cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A model for the induction of autism in the ecosystem of the human body: the anatomy of a modern pandemic?

Background : The field of autism research is currently divided based on a fundamental question regarding the nature of autism: Some are convinced that autism is a pandemic of modern culture, with environmental factors at the roots. Others are convinced that the disease is not pandemic in nature, but rather that it has been with humanity for millennia, with its biological and neurological underpinnings just now being understood. Objective : In this review, two lines of reasoning are examined which suggest that autism is indeed a pandemic of modern culture. First, given the widely appreciated derailment of immune function by modern culture, evidence that autism is strongly associated with aberrant immune function is examined. Second, evidence is reviewed indicating that autism is associated with ‘triggers’ that are, for the most part, a construct of modern culture. In light of this reasoning, current epidemiological evidence regarding the incidence of autism, including the role of changing awareness and diagnostic criteria, is examined. Finally, the potential role of the microbial flora (the microbiome) in the pathogenesis of autism is discussed, with the view that the microbial flora is a subset of the life associated with the human body, and that the entire human biome, including both the microbial flora and the fauna, has been radically destabilized by modern culture. Conclusions : It is suggested that the unequivocal way to resolve the debate regarding the pandemic nature of autism is to perform an experiment: monitor the prevalence of autism after normalizing immune function in a Western population using readily available approaches that address the well-known factors underlying the immune dysfunction in that population. Keywords: microbiome; fauna; autism; pandemic (Published: 28 January 2015) This paper is part of the Supplement: The Microbiome in Autism Spectrum Disorder . More papers from this supplement can be found at http://www.microbecolhealthdis.net
Effects of temperature on fluorescence in human tissue

The fluorescence properties of human tissue are known to be temperature dependent. The most apparent effect of this dependence is the inverse relationship between fluorescence and temperature. In this study, we used fluorescence and diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy to investigate the effects of temperature on fluorescence, thermal coagulation, and tissue optical properties. Human tissue from the breast and abdomen were examined in vitro, and human skin was examined in vivo using a fluorescence and diffuse-reflectance system to observe the effects of temperature on fluorescence and optical properties. Fluorescence measurements were carried out using a pulsed nitrogen laser at 337 nm for excitation and a thermal camera for temperature measurements. Thermal variation of the specimens was provided by a phosphate buffered saline solution for the in vitro experiments and an ice pack and heat lamp for the in vivo experiments. In vitro temperatures varied from 0°C to 70°C and in vivo temperatures varied from 15°C to 40°C. Optical property measurements and Monte Carlo simulations were carried out on the in vitro samples for different levels of thermal exposure. Results of both the in vivo and in vitro experiments indicate that optical properties of human tissue change at high temperatures, primarily due to increased scattering. In addition, certain internal processes may have contributed to a decrease in fluorescence with increasing temperature. Some of these effects were found to be reversible before a certain temperature threshold, while some effects of coagulation on fluorescence and optical properties were not reversible.
The micro- and macroeconomics of information

L'information est aujourd'hui au centre des pensees et des pratiques economiques. L'A. analyse l'impact de l'information au niveau micro- et macroeconomique. Dans un premier temps, elle passe en revue l'histoire de la pensee economique concernant les questions d'information aux niveaux micro- et macro-. Puis elle examine comment les manieres de prendre en compte l'information affecte la facon d'envisager l'economie elle-meme. Differentes perspectives sur l'information comme secteur specifique d'activite economique sont considerees. Enfin l'A. explore l'impact de l'incorporation de l'information dans la theorie economique sur un certain nombre de concepts economiques cle, avant d'examiner les implications de ces developpements sur le plan politique et pour la recherche.
Differential current measurement in the BNL energy recovery linac test facility

Abstract An energy recovery linac (ERL) test facility is presently under construction at BNL [V.N. Litvinenko, et al., High current energy recovery linac at BNL, PAC, 2005; I. Ben-Zvi, et al., Extremely high current, high brightness energy recovery linac, PAC, 2005]. The goal of this test facility is to demonstrate CW operation with an average beam current greater than 100 mA, and with greater than 99.95% efficiency of current recovery. This facility will serve as a test bed for the novel high current CW photo-cathode [A. Burrill, et al., Multi-alkali photocathode development at BNL, PAC, 2005; A. Murray, et al., State-of-the-art electron guns and injector designs for energy recovery linacs, PAC, 2005], the superconducting RF cavity with HOM dampers [R. Calaga, et al., High current superconducting cavities at RHIC, EPAC, 2004; R. Calaga, et al., in: Proceedings of the 11th workshop on RF superconductivity, Lubeck, Germany, 2003], and the lattice [D. Kayran, V. Litvinenko, Novel method of emittance preservation in ERL merging system in presence of strong space charge forces, PAC, 2005; D. Kayran, et al., Optics for high brightness and high current ERL project at BNL, PAC, 2005] and feedback systems needed to insure the specified beam parameters. It is an important stepping stone for electron cooling in RHIC [I. Ben-Zvi, et al., Electron cooling of RHIC, PAC, 2005], and essential to meet the luminosity specifications of RHICII [T. Hallman, et al., RHICII/eRHIC white paper, available at http://www.bnl.gov/henp/docs/NSAC_RHICII-eRHIC_2-15-03.pdf ]. The expertise and experience gained in this effort might also extend forward into a 10–20 GeV ERL for the electron-ion collider eRHIC [ http://www.agsrhichome.bnl.gov/eRHIC/ , Appendix A, The linac-ring option, 2005]. We report here on the use of a technique of differential current measurement to monitor the efficiency of current recovery in the test facility, and investigate the possibility of using such a monitor in the machine protection system.
Localization of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in type 3 cells and demonstration of their source to f2 terminals in the cat lateral geniculate nucleus: A golgi-electron-microscopic GABA-immunocytochemical study

