cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Theoretical Calculation of the Laminar Boundary Layer Around an Elliptic Cylinder, and Its Comparison with Experiment

' 1 A H E author, in conjunction with Th. von Karman, -*has recently given a new method of approximate integration of the Prandtl boundary layer equations, which was developed in order to treat cases in which separation of a laminar boundary layer might be expected. The method was developed because some doubt was felt as to the accuracy with which the well-known Pohlhausen analysis 2 would describe conditions in the neighborhood of such a separation point. Numerical calculations were carried out for certain cases involving theoretical simplifications, and very considerable discrepancies were found between the results of the new and Pohlhausen methods. The method was also used in developing a theory for the maximum lift coefficient of certain classes of airfoils. This theory gave satisfactory agreement with experiment but no direct experimental check on the boundary layer analysis itself has been given up to the present. Very recently G. B. Schubauer 4 published the results of a detailed experimental investigation carried out at the Bureau of Standards on a laminar boundary layer in which separation occurred. One of the major purposes of Schubauer's research was to test the accuracy of Pohlhausen's method, and accordingly a large series of velocity profiles through the boundary layer was determined experimentally, and compared with the corresponding series of profiles calculated according to the Pohlhausen procedure. The experimental comparison which Pohlhausen himself had carried out with his method (loc. cit.) was in connection with the flow around a circular cylinder, and it was felt that for this case the pressure rise downstream from the point of minimum pressure was perhaps too rapid to furnish a very sensitive test of the accuracy of any theory giving the location and characteristics of the separation region. Schubauer accordingly chose for his experiments an elliptic cylinder of fineness ratio 2.96:1 which was
Large Scale Tests of Composite Support Struts for Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Rings

Cold-to-warm struts will be used in superconducting magnet energy storage plants to support the superconducting magnet ring. A prototype design of the structural support struts was tested by simulating the in-service, thermal and mechanical, conditions. The maximum strength measured, with the simulated in-service conditions, was 519 MPa (75 ksi). Problems with the design of the end fittings for the struts prohibited determination of the material’s ultimate strength.
Tetrahydrobiopterin, L-arginine and vitamin C act synergistically to decrease oxidant stress and increase nitric oxide that increases blood flow recovery after hindlimb ischemia in the rat.

Nitric oxide (NO) derived from endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a potent vasodilator and signaling molecule that plays essential roles in neovascularization. During limb ischemia, decreased NO bioavailability occurs secondary to increased oxidant stress, decreased L-arginine and tetrahydrobiopterin. This study tested the hypothesis that dietary cosupplementation with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), L-arginine and vitamin C acts synergistically to decrease oxidant stress, increase NO and thereby increase blood flow recovery after hindlimb ischemia. Rats were fed normal chow, chow supplemented with BH4 or L-arginine (alone or in combination) or chow supplemented with BH4 + L-arginine + vitamin C for 1 wk before induction of hindlimb ischemia. In the ischemic hindlimb, cosupplementation with BH4 + L-arginine resulted in greater eNOS and phospho-eNOS (P-eNOS) expression, Ca2+-dependent NOS activity and NO concentration in the ischemic calf region (gastrocnemius), as well as greater NO concentration in the region of collateral arteries (gracilis). Rats receiving cosupplementation of BH4 + L-arginine led to greater recovery of foot perfusion and greater collateral enlargement than did rats receiving either agent separately. The addition of vitamin C to the BH4 + L-arginine regimen further increased these dependent variables. In addition, rats given all three supplements showed significantly less Ca2+-independent activity, less nitrotyrosine accumulation, greater glutathione (GSH)-to-glutathione disulfide (GSSG) ratio and less gastrocnemius muscle necrosis, on both macroscopic and microscopic levels. In conclusion, cosupplementation with BH4 + L-arginine + vitamin C significantly increased blood flow recovery after hindlimb ischemia by reducing oxidant stress, increasing NO bioavailability, enlarging collateral arteries and reducing muscle necrosis. Oral cosupplementation of BH4, L-arginine and vitamin C holds promise as a biological therapy to induce collateral artery enlargement.
Networks, markov lie monoids, and generalized entropy

The continuous general linear group in n dimensions can be decomposed into two Lie groups: (1) an n(n-1) dimensional ‘Markov type' Lie group that is defined by preserving the sum of the components of a vector, and (2) the n dimensional Abelian Lie group, A(n), of scaling transformations of the coordinates. With the restriction of the first Lie algebra parameters to nonnegative values, one obtains exactly all Markov transformations in n dimensions that are continuously connected to the identity. In this work we show that every network, as defined by its C matrix, is in one to one correspondence to one element of the Markov monoid of the same dimensionality. It follows that any network matrix, C, is the generator of a continuous Markov transformation that can be interpreted as producing an irreversible flow among the nodes of the corresponding network.
Chorioamnionitis, not epidural analgesia, is associated with maternal fever during labour

