or accidental trauma) is blatantly misleading [2]. A similar argument advanced by Geddes et al. that raised doubt regarding the traumatic origin of SDH in infants and that suggested such hemorrhages were a consequence of hypoxia ischemia was later retracted under oath during her testimony before the High Court of Justice of England and Wales in June 2005 [3]. There is a mountain of literature documenting the traumatic origin of greater than 95% of SDH, regardless of age, and to claim that the extraordinarily common problem of hypoxia ischemia is causative contradicts the vast experience of the greater medical community. Hypoxia ischemia alone is not a cause of intra-/subdural hematomas. If it were, the journals and medical textbooks would have documented this phenomenon decades ago. Our forebears were, in fact, astute observers and recorders of clinical–pathological relationships, and it is highly unlikely that such an important correlation would have escaped notice until 2009. To put it bluntly, perinatal subdural/intrafalcine hemorrhages are not equivalent to SDH later in infancy, and hypoxia ischemia does not cause SDH – the emperor has no clothes.
Hyperthermia mediated liposomal drug delivery.

Drug delivery systems have been developed for cancer therapy in an attempt to increase the tumour drug concentration while limiting systemic exposure.Liposomes have achieved passive targeting of solid tumours through enhanced vascular permeability, which is greatly augmented by hyperthermia. However, anti-tumour efficacy has often been limited by slow release of bioavailable drug within the tumour. Local hyperthermia has become the most widely used stimulus for triggered release of liposomal drugs, through the use of specific lipids, polymers or other modifiers.A temperature-sensitive liposome containing doxorubicin has been shown to release 100% of contents through stabilized membrane pores within 10–20 s at 41°C. This formulation has exhibited dramatic improvements in pre-clinical drug delivery and tumour regression and is now in clinical trials.Significantly, recent studies show that this liposome, in combination with local hyperthermia, exhibits vascular shutdown as a mechanism of anti-tumour effect t...
Soil water content estimation using a remote sensing based hybrid evapotranspiration modeling approach

Remote sensing of evapotranspiration (ET) has evolved over the last 20 years with the development of more robust energy balance approaches and the availability of timely remotely sensed imagery from satellite sensors. This has allowed the use of remote sensing for near-real time water management in irrigated systems in the western United States. In this paper a hybrid ET approach is applied to irrigated and non-irrigated cotton fields at the BEAREX08 experimental site using airborne remote sensing inputs under highly advective conditions, taking advantage of the available root zone soil water content measurements for verification of model output. The modeling approach is based on coupling the Two-Source-Energy Balance (TSEB) and the reflectance-based crop coefficient models. The TSEB model provides estimates of real crop ET while the reflectance-based crop coefficient approach allows for updating the basal crop coefficient and the interpolation and extrapolation of ET between the dates of remote sensing inputs facilitating the maintenance of a soil water balance in the root zone of the crop. Actual ET estimates using the TSEB model were compared with measured ET using eddy covariance systems deployed in four cotton fields during the BEAREX08 experiment. Estimates of soil water content in the soil profile of both irrigated and rain fed cotton fields were compared with measurements at different depths using neutron probe observations. Data assimilation techniques were applied to update soil water content values using estimates based on actual ET from the TSEB model. Results indicate that the hybrid ET modeling approach using data assimilation produced reliable daily ET interpolated between remote sensing observations and significantly improved soil water content estimates throughout the root zone profile compared to applying the crop-coefficient technique in a water balance model without the actual ET inputs.
Electrical Discharge Mechanisms. Isoprene and Isoprene-d 4

THE mechanistic pathways of reactions in an electrical discharge are of interest because of their relevance, on one hand, to reactions in primordial atmospheres1–4 and, on the other, to mass spectrometric electron impact mechanisms5–8. Although simple mixtures containing methane have been studied1–4, relatively little is known about the mechanisms of electrical discharge reactions of other organic molecules9–11. We have chosen to make a detailed examination of the products and mechanisms of the reactions of isoprene in an electrical discharge, because isoprene is a relatively simple molecule which contains loosely bound π-electrons and should be capable of forming interesting higher molecular weight products, and also because of the wide occurrence of isoprenoid units in compounds of biological importance.
Pluralistic Intolerance in America: A Reconsideration