Postembedding immunocytochemistry with a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) antiserum was done on semithin sections of cat lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) previously processed with the rapid-Golgi and gold-toning procedures, to determine which of the three main morphological types (1, 2,3) of neurons in the A-laminae show immunoreactivity and are, therefore, presumably GABAergic. Only type 3 cells were found to be GABA positive. These cells were characterized by small somata and few, scarcely branched dendrites bearing almost exclusively appendages with long slender stalks. Some of these cells have extensive filiform "axonlike" processes originating from different regions of dendrites and having appendages similar to those originating directly from dendrites. Many of these Golgi gold-toned impregnated dendritic appendages of type 3 cells were analyzed in the electron microscope and were identified as typical F2 terminals by their content of pleomorphic synaptic vesicles; by being postsynaptic to retinal (RLP), cortical (RSD), and perigeniculate (F1) terminals; and by being presynaptic to dendrites. In addition, since it was previously demonstrated that glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and GABA-positive cells are not retrogradely labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) from the visual cortex, the present results, by showing that GABA-positive cells have type 3 morphology, provide supporting evidence for the interneuronal nature of type 3 cells in cat LGN.
Bending Resonance in a Magnetostrictive-Piezoelectric Bilayer and Magnetoelectric Interactions

A ferromagnetic and piezoelectric layered composite is found to show resonance enhancement of strain mediated magnetoelectric (ME) coupling at frequencies as low as 20 Hz. Samples of Permendur-lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and Metglas-PZT show bending resonance at fr = 120–158 Hz and two-orders of magnitude enhancement in ME voltage. When a tip mass m = 1 – 20 g is placed on the cantilever, fr decreases and levels off at 20 Hz and ME voltage increases by a factor of two. These observations are in agreement with theory. The composite cantilevers are of importance for ultrasensitive low-frequency magnetometers.
Using reverse osmosis to obtain organic matter from surface and ground waters

Abstract Reverse osmosis (RO) is a rapid, powerful technique for concentrating dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface and ground waters. The portable RO system used in our research group can process 150–2001 of water per hour with 90% recovery of organic carbon without exposing DOM to harsh chemical reagents. The system has been tested in blackwater streams, low-DOM streams, and in ground waters from very deep aquifers (> 1000 m). This paper discusses (1) percent recovery of organic carbon from a variety of surface and ground waters, (2) laboratory and modeling studies of the pH dependence of the recovery of low molecular weight organic acids from dilute solutions, and (3) operational factors that potentially affect the performance of the RO system in field experiments.
Slepian models for waves and wave-structure interaction

A regressive form of Slepian modelling was used to develop predictive models for the key variables associated with three quite different experimental data sets. The first data set provided a time series record of the surface elevation for a moderate random seaway. The second data set provided measurements of the wave elevation at the front of a finite draft deep water platform. This data set was significantly more nonlinear since the local wave field was amplified by the presence of the platform. The final data set dealt with the rate of wave run-up and this involved the derivative of the second data set. The results consistently illustrated the need to have an adequate number of events to use as the basis for the regression model. The study presents guidelines for selecting the initial crossing level which is crucial to the Slepian model development. Once the regression model has been established the model allows one to make predictions for other values of level crossing. It was found that the accuracy of those predictions depends on the accuracy of the initial regression process and that reasonable estimates can be obtained.
Evaluation of Five Commercially Prepared Diets for Striped Bass

Abstract Fingerling striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were held in tanks at 20°C and fed five commercially prepared diets over an 8-week period. There were no significant differences in weight gain among fish fed a commercial trout diet (daily gain, 1.49% of body weight), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service open-formula trout diet GR-6-30 (1.76%/d), or the Service's Atlantic salmon diet ASD-2-30 (1.72%/d). Striped bass fed a modified catfish diet had significantly lower growth (0.74%/ d) than those fed the trout or salmon diets. Striped bass fed a commercial diet consisting of all fish by-products gained only 0.09% body weight!d after losing weight during the first 2 weeks. Fingerling and yearling striped bass reared in ponds grew significantly faster when fed a commercial trout diet than when fed a modified catfish diet.
Optical molasses and multilevel atoms: experiment

