cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Localization of α-inhibin-31 in rodent testis and brain by immunocytochemical procedure and Western blot analysis

Using an anti-serum against synthetic alpha-inhibin-31, we have studied its cellular locations in rodent testis and brain. Western blot analysis detected several molecular forms of the protein(s). A protein of 17 KDa in size was detected in testis of one month old mice. Two major bands of molecular weights 39 kDA and 21 kDA were detected in mature mouse testis. The 39 kDA protein was also present in male brain, female brain and ovary. No protein similar in size to alpha-inhibin-31 was detected with this antiserum, suggesting that the antibody recognized only the precursor of the alpha-IB-31 molecule. Immunocytochemical studies revealed that these molecules were located in the cytoplasm of the interstitial Leydig cells. The immunocytochemical reaction can be eliminated by pre-incubation with synthetic alpha-inhibin-31. Immunoreactive substances were also demonstrated at the blood-brain barrier on the external surface of the ependymal cells in the third ventricle of the rat brain. In the pituitary, similar pattern of localization was also observed in the cuboidal-columnar epithelial cells that lined the par tuberalis between the anterior and intermediate lobes. The immunoreaction to the neural cells cannot be completely abolished by competition with the synthetic peptide. These observations suggested that alpha-inhibins are located in the Leydig cells of the testis as well as in the brain, pituitary and ovary.
Osteoporosis and pathological fractures following treatment with ACTH and cortisone.

The profound alterations in tissue electrolytes which may occur during ACTH and cortisone therapy have been the subject of numerous reports (1-3). For the most part, these have emphasized the disturbances of sodium and potassium metabolism. The effects on calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase during corticosteroid administration have received less attention. Definite retardation of chondrogenesis and osteogenesis has been observed in rats given ACTH (4), and Blunt et al (5) have described the poor healing of fractures in the experimental animal receiving cortisone. In man, an increased urinary and fecal excretion of calcium and phosphorus, as well as a fall in the serum concentrations of these substances, has been noted during treatment with these hormones (1, 6).
Raman study of peak frequencies and linewidths of the vi mode of trichloroethane in solution

Abstract The vibrational displacements and isotropic Raman linewidths of the v 1 (CH 3 symmetric stretching) mode of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCE) have been measured in a number of solvents of diverse molecular properties. It was determined that the gas-solution frequency shifts are proportional to the solvent's polarizability, and thus could be interpreted on the basis of solution variations in the London dispersion forces. The isotropic linewidths, on the other hand, were found to be uncorrelated to solvent polarizability, indicating that dispersion interactions are not an important relaxation mechanism. On the other hand, a qualitative correlation was observed between bandwidth and the dipole moment of the solvent, suggesting that dipolar interactions may play a significant role in the line broadening of methyl group vibrations. An alternative explanation of the observed behavior was furnished by the Isolated Binary Collision model, which assumes that vibrational relaxation arises from collisionally modulated repulsive interactions in the liquid. A good correlation was observed between experimental linewidths and widths predicted by the IBC model.
Mineralization of Nitrogen in Soils Amended with Dairy Manure as Affected by Wetting/Drying Cycles

Abstract Interest in manure management and its effects on nitrogen (N) mineralization has increased in recent years. The focus of this research was to investigate the N‐mineralization rates of different soil types in Coastal Plain soils and compare them to a soil from Illinois. Soils with and without dairy composted manure addition were subjected to different wetting/drying cycles [constant moisture at 60% water‐filled pore space (WFPS) and cycling moisture from 60 to 30% WFPS] under laboratory conditions at three different temperatures (11°C, 18°C, and 25°C). Samples were collected from three different soil types: Catlin (Mollisols), Bama (Ultisols), and Goldsboro (Utilsols). Soil chemical and physical properties were determined to help assess variations in N-mineralization rates. Addition of composted manure greatly impacted the amount of N mineralized. The amount of manure‐derived organic N mineralized to inorganic forms was mainly attributed to the soil series, with the Catlin (silt loam) producing th...
New directions for network exchange theory: strategic manipulation of network linkages '

Current theories of network power have considerable precision, and experimental methods for studying power are highly developed. The problem posed in this paper is that the very strength of the theory and methods is also a weakness. By constraining any form of strategic action by experimental subjects to bargaining within existing network configurations, one of the most powerful forms of strategy is denied: negotiating changes in the network itself. A beginning theory of strategic agency is developed which generates a series of hypotheses and demonstrates some implications for network power if links can be added or deleted. Considerable consensus has been achieved regarding how structure affects network power relationships. Various experimental methods have evolved into relatively strandardized procedures for examining network power. The work displays a maturity often lacking in other areas of inquiry, with a much closer tie between formal theory and experimental testing of that theory than is to be found in most social science literature. However, our understanding of crucial aspects of network power may have been constrained by the very theory and methods that have proven so productive. The intent of this paper is not to negate the important work accomplished to date, but rather to suggest expansion beyond current boundaries. The problem posed here is that current theory and methods have eliminated an important class of strategic actions on the part of the
Biquadratic exchange in ferromagnetic/nonferromagnetic sandwiches: A spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy study

