cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Lupus Glomerulonephritis: Translating Animal Models to Clinical Practice

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease frequently affecting the kidney. Renal involvement is characterized by glomerular immune complex deposits and proliferative glomerulonephritis progressing to glomerulosclerosis and kidney failure. The development of systemic lupus erythematosus is regulated genetically, and lupus susceptibility genes have been linked to immune hyper-responsiveness and loss of immune regulation. In addition to the systemic immune defects, recent studies in animal models show that susceptibility to lupus nephritis is influenced by intrinsic renal factors. Thus, renal cell responses to immune-mediated glomerular injury determine disease outcome. This supports the idea that future treatments for lupus nephritis need to focus on regulating end-organ responses. The feasibility of this approach has been shown in animal models of kidney disease. For more than 50 years, the emphasis in management of lupus nephritis has been suppression of autoimmune responses and systemic control of inflammation. This review describes recently developed targeted drug delivery technologies and potential targets that can regulate glomerular cell responses, offering a novel therapeutic approach for lupus nephritis.
Long-term effect of metformin on metabolic parameters in the polycystic ovary syndrome

Insulin resistance is a central feature of the PCOS and may increase cardiovascular risk. Owing to insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome is more prevalent in women with PCOS compared with unaffected women. Metformin improves the metabolic profile in PCOS in short-term studies. In this study, we evaluated the long-term effect of metformin on metabolic parameters in women with PCOS during routine care without a controlled diet.We performed a retrospective medical chart review of 70 women with PCOS receiving metformin from an academic endocrine clinic. Metabolic risk factors were compared before and after metformin treatment. Time trends of these metabolic parameters were also analysed. After a mean follow-up of 36.1 months with metformin treatment, improvements were observed for BMI (-1.09 +/- 3.48 kg/m2, p = 0.0117), diastolic blood pressure (-2.69 +/- 10.35 mmHg, p = 0.0378), and HDL cholesterol (+5.82 +/- 11.02 mg/dL, p <0.0001).The prevalence of metabolic syndrome decreased from 34.3% at baseline to 21.4% (p = 0.0495). The course of BMI reduction during metformin treatment was significantly more pronounced in women with PCOS with metabolic syndrome at baseline, compared with those without the metabolic syndrome (p = 0.0369 for interaction). In conclusion, metformin improved the metabolic profile of women with PCOS over 36.1 months, particularly in HDL cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure and BMI.
A Novel Adaptive Scheme for Evaluating Spectral Similarity in High-Resolution Urban Scenes

The analysis of high-spatial-resolution urban images for object recognition must deal with variable illumination conditions and many spectrally similar materials in the built environment. Spectral similarity measures have the potential to contribute to the effective analysis of urban scenes, however, without readily available surface reflectance conversion, the characteristics of existing spectral measures may lead to unacceptable performance. To better account for these spectral imaging scenarios for an urban environment, a simplified in-scene radiometric calibration approach is presented to preserve data collinearity, and a novel spectral similarity measure based on the geometric characteristics of the Mahalanobis distance is developed to incorporate both spectral direction and spectral magnitude. With a minimum of human input to define representative pixels, the experimental results demonstrate through the analysis of ROC curves the potential advantages of the novel distance measure when applied to the identification of materials in urban images.
Hygroscopicity of indoor aerosols and its influence on the deposition of inhaled radon decay products

Abstract Consumer spray products, combustion products, and cooking aerosols are the significant sources of airborne particles to the indoor atmosphere. These particles serve as carriers of radon decay products to the lungs. When inhaled, some particles will extract water from the air at the high relative humidity (RH ∼99.5%) in the respiratory tract and grow in size. Since the deposition of particles in different compartments of the lungs, and hence the inhaled dose, depends on the size of the particles, it will be different for the particles that grow from those that do not. The study of the hygroscopic growth of these indoor aerosol particles was performed using a tandem differential mobility analyzer. Dry monodisperse particles of known initial size were selected by the first differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and then exposed to high RH (99-99.5%) in a growth chamber using a wetted water reactor. The size of these particles was measured by the second DMA. It was observed that some products do not grow at all, whereas others exhibit moderate to high growth. A comparative study of the deposition of the inhaled growing and non-growing particles, and its influence on the lung dosimetry, is presented.
Outcomes of asymptomatic adults with combined aortic stenosis and regurgitation.

