cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary changes occurring in disseminated lupus erythematosus.

Disseminated lupus erythematosus belongs to that group of disorders to which the term “collagen diseases” has been applied. The collagen diseases are characterized anatomically by generalized alteration of the connective tissue of the body, especially of its extracellular components, and usually involve many organs. Among the better-known members of the collagen disease group are disseminated lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, periarteritis nodosa, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatic fever. Although many interesting hypotheses have been advanced to account for the development of the collagen diseases, their exact etiology has not been definitely established. Disseminated lupus erythematosus may be defined as a collagen disorder that is characterized by protean manifestations, of which cutaneous eruptions and an arthralgic toxic state with prolonged periods of fever and a remittent cachectic course are prominent features. It is a disease that is seen most frequently in the third and fourth decades of life and that occurs more frequently in women than in men in a ratio of seven to three. The cutaneous manifestations which are so closely associated with lupus erythematosus may be divided into two types. One is a discoid, benign form with a “butterfly” eruption over the bridge of the nose and the malar prominences. The other is the acute, disseminated form, which has a tendency to spread over the face, ears, arms, chest and, subsequently, virtually all over the body. In the acute disseminated form of lupus erythematosus the visceral symptoms may precede the cutaneous manifestations, which may appear only in the terminal stage of the disease. The clinical diagnosis of disseminated lupus erythematosus is based on the clinical history of intermittent bouts of prolonged fever, arthralgia associated with toxicity, the presence of L.E. cells in the peripheral blood or bone marrow, and leukopenia with an elevation in the sedimentation rate. Although pathologists and clinicians have been aware for many years that pulmonary complications are often terminal events in the life history of the patient suffering from disseminated lupus erythematosus, the presence of pulmonary changes of other types appearing at various times throughout the course of the disease is not as well known. Sante and Wyatt’
Differences in spatial learning comparing transgenic p75 knockout, New Zealand Black, C57BL/6, and Swiss Webster mice

Four strains of mice were compared regarding their relative abilities to solve the Morris water maze test of spatial memory. Members of the New Zealand Black (NZB) strain revealed steady improvement over the 6 days of training comparable to C57BL/6 mice. The neurotrophin low affinity receptor p75 knockout mouse, in which the binding region is rendered refractory to ligand, displayed profound deficits in the acquisition of this task. Members of the Swiss Webster strain performed intermediate between the poor performance of the p75 mice and the progressively improving learning curves of the NZB and C57 mice. The present results support the notion that interference with functioning of nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors on forebrain cholingergic neurons negatively impacts the animal's ability to utilize the spatial cues necessary for successful spatial navigation. This effect on NGF receptors was more behaviorally disrupting than the influence of neocortical and hippocampal ectopias as present in the NZB mice. These results support the use of the p75 knockout mouse as a model of forebrain cholinergic neuron dysfunction. On the other hand, these results do not support the use of the NZB mouse as an animal model of human learning disability and dementia.
Controlled noise generation with avalanche diodes II. High pulse rate design

The low pulse rate design of an avalanche noise diode described by Haitz1is modified in order to obtain a Gaussian probability distribution. The essential modification is an increase of the avalanche pulse rate from less than 104sec-1to more than 106sec-1. This high pulse rate is achieved, in a controlled way, by reducing the breakdown voltage from about 30 volts to 12 volts. As with the low pulse rate design of Haitz [1], the avalanche pulse rate is determined by trigger carriers generated by internal field emission. Spectral voltage density and temperature coefficient are estimated and found to be in good agreement with the experimental results of 0.5 mV per c/s1/2and -8.10-3/°C, respectively. The spectral voltage density is fiat within ±1 dB over the frequency range from 10 c/s to 200 kc/s. After passing the noise through a low pass filter with a cutoff frequency of 200 kc/s the probability distribution of the noise voltage is Gaussian. The spectral voltage density is practically insensitive to variations of the supply voltage between 15 volts and 25 volts, corresponding to a current variation from 30 µA to 130 µA.
Electrochemical properties of copper and gold containing dental amalgams.

Alloying or admixing of a dental amalgam alloy with an element or alloy which has a higher affinity for tin offers a means for eliminating the corrosion prone gamma2 phase. Accordingly, the corrosion behaviour of non-conventional amalgams containing Cu and Au were investigated by anodic polarization studies in Ringer's solution. The Cu containing amalgams were produced by admixing Cu-Hg (copper amalgam) with conventional amalgam in the ratios of 0-5:1 and 1:1. A 10 w/o Au in Ag-3-Sn was used as the gold amalgam alloy. The anodic polarization profile of the 0-5:1 Cu admixed was similar in shape to admixed conventional amalgams although current densities were less. After ageing for 1 month the minus 250 mV peak associated with gamma2 disappeared and the current density decreased by ten fold. After 2 months the current density decreased by one hundred fold. The anodic polarization of the 1:1 Cu admixed amalgams did not display the minus 250 mV (gamma2) peak after 1 week and current densities were 10-3 below that of conventional amalgams. The behaviour of these interesting amalgams is rationalized on the basis of the ease of formation of Cu-Sn intermetallics where Cu/Sn larger than or equal to 3. The anodic polarization profile of 10 w/o Au containing amalgam essentially is that of conventional amalgam and does not change drastically after 6 months. Although the Au may reduce or eliminate the gamma2 phase the resulting AuSn4 apparently corrodes in an analogous fashion. However, since distribution of AuSn4 may be different from gamma2, i.e. not continuous, the effect of corrosion on its mechanical properties may be different.
Cokriging method for spatio-temporal assimilation of multi-scale satellite data