The magnetic domain structure of Co/Au/Co sandwich layers grown on W(110) is studied in situ by spin-polarized low energy electron microscopy as a function of Au spacer layer and top Co layer thickness with the goal to better understand the causes and consequences of biquadratic coupling for the resulting domain structure. It is found that biquadratic coupling not only strongly influences the coupling between the layers near the zero of the bilinear coupling but also at spacer thicknesses at which strong ferromagnetic coupling occurs. Biquadratic coupling appears in a spin reorientation transition between 4 and 5 monolayers. The existence of bilinear and biquadratic coupling produces a wrinkled in-plane magnetization.
Keyhole limpet hemocyanin potentiates standard immunotherapy for melanoma.

Abstract Introduction Our hypothesis was that keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) would augment the effects of standard immunotherapies for melanoma including interferon-alpha (AIFN) and interleukin (IL)-2. Methods The HTB68 melanoma cell line was treated with KLH, AIFN, and IL-2 as single and combined agents. Cell viability, apoptotic activity, and vascular endothelial growth factor levels were all evaluated. Results Cell growth was reduced with KLH (28%), AIFN (54%), and IL-2 (29%) (all P P P Conclusions The additive effects exhibited by the combination of KLH with AIFN or IL-2 are encouraging and support combination therapy as an effective treatment for this aggressive disease.
Recent Advances in Electrochemical Glycobiosensing

Biosensors based on electrochemical transduction mechanisms have recently made advances into the field of glycan analysis. These glyco-biosensors offer simple, rapid, sensitive, and economical approaches to the measurement need for rapid glycan analysis for biomarker detection, cancer and disease diagnostics, and bioprocess monitoring of therapeutic glycoproteins. Although the prevalent methods of glycan analysis (high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) provide detailed identification and structural analysis of glycan species, there are significantly few low-cost, rapid glycan assays available for diagnostic and screening applications. Here we review instances in which glyco-biosensors have been used for glycan analysis using a variety of electrochemical transduction mechanisms (e.g., amperometric, potentiometric, impedimetric, and voltammetric), selective binding agents (e.g., lectins and antibodies), and redox species (e.g., enzyme substrates, inorganic, and nanomaterial).
Rule-based control system design for smart grids

The growth of distributed generation or renewable generation resources and advanced information systems add uncertainties and complexity to the energy system and call for a “smart grid” solution. The mathematical models that are conventionally utilized in the energy management system usually take a long time to develop and execute and are not flexible enough to accommodate operational rules for generations (wind, solar and hydro) under varying conditions and loads. A rule-based system model would allow power system operators (who may lack experience in exploiting mathematical models and computer capabilities) to model their operations directly using their expertise, which enables the power system to make quick responses to real-time conditions. In this paper, a new rule-based system design methodology for power system automation and control is proposed. The methodology formulates the rule-based system as an optimal control problem in a feedback control architecture. The solution to the optimal control problem provides action rules for power system substation operations to achieve operator-configured preferences while minimizing cost. The proposed methodology, which integrates real-time information, optimal control, environmental constraints and human's expertise, provides a systematic tool for rule-based system design that gives more robust and realistic solutions.
Novel sterols synthesized via the CYP27A1 metabolic pathway.

A major biologic role of the ubiquitous mitochondrial P450 enzyme CYP27A1 is the generation of ligands such as 27-hydroxycholesterol and 3β-hydroxy-5-cholestenoic acid, which regulate the expression of nuclear receptors that govern many aspects of cholesterol homeostasis. We now report that sterol intermediates in cholesterol synthesis, beginning with the initial post-cyclization sterol, lanosterol, continuing with zymosterol, and ending with desmosterol are also substrates for the enzyme. Using the human enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli, we characterized the retention times and major mass fragments of these novel metabolites. Although sequestration of the enzyme in the inner mitochondrial membrane and normal subcellular organization probably greatly restrict the proportion of these and other intermediates in cholesterol synthesis that undergo side chain oxidation, disruption of compartmentalization can bypass cholesterol as the end product and give rise to potent ligands that further modify gene expression.
Elementary phenotypes in the neurobiological and genetic study of schizophrenia.