Purpose: Maternal fever is associated with chorioamnionitis and has been linked to labour epidural analgesia (LEA). The purpose of this study was to determine possible associations between LEA and chorioamnionitis, maternal fever, operative delivery rate, and neonatal outcome. Methods: Data from 14,073 patients were entered into a database over a two-year period. From this database, 62 nulliparous parturients with clinical chorioamnionitis (amnionitis), but without LEA were identified (Group I). Two other groups who received LEA were matched for parity and gestation: Group II – LEA with concomitant amnionitis (n=50) and, Group III – LEA without concomitant amnionitis (n=201). The diagnosis of chorioamnionitis was confirmed by histologic examination. Results are expressed as mean ± SD and analyzed at P <0.05 using ANOVA or Chi-square. Results: No differences were noted among the groups in the operative delivery rate or Apgar scores at five minutes. The percentage of patients with maternal fever during labour (38.0°C) with amnionitis was significantly less in Group III compared to the other groups (100% in both Groups I and II vs 1.0% in Group III; P=0.000). Likewise, Group III had a lower percentage of neonates with Apgar scores <7 at one minute (35.5% in Group I, 20.0% in Group II, 17.4% in Group III; P=0.010). The percentage of histologic chorioamnionitis was significantly higher in both amnionitis groups compared to Group III (67.7% in Group I, 56.0% in Group II, 4.0% in Group III; P=0.000).
Laser-Induced Photodissociation of A12(CH3)6: Gas-Phase and Adsorbed Layer Dissociation Mechanisms for A1 Film Growth

In recent years, photolytic laser-induced chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) has become an important addition to the available thin-film growth techniques.[1] The motivation for LCVD is twofold. By focusing and rastering beams it is possible to perform highly localized growth which can be used for direct writing of patterns for microelectronics. In addition, growth over large areas can be achieved by directing a defocused beam through an appropriate gas and either over or onto a substrate. The photoreactions of primary importance for LCVD can be categorized as follows: (1) Dissociation of gas-phase molecules to provide precursors for film growth, (2) Photolysis of adsorbed species, and (3) surface irradiation leading to surface heating and possibly melting. These reactions have also been used to alter the kinetics of growth by techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD)[2], metal-organic CVD (M0CVD)[3–5] and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).[6–8]
The Specificity of Chromium Nucleotides as Inhibitors of Selected Kinases

Abstract Chromium(III) complexes of the following nucleoside di- and triphosphates and their analogs have been synthesized and chromatographically purified: CrATP, CrADP, CrGTP, CrGDP, CrCTP, CrCDP, CrUTP, CrUDP, CrITP, CrXTP, CrPP, CrPPP, and Cr d-ribose-5'-PPP. These complexes have been tested for their inhibitory effects on hexokinase, creatine kinase, glycerokinase, phosphoglycerate kinase, pyruvate kinase and acetate kinase. With most of these enzymes, they bind well or better than the corresponding magnesium nucleotides, and the specificity for the base is similar. These stable complexes thus appear to be useful probes of the geometry of nucleotide binding sites on enzymes.
Information and communications technologies in the age of globalization

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the challenges and opportunities for implementing ICTs in Africa. It identifies potential areas that ICTs can be targeted and implemented for maximum in the region, and offers an integrated framework that could help the region to coordinate various components and institutionalize ICTs in the economy. It is argued that Africa needs an integrated approach to leverage ICTs for socioeconomic development.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews African theoretical perspectives of ICTs. Synthesizing literature on African perspectives of ICTs, an integrated framework is developed to help provide a coherent focus for the implementation of ICTs in a holistic manner.Findings – Basic systems for leveraging ICTs for development in Africa are fragmented and uncoordinated. Critical physical infrastructure and human capacity do not work synergistically to effectively implement ICTs. Where the basic infrastructure exists, various components do not operate synergistically to eng...
The s tudy of the mechanism of Arabidopsis immutans variegation

Variegated plants typically have greenand white-sectored leaves. Cells in the green sectors contain normal-appearing chloroplasts whereas cells in the white (or yellow) sectors lack pigments and appear to be blocked at various stages of chloroplast biogenesis. Variegations can be caused by mutations in nuclear, chloroplast or mitochondrial genes. In some plants, the green and white sectors have different genotypes, but in others they have the same (mutant) genotype. One advantage of variegations is that they provide a means of studying genes for proteins that are important for chloroplast development, but for which mutant analysis is difficult, either because mutations in a gene-of-interest are lethal or because they do not show a readily distinguishable phenotype. This review focuses on Arabidopsis variegations, for which the most information is available at the molecular level. Perhaps the most interesting of these are variegations caused by defective nuclear gene products in which the cells of the mutant have a uniform genotype. Two questions are of paramount interest: What is the gene product, and how does it function in chloroplast biogenesis? What is the mechanism of variegation, and why do green sectors arise in plants with a uniform (mutant) genotype? Two paradigms of variegation mechanism are described
Built-in self test of CMOS-MEMS accelerometers

