cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Closure Approximations for Passive Scalar Turbulence: A Comparative Study on an Exactly Solvable Model with Complex Features

Some standard closure approximations used in turbulence theory are analyzed by examining systematically the predictions these approximations produce for a passive scalar advection model consisting of a shear flow with a fluctuating cross sweep. This model has a general geometric structure of a jet flow with transverse disturbances, which occur in a number of contexts, and it encompasses a wide variety of possible spatio-temporal statistical structures for the velocity field, including strong long-range correlations. Even though the Eulerian and Lagrangian velocity statistics are not equal and the passive scalar statistics exhibit broader-than-Gaussian intermittency, this model is nevertheless simple enough so that many passive scalar statistics can be computed exactly and compared systematically with the predictions of the closure approximations. Our comparative study illustrates the strength and weaknesses of the closure approximations and points out the physical phenomena that these approximations are able or not able to describe properly. In particular it is shown that the direct interaction approximation (DIA), one of the most sophisticated closure approximations available, fails to reproduce adequately the statistical features of the scalar and may even lead to absdurd predictions, even though the equations it produces are rather complicated and difficult to analyze. Two alternative closure approximations, the Modified DIA (MDIA) and the Renormalized Lagrangian Approximation (RLA), with different levels of sophistication, both are simpler to use than the DIA and perform better. In particular, it is shown that both closure approximations always reproduce exactly the second order statistics for the scalar and that the MDIA is even able to capture intermittency effects.
Mast cell quantification and substance P immunoreactivity during the acute and chronic stages of pneumonic pasteurellosis in ruminants

The objective of this work was to determine the numbers of stained mast cells (MCs) and substance P (SP) immunoreactivity during the initiation and progression of pulmonary lesions in a model of pneumonic pasteurellosis (PP) in ruminants. The first experiment demonstrated that, at 6 h after intrabronchial deposition of Mannheimia {Pasteurella) haemolytica in neonatal calves, MC numbers decreased in sites of severe lung damage. Prior administration of a sialyl Lewis mimetic (TBC1269) intended to prevent neutrophil infiltration had no effect on MC numbers, suggesting that MC degranulation is unaffected by selectin inhibition. In the second study, a single high dose of dihydrocapsaicin (DHC) administered to neonatal iambs depleted peptidergic nerves of SP. Depletion was measured in nasal septum, the site richest in SP fibers, and was estimated to be 85% of controls. In the upper and lower respiratory tract MC density increased progressively with age, from 3 to 21 days, but DHC-treated animals had significantly higher numbers of MCs; this suggests a functional association between MCs and SP fibers. Histamine content in the lung was similar to controls. The model is suitable for studies of the inflammatory response in the respiratory tract when the neurogenic contribution is reduced. In the third experiment, diminished numbers of MCs and histamine during the acute phase (1 day) of PP in sheep were associated with SP immunoreactivity in macrophages infiltrating the areas of severe damage, suggesting an extraneural source of SP. At 15 days, MCs were scarce at sites with pyogranulomatous foci, but increased in areas with interstitial pneumonia. Substance P immunoreactivity demonstrated that not only an extrinsic sensory innervation, but also an intrinsic contribution of pulmonary ganglion neurons, sustain the inflammatory response. At 45 days the fibroplastic changes in pleura, interlobular spaces, and interstitium were marked, as was the presence of bronchiolitis obliterans. These changes were associated with an increased number of MCs; however, the elevation in histamine did not correspond with the MCs increment. In areas of severe fibrosis SP immunoreactivity in nerve fibers was mild suggesting that the absence of SP during chronic PP hinders tissue repair.
Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Complex Autoimmune Disease

Abstract Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) has been the prototypic autoimmune disease since platelets can be measured easily and frequently to document disease status. Over hundreds of years, cases have been described by many luminaries but the immunologic basis was provided by Harrington et al. when plasma from patients with ITP was infused into normal controls. Most (but not all) had their platelets drop in a dose-dependent fashion. Shulman at the NIH carried on this work exploring many factors, for example, the effects of steroids to blunt recipient thrombocytopenia. He furthered understanding of the immunologic underpinnings of ITP by describing transient neonatal thrombocytopenia in infants of mothers with ITP. These findings initiated the era of measuring platelet antibodies which seemed wonderful until the high rate of false positives was recognized. Further methodological improvements of antiplatelet antibody testing have been made but currently, there is no general recommendation to measure platelet antibodies in patients. The failure to measure platelet antibodies in a way related to disease course is not an indication that ITP is not an autoimmune disease. This chapter will describe our current understanding of the complicated pathophysiology of what had initially seemed to be a “simple” autoantibody disease.
Population-Level Outcomes of Pediatric Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia in the United States.