Abstract This review describes the strategy of using elementary phenotypes for neurobiological and genetic linkage studies of schizophrenia. The review concentrates on practical aspects of selecting the phenotype and then understanding the confounds in its measurement and interpretation. Examples from the authors’ studies of deficits in P50 inhibition and smooth pursuit eye movement dysfunction are presented. These two phenotypes share considerable similarity in their neurobiology, including a similar response to nicotine. They also appear to co-segregate with the genetic risk for schizophrenia as autosomal co-dominant phenotypes. Although most schizophrenic patients inherit these abnormalities unilinealy, i.e., from one parent, apparent bilineal inheritance produces a more severe illness, observed clinically as childhood-onset schizophrenia. The initial study showing linkage of the P50 deficit to the chromosome 15q14 locus of the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is an example of the potential usefulness of these phenotypes for combined genetic and neurobiological study of schizophrenia.
The glacial–interglacial variation of seawater osmium isotopes as recorded in Santa Barbara Basin

Abstract The Pleistocene deposits of Santa Barbara Basin (SBB) show laminations during interglacial periods typical of an anoxic or suboxic depositional environment and more sporadically laminated deposits during glacial times, indicating a more oxic environment of deposition. The 187Os/188Os value of sediment leaches varies as a function of climate, consistent with a more radiogenic Os signal during interglacial times and less radiogenic Os values more typical of glacial times. The signal is confounded by contributions from a high Os detrital component with a variable 187Os/188Os value, but generally agrees with prior result from deposits from other marine environments.
The Transition from Population III to Population II Stars

The transition from Population III (Pop III) to Population II (Pop II) stars is determined by the presence of a sufficient amount of metals, in particular, oxygen and carbon. The vastly different yields of these relevant metals between different initial stellar mass functions would then cause such a transition to occur at different times. We show that the transition from Pop III to Pop II stars is likely to occur before the universe can be reionized, if the initial mass function (IMF) is entirely very massive stars (M ≥ 140 M☉). A factor of about 10 more ionizing photons would be produced in the case with a normal top-heavy IMF (e.g., M ~ 10-100 M☉), when such a transition occurs. Thus, a high Thomson optical depth (τe ≥ 0.11-0.14) may be an indication that the Pop III stars possess a more conventional top-heavy IMF.
Enhancement of c-fos Expression in Neurons of the Rat Spinal Cord after Partial Denervation: Evidence for Functional Plasticity

c-fos immunocytochemistry was used to test a functional correlate of neuroplasticity involving nociceptive primary afferent fibers in the partially denervated adult rat spinal cord. Unilateral dorsal root ganglionectomies were made at L1-L4 (chronic side). After 3 weeks, contralateral L1-L4 ganglionectomies (acute side) were made 1 week prior to sacrifice. Two hours prior to perfusion, the animals were anesthetized and their hindlimbs were immersed in a 52°C water bath for 20 s. The spinal cords were then processed for c-fos immunocytochemistry and the numbers of c-fos-immunoreactive cells determined. Following bilateral noxious thermal stimulation of the hindlimbs, the numbers of c-fos-immunoreactive cells in laminae I-II from L3 to L5 were increased by nearly twofold on the chronically deafferented side of the spinal cord (P < 0.05). This finding suggests augmented functional plasticity of nociceptive primary afferent fibers on the chronically denervated side of spinal cord. These observations are discussed with relation to recent demonstrations of enhanced calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity and possible primary afferent fiber sprouting in similar denervation models.
Predictors of volunteer status in a retirement community.

In the present study, actual volunteers, latent volunteers, conditional volunteers, and definite nonvolunteers living in a retirement community are compared on social-structural, role, environmenta...
Association between n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content of red blood cells and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with peripheral artery disease

Objective The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are dietary components derived from fish oil with beneficial cardiovascular effects that may relate in part to anti-inflammatory properties. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is characterized by a marked proinflammatory state. We hypothesized that the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids content of red blood cells (omega-3 index) would be correlated with biomarkers of inflammation and vascular function in a PAD cohort. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of subjects who presented to an outpatient vascular surgery clinic for evaluation of PAD. We used linear regression to evaluate the independent association between the omega-3 index, inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein [CRP], intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interleukin-6, and tumor-necrosis-factor-α) and endothelial function (brachial artery flow mediated dilation). Results 64 subjects (61 claudicants and three with critical limb ischemia) were recruited for the study. The mean CRP level was 5.0 ± 5.0 mg/L, and the mean omega-3 index was 5.0% ± 1.8%. In an unadjusted model, the omega-3 index was negatively associated with CRP (38% increase in CRP for one standard deviation decrease in the omega-3 index; P = .007), which remained significant after adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking, ankle-brachial index, and high-density lipoprotein (33%; P = .04). There was also evidence for independent associations between the omega-3 index and IL-6 ( P = .001). There were no significant associations between the omega-3 index and vascular function tests. Conclusions In a cohort of patients with PAD, the omega-3 index was inversely associated with biomarkers of inflammation even after adjustment for covariates including the ankle-brachial index. Because patients with PAD have a high inflammatory burden, further studies should be conducted to determine if manipulation of omega-3 index via dietary changes or fish oil supplementation could improve inflammation and symptoms in these patients.
Weight and menses in adolescent girls, with special reference to build