The cooling mechanisms for laser cooling of atoms in optical molasses have been investigated experimentally. A significant simplification over the usual three-dimensional geometry has been obtained by studying the optical molasses in one or two dimensions only. By proper choice of polarizations the behavior of a pure two-level system as well as the more complicated effects of polarization gradients on laser cooling of a multilevel atom were observed.
Doing anthropology in sound

Sound has come to have a particular resonance in many disciplines over the past decade. Social theorists, historians, literary researchers, folklorists, and scholars in science and technology studies and visual, performative, and cultural studies provide a range of substantively rich accounts and epistemologically provocative models for how researchers can take sound seriously. This conversation explores general outlines of an anthropology of sound. Its main focus, however, is on the issues involved in using sound as a primary medium for ethnographic research.
A Longitudinal Study of Pulmonary Function in Cotton Gin Workers in the San Joaquin Valley

In a previous study we found no significant effects of acute exposure to the cotton gin environment on FEV 1 in San Joaquin Valley gin workers compared with concurrent control subjects, nor was there an excess of obstructive lung disease among the same gin workers. The present study looked at the mean annual decline in FEV 1 , FEV 1 /FVC, and FEF25-75% in San Joaquin Valley cotton gin workers vs concurrent control subjects over four years. The FEV 1 of gin workers completing all four years of the study declined 27.3 ml vs 35.5 ml in control subjects (p = 0.37); FEV 1 /FVC declined 0.21 percent in gin workers and 0.23 percent in control subjects (p = 0.86); FEF25-75% declined 0.058 L/s in gin workers and 0.066 L/s in control subjects (p=0.68). Also, the mean annual rate of change of FEV 1 was less among the gin workers who did not complete all four years than the gin workers completing all four years. The presence of "byssinosis" symptoms did not significantly influence the results. This prospective, longitudinal study failed to find any detrimental effect of the cotton gin environment on the rate of decline of FEV 1 , FEV 1 /FVC, and FEF25-75%. This result was independent of "byssinosis" symptoms and the effect of "dropouts."
Secondary Prevention and Mortality in Peripheral Artery Disease National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, 1999 to 2004

Background—Whether individuals with peripheral artery disease (PAD) identified by screening ankle-brachial index benefit from preventive therapies to reduce cardiovascular risk is unknown. We aimed to determine the number of US adults with PAD who are not receiving preventive therapies and whether treatment is associated with reduced mortality in PAD subjects without known cardiovascular disease. Methods and Results—We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999 to 2004 with mortality follow-up through December 31, 2006. We defined PAD as an ankle-brachial index ≤0.90. Of 7458 eligible participants ≥40 years, weighted PAD prevalence was 5.9±0.3% (mean±SE), corresponding to ≈7.1 million US adults with PAD. Statin use was reported in only 30.5±2.5%, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker use in 24.9±1.9%, and aspirin use in 35.8±2.9%, corresponding to 5.0 million adults with PAD not taking statins, 5.4 million not taking angiotensin-con...
Infrared hyperspectral imaging results from vapor plume experiments

In this article, recent measurements made with LIFTIRS, the Livermore Imaging Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectrometer, are presented. The experience gained with this instrument has produced a variety of insights into the tradeoffs between signal to noise ratio (SNR), spectral resolution and temporal resolution for time multiplexed Fourier transform imaging spectrometers. This experience has also clarified the practical advantages and disadvantages of Fourier transform hyperspectral imaging spectrometers regarding adaptation to varying measurement requirements on SNR vs. spectral resolution, spatial resolution and temporal resolution.
Childhood caries in the state of Kentucky, USA: a cross-sectional study

Untreated dental caries afflicts almost one third of school-aged children in the United States and many of them are from disadvantaged families. This cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of untreated caries in north central Kentucky, USA and to examine the relationships between the available demographic variables and untreated childhood caries as reported on the forms from the Smile Kentucky! program. During the fall of 2008, caries status was assessed during the visual oral screening examination component of “SmileKentucky!”– a model of the American Dental Association’s Give Kids A Smile program. Parents had completed brief surveys concerning 3,488 elementary school children aged 5 to 13 years who participated in the program. A secondary analysis was conducted using univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical methods. Untreated caries was reported in 33% of children. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses found that the most significant risk factors for having untreated caries were living in the metropolitan Louisville, Kentucky area, not having had a dental visit in the previous 3 years and not having any form of dental insurance. Untreated caries in elementary school children is prevalent in north-central Kentucky despite efforts to improve access to care. The results suggest that additional family and community preventive initiatives are needed to reduce the development of childhood caries in this area of the United States.
Hibernation induces immune changes in the lung of 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus).