Objective To determine whether the population level outcomes of pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia have improved over time. Study design We conducted a retrospective analysis of the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia, up to 20 years of age, diagnosed between 1976 and 2016 and actively followed. Patients were stratified based on their period of diagnosis (1976-1989, 1990-1999, 2000-2009, 2010-2016) to assess the temporal trends in overall survival and early mortality. Results A total of 553 patients with a median age of 15 years (range, 0-20 years) were included. The 5-year overall survival increased significantly over time (by 22.6% from 1976 to 1989; by 59.2% from 1990 to 1999; by 77.7% from 2000 to 2009; and by 88.9% from 2010 to 2016; P Conclusions Outcomes of pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia have continued to improve over time at the population level.
Joining Datasets Without Identifiers: Probabilistic Linkage of Virtual Pediatric Systems and PEDSnet

Objectives To 1) probabilistically link two important pediatric data sources, Virtual Pediatric Systems and PEDSnet, 2) evaluate linkage accuracy overall and in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, and 3) identify variables important to linkage accuracy. Design Retrospective linkage of prospectively collected datasets from Virtual Pediatrics Systems, Inc (Los Angeles, CA) and the PEDSnet consortium. Setting Single-center academic PICU. Patients All PICU encounters between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2017, that were deterministically matched between the two datasets. Interventions None. Measurements and main results We abstracted records from Virtual Pediatric Systems and PEDSnet corresponding to PICU encounters and probabilistically linked using 44 features shared by the two datasets. We generated a gold standard deterministic linkage using protected health information elements, which were then removed from datasets. We then calculated candidate pair log-likelihood ratios for all pairs of subjects and selected optimal pairs in a two-stage algorithm. A total of 22,051 gold standard PICU encounter pairs were identified over the study period. The optimal linkage model demonstrated excellent discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve > 0.99); 19,801 cases (89.9%) were matched with 13 false positives. The addition of two protected health information dates (admission month, birth day-of-year) increased to 20,189 (91.6%) the cases matched, with three false positives. Restricting to patients with Virtual Pediatric Systems diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock (n = 1,340 [6.1%]) matched 1,250 cases (93.2%) with zero false positives. Increased number of laboratory values present in the first 12 hours of admission significantly increased log-likelihood ratios, suggesting stronger candidate pair matching. Conclusions We demonstrated the use of probabilistic linkage to accurately join two complementary pediatric critical care datasets at a single academic PICU in the absence of protected health information. Combining datasets with curated diagnoses and granular measurements can validate patient acuity metrics and facilitate multicenter machine learning algorithms. We anticipate these methods will generalize to other common PICU diagnoses.
Ice-marginal lake hydrology and the seasonal dynamical evolution of Kennicott Glacier, Alaska

Glacier basal motion is responsible for the majority of ice flux on fast-flowing glaciers, enables rapid changes in glacier motion and provides the means by which glaciers shape alpine landscapes. In an effort to enhance our understanding of basal motion, we investigate the evolution of glacier velocity and ice-marginal lake stage on Kennicott Glacier, Alaska, during the spring–summer transition, a time when subglacial drainage is undergoing rapid change. A complicated record of > 50 m fill-and-drain sequences on a hydraulically-connected ice-marginal lake likely reflects the punctuated establishment of efficient subglacial drainage as the melt season begins. The rate of change of lake stage generally correlates with diurnal velocity maxima, both in timing and magnitude. At the seasonal scale, the up-glacier progression of enhanced summer basal motion promotes uniformity of daily glacier velocity fluctuations throughout the 10 km study reach, and results in diurnal velocity patterns suggesting increasingly efficient meltwater delivery to and drainage from the subglacial channel system. Our findings suggest the potential of using an ice-marginal lake as a proxy for subglacial water pressure, and show how widespread basal motion affects bulk glacier behavior.
Canadian Manager Perceptions of the US Exchange Listings: Recent Evidence

This study reports recent evidence of Canadian manager perceptions of the benefits and costs of listing in US markets, their attitudes toward listing in the US market, and their opinions regarding the importance of using alternative reporting and disclosure requirements, such as Canadian GAAP or international standards, in lieu of US GAAP for US listings. Manager perceptions of firms listing in the US (“listers”) are compared to those of firms that have not listed in the US (“nonlisters”) as well as to listers’ perceptions collected prior to the implementation of the Multijurisdictional Disclosure System (MJDS). Our results do not unambiguously support expectations that implementation of the MJDS would result in cost savings for Canadian listers. We find strong similarities in the perceived benefits of listing as previously reported, but in a significantly higher proportion of our post–MJDS sample. Responses from listers and nonlisters reflect differences between the two populations. Listers appeared concerned with US GAAP reconciliations and disclosure requirements while non–listers are more concerned with the overall difficulty of listing, the costs of listing, and US litigation. Most strongly, however, nonlisters perceive it as unnecessary to list in the US market. Contrary to expectations, we find that US accounting disclosure and reporting requirements are not perceived to be barriers to US market entry for Canadian firms, but instead appear to be post–entry irritants. Finally, we also find evidence that perceptions of nonlisters differ between those firms that list on the Vancouver Stock Exchange and those that list on the Toronto Stock exchange. This suggests that future studies may require finer partitions than on a national basis.
Codebook Design for Dual-Polarized Ultra-Massive Mimo Communications at Millimeter Wave and Terahertz Bands