Summary A series of ninety-two adolescent girls has been studied with regard to certain aspects of weight, menstruation, and build. Data on age of menarche and on the menstrual cycle are essentially similar to comparable data in the literature. Normal menstrual cycles for the group are defined as cycles showing intervals of twenty to forty days with duration of flow of from four to seven days. Definitely abnormal cycles are those with intervals longer than sixty days, flow longer than eleven days. The mean menarcheal age is 13.16 years. Although the whole first year after menarche shows great variability in length of cycle, it is demonstrated that after the first two periods this variability already falls to a fairly uniform level. When the girls are sorted into build groups designated as hypofeminine (Diana), feminine (Venus), hyperfeminine (Rubens), and mixed, both weight and menstrual experience show some relation to build. Although such relations are nowhere clear-cut, it may be noted that: 1. Where weight deviations occur, the tendency is toward under-weight among the hypofeminines, and overweight among the hyperfeminines. Weight is judged by the weight-stature index. 2. The feminines (thirty-three) show contrasts with the others (fiftynine) in regard to certain aspects of menstruation. 3. No effort was made to draw conclusions about the “mixed” group, which included the two cases with “virile” builds. In the feminine group, (a) most of the girls reached their menarche within a very narrow range of the mean of 13.16 years, as against a much wider distribution in the others; (b) only one girl reported an interval longer than sixty days or a period lasting longer than eleven days, as against six reporting such abnormal periods among the others; (c) only one girl reported severe dysmenorrhea, as against five among the others reporting such pain.
In vivo homing of thymus-enriched bone marrow cells.

A population of adult CBA/J mouse bone marrow (BM) cells enriched by in vitro migration to supernatant prepared from neonatal thymus was labeled with a DNA-binding fluorochrome, Hoecbst dye No. 33342 (H33342). Labeled cells were injected into irradiated recipients in order to compare the in vivo localization of the migration-enriched BM (MEBM) cells to the localization of injected nonenriched BM (NEBM) cell controls. A characteristic difference in the distribution of localized cells was observed in the spleen but not in other lymphoid organs. At 2 hr after injection the MEBM cells were located in the marginal zones surrounding the periarterial lymphoid sheaths (PALS) of the splenic white pulp. At 6 hr after injection the MEBM cells were seen distributed between marginal zones and the PALS and by 16 hr they had localized almost exclusively in the white pulp. In contrast, the NEBM cells were located in the marginal zones or red pulp for the duration of the experiment. These observations show that the MEBM cells home selectively to T-cell areas of the spleen. Direct immunofluorescent monoclonal antibody staining of H33342-labeled cells obtained from the recipient spleens at 16 hr demonstrated that the MEBM cells were negative for Thy-1 antigen, indicating that acquisition of Thy-1 was not prerequisite to the observed homing. The results are compared to known localization patterns of mature lymphocytes.
The Rent Concept, Narrowed and Broadened

Manufacture and agriculture may be reduced to a common denominator; manufacture is merely a more highly intensive form of utilizing the forces and products of nature, while land plays the same role in each form of industry, 48–50.—Rent depends upon absolute and relative position as to a market, and is sharply differentiated from interest, 51–53.—"Land" rent is, however, only one kind of rent; the various forms of economic privilege also give rise to rents, 54–61.
Toward a new elastic-decohesive model of Arctic sea ice

Abstract This paper argues for a new constitutive model, an elastic–decohesive model for sea ice. The model is motivated by examining satellite observations of the Arctic processed to show ice deformation in the form of divergence, shear and vorticity. The model is implemented numerically in the material-point method and used to predict motion and deformation of sea ice by simulating a region of the Beaufort Sea. The model is able to capture the qualitative and statistical behavior of localized deformation seen in the observations.
Self-Equilibrated Singular Solutions of a Complete Spherical Shell: Classical Theory Approach

The elastic response of a complete spherical shell under the influence of concentrated loads which apply in a self-equilibrating fashion is obtained. The mathematical analysis incorporates the classical uncoupled system of equations for the transverse displacement W and a stress function F
Stochastic Lagrangian Models of Turbulent Diffusion

