cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of ethyleneimine on renal action of vasopressin.

SummaryIn dogs with experimental diabetes insipidus intravenous injections of vaso-pressin in doses of 1-5 mU produced markedly hypertonic urine, a sharp antidiuresis and decrease in the urinary excretion of urea, For at least 25 hours after the intravenous administration of 1.5 mg/kg of body weight of ethyleneimine, these responses to vasopressin are reduced. Ethyleneimine interferes with the renal effects of exogenous vasopressin.
Enhanced axial confinement of sum-frequency generation in a temporal focusing setup

We demonstrate enhanced axial confinement in a temporal focusing setup with a shaped spectrum and a narrow emission filter, achieving a reduction of 1 order of magnitude of the out-of-focus background when compared with conventional point-scanning two-photon microscopy. By rejecting the background in the optical domain, our technique circumvents the noise problems common in other background subtraction techniques.
Dopamine, kidney, and hypertension: studies in dopamine receptor knockout mice

Dopamine is important in the pathogenesis of hypertension because of abnormalities in receptor-mediated regulation of renal sodium transport. Dopamine receptors are classified into D1-like (D1, D5) and D2-like (D2, D3, D4) subtypes, all of which are expressed in the kidney. Mice deficient in specific dopamine receptors have been generated to provide holistic assessment on the varying physiological roles of each receptor subtype. This review examines recent studies on these mutant mouse models and evaluates the impact of individual dopamine receptor subtypes on blood pressure regulation.
Affective Evaluations of First Ladies: A Comparison of Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush

This study examines affective evaluations toward Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush during their tenure as first ladies and during Hillary Clinton's subsequent time as a U.S. senator. It was hypothesized that first ladies, rather than being above partisan politics, are evaluated in the same partisan and ideological manner as most political candidates. It was also hypothesized that Laura Bush, as a more traditional first lady, may receive more support from those who are associated with more traditional lifestyles and values. Ultimately, the strongest sources of affect toward first ladies prove to be partisanship and ideology. Moreover, when comparing ideal first ladies, liberals and women prefer Hillary Clinton, and white males and conservatives tend to prefer Nancy Reagan to Laura Bush.
Hospitalization burden among individuals with autism.

The objective of this study was to assess the inpatient care burden among individuals with autism using the 2007 Health Care Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample [HCUP-NIS]). There were ~26,000 hospitalizations among individuals with autism in 2007, with an overall rate of 65.6/100,000 admissions. Rates of hospitalizations were the highest among individuals with autism aged 10–20 years, males, having household income >$63,000, and with private insurance, respectively. In terms of hospital characteristics, rates were the highest in hospitals in large urban areas, located in the Northeast region, and with teaching status, respectively. Individuals with autism had significantly higher LOS (6.5 vs. 4.2; p < 0.0001) and total charges ($24,862 vs. $23,225; p < 0.0001) as compared to those without autism.
A mechatronics educational laboratory – Programmable logic controllers and material handling experiments

The integration of robotics, conveyors, sensors, and programmable logic controllers into manufacturing and material handling processes requires engineers with technical skills and expertise in these systems. The coordination of assembly operations and supervisory control demands familiarity with mechanical and electrical design, instrumentation, actuators, and computer programming for successful system development. This paper presents an educational mechatronics laboratory that encourages multi-disciplinary hands-on engineering discovery within team settings. Three focused progressive experiments are reviewed that allow students to program and operate a programmable logic controller, a traditional conveyor system, and a distributed servo-motor based conveyor. The students also program and implement two robotic arms for material handling applications. The equipment, learning objectives, and experimental methodology for each laboratory are discussed to offer insight. A collaborative design project case study is presented in which student teams create a smart material handling system. Overall, engineering graduates have generally been required to learn material handling and other multi-disciplinary concepts in the field, and therefore, a well-rounded engineering curriculum should incorporate mechatronics in both the classroom and laboratory.
Expression and characterization of a functional human immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein in insect cells

Recombinant baculoviruses were used to express the gp160 envelope glycoprotein of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and a truncated variant designated gp160(t) which lacks a transmembrane domain. Glycosylation, proteolytic cleavage, secretion, and biological activities of gp160 and gp160(t) 160(t) were studied in Spodoptera frugiperda cells. Both proteins were rapidly glycosylated and initially were found to be totally endo-beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase H (endo-H) sensitive. However, partial resistance to endo-H was gradually acquired by both molecules. gp160 was found to remain cell-associated, whereas gp160(t) was secreted into the culture medium in large amounts. A fraction of gp160 and gp160(t) appeared to be proteolytically cleaved, and a cleavage product corresponding in size to gp120 was identified in the culture medium. gp160(t) was found to interact specifically with CD4 receptors without any requirement for proteolytic cleavage. The gp160 protein was shown to be expressed on the surface of S. frugiperda cells by direct immunofluorescence. These surface molecules were biologically active, as demonstrated by their ability to induce syncytium formation when cocultivated with HeLa T4 cells.
Evaluation of kV cone-beam ct performance for prostate IGRT: a comparison of automatic grey-value alignment to implanted fiducial-marker alignment.

