cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence for cardiac β2‐adrenoceptors in man

We compared the effects of single doses of 50 mg atenolol (cardioselective), 40 mg propranolol (nonselective), and placebo on both exercise- and isoproterenol-induced tachycardia in two experiments involving nine normal subjects. Maximal exercise heart rate was reduced from 187 +/- 4(SEM) after placebo to 146 +/- 7 bpm after atenolol and 138 +/- 6 bpm after propranolol, but there were no differences between the drugs. The effects on isoproterenol tachycardia were determined before and after atropine (0.04 mg/kg IV). Isoproterenol sensitivity was determined as the intravenous dose that increased heart rate by 25 bpm (CD25) and this was increased from 1.8 +/- 0.3 micrograms after placebo to 38.9 +/- 8.3 micrograms after propranolol and 8.3 +/- 1.7 micrograms after atenolol. The difference in the effects of the two was significant. After atropine the CD25 was unchanged after placebo (2.3 +/- 0.3 micrograms) and atenolol (7.7 +/- 1.3 micrograms); it was reduced after propranolol (24.8 +/- 5.0 micrograms), but remained different from atenolol. This change with propranolol sensitivity was calculated as the apparent Ka, this was unchanged by atropine (11.7 +/- 2.1 and 10.1 +/- 2.5 ml/ng). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that exercise-induced tachycardia results largely from beta 1-receptor activation that is blocked by both cardioselective and nonselective drugs, whereas isoproterenol activates both beta 1- and beta 2-receptors so that after cardioselective blockade there remains a beta 2-component that can be blocked with a nonselective drug. While there appear to be beta 2-receptors in the human heart, their physiologic or pathologic roles remain to be defined.
Realizing the promise of visualization in the theory of computing

Progress on a hypertextbook on the theory of computing is presented. The hypertextbook is a novel teaching and learning resource built around web technologies that incorporates text, sound, pictures, illustrations, slide shows, video clips, and---most importantly---active learning models of the key concepts of the theory of computing into an integrated resource. Active learning models currently exist for finite state automata, regular expressions, regular grammars, the pumping lemma for regular languages, context- free grammars, LL(1) parsing, and program execution. The seamless interweaving of these components into a browser-ready whole will help realize the goal of integrating visualization aids into theory courses.
Cost analysis of two implantable narcotic delivery systems

This survey compares costs of two commonly utilized implantable narcotic delivery systems. The systems are classified into type-I (exteriorized system using the DuPen epidural catheter) and type-II (implanted system using the Synchromed pump). Costs were analyzed by reviewing actual patient hospital financial service records and Homecare vendor quotations. From the perspective of cost analysis alone, we conclude that savings accrue when patients requiring treatment beyond 3 months duration are managed with a type-II implanted system compared with a type-I system with an external pump.
THEORY OF THE DC MAGNETOTRANSPORT IN LATERALLY MODULATED QUANTUM HALL SYSTEMS NEAR FILLING ν

A quasiclassical theory for DC magnetotransport in a modulated quantum Hall system near filling factor ν=½ is presented. A weak one-dimensional electrostatic potential acts on the two-dimensional electron gas. Closed form analytic expressions are obtained for the resistivity ρ⊥ corresponding to a current at right angles to the direction of the modulation lines as well as a smaller component ρ‖ for a current along the direction of the modulation lines. It is shown that both resistivity components are affected by the presence of the modulation. Numerical results are presented for ρ⊥ and ρ‖ and show reasonable agreement with the results of recent experiments.
Novel Role of 3-Phosphoglycerate Kinase, a Glycolytic Enzyme, in the Activation of L-Nucleoside Analogs, a New Class of Anticancer and Antiviral Agents

l-Nucleoside analogs are a new class of clinically active antiviral and anticancer agents. The phosphorylation of these analogs from diphosphate to triphosphate metabolites is crucial for their biological action. We studied the role of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, a glycolytic enzyme, in the metabolism of l-nucleoside analogs, using small interfering RNAs to down-regulate the amount of this enzyme in HelaS3 and 2.2.15 cells, chosen as models for studying the impact of the enzyme on the anticancer and antihepatitis B virus activities of these analogs. Decrease in the expression of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase led to a corresponding decrease in the formation of the triphosphate metabolites of l-nucleoside analogs (but not d-nucleoside analogs), resulting in detrimental effects on their activity. The enzyme is important for generating as well as maintaining the steady state levels of l-nucleotides in the cells, thereby playing a key role in the activity of l-nucleoside analogs against human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and cancer. This study also indicates a structure-based distinction in the metabolism of l- and d-nucleoside analogs, disputing the classic notion that nucleoside diphosphate kinases are responsible for the phosphorylation of all classes of nucleoside analog diphosphates.
Isolated Ideas: Crinoid Literature of the Sixteenth Century

