cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular Implications of Erectile Dysfunction

Sexual problems might mean you have a broken heart, literally. The most common sexual problem in men is erectile dysfunction (ED). ED affects up to 30 million men in the United States. Surprisingly, ED might be a sign of heart problems. It is important to discuss sexual health with your doctor. Not only can your doctor prescribe medications to improve sexual function, but together you may be able to prevent a major heart problem like a heart attack. This article outlines the steps that you should take if you think you have ED. Erectile dysfunction means that a man is not able to have sex because he cannot get or keep an erection. Erectile dysfunction affects >30% of men between 40 and 70 years of age. There are several different causes of ED, including depression, low testosterone, nerve problems, and some medications, but the most common cause is a problem with the blood vessels called atherosclerosis. With atherosclerosis, the blood vessels are not able to dilate properly, which is called endothelial dysfunction (see the Figure). Cholesterol builds up in the blood vessel walls and forms plaques, which make the vessels narrow and slow down blood flow. When a plaque becomes very advanced, it can completely stop blood from passing through, which is what happens in a heart attack. Atherosclerosis affects not only the blood vessels supplying the heart (coronary arteries), but also blood vessels throughout the entire body. Atherosclerosis causes angina (chest pain that is often exertional), heart attacks, strokes, …
Synthesis of Trifluoromethanesulfonic Acid from CHF3

Trifluoromethane is transformed to trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMSA) at low temperature in a liquid-phase reaction in a strong acid such as fuming sulfuric acid as well as in a strong basic solution such as t-BuOK/DMF.
Identification of Nutritional Problems and Risks in Children With Developmental Disabilities or Delays by Early Intervention Direct Service Providers.

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To determine the need for training in identifying nutritional problems or risks (NPRs) in children with developmental disabilities or delays (DDSs). Part H of Public Law 101-476, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, mandates that nutrition services be provided for children and families when appropriate. All infants and toddlers eligible for early intervention programs are included. To provide nutrition services, children must be properly identified. This study was conducted via a 20-question anonymous survey mailed to all early intervention direct service providers in West Virginia. Questions served as indicators of areas of importance for identifying NPRs. Respondents, who represented a 39% useable return, were categorized by profession-al training as: medical (M), education (E), speech /occupational/ physical therapy (T) or early intervention or social work (EISW). Since only three of the 12 represented early intervention centers had contracts for consulting services by registered dietitians and no dietitians are regularly employed for the state program, no dietitians were included in the sample. Results indicated that the significant factor affecting scores was occupation. M's were more likely to be able to identify NPRs in children with DDs than were E's or EISW's. Questions were put into four categories: general nutrition, physical assessment, clinical assessment and feeding. M's and EISW's were more likely than E's or T's to identity NPRs relative to general nutrition. M's and T's were more likely to identify NPRs hi the area physical assessment. Even M's, who scored highest overall but represented only 10% of the sample, answered only 80% of the indicators correctly. Based on results it is recommended that education on the identification of nutritional problems and/or risks be provided for all direct service providers working for West Virginia's early intervention programs or that consultations by registered dietitians be used frequently. There is reason to believe that needs in other states are similar.
Particle dark matter constraints from the Draco dwarf galaxy

It is widely thought that neutralinos, the lightest supersymmetric particles, could comprise most of the dark matter. If so, then dark halos will emit radio and gamma ray signals initiated by neutralino annihilation. A particularly promising place to look for these indicators is at the center of the local group dwarf spheroidal galaxy Draco, and recent measurements of the motion of its stars have revealed it to be an even better target for dark matter detection than previously thought. We compute limits on WIMP properties for various models of Draco's dark matter halo. We find that if the halo is nearly isothermal, as the new measurements indicate, then current gamma ray flux limits prohibit much of the neutralino parameter space. If Draco has a moderate magnetic field, then current radio limits can rule out more of it. These results are appreciably stronger than other current constraints, and so acquiring more detailed data on Draco's density profile may become one of the most promising avenues for identifying dark matter.
Ratification of human rights treaties: the beginning not the end

1 argue that a country's status with regard to ratifi cation of human-rights treaties is not correlated with health outcomes, and is therefore not a good indicator of the realisation of the right to
Alteration of miRNA activity via context-specific modifications of Argonaute proteins

miRNAs are enclosed within Argonaute (Ago) proteins, the downstream effectors of small RNA-mediated gene silencing. Because miRNAs mediate extensive networks of post-transcriptional control, cells have evolved multiple strategies to control their activity with precision. A growing theme of recent years is how post-translational modifications of Ago proteins, such as prolyl hydroxylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and poly-ADP-ribosylation, alter miRNA activity at global or specific levels. In this review, we discuss recent advances in Ago modifications in mammalian cells and emphasize how such alterations modulate small RNA function to coordinate appropriate downstream cellular responses. These findings provide a framework to understand how Ago protein modifications are linked to reorganization of post-transcriptional regulatory networks, enabling dynamic responses to diverse external stimuli and changing environmental conditions.
Infection with Mycoplasma hominis in postpartum fever.