A built-in self-test technique for MEMS that is applicable to symmetrical microstructures is described. A combination of existing layout features and additional circuitry is used to make measurements from symmetrically-located points. In addition to the normal sense output, self-test outputs are used to detect the presence of layout asymmetry that are caused by local, hard-to-detect defects. Simulation results for an accelerometer reveal that our self-test approach is able to distinguish misbehavior resulting from local defects and manufacturing process variations.
BoF report: state of the semantic web in digital government

We invited DG researchers to speak for a few minutes about their semantic web activities. Our goal was to identify which areas of the semantic web DG researchers are involved in, and to foster a semantic web community of practice within DG.
Industry level J-curve in Turkey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the J-Curve effect in Turkey at the industry level. Design/methodology/approach – In order to find the long-run and short-run effects, 58 industries (by Standard International Trade Classification Rev.3) have been identified by using monthly data that covers the periods from January 1990 to December 2012. Present study employs bounds testing procedure, developed by Pesaran and Shin (1999) and Pesaran et al. (2001). Findings – Although results indicate a positive satisfactory effect of real depreciation of lira in 13 industries, the J-Curve effect is detected in only 13 industries. Originality/value – The present study is one of the first studies to analyze the J-Curve effect at the industry level on Turkey. In addition to being one of the first studies, it will be an invaluable addition to the J-Curve literature.
On Breast Cancer Detection, Directors of Nursing and Female Residents: A Study in Rural Long-Term Care

Breast cancer is a leading cause of mortality in women throughout the world. Rural women have a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than do their urban counterparts. Breast cancer incidence rises sharply with age, and research on breast cancer screening for the old-old women in long-term care facilities is scarce. The purpose of this study was to investigate the screening services available for breast cancer detection for the elderly women in rural, skilled long-term care facilities in a Midwestern state. Participants in the study were Directors of Nursing for rural long-term care facilities, of which the response rate was 68.4%. Results revealed that elderly women in the rural long-term care facilities do not receive breast cancer screening services within the guidelines of the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute. Also, the self-reports by female Directors of Nursing indicate that even these professionals do not practice or utilize breast cancer screening services within consensus guidelines. Data support the need for a continued focus on breast health programs for rural elderly women in long-term care, and for health-seeking behaviors of nursing professionals.
Money and Banks in the American Political System: Making Financial Policy in the Federal Reserve System

As the political institution that serves as a central bank in the American system, the Federal Reserve is, in its essence, a bank. The Treasury pays the government's bills. A bureau of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, collects taxes. The president and Congress control who the Treasury pays and taxes – and how much – when they negotiate the annual budget. But the Treasury's general account is at the Federal Reserve. At this time in American history, the notes of that bank are the legal tender for the country and, incidentally, most global financial transactions. Although it is not a branch of the government laid out in the Constitution, the Federal Reserve System plays a major role in financial politics because it determines monetary and some regulatory policy. It has been constructed over time through the political process, so it does not have the same structure as a commercial bank. Moreover, it handles many additional tasks that can seem to contradict each other outright. These contradictions result from the political compromises necessary to bring it into existence only a century ago. In brief, the Federal Reserve System is structured with a central Board of Governors in Washington, DC, and Reserve Banks in each of twelve districts whose stock is owned by commercial banks that have chosen to join the system (i.e., member banks). Policy results from a mix of the activities between the board and the Reserve Banks. Monetary policy is made in the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), a committee comprising the seven board members in Washington appointed by the president, the head of the most significant regional Reserve Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY), and four additional members that rotate among the heads of the remaining eleven Reserve Banks. Regulatory policy is issued through the board. The regulations issued can apply to the entire banking system or just to member banks, depending on their nature. The Reserve Banks operate a nationwide payment system and supervise and regulate member banks and bank holding companies. As a part of these activities, they distribute coin and currency throughout the country.
Biochemical Defects of Mutant nudel Alleles Causing Early Developmental Arrest or Dorsalization of the Drosophila Embryo

The nudel gene of Drosophila is maternally required both for structural integrity of the egg and for dorsoventral patterning of the embryo. It encodes a structurally modular protein that is secreted by ovarian follicle cells. Genetic and molecular studies have suggested that the Nudel protein is also functionally modular, with a serine protease domain that is specifically required for ventral development. Here we describe biochemical and immunolocalization studies that provide insight into the molecular basis for the distinct phenotypes produced by nudel mutations and for the interactions between these alleles. Mutations causing loss of embryonic dorsoventral polarity result in a failure to activate the protease domain of Nudel. Our analyses support previous findings that catalytic activity of the protease domain is required for dorsoventral patterning and that the Nudel protease is auto-activated and reveal an important role for a region adjacent to the protease domain in Nudel protease function. Mutations causing egg fragility and early embryonic arrest result in a significant decrease in extracellular Nudel protein, due to defects in post-translational processing, stability, or secretion. On the basis of these and other studies of serine proteases, we suggest potential mechanisms for the complementary and antagonistic interactions between the nudel alleles.
The solubilities of tetra(monofluorophenyl) porphines