Purpose Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a new image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) technique for patient alignment in radiotherapy. The CBCT x-ray volume imaging system from Elekta allows for a variety of alignment methods. The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of soft-tissue-based automatic alignment as compared with manual alignment using intraprostatic fiducials. Methods and materials All patients were treated on an Elekta Synergy S linear accelerator with kilovoltage CBCT. All alignments were performed using the x-ray volume imaging system and associated software. Automatic alignment with gray-value-based registration and manual alignment to fiducial markers were performed. Transitional corrections along each axis as well as 3-dimensional vectors were compared with evaluate the accuracy of gray-value-based registration compared with fiducials. Results The distribution of the 3-dimensional vectors between gray-value and fiducial registrations demonstrated notable differences. The mean summed vector was 0.75 cm, with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.52 cm and range from 0.04 to 2.06 cm. There was minimal difference along the lateral direction, with a mean ± SD of -0.02 cm ± 0.13 cm. However, there were large discrepancies along the superior-inferior and anterior-posterior direction alignments, with mean ± SD values of -0.55 ± 0.48 cm and -0.31 ± 0.43 cm, respectively. Conclusions CBCT with soft-tissue-based automatic corrections is not an accurate alignment compared with manual alignment to fiducial markers for prostate IGRT. We have concluded that a daily manual alignment to fiducials is one of the most reliable methods to maintain accuracy in prostate IGRT.
Learning outcomes and behavioral changes with a pharmacy continuing professional education program.

Objective. To examine the results of an interactive curricular-based 3-month long pharmacy continuing professional education (CPE) program on short- and long-term learning outcomes and behavioral changes of current and potential preceptors. Methods. A CPE program was developed that covered specific disease states and teaching skills. The goals of the course were to provide knowledge and skills needed to precept the College's new advanced rotations, and to attract more pharmacists to serve as preceptors. The course included pre-readings and 3-hour long workshops over a 3-month period of time. Learning and behavior were assessed by a pretest and posttest and follow-up survey. Results. Ninety-nine pharmacists completed the course. Fifty participants completed the assessments and were included in the analysis, yielding a usable response rate of 52%. However, only 30 participants completed the follow-up survey instrument, resulting in a response rate of 30%. There was a significant increase in test scores betw...
Porting DPPX from the IBM 8100 to the IBM ES/9370: feasibility and overview

The DPPX/SP operating system was converted from its original implementation on the IBM 8100 Information System architecture to a new implementation--DPPX/370--on the System/370 architecture of the ES/9370 Information System processors. Portability was not an original design objective for DPPX, and yet the conversion of the operating system was straightforward and successful. This paper investigates the design fundamentals and technical approaches that led to the successful porting of DPPX/SP to the ES/9370.
Gonococcal protein III. Purification and chemical characterization of the protein, and the DNA sequence of the structural gene

We have purified protein III (PIII) from several strains of gonococcus by extractions with Zwittergent 3,14 followed by cation exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The pI of 8.6 determined by isoelectric focusing was in keeping with the high content of basic amino acids found. PIII from two strains had identical N-terminal sequence. In contrast to PIII in vivo, purified PIII was highly susceptible to proteolysis. Rabit antibodies raised with purified antigen reacted with PIII of all strains tested as well as meningococcal protein 4. Furthermore, intact gonococci or meningococci could absorb 80% of antibodies raised by immunization with the purified PIII. The structural gene of PIII was cloned and the DNA sequenced. The predicted primary structure is strongly homologous to the OmpA proteins of Enterobacteria.
A Psychological Autopsy of 9/11 Ringleader Mohamed Atta

Simple logic dictates that some suicide terrorists are more significant than others. However, major questions still remain about the motives and psychology of 9/11 ringleader Mohamed Atta, arguably the most significant suicide terrorist in human history. This article constructs a psychological autopsy of Atta in order to provide a much more complete explanation of his behavior. First, it suggests that accounts which solely attribute Atta’s actions to religious and political ideology appear severely incomplete. It then reviews evidence that Atta may have been clinically suicidal, and that his struggles with social isolation, depression, hopelessness, guilt, and shame were extraordinarily similar to the struggles of those who commit conventional suicide. Finally, it considers how Atta’s ideology may have interacted with his suicidal tendencies to produce his final act of murder-suicide on September 11, 2011.
GOING TO COURT AS A LAST RESORT: ESTABLISHING A DUTY FOR ATTORNEYS IN DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION WITH THEIR CLIENTS