Abstract A follow-up of 535 patients after vaginal delivery showed that 9% had a fever of 37·7°C or greater, and 2% had a fever of 38°C or more, on two days. The commonest cause of both categories of fever was Mycoplasma hominis infection as defined by a fourfold or greater rise in mycoplasmacidal antibody titre. Among women for whom sera were available this agent caused 50% (14/28) of all fevers and 71% (5/7) of the higher fevers. Absence or low titre ( M. hominis was the strongest single predictor of otherwise unexplained fever (16/40 patients with low antibody titre were febrile vs 7/50 with high antibody titre, p M. hominis remained in hospital 31% longer than the non-infected patients (4·57 vs 3·49 days, p M. hominis occurred together in 17% of patients, who accounted for 71% of all higher fevers. Since these risk factors for postpartum fever can be identified before delivery, prophylactic measures applied selectively to women with these risk factors may prevent a large proportion of postpartum fevers and the excess hospital stay associated with them.
Research notes: The IS leadership research center at the University of Georgia

Fathoming the elements of leadership has been a perennial concern for philosophers and thinkers for centuries. A massive volume of research devoted to understanding organizational leadership has accumulated over several decades. However, an important class of managerial leaders that has emerged in recent times has been effectively ignored. Paradoxically, the Information Systems Leader (e.g., CIO, VP of IS) and the notion of IS leadership are rarely studied in the information age. It is widely acknowledged by researchers and practitioners that IS skills are critical to the current and future operations of almost all organizations. Those firms that are able to develop superior capabilities in IS (e.g., UPS's parcel tracking service, Wal-Mart's logistics system, Sabre's airline reservation system, and Cisco's order fulfillment system) gain considerable operational and competitive advantage. Although there are nearly 100 academic IS research centers (Thao, 2002), as far as we can ascertain there is no ISL academic research center that focuses on IS leadership. Thus, the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia decided it should establish a research center to focus on IS leadership.
Superheating field of superconductors within Ginzburg-Landau theory

We study the superheating field of a bulk superconductor within Ginzburg-Landau theory, which is valid near the critical temperature. We calculate, as functions of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter $\ensuremath{\kappa}$, the superheating field ${H}_{\mathrm{sh}}$ and the critical momentum ${k}_{c}$ characterizing the wavelength of the instability of the Meissner state to flux penetration. By mapping the two-dimensional linear stability theory into a one-dimensional eigenfunction problem for an ordinary differential equation, we solve the problem numerically. We demonstrate agreement between the numerics and analytics, and show convergence to the known results at both small and large $\ensuremath{\kappa}$. We discuss the implications of the results for superconducting rf cavities used in particle accelerators.
Studies of the conformation of amylose in solution

It has been suggested previously that water is a nearly indifferent solvent for amylose on the basis that the exponent a of the Mark-Houwink equation is very nearly 0.50 and the second virial coefficient A 2 is extremely small. It is shown that such solutions do not show the expected precipitation on cooling and the temperature coefficient of the intrinsic viscosity is small and negative. It is suggested that water is both an indifferent and a nearly athermal solvent for this polymer. Various lines of evidence suggest the polymer to exist as a very stiff coil in this and in other solvents. Variations in the intrinsic viscosity and radius of gyration in various solvents show the importance of skeletal effects in addition to the usual osmotic effects. Application of the Porod-Kratky wormlike coil model leads to unreasonably short persistence lengths if the contour length is based on a fully extended conformation but large and reasonable values of the order 40-70 A. if it is assumed that the basic conformation is the helical one observed in various amylose complexes in the crystalline state. As was previously known, the specific optical rotation decreases sharply in aqueous solutions above approximately pH 12. Accompanying this change in rotation there is first a decrease, then an increase in intrinsic viscosity. This later behavior is strikingly reminiscent of the known behavior of polyglutamic acid in the pH-dependent transition from helix to coil. It is concluded that the conformation is that of a stiff coil with essentially helical backbone contour in neutral solution, and the decrease in rotation and in intrinsic viscosity at high pH results from a partial breakdown of the helical structure with a concomitant increase in backbone flexibility. The increase in viscosity and radius of gyration in extreme alkaline solution is probably due to a polyelectrolyte expansion of the polymer coil. Some other miscellaneous observations which are in accord with this model are also pointed out.
Interaction of Test Anxiety and Locus of Control on Academic Performance