An analogue of the center manifold theory is proposed for non-local bifurcations of homo­ and heteroclinic contours. In contrast with the local bifurcation theory it is shown that the dimension of non-local bifurcational problems is determined by the three different integers: the geometrical dimension dg which is equal to the dimension of a non-local analogue of the center manifold, the critical dimension de which is equal to the difference between the dimension of phase space and the sum of dimensions of leaves of associated strong-stable and strong­ unstable foliations, and the Lyapunov dimension d L which is equal to the maximal possible number of zero Lyapunov exponents for the orbits arising at the bifurcation. For a wide class of bifurcational problems (the so-called semi-local bifurcations) these three values are shown to be effectively computed. For the orbits arising at the bifurcations, effective restrictions for the maximal and minimal numbers of positive and negative Lyapunov exponents (correspondingly, for the maximal and minimal possible dimensions of the stable and unstable manifolds) are obtained, involving the values de and dL. A connection with the problem of hyperchaos is discussed.
Does APL really need run-time parsing?

Most APL systems delay all parsing until run-time. Because the APL expression language is inherently ambiguous and because identifier binding is delayed until run-time, some runtime parsing is shown to be necessary. Nevertheless we argue that most APL statement parsing can be done at entry-time and that there are several reasons for doing so. Then a technique is described whereby APL statements are partially parsed at entry-time and are parse completed at run-time.
Crystal and molecular structure of 1-hydroxy-2,3-dicarbomethoxy-1,3-cycloheptadiene

The crystal structure of 1-hydroxy-2,3-dicarbomethoxy-1,3-cycloheptadiene has been determined from three-dimensional counter data, and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques. The crystals belong to the triclinic space groupP¯1, witha = 10.721(7),b = 8.628(6),c = 6.214(6) A, α = 91.65(5), β = 83.14(5), γ = 81.66(5) °, andDc = 1.33 g cm−3 forZ = 2. The finalR factor for 1385 observed reflections is 0.058. The compound exists in the enolic configuration.
Device-quality tunnel junctions on the HIGH-Tc superconductor HgBa2CuO4+δ

Abstract SIN and SIS tunnel junction device (e.g. photon detectors, logic elements) repuire quasiparticle characteristics that exhibit sharp current onsets at the gap voltage and verp lop sub-gap conductances. Progress is reported on the development of such junctions on high-Tc cuprates using mechanical point contacts. In general, these contacts displap the optimum characteristics that can be obtained from HTS native-surface tunnel barriers. Most cuprates displap a sub-gap conductance phich monotonicallp increases pith voltage about the minimum value at pero bias. Hopever, tunneling data of unusuallp high quality have been obtained for the recentlp discovered Hg-based cuprate, HgBa2CuO4 (Tc = 96 K). SIS′ tunneling data using a Nb tip are presented phich exhibit verp lop and flat sub-gap conductances and sharp conductance peaks as expected from a BCS density of states. These results are slightlp improved over earlier published results pith SIN junctions. Use of the experimental data to simulate the performance of a quasiparticle mixer demonstrates that noise temperatures approaching the puantum limit are possible for SIS and SIN mixers in the range 1–5 THp.
Septic bursitis in immunocompromised patients

A retrospective analysis of 29 patients with septic bursitis was undertaken to ascertain if immunocompromised patients differed in their clinical presentations, type of organisms cultured, and outcome when compared with their non-immunocompromised cohorts. Thirty episodes of septic bursitis occurred in 29 patients, 43 percent of which occurred in immunocompromised patients. Despite similar clinical presentations, the bursae of immunocompromised patients took three times longer to sterilize and had a much higher bursal white blood cell count when compared with the bursae of non-immunocompromised patients. The bacteriologic spectrum was essentially identical in both groups; there were no cases in which gram-negative organisms were recovered from infected bursae. No cases of septic bursitis were seen in neutropenic patients. The most common factors contributing to an immunocompromised state were alcoholism or steroid therapy. A successful resolution of septic bursitis was seen in all the patients in the immunocompromised groups.
Nanocrystalline calcium phosphate ceramics in biomedical engineering

Abstract Nanocrystalline calcium phosphate based bioceramics are the new rage in biomaterials research. Conventionally, calcium phosphates based materials are preferred as bone grafts in hard tissue engineering because of their superior biocompatibility and bioactivity. However, this group of bioceramics exhibits poor mechanical performance, which restricts their uses in load bearing applications. The recent trend in bioceramic research is mainly concentrated on bioactive and bioresorbable ceramics, i.e. hydroxyapatite, bioactive glasses, tricalcium phosphates and biphasic calcium phosphates as they exhibit superior biological properties over other materials. In recent times, the arena of nanotechnology has been extensively studied by various researchers to overcome the existing limitations of calcium phosphates, mainly hydroxyapatite, as well as to fabricate nanostructured scaffolds to mimic structural and dimensional details of natural bone. The bone mineral consists of tiny HAp crystals in the nano-regime. It is found that nanocrystalline HAp powders improve sinterability and densification due to greater surface area, which could improve the fracture toughness and other mechanical properties. Nano-HAp is also expected to have better bioactivity than coarser crystals. Nanocrystalline calcium phosphate has the potential to revolutionize the field of hard tissue engineering from bone repair and augmentation to controlled drug delivery devices. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge and recent developments of various nanocrystalline calcium phosphate based bioceramics from synthesis to characterization.
The O+(4S)+N2(X1Σg+)→NO+(X1Σ+)+N(4S) reaction as a source of highly rotationally excited NO+ in the thermosphere