This Note advocates for the creation of a uniform ethical requirement that all attorneys in divorce proceedings involving children inform their clients about alternative dispute resolution (ADR), particularly mediation and collaborative law. By emphasizing cooperation and negotiation among the divorcing parents, both mediation and collaborative law offer these would-be litigants the opportunity to move forward with their parental duties long after the divorce is finalized. Using the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct as a template, this ethical requirement will ensure that clients are fully informed of the availability of ADR and of the chance to forgo potentially unnecessary litigation. Ultimately, the implementation of an ethical requirement holds the potential to minimize the impact of divorce on children by facilitating the process of moving forward for the family as a whole.
The existence of Room 5-cubes

Un t-cube de Room de cote n est un cube a t dimensions dont chaque projection bidimensionnelle est un carre de Room. On designe par ν(n) le plus grand t tel qu'il existe un t-cube de Room de cote n. On montre que ν(n)≥5 (existence d'un 5-cube de Room de cote n)
Concavity arguments and growth estimates for damped linear integrodifferential equations with applications to a class of holohedral isotropic dielectrics

Concavity arguments are employed so as to obtain growth estimates for solutions to two initial-value problems associated with a class of damped integrodifferential equations in Hilbert space. By applying the results obtained in this abstract setting we obtain growth estimates for the gradients of electric displacement fields which occur in a class of holohedral isotropic nonconducting rigid dielectrics; such estimates may be used to bound constitutive constants appearing in the equations which define such material response.
Characterization of acquired denture pellicle from healthy and stomatitis patients

Little information is available about the acquired pellicle layer that is formed on denture surfaces or its role in regulating microbial colonization of the prosthetic surface. Because denture-induced stomatitis is associated with increased numbers of Candida albicans and other microorganisms on the denture surface, the acquired denture pellicle (ADP) may play a role in modulating this colonization. This study examined and compared ADP from healthy patients and patients with stomatitis by chemical and immunochemical methods. The ADP was found to be composed of a selectively adsorbed layer containing salivary amylase, high molecular weight mucin (MG1), lysozyme, albumin, and sIgA. Salivary cystatins, proline-rich proteins, and low molecular weight mucin (MG2) were not detected. ADP amino acid composition was distinct from any of the ductal salivas, but had many similarities with enamel pellicle. Immunoblots of ADP from patients with stomatitis identified additional serum components, degradation products, and C. albicans cell components that were not detected in ADP from healthy patients. Quantification of these molecules in ADP could lead to a diagnostic test for oral mucosal disease underlying a denture base. Identification of specific molecules in denture pellicle that promote adhesion of C. albicans may elucidate a mechanism of fungal cell colonization on the denture surface. Future studies that chemically modify the denture acrylic resin surface to immobilize antimicrobial proteins may be a means of decreasing pathogenic plaque development.
Measuring inappropriate medical diagnosis and treatment in survey data: The case of ADHD among school-age children

We exploit the discontinuity in age when children start kindergarten generated by state eligibility laws to examine whether relative age is a significant determinant of ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Using a regression discontinuity model and exact dates of birth, we find that children born just after the cutoff, who are relatively old-for-grade, have a significantly lower incidence of ADHD diagnosis and treatment compared with similar children born just before the cutoff date, who are relatively young-for-grade. Since ADHD is an underlying neurological problem where incidence rates should not change dramatically from one birth date to the next, these results suggest that age relative to peers in class, and the resulting differences in behavior, directly affects a child's probability of being diagnosed with and treated for ADHD.
DSCAM Contributes to Dendrite Arborization and Spine Formation in the Developing Cerebral Cortex

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule, or DSCAM, has been implicated in many neurodevelopmental processes including axon guidance, dendrite arborization, and synapse formation. Here we show that DSCAM plays an important role in regulating the morphogenesis of cortical pyramidal neurons in the mouse. We report that DSCAM expression is developmentally regulated and localizes to synaptic plasma membranes during a time of robust cortical dendrite arborization and spine formation. Analysis of mice that carry a spontaneous mutation in DSCAM (DSCAM(del17)) revealed gross morphological changes in brain size and shape in addition to subtle changes in cortical organization, volume, and lamination. Early postnatal mutant mice displayed a transient decrease in cortical thickness, but these reductions could not be attributed to changes in neuron production or cell death. DSCAM(del17) mutants showed temporary impairments in the branching of layer V pyramidal neuron dendrites at P10 and P17 that recovered to normal by adulthood. Defects in DSCAM(del17) dendrite branching correlated with a temporal increase in apical branch spine density and lasting changes in spine morphology. At P15 and P42, mutant mice displayed a decrease in the percentage of large, stable spines and an increase in the percentage of small, immature spines. Together, our findings suggest that DSCAM contributes to pyramidal neuron morphogenesis by regulating dendrite arborization and spine formation during cortical circuit development.
Social movements, environment, and technology in Indonesia’s pulp and paper industry