The first published accounts of the class Crinoidea (phylum Echinodermata) were from the latter half of the sixteenth century, during which seven or eight works were published. Because this was long before the establishment of modern systematic nomenclature by Linnaeus in 1758, this literature has been largely ignored. The first published work on crinoids was by Agricola in 1546, and the first illustrations of crinoids were by Gessner in 1565-1566. Crinoids were mentioned in these early publications as descriptions of objects dug from the earth, objects that had medicinal uses, and description of collections. The perceived medicinal use of fossil crinoids may have been an important factor for the attention that they received in sixteenth century publications. Little continuity existed from one author to the next, despite communications and mentor-student relationships. During this century, living and fossil crinoids were not allied, neither one was correctly interpreted with living comatulid crinoids (con...
High-Angle Annular Dark-Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Investigations of Bimetallic Nickel Bismuth Nanomaterials Created by Electron-Beam-Induced Fragmentation

Using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, we investigated electron-beam-induced fragmentation (EBIF) processes in NiBi alloys. We are able to establish the presence of very small clusters of nanoparticles that eluded detection in earlier TEM work and, furthermore, confirm the existence of core-shell particles with a Bi core and a Ni-Bi shell. On the basis of these and earlier observations, we propose a general mechanism for the creation of core-shell particles using EBIF.
Probabilistic Interactions of Vehicles With Surroundings: Modeling for Dynamic Control

A deterministic approach is usually used to describe a vehicle’s motion mathematically when developing controls for vehicle dynamics. This paper presents a methodology for modeling the interaction between a vehicle and its surroundings based on the probabilistic characteristics of a vehicle and roads. The latter effects include distributions of the rolling resistance and the friction coefficient between a tire and the road surface; micro- and macro-profiles in the longitudinal direction of various road surfaces are also embedded in a vehicle model which is built on the inverse dynamics approach. A quality functional of the vehicle running gear efficiency is maximized to obtain optimal power distributions to the drive wheels when implementing a program of motion. Based on such developments, fundamentals for designing control algorithms are discussed. This includes probabilistic variations of the optimal wheel torques; time delays between road conditions of the front and rear wheels; correlations between the time thresholds and the wheel torque and wheel angular velocity variations; and others. These fundamentals are needed to develop and to verify more accurate control algorithms for vehicle dynamics control based on controlling mechatronic power dividing units of vehicle driveline systems. Examples are discussed.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Transparent superhydrophobic and highly oleophobic coatings.

We report a facile process for fabrication of transparent superhydrophobic and highly oleophobic surfaces through assembly of silica nanoparticles and sacrificial polystyrene nanoparticles. The silica and polystyrene nanoparticles are first deposited by a layer-by-layer assembly technique. The polystyrene nanoparticles are then removed by calcination, which leaves a porous network of silica nanoparticles. The cavities created by the sacrificial polystyrene particles form overhang structures on the surfaces. Modified with a fluorocarbon molecule, such surfaces are superhydrophobic and transparent. They also repel liquids with low surface tensions, such as hexadecane, due to the overhang structures that prevent liquids from getting into the air pockets even though the intrinsic contact angles of these liquids are less than 90°.
Eliot's The Waste Land and Surging Nationalisms

In her article "Eliot's The Waste Land and Surging Nationalisms" Pouneh Saeedi analyzes T.S. Eliot's poem in the context of the impact of World War I and the emergence of nationalisms. In the midst of the ruins of both his personal life and Europe as he understand its civilization, Eliot expresses the loss of a universal understanding delineated in the fragmentation of language and a disassociation of sensibility. In The Waste Land, the West and the East, represented in their respective canonical texts, commingle and cohere to present an image of oneness that goes beyond oppositional binaries and leads the egotistical self to look beyond antagonistic dichotomies and ultimately embrace a peace beyond national and linguistic boundaries. Pouneh Saeedi, "Eliot's The Waste Land and Surging Nationalisms" page 2 of 8 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 13.4 (2011):
Leisure-time physical activity patterns among US adults with asthma.

Background Little is known about the physical activity patterns among US adults who have asthma. Methods Using data for 165,123 respondents of the 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we examined leisure-time physical activity. Results After adjusting for age, about 30% of participants with current asthma (12,489 participants), 24% with former asthma (4,892 participants), and 27% who never had asthma (147,742 participants) were considered to be inactive (p Conclusions Like most US adults, the majority of those with asthma were not meeting the current recommendations for physical activity.
Marriage and Family Therapists' Attitudes toward Marriage

ABSTRACT As marriage and family therapy continues to become an evidence-based discipline, it is vital to understand therapist attitudes toward marriage, which may impact the implementation of empirically validated couple treatment approaches. Demographic and family of origin factors are known to have significant impact on marital attitudes among the general population, but this connection has not been explored among therapists. A group of 223 California-based clinical members of the American Association for Marital and Family Therapy (AAMFT) was surveyed on demographic, professional, and family of origin variables and attitudes toward marriage. Results showed that marital and family therapists' (MFTs) attitudes toward marriage are less positive than those of college undergraduates (Braaten & Rosen, 1998), although this effect is predominantly due to age. Further, MFTs' attitudes toward marriage correlate with an assortment of demographic and professional variables but not with family of origin variables. ...
Incidence of cytomegalovirus disease in renal transplantation without antilymphocyte induction: is prophylaxis necessary?

CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) remains an important contributor to morbidity in renal transplant recipients and may also be associated with both acute rejection and chronic allograft failure. Available pharmacologic approaches to prevent CMV disease are expensive and not universally effective. It remains unclear which regimen for CMV prophylaxis is most effective and which patients should receive it. Our center has had a relatively low rate of tissue-invasive CMV disease, perhaps because antilymphocyte therapy for induction immunosuppression is not used except for patients receiving a simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant. To guide the use of CMV prophylaxis, we sought to quantify the incidence of CMV infection and its effect on graft survival in our renal transplant recipients.
Contrast echocardiography: beyond a black box warning?

With respect to echocardiographic procedures, time and cost efficiency should be viewed in terms of the time and cost required to address the clinical reason justifying the examination. From this perspective, excellence in echocardiography may be viewed as correctly answering the clinical question, based on unequivocal diagnostic information, and doing so efficiently. In general, this can be achieved only if all tools available to maximize image quality are used appropriately. The article by Drs Bhatia and Senior, “Contrast Echocardiography: Evidence for Clinical Use,” in this issue of the Journal nicely outlines the published scientific evidence that the judicious use of microbubble contrast agents to support an echocardiographic evaluation is an important part of the quest for excellence. Reluctance to use contrast agents has, by and large, been attributed to the misconception that there are adverse consequences on provider time and reimbursement. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning to health care professionals regarding the use of ultrasound microbubble contrast agents in echocardiography, namely, perflutren lipid microspheres (Definity, Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York, NY) and perflutren protein-type A microspheres for injection (Optison, General Electric, Fairfield, CT). As a result, the manufacturers of these agents have agreed to revise the labeling for these products to optimize their safe use. This warning may result in further reluctance to include contrast echocardiography in the diagnostic armamentarium of cardiac ultrasound. Imagers ensure that the best interest of the patient is met only when the images obtained can best answer the clinical question posed. Echocardiography has unparalleled temporal resolution, a harmless energy source, and a configurability that makes it the most versatile and useful tool in the noninvasive evaluation of patients with cardiovascular disease. Drs Bhatia and Senior outline the evidence that contrast enhancement may salvage an otherwise “nondiagnostic” examination and improve the accuracy and reproducibility of measures of ventricular function. When to contrast enhance an image is generally not based on a suspected diagnosis or patient body habitus, but rather on image quality, and in the absence of a contraindication is strongly encouraged when left ventricular endocardial border delineation is suboptimal ( 2 endocardial segments poorly visualized). Novel to surface echocardiography, since the advent of contrast for endocardial border definition, is the reality that achieving excel-
Research and Development Resource Allocation Under Rivalry

I. Returns and costs in the nonrivalrous case, 359. — II. The general rivalry problem, 363. — III. Specific duopoly models, 367. — IV. Solution concepts, 371. — V. Specific Cournot reaction patterns, 377. — VI. The N-firm problem, 389. — VII. Welfare implications, 392. — VIII. Conclusion, 394.
Recent exposure affects artifact naming.

Deciding how to label an object depends both on beliefs about the culturally appropriate name and on memory. A label should be consistent with a language community’s norms, but those norms can be used only if they can be retrieved. Two experiments are reported in which we tested the hypothesis that immediate prior exposure to familiar objects and their names affects how an ambiguous target object is named. Exposure to a typical instance of one name category was pitted against exposure to one or two instances from a contrasting category. When the contrast set consisted of a neighbor of the target, naming was usually consistent with the contrast category. This effect was reduced when a typical instance of the contrast category was also exposed. In Experiment 2, the exposure set was varied to include conditions in which either the neighbor or a prototypical instance was paired with an instance dissimilar to the target. The results suggest that all recently exposed objects affect name choice in proportion to their similarity to the target.
A first step: The FCC's investigation into newspaper ownership of radio stations

This historical account examines the Federal Communications Commission's investigation and hearings into newspaper ownership of radio stations. The hearing, which lasted from 1941 to 1944, were the opening round in what has proved to be a long‐term concern of the commission—cross‐media ownership in local markets. In the years since the newspaper hearings, the FCC has held to its decision to police cross‐media ownership case‐by‐case with the goal to avoid local monopolies. FCC ridings blocking cross ownership have been argued repeatedly, but the commission's authority has been upheld. Thus the hearings had an important result: The FCC reasserted its responsibility to ensure ownership diversification of broadcast stations. The hearings set the stage for future action by the FCC to police cross ownership, action that has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Some Aspects of the Correspondence between Content Structure and Cognitive Structure in Physics Instruction.

