cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The physiological disposition of 14C-labeled 5-hydroxypyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (NSC-107,392) in mice

Abstract This report describes the distribution, excretion and fate of 5-HP-14C in normal CDF1 male mice. After a single ip dose of 400 mg 5-HP-14C/kg, maximum localization of the drug in tissues and blood occurred within 10 minutes, followed by a rapid loss of radioactivity, so that after 24 hours the drug could not be detected in tissues or blood. The biological half-life of 5-HP in blood was estimated to be 15 minutes. Approximately 80% of the 14C in the administered dose was excreted by the kidneys, and of this amount only 16 to 20% was in the form of unchanged drug, indicating that extensive metabolism had occurred. After a multiple-dose regimen, the drug was retained by various tissues for a more extended period. In 96 hours about 3 and 10% of the total radioactivity could be attributed to free drug in spleen and blood, respectively. The antileukemic effectiveness of 5-HP in a multiple-dose regimen on Days 1, 5, and 9 may be explained in part by these observations. The major urinary metabolite of 5-HP was shown to be a glucuronide conjugate although other unidentified biotransformation products were also detected in urine.
Low thermal budget in situ cleaning and passivation for silicon epitaxy in a multichamber rapid thermal processing cluster tool

Abstract In this Letter, we report our results on surface preparation, involving in situ cleaning and passivation for low-temperature Si epitaxy in a multichamber cluster tool. The experiments were carried out in a three-chamber reactor which mimics a cluster tool. The results indicate that residual O on the dilute HF-treated Si surface (ex situ cleaned) can be reduced below the detection limit of secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) by in situ baking at 750°C for 15 s in an ultra-high vacuum environment or in H2 (pressure = 240 mTorr). We show that the extremely reactive Si surface can be passivated against recontamination by exposing it to a low-pressure Si2H6 environment at the ambient temperature immediately following the in situ clean. When the unpassivated samples are exposed to an air pressure of 10−6 Torr in the load-lock, O adsorbs on the surface up to 50% of a monolayer within 10 min. Under the same conditions, with passivation, the oxygen levels remain below the detection level of SIMS. Surface passivation will be extremely useful in applications that require wafer transfer between chambers such as in multichamber cluster tools.
Hyalocytes synthesize and secrete inhibitors of retinal pigment epithelial cell proliferation in vitro.

Background: Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells that enter the vitreous in pathologic conditions, such as retinal detachment, may proliferate and contribute to the formation of epiretinal membranes. Objective: To study whether hyalocytes, endogenous vitreous cells, play a role in modulating the proliferation of RPE cells. Methods: Cell proliferation was measured by tritiated thymidine incorporation in density-arrested human RPE cells after incubation with media that had been conditioned by cultured bovine hyalocytes. Preliminary characterization of inhibitory activity in hyalocyteconditioned medium was performed, including blocking experiments with a neutralizing antibody to transforming growth factor-β 2 (TGF-β) and proliferation assays that used MV-1-Lu mink lung epithelial cells. Northern blots were done to assess hyalocyte expression of TGF-β messenger RNA. Results: Hyalocyte-conditioned medium inhibited tritiated thymidine incorporation in RPE cells and MV-1-Lu mink lung epithelial cells in the presence or absence of serum or protease inhibitors. A portion of the inhibitory activity was neutralized by an antibody directed against TGF-β. Northern blots of hyalocyte RNA demonstrated the presence of messenger RNA for TGF-β 2 . These data suggest that TGF-β is responsible for a portion of the inhibitory activity secreted by hyalocytes. Additional inhibitory activity is attributable to one or more low-molecular-weight molecules distinct from TGF-β. Conclusion: Hyalocyte-conditioned medium inhibits RPE cell proliferation in vitro through TGF-β and at least one other molecule. Production of these factors by hyalocytes in vivo could provide a deterrent for epiretinal membrane formation that may be perturbed under pathologic conditions.
Feature design for aesthetic inference on photos with faces

Determining the aesthetics of photographs has recently become a research topic of considerable interest. In this project, we focus on constructing meaningful features to model the aesthetic quality of photos with faces. Utilizing face information, color, composition features, as well as novel saliency-based spatial features, we construct an aesthetic inference model, which is more accurate than a state-of-the-art method. Further, we show that this model can be improved by applying different sets of features for single-face and multiple-face photos. Third, we demonstrate by combining low-level generic features with handcrafted features, that the model can be made to achieve even lower error rates.
WHOLE-BODY AND ORGAN Vo2 CHANGES WITH ENFLURANE, ISOFLURANE, AND HALOTHANE

SUMMARY This study was designed to determine the effects of ennurane on canine whole-body and individual organ oxygen consumption (Vo2). Whole-body, myocardial, splanchnic, renal, and skeletal muscle Vo2 were determined at enflurane concentrations equivalent to those used in previous studies with halothane and isoflurane. With increasing enflurane concentrations, whole-body Vo2 decreased progressively. The major component of the decrease was a reduction in myocardial Vo2 resulting from a decrease in myocardial external work as a result of a decrease in cardiac output and arterial pressure. Other organs contributed to a lesser extent to the overall decrease in whole-body Vo2. In each respect the findings with enflurane were not significantly different from those with halothane and isoflurane. These findings add support to the view that anaesthetic agents are not general metabolic depressants and that observed changes in whole-body Vo2 reflect the summated changes in individual organ Vo2 occasioned by an anaesthetic-induced change in organ function and metabolic requirements.
Re-examining the selfish herd: are central fish safer?