This paper examines community, environmental, and human rights activists’ influence on adoption of environmentally-friendly technologies in Indonesia’s pulp and paper industry. The story begins with conflict over the development of an export pulp mill in North Sumatra in the 1980s and continues with the adoption of environmental technologies in Indonesia’s pulp and paper industry in the 1990s. Organising around a number of specific events associated with pulp industry development, activists drew attention to the industry which led to a strengthening of government environmental regulation and enforcement, and hastened the adoption of cleaner production technologies.
Host‐tumor interaction and nutrient supply

Adequate parenteral nutritional support improves nutritional status in cancer patients, but its effect on tumor growth remains controversial. Using a transplantable mammary adenocarcinoma in a rat-TPN model, the relative effect of different exogenous intravenous nutrients on tumor growth and host maintenance was studied. Relative to chow controls, starvation increased host depletion without reducing tumor growth. Adequate carbohydrate calories alone neither improved host maintenance nor stimulated tumor growth, yet adequate amino acids alone did improve host maintenance but also stimulated tumor growth. Adequate amino acids and carbohydrates given simultaneously maximized both host maintenance and tumor growth. In contrast, an isocaloric, isonitrogenous, intravenous diet providing non-nitrogenous calories as fat promoted host maintenance equivalent to carbohydrate-based TPN with no tumor stimulation. This apparent differential utilization of fat calories by normal and malignant cells may permit manipulation of the relative benefit of parenteral nutrition to host or to tumor, permitting host repletion without tumor stimulation or alternatively tumor stimulation at appropriate times to increase sensitivity to phase-specific antineoplastic therapy.
Evolving challenges in hepatic fibrosis

The field of hepatic fibrosis enjoys remarkable vitality. As a result, we now have a comprehensive and nuanced portrait of fibrosis progression and regression. In this Review, Scott Friedman provides an update on recent advances in our understanding of the pathways of hepatic fibrosis before considering the key challenges that lie ahead when translating these discoveries into new treatments.
Corby Waste Not: an appraisal of the UK’s largest holistic waste minimisation project

Abstract The UK Sustainable Development Strategy requires that society makes prudent use of resources so as to protect the environment and at the same time maintain high and stable levels of economic growth and employment. Waste minimisation projects/clubs have been a central feature of the UK programme to encourage the adoption of more sustainable practice by industry. More recently, it has been recognised that there is a requirement to link such industrial projects with those that encourage the general public to adopt more sustainable practice. A large and dynamic partnership of local and regional players has delivered a programme of some 17 waste minimisation/resource efficiency projects in Northamptonshire, a County in the East Midlands of England, since 1997. The projects have delivered impressive financial savings and training to over 300 companies, mostly SMEs. The Corby Waste Not (CWN) was a project, based within Corby Borough, Northamptonshire, which has the highest degree of deprivation in the County. It was a holistic waste minimisation project in that it initiated and integrated activities across the whole spectrum of the community. CWN was funded by some £ 148 380 of external funds and was managed by an extensive partnership that included all key local and regional organisations. Project outcomes were impressive by UK standards, the industrial/commercial developments alone resulted in savings greater than £ 250 000 for an expenditure of £ 35 000, making it one of the most cost-effective in the UK. Using theories of planed behaviour, the CWN management team introduced a number of other activities that have resulted in clear evidence of a marked improvement in relation to waste issues by the community.
Numerical solutions of transonic two-dimensional flows at a ninety-degree wedge

Abstract We present numerical results on self-similar two-dimensional Riemann problems governed by the compressible Euler system and the nonlinear wave system, which give rise to a transonic shock. We consider a configuration for a vertical incident shock moving to the right above a rectangular object. The incident shock then interacts with a sonic circle soon after it moves beyond the object, and creates a transonic region. We implement Lax–Liu positive schemes and Strang splitting, and obtain linear correlations of the incident shock strength and the shock strength at the vertical wall. We further implement Roe average methods and finite volume methods on quadrilateral grids to capture a contact discontinuity of the Euler system near the corner of the object. The contact discontinuity creates a new supersonic state and a transonic shock inside the transonic region.
Network Support for Turn-Taking in Multimedia Collaboration