Background The outcomes of patients with mixed aortic valve disease (MAVD; concurrent aortic stenosis [AS] and aortic regurgitation [AR]) and its optimum management are undefined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the natural history of MAVD. Methods Between 2000 and 2005, 524 asymptomatic adults (mean age, 66 ± 14 years; 306 men) were identified who had mixed AS and AR, who did not undergo early intervention with surgery. The severity of AS and AR was defined using American Society of Echocardiography guideline criteria. Patients were followed over 5.5 ± 3.1 years. Results Aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed in 349 patients (67%), and 88 (17%) died. Angina, dyspnea, or syncope developed in 292 patients (84%) before AVR; baseline left ventricular mass and the severity of AS and AR were independent predictors of progression to AVR in the overall group. Survival was associated with younger age (hazard ratio, 1.08; P P = .02). Most patients with MAVD in the moderate category progressed to severe AS or AR by the time of surgery ( n = 51 [27%]); symptoms were the main indication in 22 patients. In this group, AVR was associated with age, left ventricular function, valve area, and the change in peak gradient over follow-up. In patients with moderate MAVD, coronary artery disease was present in 38 (20%) at baseline and developed in 21 (21%) during follow-up but was not associated with surgery. The average time to an event (AVR or death) in patients with MAVD was 4 years. Conclusions Careful surveillance of patients with MAVD is warranted, bearing in mind the composite severity of both AS and AR and their combined hemodynamic effects.
Sensor Retrofitting of Motors For Protection Against Overtemperature

Low-cost fast-response thermal sensors are making it possible to add overtemperature protection to industrial motors on a retrofit basis. Easily applied by regular maintenance personnel, this protection system offers industrial plants, large and small, the opportunity for longer, trouble-free motor life, The application of sensors to existing induction motors to prevent thermal damage resulting from abnormal running overload or locked rotor conditions is also described here. Basic considerations for proper application are discussed, including motor winding configurations, insulation classes, and other design characteristics. Motor rewind shops provide a basic area of application where the sensors can be integrally installed in the stator winding at the time of repair. Examples and experiences are discussed where applications have been made.
Reasons behind students’ choices of primary care physicians: Finding ways to improve information about physicians online

AbstractObjectiveOnline biographies of physicians are becoming more common, yet there is scant research identifying the information preferences of prospective patients for these biographies. This study sets out to determine the reasons behind participants’ selection of a primary care physician after being exposed to three experimentally manipulated biographies. The goal is to help healthcare systems improve their current physician biographical offerings presented to prospective patients.MethodsA total of 291 student participants were exposed to three experimentally manipulated primary care physician biographies with varying kinds and amounts of information. They were then asked to choose the physician they would like to visit, and why they selected that physician.ResultsTwelve themes emerged using a grounded theory approach to analyze the open-ended responses. Participants stated that the kind (i.e., both personal and professional) and amount of information were important in their selection processes. Nea...
Effect of Exercise on Rats Fed a Diet Deficient in Potassium

SummaryA study of the effect of excessive voluntary exercise was made in animals maintained on a low K diet. No changes were encountered in the voluntary muscles; the myocardium of the exercised group showed more extensive lesions than that of the controls. Peculiar tetanic contractures of the extremities were observed in the K-deficient animals following severe exercise.
Detection of non-linearities in the dependence of burn area on fuel age and climatic variables

Evidence from Los Angeles County in California, USA suggests that the relationships between wildfire burn area and fuel age, temperature, precipitation, and fuel moisture are not linear. Instead, the relationships appear to have thresholds.The data seem to support the notion that fire risk is nearly constant provided various conditions are met: that fuel age and temperature exceed a given threshold, and that fuel moisture and precipitation are sufficiently low. There appears to be little distinction in terms of wildfire risk between conditions that are sufficient for wildfires and those that are extreme.
Mechanism for non-Heisenberg-exchange coupling between ferromagnetic layers.

We consider a free-electron model of exchange coupling between transition-metal ferromagnetic films separated by a paramagnetic metal spacer. The minority-spin energy bands in the ferromagnets are matched to those of the paramagnetic spacer. The majority-spin electrons experience a repulsive potential arising from the lack of corresponding states in the spacer. The height of the potential barrier is equal to the exchange-energy gap in the ferromagnets. We show how the model, applicable to a trilayer film such as Fe/Cr/Fe or Co/Ru/Co, generates an infinite sum of terms with coefficients A 12 ,B 12 ,... in the coupling energy, extending beyond the Heisenberg-like A 12 term of bilinear coupling between the moments of the ferromagnets
ATP-ase activity of lymphocytes from normal individuals and patients with cancer.

The lymphocyte ATP-ase activity was significantly elevated in three groups of cancer patients compared to the activity of lymphocytes from normal individuals and patients with various nonmalignant diseases. Oligomycin inhibited and 2, 4 dinitrophenol stimulated the ATP-ase activity of the lymphocytes from both groups, indicating a contribution of the mitochondrial ATP-ase. Incubation of normal lymphocytes with phytohemagglutinin in vitro increased the oligomycin-sensitive ATP-ase activity of the cells considerably. It is suggested that the significantly elevated ATP-ase activity of lymphocytes from cancer patients is probably due to an in vivo stimulation following a reaction between lymphocytes and tumor antigens.
On the numerical solution of problems in multicomponent distillation at the steady state