During hibernation, significant changes occur in the systemic and intestinal immune populations. We found that the lungs of hibernating 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) also undergo shifts in immune phenotype. Within the population of mononuclear cells, the percentage of T cells increases and the percentage of CD11b/c+ cells decreases in hibernators. E-selectin, which promotes endothelial attachment, increases during arousal from torpor. Levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 in the lung are lower during hibernation while levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α remain constant. Expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins is also decreased in torpid hibernators. Our data point to a unique immune phenotype in the lung of hibernating ground squirrels in which certain immunosuppressive proteins are downregulated while some potentially inflammatory proteins are maintained or amplified. This indicates that the lung houses an immune population that can potentially respond to antigenic challenge during hibernation.
Colonic histopathology in untreated celiac sprue or refractory sprue: Is it lymphocytic colitis or colonic lymphocytosis?

Colonic histopathology in some patients with untreated celiac sprue and refractory sprue has been said to be indistinguishable from lymphocytic colitis, but there have been no objective comparisons on which this is based. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and to characterize the nature of colonic histopathology at the time of diagnosis in patients with celiac or refractory sprue. Colonoscopic biopsy specimens obtained at the time of diagnosis from 16 patients with celiac sprue, six patients with refractory sprue, nine patients with lymphocytic colitis, and five normal controls were analyzed blindly by histological and morphometric methods, quantitating the number and specific subtypes of inflammatory cells within the lamina propria and epithelium. Immunoperoxidase staining of intraepithelial lymphocytes with a monoclonal antibody to CD8 also was performed. Three of 16 patients with untreated celiac sprue (19%) were thought to have colonic histological abnormalities, which by morphometry consisted of slightly increased numbers of lymphocytes in the surface epithelium and lamina propria, many of which were CD8-positive. These abnormalities were distinguishable from lymphocytic colitis by the lack of increased overall lamina propria cellularity and surface epithelial abnormalities, and by fewer intraepithelial lymphocytes. In refractory sprue, colonic histological abnormalities were more frequent than in celiac sprue, occurring in four of six patients (67%), more pronounced, and identical to those in the lymphocytic colitis syndrome. However, colonic intraepithelial lymphocytes in lymphocytic colitis were mostly CD8-positive, whereas those in the colitis of refractory sprue rarely were. Mild colonic lymphocytosis in patients with untreated celiac sprue should be distinguished from lymphocytic colitis by the lack of surface epithelial abnormalities, the lack of increased cellularity of the lamina propria, and the lack of ongoing watery diarrhea after treatment with a gluten-free diet. In contrast, colonic histopathology in refractory sprue is indistinguishable from lymphocytic colitis, although immunohistochemical differences do exist.
Modeling performance of multi-component fibrous insulations against conductive and radiative heat transfer

Abstract In this work, we present a simulation methodology for studying heat transfer in multi-component fibrous media. Our simulation method is designed for high-porosity insulation media with air as the interstitial fluid where conduction through the solid structure is minimal. We obtain the resistance of fibrous media to radiative heat via a simulation method that incorporates both the microscale (fiber-level) and macroscale (media-level) properties of the constituent materials. We then combine this information with that obtained analytically for the conduction heat transfer through the media. The method presented here allows one to obtain quantitative predictions for the performance of media made up of different combinations of fibers with different materials or dimensions. For validation purposes, we simulated the experiment of Houston and Korpela [28] which was conducted for glass fiber insulations, and observed good agreement between the measurements and our predictions. For further demonstration, insulation media made up of glass and mineral wools fibers with different mass fractions and fiber diameters are simulated in blend and layered configurations and compared with each other. It was found that layered and blended fibrous multi-component insulations exhibit similar performance. It was also found that the stacking sequence does not affect the thermal resistance of layered media for the range of parameters studied here, in agreement with previous studies.
Shape and size dependence of radiative, non-radiative and photothermal properties of gold nanocrystals

Driven by the search for new materials with interesting and unique properties and also by the fundamental question of how atomic and molecular physical behaviour develops with increasing size, the field of nanoparticle research has grown immensely in the last two decades. Partially for these reasons, colloidal solutions of metallic (especially silver and gold) nanoparticles have long fascinated scientists because of their very intense colours. The intense red colour of colloidal gold nanoparticles is due to their surface plasmon absorption. This article describes the physical origin of the surface plasmon absorption in gold nanoparticles with emphasis on the Mie and also the Maxwell-Garnett theory and reviews the effects of particle size and shape on the resonance condition. A better understanding of the relationship between the optical absorption spectrum (in particular, the plasmon resonance) and such particle properties as its dimensions or surrounding environment can prove fruitful for the use of the ...
The importance of proper weighting methods