In this article I reconsider the concept "pluralistic intolerance," which has recently been advanced by Sullivan, Piereson, and Marcus. I first consider the question of whether Americans prefer that political repression be directed at unpopular political minorities on either the left wing or the right wing, or whether people are willing to support political repression against both the left and the right. My analysis reveals that those who support repression against left-wing groups also support repression against right-wing groups. A number of other difficulties with the "least-liked" approach to political tolerance are identified, difficulties that argue in favor of alternative conceptual and measurement strategies. Finally, the implicit linkage model associated with pluralistic intolerance is reconsidered as well.
Light scattering fluctuations of a soft spherical particle containing an inclusion

We numerically calculate the light scattering intensity fluctuations and the cross-polarization intensity fluctuations of optically soft spherical particles containing an eccentrically located spherical particle. In all cases the magnitude of the signals tends to increase with particle asymmetry. Such a system approximates a biological cell in solution.
Sacrificial Templates for Galvanic Replacement Reactions: Design Criteria for the Synthesis of Pure Pt Nanoshells with a Smooth Surface Morphology

The galvanic replacement of sacrificial templates offers one of the most synthetically viable approaches for generating platinum-based nanostructures with impressive catalytic activity. Here, we present template design criteria for the synthesis of morphologically smooth platinum nanoshells which undergo minimal alloying with the template material. The criteria is founded on comparisons of nanoshells derived from reacting substrate-immobilized templates of silver, lead, copper, nickel, and cobalt with aqueous H2PtCl6. It is shown that template-surface modifications are the primary mode by which smooth Pt nanoshells are obtained, with template composition playing a secondary role. The degree of alloying is strongly dependent upon whether the template applies tensile or compressive heteroepitaxial strains to the depositing nanoshell. On the basis of these findings, we propose a mechanistic framework and an overall strategy for the synthesis of advanced templates for substrate-based galvanic replacement reac...
FLT3 ligand administration after hematopoietic cell transplantation increases circulating dendritic cell precursors that can be activated by CpG oligodeoxynucleotides to enhance T-cell and natural killer cell function

Abstract Dendritic cells (DCs) are key effectors in innate immunity and play critical roles in triggering adaptive immune responses. FLT3 ligand (FLT3-L) is essential for DC development from hematopoietic progenitors. In a phase I clinical trial, we demonstrated that immunotherapy with subcutaneous injection of FLT3-L is safe and well tolerated in cancer patients recovering from autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). FLT3-L administration significantly increased the frequency and absolute number of blood DC precursors without affecting other mature cell lineages during the 6-week course of FLT3-L therapy. After 14 days of FLT3-L administration, the number of blood CD11c+ DCs, plasmacytoid DCs (PDCs), and CD14+ monocytes increased by 5.3-, 2.9-, 3.8-fold, respectively, and was maintained at increased levels throughout FLT3-L therapy. FLT3-L-increased blood DCs in HCT patients were immature and had modest enhancing effects on in vitro T-cell proliferation to antigens and natural killer (NK) cell function. The addition of type B CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from HCT patients receiving FLT3-L therapy induced rapid maturation of both CD11c+ DCs and PDCs and enhanced T-cell proliferative responses. In addition, CpG ODN induced potent activation of NK cells from FLT3-L-treated patients with increased surface CD69 expression and augmented cytotoxicity. CpG ODN-induced activation of NK cells was primarily via an indirect mechanism through PDCs. These findings suggest that FLT3-L mobilization of DC precursors followed by a specific DC stimulus such as CpG ODN may provide a novel strategy to manipulate antitumor immunity in patients after HCT.
Youth Smoking in the 1990's: Why Did It Rise and What Are the Long-Run Implications?