The solubilities of several tetra(monofluorophenyl)porphines have been determined in several organic solvents; the meta-fluoro derivative is very soluble compared to the other compounds studied. In chloroform the m-F-TPP has a solubility at 30° of .21 M which is about 104 times more soluble than p-F-TPP. The wide employment of substituted tetraphenylporphines in the chemical and physical studies of porphyrins and metalloporphyrins prompts us to report a rather interesting and useful observation concerning the solubility of some of these porphyrins. The low solubility of many of these porphyrins make their study sometimes difficult. We have determined the solubility of meso-tetraphenylporphine (TPP) and the three monofluorophenyl derivatives of TPP, the o-F-TPP, m-F-TPP, and p-F-TPP in the solvents pyridine, benzene, and chloroform. The above compounds were synthesized and purified by previous literature methods. The measured solubilities are given in the Table. There are two points of interest concerning these porphyrin solubilities. Firstly, the relatively high solubility of the m-F-TPP derivative will make many porphyrin studies much easier than before; secondly, the large difference in the solubility of m-F-TPP as compared to the p-F-TPP (.21 M compared to 4.8 × 10−5 M) appears unusual and not easily explicable.
Boundary feedback stabilizability of parabolic equations

A parabolic equation defined on a bounded domain is considered, with input acting on theboundary expressed as a specifiedfeedback of the solution. Both Dirichlet and mixed (in particular, Neumann) boundary conditions are treated. Algebraic conditions based on the finitely many unstable eigenvalues are given, ensuring the existence ofboundary vectors, for which all the solutions to theboundary feedback parabolic equation decay exponentially to zero ast→+∞ in (essentially) the strongest possible space norm. A semigroup approach is employed.
Sensitive and viable identification of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells by a flow cytometric assay for degranulation

Flow cytometric detection of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells has previously been limited to MHC-class I tetramer staining or intracellular cytokine production, neither of which measure the cytolytic potential of these cells. Here we present a novel technique to enumerate antigen-specific CD8+ T cells using a marker expressed on the cell surface following activation induced degranulation, a necessary precursor of cytolysis. This assay measures the exposure of CD107a and b, present in the membrane of cytotoxic granules, onto the cell surface as a result of degranulation. Acquisition of cell surface CD107a and b is associated with loss of intracellular perforin and is inhibited by colchicine, indicating that exposure of CD107a and b to the cell surface is dependent on degranulation. CD107a and b are expressed on the cell surface of CD8+ T cells following activation with cognate peptide, concordant with production of intracellular IFNgamma. Finally, CD107-expressing CD8+ T cells are shown to mediate cytolytic activity in an antigen-specific manner. Measurement of CD107a and b expression can also be combined with MHC-class I tetramer labeling and intracellular cytokine staining to provide a more complete assessment of the functionality of CD8+T cells expressing cognate T cell receptors (TCR).
Interaction of atrazine with Laurentian fulvic acid: binding and hydrolysis

Abstract Ultrafiltration fractionation and liquid chromatography (LC) have been applied to the study of the binding and hydrolysis of the polar herbicide atrazine on a stoichiometrically well characterized fulvic acid. Binding requires extensive carboxylate site protonation but the binding sites represent a very small fraction of total carboxylate. The data show that binding of atrazine is not competitive with binding of the hydrolytic product hydroxyatrazine. However, smaller molecular weight fractions of the fulvic acid mixture compete with atrazine for sites on the larger molecular weight fraction. Binding equilibrium is not rapid. A model of binding involving hydrogen bonding and/or charge-transfer complexing to specific sites created dynamically by the conformational equilibria of the higher molecular weight polymeric fulvic acid fractions is proposed as the best accommodation of the variety of observed facts.
Librarians and faculty collaboration – partners in student success

Purpose – The purpose of this column is to discuss the importance of faculty/librarian collaboration in establishing a base of reference support to serve as an underpinning for each course across the college curriculum.Design/methodology/approach – Literature review and commentary on this topic that has been addressed by colleagues.Findings – It is imperative that librarians collaborate with and support the faculty on a college campus to reinforce overall academic success.Originality/value – The value in addressing this issue is to discuss the importance of the librarian/faculty collaboration in a college and suggest the value to the students in such collaboration.
Ecological Structure of Recent and Last Glacial Mammalian Faunas in Northern Eurasia: The Case of Altai-Sayan Refugium

Pleistocene mammalian communities display unique features which differ from present-day faunas. The paleocommunities were characterized by the extraordinarily large body size of herbivores and predators and by their unique structure consisting of species now inhabiting geographically and ecologically distinct natural zones. These features were probably the result of the unique environmental conditions of ice age ecosystems. To analyze the ecological structure of Last Glacial and Recent mammal communities we classified the species into biome and trophic-size categories, using Principal Component analysis. We found a marked similarity in ecological structure between Recent eastern Altai-Sayan mammalian assemblages and comparable Pleistocene faunas. The composition of Last Glacial and Recent eastern Altai-Sayan assemblages were characterized by the occurrence of large herbivore and predator species associated with steppe, desert and alpine biomes. These three modern biomes harbor most of the surviving Pleistocene mammals. None of the analyzed Palearctic Last Glacial faunas showed affinity to the temperate forest, taiga, or tundra biome. The Eastern part of the Altai-Sayan region could be considered a refugium of the Last Glacial-like mammalian assemblages. Glacial fauna seems to persist up to present in those areas where the forest belt does not separate alpine vegetation from the steppes and deserts.
Individual Differences in Reactivity to Daily Events: Examining the Roles of Stability and Level of Self‐Esteem