Previous studies of the relationship of test anxiety, locus of control, and academic performance yielded contradictory results. In seeking a remedy for the negative effects of test anxiety, it will be useful to know to what extent the highly test-anxious students assume responsibility for their performance (internal view) and to what extent they believe it to be due to luck, chance, or “the system” (external view). University students enrolled in an upper division psychology course completed the Test Attitude Inventory of Spielberger, et al. and a locus of control measure only of personal control items from Gurin, et al. and of academic control items from Rotter. The students' performance on the course examinations was affected by the interaction of test anxiety and personal locus of control; highly test-anxious students achieved higher mean examination scores if they were also internal, while students low in test anxiety had higher scores if they scored external on locus of control. Studies of the intera...
Vector Quantization Of Images Based Upon A Neural-Network Clustering Algorithm

A neural-network clustering algorithm proposed by Kohonen is used to design a codebook for the vector quantization of images. This neural-network clustering algorithm, which is better known as the Kohonen Self-Organizing Feature Maps is a two-dimensional extensively interconnected nodes or unit of processors. The synaptic strengths between the input and the output nodes represent the centroid of the clusters after the network has been adapted to the input vector patterns. Input vectors are presented one at a time, and the weights connecting the input signals to the neurons are adaptively updated such that the point density function of the weights tend to approximate the probability density function of the input vector. Results are presented for a number of coded images using the codebook designed by the Self-Organization Feature Maps. The results are compared with coded images when the codebook is designed by the well known Linde-Buzo-Gray (LBG) algorithm.
A Simple, Accurate Determination of Oxide PZC and the Strong Buffering Effect of Oxide Surfaces at Incipient Wetness

A special spear-tip semisolid electrode has been used to measure the pH of solid oxide-aqueous slurries at very high solid to liquid ratios. A simple non-Nernstian model of the oxide charging along with the experimental results demonstrate a very strong buffering effect of common oxide surfaces at high oxide content. This provides a simple, accurate measurement of oxide PZC which compares favorably to other common methods for PZC determination. The ramifications of the buffering effect on catalyst preparation are discussed.
Symmetry training in pigeons can produce functional equivalences.

Functional stimulus equivalence has been demonstrated using a transfer of training design with matching-to-sample training in which two sample stimuli are associated with the same comparison stimulus (A-B, C-B; many-to-one matching). Equivalence is shown by training a new association (A-D) and demonstrating the presence of an emergent relation (C-D). In the present experiment, we show that symmetry training, in which a bidirectional association is trained between two stimuli (A-B, B-A, using successive stimulus presentations followed by reinforcement), can also produce functional equivalence using a transfer of training design (i.e., train B-C, test A-C). The results suggest that training pigeons in the substitutability of two stimuli may be sufficient to produce functional stimulus equivalence between them. The results also have implications for the development of an emergent transitive relation, because training on A-B and B-C relations results in the emergence of an untrained A-C relation, if B-A training also is provided.
Mental Health Status of the Hmong Americans in 2011: Three Decades Revisited

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Hmong in America and encompasses their mental health status for the past 35 years. Since their mass arrival to the United States in 1975, limited research has been compiled to track the specific mental health issues that affect this collective community alone. Major chronological research findings were compiled for this article and specific findings concerning the Hmong and their mental health issues were compared to findings for other Southeast Asian groups. In conclusion, the findings of this article indicate that the Hmong still have higher rates of being diagnosed with depression, the lowest help-seeking behaviors in utilizing Western medicine, and the lowest arithmetic average of "happiness" scaled on an assessment tool. The purpose of this article is to better steer future research projects that entail tracking and differentiating the specific mental health domains of the Hmong.
Benzyl isothiocyanate of papaya fruit

Abstract The amounts of benzyl isothiocyanate in macerated papaya fruit pulp and seeds were determined by GLC. The concentration of benzyl isothiocyanate decreased in the pulp but increased in the seeds as maturity of the fruit progressed. Free benzyl isothiocyanate was detected in both the wax layer and the vapor which emanated from intact green papayas. This implies that benzyl isothiocyanate was a normal metabolite in green immature papaya.
METAPREFERENCES AND THE REASONS FOR STABILITY IN SOCIAL CHOICE: THOUGHTS ON BROADENING AND CLARIFYING THE DEBATE*

The standard model of collective choice looks at aggregation procedures which take individual preferences as existing for a specified set of alternatives. In this paper we propose that actors also have preferences for rules of choice or characteristics of choice processes (e.g., the perceived fairness of procedures or the popularity of outcomes) rather than simply for alternatives (outcomes) themselves. We argue that the positing of the existence of meta-preferences can illuminate a number of areas of choice theory. Here we focus on one such area: the problem of “too much” stability in majority rule decision making - a stability which belies the standard theoretical results on the generic instability of majority rule processes. We also show that discussion of the prevalence of stability in collective decision making needs to be clarified because there are at least six distinct types of stability which are sometimes confounded in the literature.
Endoscopy and ERCP in the setting of previous upper GI tract surgery. Part II: postsurgical anatomy with alteration of the pancreaticobiliary tree.