Abstract The risk (per caput attack rate) of occupying discrete spatial locations within a school of 25 Atlantic silversides, Menidia menidia , under attack by a black seabass, Centropristis striata , was determined. When available, stragglers were attacked more frequently than the school and suffered a significantly higher risk in comparison to school members. Within the school, central silversides suffered the most attacks and sustained a significantly higher percentage of the risk, as compared to peripheral silversides. This finding contradicts theoretical models of the relative benefit of occupying a given location within an animal aggregation and seems to be explicable in terms of predator attack modes and school size.
Laparoscopic gastric drainage procedures.

Gastric outlet obstruction continues to be an indication for drainage despite the common use of powerful proton pump inhibitors. Minimal invasive surgery techniques now play a significant role in the treatment of this pathology. Complicated peptic ulcer disease and cancer are the two most common causes. To accomplish drainage, advanced laparoscopic techniques are required. A variety of procedures are possible, and these are discussed in detail in this report. The advantages of the laparoscopic approach have been realized in this group of patients. Copyright © 1999 by W. B. Saunders Company
On the computation of values of the psi function from rapidly converging power series expansions

The computational problem of finding approximate values of a given precision for the Psi or Digamma function is considered. A method based on the approximation from below of an integral representation of the function by a pair of rapidly convergent power series expansions with upper and lower absolute truncation error bounds is derived. The resulting approximation has four free parameters which must be assigned values in any computer program implementing the method. Two possible philosophies for choosing these parameters are discussed and the results of computational trials with two computer codes reflecting these philosophies are given.
Method for Evaluating Intrauterine Versus Genetic Influences on Craniofacial Anomalies

A method has been proposed that enables discrimination between genetic and intrauterine influences within the etiology of teratogen-induced craniofacial anomalies. The experimental approach is the transplantation of embryos at the blastocyst stage from mouse strains that are either highly resistant or highly susceptible to cortisone-induced cleft lip and cleft palate formation into pseudopregnant foster mothers that are reciprocally either resistant or susceptible to the congenital birth defect.
Nucleolin and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C proteins specifically interact with the 3′-untranslated region of amyloid protein precursor mRNA

The central nervous system deposition by neurons and glia of beta A4 amyloid protein is an important contributing factor to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Amyloidogenic cells overexpress amyloid precursor protein (APP) mRNAs suggesting a transcriptional or post-transcriptional defect may contribute to this process. We have previously shown that APP mRNAs display regulated stability which is dependent on a 29-base element within the 3'-untranslated region (UTR). This domain specifically interacted with several cytoplasmic RNA-binding proteins. We have purified these APP RNA-binding proteins from a human T-cell leukemia and demonstrate that five cytoplasmic proteins of 70, 48, 47, 39, and 38 kDa form the previously observed APP RNA protein complexes. Amino acid sequence analyses showed that the 70-, 48-, and 47-kDa proteins were fragments of nucleolin and that the 39- and 38-kDa proteins were heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) C protein. Northwestern and Western blot analyses of purified material further confirmed these data. Nucleolin protein is known to shuttle between the nucleus and cytoplasm but hnRNP C has not been reported within the cytoplasm. This report of sequence specific, mRNA binding by nucleolin and hnRNP C suggests that these proteins participate in the post-transcriptional regulation of APP mRNA through 3'-UTR, site-specific interactions.
Effect of Frequency on Human Unipedal Hopping

All mature forms of locomotion involve periods of unilateral stance. Unipedal hopping may provide useful information about the neuromuscular and biomechanical capabilities of a single lower extremi...
Bootstrap confidence intervals for smoothing splines and their comparison to bayesian confidence intervals

We construct bootstrap confidence intervals for smoothing spline estimates based on Gaussian data, and penalized likelihood smoothing spline estimates based on data from .exponential families. Several vari- ations of bootstrap confidence intervals are considered and compared. We find that the commonly used ootstrap percentile intervals are inferior to the T intervals and to intervals based on bootstrap estimation of mean squared errors. The best variations of the bootstrap confidence intervals behave similar to the well known Bayesian confidence intervals. These bootstrap confidence intervals have an average coverage probability across the function being estimated, as opposed to a pointwise property.
A 60-year-old man with stridor, drooling, and "tripoding" following a nasal polypectomy.