The importance of good weighting methods in information retrieval --- methods that stress the most useful features of a document or query representative --- is examined. Evidence is presented that good weighting methods are more important than the feature selection process and it is suggested that the two need to go hand-in-hand in order to be effective. The paper concludes with a method for learning a good weight for a term based upon the characteristics of that term.
Bacterial abundance in relation to surface area and organic content of marine sediments

Abstract Based on direct measurements on surface sediments collected from an intertidal salt marsh, a positive relationship was demonstrated between bacterial abundance and specific surface area of sediment. While this relationship has been postulated previously, this is the first direct confirmation that it holds over a wide range of sediment types. A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effects of specific surface area, distribution of surface area, and organic loading on bacterial colonization. Model sediments included angular silica particles, kaolin, and spherical glass beads, used singly or in mixtures. Organic loading resulted in substantial enhancement of bacterial colonization. Distribution of surface area controlled by textural, shape, and sorting, had a complex effect, with glass bead sediments generally supporting better colonization than silica particles or kaolin. The effect of specific surface area was noted only in restricted comparisons of similarly shaped glass beads.
Environmental attitudes and actions.

(1972). Environmental Attitudes and Actions. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 87, No. 2, pp. 323-324.
New abstractions for effective performance analysis of STM programs

We present the design and implementation of a dynamic conflict graph annotated with fine grain transaction characteristics and show that this is important information for effective performance analysis of a software transactional memory (STM) program. We show how to implement the necessary support in a compiler and an STM with minimal perturbation of the original behavior of the application.
Effects of oilseed storage proteins on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus

Potential involvement of seed storage proteins in susceptibility to aflatoxin contamination was assessed with in vitro tests. Initially, two oilseed storage proteins [cottonseed storage protein (CSP) and zein] were compared with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and collagen. Supplementation of a complete defined medium with either oilseed storage protein resulted in significantly more aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus than supplementation with either BSA or collagen. Little or no aflatoxin was produced when either BSA, CSP, or zein was employed (at 0.5%) as both the sole carbon and the sole nitrogen source. Media with collagen (0.5%) as the sole nitrogen and carbon source supported aflatoxin production similar to the complete defined medium. Although lower than levels observed with defined medium, aflatoxin production increased with both increasing CSP concentration (0 to 2.0%) and increasing zein concentration (0 to 6.0%) when these proteins served as both the sole carbon and sole nitrogen source. Denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and protease activity assays indicated that fungal acquisition of protein carbon was probably via hydrolysis mediated by the 35 kD metalloprotease of A. flavus. Media lacking nitrogen but containing sucrose (5.0%) and supplemented with either zein (1.7%) or CSP (2.0%) supported three- to eightfold more aflatoxin production than the complete defined medium. The results suggest seed storage proteins, when present with an accessible carbon source, may predispose oilseed crops to support production of high levels of aflatoxins by A. flavus during seed infection.
Drug Legalization, the Drug War, and Drug Treatment in Historical Perspective

One thing that all parties in the American drug-policy debate agree upon is the desirability of eliminating the traffic in illicit drugs and the esurient criminal syndicates that control it. There are two divergent strategies for achieving this end. The first is the war on drugs. The second, which emerged in the late 1980s as a highly controversial alternative to the drug war, is controlled legalization. What follows is a historically informed critique of both approaches.
On Multihop Distances in Wireless Sensor Networks with Random Node Locations

Location and intersensor distance estimations are important functions for the operation of wireless sensor networks, especially when protocols can benefit from the distance information prior to network deployment. The maximum multihop distance that can be covered in a given number of hops in a sensor network is one such parameter related with coverage area, delay, and minimal multihop transmission energy consumption estimations. In randomly deployed sensor networks, intersensor distances are random variables. Hence, their evaluations require probabilistic methods, and distance models should involve investigation of distance distribution functions. Current literature on analytical modeling of the maximum distance distribution is limited to 1D networks using the Gaussian pdf. However, determination of the maximum multihop distance distribution in 2D networks is a quite complex problem. Furthermore, distance distributions in 2D networks are not accurately modeled by the Gaussian pdf. Hence, we propose a greedy method of distance maximization and evaluate the distribution of the obtained multihop distance through analytical approximations and simulations.
Actions of sulfasalazine and 5-aminosalicylic acid as reactive oxygen scavengers in the suppression of bile acid-induced increases in colonic epithelial cell loss and proliferative activity