This research extends traditional cokriging method from spatial domain to spatio-temporal domain for assimilating spatial data sets with different temporal sampling frequency and spatial resolution (density). The main advantage of spatio-temporal cokriging lies in the fact that it takes into account the spatial covariance, temporal covariance and spatiotemporal covariance structures in the spatio-temporal data assimilation for better modeling. In comparison with the heuristic STARFM method, our spatio-temporal cokriging create much better assimilation results in terms of accuracy and reliability, because our method takes into account the spatial covariance, temporal covariance and spatio-temporal covariance structures in the spatio-temporal data assimilation. Our spatio-temporal cokriging technique has been successfully applied to assimilate daily MODIS NDVI images (250m) with 30 m spatial resolution Landsat ETM+ NDVI images over the Maumee River Basin.
Cuprizone and piperonyl butoxide, proposed inhibitors of T-cell function, attenuate experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in SJL mice

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), are autoimmune demyelinating diseases with autoreactive T-cells acting as important mediators of pathogenesis. Cuprizone, a copper chelator, and piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a pesticide synergist, are implicated to inhibit T-cell activation and function. The purpose of this study was to assess whether either of these agents would suppress PLP-peptide-induced EAE in the SJL mouse. Indeed, treatment with cuprizone beginning 1 week prior to disease induction, and PBO administration from days 1 to 9 of EAE, significantly attenuated EAE clinical severity. Furthermore, both agents decreased blood CD4+/CD8+ ratios, and reduced signs of chronic graft vs. host disease (GVHD) indicating attenuation of an immune T-cell response. These results suggest that cuprizone and PBO suppress EAE and use of these agents will provide insights into the mechanisms of T-cell mediated diseases.
Predictions for National Football League Games via Linear-Model Methodology

Abstract Results on mixed linear models were used to develop a procedure for predicting the outcomes of National Football League games. The predictions are based on the differences in score from past games. The underlying model for each difference in score takes into account the home-field advantage and the difference in the yearly characteristic performance levels of the two teams. Each team's yearly characteristic performance levels are assumed to follow a first-order autoregressive process. The predictions for 1,320 games played between 1971 and 1977 had an average absolute error of 10.68, compared with 10.49 for bookmaker predictions.
Oxidation behavior of Mn and Mo alloyed Fe-16Ni-(5-8)Cr-3. 2Si-1. 0Al

Oxidation tests were conducted on a master alloy, Fe-16Ni-(5–8)Cr-3Si-lA1, to which (0–4) wt/o pct Mn and/or Mo were added. Tests were conducted at temperatures ranging from 1073–1273 K for times up to 1000 hr. Additions of Mn resulted in formation of a dual oxide structure and decreased oxidation protection. Addition of Mo significantly improved oxidation protection by formation of an intermetallic Fe(Mo)Si precipitate that eventually formed a protective SiO2 oxide sublayer. Increasing the Cr concentration in an alloy containing both Mn and Mo resulted in a slight increase in weight gain. To first order, the apparent oxidation activation energy for all the alloys was nearly constant, 121 kJ/mol, suggesting that the same mechanism controlled the oxidation for all compositions. The oxidation protection was related to the alloy components and concentration.
MECHANISTIC STUDIES OF AN ANTIBODY-CATALYZED PERICYCLIC REARRANGEMENT

We report NMR and kinetic studies of antibody AZ-28, which was generated against the diaryl-substituted cyclohexanol derivative 3 and catalyzes the oxy-Cope rearrangement of the corresponding hexad...
A combined ligand-based and target-based drug design approach for G-protein coupled receptors: application to salvinorin A, a selective kappa opioid receptor agonist

Combined ligand-based and target-based drug design approaches provide a synergistic advantage over either method individually. Therefore, we set out to develop a powerful virtual screening model to identify novel molecular scaffolds as potential leads for the human KOP (hKOP) receptor employing a combined approach. Utilizing a set of recently reported derivatives of salvinorin A, a structurally unique KOP receptor agonist, a pharmacophore model was developed that consisted of two hydrogen bond acceptor and three hydrophobic features. The model was cross-validated by randomizing the data using the CatScramble technique. Further validation was carried out using a test set that performed well in classifying active and inactive molecules correctly. Simultaneously, a bovine rhodopsin based “agonist-bound” hKOP receptor model was also generated. The model provided more accurate information about the putative binding site of salvinorin A based ligands. Several protein structure-checking programs were used to validate the model. In addition, this model was in agreement with the mutation experiments carried out on KOP receptor. The predictive ability of the model was evaluated by docking a set of known KOP receptor agonists into the active site of this model. The docked scores correlated reasonably well with experimental pK i values. It is hypothesized that the integration of these two independently generated models would enable a swift and reliable identification of new lead compounds that could reduce time and cost of hit finding within the drug discovery and development process, particularly in the case of GPCRs.
High-rate operant behavior in two mouse strains: a response-bout analysis