Forty subjects were divided at random into instruction (n = 28) and control (n = 12) groups to investigate the correspondence between the structure of the stimulus material (content structure) and the structure of a learner's memory during the learning (cognitive structure). Content structure was analyzed using digraph theory. Key concepts and their interrelations were the subject of analysis. All subjects were given achievement and word association pretests. Then, the instruction group read five sections of a text on Newtonian mechanics, one on each of 5 days. At the conclusion of each day, a word association test was administered. The achievement posttest was administered on the last day also. The control group did not receive instruction; these subjects received all tests. The structure of the content can be described as "tight" and "formal" according to digraph analysis. In the instruction group: (a) achievement increased significantly from pretest to posttest, (6) cognitive structure (word asociation data) changed considerably during instruction, (c) key concepts were interrelated more closely at the end of instruction than at the beginning, and (d) cognitive structure corresponded more closely to content structure at the end of instruction than at the beginning. Similar changes for the control group were not observed.
Pharmacokinetics of nordiazepam in physical dependence and precipitated abstinence in dogs.

Abstract Previous studies suggested that the extensive accumulation of benzodiazepines is an important factor in the induction of physical dependence. The mechanistic basis for accumulation of nordiazepam (ND) and its metabolite, oxazepam (OX), have been examined in crossover studies in drug-naive and in ND-dependent dogs that exhibited a flumazenil-precipitated abstinence syndrome. ND and parent OX have similar pharmacokinetic profiles. Steady-state plasma levels of ND and OX cannot be predicted from single-dose pharmacokinetics. Reduced plasma clearance of ND and altered plasma protein binding were observed in dogs physically dependent upon ND. The benzodiazepine antagonist, flumazenil. significantlyreduces steady-state plasma levels of total and free ND.
Spin-glass behavior in iron-aluminum alloys: A microscopic model

Drawing upon a model of Sato and Arrott, it is proposed that the spin-glass behavior observed in iron-rich ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Al}}_{x}$ alloys arises by virtue of competition between a nearest-neighbor Fe---Fe ferromagnetic exchange $J$ and a further-neighbor Fe---Al---Fe antiferromagnetic superexchange $\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}J$. The special crystal structure of these alloys makes possible a mapping (decimation) of this model onto a simple-cubic magnet with random exchange. Previous approximate solutions of the simple-cubic model may then be used to construct the ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Al}}_{x}$ magnetic phase diagram. For an appropriately chosen ratio $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ (antiferro/ferro), an acceptable fit to the experimental phase diagram is obtained.
Abnormalities in lipogenesis and triglyceride secretion by perfused livers of obese-hyperglycaemic (ob-ob) mice: relationship with hyperinsulinaemia.

Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism has been studied in perfused livers of lean and obese-hyper-glycaemic(ob/ob) mice. The capacity for gluconeogenesis from lactate or pyruvate was similar in livers of both groups of mice. Incorporation of carbon from labelled pyruvate into hepatic lipids was much higher in livers ofob/ob mice than in those of lean controls. Total lipogenesis, as well as newly synthesized triglyceride secretion by perfused livers, was also estimated, by measuring3H (from3H2O) incorporation into total (i.e. liver + perfusate) and perfusate triglyceride fatty acids. Lipogenesis, both in the absence or in the presence of substrates, was greater in livers ofob/ob mice than in those of lean controls, as was newly synthesized triglyceride secretion. In the absence of oleate in the perfusate, the secretion of unlabelled triglyceride by livers of 06/06 mice was much higher than that of non-obese mice, but it did not increase further upon addition of oleate, as it did in livers of lean controls. Ketone body production by livers ofob/ob mice, perfused with albumin bound oleate, was considerably lower than that observed in control livers. Whenob/ob mice were made relatively insulin deficient by streptozotocin treatment, all these anomalies of lipid metabolism were restored towards normal. It is proposed that hyperinsulinaemia is responsible, at least in part, for the abnormalities in lipogenesis, triglyceride secretion and fatty acid oxidation to ketone bodies observed in livers of the obese-hyperglycaemic mice.
Therapy conducive to healing of the human pulp

Abstract Factors that are conducive to pulpal healing and those that retard healing of the injured pulp are summarized. Much of the data are derived from a combination of empirical clinical observations and from controlled human and animal studies.
Effect of Repetitive Loading on the Mechanical Properties of Biological Scaffold Materials