234 60-year-old man was discharged from outpatient A surgery following a left nasal polypectomy. There were no complications during surgery or extubation or during the postoperative period. En route to his home, the patient became extremely short of breath and diaphoretic. A friend who was with him immediately drove him to the emergency department. Upon arrival, the patient was in severe respiratory distress with marked stridor, drooling, and diaphoresis. He was unable to speak. The patient’s vital signs were as follows: blood pressure, 148/75 mm Hg; heart rate, 125 beats per minute; and respirations, 40 breaths per minute. Auscultation of both lung fields revealed poor air movement. His initial oxygen saturation on room air was 90%, increasing to 95% after we initiated high-flow oxygen at 15 L/minute via a nonrebreather mask. Unable to sit still, he assumed the tripod position, leaning forward and stretching his arms out to open his airway. We inserted 2 large-bore intravenous catheters, prepared for endotracheal intubation, and attempted to reassure the patient. The ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon arrived at the bedside within 5 minutes. A fiberoptic examination of the larynx demonstrated severe supraglottic and glottic edema. We administered racemic epinephrine, 0.5 mL in 3 mL of saline solution via a nebulizer, and 12 mg of dexamethasone, intravenously. Arterial blood gas (ABG) results were as follows: pH, 7.26; PO2, 157 mm Hg; and PCO2, 56 mm Hg, with a 99% saturation on 100% oxygen. We made several unsuccessful attempts to suction the patient’s trachea, hoping this would clear his airway of excess mucous, but his entire glottic area was too inflamed to allow the catheter to pass. The patient became increasingly anxious and diaphoretic with worsening stridor. With the assistance of
Agricultural Management and Labile Carbon Additions Affect Soil Microbial Community Structure and Interact with Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling

We investigated how conversion from conventional agriculture to organic management affected the structure and biogeochemical function of soil microbial communities. We hypothesized the following. (1) Changing agricultural management practices will alter soil microbial community structure driven by increasing microbial diversity in organic management. (2) Organically managed soil microbial communities will mineralize more N and will also mineralize more N in response to substrate addition than conventionally managed soil communities. (3) Microbial communities under organic management will be more efficient and respire less added C. Soils from organically and conventionally managed agroecosystems were incubated with and without glucose ((13)C) additions at constant soil moisture. We extracted soil genomic DNA before and after incubation for TRFLP community fingerprinting of soil bacteria and fungi. We measured soil C and N pools before and after incubation, and we tracked total C respired and N mineralized at several points during the incubation. Twenty years of organic management altered soil bacterial and fungal community structure compared to continuous conventional management with the bacterial differences caused primarily by a large increase in diversity. Organically managed soils mineralized twice as much NO3 (-) as conventionally managed ones (44 vs. 23 μg N/g soil, respectively) and increased mineralization when labile C was added. There was no difference in respiration, but organically managed soils had larger pools of C suggesting greater efficiency in terms of respiration per unit soil C. These results indicate that the organic management induced a change in community composition resulting in a more diverse community with enhanced activity towards labile substrates and greater capacity to mineralize N.
Corrigendum to Po-210 and Pb-210 as atmospheric tracers and global atmospheric Pb-210 fallout: A review [Journal of Environmental Radioactivity (2011) 500-513]

1) In p. 504, first column, L28eL30: “The concentrations of 210Pb measured over a period of 11 days (11e21 September 2008) in Bermuda, which isw1300 km away from the nearest landmass, varied between.” should be “The concentrations of 210Pbmeasured over a period of 11 days (11e21 September 2008) in Miami, Florida, at the coast, varied between.” 2) In p. 504, first column, L34: ‘oceanic site’ should be ‘coastal site’ 3) In p. 504, Figure caption of Fig. 4: “Temporal variations of 222Pb in air over a period of 11 days in Bermuda, which isw1300 km from the nearest land. The concentration varies by a factor of 3.2 and is attributed to highly varying dust input to Bermuda” should be “Temporal variations of 210Pb in air over a period of 11 days in Miami, which is at the coast. The concentration varies by a factor of 3.2 and is attributed to highly varying dust input to sampling site” 4) Addition to the Acknowledgment section:
Metallic non-Fermi-liquid fixed point in two and higher dimensions

Quasi-one-dimensional electron systems in two and higher dimensions are studied. It is shown that the interchain electron hopping is renormalized to zero in the infrared limit if the intrachain repulsive interaction is strong enough. In this case the higher-dimensional electron system flows to metallic non-Fermi-liquid fixed points---a Luttinger liquid. Some experimental consequences, in particular the transport properties, of this infrared fixed point are studied. It would be interesting to observe this state in quasi-one-dimensional electron systems.
A laboratory study of the electron temperature in the near wake of a conducting body

The temporal evolution of the electron energy distribution in the near wake of a conducting object has been studied experimentally, using a pulsed plasma stream. We have found that depending on the electron energy distribution of the incident plasma stream and on the extent to which the ion flow energy is greater or lower than the potential energy of the object, the electron temperature may be hotter or colder than the ambient value in the region.
Engineering Novel Cell Surface Receptors for Virus-mediated Gene Transfer