A modification is presented of the Kb method described by Holland. This modified procedure exhibits substantially improved convergence characteristics when compared with the unmodified procedure or with the classical bubble point approach. Further, it provides by far the fastest algorithm known to the author. A second procedure for determining stage temperatures is also given. In this method, flow equations as well as equilibrium relations are satisfied by the temperature profile at each iteration. Next, an improved scheme for handling nonideal mixtures is given. Finally, it is shown that a positive solution to the convergence acceleration equations of Holland may not exist when this procedure is applied to a purity specification.
A User-Activity-Centric Framework for Access Control in Online Social Networks

Today's ever-evolving online social networks (OSNs) need an effective and usable access control framework. OSN users typically have discretionary control over their content, relationships, and interactions, while the OSN's policies consolidate these individual choices into specific access and filtering decisions. OSN access control can be built around the concept of user activity. To this end, the authors distinguish usage activity from control activity and identify four core control activities: attribute, policy, relationship, and session. Their user-activity-centric framework enables future extensions as needed.
Using receptor conformational change to detect low molecular weight analytes by surface plasmon resonance.

Small molecules are difficult to directly detect using commercially available surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instruments. This is because low molecular weight compounds do not have sufficient mass to cause a measurable change in refractive index. Refractive index is sensitive, however, to other properties besides the mass of the analyte. Recently the detection of substantial conformational changes for immobilized proteins using SPR has been reported. However, this property has not yet been exploited for the detection of low molecular weight ligand binding to immobilized protein receptors. Here we demonstrate that ligand-induced conformational changes can be used to monitor the binding of small molecules to immobilized maltose-binding protein and tissue transglutaminase. Ligand binding to a receptor that decreases in hydrodynamic radius yielded a net decrease in refractive index. A net positive change in refractive index was observed for a receptor that increases in hydrodynamic radius. Refractive index c...
The requirement of intact double helical structure for primary binding in quinacrine-nucleic acid complexes.

Abstract Exciton-like splitting is observed in the ultraviolet difference absorption spectra of complexes of quinacrine and polynucleotides with intact double helical structure but not in denatured DNA. These results indicate that an intact double helical structure of the polynucleotide is a prerequisite for exciton-like splitting and primary binding in quinacrine-nucleic acid complexes.
A narrow linewidth and frequency-stable probe laser source for the 88Sr+ single ion optical frequency standard

In this paper, we describe in detail a narrow linewidth and frequency-stable laser source used to probe the 5s2S1/2–4d2D5/2 clock transition of the 88Sr+ optical frequency standard. The performance of the laser system is investigated with studies of its frequency drift rates and with high resolution spectra of the 88Sr+ clock transition. The observed short-term drift rates are typically in the range of 10 to 23 mHz/s, and the current long-term drift rate is 13.9(3) mHz/s. The laser stability, after subtraction of linear drifts, reaches 5×10−16 at an averaging time of 3000 s. This high level of stability is attributed for the most part to stabilization of the reference cavity at the temperature where the coefficient of linear thermal expansion crosses zero. An upper bound for the laser linewidth is given by the observation of a Fourier-transform limited resonance of 4.3 Hz (Δν/ν=1×10−14) on the 88Sr+ clock transition. The effective averaging time during the linewidth measurements was about 100 s.
Setting generalization of question-asking by children with autism

We examined whether motivational procedures incorporated into teaching question-asking to children with autism, who lack verbal initiations, would result in generalization without additional teaching, prompting, or reinforcement in other settings. Specifically, we assessed whether such children could learn to use questions and whether the spontaneous use of question-asking would generalize across stimuli, settings, and people. All children learned to use questions in relation to items they had previously been unable to label and demonstrated generalization of spontaneous question-asking to new items and to their home environments with their mothers, with concomitant gains in expressive vocabulary. Results were discussed in terms of teaching response strategies, such as question-asking, to promote spontaneous child-initiated social interactions and expressive language development.
Calibration and testing of simulation models for evaluation of trench cap designs

A prototype decision support system (PDSS) using multi-objective decision theory and embedded simulation models is being developed to evaluate landfill cover designs for low-level radioactive waste disposal sites. To evaluate the performance of the PDSS, the simulation models, which are used to parameterize the decision model when data are not available, must be calibrated and tested. The two linked simulation models embedded in the PDSS are the HELP (hydrologic evaluation of landfill performance) and CREAMS (chemicals, runoff, and erosion from agricultural management systems) models. Data from a field demonstration study at Hill Air Force Base were used to calibrate the simulation models. The models were calibrated using water balance and erosion parameters for two alternative designs, a control soil cover and a modified USEPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act design. Simulations were run using the calibrated model parameters for a 200-yr period to evaluate the long-term performance of the models. The progressive annual average for all of the output parameters was within the 95% confidence limits of the long-term mean by Year 60 for both of the cover designs evaluated. The results of the calibration and long-term evaluation of the simulation models were reasonable for the length of the datamore » set. To fully validate and test the simulation models, other data sets of landfill covers in a variety of climates are needed. 15 refs., 4 figs., 5 tabs.« less
Monte Carlo solution to the problem of high-field electron heating in SiO2