Unstable self-esteem is thought to reflect fragile and vulnerable feelings of self-worth that are affected by specific positive and negative events. Direct evidence for this contention is lacking, however. To redress this situation, we examined the extent to which level and stability of self-esteem predicted the impact that everyday positive and negative events had on individuals' feelings about themselves. Participants recorded the most positive and most negative event that occurred each day Monday through Thursday for a period of 2 weeks. They then indicated the extent to which each event made them feel better or worse about themselves. As anticipated, negative and positive events had a greater impact on the self-feelings of individuals with unstable as opposed to stable self-esteem (although the effect for positive events was marginal). Additional findings indicated that event qualities (i.e., self-esteem relevance and concerns about social acceptance/rejection) could account for the unstable self-esteem/greater reactivity link for negative events, but not for positive events. Negative, but not positive, events had a greater impact on the self-feelings of individuals with low as compared to high levels of self-esteem. Theoretical implications are discussed.
Infrared and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic studies of the polymorphic phase behavior of phosphatidylethanolamine/diacylglycerol lipid mixtures.

Abstract Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy have been employed to examine the structural dynamics of lipid fatty acyl chains and lipid/water interfacial region of a binary lipid mixture containing unsaturated phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and diacylglycerol (DG). Infrared vibrational frequencies of the CH 2 symmetric stretching and the C  O stretching bands of the lipids were neasured at different lipid compositions and temperatures. For 0% DG, the lamellar gel to lamellar liquid crystalline (L β –L α ) and the L α to inverted hexagonal (L α –H Il ) phase transitions were observed at ≈ 15° and 55°C, respectively. As the DG content increased gradually from 0% to 15%, the L α –H II phase transition temperature decreased drastically while the L β -L α phase transition temperature decreased only slightly. At 10% DG, a merge of these two phase transitions was noticed at ≈ 10°C. For the composition study at 23°C, the L α –H Il transition occurred at ≈6–10% DG as indicated by abrupt increase in both the CH 2 and C  O streching frequencies at those DG contents. Using time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, abrupt decreases in both the normalized long time residual and the initial slope of the anisotropy decay function of lipid probes, 1-palmitoyl-2-[[2-[4-(6-phenyl- trans -1,3,5-hexatrienyl)phenyl]ethyl]carbonyl]-3- sn -phosphatidylcholine, in these PE/DG mixtures were observed at the L α –H II phase transition. These changes in the anisotropy decay parameters suggested that the rotational dynamics and orientational packing of the lipids were altered at the composition-induced L α –H II transition, and agreed with a previous temprature-induced L α –H II transition study on pure unsaturated PE (Cheng (1989) Biophys. J. 55, 1025–1031). The fluorescence lifetime of water soluble probes, 8,1-anilinonapthalenes sulfonate acid, in PE/DG mixtures increased abruptly at the L α –H II phase transition, suggesting that the conformation and hydration of the lipid/water interfacial region also undergo significant changes at the L α –H Il transition.
Chemical defense of a rare mint plant

Analyses of leaf extracts ofDicerandra frutescens, a highly aromatic mint plant from central Florida listed as an endangered species, revealed presence of 12 closely related monoterpenes. The principal of these, (+)—trans-pulegol, is a new natural product, the synthesis of which is described. The terpenes are produced in glandular capsules that release their contents upon injury of the leaf. Data from bioassays with ants and cockroaches indicate that the terpenes serve for defense against insects.Dicerandra does, however, have a leaf-eating enemy, the caterpillar of a pyralid moth,Pyrausta panopealis. The discovery of a new natural product from an endangered species raises questions about the chemical implications of species extinction.
Fish assemblage associations and thresholds with existing and projected oil and gas development

Energy development threatens fish and wildlife resources worldwide. This study used constrained ordinations to show fish assemblage structure associated with oil and gas well densities in the Colorado River Basin, Wyoming, but well densities explained only 6.4% of assemblage structure when compared to other factors. Threshold Indicator Taxonomic ANalysis showed significant negative threshold responses by some species to small levels of development (<0.15 wells km−2), whereas positive thresholds were less distinct. Some native and imperilled species could be disproportionately affected if future oil and gas development proceeds in a manner that will impact aquatic resources. Although existing development has not substantially influenced regional fish assemblage structure, it appears to affect a subset of species. Understanding assemblage-level responses to development can help land managers determine appropriate development levels, prioritise areas for monitoring associated with future development and identify where land protection measures may be needed to offset potential risks.
Antifibrotic therapy in scleroderma: extracellular or intracellular targeting of activated fibroblasts?