Abstract Observations of daytime NO+ radiance near 4.3 μm by the Cryogenic Infrared Radiance Instrumentation for Shuttle (CIRRIS 1A) indicate that NO+ rotation is in non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE). The present work investigates the possibility of the nonthermal O++N2 reaction as a source of rotational NLTE NO+ emission using standard chemical dynamics techniques. Calculations have been performed to determine the reaction cross section and the final NO+ vibrational–rotational distributions of the O++N2 reaction as a function of initial translational energy. The potential energy surface was constructed based upon limited, reliable ab initio information. The calculated reaction cross section, which shows a very strong translational energy dependence, is in agreement with the available experimental data. The calculations also indicate that vibrational excitation of N2 is as efficient as initial translational energy in promoting reaction, again in agreement with experimental evidence. The calculated average final translation energy is consistent with experiment for energies below 2 eV, indicating that the NO+ internal energy is well characterized by the calculations. The results indicate that the NO+ product from nonthermal collisions is vibrationally cold with substantial rotational excitation consistent with recent analyses of Earthlimb spectra.
T(H)-17 differentiation: of mice and men.

A new subset of interleukin 17–producing CD4+ helper T cells with diverse functions has now been identified. New work by three groups substantially broadens the understanding of these cells in both mice and humans.
River flooding, storm resuspension, and event stratigraphy on the northern California shelf: observations compared with simulations

Abstract Coast-hugging surface flood plumes occur on the inner shelf of northern California during the winter season, generating dense, near-bottom suspensions which may attain fluid mud concentrations as particles settle. The period of storm-heightened waves may continue into the flood period, leading to gravity-driven seaward displacement of the bottom suspension; or the wave regime may ameliorate, leaving the suspension to consolidate as a short-lived, inner-shelf flood bed. Such beds tend to be resuspended within days or weeks by subsequent storm events that may recreate the original high concentrations. The sediment is thus dispersed seaward by gravity flows, to be deposited as a muddy flood bed on the central shelf. The locus of deposition of these “high-concentration regimes” is a function of the relative intensities of river discharge and storm wave height. Greater discharge piles thicker storm beds nearer shore, while intense wave regimes allow deposition of the fluid mud further seaward. During events with high values of both parameters, large amount of fluid mud may bypass over the shelf edge. In contrast, “low-concentration regimes” occur during storm periods when there has been no recent flood deposition on the inner shelf. The shelf floor is better consolidated than in the previous case, and the resulting suspended sediment concentrations are lower. As a consequence, low-concentration regimes are winnowing and bypassing regimes, and the beds deposited are thinner and sandier. Algorithms describing deposition by high and low-concentration regimes have been embedded in a probabilistic model. A simulation of a 400-year sequence of beds deposited by winter storms and floods suggests that on the Eel shelf, the Holocene transgressive systems tract consists of back-stepping, seaward-fining event beds, whose timelines (bedding planes) dip more gently than do their gradational facies boundaries. At these longer time scales, flood beds dominate over storm beds.
Entry-Level Competencies and Attributes Needed by Interior Design Graduates: A Survey of Top Interior Design Firms

The purpose of this study was to determine the education, competencies, and attributes needed by persons seeking entry-level interior design positions as indicated by respondents from large commercial design firms identified as “top” in the country. The importance of examination by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and of program accreditation by the Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER) for entry-level designers was examined. This study revealed that large interior design firms are looking for entry-level personnel who critically think through design solutions based on design theories, communicate verbally and through graphic presentation, practice professional ethics, and present themselves as mature, enthusiastic, and well groomed. The profession is looking for conceptualizers over technicians. Comparisons with previous research indicate an increasing awareness of the importance of examination for professional qualification (NCIDQ) and accreditation of interior design programs.
Using Design Structure Matrix for improving Electronic Medical Record usability