Background Coughing, bending, and lifting raise the pressure inside the abdomen, repetitively increasing stresses on the abdominal wall and the associated scaffold. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of repetitive loading on biological scaffolds. It was hypothesized that exposure to repetitive loading would result in decreased tensile strength and that crosslinked scaffolds would resist these effects more effectively than non-crosslinked scaffolds. Study Design Nine materials were evaluated (porcine dermis: Permacol, CollaMend, Strattice, XenMatrix; human dermis: AlloMax, FlexHD; bovine pericardium: Veritas, PeriGuard; and porcine small intestine submucosa: Surgisis; in addition, Permacol, CollaMend, and PeriGuard are crosslinked). Ten specimens were hydrated and subjected to uniaxial tension to establish baseline properties. Thirty specimens were hydrated and subjected to 10, 100, or 1,000 loading cycles (n = 10 each). Results Tensile strength remained unchanged for CollaMend, XenMatrix, Veritas, and Surgisis during all cycles (p > 0.05). However, Strattice and AlloMax exhibited reduced tensile strength, and Permacol, FlexHD, and PeriGuard exhibited a slight increase in tensile strength with increasing number of cycles. Crosslinked bovine pericardium (PeriGuard) displayed greater tensile strength than non-crosslinked bovine pericardium (Veritas) and crosslinked porcine dermis (Permacol) exhibited greater tensile strength than non-crosslinked porcine dermis (Strattice, XenMatrix) during all cycles (p Conclusions Materials that rapidly lose strength after repetitive loading might not be appropriate in clinical scenarios involving elevated stresses, such as in patients with high body mass index or when replacing large areas of the abdominal wall without tissue reinforcement, although scaffolds that maintain initial tensile strength can be particularly advantageous.
Social support as coping assistance.

Tour d'horizon de la litterature sur le comportement d'aide a l'affrontement a la situation de stress. Eloge de l'empathie
Uniformity of wood density assessed from X-rays of increment cores

Variations in wood density within and across growth rings were measured in lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir wood samples using X-rays and a digital integrator. Densities were automatically recorded at 14 successive levels from .20–.25 to .85–.90, then converted to percent figures to yield numerical tables of wood density distributions in the samples. Densities ranged from .20–.91 in lodgepole pine, .19–.93 in ponderosa pine, and .18–.97 in Douglas-fir. Uniformity was computed using magnitude of departures from mean density as accumulated across growth rings. Lodgepole pine was the most uniform, followed by ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir. Mean densities were .36, .39, and .43 for the three species. Additional data and descriptions of original equipment designs and methods are included.
Relaxation Dynamics of Electronically Excited Nanoscale Metal−Carbon Complexes: Vanadium−Carbon Clusters

First measurements of the relaxation dynamics of electronically excited states in nanoscale transition metal−carbon species are reported. In this communication, time-resolved measurements, made wit...
Nutrient intake: relationships with lipids and lipoproteins in 6-19-year-old children-The Princeton School District Study.

Relationships between nutrient intakes and plasma lipids and lipoproteins were studied in 949 randomly selected children, ages 6--19, in the biracial, suburban, Princeton School District. While nutrient intake increased with age in males, such age-associated increases in nutrient ingestion were much less consistent or were not significant for females. Primarily in the 6--9 and 10--12 yr age groups, white children ingested more total calories, more saturated fat, and a lower ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated (P/S) fat, more total carbohydrates, sucrose, starch, and other carbohydrates, and more protein than black children. After adjusting for age, race, sex, weight, and height, several nutrient-lipid and lipoprotein partial correlation coefficients were significant, but of relatively low magnitude. There were weak but significant inverse correlations between dietary P/S ratios and dietary carbohydrates with both total (r = -.07, -0.7) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (C-LDL), (r = -.07, -.08). Plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (C-HDL) was inversely and significantly correlated with dietary sucrose (r = -.07); plasma triglyceride correlated positively with dietary sucrose (r = .08). Potential relationships between nutrients and lipids-lipoproteins were also examined in children at the extremes of, and in the middle of, lipid-lipoprotein distributions. After covariance adjustment for age, sex, race, and Quetelet index, children having the highest levels of C-HDL had the lowest intake of dietary carbohydrate and total calories. After further covariance adjustment for total calories, children at the highest end of the plasma cholesterol distribution had a greater intake of cholesterol and total protein than did children in the lowest end of the distribution. Nutrient intake may play a small but significant role relative to lipids and lipoproteins in children, and as such, may have importance relative to pediatric precursors of atherosclerosis.
Neural network approach to zero-one optimal covering problem

This paper reports the investigation of the neural network solution to the zero-one optimal covering problem via computer simulation. The key idea used in this exploration is that for every covering problem there exists an equivalent integer linear programming problem which can be solved by modifying the linear programming neural net circuit proposed by Tank and Hopfield. Simulation results indicate that this method works very well. >
Biomechanical Comparison of a Single-Row Versus Double-Row Suture Anchor Technique for Rotator Cuff Repair

BackgroundReestablishment of the native footprint during rotator cuff repair has been suggested as an important criterion for optimizing healing potential and fixation strength.HypothesisA double-row rotator cuff footprint repair will demonstrate superior biomechanical properties compared with a single-row repair.Study DesignControlled laboratory study.MethodsIn 9 matched pairs of fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders, the supraspinatus tendon from 1 shoulder was repaired with a double-row suture anchor technique: 2 medial anchors with horizontal mattress sutures and 2 lateral anchors with simple sutures. The tendon from the contralateral shoulder was repaired using a single lateral row of 2 anchors with simple sutures. Each specimen underwent cyclic loading from 10 to 180 N for 200 cycles, followed by tensile testing to failure. Gap formation and strain over the footprint area were measured using a video digitizing system; stiffness and failure load were determined from testing machine data.ResultsGap formati...
Giving between generations in American families

This paper documents the types and amounts of aid exchanged between adults and their non-coresidential parents. Data for the study are drawn from a representative national sample survey of Americans age 19 and older conducted in 1987–1988. Exchanges of monetary and material resources, childcare, household assistance, and companionship and advice are considered.
Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes decrease the integrity of human blood-brain barrier endothelial cell monolayers.