Operant behavior sometimes occurs in bouts characterized by an initiation rate, within-bout response rate, and bout length. The generality of this structure was tested using high-rate nose-poking in mice. Reinforcement of short interresponse times produced high response rates while a random-interval schedule held reinforcement rates constant. BALB/c mice produced bouts that were more frequent, longer, and contained a higher within-bout rate of responding (nine nose-pokes/s) than did the C57BL/6 mice (five nose-pokes/s). Adding a running wheel decreased total nose-pokes and bout length, and increased bout-initiation rate. Free-feeding reduced nose-poking by decreasing bout-initiation rate. Photoperiod reversal decreased bout-initiation rate but not total nose-poke rate. Despite strain differences in bout structure, both strains responded similarly to the interventions. The three bout measures were correlated with overall rate but not with each other. Log-survival analyses provided independent descriptors of the structure of high-rate responding in these two strains.
Distributed co-operating processes and transactions

As part of our research in the Archons [Jensen 82] project on decentralized computers, we have developed a relational model of data consistency to replace the conventional serialization model for reasoning about the relationships among distributed system data objects in general and state variables in particular. We not only permit but encourage such relationships to be probabilistic, in the interest of efficiency. This model leads to a new formulation of co-operating processes, and thence to the notion of co-operating transactions: co-operating processes whose actions are made atomic for the sake of reliability. We believe that co-operating processes are valuable in a computer network, but essential in a decentralized computer [Jensen 82] where the conceptually singular but physically dispersed global operating system requires a transaction facility in the kernel [Jensen 80]. These ideas are illustrated by examples from our initial experience in applying the model to the Accent network operating system and other system software of the Spice personal computing network. This document is intended to be an overview of the synchronization effort in the Archons project, and future publications will elaborate on many of the individual points touched on here.
Fv structure of monoclonal antibody II-481 against herpes simplex virus Fc gamma-binding glycoprotein gE contains immunodominant complementarity determining region epitopes that react with human immunoglobulin M rheumatoid factors

Human immunoglobulin M (IgM) rheumatoid factors (RFs) show primary direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactivity with Fab rather than Fc fragments of monoclonal antibody (mAb) II-481 directed against the Fc gamma-binding site of herpes simplex virus glycoprotein gE. This preferential anti-Fab specificity suggests that RFs react with antigen-binding portions of mAb II-481 as anti-idiotypic antibodies directed at the combining site regions of mAb reacting with the Fc gamma-binding region of gE. Analysis of this idiotype-anti-idiotype reaction employed polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of the variable heavy and light (VH and VL) regions of mAb II-481. When VH and VL regions of mAb II-481 were synthesized as overlapping 7-mer peptides on polypropylene pins, a panel of 10 polyclonal and 6 monoclonal human IgM RFs reacted primarily with epitopes within the three solvent-exposed mAb II-481 complementarity determining regions (CDRs). Preincubation of single CDR heptamer peptides with IgM RFs in free solution, resulted in 63-100% inhibition of RF binding to mAb II-481 on the ELISA plate, confirming the antigenic importance of linear CDR regions for RF reactivity. Combinations of two or three CDR peptides frequently produced 94-100% inhibition of RF binding to whole mAb II-481. Control peptides, singly or in combination, showed no inhibition. Computer modeling suggested that the RF-reactive mAb II-481 Fv region and a previously demonstrated RF-reactive CH3 epitope displayed considerable three-dimensional similarities in conformation. These studies may provide insight into limited shape homologies possibly involved in an RF anti-idiotypic reaction.
An examination of the evidence in culturally adapted evidence-based or empirically supported interventions

Measurement yields perhaps the most critical evidence influencing whether culturally adapted evidence- based practice (EBP) and empirically supported treatments (EST) are deemed more effective for African Americans, Latino/a Americans, Asian/Pacific Islander Americans, Native Americans, and related immigrant groups than standard treatments, as well as for determining the validity of results of surveys of health conditions in nondominant populations internationally. However, little attention has been given to measuring the effects of race and ethnic culture, as experiential constructs rather than sociodemographic categories, on diagnosis, the treatment process, and outcomes. Three meta-analyses of culturally adapted treatments and three studies cited in them were analyzed to determine the ways in which researchers incorporated measurement of racial and ethnic cultural dynamics as explicit factors in any phase of their interventions. The analysis revealed that researchers did not report adapting standard measures to address cultural influences, nor did they define symptoms from participants' cultural or racial experiences. The author concludes that although there are criteria for judging good research designs, which may or not be feasible for research on nondominant racial and ethnic groups, there are no paradigms for developing measures or for interpreting existing measures to incorporate ethnicity and racialized experiences. Some principles from cross-cultural assessment research (i.e., functional, conceptual, metric, and linguistic equivalence) are adapted to suggest how measures for investigating the effectiveness of culturally adapted interventions for nondominant ethnic and racialized groups might be developed and/or used more appropriately throughout the course of the intervention.
The Planners' City: The Construction of a Town Planning Perception of Colombo:

The cities that administrators administer, planners plan, and scholars examine are perceptions that represent the absolute city ‘that is out there’. This paper narrates how a new perception of the city based on British town planning, modified within the Empire, was established in Colombo, the former capital of Sri Lanka. It focuses on the interpretation and representation of physical realities in Colombo using the norms imported through the Housing Ordinance of 1915 and later the town planning discourse. The ordinance problematic the living environments of the poor residents, requiring solutions that were not available in Colombo. Instead of solving these, the colonial/imperial planner Patrick Geddes, and the others who followed him, carried town planning to Colombo and kept rewriting its history. The new perception of the city focused the attention of the authorities on a capitalist city, which was lain over the colonial city, marginalizing the poor. In this way the colonial planners taught the Ceylonese...
RNATOPS-W

Summary: RNATOPS-W is a web server to search sequences for RNA secondary structures including pseudoknots. The server accepts an annotated RNA multiple structural alignment as a structural profile and genomic or other sequences to search. It is built upon RNATOPS, a command line C++software package for the same purpose, in which filters to speed up search are manually selected. RNATOPS-W improves upon RNATOPS by adding the function of automatic selection of a hidden Markov model (HMM) filter and also a friendly user interface for selection of a substructure filter by the user. In addition, RNATOPS-W complements existing RNA secondary structure search web servers that either use built-in structure profiles or are not able to detect pseudoknots. RNATOPS-W inherits the efficiency of RNATOPS in detecting large, complex RNA structures. Availability: The web server RNATOPS-W is available at the web site www.uga.edu/RNA-Informatics/?f=software&p=RNATOPS-w. The underlying search program RNATOPS can be downloaded at www.uga.edu/RNA-Informatics/?f=software&p=RNATOPS. Contact: cai@cs.uga.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Nonhuman Primate Models of Chikungunya Virus Infection and Disease (CHIKV NHP Model).

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a positive-sense RNA virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. CHIKV is a reemerging Alphavirus that causes acute febrile illness and severe and debilitating polyarthralgia of the peripheral joints. Huge epidemics and the rapid spread of CHIKV seen in India and the Indian Ocean region established CHIKV as a global health concern. This concern was further solidified by the recent incursion of the virus into the Western hemisphere, a region without pre-existing immunity. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) serve as excellent animal models for understanding CHIKV pathogenesis and pre-clinical assessment of vaccines and therapeutics. NHPs present advantages over rodent models because they are a natural amplification host for CHIKV and they share significant genetic and physiological homology with humans. CHIKV infection in NHPs results in acute fever, rash, viremia and production of type I interferon. NHPs develop CHIKV-specific B and T-cells, generating neutralizing antibodies and CHIKV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. CHIKV establishes a persistent infection in NHPs, particularly in cynomolgus macaques, because infectious virus could be recovered from spleen, liver, and muscle as late as 44 days post infection. NHPs are valuable models that are useful in preclinical testing of vaccines and therapeutics and uncovering the details of CHIKV pathogenesis.
Top-Gated Graphene Field-Effect Transistors Using Graphene on Si (111) Wafers

In this letter, we report the first experimental demonstration of wafer-scale ambipolar field-effect transistor (FET) on Si (111) substrates by synthesizing a graphene layer on top of 3C-SiC(111)/Si(111) substrates. With lateral scaling of the source-drain distance to 1 μm in a top-gated layout, the ON-state current of 225 μA/μm and peak transconductance of > 40 μS/μm were obtained at Vds = 2 V, which is the highest performance of graphene-on-Si FETs. The peak field-effect mobilities of 285 cm2 /Vs for holes and 175 cm2 /Vs for electrons were demonstrated, which is higher than that of ultra-thin-body SOI (n, p) MOSFETs.
New Approaches to the Treatment of Myelodysplasia