Intelligent surfaces at millimeter wave and terahertz band employ large antenna arrays based on advanced metamaterials to realize controllable wireless propagation. Such intelligent surfaces can achieve polarization tuning of electromagnetic waves, which allows polarization diversity under the ultra-massive MIMO communication, in addition to enhancing the beamforming gain and combating the transmission distance limitation. In this work, we analyze the dual-polarized intelligent surface channel and present an efficient precoding solution based on the array-of-subarray architecture that aims to maximize the spectral efficiency. Simulations are performed in comparison to conventional design based on single-polarized channel and obtained results demonstrate an increase in diversity gain with good spectral efficiency.
Non-suicidal self-injury in US military veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.

Background To evaluate the prevalence of lifetime non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among U.S. military veterans, and identify sociodemographic, military, psychiatric, and clinical correlates associated with NSSI. Methods Data were analyzed from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a contemporary, nationally representative survey of 4,069 US veterans. Outcomes measured included lifetime history of NSSI, trauma history, lifetime and current DSM-V mental disorders and lifetime and recent suicidal behaviors. Results The overall prevalence of lifetime NSSI was 4.2% (95% confidence interval=3.6%-4.9%). Multivariable analyses revealed that veterans who endorsed lifetime NSSI were more likely to be younger, female, non-Caucasian, unmarried or unpartnered, and to have a lower annual household income. Veterans who endorsed lifetime NSSI reported more adverse childhood experiences and lifetime traumas, and were more likely to have experienced military sexual trauma. They also were more likely to screen positive for lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD) and substance use disorders and to have attempted suicide. Finally, lifetime NSSI was associated with current MDD, generalized anxiety disorder, and substance use disorders, as well as past-year suicidal ideation. Conclusion Results of this study provide the first-known data on the epidemiology of NSSI in U.S. military veterans. They suggest that certain correlates can help identify veterans who may be at greater risk for engaging in NSSI, as well as the potential prognostic utility of lifetime NSSI in predicting current psychiatric problems and suicide risk in this population.
Comparative Proteomic Approach Implies Prohibitin as an Early Apoptotic Marker in the Retina

Purpose:To investigate early apoptotic signaling events in oxidative stress in the eye, comparative proteomics is used to find biomarkers in the retina and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in various stress conditions. We uncovered that prohibitin is one of the early markers in oxidative stress in the retina and the RPE. Methods:Functional proteomic tools such as 2-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (DIGE) using fluorescent probe and MALDI-TOF-TOF mass spectrometry have been used to study proteome changes in oxidative stress in the retina and the RPE. Functional role of prohibitin in the retina and the RPE were further studied using various biochemical methods such as immunohistochemitstry, Western blot, immunoprecipitation, and mass spectrometry. Results:Prohibitin has been known as a tumor suppressor that binds with p53 and E2F to inhibit cell proliferation. Here we show that mitochondrial prohibitin is down-regulated in oxidative stress in the retina. However, this down-regulation is diminished in the RPE. However, in vivo model of a tumor induced model as a positive control, prohibitin is up-regulated. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry indicated that prohibitin is overexpressed in Ganglion cells, photoreceptor cells and RPE cells. Conclusion: Comparison of expression level changes with Bclxl, caspases, c-Fos, AIF, and prohibitin implies that down-regulation of prohibitin is an early signaling event of apoptosis in the retina under oxidative stress.
Ritual, Performance, and Politics in the Ancient Near East

In this book, Lauren Ristvet rethinks the narratives of state formation by investigating the interconnections between ritual, performance, and politics in the ancient Near East. She draws on a wide range of archaeological, iconographic, and cuneiform sources to show how ritual performance was not set apart from the real practice of politics; it was politics. Rituals provided an opportunity for elites and ordinary people to negotiate political authority. Descriptions of rituals from three periods explore the networks of signification that informed different societies. From circa 2600 to 2200 BC, pilgrimage made kingdoms out of previously isolated villages. Similarly, from circa 1900 to 1700 BC, commemorative ceremonies legitimated new political dynasties by connecting them to a shared past. Finally, in the Hellenistic period, the traditional Babylonian Akitu festival was an occasion for Greek-speaking kings to show that they were Babylonian and for Babylonian priests to gain significant power.
Implementing global marketing strategy

Whirpool Corporation is the world’s leading marketer of major appliances. Its growth in the last ten years from a mostly domestic manufacturer to a global player is the result of a customer‐driven strategy adopted in which the company’s strengths are leveraged for growth around the world. Ivan Menezes, vice president, group marketing, Whirlpool Europe, talks about strategies and approaches that have made Whirlpool succeed not only in the fragmented European market but also in the emerging markets of central Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The key is to combine talent and best practice across borders to provide customers with value.
An oracle separating (+)P from PP/sup PH/