The effectiveness of collaborative multimedia systems depends on the regulation of access to their shared resources, such as continuous media or instruments used concurrently by multiple parties. Existing applications use only simple protocols to mediate such resource contention. Their cooperative rules follow a strict agenda and are largely application-specific. The inherent problem of floor control lacks a systematic methodology. This paper presents a general model on floor control for correct, scalable, fine-grained and fair resource sharing that integrates user interaction with network conditions, and adaptation to various media types. The motion of turn-taking known from psycholinguistics in studies on discourse structure is adapted for this framework. Viewed as a computational analogy to speech communication, online collaboration revolves around dynamically allocated access permissions called floors. The control semantics of floors derives from concurrently control methodology. An explicit specification and verification of a novel distributed Floor Control Protocol are presented. Hosts assume sharing roles that allow for efficient dissemination of control information, agreeing on a floor holder which is granted mutually exclusive access to a resource. Performance analytic aspects of floor control protocols are also briefly discussed.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Electroresection and Open Surgery

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the historical gold standard therapy for lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to obstruction from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Over the last 15 years, medical therapy (alpha blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors) and the advent of office-based prostatic ablation for BPH have altered the treatment landscape of men suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms. Efficacy and morbidity of newer minimally invasive surgical therapies are often compared with traditional TURP data from the 1960s and 1970s. Technologic improvements in lighting, resectoscope design, lens crafting, anesthetic care, and surgical technique have dramatically improved the efficacy, morbidity, and mortality of the modern TURP. This review outlines the indications, technique, and outcome data of the modern TURP and its variant, the saline bipolar TURP. Current indications and outcomes of simple prostatectomy (open, laparoscopic, and robotic) are also reviewed.
Cone consumption by southeastern fox squirrels: a potential basis for clonal preferences in a loblolly and slash pine seed orchard

Southeastern fox squirrels were observed feeding preferentially on seeds of certain clones of loblolly pine in a central Georgia seed orchard in the early 1990s and, similarly, on slash pine seed in an orchard in central Florida in the late 1990s. In each orchard, the degree of feeding preference and avoidance among selected clones was documented and quantified. We tested three hypotheses to explain this phenomenon: (1) seeds of preferred clones have greater nutritional quality or energy content; (2) cone armature differed between preferred and avoided clones; or (3) preferred clones have lower quantities of deterrent compounds present in cone tissue. Hypothesis 1 was tested using cones collected from three preferred and two avoided clones within a loblolly pine seed orchard. We found no consistent differences in total number of seeds per cone, viable seeds per cone, seed weight per cone, average weight per seed, energy content per seed, and energy content per cone between preferred and avoided cones. Hypotheses 2 and 3 were tested using cones collected from four preferred and four avoided clones within a slash pine seed orchard. We found a strong positive association between spine length and cone avoidance. Avoided cones had significantly higher concentrations of myrcene, α-phellandrene, β-phellandrene, β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene but lower concentrations of α-pinene. These physical and chemical cone defenses may increase handling time or reduce seed palatability and therefore act as significant deterrents to seed predation by fox squirrels when preferred feeding options are readily available, such as in a seed orchard.
Search for Nutrition Information: A Probit Analysis of the Use of Different Information Sources

Much consumer research on nutrition information-seeking has focused on prepurchase label reading. This study examines the search for nutrition information from a broader group of sources, because prepurchase label reading appears to be only a small part of consumers' total search. The use of different information sources was analyzed using 2 cost benefit model for search. Benefits are related to the importance of nutrition to the consumer, and to obtaining better food value. Although the model fits better for some sources than for others, support was obtained for the model. The results suggest the usefulness of a cost-benefit approach in understanding consumer information-seeking for nutrition; they emphasize the importance of examining consumers' use of a variety of information sources and support recent suggestions for segmentation of the audience for nutrition information. Policy makers may be able to encourage search for nutrition information by emphasizing the enduring importance of nutrition to consumers.
Coercive sexuality in dating relationships: A situational model

Abstract Coercive sexual behavior among college students has been an area of concern to social scientists since Kanin first documented the problem in 1957. Since that time, much research has been done on the prevalence of sexual coercion, the characteristics of the offender, and the characteristics of the victim. However, little progress has been made in understanding the causes and processes of sexual coercion. The purpose of the present paper is to review the literature in terms of a theoretical model of coercive sexuality. Methodological issues are pointed out that have hindered progress in the field, and directions are offered for future research.
Attractor geometry of a quasiperiodically perturbed, two-level atom

We consider the behavior of a two-level atom interacting with a quasiperiodic, resonant field from the perspective of dynamical systems theory. In particular, we analyze the geometry of the phase-space attractor for the atomic system and find that there are basically only two types of attractor geometry, even though the atom's temporal evolution is very complicated. The dynamics giving rise to these two geometries are differentiated by the degree of adiabaticity associated with the field's variations, and in the regime of adiabatic dynamics, the attractor shows evidence of a noninteger scaling dimension. This result was unexpected, since IlinearR dynamical systems are not known to give rise to strange attractors. We attribute the attractor's fractal nature to the scaling behavior of Bloch vector trajectories in the rotating reference frame.
A thoughtful algorithm for the accurate diagnosis of primary CMV infection in pregnancy.