Background Central to the pathologic progression of human cerebral malaria (CM) is sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (Pf-IRBCs) to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelium. The molecular interactions between Pf-IRBCs and the BBB endothelium and their implications for barrier function are unclear. Methods The effects of Pf-IRBCs on the integrity of the BBB were assessed by electrical cell substrate sensing and by transendothelial electrical resistance measurements in an in vitro human BBB model. In addition, Pf-IRBCs were subfractionated and treated with trypsin, artemisinin, or brefeldin A. Results Pf-IRBCs, but not normal red blood cells, significantly decreased BBB resistance. Subfractionation showed that both membrane-associated and soluble Pf-IRBC factors mediate the decrease in BBB resistance. Trypsin treatment significantly reduced Pf-IRBC binding but not their ability to decrease electrical resistance. Likewise, P. falciparum isolates with increased binding to human brain microvascular endothelial cells did not alter the electrical resistance response. Soluble factors from Pf-IRBC culture supernatant decreased resistance by 50%-70% and precipitated with 40% ammonium sulfate saturation. Brefeldin-A partially blocked the ability of Pf-IRBCs to reduce resistance. Conclusion The results suggest that, in CM, trypsin-resistant membrane components and soluble factors of Pf-IRBCs contribute to the impedance of BBB integrity in a multistep and multifactorial process.
Fluvial Response in a Sequence Stratigraphic Framework: Example from the Montserrat Fan Delta, Spain

ABSTRACT Exceptional exposure of the Montserrat fan-delta system (Eocene) in northeastern Spain provides an excellent framework to evaluate the alluvial response to sea-level changes over two different time scales. The alluvial system contains multiple fifth-order cycles ( 104 yr) and eight fourth-order cycles ( 105 yr). Fifth-order cycles are characterized by long-distance shoreline migrations and, occasionally, by incised basal scour surfaces but not by changes in fluvial style, lithofacies, or channel stacking pattern. Fourth-order cycles are composed of stacked fifth-order cycles and have non-erosional basal boundaries. Vertical sedimentation rates and channel-stacking patterns change significantly within fourth-order cycles. The lower parts of these cycles, referred to as the transgressive facies tract, show overall shoreline transgression, and associated alluvial deposits contain abundant overbank materials with isolated (ribbon) channel bodies. During this time the supply of terrigenous material to the shoreline was reduced, as indicated by sediment starvation offshore. The overlying middle part of fourth-order cycles, the lower regressive facies tract, differs only in that shoreline is overall regressive, and there is increased clastic supply to the offshore. In the upper part of hese cycles, the upper regressive facies tract, channel-stacking geometries become denser and more sheet-like, shoreline regression is more pronounced, and vertical aggradation rates are inferred to be reduced. Changes in the alluvial system during fourth-order cycles are most pronounced adjacent to shoreline and die away upstream over just a few kilometers--indicating that the base-level signal decays away over the distance of a few backwater lengths (channel flow depth/slope). Higher-frequency (fifth-order) changes in relative sea level appear to produce the largest shoreline migrations, but lower-frequency (fourth-order) changes have more impact on the channel stacking architecture of the alluvial systems. Observed changes in alluvial stacking pattern may be most commonly found in tectonically active, rapidly subsiding, foreland basins because of their back-tilted geometry. We propose a model in which sediment is trapped in the proximal basin during times of rapid tectonic subsidence and attendant relative sea-level rise. Progradation occurs as erosion rates in the mountain belt increase, and rates of subsidence and relative sea-level rise diminish. Changes in alluvial architecture reflect an increase in sediment flux towards the shoreline as less sediment is trapped upstream. Hence, changes in channel-stacking pattern coincident with transgressions and regressions likely reflect the interplay between subsidence and sediment supply in the proximal part of the basin and are not necessari y driven by eustatic sea-level changes.
RNA Interference and MicroRNA-Mediated Silencing

RNA interference (RNAi) and microRNA-mediated silencing cause sequence-specific silencing of target genes. This overview will give a brief description of how RNAi and microRNAs were discovered, how small RNAs silence their targets, and what the functions of small RNAs are. Since the discovery of RNAi, RNAi has been widely used in studies of gene function, including high-throughput screening. The unit will briefly describe how RNAi is used in different model systems, and how to analyze the function of endogenous small RNAs.
Recombinant Baculovirus Influenza A Hemagglutinin Vaccines Are Well Tolerated and Immunogenic in Healthy Adults