By use of a Monte Carlo technique, it is shown that high-field electron transport in the Si${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ conduction band is controlled by LO-phonon scattering for fields below 3 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${10}^{6}$ V/cm and by nonpolar scattering with acoustic phonons at higher fields. This accounts for recent experimental results indicating that an energy-loss mechanism, previously neglected, is effective at high fields.
Electrical relaxation of dimers in rare earth-doped calcium fluoride

Abstract Audio frequency complex impedance measurements have been carried out over the temperature range 310–510 K on samples of calcium fluoride containing 0.1 mol % of either lanthanum or cerium. Consequently, the R IV relaxation has been studied. The activation energies are found to be 1.049 and 1.089 eV for cerium and lanthanum, respectively. This relaxation is due to reorientation of a rare earth dimer. The structure of the defect site is discussed.
A RETURN TO MORE BLATANT CLASS AND “RACE” BIAS IN U.S. IMMIGRATION POLICY?

This essay explores the contradictions posed by states' efforts to exclude immigrants from south of the U.S. border on the grounds that they “burden” the economy, despite the same states' windfall revenue from the taxation of undocumented immigrants. Lawmakers' ongoing anti-immigrant sentiment yields a racialized contradiction in which mostly Mexican and Central American immigrants are derogated as economic burdens. In fact, they are unfairly taxed in addition to being indispensable to the U.S. economy. Based on these and other phenomena, such as racially coded preferences for higher-class immigrants and “antidiversity visas,” I contend that contemporary U.S. immigration policy has regressed toward more blatant class and “race” (albeit racially coded ) discrimination.
‘Erythrocytin’ and ‘Erythrochelatin’

WE were unaware of the application by Dr. A. J. Quick and his associates during the past year of the hitherto unused term ‘erythrocytin’ to describe a clotting factor they discovered in erythrocytes. To avoid confusion attendant upon using the same term for two separate factors, we therefore propose renaming the factor we obtained from erythrocytes which inhibits the antibacterial activity of 8-hydroxyquinoline—a chelating agent. In future, we will therefore use the term ‘erythrochelatin’ instead of ‘erythrocytin’ to describe this inhibitor1.
One-line random number generators and their use in combinations

Some one-line random number generators, i.e. generators requiring a single FORTRAN instruction are discussed, and some short FORTRAN programs which mix several such generators are described. The aim is to provide methods for incorporating random number generators directly in FORTRAN programs, by means of a few in-line instructions. The advantages are speed (avoiding linkage to and from a subroutine), convenience, and versatility. Anyone wishing to experiment with generators, either using congruential generators by themselves or mixing several generators to provide a composite with potentially better statistical properties than the library generators currently available, may wish to consider some of the simple FORTRAN programs discussed here.
Gravel transport, gravel harvesting, and channel-bed degradation in rivers draining the southern olympic mountains, Washington, U.S.A.

The potential for gravel extraction to adversely affect anadromous fish habitat in three gravel-bed rivers of southwestern Washington, U.S.A., prompted the need to determine sustainable rates of gravel removal. This was accomplished by evaluating the components of a long-term sediment mass balance for the three rivers. Average annual gravel transport was determined by three independent methods. The closely agreeing results indicate that annual bedload supply decreases downstream through deposition and storage in response to declining gradient and from attrition during transport, as confirmed by laboratory experiments. A survey of gravel-bar harvesting operations indicates that the annual replenishment rate has been exceeded for up to three decades, often by more than tenfold. Analysis of data from nine stream gauging stations over a 55-yr period indicates degradation of about 0.03 m/yr in these reaches and suggests that bed degradation has produced the difference between the replenishment rates and the volumes of gravel harvested from the river beds and bars.
THE (2, ∞)-SKEIN MODULE OF THE COMPLEMENT OF A (2, 2p+1) TORUS KNOT

In this paper we extend the list of three manifolds for which the (2, ∞)-skein module is known by giving the first explicit calculations for non-trivial knot exteriors. We show that for the complement of a (2, 2p+1) torus knot the module is free with a very simple basis. As a consequence, we obtain a family of polynomial invariants for links in these manifolds. The invariants are analogous to the Jones polynomial for links in S3.
Thermal resistance of juvenile salmonids sublethally exposed to nickel, determined by the critical thermal maximum method