Cytomegalovirus is 1 of the most common and important of the perinatal pathogens. Each year approximately 1% of pregnant women acquire primary CMV infection. Of these, about 40% transmit infection to their fetuses. The rate of transmission is highest when maternal infection occurs in the third trimester; however, the risk of serious fetal injury is greatest when maternal infection develops in the first trimester or early in the second trimester. Ten to 20% of congenitally infected infants are acutely symptomatic at birth. Approximately 20% of these infants die, and most of the survivors have serious long-term complications. Clinical manifestations of severe congenital CMV infection include growth restriction, microcephaly, ventriculomegaly, chorioretinitis, hepatitis, splenic enlargement ,an dthrombocytopenia. 1 At the present time there is no effective vaccine for CMV infection. Antiviral chemotherapy also has not proven consistently effective in preventing in utero transmission of CMV infection .Recently ,Nigr oan dcolleagues 2 publishe da nexciting report describing use of anti-CMV hyperimmune globulin for treatment and prevention of congenital infection. Although the results of this investigation are extremely promising, additional clinical trials are necessary to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the true effectiveness of immunotherapy. 1 Unti lthos etrial sar econducte dan dhyperimmune globulin is confirmed as the standard of care, pregnancy termination remains an option for a mother whose fetus has congenital CMV infection. Given the obvious psychological implications and the awesome finality of a decision to terminate a pregnancy, it is imperative that clinicians accurately and efficiently establish the diagnosis of primary CMV infection. In the absence of acute clinical manifestations, the diagnosis is usually confirmed by serology. Unfortunately, conventional serological tests for CMV are not as straightforward as tests for other viral infections such as rubella, measles, hepatitis, or HIV. Commercially available tests for IgM antibody are not well standardized; therefore, many false-positive and false-negative results may be reported. In addition, IgM may be detected in the serum of a patient for up to 9 months after a primary infection, and IgM antibody may reappear during reactivation of a latent infection
Prednisolone Treatment in Asthma Is Associated with Modulation of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cell Interleukin-4, Interleukin-5, and Interferon-γ Cytokine Gene Expression

Although corticosteroids are effective in improving asthma symptoms and bronchial responsiveness, their mechanism of action is unknown. We examined whether changes in bronchial responsiveness with corticosteroid therapy of asthma are accompanied by a reduction in cytokine gene expression and eosinophil infiltration in the airways. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in 18 patients with moderate asthma before and after 2 wk of treatment with prednisolone, 0.6 mg/kg/day, or matched placebo in a randomized double-blind parallel group study. Cells were counted in BAL cytocentrifuge preparations, and the numbers of cells expressing cytokine mRNA were assessed by in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled RNA probes. When the actively treated and placebo groups were compared, there was a decrease in airway methacholine responsiveness (p < 0.01) after prednisolone. This was accompanied by a decrease in bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophils (p < 0.05), a reduction in the numbers of BAL cells per 1,000 expressing mRNA for interleukin-4 (IL-4, p < 0.01) and interleukin-5 (IL-5, p < 0.005), and an increase in numbers of cells expressing mRNA for interferon-gamma (p < 0.005). These results are compatible with the hypothesis that the beneficial effects of corticosteroids in asthma may result from modulation of cytokine production, with consequent inhibition of local bronchial eosinophilia.
The low temperature annealing spectrum of magnesium following electron irradiation

Abstract High purity polycrystalline magnesium samples near 4.2°K have been irradiated with 0.4 and 0.3 MeV electrons. Subsequent isochronal recovery was observed to occur in two stages: one centered near 6.8°K and the other centered near 11.4°K.
System capacity and coverage of a cellular network with D2D mobile relays

It has been predicted that the recent explosive growth in wireless data traffic will continue for the foreseeable future. To date, attempts to address this explosive growth have included increasing base station density through smaller cells, and to a lesser extent, by improving spectral efficiency using close-to-capacity channel coding and MIMO techniques. Providing further capacity and coverage improvements through ever shrinking cells could lead to large infrastructure costs and operating expenses. In this paper we propose a far less expensive alternate solution using a topology which employs mobile User Equipment (UE) nodes as virtual infrastructure to enhance the cellular capacity while also improving network coverage. The improvements in capacity and coverage are achieved by enabling cellular controlled direct Device to Device (D2D) links to carry relayed traffic. Each terminal UE (T-UE) with an active connection could potentially be assigned a Helper UE (H-UE), depending on the network conditions and traffic requirements to improve the system capacity. In addition, T-UEs which are out of coverage can also be assigned a H-UE, which would extend the typical coverage of a base station and lead to improved network coverage. In this paper, we present both coverage enhancement and system capacity results using Monte Carlo simulation techniques for both uplink and downlink communications. Our results indicate that cell edge percent throughput capacity improvements as well as percent throughput coverage improvements of more than 150% may be realized using idle UEs in the system as mobile relays.
The Role of Teaching in the Preparation of Future Faculty