In a prospective double-blind trial, the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of recombinant baculovirus influenza A vaccines containing purified full-length hemagglutinin (HA) were compared with standard trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV). The recombinant baculovirus influenza A vaccines (rHA0) were monovalent (containing 45 micrograms of A/Beijing/92[H3] and 15, 45, and 135 micrograms of A/Texas/91[H1]) and bivalent (containing 45 micrograms of both A/Beijing/92 and A/Texas/91). The bivalent rHA0 vaccine produced fewer local side effects than the TIV (50% vs. 88%, P = .003). The hemagglutinin inhibition (HAI) responses (defined as a > or = 4 increase in HAI) to A/Beijing rHA0 in the monovalent A/Beijing/92, the bivalent vaccine, and the TIV were 68%, 76%, and 46%, respectively (P = .086). Increasing doses of A/Texas rHA0 (15 micrograms [60%], 45 micrograms [69%], and 135 micrograms [76%]) and bivalent HA (76%) gave better immunologic responses to H1 than did TIV (31%; P = .003).
Interactions of fire and nonnative species across an elevation/plant community gradient in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Invasive species interacting with fires pose a relatively unknown, but potentially serious, threat to the tropical forests of Hawaii. Fires may create conditions that facilitate species invasions, but the degree to which this occurs in different tropical plant communities has not been quantified. We documented the survival and establishment of plant species for 2yr following 2003 wildfires in tropical moist and wet forest life zones in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii.Fires were ignited by lava flows and burned across a steep environmental gradient encompassing two previously burned shrub-dominated communities and three Metrosideros polymorpha forest communities. Fires in all community types were stand replacing, where 495 percent of overstory trees were top killed. Over half (457%) of the trees survived via basal sprouting, but sprout growth differed among forest communities. Sprout growth (4250,000cm 3 ) was greatest in the forest community where postfire understory cover was lowest presumably due to thick native Dicranopteris linearis fern litter that remained postfire. In contrast, M. polymorpha sprout growth was much slower (o100,000cm 3 ) in the two forest communities where there was rapid understory recovery of nonnative ferns Nephrolepis multiflora and invasive grasses Paspalum conjugatum. These results suggest that the rapid establishment of an invasive-dominated understory limited recovery of the overstory dominant M. polymorpha. In contrast to the three forest communities, there were few changes in vegetation composition in the shrubland communities. Nonnative species invasions coupled with repeated fires selectively eliminated fire-sensitive species thereby maintaining these communities in dominance of primarily nonnative, fire-resilient, species.
Cervical lymph node metastasis and papillary thyroid carcinoma: Does the compartment involved affect survival? Experience from the SEER database

Purpose Determine how the location of cervical lymph node metastases affects survival in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for patients diagnosed with PTC. Disease specific survival (DSS) was estimated according to node status and extent of cervical involvement by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals to estimate the risk of death were calculated using Cox multivariable regression analysis. Results We identified 11,453 PTC cases in the SEER database with complete data describing the absence or location of positive nodes. Of these, 40.1% were node-positive; 56.6%, 34.1%, and 9.3% of node-positive patients had metastasis to the central, lateral, and mediastinal compartments, respectively. DSS was worse for node-positive patients age ≥45 with lateral/mediastinal involvement relative to those with central metastasis (P < 0.001). Node metastasis did not significantly affect survival for patients age <45, regardless of location. Conclusions Patients age ≥45 with lateral/mediastinal cervical involvement have an increased risk of death from PTC in the initial years after diagnosis. Future studies are needed to elucidate optimal treatment and surveillance protocols for these patients, and also to ascertain the effect of cervical node location on long-term survival and disease-recurrence. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:357–362. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Positive Enzyme-Linked Immunoelectrotransfer Blot Assay Result for a Patient without Evidence of Cysticercosis

The enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) has been considered diagnostic of cysticercosis when the results are positive. We describe a patient with a single band at 50 kDa on EITB and neuroimaging abnormalities suggestive of neurocysticercosis but no evidence of exposure to Taenium solium. Autopsy findings excluded neurocysticercosis. We suggest that a single band at 50 kDa on an EITB be considered an equivocal finding rather than diagnostic of cysticercosis.
Soot formation in laminar diffusion flames at elevated temperatures

This paper reports on the line-of-sight soot volume fractions and soot surface temperatures that were measured as a function of axial position in overventilated axisymmetric laminar diffusion flames. The measurements were made at various temperatures of the reactants to study the influence of flame temperature on soot formation, and the temperature sensitivity of different fuels. The reactant temperatures were varied from 300 to 680 K. Soot volume fraction were measured by extinction, and soot particle temperatures were determined from the measurements of flame extinction and two wavelength brightness temperatures. In the first set of experiments, fuel flow rates for a given fuel were kept constant at all reactant temperatures. In the second set, the fuel flow rates were adjusted to obtain smoke point flames at all reactant temperatures. In both sets of experiments extensive data were obtained with ethylene, propylene, and isooctane. Propane data from out previous study are included in the assessment of effects of temperature of soot formation. Soot volume fraction and soot formation rate of olefins (propylene and ethylene) show a lower sensitivity to flame temperature than alkanes (propane and isooctane). Changes in maximum soot volume fractions and hence soot formation rates result from changes in themore » flame temperature, but these observed changes in soot volume fractions are not as large as those measured when adding an inert diluent to the fuel to alter the flame temperature. For this reason, the data obtained previously by other investigators to examine the temperature effects on soot information, through the nitrogen dilution of the fuel, should be reevaluated.« less
Investigating Foreign Language Education through the Lenses of Great Minds.