The existence of an oracle A such that (+)P/sup A/ is not contained in PP/sup PHA/ is proved. This separation follows in a straightforward manner from a circuit complexity result, which is also proved: to compute the parity of n inputs, any constant depth circuit consisting of a single threshold gate on top of ANDs and ORs requires exponential size in n. >
Potent activity of the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)inhibitor, 17AAG in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) lines

4700 HNSCC rely on multiple genetic abnormalities that result in several aberrant signaling pathways that in turn mediate cancer maintenance and progression. One of the issues in development of molecular cancer therapeutics is the skepticism regarding the ability of a single drug that targets one of a series of key molecular abnormalities in a particular cancer to deliver clinical benefit. Hsp90 inhibitors appear to be ideal agents by virtue of their property of canceling the oncogenic activity of a number of “client” proteins belonging to multiple key signal transduction pathways promoting tumor proliferation and survival. We have examined the effects of 17AAG a derivative of geldanamycin, in HNSCC by treating twelve HNSCC cell lines and characterizing the sensitivity to the drug in MTT assays characterized the sensitivity to the drug. Among these 12 , 3 cell lines are exquisitively sensitive to the drug with IC 50 in subnanomolar range (FaDu, 22B, MDA 1986), 6 cell lines are sensitive with IC 50 below 100 nM range, and 4 are either modestly sensitive or resistant. Effects on cell cycle by flow cytometry at 24 and 48 hours include mostly an increased proportion of cells in the sub-G0 population and reduced proportion in S phase, while in a few cell lines a G2-M block was noted. These effects were seen at appropriate concentrations even in resistant cells. Apoptotic cell death as measured with annexin V reached levels up to 90% for certain of the sensitive cell lines and up to 50% for resistant. Immunoblot analysis has shown that 17AAG depleted total protein and decreased levels of pAKT and a number of AKT downstream targets, pSTAT3, pSTAT5, pEGFR, pERK1/2, c-Raf, cyclin D1, cdk4 predominantly in a dose-dependent manner but also to a lesser degree a number of other pathways. Study of the effects on cell migration and angiogenesis are currently in progress. These experiments along with combinations with either growth factor or signal transduction inhibitors as well as combination experiments with standard cytotoxics are in progress. Hsp90 inhibitors by virtue of their effects on client proteins can target signal transduction pathways involved in head and neck cancer cell growth and could be used alone or in combination with other signal transduction inhibitors or standard cytotoxics as effective treatment strategies for these malignancies.The information obtained from the present study has led to initiation of animal experiments in an orthotopic tongue cancer model and will hopefully lead to clinical applications in the treatment of HNSCC (supported by P50CA91007-02)
An efficient search algorithm for design of a cusum based procedure for process monitoring

Beattie 1962 proposed an alternate procedure for monitoring continuous processes which, unlike existing continuous samplingplans under Mil-Std-1235B, does not require periods of 100% inspection. The procedure, which is a composite of two Cumulative (Cusum) procedures, will be analyzed in terms of Cusum average run length (ARL) performance. An algorithm is proposed for generating sample plans based upon specifications on ARL performance in each of the Cusum sampling zones and the overall sampling risks of the procedure. The algorithm is fully described, and implemented using exact expressions for the Cusum ARL. An illustrated example is provided, describing how a continuous sampling maybe selected which matches performances about the AQL for a related plan in ISO 3951.
The role of adenosine 3',5'-phosphate in mediating effects of thyroid-stimulating hormone on carbohydrate metabolism of bovine thyroid slices.

Abstract The possible role of adenosine 3',5'-phosphate in mediating certain effects of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) on the carbohydrate metabolism of bovine thyroid slices has been studied by examination of the TSH concentration dependence of the effects, the effects of theophylline on the parameters, and the effects of N6,2'-O-dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-phosphate. Evidence has been obtained that adenosine 3',5'-phosphate mediates TSH-induced depression of 14CO2 obtained from glucose-1-14C and TSH-stimulated accumulation of lactate in the medium. TSH, at concentrations that lowered the yield of 14CO2 from glucose-1-14C, did not influence the quantity of 14CO2 obtained from glucose-6-14C. The mechanism of this effect is unclear, but does not appear to involve enhancement of glycogenolysis. The oxidation of pyruvate-14C to 14CO2 has also been studied, and the evidence suggests that adenosine 3',5'-phosphate is not involved in the stimulation of this oxidation by TSH. Adenosine 3',5'-phosphate also does not appear to be a mediator of the TSH-stimulated oxidation of glucose-1-14C to 14CO2 which is apparent only at high concentrations of TSH in bovine thyroid slices. Changes in the total concentration of oxidized and reduced triphosphopyridine nucleotides were not apparent with levels of TSH that stimulated the oxidation of glucose-1-14C to 14CO2.
Hepatic Mesenchymal Hamartoma: A Short Review

Hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma is a hamartomatous growth of mesenchymal tissue in the liver of uncertain etiology. It is a space-occupying lesion that can potentially compress adjacent organs resulting in various complications including death. Hepatic mesenchymal hamartoma is characterized by proliferation of variably myxomatous mesenchyme and malformed bile ducts. The differential diagnosis includes other pediatric hepatic masses. The diagnosis is typically made during infancy, and complete resection is invariably curative.
Nationwide incidence, cost, and epidemiologic trends in facial rhytidectomy: an examination of inpatient facelifts using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database.