This paper addresses the role of teaching in the preparation of future faculty members. I begin by discussing that graduate students and future faculty do not feel most TA experiences prepare them for the demands of college teaching. Graduate students, as well as other teachers, need various knowledge and skills to be successful, and Shulman's (1987) model of knowledge and teaching is presented to frame the discussion. Three strategies for helping students develop teaching skills are discussed—courses, practica, and mentoring. This is followed by my report of an informal survey of what steps departments are taking to help future faculty become teachers. There is great variability among departments, and there are a number of issues to address in implementing strategies to help graduate students become university teachers.
The effect of sinus tachycardia on the phases of left ventricular systole during acute myocardial infarction in man

Abstract The effect of a brief interval of sinus tachycardia on cardiac function was assessed in 13 patients with acute myocardial infarction and in nine control subjects. Systolic time intervals were used as indices of myocardial function. Intravenous atropine was given to 11 of the patients with AMI and to all the controls. Two patients with AMI had atrial pacing at a rate of 110 per minute for ten minutes. The systolic time intervals were measured in the resting control state and then again after the rate had returned toward the control heart rate after tachycardia. Patients with AMI had significant prolongation of electrical mechanical systole (the Q-S 2 interval) which was due to an increase in the pre-ejecton period. The left ventricular ejection time remained unchanged. Normal subjects also had a prolongation of the Q-S 2 interval, but this was due to an increase in the ejection time, not the pre-ejection period. It would appear that transient increases in heart rate induced after AMI reduce myocardial performance in the subsequent period.
Truck backhauling on two terminal networks

Truck backhauling reduces empty truck-miles by having drivers haul loads on trips back to their home terminal. This paper 1) examines the impact on backhauling opportunities of terminal locations and directional imbalances in the flow of freight from the terminals, and 2) develops a method for determining which truckloads should be backhauled. Backhauling is studied for two terminals sending full truckloads to many customers under steady-state conditions. This research develops two backhauling models. The first is a continuous model that makes simplifying assumptions about customer locations and travel distances. It results in formulae showing that 1) savings from backhauling increase at a decreasing rate as the directional flow of freight between two terminals becomes more balanced and 2) backhauling is an important, but often ignored, factor in terminal (e.g. trucking terminal, warehouse, or plant) location and supplier selection decisions. The second model is a more general discrete model that determines which loads should be backhauled to minimize empty truck-miles.
Negative claim amounts, bessel functions, linear programming and Miller's algorithm

Abstract This work is concerned with the evaluation of aggregate claims distributions allowing negative claim amounts, as one encounters them in life insurance for example. The main results apply to the collective as well as to the individual model of risk theory. Using the method proposed by Chan (1984), it is shown that some compound distributions with a two-sided claim size distribution satisfy a linear difference equation of infinite order. In the particular compound Poisson case an interesting formula involving generalized modified Bessel functions is derived. Independent differences of two random variables taking values in the non-negative integers are shown to be pseudo compound Poisson in the sense of Hurlimann (1989, 1990). They satisfy also linear difference equations of infinite order. Two approximations are proposed for the evaluation of the distribution function associated to independent differences. The first one extends results obtained by Hurlimann (1985) and Sundt (1986). In particular computation and approximation errors can be controlled using a ‘stop-loss error function’. The second approximation uses a linear program to solve linear difference equations. In the simplest case Miller's algorithm to compute modified Bessel functions is recovered as a special case.
Support for Civil Liberties among a Cohort of High School Graduates and College Students

This study examines one facet of political attitudes, support for those civil liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, employing a modified version of the Selvin-Hagstrom Libertarian Index, administered by mail questionnaire to an entire high school senior class four years after graduation. The varied educational backgrounds, combined with the original relative homogeneity of the sample, allow for a refined analysis of the impact of selected demographic variables (e.g., sex, marital status, religious affiliation, political party identification, and education). The results replicate the well established finding that education is positively and highly related to support of civil liberties. In addition, sex and religion are found to exert an impact upon support for civil liberties. Findings are discussed in reference to the role of higher education in democratic societies.
Dietary Phosphorus, Calcium Metabolism and Bone