One of the most striking trends in the behavior of youth in the United States during the 1990's has been the increased incidence of smoking. After steadily declining over the previous 15 years, youth smoking began to rise precipitously in 1992. By 1997, smoking by teenagers in the United States had risen by one-third from its 1991 trough, before declining again somewhat in 1998 and 1999. This trend is particularly striking in light of the continuing steady decline in adult smoking in the United States. This striking time trend has motivated substantial public-policy interest in youth smoking, highlighted by the recent unsuccessful attempt of the Clinton Administration to pass a comprehensive tobacco-regulation bill that had the ostensible main pulpose of reducing youth smoking. This public-policy interest arises out of concern that youth are not appropriately recognizing the long-run implications of their smoking decisions. Indeed, young smokers clearly underestimate the likelihood that they will still be smoking in their early twenties and beyond. For example, among high-school seniors who smoke, 56 percent say that they will not be smoking five years later, but only 31 percent of them have in fact quit five years hence. Moreover, among those who smoke more than one pack per day, the smoking rate five years later among those who stated that they would not be smoking (74 percent) is actually higher than the smoking rate among those who stated that they would be smoking (72 percent) (Department of Health and Human Services, 1994). If youth smoking leads to adult smoking, particularly in a manner that is underappreciated by the youth smokers themselves, it can have drastic implications for the health of the U.S. population. Smoking-related illness is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, and smokers on average live from 6.5 (males) to 5.7 (females) fewer years, relative to those who have never smoked (David Cutler et al., 1999). The notion that this increase in youth smoking will lead to a rise in adult smoking is supported by the fact that 75 percent of smokers begin before their 19th birthday (Gruber and Jonathan Zinman, 2001). But this fact does not prove that the curTent upswing in youth smoking will lead to higher long-run adult smoking rates, as it is difficult to distinguish causality from these intertemporal colTelations; smoking later in life may not be a consequence of youth smoking for adults in the past, but rather smoking at both points in life may simply arise from intertemporal correlation in tastes for this activity. In this paper, I first discuss the causes of the rise in youth smoking in the 1990's, then provide some evidence to help causally assess its long-run implications for smoking in the United States and the health of the U.S. population.
Work softening and Hall-Petch hardening in extruded mechanically alloyed alloys

Abstract Mechanically alloyed and extruded aluminum alloys developed for service at temperatures up to 500°C in aerospace applications exhibit work softening, as is typical for alloys with grain or subgrain sizes of about 1 μm and below. Experimental evidence is presented and compared with a recent theory of work softening based on the low energy dislocation structure (LEDS) concept. It is concluded that the observed work softening stems from a reduction in the τ 0 part of the flow stress, i.e. that part which does not depend on the density of trapped dislocations. In the present alloys, τ 0 is dominated by Hall-Petch grain boundary strengthening. Transmission electron microscopy evidence suggests that the softening arises, because plastic strain weakens what appears to be a continuous layer of “grain boundary substance” (perhaps carbon, Al 4 C 3 , or otherwise carbon-enriched substance) at which the boundaries are strongly anchored. With the boundaries thus immobilized, the relative lattice rotations among neighboring grains caused by the strain are accomodated by “geometrically necessary” dislocation rotation boundaries formed from reaction products of glide dislocations directly at the film surfaces. This is a new form of LEDS never previously reported. It contributes to, although does not necessarily dominate, the high recrystallization and service temperatures of the alloys.
Transport properties of Bi 1 − x Sb x alloy thin films grown on CdTe ( 111 ) B

We have grown ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{x}$ alloy thin films on $\mathrm{CdTe}(111)B$ over a wide range of Sb concentrations $(0l~xl~0.183)$ using molecular-beam epitaxy. Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity (\ensuremath{\rho}) and thermoelectric power (S) were studied. We have observed several differences over the bulk system. The 3.5 and 5.1% Sb alloys show semiconducting behavior, and the Sb concentration with maximum band gap shifted to a lower Sb concentration from 15% in bulk to 9%. Based on a simple interpretation of the temperature-dependent resistivity the maximum gap would be 40 meV, which is larger than that observed in bulk alloys. In addition, we have observed that the power factor ${S}^{2}/\ensuremath{\rho}$ peaks at a significantly higher temperature (250 K) than previously reported for the bulk alloy (80 K). Differences between thin film grown on CdTe(111) and bulk alloy may arise from the effects of strain, which is supported by theoretical electronic band calculations. These results show that BiSb films may be useful as band-engineered materials in thermoelectric devices.
Informatics and integrated computational materials engineering: Part II

This issue of JOM presents the second in a twopart series on materials informatics. In the previous issue (March 2008), some of the basic concepts of what constitutes informatics were introduced. In this issue, we continue that theme with papers that serve to emphasize the diversity of topics that encompass the fi eld of informatics. The timing of the publication of these JOM topics on materials informatics coincides with the issuing of a report of the National Materials Advisory Board on Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME). This report defi nes that information as including “curated data sets, structure-property models, processing-structure relationships, physical properties and thermodynamic, kinetic and structural information.” It provides a good summary of the needs, status, and challenges Informatics and Integrated Computational Materials Engineering: Part II
Theory of Nuclear Resonance Intensity in Dilute Alloys