The therapeutic dilemma that confronts the management of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is illustrated by the absence of a Food and Drug Administration-approved agent with an indication for this disease. Clinical heterogeneity and inadequate understanding of the disease pathobiology have limited progress in the development of novel therapeutics. Preclinical investigations indicate that reciprocal interaction between the malignant clone and the microenvironment serve to create a hostile milieu that reinforces ineffective blood cell production. Ineffective hematopoiesis, the hallmark of MDS, arises from impaired progenitor responsiveness to normal trophic signals and excess local generation of inhibitory cytokines, which promote accelerated apoptotic loss of progenitors and their progeny. Evidence to support this model derives from cytokine neutralization studies and the direct relationship between plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentration and DNA oxidation and glutathione depletion in malignant CD34+ progenitors. Recent investigations indicate that angiogenic molecules generated by malignant myelomonocytic precursors represent integral diffusable signals that reinforce leukemia progenitor self-renewal while promoting the generation of proapoptotic cytokines and medullary angiogenic response. The potential for leukemia evolution is compounded by epigenetic events including methylation silencing of the p15 proto-oncogene or activating ras point mutations. Delineation of such biologic features that are central to the pathobiology of MDS provides a reliable framework for the development of novel therapeutics. Antiangiogenic agents in clinical testing include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, thalidomide and related analogues, and the recombinant VEGF neutralizing antibody, bevacizumab. Agents whose actions may restore differentiation programs, such as the DNA methyltransferase inhibitors or histone deacetylase inhibitors, offer the prospect to promote effective hematopoiesis while impacting the potential for leukemia evolution. RAS farnesyl transferase inhibitors have shown encouraging preliminary results in acute myeloid leukemia and are currently under investigation in advanced MDS and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) interacts with a spectrum of biologic targets that may be uniquely suited to MDS. ATO is a potent inducer of apoptosis in thiol-depleted malignant progenitors and neovascular endothelium, while promoting differentiation through histone acetylation and inactivation of transcriptional corepressors. The identification of relevant biologic targets in MDS has raised expectations for the development of disease-specific therapies for MDS in the years that follow.
Experimental determination of refractive index of condensed reflectin in squid iridocytes

Loliginid squid dynamically tune the structural iridescence of cells in their skin for active camouflage and communication. Bragg reflectors in these cells consist of membrane-bound lamellae periodically alternating with low refractive index extracellular spaces; neuronal signalling induces condensation of the reflectin proteins that fill the lamellae, consequently triggering the expulsion of water. This causes an increase in refractive index within the lamellae, activating reflectance, with the change in lamellar thickness and spacing progressively shifting the wavelength of reflected light. We used micro-spectrophotometry to measure the functionally relevant refractive index of the high-index lamellae of the Bragg reflectors containing the condensed reflectins in chemically fixed dermal iridocytes of the squid, Doryteuthis opalescens. Our high-magnification imaging spectrometer allowed us to obtain normalized spectra of optically distinct sections of the individual, subcellular, multi-layer Bragg stacks. Replacement of the extracellular fluid with liquids of increasing refractive index allowed us to measure the reflectivity of the Bragg stacks as it decreased progressively to 0 when the refractive index of the extracellular medium exactly matched that of the reflectin-filled lamellae, thus allowing us to directly measure the refractive index of the reflectin-filled lamellae as ncondensed lamellae ≈ 1.44. The measured value of the physiologically relevant ncondensed lamellae from these bright iridocytes falls within the range of values that we recently determined by an independent optical method and is significantly lower than values previously reported for dehydrated and air-dried reflectin films. We propose that this directly measured value for the refractive index of the squid's Bragg lamellae containing the condensed reflectins is most appropriate for calculations of reflectivity in similar reflectin-based high-index layers in other molluscs.
A variational approach for optimizing quadratic mutual information for medical image registration

This paper explores the use of quadratic mutual information as a similarity criterion for dense, non-rigid registration of medical images. Quadratic mutual information between two random variables has been recently proposed as Euclidean distance between the joint density and the product of the marginals. It has been shown to have a smooth sample estimator, that can be computed without having to use numerical approximation techniques for computing the integral over densities. In this paper, we derive Euler-Lagrange equations for optimizing quadratic mutual information in a variational framework. We then obtain a dense deformation field for registering 3D tomography images. Our results demonstrate the applicability of this criterion for such a task, and yield ground for further analysis and research.
Investigating the Contribution of Pathological Levels of Cyclic Strain on Vascular and Valvular Calcification

Abstract Aortic stenosis and atherosclerosis tend to coexist in most patients with cardiovascular disease; however, the causes and mechanisms of calcification are still not clearly understood. To understand the contributions of physiological (10%) and pathological (5%, 15%) levels of cyclic strain in calcification, we used a model system of tissue-engineered collagen gels containing human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) and human aortic valvular interstitial cells (HAVIC), both isolated from non-calcific heart transplant tissues. The tissue engineered collagen gels were cultured in standard osteogenic media for three weeks in a custom designed bioreactor and all assessments were performed at the end of the culture period. The major finding of this study was that bone morphogenic protein (BMP) -2, -4 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 mRNA expression significantly changed in response to the magnitude of strain in valvular cells, while the least expression was observed for the representative 10% physiological strain. On the other hand, these mRNA expressions in vascular cells responded to strain, but did not vary due to the magnitude (5% versus 10% versus 15%) of strain. When the BMP-2 and BMP-4 protein expression was detected using immunostaining, we observed that only valvular cells showed greater BMP-2 expression for 5% and 15% strain when compared to 10% strain within the same cell type. Our results suggest that cell mediated differences exist between vascular and valvular cells in their response to different levels of cyclic strain.
The data collection modules and ATM-based event builder for the PHENIX experiment at RHIC