Many American women consume diets high in phosphorus and low in calcium. Concern about this dietary pattern stems from studies that show high phosphorus, low calcium intake causes secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone loss in several animal models. Recent studies in young adults have shown that a high phosphorus, moderately low calcium intake results in mild secondary hyperparathyroidism that persisted over 4 wk. However, plasma concentrations of the active form of vitamin D did not change in these subjects, despite stimulatory changes in parathyroid hormone and serum ionized calcium. Studies in normal adult men have shown that dietary phosphorus at levels within the observed normal range of intake can finely regulate the renal production and serum concentration of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol. Thus, prolonged high phosphorus intake may impair the usual homeostatic mechanisms that are evoked when dietary calcium is limited. The current dietary patterns of high phosphorus, low calcium consumption result in persistent changes in the calcium regulating hormones that are not conductive to optimizing peak bone mass or slowing the rate of bone loss.
Finite-Horizon, Discrete-Time Variable Tolerance H Filtering

The discrete-time, variable tolerance Hinfin filtering problem is presented. The variable tolerance is specified at every time sample and guarantees a feasible tolerance value without an iterative design process. The variable tolerance Hinfin filtering problem generalizes the standard constant tolerance Hinfin filtering problem and, as a result, leads to a straightforward procedure for approximating the optimal value, gammainf, of the constant tolerance problem. Furthermore, the more general setting of the variable tolerance problem admits an improved Hinfin filter with a smaller L2 gain than the constant tolerance Hinfin filter. Applications of a variable tolerance to the Hinfin control problem are discussed as well.
The timed walk test as a measure of severity and survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a relentlessly progressive disease with a median survival of approximately 3 yrs. Measurements of airflow and lung volumes at rest are generally used to monitor the clinical course in this disorder. This study was designed to determine if a modified version of the 6-min walk test, called the timed walk test, accurately characterises disease severity and survival in IPF. The study population consisted of 28 patients with well-characterised progressive IPF. The timed walk test and concurrent measures of disease severity were assessed at baseline. Participants were prospectively followed for > or =4 yrs to determine the relationship between parameters of the timed walk test and survival. There were strong correlations between the end-exercise saturation and walk-velocity parameters of the timed walk test and diffusing capacity, and arterial oxygen tension at rest. In univariate Cox proportional-hazards models, end-exercise saturation, change in saturation with exercise, walk distance and walk velocity were associated with survival. In unadjusted logistic regression models, odds of death at 2 yrs were associated with the same parameters. In conclusion, the timed walk test relates to disease severity and long-term outcome in progressive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Human periodontal ligament cells in vitro.

This paper reports on ultrastructural features of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells growing in vitro as primary outgrowths and as continuous lines. The two most striking features of these cells were: 1) their branching bands of micro filaments containing semiperiodic dense nodes; and 2) the massive amounts of glycogen (α and β particles) found in many cells. Both of these features, particularly the glycogen, were found in an earlier study of the human PDL in vivo. In that study, of 22 teeth, glycogen was located universally in the cementoblasts and superjacent fibroblasts but not in the PDL fibroblasts more distant from the cementum.
Report of Joint Committee on Hydrologic Relations between the Section of Hydrology of the American Geophysical Union and the Division of Soil and Water Conservation of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers

The basic objective of this Committee (established in February, 1939) as conceived by its sponsors is to coordinate the program and activities of those divisions and the committees of the two societies which are engaged in the field of agricultural hydrology. The Committee at the present time consists of Messrs. J. G. Sutton, J. C. Marr, and H. S. Riesbol, representing the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, and Messrs. B. S. Barnes, D. B. Krimgold, and C. E. Ramser, representing the American Geophysical Union. The Committee has elected H. S. Riesbol as Chairman.
Control of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor-mediated breast cancer in rats by soy protein.

Soy protein is known to have breast tumor suppressing activity. The expression of peripheral benzodiazepine receptors (PBRs), currently renamed as translocator protein (TSPO) and their associated functions, such as nuclear cholesterol uptake and content also have been shown to be increased in breast cancer. Here we investigated whether the breast tumor suppressing effects of soy protein is mediated by down-regulation of PBR expression and function. Breast tumors were induced by gavage administration of a single dose (80 mg/kg) of dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) into 50-d old female Sprague Dawley rats, maintained on a standard AIN-76A diet containing either casein or soy protein. Approximately 120 d following DMBA administration, the animals were sacrificed. All tumors were detected by palpation and at autopsy biopsy specimens were taken for histological grading. The ligand binding capacity, expression, and protein levels of PBRs, their nuclear localization and function, such as nuclear cholesterol uptake and content, were significantly increased in the tumors. However, replacement of casein by soy protein in the diet caused a significant decrease in all of these parameters. These data suggest that soy protein inhibits breast tumor development by decreasing the expression of the tumor-promoting gene, which encodes PBRs. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.