Sulfasalazine suppresses mucosal injury in patients with ulcerative colitis, but the mechanism of its therapeutic action is uncertain. In the present study, we examined the mechanism of the protective action of sulfasalazine in a rat model in which colonic epithelial cell loss and subsequent increases in epithelial proliferative activity were induced by intracolonic instillation of sodium deoxycholate. Sulfasalazine or its therapeutically active metabolite 5-aminosalicylic acid suppressed the loss of deoxyribonucleic acid into the colonic lumen and the subsequent increases in mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity and tritiated thymidine incorporation into deoxyribonucleic acid induced by sodium deoxycholate. Sulfasalazine and 5-aminosalicylic acid also blocked xanthine-xanthine oxidase-induced loss of deoxyribonucleic acid and the subsequent proliferative response. In vitro sodium deoxycholate increased reactive oxygen formation by colonic mucosal scrapings or isolated crypt epithelium. These actions of sodium deoxycholate on reactive oxygen formation were blocked by sulfasalazine or 5-aminosalicylic acid. Sulfapyridine, a therapeutically inactive metabolite of sulfasalazine, had no effect on sodium deoxycholate-induced increases in surface cell sloughing, ornithine decarboxylase, tritiated thymidine incorporation into deoxyribonucleic acid, chemiluminescence, or superoxide production. The ability of sulfasalazine and 5-aminosalicylic acid to scavenge reactive oxygen may play a role in their therapeutic effects of inflammatory bowel disease.
A methodology for interschema relationship identification in heterogeneous databases

Information sharing among databases, whether scientific or business, requires the development of techniques for accessing data from multiple heterogeneous databases. One approach to providing interoperability among these databases is to define one or more federated schemas which represent a coherent view of the underlying databases. A review of existing research on schema integration (the process of generating integrated schemas) points to the need for the development of techniques for identifying objects in multiple databases that may be related. This process of interschema relationship identification (IRI) is the focus of this paper. We present a methodology for utilizing schematic as well as integrity constraint knowledge for IRI. We present the details of a comprehensive set of heuristics for schematic IRI. We also introduce the concept of constraint-based relationships and describe how such relationships can be generated. Finally, we describe heuristics for generating "real world" interschema relationships based on the schematic and constraint-based relationships that are generated. >
Reconstruction of three-dimensional anisotropic microstructures from two-dimensional micrographs imaged on orthogonal planes

A pervasive method for reconstructing microstructures from two-dimensional microstructures imaged on orthogonal planes is presented. The algorithm reconstructs 3D images through matching of 3D slices at different voxels to the representative 2D micrographs and an optimization procedure that ensures patches from the 2D micrographs meshed together seamlessly in the 3D image. We show that the method effectively models the three-dimensional features in the microstructure using three cases (i) disperse spheres, (ii) anisotropic lamellar microstructure, and (iii) a polycrystalline microstructure. The method is validated by comparing the point probability functions of the reconstructed images to the original 2D image, as well as by comparing the elastic properties of reconstructed image to the experimental data.
Partitioning evapotranspiration in sparsely vegetated rangeland using a portable chamber

[1] A portable chamber was used to separate evapotranspiration (ET) from a sparse, mixed-species shrub canopy in southeastern Arizona, United States, into vegetation and soil components. Chamber measurements were made of ET from the five dominant species, and from bare soil, on 3 days during the monsoon season when the soil surface was dry. The chamber measurements were assembled into landscape ET using a simple geometric model of the vegetated land surface. Chamber estimates of landscape ET were well correlated with, but about 26% greater than, simultaneous eddy-correlation measurements. Excessive air speed inside the chamber appears to be the primary cause of the overestimate. Overall, transpiration accounted for 84% of landscape ET, and bare soil evaporation for 16%. Desert zinnia, a small (∼0.1 m high) but abundant species, was the greatest water user, both per unit area of shrub and of landscape. Partitioning of ET into components varied as a function of air temperature and shallow soil moisture. Transpiration from shorter species was more highly correlated with air temperature whereas transpiration from taller species was more highly correlated with shallow soil moisture. Application of these results to a full drying cycle between rainfalls at a similar site suggests that during the monsoon, ET at such sites may be about equally partitioned between transpiration and bare soil evaporation.
Cell adhesion molecules for targeted drug delivery

Rapid advancement of the understanding of the structure and function of cell adhesion molecules (i.e., integrins, cadherins) has impacted the design and development of drugs (i.e., peptide, proteins) with the potential to treat cancer and heart and autoimmune diseases. For example, RGD peptides/peptidomimetics have been marketed as anti-thrombic agents and are being investigated for inhibiting tumor angiogenesis. Other cell adhesion peptides derived from ICAM-1 and LFA-1 sequences were found to block T-cell adhesion to vascular endothelial cells and epithelial cells; these peptides are being investigated for treating autoimmune diseases. Recent findings suggest that cell adhesion receptors such as integrins can internalize their peptide ligands into the intracellular space. Thus, many cell adhesion peptides (i.e., RGD peptide) were used to target drugs, particles, and diagnostic agents to a specific cell that has increased expression of cell adhesion receptors. This review is focused on the utilization of cell adhesion peptides and receptors in specific targeted drug delivery, diagnostics, and tissue engineering. In the future, more information on the mechanism of internalization and intracellular trafficking of cell adhesion molecules will be exploited for delivering drug molecules to a specific type of cell or for diagnosis of cancer and heart and autoimmune diseases.
Nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn revisited with reconstruction options