Therapeutic anticytokine approaches have revolutionized the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, and targeting of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), a key factor in the pathogenesis of fibrosis, is undergoing evaluation for scleroderma. Several considerations dictate a cautious approach to anti-TGF-β interventions. These include the possibility of multiple cytokines having overlapping roles in the pathogenesis of fibrosis and concerns that, in light of its numerous homeostatic functions, blocking TGF-β may have serious adverse consequences. Furthermore, as autonomously activated cells, scleroderma fibroblasts may be unresponsive to blockade of TGF-β signaling. This article reviews the experimental evidence underlying these concerns, and indicates rational approaches to addressing and overcoming them.
Retrospective study of myocarditis associated with reovirus in turkeys.

Abstract The myocarditis associated with reovirus in commercial turkeys was studied retrospectively. Fifty-two cases were identified between 1991 and 2009. The lesions occurred in four different poultry companies in California and affected male and female turkeys with an average age of 19 days. Increased mortality in the turkey flocks ranged from 0.35% to 3% per week in 47 cases. Reovirus was isolated from the heart in 14 out of 19 cases. Twenty-four out of 28 birds from nine cases had low vitamin E levels in the liver ranging from 0.29 to 2.5 ppm (normal 3.0 to ≥15 ppm). Transmission electron microscopy of the heart revealed degenerative changes in the myocardial cells. Reovirus has been suggested as a probable etiology of this condition. Vitamin E deficiency might also contribute to the development of the lesions.
Visualization of 3D microstructure of bicontinuous microemulsions by combined SANS experiments and simulations

Abstract SANS studies were made on a three-component microemulsion system, with equal volume fractions of water and oil, in the one-phase region near the three-phase body, at the hydrophile—lipophile balance temperature, as a function of surfactant volume fraction φ s . A prominent peak was found in the scattering intensity distribution, the position of which ( Q max ) scaled linearly with φ s . This scaling relation can be derived from a model of bicontinuous microemulsions proposed by Teubner and Strey (J. Chem. Phys., 87 (1987) 3195). It can be shown that the generic microstructure of these microemulsions is bicontinuous, characterized by two length scales d and ξ, where d is the average inter-domain distance between two water or oil domains and d /ξ the disorder parameter measuring polydispersity of the domain sizes. Based on this idea, we propose a simulation scheme, which is an extension of an idea of Berk (Phys. Rev. Lett., 58 (1987) 2718-2721; Phys. Rev. A, 44 (1991) 5069-5079), which allows us to generate both the 3D microstructure and the associated Debye correlation function, which can be Fourier transformed to obtain the theoretical scattering intensity distribution function. The main input to this simulation is a spectral function which is an inverse of a sixth order polynomial, containing three length scales. 3D micro-structures are then generated which are fully consistent with the scattering data. Physical meaning of the three length scales so obtained is discussed and compared with the two length scales d and ξ obtained from fitting the Teubner—Strey model to the same data.
Laparoscopic hernia repair following iliac crest harvest

The repair of hernias through iliac crest defects is challenging secondary to the inherent weakness of the abdominal musculature and the rigidity of the pelvis. The defect is surrounded by inadequate tissue to properly buttress the repair. Full-thickness tricortical bone harvested from the iliac may result in an incisional hernia through the bony defect. Options for repair include using the aponeurosis of the gluteus muscle, prosthetic material, or straightening the iliac crest. We report two patients who had their defects repaired laparoscopically using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) mesh. Two patients with hernias following full-thickness iliac crest bone harvest presented secondary to increasing pain and size of their hernias. Both defects were repaired laparoscopically using spiral tacks laterally, medially, and superiorly, and with an intracorporeal stitch inferiorly at the iliac crest to secure the mesh. The two defects averaged 24.5 cm(2) in size and were repaired with PTFE mesh. For adequate visualization, the cecum was mobilized and the mesh repair overlapped the defects by a 4-cm margin. Both patients were discharged after 2.5 days. There were no infectious or neurologic complications, and neither patient has recurred. The laparoscopic approach to the repair of hernias resulting from tricortical iliac crest bone harvest is safe and may be preferable to open repair. Advantages include durable repair, better interoperative visualization, and reduced post-operative pain, morbidity, and hospital stay.
The role of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 in the metabolic syndrome and diabetes

Abstract Objectives Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp-PLA 2 ) is a novel inflammation marker. We investigated its association with other coronary risk factors and evaluated its role as a comprehensive marker of the metabolic syndrome in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Methods Our cross-sectional study evaluated 92 insulin-treated subjects with type 2 diabetes. Biochemical measurements of Lp-PLA 2 , glycemic control, lipid profiles, and C-reactive protein were carried out. Seventy-seven subjects were diagnosed as having the metabolic syndrome, which was defined according to the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Scientific Statement. Results Lp-PLA 2 was significantly correlated with waist–hip ratio ( r =.25), triglycerides ( r =.50), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( r =−.31), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; r =.27; all P 2 . Lp-PLA 2 was significantly higher in subjects with the metabolic syndrome than in those without it (268±23.4 vs. 127±15.8 ng/ml, P 2 with an increment of the number of the metabolic syndrome criteria ( P trend =.041). Another multiple-regression model showed that the hypertriglyceridemia component was the only predictor of Lp-PLA 2 . Conclusions Our findings suggest that Lp-PLA 2 assay potentially facilitates a more comprehensive assessment of the metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes on insulin.
Development of a Normative Data Set for the Normal Adult Airway Using 772 Cone Beam CT Scans