Low adoption rate of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems is hindering achieving a national health care cost reduction estimated at $12 billion over the next 10 years. Physicians' EMR adoption rates are as a low as 10% nation-wide, due in part to poor design of the system user interface. The poor design is impacting EMR usability where physicians are faced with information overload. This is causing physicians to accept and validate erroneous data that may inadvertently produce unintended clinical consequences. The subject research describes the shortcomings of the EMR system leading to low adoption, and then proposes a new approach of using the Design Structure Matrix (DSM) method for improving EMR system usability through the analysis of system functionality. DSM is a modeling tool for developing complex systems and enables users to analyze and model dependencies among system elements in order to improve system functionality. A clustering algorithm is used to evaluate the interactions between system elements, and results are analyzed to decide if further design improvements can be made. The preliminary research results suggest that the application of DSM may allow improvements to the EMR functional design and enable improved physician acceptance of such systems.
Optimization of Agrobacterium‐mediated transient assays of gene expression in lettuce, tomato and Arabidopsis

Agrobacterium-mediated transient assays for gene function are increasingly being used as alternatives to genetic complementation and stable transformation. However, such assays are variable and not equally successful in different plant species. We analysed a range of genetic and physiological factors affecting transient expression following agroinfiltration, and developed a protocol for efficient and routine transient assays in several plant species. Lettuce exhibited high levels of transient expression and was at least as easy to work with as Nicotiana benthamiana. Transient expression occurred in the majority of cells within the infiltrated tissue and approached 100% in some regions. High levels of transient expression were obtained in some ecotypes of Arabidopsis; however, Arabidopsis remains recalcitrant to routine, genotype-independent transient assays. Transient expression levels often exceeded those observed in stably transformed plants. The laboratory Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1 was the best strain for use in plant species that did not elicit a necrotic response to A. tumefaciens. A wild A. tumefaciens strain, 1D1246, was identified that provided high levels of transient expression in solanaceous plants without background necrosis, enabling routine transient assays in these species.
Screening for SNPs with Allele-Specific Methylation Based on Next-Generation Sequencing Data

Allele-specific methylation (ASM) has long been studied but mainly documented in the context of genomic imprinting and X chromosome inactivation. Taking advantage of the next-generation sequencing technology, we conduct a high-throughput sequencing experiment with four prostate cell lines to survey the whole genome and identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with ASM. A Bayesian approach is proposed to model the counts of short reads for each SNP conditional on its genotypes of multiple subjects, leading to a posterior probability of ASM. We flag SNPs with high posterior probabilities of ASM by accounting for multiple comparisons based on posterior false discovery rates. Applying the Bayesian approach to the in-house prostate cell line data, we identify 269 SNPs as candidates of ASM. A simulation study is carried out to demonstrate the quantitative performance of the proposed approach.
Searching where the light is worse: overemphasizing genes and underplaying environment in the quest to reduce substance misuse.

Most scientists have heard the old joke—appropriately enough in the context of this special issue, one concerning drunkenness—about the intoxicated man who drops his car keys somewhere in the dark yet looks for them under a streetlight because “the light is better there.” In contrast, in the addiction research field, what we are looking for is in fact in the light, but we persist in searching in the dark.1 Research on the possible genetic bases of addiction has yielded some intriguing findings and may one day save some lives, but thus far it has not lessened the appalling damage to society wrought by alcohol, nicotine, and illegal drug consumption. In contrast, research on environmental determinants of substance use has identified promising methods of substantially lowering the adverse impact of substance misuse on public health.
Displacement sensing by direct mechanical modulation of shaped electro-active micro structures

The development of a class of transducers designed to measure the relative displacement between two mechanical members and transmit that information, in coordination with other transducers, over a multiplexed bus with a minimum number of wires is described. As their basis, these transducers use the measurement of the variation in capacitive coupling between very small circuit elements on the surface of a silicon chip and AC field emitting elements on an adjacent planar structure. The circuit elements, which function as field detectors, generate signals that are used to estimate the position of the field emitting structure in digital or analog form. The transducer package, detector systems, emitter system, and supporting electronic circuits are discussed. >
Effect of Cold Exposure on The Immune Response of Chickens

Abstract The effect of various environmental temperature changes on the antibody production of chickens was examined. Chronic cold exposure significantly increased the antibody titers. Birds exposed to 32.2°C. and above had significantly depressed agglutinin levels. Short term cold exposures 2 or 4 times following the antigen injection enhanced the agglutinin and hemolysin response. Thirty minute cold exposures for 2 or 4 times significantly increased IgM antibody production and markedly reduced the IgG antibody. The data suggest the elevation of antibody titers are in relation to time of the cold treatment and antigen injection. Observed differences of antibody production may be due to cold induced changes in the metabolic activity of antigen reactive cells and antibody producing cells.
Hypofractionated radiotherapy in the elderly: sometimes less is more