Background Nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn (NS) has the classic presentation on the head and neck of a yellow–orange-colored, waxy, pebble-like, papule or plaque. Its reported malignant potential varies between 0.8% and 50%. The common location of NS on the temporal hairline leaves a cosmetic defect. Methods We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of patients with NS located in the temporal scalp region. Thirteen patients were included. Twelve patients were reconstructed with a temporal flap. One patient had a primary linear scalp closure after excision. Clinical, histopathologic, surgical, and photographic records were used to review the clinical, anatomic, and pathologic presentation of the lesions. Reconstructions were rated on a scale of 1–5 by two independent examiners. The cosmetic results were also assessed by the patients. Results Patients ranged in age from 3 to 40 years. All of the lesions were located in the temporal area of the scalp. All cases were pathologically determined as NS. Two cases contained basal cell carcinoma (15%). Two cases were re-excisions of confirmed NS. One case was excised and closed with difficulty using a linear primary closure. Rotation flaps based on the superior temporal artery were used for the reconstruction of the defects in 12 patients. Nine of the flaps were anterior rotation flaps and three were posterior. The average score for the cosmetic results of the patients was 3.75, with the lowest score being 2, and the highest 5. The score for the linear closure was 2. Conclusion A rotation flap based on the superficial temporal artery is an excellent reconstructive solution for NS located in the temporal scalp region.
A surface‐trapped intrusion of slope water onto the continental shelf in the Mid‐Atlantic Bight

A high-resolution hydrographic transect across the shelfbreak south of Nantucket Shoals in August, 1995, revealed an unusual surface-trapped intrusion of saline Slope water onto the continental shelf. The intrusion was confined to the upper 25 m of the water column and penetrated 15 km shoreward of the 100-m isobath, the typical position of the shelfbreak front. The maximum salinity within the intrusion was 35.0. Several strong jets were present within the surface layer with maximum velocities between 0.30 and 0.44 m s -1 in the alongshelf direction. Satellite thermal imagery confirms the presence of a warm-core ring at the offshore edge of the section and shows a warm feature penetrating shoreward of the 100-m isobath.
Reducing Connection Memory Requirements of MPI for InfiniBand Clusters: A Message Coalescing Approach

Clusters in the area of high-performance computing have been growing in size at a considerable rate. In these clusters, the dominate programming model is the Message Passing Interface (MPI), so the MPI library has a key role in resource usage and performance. To obtain maximal performance, many clusters deploy a high-speed interconnect between compute nodes. One such interconnect, InfiniBand, has been gaining in popularity due to its various features including Remote Data Memory Access (RDMA), and high-performance. As a result, it is being deployed in a significant number of clusters and has been chosen as the standard interconnect for capacity clusters within the DOE Tri-Labs. As these clusters grow in size, care must be taken to ensure the resource usage does not increase too significantly with scale. In particular, the MPI library resource usage should not grow at a rate which will exhaust the node memory or starve user applications. In this paper we present our findings of current memory usage when all connections are created and design a message coalescing method to decrease memory usage significantly. Our models show that the default configuration of MVAPICH can grow to 1GB per process for 8K processes, while our enhancements reduce usage by an order of magnitude to around 120 MB per process while maintaining near-equal performance. We have validated our design on a 575-node cluster and shown no performance degradation for a variety of applications. We also increase the message rate attainable by over 150%.
Estimating number of sub-Gaussian emitters in a narrowband DOA estimation problem by using independent component analysis

Accurate determination of the number of emitters is an important and nontrivial problem in direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. The energy criterion based on singular values of the sampled data covariance matrix requires either a-priori knowledge of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or the noise energy itself. More refined approaches, such as the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the minimum description length (MDL) criterion fail when the signals are non-Gaussian. Thus, they are inapplicable to DOA estimation of communication signals, which generally tend to be non-Gaussian. The presented approach is based on independent component analysis (ICA). The information bearing source signals, obtained by blind source separation (BSS), are identified through measuring their distance from Gaussianity. A fixed threshold parameter in the kurtosis domain is used which can be set to accommodate a wide range of SNRs and data sample sizes.
Graph-based optimizations for parameter passing in remote invocations

This paper proposes a graph-based solution to the problem of parameter passing in distributed object-oriented applications. The solution presented makes use of graph directives for the purpose of optimizing the copying of objects which are passed as parameters in remote invocations. These specifications are done using a very simple graph traversal language-GOOP. The resulting parameter passing scheme can be drastically improved for every situation in the applications. >
Surgical management of the single ventricle

The vast majority of neonates with single ventricle physiology require some form of surgical intervention to realize long term survival. Surgical options are limited as septation of the single ventricle has been described but is an option available for only a small subset of patients with ideal anatomy w1x. Orthotopic cardiac transplant is another approach which because of limited organ availability eliminates many potential candidates by attrition on the waiting list w2x. The most common approach to palliation
Micropower Pulse Frequency Modulator for Use in an Optically Isolated Catheter System