Abstract The thermal resistance of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) sublethally exposed to nickel was subsequently examined by the critical thermal maximum (CTM) method. Tests were conducted at a temperature increase rate of 6°C/h, usually 24 to 48 h after chemical exposure. Exposure and initial test temperatures were 15°C for coho salmon and 8°C for rainbow trout. Comparisons with unexposed controls were based on time and temperature of loss of equilibrium and death. Exposure to as low as 1·5 mg/litre nickel for 7 to 21 days significantly suppressed resistance of rainbow trout to elevated temperatures, but 28-day exposure to 0·9 mg/litre nickel did not. Suppressed thermal resistance corresponded to a twofold increase of nickel burden in gill and liver tissue of exposed rainbow trout. Resistance was also suppressed for coho salmon surviving a 14-day exposure to higher, lethal nickel concentrations, but this was not statistically validated. Since sublethal exposure to nickel, one of the least toxic of the metals, lowered fish resistance to elevated temperatures, the same response might be induced by the more toxic metals. One deviant test showed lowered thermal resistance in rainbow trout exposed to 0·06 mg/litre chlorine for 14 days. The CTM method is an efficient and sensitive way of quantifying the thermal resistance of fish sublethally exposed to chemical stressors.
Identical mixing rates

For strictly stationary sequences, Ψ-mixing at a given mixing rate satisfying a log-convexity condition, does not imply α-mixing at any essentially faster rate.
An evaluation of air elutriation for sediment particle size separation and subsequent chemical analysis

Abstract Air elutriation can be used for the separation of sediments into particle size classes for subsequent chemical analysis . Size distributions obtained by elutriation compare with those determined by non‐chetnically dispersed pipet analysis . Contaminant‐free fractions can be obtained for the analysis of Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Al, Ti, and probably Cd.
Dissociation, fractionation, and culture of embryonic brain cells

Summary Cell suspensions from 11-day chick embryo cerebral hemispheres were prepared by mechanical dissociation and cultured in a modified plasma clot system. Three distinct cell types are recognized: large cells (A), with the morphological characters of adult neurons, small cells (B) also presumably neuronal in character and thin, spread-out cells (C) which are epithelial. The neuronal-like elements, A and B, do not divide and have little mobility in culture: they grow very early, complexe processes which establish physical contact with one another and with other cell bodies. The epithelial cells, C, grow in culture even on uncoated glass surfaces, are very mobile, proliferate actively and can be propagated over a period of months. The A and C type cells have been fractionated from the harvested suspension by differential floation and selective glass attachment techniques to produce over 90% pure populations. The purification of the B type cells has not yet been achieved, due to their high and specific adhesiveness, both in suspension and in culture, to the C cells.
Interfacing for persons who are blind and physically handicapped

The Library of Congress's National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped serves a readership of about 750,000 patrons with `talking books' and magazines on specially formatted cassettes and flexible phonograph records. Looking toward the future, our technology assessment and research program has focused on digital systems as the most likely successor to today's methods. Digital technology offers unprecedented opportunities to explore new distribution methods such as central or regional archiving with network connectivity. It also allows for experiments in new patron interfacing using innovative strategies such as speech recognition with voice prompting. In this paper we present a brief description of the existing service, a proposed configuration for the next generation of talking book machines and a patron profile. We discuss the challenges and opportunities that would be presented by the experimental introduction of multimedia digital technology to our unique patron population. We solicit comments and recommendations from the research community.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Special Education/Integration in Spain: Highlighting Similarities and Differences with Mainstreaming in the USA

This paper presents an overview of the changes occurring in special education in Spain by highlighting the historical, social, and legal aspects of the transition that has lead to the current integration process. The paper also includes a brief description of the mainstreaming efforts in the USA, and their social and legal foundations. Although there is substantial overlap in the practical issues confronting both countries, significant differences exist in the areas of constitutional and legislative foundations as well as in practical mainstreaming efforts and professional roles. As a result, policies have evolved along separate paths within each national context. Yet the Spanish integration at its initial stage is at risk of uncritically adopting decisions that have been taken in the USA. The paper attempts to alert administrators and other professionals in special education against direct replication of other mainstreaming models. Concerns and recommendations are further discussed.
Human performance modeling for all: importing UI prototypes into cogtool

UI designers use a variety of prototyping tools, from paper and pencil sketching, to drag-and-drop mock-up tools (e.g., Balsamiq Mockups), to sophisticated suites of modeling tools and toolkits (e.g., iRise or dijit, the dojo GUI toolkit ). Many projects would benefit from quickly analyzing prototypes at an early stage without the effort of bringing in users for empirical tests. Most analysis tools, however (e.g., AutoCWW [1], Bloodhound [2], and CogTool [4]), require prototypes to be in their own format, which forces the designer to re-do the prototypes in order to analyze them. Our work is a step toward allowing the CogTool analysis tools to import from many different prototyping tools, so designers will have a path to quick usability analysis without changing the way they currently express their preliminary designs.
Electron microscopic tracing of pathogenetic events in intestinal chlamydial infections of newborn calves.