The absence of viral receptors is a major barrier to efficient gene transfer in many cells. To overcome this barrier, we developed an artificial receptor based on expression of a novel sugar. We fed cells an unnatural monosaccharide, a modified mannosamine that replaced the acetyl group with a levulinate group (ManLev). ManLev was metabolized and incorporated into cell-surface glycoconjugates. The synthetic sugar decorated the cell surface with a unique ketone group that served as a foundation on which we built an adenovirus receptor by covalently binding biotin hydrazide to the ketone. The artificial receptor enhanced adenoviral vector binding and gene transfer to cells that are relatively resistant to adenovirus infection. These data are the first to suggest the feasibility of a strategy that improves the efficiency of gene transfer by using the biosynthetic machinery of the cell to engineer novel sugars on the cell surface.
Psychological Differentiation in Heroin Addicts

Thirty male and 31 female heroin addicts were tested for field dependence using the Portable Rod and Frame Test. Scores were compared to results obtained by Oltman of a normal population. The addicts as a group were found to be more field-dependent than normals. The female addicts, however, were significantly more field-dependent than male addicts who, conversely, appeared similar to normal males. Both addict samples were characterized by marked variability, suggesting that heroin addicts represent a strongly heterogeneous population and not a homogeneous one as suggested by earlier studies of the disorder.
CONCENTRIC SPHERICAL CAVITIES AND LIMITS ON THE PHOTON REST MASS.

The concentric spherical cavity is used as a vehicle for study of the complete break-down of the "relativistic particle in a box" formula for the photon rest-mass effect. The results are applied to a determination of the limit on the photon's rest mass which can be inferred from the Schumann resonances.
Cellular response of the evolving myocardial infarction after therapeutic coronary artery reperfusion.

Abstract This study describes the cellular response of the evolving myocardial infarction in humans after early coronary artery reperfusion by one or more of the following therapies: streptokinase, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, tissue plasminogen activator, and/or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Postmortem histologic changes were compared in two groups (n = 43 pairs) of human hearts with acute myocardial infarction matched for clinical age and left ventricular location of the infarct. The treatment group received one or more of the forms of reperfusion therapy. The control group received conventional therapy. The treatment group was judged to have an older histologic age infarct, P P P P P P P P P P P P
Simulation of the Seasonal Cycle of the Tropical Pacific Ocean

Abstract In a general circulation model of the tropical Pacific Ocean forced with climatological seasonally varying winds, equatorial upwelling and downwelling in adjacent latitudes play central roles in closing the oceanic circulation. The transport of the eastward North Equatorial Countercurrent decreases in a downstream direction because fluid is lost to downwelling into the thermocline where there is equatorward motion. Although this fluid converges onto the Equatorial Undercurrent, the latter's transport decreases because of equatorial upwelling. The upwelling, on the other hand, enhances the transport of the westward South Equatorial Current. Seasonally, the Countercurrent and South Equatorial Current are intense during the Northern Hemisphere summer and fall, at which time the thermocline has a pronounced trough near 3°N and a ridge near 10°N, and are weak in the spring when latitudinal thermal gradients are small and when the southeast trades are relatively weak. These variations are out of phase ...
Postoperative mortality is an inadequate quality indicator for lung cancer resection.

Background Postoperative mortality is the most commonly reported surgical quality measure. However, such metrics may be incapable of identifying performance outliers. The purpose of this study was to compare different measures of postoperative mortality after lung cancer resection using a large multiinstitutional database. Methods Data were extracted for lung cancer resection patients from the linked Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results–Medicare Registry (2006 to 2010), which provides detailed and longitudinal information about Medicare beneficiaries with cancer. Four definitions of postoperative mortality were evaluated: in-hospital, 30-day, perioperative, and 90-day. Hierarchical regression models were used to estimate mortality risk at 30 and 90 days, and provider quality was assessed by comparing observed versus expected mortality. Results We identified 11,787 lung cancer resection patients from 686 hospitals. The median age was 74 years, and 52% of patients were treated with open lobectomy. Although 30-day, perioperative, and in-hospital mortality rates were between 3% and 4%, 90-day mortality was almost double (6.89%). Clinical variables associated with 90-day mortality included sex, preexisting comorbidities, and procedure type. There were no statistically significant differences in 30-day or 90-day mortality rates among providers. Conclusions Currently reported measures of in-hospital and 30-day postoperative mortality do not adequately represent a patient's true mortality risk as mortality almost doubles by 90 days. Because of low occurrence rate and variable provider volumes, neither 30-day nor 90-day mortality is a suitable quality indicator for lung resection.
Origin of the elements: pre-Fermi reactor and plutonium-244 in nature

Accounts of investigations on the occurrences of natural reactors and /sup 244/Pu in the early history of the earth are presented. Experimental data are cited from reports on naturally-occurring super-heavy elements, but it is concluded that the data are inconclusive.
Comprehensive Stroke Centers and the ‘Weekend Effect’: The SPOTRIAS Experience