The PHENIX experiment at RHIC will study 200 AGeV Au+Au collisions as well as pp and pA collisions at higher energies. In order to study hard processes or high-mass vector mesons, which have small cross sections, PHENIX emphasizes measuring charged hadrons, leptons, and photons at a high rate in a limited aperture. At design RHIC luminosity, the minimum-bias interaction rate will be approximately 1000 Hz with an average zero-suppressed event size of 200 kB. We will discuss two major parts of the PHENIX online system: the data collection modules (DCM) and the event builder (EvB). The DCMs use a combination of FPGAs and DSPs to perform online pedestal subtraction, zero-suppression, and data formatting. They have been fully constructed and tested and are able to deliver data at a maximum rate of 160 MB/s. The event builder consists of commercially available PCs and a 10 Gb/s ATM switch. The software for it has been developed using Windows NT, Winsock-2 and Visual C++, allowing a fully object-oriented design. Currently, we are running configurations with up to 4 sources and 3 destinations that can deliver data at /spl sim/10 MB/sec/node and performance is improving steadily.
Composite materials for aerospace propulsion related to air and space transportation

Composite materials are becoming available for aerospace propulsion applications owing to their light weight and high temperature capability. This chapter provides an overview of the application of composite materials in aerospace propulsion related to air and space transportation. Relevant composites include both polymer matrix composites (PMCs) and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). The PMCs are finding increasing application in colder sections of aircraft gas turbine engines, such as fan blade and fan cases, primarily for weight reduction. The CMCs, while reducing weight, are enabling an increasing temperature capability of gas turbine engines for air transportation and rocket propulsion systems for space transportation. CMCs are also enabling air-breathing hypersonic engines. This chapter provides an overview of the current status of the application of PMCs and CMCs to aerospace propulsion components related to air and space transportation.
High Resolution Electron Microscopy of Grain Boundaries in Silicon

The lattice imaging technique has been used to study grain boundaries in annealed, chemically vapor deposited (CVD) silicon. The majority of the grain boundaries are Σ*=3, 9 or 27, i.e. they are all twin related, and have boundary planes which coincide with high density planes of the appropriate coincidence site lattice (CSL). Asymmetric Σ=27 boundaries are found to be dissociated on an atomic scale into faceted Σ=3 boundaries and Σ=9 boundaries. No dissociation of the Σ=27 boundaries is observed when the boundary planes are symmetric.
N-methyl, 5-methyl histamine evokes a higher maximal rate of gastric acid secretion than histamine.

SummaryIn cats with gastric fistulas, the histamine H2 receptor agonist N-methyl, 5-methyl histamine gave a higher maximal rate of acid secretion than histamine. Histamine plus a histamine H1 receptor antagonist also gave a higher maximal rate of acid secretion than histamine alone. These findings are compatible with the hypothesis that histamine acts on H1 receptors to inhibit acid secretion.Supported by a Veterans Administration Senior Medical Investigatorship (M. I. Grossman) and by NIAMDD Grants 08354 and 17328 to CURE (Center for Ulcer Research and Education).
We Avoid Antibiotic Lock Solutions due to Fear of Antibiotic Resistance

Hemodialysis catheter-related bacteremia (CRB) is the most common complication associated with catheter use in dialysis patients and portends a high morbidity and mortality. Current CDC and KDIGO guidelines recommend treating CRBs with systemic antibiotics in conjunction with catheter replacement, although the latter has limitations. Antibiotic lock solutions (ABLs) are very effective in both prevention and treatment of CRBs in hemodialysis patients and may be a preferred alternative to catheter replacement especially in patients where catheter salvage is a priority. Previous smaller observational studies have raised concerns of a potential increase in antibiotic resistance associated with the widespread use of ABLs. Review of the recent literature does not support this claim.
Pollen Feeding and Survival of the Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Selected Plant Species in Northeastern Mexico