Facelifts are consistently one of the most common aesthetic operations performed by plastic surgeons in the United States (US). In 2013, 133,320 procedures were recorded, a rise of 6% compared with the previous year, making facelift the fifth most commonly performed cosmetic procedure.1 Further, rhytidectomy has been found to be safe in a wider, older range of patients,2 making it more popular with the aging baby boomer generation. However, despite the expansive number of procedures performed, authors and aesthetic surgeons alike acknowledge the lack of comprehensive data on current trends in facial rejuvenation.3 Alsarraf et al noted the severe lack of data on cost outcomes/trends in facial plastics or the market forces behind them.4 The authors aimed to report current national data and recent trends in inpatient facelifts over the last decade using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. A retrospective serial cross-sectional study of data from the NIS database for the 2000 to 2010 time period was performed.5 The database was queried in January 2014. Sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the NIS contains all payer discharge data from inpatient hospitalization from roughly 20% of all hospitals in 37 participating US states. The NIS utilizes data from roughly 1000 hospitals each year to create a sample representing >95% of the US population.6 Hospital admissions involving facial rhytidectomy were examined. Data were extracted using ICD-9 codes for facial rhytidectomy (86.82), and relevant data were obtained. Data collected included patient and hospital demographics, hospital outcomes, and …
A longitudinal examination of sex offender recidivism prior to and following the implementation of SORN

The goals of the present study were to examine the recidivism rates of two matched samples of sexual offenders, those released prior to and after sex offender registration and notification (SORN) in New Jersey. The pre-SORN group (1990-1994) included 247 offenders, while the post-SORN group (1996-2000) included 248 offenders. The longitudinal analysis demonstrated that for sex offenders released from prison both prior to and after implementation of SORN, there are clearly two distinguishable groups of sex offenders in relation to patterns of recidivism. More than three-quarters of sex offenders were identified as at low risk of recidivism, with low rates of repeat criminal offenses. By contrast, the high-risk group of offenders was not only more likely to commit future criminal offenses, including sex offenses, but they were also more likely to commit significantly more offenses and to do so fairly quickly following release. Analyses also include an examination of the influence of demographics, substance abuse and mental health issues, treatment history, sex offense incident characteristics, and criminal history on recidivism. Finally, SORN status was not a significant predictor of sex or general recidivism. The study limitations and policy implications are discussed.
A Window on How China Behaves as a Rising Power

Strong Borders, Secure Nation: Cooperation and Conflict in China's Territorial Disputes. By M. Fravel Taylor. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2008. 376 pp. $70.00 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-0-691-13608-0); $27.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-691-13609-7). As China emerges as a global economic and military power, much of the Western world watches with apprehension. Mainstream (realist) international relations (IR) theory, reflecting the experience of the Westphalian system of states, divines that any rising power is prone to violence. All previous rising powers—from Britain following the Industrial Revolution, Napoleonic France, post-Meiji Japan, Germany after the Bismarckian wars and unification, to the Soviet Union after Stalin—were first-time upstarts. Their belligerent records lend reassuring credence to realist theory. But, China is not a first-time upstart. For a thousand years before 1800, China was the world's largest economy and, hence, the greatest power (Frank 1998: 52–130). There is no precedent in Westphalian history that will serve as a guide on whether a nation on its second ascent will behave any differently. Taylor Fravel's study of China's response to 23 territorial disputes with neighboring states offers, in effect, a preview of what is likely to happen when China re-emerges as a power to be reckoned with. China is bounded by 10 states, and, as Fravel's study shows, in the 23 territorial disputes it has been involved in since 1949, when the People's …
The Significance of Amniotic Fluid Interleukin-6 Levels in Preterm Labour

Summary: This study was performed to determine the prevalence of subclinical intraamniotic infection in patients with preterm labour and intact membranes, and to evaluate the significance of interleukin-6 levels for diagnosis and prognosis of tocolysis failure, amniocentesis-delivery interval and neonatal mortality and morbidity. Transabdominal amniocentesis was performed on 74 randomly-selected patients with preterm labour and intact membranes. The prevalence of amniotic fluid infection in this group was found to be 33.7% (25 of 74). The most sensitive test to identify the intraamniotic infection was found to be the measurement of interleukin-6 level. However the most specific test was confirmed to be Gram staining. Interleukin-6 level measurement was the best test to correlate with positive amniotic fluid culture and histological chorioamnionitis. Also, interleukin-6 level measurement had the advantage of predicting preterm delivery risk and neonatal complications compared to the other tests.
Self-Assembly Triangular and Square Rhenium(I) Tricarbonyl Complexes: A Comprehensive Study of Their Preparation, Electrochemistry, Photophysics, Photochemistry, and Host−Guest Properties