Experiments of Bloembergen and Rowland have shown that the intensity of the nuclear resonance signal in metallic Cu decreases rapidly when small quantities of other elements are alloyed with it. These results require that each solute atom produces significant electric field gradients in its vicinity, sometimes affecting as many as 85 neighboring Cu nuclei. In this paper we show that field gradients of approximately the required magnitude arise from the redistribution of the conduction electron charge density near the solute atoms. A crucial feature of our theory is that at large distances $r$ from a solute atom the electron density behaves as $\frac{cos(2{k}^{0}r+\ensuremath{\phi})}{{r}^{3}}$ where ${k}^{0}$ is the Fermi wave number and $\ensuremath{\phi}$ is a phase. Our agreement with experiment is a confirmation of this behavior. Such an oscillatory behavior is a consequence of a discontinuous drop at the Fermi surface of $n(\mathrm{k})$, the occupation probability of the conduction band function with wave vector k.
Physiologic development of impulse conduction in embryonic cardiac tissue

The early embryonic heart exhibits the properties of spontaneity, conductivity and contractility in a coordinated manner before the definitive appearance of the specialized cardiac conducting tissues. An attempt is made to understand the manner in which the heartbeat originates and propagates through the seemingly morphologically “unspecialized” embryonic heart. This information is developed as a hypothesis based on physiologic evidence that adult cardiac conducting tissues represent remnants of the embryonic myocardium. Underlying the basic function of the specialized conducting system is the extent of coupling between contiguous cells. Neighboring tissue-cultured heart muscle cells are reported to exhibit various degrees of communication which can be related to the proximity and extent of intercellular connections.
Evaluation of infrared spectroscopy as a bacterial identification method

A study motivated by the recent revival of interest in the use of IR spectroscopy to identify bacteria is reported. A library of FT-IR spectra of dried bacterial films was compled using 16 different strains. A test set was complied from spectra of the same strains grown several months later. The test set was quantitatively compared with the library on the basis of spectral similarity in the region 980–1190 cm−1. Six of the strains in the test set were not matched with the correct strain in the library despite efforts to reproduce the conditions under which cells were grown and prepared. The results suggest that reproducibility of the bacterial spectra is a potential difficulty that must be addressed by any attempts to develop FT-IR spectroscopy as a bacterial identification method.
Ultrastructure of egg activation and cortical reaction in the noble crayfish Astacus astacus.

Abstract Morphological changes in the gamete of female noble crayfish at four developmental stages were studied. Mature ovarian oocytes are enclosed by the first envelope that consists of two layers. Numerous pores are visible on the surface of the outer layer of this envelope and the inner layer contains bottlebrush-shaped objects. Three types of vesicles, including some that are highly and moderately electron-dense and some multi-layered, occur in the cortex of the oocyte. In freshly ovulated eggs, the pores in the outer layer are closed, and the bottlebrush-shaped objects in the inner layer are replaced by a spongiform electron-lucent matrix containing scattered electron-dense vesicles. One hour post-spawning, the first envelope, especially its inner layer, is condensed. The highly and moderately dense vesicles discharge their contents into the perivitelline space, where they combine and form a second envelope around the egg. Twenty-four hours post-ovulation, a second envelope is visible in the perivitelline space and the outer part of egg cortex. The highly and moderately electron-dense vesicles continue to release and combine contents to further construction of the second envelope after 24 h post-spawning. The egg attachment stalk is derived from the first envelope. The fertilization coat in the noble crayfish consists of first and second envelopes that are produced by the ovary and the cortical reaction, respectively.
Measurement of physical properties of the copper-polytellurides

The anisotropic, two-dimensional structure of a group of quaternary copper polytellurides, A/sub 2/BaCu/sub 8/Te/sub 10/, (where A=Rb, Cs or K) appears to fit the description for a "phonon-glass electron-crystal" which is proposed to be a desirable feature of a good thermoelectric material. The structure contains Cu/sub 8/Te/sub 12/ pentagonal dodecahedral cages filled with divalent Ba atoms which have the ability to "rattle" within the cages. The resistivity, thermopower and heat capacity of polycrystalline copper-polytellurides have been measured over a broad range of temperatures. Electrical resistivity and thermopower were measured from 4 K to 310 K with room temperature values of approximately 1.7-5.6 m/spl Omega/-cm and 3054 54 /spl mu/V/K respectively. Heat capacity was measured from 2 K to 300 K giving Debye temperatures of approximately 310-355 K. Substitutional doping experiments associated with the Te sites in the structure as well as the Pa sites have been done, and the results on the transport measurements are presented. Thermal conductivity and Hall coefficient measurements have also been made on selected samples.
Response of fishes and aquatic habitats to sand-bed stream restoration using large woody debris ∗