sized that upper airway length would be longer in patients with OSA and strongly correlated with disease severity. Methods of Investigation: This was a case-control study utilizing a sample of cases defined as adult subjects with OSA, confirmed by polysomnography, and controls who were adult patients with skeletal Class II malocclusions (non-syndromic mandibular or bimaxillary retrognathia) without history or symptoms of OSA. The primary predictor variable was UAL, which was measured as the distance along the long axis of the airway from the hyoid bone to the palatal plane. Two observers, blinded to the disease status of the subjects, independently evaluated airway length to assess the reliability of the measurement method. The technique had a high degree of inter-examiner correlation (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.96, p 0.001). Other variables were demographic (age, sex and body mass index, BMI) and cephalometric (maxillary sagittal position, SNA; mandibular sagittal position, SNB; maxillomandibular relationship, ANB; maxillary length, Co-ANS; mandibular length, CoGn; posterior airway space, PAS; hyoid-mandibular perpendicular distance, HMP; soft-palate length, PNS-SP; maxillary vertical length, S-PNS) parameters. The respiratory disturbance index (RDI) was used to measure disease severity in cases. Methods of Analysis: Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were computed to evaluate the association between predictor and outcome variables adjusted as indicated for confounders or effect modifiers. Diagnostic test characteristics were computed for threshold airway lengths. A p-value 0.05 was statistically significant. Results: Over a five-year period, we identified 96 cases with OSA (76 males) and 56 controls (36 males). OSA subjects were older, predominately male, had higher BMIs, and longer and narrower airways (P 0.05). The OSA group had a mean RDI of 51.3 31.4 events/hr. After controlling for confounding variables, UALs 72 mm for males and 62 mm for females were significantly associated with presence of OSA. Using these thresholds as a diagnostic test for the presence of OSA, the sensitivity and specificity were 0.8. UAL was strongly correlated with RDI in males (r 0.72, p 0.01) and moderately correlated with RDI in females (r 0.52, p 0.01). Conclusion: Upper airway length can be reliably measured on lateral cephalograms and is correlated with the presence and severity of OSA in adult patients.
Synthesis and characterization of cyclopentadienyl thiolato complexes of magnesium

Treatment of Cp 2 Mg with 2-methyl-2-propanethiol, cyclohexanethiol, and 2-propanethiol in toluene at ambient temperature afforded the tetrameric cyclopentadienyl thiolato complexes [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 3 -S t Bu)] 4 (97%), [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 3 -S(C 6 H 11 ))] 4 (92%), and [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 3 -S i Pr)] 4 (83%) as colorless crystalline solids. Treatment of [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 3 -S t Bu)] 4 with tetrahydrofuran or tert -butylpyridine in dichloromethane/hexane afforded the dimeric solvated complexes [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 2 -S t Bu)(THF)] 2 (78%) or [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 2 -S t Bu)( t Bupy)] 2 (60%) as colorless crystals. The crystal structures of [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 3 -S t Bu)] 4 , [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 2 -S t Bu)(THF)] 2 , and [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 2 -S t Bu)( t Bupy)] 2 were determined by X-ray diffraction methods. In the solid-state structure, [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 3 -S t Bu)] 4 contains one η 5 -cyclopentadienyl ligand per magnesium and one cubic core of Mg 4 S 4 that features a mirror plane of symmetry along one diagonal Mg 2 S 2 plane. [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 2 -S t Bu)(THF)] 2 contains one η 5 -cyclopentadienyl ligand per magnesium and one bent Mg 2 S 2 core with a mirror plane along thiolato bridges. [(η 5 -Cp)Mg(μ 2 -S t Bu)( t Bupy)] 2 contains one η 5 -cyclopentadienyl ligand per magnesium and a planar Mg 2 S 2 core with a center of symmetry.
Peru and the law of the sea convention

This work aims to give a global view of the Maritime Dominion of Peru and of the position which Peru must adopt regarding the Law of the Sea Convention within an international framework. The article outlines some aspects of the Convention and then considers the nature and range of Peru's Maritime Dominion within the 200-mile limit. The Convention is related to Peru's national and international interests. The author maintains that Peru's permanent interests in all aspects of marine affairs are better protected under the Law of the Sea Convention, and recommends that Peru should adhere to the Convention.
Early laser excision of thermal burns in the white rat and miniature pig