A series of self-assembly macrocyclic compounds featuring fac-Re(CO)3X (X = Cl or Br) as corners and linear bipyridyl bridging ligands have been prepared and characterized. Depending on the lengths as well as the bonding angles of the bridging ligands, the resulting geometries of these macrocyclic complexes are squares {[ClRe(CO)3(μ-DPB)]4 (3) and [ClRe(CO)3(μ-AZP)]4 (4)}, triangles {[BrRe(CO)3(μ-BPDB)]3 (6) and [BrRe(CO)3(μ-BPDDB)]3 (7)}, or a dimeric species {[ClRe(CO)3(μ-BPET)]2 (5)}. A general mechanism for the self-assembly processes involving soluble intermediates is proposed. The photophysical properties of these macrocyclic compounds are dominated by the characteristics of the lowest excited states which vary from metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) to ligand-localized π → π* or n → π* transitions for the different molecules. Square 3 and triangles 6 and 7 are luminescent in room-temperature solution while square 4 and dimer 5 are nonemissive. An energy transfer mechanism from the MLCT excited ...
Effect of long-term beta-carotene and vitamin A on serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels among participants in the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET)

Abstract Objective : The Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Lung Cancer Chemoprevention Trial (CARET) ended prematurely due to the unexpected findings that the active treatment group on the combination of 30 mg β-carotene and 25 000 IU retinyl palmitate had a 46% increased lung cancer mortality and a 26% increased cardiovascular mortality compared with placebo. This study was designed when the CARET intervention was halted to evaluate the effects of long-term supplementation with β-carotene and retinol on serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels, in an attempt to explore possible explanations for the CARET result. Methods : Serum triglyceride levels, and total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels were determined in a subgroup of 52 CARET participants. Baseline and mid-trial levels were available on 23 participants on placebo and 29 on active treatment who were then serially followed for 10 months after trial termination. Results : Triglyceride, and total, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels were similar in the two groups at baseline. After a mean of 5 years on the intervention there was a small nonsignificant increase in serum triglyceride levels in the active group, but no difference in total, HDL, or LDL cholesterol levels. After stopping the intervention there was a decrease in triglyceride levels in the active intervention group, and no change in the other parameters. Conclusion : Based on a small convenience sample, CARET participants in the active treatment arm had a small nonsignificant increase in serum triglyceride levels while on the intervention, and a decrease in serum triglyceride levels after the intervention was discontinued. No significant changes in total or HDL cholesterol were noted. These results argue against a major contribution of treatment-induced changes in serum lipid and lipoprotein levels to the increased cardiovascular mortality in the active treatment group.
Evidence for a quaternary structure change in the cooperative binding of cyanide to ferrihemoglobin A.

At pH 6.5 in a 0.05 M bis-Tris-0.1 M Cl− buffer, tetra aquo ferrihemoglobin A (HbA+) binds CN− with a Hill coefficient of n = 1.4. The Hill coefficient increases slightly and the average CN− affinity decreases in the presence of excess spin labeled triphosphate (SLTP). This is probably the result of the finding that the SLTP exhibits a twofold higher affinity for HbA+ than for tetra cyano HbA+. Over the course of heme saturation with CN−, a certain fraction of the SLTP is specifically released. This shows linkage between organic phosphate binding and heme ligation. These findings bear a marked resemblance to the ligand binding phenomena in hemoglobin A (HbA) and provide good evidence that under these experimental conditions, HbA+ is undergoing a quaternary conformation change as the hemes become saturated.
The effects of low-dose oral contraceptives on coagulation and fibrinolysis in two high-risk populations: young female smokers and older premenopausal women.

Abstract A study was undertaken to determine the effect of a low-dose oral contraceptive on the coagulation and inhibitory system of coagulation in 22 young healthy women who smoke and in 15 nonsmoking healthy women between the ages of 34 and 41. Smokers showed statistically significant oral contraceptive-related procoagulant alterations in prothrombin time, thrombin time, and fibrinogen antigen. Antithrombin III antigen and activity were significantly reduced, whereas plasminogen antigen and activity were increased. Inhibitor and fibrinolytic activity was either unaffected or enhanced by oral contraceptives in women over the age of 34: antithrombin III activity was unchanged, plasminogen antigen and activity increased (p 2 -antiplasmin was significantly reduced (p
Photoelastic stress analysis of hemimandibulectomy bone reconstruction devices

Abstract The effect of several muscle force and occlusal resistance combinations on two prosthesis-hemimandible configurations is presented. Stress concentrations on the hemimandible were similar for all muscle force loadings but showed a marked increase when the occlusal resistance was on the prosthesis side.
Joseph LeConte on evolution, education, and the structure of knowledge

During the last quarter of the nineteenth century the theory of evolution profoundly influenced American thought. In the form of Social Darwinism it significantly shaped views on race, civilization, and political theory. Sociology and psychology were developing concurrently as disciplines. All of these were destined to have an effect upon education, for many intellectuals believed that science in general and evolutionary theory in particular were directly applicable to all areas of thought. Among the advocates of such a role for science and evolutionary theory was Joseph LeConte, whose views on the subject are outlined and compared with his contemporaries.
Migratory orientation by marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) near a breeding area.