Part I of this review in the previous issue of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy considered surgical procedures in which the main duodenal papilla remained intact but the anatomy was changed in such a way that the endoscopic route to the papilla was altered. Part II is a discussion of surgical operations in which the changes in the GI anatomy include reanastomosis of the biliary tree with or without pancreatic duct reanastomosis.
Enabling Mobile Traffic Offloading via Energy Spectrum Trading

Green communications has received much attention recently. For mobile networks, the base stations (BSs) account for more than 50% of the energy consumption of the networks. Therefore, reducing the power consumption of BSs is crucial to greening mobile networks. In this paper, we propose a novel energy spectrum trading (EST) scheme which enables the macro BSs to offload their mobile traffic to Internet service providers' (ISPs') wireless access points by leveraging cognitive radio techniques. Since the ISP's wireless access points are usually closer to the mobile users, the energy and spectral efficiency of mobile networks are enhanced. However, in the EST scheme, achieving optimal mobile traffic offloading in terms of minimizing the energy consumption of the macro BSs is NP-hard. We thus propose a heuristic algorithm to approximate the optimal solution with low computation complexity. We have proved that the energy savings achieved by the proposed heuristic algorithm is at least 50% of that achieved by the brute-force search. Simulation results demonstrate the performance and viability of the proposed EST scheme and the heuristic algorithm.
A new class of inhibitory cytochrome P-450 complexes formed during metabolism: A comparison with amphetamine and SKF 525-A type complexes

During the metabolism of p-chloroaniline, sulfanilamide, 2-methylindoline, and dapsone, complexes with cytochrome P-450 are formed which absorb maximally at 448, 450 451, and 452 nm, respectively. These complexes are similar to the complexes from amphetamines (456 nm) and SKF 525-A (452 nm) in the conditions for, and rate of their formation, and their inhibition of ethylmorphine N-demethylase activity. Similarly, their formation is mainly a property of phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 and is inhibited by comparable concentrations of metyrapone and 2-O-iodophenoxymethylimidazole. Unlike the complexes from amphetamine and SKF 525-A, those formed from p-chloroaniline, sulfanilamide, 2-methylindoline, and dapsone are unstable in the presence of sodium dithionite.
The Provenance and Control of Behavior: Simplistic Answers Are Doomed to Fail

Developmental science encompasses many disciplines, including molecular and cell biology, behavior genetics, biology, psychology, and others. Common among these disciplines insofar as they address ...
The carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae score: a bedside score to rule out infection with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae among hospitalized patients

Patients infected with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae often experience delays in initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy and increased mortality. A score was developed to differentiate bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (16 patients) versus extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (166 patients). A score of ≥32 demonstrated high area under the curve of 0.80 (95% confidence interval: 0.68-0.92) and a negative predictive value of 97%.
Enhanced beam polarization from a Lamb-shift polarized-ion source using static field methods☆

Abstract A static field method has been used to increase the beam polarization from a Lamb-shift polarized-ion source. A proton beam with polarization ∣ P ∣ = 0.78 ± 0.02 and a deuteron beam with polarizations ∣ P 3 ∣ = 0.49 ± 0.02, P 33 = 0.007 ± 0.010 have been obtained. A proposal is made which should allow a purely tensor polarized deuteron beam to be obtained from the Lamb-shift type source.
Quenchable high-pressure phases from non-crystalline germanium

Abstract Quenchable products from high-pressure experiments (up to 140 kbar) on non-crystalline Ge of varying density (ϱ = 4.8–6.0 g/cm3), yield widely different results, depending on the density of the starting non-crystalline materials.
FPPAC: A two-dimensional multispecies nonlinear Fokker-Planck package

The complete nonlinear multispecies Fokker-Planck collision operator for a plasma in two-dimensional velocity space is solved. The operator is expressed in terms of spherical coordinates (v = speed, theta = angle between velocity and magnetic field directions, phi = azimuthal angle) under the assumption of azimuthal symmetry. Provision is made for additional physics contributions.
Optimal design of laminated composites using a modified mixed integer and discrete programming algorithm

Abstract A modification of the branch and bound approach in linear integer programming is proposed to include nonlinear optimization problems involving continuous, integer, and discrete design variables. The methodology is based on a piecewise linear representation of the nonlinear problem. The proposed algorithm is used to optimally configure a cantilever composite laminate beam for minimum weight and constraints on strength displacements, and natural frequencies.
Evolution of quartz cementation and burial history of the Eau Claire Formation based on in situ oxygen isotope analysis of quartz overgrowths