Background and Purpose: Previous studies have found mortality among ischemic stroke patients to be higher on weekends. We sought to evaluate whether weekend admission was associated with worse outcomes in a large comprehensive stroke center (CSC) cohort. Methods: Consecutive ischemic stroke patients presenting within 6 h of symptom onset were identified using the 8 CSC SPOTRIAS (Specialized Programs of Translational Research in Acute Stroke) database. Patients who received intra-arterial therapy or who were enrolled in a nonobservational clinical trial were excluded. All patients meeting the inclusion criteria were then divided into two groups: weekday admissions or weekend admissions. Weekend admission was defined as Friday 17:01 to Monday 08:59. The remainder were classified as weekday admissions. Multivariate logistic regression was used, adjusting for age, stroke severity on admission [according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)] and admission glucose, in order to compare the outcomes of the weekend versus the weekday groups. Results: Eight thousand five hundred and eighty-one subjects from the combined SPOTRIAS database were screened from 2002 to 2009; 2,090 (24.4%) of these met the inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference in tissue plasminogen activator treatment rates between the weekday and weekend groups (58.5 vs. 60.4%, p = 0.397). Weekend admission was not a significant independent predictor of inhospital mortality (8.4 vs. 9.9%, p = 0.056), length of stay (4 vs. 5 days, p = 0.442), favorable discharge disposition (38.0 vs. 42.2%, p = 0.122), favorable functional outcome at discharge (41.6 vs. 43.4%, p = 0.805), favorable 90-day functional outcome (54.2 vs. 46.9%, p = 0.301), or 90-day mortality (18.2 vs. 19.8%, p = 0.680) when adjusting for age, NIHSS and admission glucose. Conclusions: In this large cohort of ischemic stroke patients treated at CSCs, we did not observe the ‘weekend effect.’ This may be due to access to stroke specialists 24 h a day on 365 days a year, nurses with stroke experience and the organized system for delivering care that is available at CSCs. These results suggest that EMS protocol should be reexamined regarding the preferential delivery of weekend stroke victims to hospitals that provide all levels of reperfusion therapy. This further highlights the importance of organized stroke care.
Depositional environments of Upper Miocene (Messinian) evaporites of Sicily as determined from analysis of intercalated carbonates

Various workers have suggested that the Upper Miocene (Messinian) evaporites of the Sicilian Basin formed in a topographic basin of considerable relief, filled with hypersaline water. Our studies indicate that this basin contained shallow water, at least during the deposition of the carbonate rocks intercalated between the gypsum beds. We recognize four basic kinds of limestone: (1) pelletal and pisolitic limestone; (2) skeletal limestone; (3) ooitic limestone, and (4) laminated lime-stone-dolostone. Modern analogs suggest that three of these four kinds of carbonate must have formed close to or above sea level. The evidence supporting this contention includes pellets with algal coatings, pisolites, quiet-water ooids, and algal laminates. Therefore we suggest that the evaporites associated with these carbonates may likewise have formed in relatively shallow water. An alternative conclusion would be that the level of the sea, and the salinity, underwent irregular patterns of profound change.
Magnification angiography in beagles with periodontal disease

Magnification angiography was used to visualize the mandibular vasculature of beagle dogs with either minimal or moderate to severe periodontal disease. The arteriograms were qualitatively graded with respect to numbers of vessels and vessel architecture. Arteriograms of the dogs with moderate to severe periodontal disease revealed a significant increase in vessel density and tortuosity when compared to dogs with minimal disease. The technique presented in this report provides a non-destructive method for the in vivo study of the vascular architecture in periodontal disease.
Secondary atomization as a mechanism for controlling the size of ceramic nanoparticles produced by combustion aerosol synthesis

Abstract A novel application of the secondary atomization of precursor solution droplets is explored as a means of size control in the combustion aerosol synthesis of zirconia nanoparticles. In combustion aerosol synthesis, small precursor solution droplets are required to produce small uniformly sized nanoparticles. This study investigates the use of mixed hydrocarbon solvents to promote the fragmentation of precursor solution droplets for the production of nanoscale zirconia. By rapidly heating the droplets to the superheat limit temperature, explosive fragmentation is induced, reducing the size of the carrier droplets. Results indicate that when mixtures of hexadecane with propanol or butanol are used for precursor delivery, the sprayed droplets undergo fragmentation in the high-temperature region of a flame reactor. Consequently, zirconia nanoparticles with a number mean electrical mobility diameter of 60 nm and relatively uniform sizes are produced.
Hypothesis - the J-shaped follow-up relation between mortality risk and disease risk-factor is due to statistical confounding.