Marbled salamanders ( Ambystoma opacum ) exhibited oriented movements when migrating to and from breeding areas. The directional precision of these movements was affected only slightly by length of time spent in the breeding area, size (age?), and sex of migrating individuals, and actual directions of travel. New methods of presenting orientation data are incorporated.
Electrical and magnetic properties of new rhodium perovskites: La2MRhO6, M = Cr, Fe, Cu

Abstract The compositions La2FeRhO6, La2CrRhO6, La2CuRhO6 were prepared for the first time, and their electrical and magnetic properties were determined. Known La2MnRhO6, La2CoRhO6, and La2NiRhO6 were also prepared and their properties determined for comparison. All six phases have the orthorhombic perovskite structure. Electrical resistivity measurements as a function of temperature indicate that all phases are semiconducting. Seebeck measurements show that all are p-type conductors. Magnetic measurements indicate general antiferromagnetic interactions for all compositions, although evidence for weak ferromagnetism is found in the case of La2CrRhO6 and La2FeRhO6. The oxidation state of M cation appears to be close to 3+ for Fe and Cr, and a mixture of 2+/3+ for Cu. A favorable combination of electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient results in a relatively high thermoelectric power (1.11 W/m-K2 at ∼575 K) factor for La2CuRhO6.
Human microvascular endothelial cells express integrin-related complexes that mediate adhesion to the extracellular matrix.

Abstract Microvascular endothelial cells (MEC) must use a set of surface receptors to adhere not only to the vascular basement membrane but, during angiogenic stimulation, to the interstitium. We examined how cultured MEC isolated from human foreskin interact with their subendothelial matrix. MEC were able to attach to diverse extracellular matrix proteins, including fibronectin (Fn), vitronectin (Vn), laminin (Ln), type I and IV collagen, as well as to fibrinogen and gelatin. Adhesion to Fn, but not to laminin or collagens, was specifically blocked in the presence of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-containing peptides. When surface radioiodinated MEC were solubilized and subjected to affinity chromatography on Fn-Sepharose columns, two polypeptides of 150 and 125 kD, corresponding to the integrin heterodimer alpha 5 beta 1, were identified. MEC also express a complex of 150 (alpha) and 95 kD (beta 3) that is related to the Vn receptor. Immunofluorescent staining of MEC cultures with antibodies to the integrin beta 1 subunit demonstrated receptors on the basolateral surface at focal adhesion plaques that co-localized with vinculin and with Fn-positive matrix fibers. Occasionally, antibodies to the Vn receptor stained the vinculin-positive focal adhesion plaques that frequently co-localized with the beta 1 complex. However, in cultures of MEC that were attached to substrates coated with alternating strips of Fn and Vn, the beta 1 complex was preferentially localized to the Fn substrate, while the Vn receptor was concentrated on the Vn substrate. The results indicate that MEC express at least two different heterodimer adhesion receptors that belong to the integrin super-family and appear to have distinct ligand specificities: the Fn receptor and the Vn receptor. These receptors mediate cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and presumably have an important role in hemostasis and neovascularization.
Toward a total synthesis of peloruside A: enantioselective preparation of the C8-C19 region.

An efficient synthetic sequence toward the C8−C19 region of peloruside A has been developed. The route is highlighted by a selective electrophilic cyclization reaction, a single-step epoxide ring-opening/methylation sequence, and a stereoselective Mukaiyama aldol reaction.
Polarization-dependent Imaging Contrast (PIC) mapping reveals nanocrystal orientation patterns in carbonate biominerals

Abstract Carbonate biominerals are one of the most interesting systems a physicist can study. They play a major role in the CO2 cycle, they master templation, self-assembly, nanofabrication, phase transitions, space filling, crystal nucleation and growth mechanisms. A new imaging modality was introduced in the last 5 years that enables direct observation of the orientation of carbonate single crystals, at the nano- and micro-scale. This is Polarization-dependent Imaging Contrast (PIC) mapping, which is based on X-ray linear dichroism, and uses PhotoElectron Emission spectroMicroscopy (PEEM). Here we present PIC-mapping results from biominerals, including the nacre and prismatic layers of mollusk shells, and sea urchin teeth. We describe various PIC-mapping approaches, and show that these lead to fundamental discoveries on the formation mechanisms of biominerals.
Another Look at Parent-Preschooler Bookreading: How Naked Is the Emperor?: A Response to Lonigan (1994) and Dunning, Mason, and Stewart (1994)

Abstract Lonigan, and Dunning, Mason, and Stewart raised several interesting questions about our review of the efficacy of reading to preschool children. In response, we provide some further details regarding the computation of average effects and the comparison of effect sizes and offer a few additional comments about the contributions of home literacy practices and motivational factors to the acquisition of literacy.
Control of pancreatic xanthine dehydrogenase synthesis in the chick.