Alternate feeding hosts of adult boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were studied in Tamaulipas, Mexico, by (1) isolating and identifying pollen grains from the alimentary tract of weevils caught in pheromone traps in Tamaulipas, Mexico, during 1985, 1986, and 1987; and (2) evaluating the potential importance of alternate host plants in the biology of the boll weevil by recording the survival rates, fat body accumulation and reproductive development of boll weevil adults when fed Rowers and buds of selected plant species. In total, 3,348 pollen grains of all kinds were isolated from 1,204 boll weevils captured in pheromone traps in central Tamaulipas. Of 406 individual weevils collected from October through May, 34.7% were found with some type of ingested pollen grains. Boll weevils with ingested pollen were found in every habitat in which traps were placed, although the percentage of weevils with ingested pollen varied between habitats and with distance from cultivated cotton. The mean number of pollen grains of all species per weevil was 12.9 ± 3.8 (mean ± SE) ( n = 406), and several weevils were found with >200 ingested pollen grains. The ingested pollen grains were from fourteen identified plant families. The most commonly represented families were Compositae (29.9%), Leguminosae (14.6%), Malvaceae (5.3%), Gramineae (0.6%), and Fagaceae (0.6%). Adult boll weevils readily fed on the various noncotton plants (Compositae, Malvaceae, and Cactaceae) offered in field cages. Mean survival times of boll weevils were significantly greater when fed either pure pollen mixtures, Gossypium hirsutum L. buds (cotton), Opuntia lindheimeri Engelm. (Cactaceae) flowers, or Abutilon hypolecum Gray (Malvaceae) than controls (water only). Fat body development of boll weevils fed these food sources was also significantly greater than controls. Polyphagous pollen feeding behavior may be an important survival strategy of the boll weevil in the absence of reproductive hosts, especially in tropical habitats where adult boll weevils may be active throughout the year.
Three Dimensional Simulation of Ion Thruster Plumes with AMR and Parallelization Strategies

A novel grid approach called Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) using the Octree method for use within a kinetic Direct Simulation Monte Carlo Method (DSMC) and Particle in Cell (PIC) solver is described for an ion thruster application. AMR is widely used in simulations characterized by multi-scale properties and serves as a powerful tool in terms of efficiency and flexibility. A single thruster configuration has been studied and it was found that the Charge Exchange (CEX) reactions have a major effect especially on the velocity field. A three dimensional, three-thruster case was also simulated to see the effect on the plume and on the corresponding mesh structure when there is no axial or radial symmetry present. Finally, a parallel computing framework is introduced in order to extend studies to more computationally extensive cases and decrease the simulation times significantly.
Wildfire and forest disease interaction lead to greater loss of soil nutrients and carbon

Fire and forest disease have significant ecological impacts, but the interactions of these two disturbances are rarely studied. We measured soil C, N, Ca, P, and pH in forests of the Big Sur region of California impacted by the exotic pathogen Phytophthora ramorum, cause of sudden oak death, and the 2008 Basin wildfire complex. In Big Sur, overstory tree mortality following P. ramorum invasion has been extensive in redwood and mixed evergreen forests, where the pathogen kills true oaks and tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus). Sampling was conducted across a full-factorial combination of disease/no disease and burned/unburned conditions in both forest types. Forest floor organic matter and associated nutrients were greater in unburned redwood compared to unburned mixed evergreen forests. Post-fire element pools were similar between forest types, but lower in burned-invaded compared to burned-uninvaded plots. We found evidence disease-generated fuels led to increased loss of forest floor C, N, Ca, and P. The same effects were associated with lower %C and higher PO4–P in the mineral soil. Fire–disease interactions were linear functions of pre-fire host mortality which was similar between the forest types. Our analysis suggests that these effects increased forest floor C loss by as much as 24.4 and 21.3 % in redwood and mixed evergreen forests, respectively, with similar maximum losses for the other forest floor elements. Accumulation of sudden oak death generated fuels has potential to increase fire-related loss of soil nutrients at the region-scale of this disease and similar patterns are likely in other forests, where fire and disease overlap.
Echocardiographic Assessment of Valvular Heart Disease

Echocardiography is the primary tool for the noninvasive detection, quantitation, and follow-up assessment of valvular heart disease. No single echocardiography method can be considered a robust “gold standard” for quantification of lesion severity in all situations. Valve lesion severity is often diagnosed by a synthesis of several anatomic, qualitative, and quantitative echocardiography severity indicators. For best practice, laboratories should routinely obtain as many severity parameters as possible, so that adequate scanning and interpretation skills are maintained for accurate diagnoses in difficult cases. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) may be needed in conjunction with the transthoracic exam (TTE) for a definitive diagnosis.
Improving K-12 Online Learning: Information Literacy Skills for Teacher Candidates

Research indicates the need for teachers to be able to locate, evaluate, and use Internet resources in their teaching and learning processes. In addition, the Common Core State Standards require that students are able to think critically and know how to search and use alternative views and perspectives in their assignments. These skills are imperative for teachers and teacher candidates. This article reports the results of a study that sought to examine strategies used by teacher candidates when using Internet search engines, their ability to integrate the information they find into their own assignments, and use the acquired skills for future classroom use. The study employed a mixed-method approach in the collection and analysis of data gathered from a sample of 45 teacher candidates. Data sources included a survey, class assignments that required documentation of the search process as well as the located sources, and semi-structured interviews. Findings from the study revealed the need to teach teacher candidates how to conduct searches effectively, critically evaluate the sources, and integrate the information acquired from the online sources into professional and academic writing that models such behavior for their students. Suggestions for improvement of practice offered in this paper were piloted in one instructional technology course.
A cross-border perspective on migration: beyond the assimilation/transnationalism debate