A micropower pulse frequency modulator (PFM) has been developed for implementing an opticaily isolated system capable of making sensor voltage measurements. The PFM circuit is powered with an array of solar cells which converts light energy into electrical energy. An input port receives the sensor voltage. The PFM signal generated by the circuit drives an infrared emitting diode which provides the frequency-modulated output signal. The PFM circuit can accept sensor output voltages in the range ±500 mV and has a minimum bandwidth of 500Hz.
Anxiety and oppositional behavior profiles among youth with selective mutism

Abstract Selective mutism (SM) is a debilitating condition in which a child does not speak in social situations where speech is expected. The clinical conceptualization of SM has been debated historically, with evidence pointing partly to anxious and oppositional behavior profiles. Behavioral characteristics were examined in a clinical sample of 57 youth formally diagnosed with selective mutism. Parents rated children across internalizing and externalizing behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist. Eighteen highly rated items were subjected to exploratory and then confirmatory factor analysis. Anxiety and oppositional behavior factors were derived. The anxious behavior profile was associated with social anxiety disorder symptoms, social problems, and aggressive behaviors but not oppositional defiant disorder symptoms. The oppositional behavior profile was associated with aggressive behaviors, oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, social problems, and inversely to social anxiety disorder symptoms. Results are consistent with emerging research regarding subgroups of children with SM. Behavior profiles are discussed as well with respect to assessment and treatment implications. Learning outcomes : Readers will learn about the nature of children with selective mutism as well as behaviors that differentiate anxious and oppositional behavior profiles. Items that comprise anxious and oppositional behavior profiles are presented. These item profiles may have ramifications for assessment and treatment.
Left Ventricular Remodeling and Function in Children with Biventricular Circulation After Fetal Aortic Valvuloplasty

Fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) has shown promise in averting the progression of fetal aortic stenosis to hypoplastic left-heart syndrome. Altered loading conditions due to valvar disease, intrinsic endomyocardial abnormalities, and procedures that alter endomyocardial mechanics may place patients with biventricular circulation (BiV) after FAV at risk of abnormal LV remodeling and function. Using the most recent echo data on BiV patients after technically successful FAV (n = 34), we evaluated LV remodeling pattern, risk factors for pathologic LV remodeling, and the association between LV remodeling pattern and LV function. Median age at follow-up was 4.7 years (range 1.0–12.5). Cardiac interventions were common. At latest follow-up, no patient had hypoplastic LV. Nineteen patients (55 %) had dilated LV, and five (16 %) patients had severely dilated LV. LV remodeling patterns were as follows: 12 (35 %) normal ventricle, 11 (32 %) mixed hypertrophy, 8 (24 %) eccentric hypertrophy or remodeling, and 3 (9 %) concentric hypertrophy. Univariate factors associated with pathologic LV remodeling were long-standing AR, ≥2 cardiac interventions, EFE resection, and aortic or mitral regurgitation ≥ moderate at most recent follow-up. In multivariate analysis, only long-standing AR fraction remained associated with pathologic remodeling. Pathologic LV remodeling was associated with depressed ejection fraction, lower septal E´, and higher E/E´. Pathologic LV remodeling, primarily eccentric or mixed hypertrophy, is common in BiV patients after FAV and is related to LV loading conditions imposed by valvar disease. Pathologic remodeling is associated with both systolic and diastolic dysfunction in this population.
Red Cell-Mediated Microinjection Studies on Protein Degradation

It has long been known that proteins are continually synthesized and degraded within animals (1). While there was once resistance to the idea that this represented protein turnover within cells (2), today there is considerable evidence that this is so (for reviews see 3–7). The physiological significance of protein turnover is not as firmly established. The early studies of Schimke on arginase (8) and Schimke et al. on tryptophan-pyrolase (9) clearly demonstrated that control of degradation could influence enzyme levels. Further support for the idea that selective protein degradation plays a regulatory role has been obtained by comparison of turnover rates for various proteins which has revealed that key metabolic enzymes usually turn over faster than structural proteins (6). Thus there is increasing evidence that this seemingly wasteful process plays a role in metabolic regulation.
Current management of hemophilia B.

The management of hemorrhagic episodes in patients with hemophilia B is in transition as a result of the availability of new products for replacement therapy. Although the basic principles of therapy have not changed, the new highly purified Factor IX concentrates, AlphaNine and Mononine, represent a breakthrough, as they appear to be safe in terms of viral transmission and thromboembolic side-effects. These products are now widely available, and although expensive, are regarded by some physicians as the preferred therapy for Hemophilia B. Less pure and less expensive Factor IX products, however, are also available and can be used safely in previously treated patients who have already been exposed to the hepatitis viruses.