Abstract There is currently conflicting evidence from longitudinal follow-up studies concerning the relation between mortality risk and disease risk factor at low levels or the risk factor. This applies to risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and body-mass index. In some studies, this relation was found to be positive. In others it was negative. This is an issue of importance to clinical and public-health policy, because a negative relation between mortality risk and blood pressure, for instance, implies that anithypertensive medication which lowers blood pressure below a critical threshold could be dangerous. It seemed likely that the conflict could be due to statistical confounding that artifactually elevates mortality risk at low risk-factor levels in survival analyses of longitudinal data. The present paper describes a crude analysis using data from the Framingham Offspring Study to test the idea that such statistical confounding could be caused by the decrease in risk factor with age among subjects near the end of the lifespan (referred to as late-life subjects). The analysis yielded evidence supporting this idea. On the basis of the findings it is hypothesized that: (1) the decrease in risk factor with age during late life causes the late-life bias. This bias distorts a positive relation between mortality risk and risk factor to appear U- or J-shaped in mixed-age adult follow-up cohorts; and (2) removal of the late-life and reverse-causation biases will show that this relation is monotonically positive.
Investigation of external triggering of substorms with Polar ultraviolet imager observations

[1] The triggering mechanism(s) for the substorm expansion phase onset is one of the outstanding issues in magnetospheric physics. Previous studies have shown that an impingement of the high solar wind dynamic pressure may lead to the expansion phase onset of a substorm. These previous studies typically used a negative magnetic bay as the main proxy for a substorm, but we now know that some magnetic bays are associated not with substorms but with the enhancement of convection. Therefore it is reasonable to cast doubts on the compression trigger mechanism. In this study we use classical substorm onsets, “auroral breakups,” which are the most reliable substorm onset indicator when identified with global auroral images, to reinvestigate this issue. We examine 43 interplanetary shock events that occurred between 1996 and 1999 with simultaneous global auroral images from the Polar ultraviolet imager images and the auroral electrojet indices. It is found, indeed, that ∼52% of the shocks produce magnetic bays (AL < −100 nT). While most of the shocks enhance auroral luminosities, only 4 events (∼9%) appear to have an auroral breakup preceded by an SSC/SI by 20 min (two events by 10 min). These results strongly indicate interplanetary shocks can produce negative magnetic bays but not auroral breakups (thus christened “compression bays”). An examination of precisely timed interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) during 11 substorms that occurred near the shock-induced SSCs/SIs indicates that northward turnings of IMF occurred more than 50% of time. Given such a low probability, it is concluded that shock compression is not likely to trigger substorms but enhances magnetospheric currents and auroral particle precipitation. In line with many previous study results, on the other hand, the northward turnings of IMF can be a plausible substorm triggering mechanism.
Thermal degradation of 1-deoxy-1-piperidino-d-fructose

Abstract Crystalline 1-deoxy-1-piperidino- d -fructose ( 1 ) was pyrolyzed in a sublimation apparatus at 106° and 0.1 torr. The sublimate-distillate collected consisted of piperidine acetate (43%); two piperidino derivatives of C -methyl reductone (28%); 4-hydroxy-2-piperidino-butanolactone (1.4%); and the piperidine amides of carbonic (6.5%), formic (1.6%), and acetic (5.1%) acids. Trace proportions of other volatile compounds were identified as 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2 H )-furanone; 2,5-dimethyl-3-piperidinofuran; 2-acetyl-3-piperidinofuran; 2-acetyl-3-piperidino-4,5-dihydrofuran; and the piperidides of glycolic, lactic, and butyric acids. Under the same pyrolysis conditions the piperidino C -methyl reductones isolated were degraded to carbonic, formic, and acetic piperidides. After separation of these compounds by preparative g.l.c., the products were identified by mass, i.r., and p.m.r. spectra; almost all were positively identified with compounds separately synthesized. The results indicate that piperidine is eliminated from C-1 and recombines at C-3 of the hexose carbon-skeleton before the primary C 4 , C 2 fission occurs.
microRNA regulation of T lymphocyte immunity: modulation of molecular networks responsible for T cell activation, differentiation and development

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that constitute an essential and evolutionarily conserved mechanism for post-transcriptional gene regulation. Multiple miRNAs have been described to play key roles in T-lymphocyte development, differentiation, and function. In this review, we highlight the current literature regarding the differential expression of miRNAs in various models of murine and human T-cell biology. We emphasize mechanistic understandings of miRNA regulation of thymocyte development, T-cell activation, and differentiation into effector and memory subsets. We describe the participation of miRNAs in complex regulatory circuits shaping T-cell proteomes in a context-dependent manner. It is striking that some miRNAs regulate multiple processes, while others only appear in limited functional contexts. It is also evident that the expression and function of specific miRNAs can differ between murine and human systems. Ultimately, it is not always correct to simplify the complex events of T-cell biology into a model driven by only one or two master regulator miRNAs. In reality, T-cell activation and differentiation involve the expression of multiple miRNAs with many mRNA targets; thus, the true extent of miRNA regulation of T-cell biology is likely far more vast than currently appreciated.
The voltage-sensitive dye di-4-ANEPPS slows conduction velocity in isolated guinea pig hearts