Abstract To find a technique which will permit a quick bloodless primary excision of an acute burn, through hyperaemic tissues, experiments have been conducted in the laser excision of thermal burns of the white rat and the miniature pig. The animals were burned, excised by carbon dioxide laser, argon laser, cold-knife scalpel or Bovie electric scalpel, and grafted. Burns were successfully excised with minimal blood loss using the lasers, but there was no significant difference in haematocrit, WBC, total protein or weight values between the laser-excised rats and those excised by Bovie or cold-knife scalpel. There was little difference between take and survival of grafts in the Bovie, cold-knife and laser series, but there were marked differences between the thermally excised and cold-knife excised burns in the ability of epithelial islands of the burn area to grow out and cover the lost-graft areas. Differences were found in the coverage of burns between the white rat and the miniature pig.
Control and attention influence snake phobics' arousal and fear during laboratory confrontations with a caged snake☆

Heart rates and skin-conductance levels were recorded among eight pairs of snake-fearful subjects who were exposed simultaneously to an approaching snake during eight 4-min trials. Retrospective ratings of fear were acquired from the 16 subjects after each of the eight exposure trials. Control over the distance between the subjects and the snake alternated between subjects over trials. On different trials both subjects were instructed either to attend closely to the features of the snake or to attend closely to their bodily fear reactions. Instructions to attend closely to the snake produced higher skin-conductance and heart-rate reactivity and marginally higher fear ratings during the early trials than did instructions to attend to one's bodily reactions. Controlling the presentation of the snake produced higher skin-conductance reactivity during the early trials than did not controlling its presentation. Accumulated findings of this sort can be used by clinicians and theorists who work with exposure approaches to behavioral fear therapy.
A meta-analysis of utility estimates for HIV/AIDS.

The authors performed a meta-analysis to derive pooled utilities for HIV/AIDS and to assess the relative importance of study design characteristics in predicting utilities. Twenty-five articles were identified reporting 74 unique utilities elicited from 1956 respondents. The authors used a hierarchical linear model to perform the meta-analysis, with disease stage, elicitation method, respondent type, and the upper-bound and lower-bound labels for the utility scale as the independent variables. Disease stage (P = 0.016) and respondent type (P = 0.014) were significant predictors of utility. Elicitation method was of marginal significance (P = 0.052). Bounds were not significant. Pooling utilities, the authors estimate a utility of 0.70 for AIDS, 0.82 for symptomatic HIV, and 0.94 for asymptomatic HIV when the time tradeoff method is used to elicit utilities from patients and the scale ranges from death to perfect health. The pooled utilities reported here should be of great use to researchers performing co...
Thermaldegradation of 2,4,6-tri[(bromo)x anilino]-1,3,5-triazines

The need for more efficient and 'greener' flame retardants for polymeric materials is ever present and of increasing intensity as regulatory agencies continue to display concern about the environmental impact of traditional materials. Compounds capable of multiple modes of action would be particularly desirable. Compounds containing both bromine (for good gas-phase activity) and nitrogen (to promote solid-phase activity) should be good candidates for development as flame retardant agents. A series of 2,4,6-tri[(bromo)xanilino]-1,3,5-triazines have been synthesized and characterized spectroscopically. The degradation characteristics of these compounds have been examined using thermogravimetry. They undergo step-wise decomposition beginning at about 400°C.
A New EAE Model of Brain Demyelination Induced by Intracerebroventricular Pertussis Toxin

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a primary animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS predominantly presents with evidence of lesions in the subcortical periventricular white matter regions of the brain. Research into the pathogenesis of the demyelinating lesions in the brain has been hampered by the fact that conventional models of EAE present with progressive ascending paralysis which recapitulates mainly the spinal cord lesions of multiple sclerosis. There is little evidence of brain involvement. Systemic administration of pertussis toxin (PTx) has been shown to induce the proinflammatory cascade of TGF-beta, IL-6, and Th17 in the central nervous system, which recently has been identified as essential in the development of EAE. To determine whether intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of PTx would result in subcortical periventricular demyelinating lesions in the brain, we examined the effect in a MOG induced EAE model. We found that icv PTx induced subcortical periventricular brain lesions that resemble the pathologic demyelinating lesions of MS. Moreover, icv PTx induced Th17 infiltration and increased expression of cytokines IL-6 and TGF-beta. We thus generated a highly reproducible model with remarkable histological similarities to the predominant demyelinating brain lesions seen in MS.
The Pathophysiology of Vasomotor Dysfunction

Impaired vasomotor function has been suggested as playing a role in the pathophysiology of hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and atherosclerosis, all of which are common in cardiovascular surgery patients. In addition to chronic vasomotor dysfunction, alterations in vasomotor tone can result in acute arterial spasm, microcirculatory ischemia, and wide variations in systemic blood pressure. Changes in the health of the vascular endothelium may also impact the late patency of coronary artery bypass grafts, the progression of atherosclerosis in the native coronary circulation, and the long-term success of cardiac transplants. In the resting state the endothelium produces several substances that promote vascular relaxation and inhibition of platelet function, thus assuring the unhindered flow of blood through the capillaries. In response to injury, the endothelium loses some capacity to relax and also releases powerful vasoconstrictive agents. Attempting to understand the contributions that these substances play in the vasomotor dysfunction seen after cardiothoracic surgery is an area of active investigation.