Abstract 1. 1. Previously it has been shown that the level of xanthine dehydrogenase activity in the pancreas of the thick is under control of some agent(s) in the diet. When food is withheld activity falls with a half-life of 30 h and rises sharply upon re-feeding. Specific and total activities rise to almost double the steady-state level after re-feeding and then slowly return to the level of continuously fed controls. 2. 2. Pancreas slices incubated in a tissue culture medium incorporate labeled amino acids into xanthine dehydrogenase and the rate of incorporation depends upon the dietary history of the animals used. The rate of incorporation into total protein is essentially independent of this dietary history.
Nutritional Evaluation of Soybean Meals Varying in Oligosaccharide Content

Three conventional soybean meals (CSBM) and five low-oligosaccharide soybean meals (LOSBM) were evaluated. Meals were prepared by solvent-extracting flakes from generic soybean lines and soybean lines genetically modified to contain varying oligosaccharide content. The mean raffinose, stachyose, and galactinol levels in the CSBM were 0.58, 3.23, and 0%, respectively. The mean (range) raffinose, stachyose, and galactinol levels in the LOSBM were 0.08 (0.03 to 0.17%), 0.42 (0.04 to 1.08%), and 0.104 (0 to 0.24%), respectively. The crude fiber, fat, and ash contents of all SBM were similar, whereas the CP and sucrose contents of the LOSBM were slightly higher than the CSBM. The effect of SBM type on digesta passage rate, dry matter digestibility, and TMEN was assessed in conventional and cecectomized roosters using a precision-fed rooster assay (8 x 2 factorial design). Quantitative collection of excreta for 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 48 h postfeeding indicated little or no effect of SBM type on digesta passage rate. The dry matter digestibility and TMEN values for the SBM were lower for cecectomized roosters compared with conventional roosters (P < 0.05), and there was no significant SBM x bird type interaction. The mean TMEN values (kcal/kg DM) for the CSBM and LOSBM were 2,739 and 2,931, respectively, which was a difference of 7% (P < 0.05). The two LOSBM with the lowest total raffinose, stachyose, and galactinol levels (0.07% and 0.25%) had average TMEN values that were 9.8% (P < 0.05) higher than their respective genetic controls. Digestibilities of raffinose and stachyose were much higher (P < 0.05) in conventional roosters than in cecectomized roosters. The results of this study indicated that the TMEN of LOSBM was higher than that of CSBM.
Correlation between computed conformational properties of cytochrome c peptides and their antigenicity in a T-lymphocyte proliferation assay.

By means of conformational energy calculations, we previously showed that the antigenic strength of a series of oligopeptides (derived from the carboxyl terminal sequence of cytochrome c) in a T-lymphocyte proliferation assay depends on their ability to adopt the α-helix conformation. Using experimentally determined statistical weights (within the framework of the Zimm–Bragg theory for the helix–coil transition), here we present a simple free energy analysis of the ability of these peptides to adopt the α-helix conformation in water. The experimental statistical weights have been modified to include the effect of long-range charge–dipole interactions on helix stability. We find that there is a close correlation between the tendency of a peptide to adopt the α-helix conformation and its ability to stimulate antigen-primed T cells. The shortest peptide with a tendency to adopt the α-helix conformation is also the shortest one that exhibits antigenic activity. The rapid and simple method presented here can thus be used to predict relative antigenicities for different peptides derived from cytochrome c.
The effect of supercritical water on the catalytic oxidation of 1,4-dichlorobenzene

Abstract Catalytic oxidation of 1,4-dichlorobenzene has been accomplished in the gas phase and in supercritical water. Analysis of the gas-phase reaction has led to an understanding of the oxidation reaction in terms of the kinetics and mechanism. A mechanism consisting of irreversible adsorption of DCB followed by surface reaction (rate limiting) was consistent with the observed second order kinetics. Significant quantities of carbonaceous char were produced. The temporal variation of conversion during reaction in water (in the absence of catalyst or oxygen) was described by first-order kinetics. Additionally, in the presence of supercritical water, dichlorobenzene was partially converted to chlorobenze and benzene, supporting the hypothesis of a new mechanism for the decomposition of dichlorobenzene not observed in the absence of water. Catalytic oxidation in supercritical water was described by simultaneous reaction pathways consisting of a catalytic oxidation pathway and a pathway involving reaction with water leading to the sequential removal of chlorine atoms from the aromatic ring. Although the kinetics suggest simple addition of the two reaction pathways, the rate of disappearance was less than that observed during gas-phase oxidation indicating inhibition of the catalytic reaction by water.
Depth profiling of copper thin films by resonant laser ablation

In Resonant Laser Ablation (RLA), material is related and selectively ionized by a low-energy pulse from a tunable laser. The selectivity and efficiency allow detection and quantitation at very low concentrations. We demonstrate that RLA has potential use in profiling thin layer and multilayer structures. Quantitative results are reported on the analysis of 20 and 100 A copper thin films on Si(110) surfaces. Removal rates range from 10−3 to 10−2 A/shot. Prospects for interrogation of dopants and impurities are also evaluated.