ABSTRACTThe transnational perspective emerged in the early 1990s as an alternative to assimilation theory, gaining instant and wide influence. But curiously, the intellectual confrontation between these two perspectives was averted, as scholars concluded that persistent homeland engagement was fully compatible with hostland integration. This paper seeks to pick up that challenge. I demonstrate how a cross-border perspective, encompassing places of origin and destination and the flows of people, ideas, and resources between them, highlights the ways in which population movements across state borders create tensions on both receiving and sending sides. In the process, I will show how looking across borders paradoxically highlights the centrality of the territorial boundary, as it simultaneously underscores the importance of dissimilation – the social and political separation of immigrants from the people they have left behind – yet also the ways in which non-citizen status and foreign origins simultaneously...
Safety and Tolerability of Anti-Bacterial Prophylaxis during the Post-Engraftment Phase after Myeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Abstract Background: Bacterial infections, including infections with Gram-negative organisms, frequently complicate the post-engraftment phase after myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In this pilot study, we investigated the safety and tolerability of administering antibacterial prophylaxis from the time of engraftment (absolute neutrophil count of >1500/mm3 for 2 days) through day +100. Moxifloxacin was chosen for its broad spectrum of bacterial coverage and for its ability to target both bacterial topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase, limiting the development of antimicrobial resistance. Methods: Twenty-three patients with engraftment after allogeneic transplantation at OHSU received moxifloxacin 400 mg po daily upon discontinuation of any antibiotics used for the treatment of pre-enrollment bacterial infection. Rates of bacterial infection, bacteremia, and colonization were recorded. Comparisons were made with a cohort of 60 consecutive patients undergoing myeloablative transplantation at OHSU without similar antibacterial prophylaxis from 2001–2002. Results: The median duration of moxifloxacin prophylaxis was 77 days (range 7–87). Five patients had dose interruptions due to nausea associated with graft-versus-host disease and two patients elected not to restart study medication. Only 3 patients had dose interruptions during empiric antibiotic therapy for possible bacterial infection. Overall, moxifloxacin was well tolerated in this patient population, with 5 episodes of grade 3/4 toxicity felt possibly related to study drug (2 orthostatic hypotension in one patient, 2 nausea, and 1 hypertension). Five patients had episodes of transaminitis which were unlikely to be due to study medication, and which responded to discontinuation of antifungal therapy (4) or to treatment of liver GVHD (1). No cardiac arrhythmias or tendonopathy were observed. Compared to historic controls, a marked decrease in post-engraftment phase bacterial infections was observed. The control cohort, 16 patients experienced 17 episodes of Gram-negative and 22 patients had 25 episodes of symptomatic Gram-positive infections during the post-engraftment phase without prophylaxis. In contrast with moxifloxacin prophylaxis, 2 patients experienced 3 Gram-negative infections (χ2, p=0.079), 1 patient had an anaerobic infection, and 7 patients had 9 symptomatic Gram-positive infections. Conclusions: Prophylactic moxifloxacin dosed throughout the post-engraftment phase has been well tolerated, safe, and associated with a fewer bacterial infections compared to historic controls. The efficacy of this prophylaxis strategy will best be determined in a planned randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Optimizing Cardiac Delivery of Modified mRNA

Modified mRNA (modRNA) is a new technology in the field of somatic gene transfer that has been used for the delivery of genes into different tissues, including the heart. Our group and others have shown that modRNAs injected into the heart are robustly translated into the encoded protein and can potentially improve outcome in heart injury models. However, the optimal compositions of the modRNA and the reagents necessary to achieve optimal expression in the heart have not been characterized yet. In this study, our aim was to elucidate those parameters by testing different nucleotide modifications, modRNA doses, and transfection reagents both in vitro and in vivo in cardiac cells and tissue. Our results indicate that optimal cardiac delivery of modRNA is with N1-Methylpseudouridine-5′-Triphosphate nucleotide modification and achieved using 0.013 μg modRNA/mm 2 /500 cardiomyocytes (CMs) transfected with positively charged transfection reagent in vitro and 100 μg/mouse heart (1.6 μg modRNA/μL in 60 μL total) sucrose-citrate buffer in vivo. We have optimized the conditions for cardiac delivery of modRNA in vitro and in vivo. Using the described methods and conditions may allow for successful gene delivery using modRNA in various models of cardiovascular disease.
Mercury levels of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) are associated with capture location.

Mercury is a toxic compound to which humans are exposed by consumption of fish. Current fish consumption advisories focus on minimizing the risk posed by the species that are most likely to have high levels of mercury. Less accounted for is the variation within species, and the potential role of the geographic origin of a fish in determining its mercury level. Here we surveyed the mercury levels in 117 yellowfin tuna caught from 12 different locations worldwide. Our results indicated significant variation in yellowfin tuna methylmercury load, with levels that ranged from 0.03 to 0.82 μg/g wet weight across individual fish. Mean mercury levels were only weakly associated with fish size (R2 < 0.1461) or lipid content (R2 < 0.00007) but varied significantly, by a factor of 8, between sites. The results indicate that the geographic origin of fish can govern mercury load, and argue for better traceability of fish to improve the accuracy of exposure risk predictions.