Effects of habitat rehabilitation of Little Topashaw Creek, a sinuous, sand-bed stream draining 37 km2 in northwest Mississippi are described. The rehabilitation project consisted of placing 72 large woody debris structures along eroding concave banks and planting 4000 willow cuttings in sandbars. Response was measured by monitoring flow, channel geometry, physical aquatic habitat, and fish populations. Initially, debris structures reduced high flow velocities at concave bank toes, preventing further erosion and inducing deposition. Physical response during the first year following construction included creation of sand berms along eroding banks and slight increases in base flow water width and depth. Fish collections showed assemblages typical of incising streams within the region, but minor initial responses to debris addition were evident. Progressive failure of the structures and renewed erosion were observed during the second year after construction.
Revisiting the 'Gadgil effect': do interguild fungal interactions control carbon cycling in forest soils?

Summary In forest ecosystems, ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi play a central role in the breakdownofsoilorganicmatter(SOM).Competitionbetweenthesetwofungalguildshaslong been hypothesized to lead to suppression of decomposition rates, a phenomenon known as the 'Gadgil effect'. In this review, we examine the documentation, generality, and potential mechanisms involved in the 'Gadgil effect'. We find that the influence of ectomycorrhizal fungi on litter and SOM decomposition is much more variable than previously recognized. To explain theinconsistencyinsizeanddirectionofthe'Gadgileffect',wearguethatabetterunderstanding of underlying mechanisms is required. We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of the primary mechanisms proposed to date and how using different experimental methods (trenching, girdling, microcosms), as well as considering different temporal and spatial scales, could influence the conclusions drawn about this phenomenon. Finally, we suggest that combining new research tools such as high-throughput sequencing with experiments utilizing natural environmental gradients will significantly deepen our understanding of the 'Gadgil effect' and its consequences on forest soil carbon and nutrient cycling.
Television as a medium of communication: Implications for how to regard the child viewer

Children respond to television in toto, as a medium of communication. Three repesentational codes are involved: iconic, media‐specific, and generic, e.g., verbal language. Children actively process the codes and messages, by calling upon both generic and media‐specific knowledge.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Modulation of GABAergic Synapses by Postsynaptic Regulation of Chloride Transport

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) potentiates excitatory synapses in a variety of systems by promoting presynaptic transmitter release. The existing evidence indicates that BDNF attenuates inhibitory transmission, but reports differ considerably in their characterization of the effect and proposed mechanisms. We examined the effects of exogenously applied BDNF on EPSCs and IPSCs recorded from functionally identified neurons in dissociated rat hippocampal cultures. When recording from glutamatergic neurons, we found that BDNF exerted differential effects at excitatory versus inhibitory synapses: increasing amplitude of EPSCs but slightly decreasing that of IPSCs. Furthermore, when recording from GABAergic neurons, we found that BDNF increased the IPSC amplitude. That these differential BDNF effects reflect distinct presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms was suggested by the BDNF-induced changes in miniature EPSCs and IPSCs. An increased mini-frequency was found at all synapses, indicating elevated presynaptic transmitter secretion; a change in the amplitude of mini-IPSCs was found at GABAergic cells, suggesting postsynaptic modulation of GABA responses. Selective postsynaptic mechanisms were further examined by comparing the effect of BDNF on GABA-induced currents recorded from glutamatergic versus GABAergic cells. For GABAergic but not glutamatergic postsynaptic cells, BDNF induced a shift in the reversal potential (EIPSC) toward more positive levels, hence reducing the inhibitory action of IPSCs. This BDNF-induced effect correlates with the existing level of furosemide-sensitive K+-Cl- transport activity in the postsynaptic cell. Thus, BDNF may decrease the efficacy of inhibitory transmission by acute postsynaptic downregulation of Cl- transport, in addition to its well known presynaptic effect.