Abstract Individual quartz overgrowths in siltstone of the late Cambrian Eau Claire Formation (Fm.) are systematically zoned in oxygen isotope ratio (δ 18 O). In situ analysis of δ 18 O was performed with 3 and 15 μm beam spots by secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) on detrital quartz grains and quartz overgrowths. These results from thin lenses within impermeable mudstones reflect samples that were sealed from basin-wide fluid flow and compliment previous studies of more permeable sandstones. Individual grains of detrital quartz (DQ) are homogeneous in δ 18 O. The average δ 18 O values in fine-grained detrital quartz in mudstones and siltstones and in coarser-grained quartz in the Eau Claire Fm., Mt. Simon and St. Peter Sandstones (Ss.) are essentially identical at δ 18 O = 10‰ VSMOW, suggesting that detrital quartz is dominantly igneous in origin. The δ 18 O values of overgrowth quartz (OQ) of buried samples from the Illinois Basin are higher and quartz overgrowths are systematically zoned outward from the detrital cores. These gradients are similar to those from the underlying Mt. Simon Ss., and are best explained by increasing temperatures during burial. Pressure solution is evident in thin section and may have supplied significant silica for overgrowths. In contrast to the deeply buried samples from the Illinois Basin, quartz overgrowths in samples from the Wisconsin Arch are homogeneous and higher in δ 18 O. Those overgrowths are interpreted as quartz cements formed in a near-surface environment ( Based on these δ 18 O(OQ) results and the modeled thermal history during burial of the basin, the earliest-formed quartz overgrowths were produced at low temperature from low δ 18 O(water) around 450 Ma. The δ 18 O values in traverses of single overgrowths decrease by up to 9.1‰, showing continued cementation with increased burial, pressure solution, and heating until ~ 250 Ma. In traverses of the outermost zone of some overgrowths, oxygen isotope values become constant or increase slightly, possibly due to clay mineral dehydration reactions or later fluid infiltration. We present a new cementation and basin evolution model, in which the δ 18 O of cement correlates to the age of formation and the late overgrowths formed between 270 and 250 Ma, during and/or after the migration of brines that formed the Pb–Zn deposits of the Upper Mississippi Valley District (270 Ma). Cementation around 270 Ma would have reduced permeability, possibly ending the flow of ore forming brines.
Path-planning editor for kinematically redundant robots

A computer aid is proposed in this paper for planning paths for redundant robots. The aid, called a Path Planning Editor (PPE), allows a user to specify the complete configuration for a redundant robot over a desired path. Powerful visualization features in the PPE help the user make decisions on configuration selection for the robot. Visualization is offered not only of the robot motion but also of the optimization criterion function plotted over the redundant space. A demonstration of these ideas has been implemented using two graphic workstations for 3-D visualization and a third computer for the user interface designed using the X Window system. The robot chosen for the application is the 8 degrees of freedom AAI robot used in the Advanced Teleoperation Laboratory of JPL. Details of the implementation are described and suggestions are made for improvement of the PPE in this paper.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Compressible convection in a viscous Venusian mantle

Finite element simulations of axisymmetric spherical shell compressible convection were carried out to investigate the effect of various surface boundary conditions in a Venusian mantle, employing a thermal expansivity alpha which decreased with depth, a uniform viscosity an order of magnitude greater than the earth's, and zero and chondric quantities of internal heating. As long as hot plumes from the core-mantle boundary were strong, the convection pattern was typical of that for variable alpha flow; that is, it was characterized by steady upflowing regions, unsteady collections of downflowing plumes, and large aspect ratio cells. Increases in the internal heating or the temperature T0 at the top of the convecting layer weakened the hot plumes and, therefore, decreased the width of the cells. A rigid surface increased the internal temperature and also decreased the width of convection cells. Extensive regions of subadiabaticity were found in the mantle. These results are compared with those for fully three-dimensional convection under similar conditions (Schubert et al., 1990).
Proteomic and functional annotation analysis of injured peripheral nerves reveals ApoE as a protein upregulated by injury that is modulated by metformin treatment

Background Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) results in a fundamental reorganization of the translational machinery in the injured peripheral nerve such that protein synthesis is increased in a manner linked to enhanced mTOR and ERK activity. We have shown that metformin treatment, which activates adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), reverses tactile allodynia and enhanced translation following PNI. To gain a better understanding of how PNI changes the proteome of the sciatic nerve and ascertain how metformin treatment may cause further change, we conducted a range of unbiased proteomic studies followed by biochemical experiments to confirm key results.
Increased Levels of Prostaglandin D2 Suggest Macrophage Activation in Patients With Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Study objective: TXA2 (thromboxane A2) is a lipid mediator believed to be produced primarily by platelets in normal subjects, although macrophages are capable of synthesis. There is increased production of TXA2 in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), which may reflect augmented production by macrophages. The objective of this study was to determine if macrophages are activated in PPH and whether they contribute to the increased production of TXA2. Study type: Case control. Setting: University hospital. Methods: We measured the urinary metabolites of three mediators that predominantly derive from different cell types in vivo: (1) TX-M (platelets and macrophages), a TXA2 metabolite; (2) prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) metabolite (PGD-M); and (3) N-methylhistamine (mast cells), a histamine metabolite, in 12 patients with PPH and 11 normal subjects. Results: The mean ( SEM) excretion of both TX-M and PGD-M at baseline was increased in PPH patients, compared to normal subjects (460 50 pg/mg creatinine vs 236 16 pg/mg creatinine [p 0.0006], and 1,390 221 pg/mg creatinine vs 637 65 pg/mg creatinine [p 0.005], respectively). N-methylhistamine excretion was not increased compared to normal subjects. There was a poor correlation between excretion of TX-M and PGD-M (r 0.36) and between excretion of PGD-M and methylhistamine (r 0.09) in individual patients. Conclusion: In patients with PPH, increased levels of PGD-M, without increased synthesis of N-methylhistamine, suggest that macrophages are activated. The lack of correlation between urinary metabolite levels of TXA2 and PGD2 implies that macrophages do not contribute substantially to elevated TXA2 production in patients with PPH. They may, however, have a role in the pathogenesis and/or maintenance of PPH, which warrants further investigation. (CHEST 2001; 120:1639–1644)
Human dendritic cells activated via dectin-1 are efficient at priming Th17, cytotoxic CD8 T and B cell responses.