BACKGROUND Voltage-sensitive dyes are important tools for mapping electrical activity in the heart. However, little is known about the effects of voltage-sensitive dyes on cardiac electrophysiology. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that the voltage-sensitive dye di-4-ANEPPS modulates cardiac impulse propagation. METHODS Electrical and optical mapping experiments were performed in isolated Langendorff perfused guinea pig hearts. The effect of di-4-ANEPPS on conduction velocity and anisotropy of propagation was quantified. HeLa cells expressing connexin 43 were used to evaluate the effect of di-4-ANEPPS on gap junctional conductance. RESULTS In electrical mapping experiments, di-4-ANEPPS (7.5 M) was found to decrease both longitudinal and transverse conduction velocities significantly compared with control. No change in the anisotropy of propagation was observed. Similar results were obtained in optical mapping experiments. In these experiments, the effect of di-4-ANEPPS was dose dependent. di-4ANEPPS had no detectable effect on connexin 43‐mediated gap junctional conductance in transfected HeLa cells. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that the voltage-sensitive dye di-4-ANEPPS directly and dose-dependently modulates cardiac impulse propagation. The effect is not likely mediated by connexin 43 inhibition. Our results highlight an important caveat that should be taken into account when interpreting data obtained using di-4-ANEPPS in cardiac preparations.
A new genus and new species of metalmark moths (Lepidoptera : Choreutidae) from Costa Rica

Alasea, new genus, is described and illustrated. As currently defined, Alasea is monotypic with the single species A. corniculata, n. sp., from Heredia, Limon, and Puntarenas provinces in Costa Rica. The new genus is assigned to the subfamily Choreutinae based on morphological and molecular data. As in other choreutines, Alasea has a bluntly pointed forewing and hindwing (in Brenthiinae the wings are obtuse); the basal segment of the labial palpus is parallel-sided (in Brenthiinae it is narrowed basally); and the basal flagellomeres of the antenna are heavily scaled (in Brenthiinae such scaling is never present). The immature stages and the biology of A. corniculata are unknown. Additionally, the terminology and homology of genitalic characters used in descriptions of Choreutidae are reviewed, and suggestions for more consistent usage are provided.
Minimization of chromium-contaminated wastewater at a plating facility in the Eastern United States

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is conducting a hazardous waste minimization program at an industrial plating facility located in the Eastern US. A detailed investigation of the existing facility was conducted by ORNL which indicated that chromium was the major source of contamination. Several improvements in the operation of the facility were implemented which reduced the quantity of chromium lost from the facility by {approximately}85%. The remaining chromium-contaminated wastewater streams will be treated by reverse osmosis (RO) followed by evaporation of the RO concentrate for further volume reduction. This paper discusses (1) the plating shop modifications which resulted in an 85% reduction of the quantity of chromium contamination exiting the plating facility, (2) the results of RO pilot-scale tests, and (3) start up of the full-scale RO/evaporator system the plating facility.
Single-Family Housing and Wealth Portfolios

Executive Summary. This paper explores the risk and return of a portfolio of single-family housing during 1978:1-2001:4 in the context of a portfolio of financial assets. Homeownership offers highe...
Efficient and robust path tracing algorithm for DC convergence problem

Finding the initial operating point information is one of the major problems for circuit simulators. New techniques to overcome this problem are developed. To reduce the iteration count, a new method of maintaining the tangent line directionality without taking small steps is developed. Different embedding functions are shown to have different paths; by choosing a proper embedding function, it is possible to avoid the critical points. The technique is tested on a set of DC nonconvergence circuits ranging from a few to several thousands of transistors. The results show that this method is very robust. >
ON THE EXCITATION OF TISSUE BY MEANS OF CONDENSER DISCHARGES.

Equations are derived for the capacity-voltage relations for stimulation of tissue by condenser discharges, using the hypothesis that the local excitatory process p grows under the influence of an applied potential V according to the equation, See PDF for Equation where K and k are constants. It is further assumed that the local excitatory process becomes adequate when it attains a value h ± α V where h and α are constants and V is the applied potential at the particular instant that the adequate value is attained. The equations so obtained are applied to the data of several authors on several types of tissue and the agreements obtained are sufficiently good. It is shown in one case that the direct current equation and the condenser discharge equation each derived from the above bases are consistent when applied to data from the same preparation.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Functional Network Analysis by Global Subcellular Protein Profiling

Trends in increased tuberculosis infection and a fatality rate of approximately 23% have necessitated the search for alternative biomarkers using newly developed postgenomic approaches. Here we provide a systematic analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) by directly profiling its gene products. This analysis combines high-throughput proteomics and computational approaches to elucidate the globally expressed complements of the three subcellular compartments (the cell wall, membrane, and cytosol) of Mtb. We report the identifications of 1044 proteins and their corresponding localizations in these compartments. Genome-based computational and metabolic pathways analyses were performed and integrated with proteomics data to reconstruct response networks. From the reconstructed response networks for fatty acid degradation and lipid biosynthesis pathways in Mtb, we identified proteins whose involvements in these pathways were not previously suspected. Furthermore, the subcellular localizations of these expressed proteins provide interesting insights into the compartmentalization of these pathways, which appear to traverse from cell wall to cytoplasm. Results of this large-scale subcellular proteome profile of Mtb have confirmed and validated the computational network hypothesis that functionally related proteins work together in larger organizational structures.
High-Temperature Strength of Melt-Infiltrated SiC-Mo(Al,Si)2 Composites