Abstract Pathogenetic events of the penetration of the intestinal mucosa were studied ultrastructurally after oral inoculation of neonatal calves with chlamydial strain LW-613. Chlamydiae adsorbed to the brush border of intestinal epithelial cells and were taken up by endocytosis. Chlamydial replication occurred in the supra-nuclear region of these cells which subsequently degenerated and liberated chlamydiae into the gut lumen and into the lamina propria mucosae. Inter-cellular edema, breakdown of the basal border of the intestinal epithelial cells, and festooning and ultimate loss of the basal lamina facilitated penetration of chlamydiae into the lamina propria mucosae and its cellular components, including the endothelial cells of the lymphatic system. Infected endothelial cells liberated chlamydiae into the lymphatic circulation leading to chlamydemia and systemic infection involving lymph nodes, parenchymal organs and joints.
Biotic potential and environmental resistance in the American oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in Long Island Sound

Abstract The American oyster ( Crassostrea virginica ) in Long Island Sound was studied throughout its life span on commercial beds by conducting SCUBA surveys and supporting laboratory tests from 1966–1972. The oyster had a biotic potential of a magnitude large enough to cover the entire bottom of the Sound within a few years, given optimum environmental conditions. The limiting factors were mainly: low temperatures, a lack of clean shell substratum on which oyster larvae could set, and about 20 causes of mortality in sedentary oysters, the most substantial of which were: (1) predation by starfish ( Asterias forbesi ), oyster drills ( Eupleura caudata and Urosalpinx cinerea ) and crabs ( Cancer irroratus and Neopanope sayi ); (2) competition by slipper-shells ( Crepidula fornicata and Crepidula plana ) and other animals on shells; (3) suffocation by silt and (4) shell fracture during transplanting by oyster growers. Oyster mortalities occurred mostly from spring to fall and were negligible during winter. The mortalities were area-specific within beds, bed-specific and much higher in spat than in 1, 2 and 3-year-old oysters. The survival of oysters from setting of spat throughout their life span on cultured beds was estimated to be 2–5%. Few oysters could survive in the Sound without bed culture. During 1966 and continuing afterwards, the growers applied improved cultural methods and new technologies to remove a number of limiting factors from the beds, and this resulted in an oyster “abundance and production takeoff”.
Manipulating Cardiac Contractility in Heart Failure: Data From Mice and Men

In the year 1990, cardiovascular disease surpassed infectious diseases as the leading cause of death worldwide, and by the year 2020 it is predicted to be the leading cause of all disability.1,2 In the United States, cardiovascular disease has been estimated to account for 44% of the nation’s mortality and is a leading cause of morbidity.3,4 Heart failure afflicts an estimated 5 million Americans, with ≈400 000 new individuals diagnosed each year at an annual cost of more than $20 billion.4–6 The alarming reality behind these statistics is our current lack of an effective therapy to repair or otherwise reverse severe forms of cardiac dysfunction and pathological remodeling associated with heart failure. Typically, heart failure is the final culmination of protracted disease states precipitated by underlying hypertension, ischemic disease and atherosclerosis, valvular insufficiency, viral myocarditis, or mutations in genes encoding sarcomeric proteins.6 Given these diverse etiologies, it is not surprising that the final phenotypic manifestations of heart failure can also vary considerably, although dilated cardiomyopathy is the most common. This syndrome is characterized by a progressive loss in contractility and ejection fraction, ventricular chamber dilatation, ventricular wall thinning, increased peripheral vascular resistance, and dysregulated fluid homeostasis. The predominant therapeutic strategy used over the past two decades for treating such patients has been based in pharmacological manipulation of cardiac contractility.7–9 Initially, positive inotropic agents were used as a means of enhancing cardiac pump function aimed at alleviating congestive symptomology. However, use of positive inotropes is now indicated only as a means of acutely bridging patients in severe heart failure because these agents actually worsen prognosis in individuals with somewhat more stable heart failure.8 More recently, pharmacological blockade of β-adrenergic receptors has emerged as the favored treatment for individuals in heart failure. β-Adrenergic receptor antagonists initially …
Optimizing and Improving the Growth Quality of ZnO Nanowire Arrays Guided by Statistical Design of Experiments

Controlling the morphology of the as-synthesized nanostructures is usually challenging, and there lacks of a general theoretical guidance in experimental approach. In this study, a novel way of optimizing the aspect ratio of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays is presented by utilizing a systematic statistical design and analysis method. In this work, we use pick-the-winner rule and one-pair-at-a-time main effect analysis to sequentially design the experiments and identify optimal reaction settings. By controlling the hydrothermal reaction parameters (reaction temperature, time, precursor concentration, and capping agent), we improvedtheaspectratioofZnONWsfromaround10tonearly23.Theeffectofnoiseontheexperimentalresults was identified and successfully reduced, and the statistical design and analysis methods were very effective in reducingthenumberofexperimentsperformedandinidentifyingtheoptimalexperimentalsettings.Inaddition, the antireflection spectrum of the as-synthesized ZnO NWs clearly shows that higher aspect ratio of the ZnO NW arrays leads to about 30% stronger suppression in the UVvis range emission. This shows great potential applications as antireflective coating layers in photovoltaic devices.
Monoclonal antibodies against human follicle-stimulating hormone.