BackgroundDendritic cells capture antigens through PRRs and modulate adaptive immune responses. The type of adaptive immune T cell response generated is dependent upon the type of PRR activated by the microbes. Dectin-1 is a C-type lectin receptor present on dendritic cells.Methodology/Principal FindingsHere we show that selective dectin-1 agonist Curdlan can activate human DCs and induce the secretion of large amounts of IL-23, IL-1β, IL-6 and low levels of IL-12p70 as determined by ELISA. The Curdlan-stimulated DCs are efficient at priming naive CD4 cells to differentiate into Th17 and Th1 cells. Furthermore, these CD4 T cells induce differentiation of B cells to secrete IgG and IgA. In addition, Curdlan-stimulated DCs promote the expansion and differentiation of Granzyme and perforin expressing cytotoxic T lymphocyte that display high cytolytic activity against target tumor cells in vitro.Conclusions/SignificanceThese data demonstrate that DCs stimulated through Dectin-1 can generate efficient Th, CTL and B cell responses and can therefore be used as effective mucosal and systemic adjuvants in humans.
Coastal near-inertial wave bursts detected by OSCR

Surface current observations from High Frequency (HF) radar have revealed that not only are the low-frequency and tidal currents well resolved by the measurement, higher frequency motions are also contained within the records such as near-inertial oscillations. These motions are associated with oscillations in the internal wave continuum and usually dominate the internal wave energy. A complicating feature in the coastal regime is oceanic frontal structure that influences inertial motions through the relative vorticity fields. These background vorticities may be considerably larger than in the deep ocean case due to the larger density contrast between the fresher, cooler coastal water and the more saline, warmer water masses associated with the subtropical gyre circulation. Synoptic observations of the horizontal flow structure from HF radar provides the spatial context to assess the role of coastal fronts on the near-inertial motions. Observations from an Ocean Surface Current Radar (OSCR) during the Office of Naval Research (ONR)/Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) High Resolution Remote Sensing Experiment, the ONR-sponsored Duck-94 experiment, and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)-sponsored Ocean Pollution Research Center (OPRC) experiments and NOAA Southeast Caribbean Recruitment Studies (SEFCAR) in the Florida Keys have revealed the presence of internal waves in surface current expressions. The data from the Florida Keys are used to demonstrate that the near-inertial motions were detected in surface current records acquired from an OSCR.
Tag point classification in tagged cardiac MR images

This paper presents a tag point classification algorithm for use in a new technique for tracking tag lines in tagged cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) images. Instead of tracking tag lines from frame to frame in an image sequence with active contours or similar techniques, a set of candidate tag points are detected in each image and then classified as either a false positive or belonging to a particular tag line. The advantage of this approach is that the tag point positions are not pre-smoothed during tracking, allowing smoothness constraint to be applied only in the deformation model fit to the tag points. Results of a preliminary validation experiment on human cardiac MR data are presented that show a classification accuracy of 97.86%.
Meteorological Influences on Respirable Fragment Release from Chinese Elm Pollen