The paper is a brief review of three great philosophers’ tenetsand their implications on foreign language education. Based on the recurring themes, namely, Noddings “teaching with care”, Dewey’s “learning by doing” and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the paper highlights the importance of care and love, interaction, practical opportunities and scaffolding in a foreign language classroom, and gives insights on teaching, learning and curriculum design in foreign language education. Leaners in a foreign language classroom may be more struggling with their learning, thus requiring more care and help from their teachers. These philosophies serve as guiding principles to help teachers understand the meaning of their teaching and explore the world of foreign language education.
Realization of extensions to Faddeev algorithm on array of SIMD processors

Vertical, horizontal, and two-dimensional extensions are presented for the new Faddeev-algorithm-based systolic architecture for matrix computations presented by H.V.D. Le and M.A. Perkowski (Proc. Int. Con. on Computing and Informati ICCI '89, Ontario, Canada, 1989). It has essential advantages over previous architectures of this type and finds various applications. Extensions to the Faddeev algorithm can be used in many problems, including the Karmarkar algorithm. The extensions described not only increase system throughput by two to fourfold but also enhance the inherent programmability of Faddeev's algorithm. This allows the architecture to perform very complex matrix calculations. >
Characterization of Fracture Properties of Asphalt Mixtures as Measured by Semicircular Bend Test and Indirect Tension Test

The objective of this study was to investigate the intermediate temperature fracture resistance of various asphalt mixtures, as measured by the semicircular bending (SCB) and indirect tension (IDT) test methods, and to correlate these fracture properties to the cracking performance of Louisiana asphalt pavements. Effects of design and process-based factors such as mixture-producing technologies (e.g., hot mix versus warm mix), asphalt binder grades, aging of test specimens, and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) content on the fracture properties were investigated. Results indicated that the SCB-measured critical strain energy release rate (Jc) values showed good correlation with the IDT-measured toughness index values, especially when laboratory-produced mixtures were compared. In addition, the asphalt binder grade and aging condition of specimens influenced the fracture properties of asphalt mixtures. Asphalt mixtures with polymer-modified asphalt binders exhibited greater fracture resistance than did tho...
Miniemulsion polymerization—a comparative study of preparative variables

Variations in the conditions used to prepare miniemulsions of monomers in water have resulted in substantial differences in polymerization kinetics and final particle sizes and distributions. These variations have included (1) surfactant amount and type; (2) cosurfactant amount and type; (3) monomer (s) type; (4) temperature of preparation and polymerization; (5) means and conditions of homogenization; and (6) degree of aging of the emulsion. In an effort to unify some of the disparate information of previous work, a systematic study of some of the above variables was undertaken using styrene as the oil phase with sodium lauryl sulfate as surfactant. Based on the polymerization kinetics and particle sizes obtained, the following conclusions are drawn: The finest droplet size miniemulsions are obtained by (1) using a cosurfactant; (2) homogenizing at elevated temperature; (3) homogenizing using a uniform high shear device (Microfluidizer); and (4) limiting the aging time prior to polymerization.
Evaluation of Surveillance Protocols for Detecting Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Infection in Boar Studs by Simulation Modeling

Because porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) can be transmitted through semen, PRRSV-free boar studs need to be routinely monitored to rapidly detect any potential PRRSV introduction. However, current protocols for monitoring PRRSV in boar studs are diverse, sometimes very costly, and their effectiveness has not been quantified. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of different monitoring protocols to detect PRRSV introduction into a negative boar stud by using a simulation modeling approach. A stochastic transmission model was constructed to simulate the spread of PRRSV in a typical negative boar stud in the USA (herd size of 200 boars, 60% annual replacement) and the performance of monitoring protocols by using different sample sizes (10, 30, and 60 samples), sampling frequency (3 times a week, weekly, and biweekly), and diagnostic procedures (PCR on semen, PCR on serum, ELISA on serum, and both PCR and ELISA on serum). The monitoring protocols were evaluated in terms of the time from PRRSV introduction into the boar stud to PRRSV detection. Protocols that used PCR on serum detected the PRRSV introduction earlier than protocols that used PCR on semen, and these were earlier than those that used ELISA on serum. The most intensive protocol evaluated (testing 60 boars 3 times a week by PCR on serum) would need 13 days to detect 95% of the PRRSV introductions. These results support field observations, suggesting that an intensive monitoring protocol needs to be in place in a boar stud to quickly detect a PRRSV introduction.