Given the increasing incidence of most malignancies with age, it is not surprising that the majority of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy are older. Treatment of cancer in the elderly requires special consideration of many challenging issues, such as the impact of comorbid conditions on treatment selection, and social factors, including transportation. Radiation oncology is in the midst of a paradigm shift with the potential to address these issues. This new trend, known as hypofractionation, shortens the duration of treatment by delivering fewer, larger fractions. With its higher biological effectiveness for a given dose, hypofractionated radiotherapy also has the potential to be a more effective alternative to surgery in patients unable to undergo an operation. In this review, we discuss how hypofractionation is changing the treatment of the three most common cancers in the elderly – namely lung, prostate and breast cancer – and how elderly patients stand to benefit from this change.
Adverse Events and Preventable Adverse Events in Children

Context. Patient safety has been recognized as an important problem in health care. However, knowledge about adverse events and preventable adverse events in children is relatively limited. Objective. To describe the incidence and types of adverse events and preventable adverse events in children. Design. Analysis of pediatric hospitalizations in the Colorado and Utah Medical Practice Study, which involved a retrospective, 2-level (nurse and physician) medical record review of a population-based, representative sample of all pediatric hospital discharges. Main Measures. Adverse events were defined as an injury caused by medical management rather than disease processes that resulted in either prolonged hospitalization or disability at discharge. A preventable adverse event was defined as an avoidable adverse event based on currently available knowledge and accepted practices. Patients. 3719 discharged hospital patients, 0–20 years old, and 7528 nonelderly (21–65 years old) discharged adult patients in Colorado and Utah. Setting. All hospitals in Colorado and Utah. Results. Adverse events occurred in 1% of pediatric hospitalizations in Colorado and Utah; 0.6% were preventable. Preventable adverse events rates were 0.53% in neonates and infants (0–0.99 years), 0.22% in children 1–12 years of age, and 0.95% in adolescents 13–20 years of age, compared with a rate of 1.50% in nonelderly adults. Of preventable adverse event types, birth related (32.2%) and diagnostic related (30.4%) events were the most common and were significantly more common than surgically related preventable adverse events (3.5%). Conclusions. These data suggest that ∼70 000 children hospitalized in the United States experience an adverse event each year; 60% of these events may be preventable. The epidemiology of adverse events and preventable adverse events in children is different than in adults. To reduce the adverse events that occur in hospitalized children, research should focus on adolescent hospitalized patients, birth-related medical care, and diagnostics in pediatric medicine.
Maximum Margin Multi-Instance Learning

Multi-instance learning (MIL) considers input as bags of instances, in which labels are assigned to the bags. MIL is useful in many real-world applications. For example, in image categorization semantic meanings (labels) of an image mostly arise from its regions (instances) instead of the entire image (bag). Existing MIL methods typically build their models using the Bag-to-Bag (B2B) distance, which are often computationally expensive and may not truly reflect the semantic similarities. To tackle this, in this paper we approach MIL problems from a new perspective using the Class-to-Bag (C2B) distance, which directly assesses the relationships between the classes and the bags. Taking into account the two major challenges in MIL, high heterogeneity on data and weak label association, we propose a novel Maximum Margin Multi-Instance Learning (M3I) approach to parameterize the C2B distance by introducing the class specific distance metrics and the locally adaptive significance coefficients. We apply our new approach to the automatic image categorization tasks on three (one single-label and two multi-label) benchmark data sets. Extensive experiments have demonstrated promising results that validate the proposed method.
Medical Imaging Safety in the Developing World

Attention to matters of safety is important in any imaging facility. In the context of the developing world, limited resources may complicate the attempt to set up and operate an imaging facility with the highest standards of safety, but it is nonetheless important to see that all applicable safety measures are carried out. Imaging safety involves several general principles, including the need to minimize radiation exposure consistent with answering the clinical question at hand. Safety considerations relevant to patients, staff, and the general public must be addressed. Safety considerations specific to individual modalities include appropriate limitations on exposure in X-ray and CT imaging, attention to hazards from the magnetic field in magnetic resonance imaging, proper preparation and control of radionuclides in nuclear medicine, and avoidance of excessive prenatal imaging procedures with ultrasound. An important general safety consideration for all imaging modalities is assuring proper clinical utilization; proper utilization includes factors such as not performing imaging procedures without medical referral and supervision, attention to image quality to ensure that procedures do not need to be repeated unnecessarily, and carefully considering the clinical appropriateness of any requested imaging procedure. Training and credentialing of staff is also of utmost importance and includes staff who design, prepare, and evaluate a new imaging facility as well as medical staff who acquire, order, or review images. Ensuring imaging safety requires the input of a team of experts, including trained and qualified medical physicists, health physicists, radiation safety officers, clinical safety personnel, installation and service personnel, radiologic technologists, and radiologists. With appropriate attention to safety, diagnostic imaging can provide a very useful component of healthcare services in resource-limited regions.