Exposure to airborne pollen from certain plants can cause allergic disease, leading to acute respiratory symptoms. Whole pollen grains, 15–90 µm-sized particles, provoke the upper respiratory symptoms of rhinitis (hay fever), while smaller pollen fragments capable of depositing in the lower respiratory tract have been proposed as the trigger for asthma. In order to understand factors leading to pollen release and fragmentation we have examined the rupture of Chinese elm pollen under controlled laboratory conditions and in the outdoor atmosphere. Within 30 minutes after immersion in water, 70% of fresh Chinese pollen ruptures, rapidly expelling cytoplasm. Chinese elm flowers, placed in a controlled atmosphere chamber, emitted pollen and pollen debris after a sequential treatment of 98% relative humidity followed by drying and a gentle disturbance. Immunologic assays of antigenic proteins specific to elm pollens revealed that fine particulate material (Dp < 2 µm) collected from the chamber contained elm pollen antigens. In a temporal study of the outdoor urban atmosphere during the Chinese elm bloom season of 2004, peak concentrations of pollen and fine pollen fragments occurred at the beginning of the season when nocturnal relative humidity (RH) exceeded 90%. Following later periods of hot dry weather, pollen counts decreased to zero. The Chinese elm pollen fragments also decreased during the hot weather, but later displayed additional peaks following periods of more moderate RH and temperature, indicating that pollen counts underestimate total atmospheric pollen allergen concentrations. Pollen fragments thus increase the biogenic load in the atmosphere in a form that is no longer recognizable as pollen and, therefore, is not amenable to microscopic analysis. This raises the possibility of exposure of sensitive individuals to pollen allergens in the form of fine particles that can penetrate into the lower airways and pose potentially severe health risks.
Enhancing Academic Library Performance Through Positive Psychology

Abstract Positive psychology is an important new trend in the field of psychology that may have significant implications for academic libraries. Like the field of psychology, academic librarianship has traditionally focused a substantial amount of attention on problems within the field and on how to solve them. Positive psychology offers a viable alternative by focusing on the strengths and potential of librarians rather than weaknesses. Taking a positive approach to librarianship and fostering a positive culture within academic libraries may result in a variety of benefits to the organization including improved attendance, productivity, and retention of staff.
Experiences of marriage and family therapists working with intimate partner violence

The purpose of our study was to explore the experiences of marriage and family therapists in working with violent couples. In particular, we focused on therapists' questions and feelings of competency pertaining to violence assessment and treatment, the difficulties they face during their practices, and the factors that affect their practice. Data for this study were collected via a focus group that lasted approximately 1 hour. The participants included five marriage and family therapists. A set of questions were used to explore experiences of therapists who were working with clients who are experiencing domestic violence. The research team recorded the answers to these questions as well as associated discussion. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze the data. Six themes were derived from the coded data: acknowledgment and reliance on systemic foundations, therapist factors, assessment, treatment considerations, sex of batterers, and training in marriage and family therapy programs.
The Relevance of the Microphysical and Radiative Properties of Cirrus Clouds to Climate and Climatic Feedback

Abstract This paper examines the effects of the relationship between cirrus cloud ice water content and cloud temperature on climate change. A simple mechanistic climate model is used to study the feedback between ice water content and temperature. The central question studied in this paper concerns the extent to which both the radiative and microphysical properties of cirrus cloud influence such a feedback. To address this question, a parameterization of the albedo and emissivity of clouds is introduced. Observations that relate the ice water content to cloud temperature are incorporated in the parameterization to introduce a temperature dependence to both albedo and emittance. The cloud properties relevant to the cloud feedback are expressed as functions of particles size re, asymmetry parameter g and cloud temperature and analyses of aircraft measurements, lidar and ground based radiometer data are used to select re and g. It was shown that scattering calculations assuming spherical particles with a di...
A three-dimensional FDTD radar simulator for predicting the fields scattered from buried objects

A three-dimensional, full-wave ground-penetrating radar simulator is presented. The finite-difference time-domain technique is used to calculate the fields scattered by objects buried in a stratified lossy half-space. A novel near-to-far field transformation and a method to predict scattered fields resulting from incident plane waves is presented.
Centuries-old logging legacy on spatial and temporal patterns in understory herb communities

Abstract Understory herb communities in the Southern Appalachians are among the highest biodiversity plant communities in North America. In the mid-1990s, a debate began over whether understory herb communities recover to their pre-disturbance states following logging. Studies showing reduced herb-layer diversity in previously logged forests were criticized for not accounting for intersite environmental heterogeneity. More recent studies have addressed environmental heterogeneity, but have neglected long-term recovery by using “mature forests” as young as 80 years old as the benchmark for diversity comparison, even though old growth stands have disturbance return intervals exceeding 500 years. Here we address concerns clouding previous studies of high-diversity Appalachian herb communities and investigate their long-term recovery by comparing paired sites of old growth forest and forest logged 100–150 years ago. We found that species richness and individual abundance is greater in old growth forests than mature forests and that species composition differed significantly between the two. Turnover in species among old growth and mature forests accounted for 11% of the total species richness and was significantly greater than expected. Species turnover at intermediate (5–50 m) and landscape-scales (>10 km) contributed the most towards total species richness. Herb communities in rich cove forests have successional trajectories that exceed 150 years, with important community changes still occurring long after the forest returns to what has been previously termed a “mature” state. To conserve the diverse herb layer, we conclude that mature forest stands are too young to serve as baselines for recovery, landscape-scale preservation of multiple forest stands is needed to maximize species richness, and maintaining 100–150-year logging rotations will likely lead to loss of biodiversity.
Sustainable Development and Green Design—Who Is Leading the Green Initiative?