High-temperature fracture behavior of melt-infiltrated SiC-Mo(AI,Si)2 composites was studied. The composites exhibited moderate strength up to ∼1600°C under a fast loading rate. The softening of the Mo(Al,Si)2 phase determined dominantly the temperature over which the strength decreased. The composite with finer microstructure revealed a higher level of strength over the whole temperature range. At 1580°C, however, the composites revealed distinct strength degradation at a reduced loading rate.
β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation in Humans Is Safe and May Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors

The leucine metabolite, beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) enhances the effects of exercise on muscle size and strength. Although several reports in animals and humans indicate that HMB is safe, quantitative safety data in humans have not been reported definitively. The objective of this work was to summarize safety data collected in nine studies in which humans were fed 3 g HMB/d. The studies were from 3 to 8 wk in duration, included both males and females, young and old, exercising or nonexercising. Organ and tissue function was assessed by blood chemistry and hematology; subtle effects on emotional perception were measured with an emotional profile test (Circumplex), and tolerance of HMB was assessed with a battery of 32 health-related questions. HMB did not adversely affect any surrogate marker of tissue health and function. The Circumplex emotion profile indicated that HMB significantly decreased (improved) one indicator of negative mood (Unactivated Unpleasant Affect category, P < 0.05). No untoward effects of HMB were indicated. Compared with the placebo, HMB supplementation resulted in a net decrease in total cholesterol (5.8%, P < 0.03), a decrease in LDL cholesterol (7.3%, P < 0.01) and a decrease in systolic blood pressure (4.4 mm Hg, P < 0.05). These effects of HMB on surrogate markers of cardiovascular health could result in a decrease in the risk of heart attack and stroke. In conclusion, the objective data collected across nine experiments indicate that HMB can be taken safely as an ergogenic aid for exercise and that objective measures of health and perception of well-being are generally enhanced.
Safety and Immunogenicity of the Merck Adenovirus Serotype 5 (MRKAd5) and MRKAd6 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Trigene Vaccines Alone and in Combination in Healthy Adults

Preexisting immunity to adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) diminishes immune responses to vaccines using Ad5 as a vector. Alternate Ad serotypes as vaccine vectors might overcome Ad5-specific neutralizing antibodies and enhance immune responses in populations with a high prevalence of Ad5 immunity. To test this hypothesis, healthy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seronegative adults were enrolled in a blinded, randomized, dose-escalating, placebo-controlled study. In part A, subjects with baseline Ad6 titers of ≤18 received the Merck Ad6 (MRKAd6) HIV type 1 (HIV-1) trigene vaccine at weeks 0, 4, and 26. In part B, subjects stratified by Ad5 titers (≤200 or >200) and Ad6 titers (≤18 or >18) received the MRKAd5-plus-MRKAd6 (MRKAd5+6) HIV-1 trigene vaccine at weeks 0, 4, and 26. Immunogenicity was assessed by an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay at week 30. No serious adverse events occurred. MRKAd6 trigene vaccine recipients responded more often to Nef than to Gag or Pol. In part A, ELISPOT response rates to ≥2 vaccine antigens were 14%, 63%, and 71% at 109, 1010, and 1011 viral genomes (vg)/dose, respectively. All responders had positive Nef-specific ELISPOT results. In part B, Nef-ELISPOT response rates at 1010 vg/dose of the MRKAd5+6 trigene vaccine were 50% in the low-Ad5/low-Ad6 stratum (n = 8), 78% in the low-Ad5/high-Ad6 stratum (n = 9), 75% in the high-Ad5/low-Ad6 stratum (n = 8), and 44% in the high-Ad5/high-Ad6 stratum (n = 9). The MRKAd6 and MRKAd5+6 trigene vaccines elicited dose-dependent responses predominantly to Nef and were generally well tolerated, indicating that Ad6 should be considered a candidate vector for future vaccines. Although small sample sizes limit the conclusions that can be drawn from this exploratory study, combining two Ad vectors may be a useful vaccine strategy for circumventing isolated immunity to a single Ad serotype.
Numerical Solution of Three-Dimensional Shock Wave and Turbulent Boundary-Layer Interaction

A rapid numerical scheme is used to solve the complete mass-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for supersonic turbulent flow over a three-dimensional compression corner. A simple eddy viscosity model is developed, and the interaction of a swept shock wave and a three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer is studied. Good agreement is obtained between the present results and experimental measurements for the case of a wedge with an angle of 6 deg on a flat-plate sidewall. For the case of a 12-deg wedge angle, the computed results do not show the existence of a peak pressure found experimentally. However, the range of interaction, the plateau pressure, and the peak heat transfer are closely predicted for all cases. The high heat transfer near the axial corner is due to the thinning of the boundary layer and inflow of fresh high-momentum fluid. The heat transfer is relieved through pressure reduction and boundary-layer thickening.