Five monoclonal antibodies to human (h) FSH have been prepared, isolated, and characterized. They were produced by hybridomas derived from FO myeloma cells and spleen cells from mice immunized with hFSH or its β-subunit (hFSHβ). Two of the antibodies (A101 and A102) which recognized the α-subunit of hFSH bound much better when α was associated with the β-subunit forming the intact hFSH molecule than when a was in free form. These antibodies showed 9–10%, 2–3%, and 1–3% cross-reactions with α-subunits in hTSH, hCG, and hLH, respectively. Two antibodies (B201 and B202) recognized only free β-subunit. One antibody (B305) recognized free β-subunit and native hFSH. There was no significant crossreaction of these antibodies to FSHβ with hTSH, hLH, and hCG. Using solid phase competitive binding and sandwich assays, we compared the epitopes for these antibodies. Antibodies A101 and A102 recognize the same epitope on hFSHα. Antibodies B201 and B202 recognize different epitopes, but they seemed to be adjacent. Anti...
Copper(I) Iodide–Triethylphosphine–Lithium Naphthalenide

(LiNaph) [7308-67-0] C10H8Li (MW 135.12) InChI = 1S/C10H8.Li/c1-2-6-10-8-4-3-7-9(10)5-1;/h1-8H; InChIKey = PDZGAEAUKGKKDE-UHFFFAOYSA-N (CuI·PEt3) [56667-47-1] C6H15CuIP (MW 308.63) InChI = 1S/C6H15P.Cu.HI/c1-4-7(5-2)6-3;;/h4-6H2,1-3H3;;1H/q;+1;/p-1 InChIKey = GXJMRVDWYGUOFN-UHFFFAOYSA-M (a zerovalent copper species which adds to organic halides to produce organocopper compounds; used to cross-couple aryl, alkynyl, and vinyl halides with acid chlorides and reactive alkyl halides; to effect conjugate additions to α,β-unsaturated ketones; to promote intramolecular cyclization with epoxide cleavage or of α,ω-dihaloalkanes; to remotely functionalize esters) Solubility: copper species generated in THF, dioxane, glyme, etc. Form Supplied in: not commercially available; generated in situ.2 Analysis of Reagent Purity: not reported; reactions usually carried out under argon or dry nitrogen. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: the reagent is generated in an inert atmosphere as needed.
The role of vorticity in developing lineation by wind erosion

Experiments and field observations indicate that both the gross shaping and the sculpturing of lineation and pit details on wind-eroded surfaces may be accomplished by the impact of particles which have been impelled aerodynamically by interfacial flow or by vorticity. The vorticity operates along lines of positive, negative, and secondary flow over all surfaces of an object. The axis of vorticity is typically normal to or at some high angle to the surface undergoing erosion. Therefore, it is not the so-called roller vortex type which has been postulated by other investigators, for one typical erosion pattern left abundantly by the vortex configuration is a round pit either helically or radically scored. Often such pits occur in chains along the beds of the lineations. A second type of erosion pattern common in channels is parallel transverse lineation, which this writer has seen in development in snow flutes under influence of normal-axis vortices. Such vortices travel singly along lines of flow, pulling particles centripetally into the vortex configurations. In snow flutes, for example, vortices become visible due to suspended snow, and the secondary flow can be delineated. Where general windflow is essentially unidirectional, the erosional result of such vorticity is the creation of cross-lineated, essentially symmetrical grooves.
Recombinant bovine interleukin-1β amplifies the effects of partially purified Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin on bovine neutrophils in a β2-integrin-dependent manner

The influx and death of polymorphonuclear leukocytes within the infected lung are hallmarks of bovine pasteurellosis. Recent reports have shown that the Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin (LKT) and other RTX toxins bind β2-integrins on target cells. In this study we demonstrate that exposure of bovine neutrophils to recombinant bovine interleukin-1β upregulates β2-integrins (CD11a/CD18), which in turn enhance the binding and amplify the biological effects of partially purified LKT on these cells. LKT binding and cytotoxicity were inhibited by addition of an anti-integrin antibody (CD11a/CD18). These findings help to clarify the early events that occur in bovine pasteurellosis and support the hypothesis that inflammatory mediators might increase the severity of pasteurellosis by causing upregulation of β2-integrins that serve as an LKT receptor on bovine neutrophils.
Conceptualizations of technology in the information field

The interdisciplinary nature of the information field (iField) calls for a greater understanding of how iSchool scholars engage with information technology in their research. The purpose of this article is to study how much emphasis iSchool scholars put into studying technology, and how they conceptualize technology in their research. Using content analysis as our method of investigation, we coded journal articles published by tenure track faculty members between 2008 and 2010 from five iSchools (Drexel, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Washington). We report preliminary empirical evidence showing a microscopic view on the diversity in how iSchool scholars engage with technology, one of the fundamental components in the iField.
Neural network adaptive control of systems with input saturation