Civil engineers can contribute solutions to sustainable develop-ment and green design issues. Commitment to this challengerequires that civil engineers acknowledge their professional obli-gation, extend their knowledge base, and participate in all levelsof policy decisions. As primary players in the design of manyessential systems, some civil engineers may not be adequatelyresponding to these challenges.Although the task is large and interdisciplinary, the civil engi-neering profession has an undeniable responsibility, which couldlead toward personal and professional accomplishments. Evenwhen civil engineers accept the ethics of sustainability and greendesign limitations imposed by policy, owners, and key stakehold-ers still exist. Informed civil engineers have a professional obli-gation to broaden the understanding of policymakers, owners, andkey stakeholders, who may in turn demand sustainable design.After deﬁning and contextualizing sustainability and civil en-gineering, the discussion is developed in the following manner:
Evaluation of a Multiplex Flow Immunoassay for Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus-Specific Antibodies

Conventional methods for the detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific antibodies include the immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). While sensitive and specific, these methods are labor-intensive and require separate assays for each analyte. This study evaluated the performance of a multiplex bead assay (BioPlex 2200; Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, CA) for the simultaneous detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM class antibodies to the EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) and IgG class antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1). Serum specimens (n = 1,315) submitted for routine EBV-specific antibody testing by EIA (Grifols-Quest, Inc., Miami, FL) were also tested by the multiplex bead assay using the BioPlex 2200 automated analyzer. Specimens showing discordant results were tested by IFA. Following IFA resolution, the BioPlex VCA IgM, VCA IgG, and EBNA-1 IgG assays demonstrated 97.9%, 91.4%, and 96.9% agreement, respectively, with the results obtained by EIA. Furthermore, the BioPlex assays showed an overall agreement of 94.1% with the EIA when the specimens were categorized by disease state (susceptible, acute, or past infection) based on the EBV-specific antibody profiles. These findings indicate that the BioPlex EBV assays demonstrate a performance comparable to that of the conventional EIA, while allowing for a more rapid (2.3 h for 100 samples versus 4.5 h by the EIA) and higher-throughput (∼400 samples per 9 h versus 200 samples by the EIA) analysis of the EBV-specific antibody response.
Optimum transform coding of imagery

A system is presented for transform coding of imagery. Specifically, the system uses the 2-D discrete cosine transform (DCT) in conjunction with adaptive classification, entropy-constrained trellis-coded quantization, optimal rate allocation, and adaptive arithmetic encoding. Adaptive classification, side rate reduction, and rate allocation strategies are discussed. Entropy-constrained codebooks are designed using a modified version of the generalized Lloyd algorithm. This entropy-constrained DCT-based system is shown to achieve outstanding coding performance as compared to other DCT-based systems.
Power adaptive broadcasting with local information in ad hoc networks

Network wide broadcasting is an energy intensive function. In this paper we propose a new method that performs transmission power adaptations based on information available locally, to reduce the overall energy consumed per broadcast. In most of the prior work on energy efficient broadcasting it is assumed that the originator of the broadcast has global network information (both topology information as well as the geographical distance between nodes). This can be prohibitive in terms of the consumed overhead. In our protocol, each node attempts to tune its transmit power based on local information (of up to two hops from the transmitting node). We perform extensive simulations to evaluate our protocol. Our simulations take into account the possible loss of packets due to collision effects and the additional re-broadcasts that are necessary due to lower power transmissions. We show that our protocol achieves almost the same coverage as other non power-adaptive broadcast schemes hut with a reduction of approximately 40% in terms of the consumed power as compared to a scheme that does not adapt its power.
Science to Practice: Can Contrast-enhanced US of Targeted Microbubbles Be Used to Monitor and Quantify Inflammation in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

In this issue of Radiology, Deshpande et al describe how the expression of P-selectin as a marker of inflammation can be monitored and quantified in vivo with contrastenhanced US in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease.
Biochemical mechanism and inheritance of cross-resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitors in giant foxtail

Abstract Giant foxtail putatively resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors has been reported widely in the upper Midwest, typically in fields with a history of ALS inhibitor use in continuous corn or corn–soybean rotation. However, it is not known whether these giant foxtail populations vary in their response to ALS inhibitors. Therefore, our objectives were to confirm and quantify resistance of giant foxtail accessions from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois to imidazolinone and sulfonylurea herbicides; to determine the mechanism of resistance; and to determine the mechanism of resistance inheritance. Dose–response experiments using three- to four-leaf stage giant foxtail plants in the greenhouse confirmed cross-resistance of the Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois accessions to imazethapyr and nicosulfuron. Based on ED50 values (the effective dose that reduced shoot dry biomass by 50% compared to the nontreated plants), the Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois accessions were 16-, 17-, and 15-fo...