In the application of adaptive flight control, significant issues arise due to limitations on the plant inputs, such as actuator displacement limits. The concept of utilizing a modified reference model to prevent an adaptation law from "seeing" this system-input characteristic is described. The method allows correct adaptation while the plant input is saturated. To apply the method, estimates of actuator positions must be found. However, the adaptation law can correct for errors in these estimates. A theorem of boundedness for all system signals is included for a single hidden layer neural network adaptive law. The domain of attraction is also discussed.
Associations of Neighborhood and School Socioeconomic and Social Contexts With Body Mass Index Among Urban Preadolescent Students

Objectives. We examined independent and synergistic effects of school and neighborhood environments on preadolescent body mass index (BMI) to determine why obesity rates nearly double during preadolescence.Methods. Physical measures and health surveys from fifth and sixth graders in 12 randomly selected schools in New Haven, Connecticut, in 2009 were matched to student sociodemographics and school- and residential census tract–level data, for a total of 811 urban preadolescents. Key independent variables included school connectedness, neighborhood social ties, and school and neighborhood socioeconomic status. We estimated cross-classified random-effects hierarchical linear models to examine associations between key school and neighborhood characteristics with student BMI.Results. Greater average connectedness felt by students to their school was significantly associated with lower BMI. This association was stronger among students living in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of affluent neighbors.Con...
Extension’s Role in Commodity Marketing Education: Past, Present, and Future

Historically, market situation and outlook has often included some form of price forecast. Recent volatility in agricultural commodity markets is making price forecasts challenging and at times less reliable. In addressing this price volatility, changes in agricultural markets are highlighted along with price forecasts: pre- and postincreased market volatility. Given these recent challenges, the future of Extension agricultural commodity marketing is discussed.
Effects of Outcome-Relevant Involvement and Prior Information on Persuasion

Abstract This research examined the possibility that prior information about the persuasive issue interacts with argument quality and outcome-relevant involvement to affect attitude change. In support of the perspective that both involvement and knowledge have motivating effects on persuasion, under high-involvement conditions, when prior information about the issue should satisfy curiosity and decrease message processing, it was predicted and found that the tendency for strong arguments to produce more positive cognitive responses and agreement than weak arguments was less pronounced for high- than for low-knowledge subjects. The parallel hypothesis, that under low-involvement conditions, additional information about the issue should raise curiosity and increase processing, received weaker support. Finally, consistent with prior research, involvement tended to produce unbiased systematic processing, but only when subjects did not receive prior information. These and other findings are discussed as they relate to research on involvement and knowledge-like variables.
Principles of crystal nucleation and growth

In the most general sense, biomineralization is a process by which organisms produce materials solutions for their own functional requirements. Because so many biomineral products are derived from an initial solution phase and are either completely crystalline or include crystalline components, an understanding of the physical principles of crystallization from solutions is an important tool for students of biomineralization. However, crystal growth is a science of great breadth and depth, about which many extensive texts have been written. In addition, there are already other thorough reviews that specifically address the crystal growth field of study as it relates to biomineral formation. Consequently, the goals of this chapter are both modest and specific. It is intended to provide: 1) a simple narrative explaining the physical principles behind crystallization for those who are completely new to the topic, 2) a few basic equations governing nucleation and growth for those who wish to apply those principles—at least in a semi-quantitative fashion—to experimental observations of mineralization, and 3) an overview of some recent molecular-scale studies that have revealed new insights into the control of crystal growth by small molecules, both organic and inorganic. This last topic gets to the heart of what makes crystallization in biological systems unique. Every day, many tons of crystals are produced synthetically in non-biological processes, but by-and-large, the degree of control over nucleation and growth achieved by deterministic additions of growth modifiers or the presence of a controlling matrix is very minor. More commonly, crystal growers view modifying agents as unwanted impurities and work extremely hard to eliminate them from the starting materials. Indeed, the degree to which living organisms are able to control the crystallization process is most striking when contrasted to the products of such synthetic crystallization processes. This contrast applies to both the compositional differences that …
Managers’ perception of job satisfaction using an organisational justice framework in a large-sized manufacturing company

This paper examines how an organisational justice framework can be used to explore managers’ perceptions of organisational justice and how it influences job satisfaction in a large-sized manufacturing company located in the midwest region of the USA. A multiple-case study research design was used and data were collected from multiple sources, including in-depth interviews and subject matter expert reviews and reflections. Relying on in-depth case study data from eight mid-level floor managers, selected through purposive sampling, the paper conceptualises managers’ perceptions of organisational justice and how it influences job satisfaction, using an organisational justice framework. Understanding of the effects of organisational justice in the workplace can be used to ameliorate the negative consequences associated with managers’ perceptions of their work environment. The study contributes to existing knowledge regarding manager perception of organisational justice and how it influences job satisfaction w...