cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Duodenal duplication in a young adult

A 28-YEAR-OLD WOMAN presented with a history of upper abdominal fullness after meals. Her condition was also associated with vomiting, which relieved the fullness. The patient sought evaluation because of a gradual increase in the severity of these symptoms during a 12-month period. Her physical examination was essentially unremarkable. An upper gastrointestinal series demonstrated severe compression of the descending duodenum. An upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy confirmed compression along the medial wall of the duodenum without mucosal abnormality. An ultrasound scan demonstrated a cystic mass anterior to the pancreas along the medial wall of the duodenum. At laparotomy, a large ovoid mass measuring approximately 12 × 6 cm was identified anterior and medial to the duodenum (Fig 1). The distal one-fourth appeared to share a common wall with the normal duodenum. The blood supply was intimately associated with that of the duodenum and the pancreas. The mass was identified as a duodenal duplication. Separation of the mass from the duodenum and pancreas was not feasible. A longitudinal duodenotomy was performed revealing the mass compressing the medial wall of the duodenum. After identification and cannulation of the ampulla of Vater, a generous cystoduodenostomy was constructed (Fig 2). Random biopsies demonstrated gastrointestinal mucosa. Serous fluid from the cyst contained neither bile nor pancreatic juice. The duodenotomy was closed. The postoperative course was unremarkable. The operation resulted in complete relief of the symptoms. Duodenal duplication in a young adult
The ultrastructure and spatial organization of the metaphase kinetochore in mitotic rat cells

Ultrastructural and spatial properties of the metaphase kinetochore are examined in various cell types of fetal rats. Independent of the chromosome or cell type the metaphase kinetochore exhibits a remarkable similarity of structure, dimension, and spindle attachment. Each chromosome possesses two distinct disk-shaped sister kinetochores located on the opposite sides of the chromosomal kinetochore region. During metaphase the kinetochore region appears in both the constricted and wide form. The kinetochore disk has a diameter of 2000–2450 A, and is a composite organelle of three layers. The electron dense inner layer is contiguous with the chromosomal material proper and is separated from the dense outer layer by a lighter middle layer. The outer layer is covered by a corona of electron opaque substance. All three layers are attached to a bundle of 4–7 kinetochoric spindle filaments. The results are discussed in terms of metaphase dynamics and are related to reports on kinetochores of other species. A method for the direct determination of the thickness of ultrathin sections is described.
EIAV S2 enhances pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine response in infected macrophages.

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) infection is distinctive in that it causes a rapid onset of clinical disease relative to other retroviruses. In order to understand the interaction dynamics between EIAV and the host immune response, we explored the effects of EIAV and its S2 protein in the regulation of the cytokine and chemokine response in macrophages. EIAV infection markedly altered the expression pattern of a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines monitored in the study. Comparative studies in the cytokine response between EIAV17 and EIAV17ΔS2 infection revealed that S2 enhances the expression of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-8, MCP-2, MIP-1β and IP-10. Moreover, S2 specifically induced the expression of the newly discovered cytokine, IL-34. Taken together, these results may help explain the effect of cytokine and chemokine dysregulation in EIAV pathogenesis and suggest a role of S2 in optimizing the host cell environment to promote viral dissemination and replication.
Granulomatous slack skin: Clonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor β gene is evidence for the lymphoproliferative nature of a cutaneous elastolytic disorder

Granulomatous slack skin (GSS) is characterized by the slow evolution of bulky, erythematous skin folds that have a granulomatous histology, and show destruction of dermal elastic tissue. Several cases have been putatively associated with Hodgkin's disease, and histologic similarities to mycosis fungoides have also been noted. We examined tissue from 3 cases of GSS to determine whether the condition was inflammatory or lymphoproliferative in nature. We found an abnormal, monomorphous T-helper cell immunophenotype, and in all 3 cases, clonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta gene. We conclude that GSS is an indolent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with granulomatous inflammation that mediates elastolysis, producing a distinctive clinical appearance.
Differential Exposure to Hazardous Air Pollution in the United States: A Multilevel Analysis of Urbanization and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation

Population exposure to multiple chemicals in air presents significant challenges for environmental public health. Air quality regulations distinguish criteria air pollutants (CAPs) (e.g., ozone, PM2.5) from hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)—187 chemicals which include carcinogens and others that are associated with respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and numerous other non-cancer health effects. Evidence of the public’s cumulative exposure and the health effects of HAPs are quite limited. A multilevel model is used to assess differential exposure to HAP respiratory, neurological, and cancer hazards (2005) related to the Townsend Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (TSI), after adjustment for regional population size and economic activity, and local population density. We found significant positive associations between tract TSI and respiratory and cancer HAP exposure hazards, and smaller effects for neurological HAPs. Tracts in the top quintile of TSI have between 38%–60% higher HAP exposure than the bottom quintile; increasing population size from the bottom quintile to the top quintile modifies HAP exposure hazard related to TSI, increasing cancer HAP exposure hazard by 6% to 20% and increasing respiratory HAP exposure hazard by 12% to 27%. This study demonstrates the value of social epidemiological methods for analyzing differential exposure and advancing cumulative risk assessment.
Effect of cell density on androgen regulation of the mRNA level of human prostatic acid phosphatase.

Abstract The expression of human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAcP), a differentiation antigen of prostate epithelial cells, has been proposed to be regulated by androgen. We investigated this regulatory mechanism at the post-transcriptional level in LNCaP human prostate carcinoma cells, the only cultured cells that express PAcP. Our results demonstrated that the level of PAcP mRNA decreased when the cell density increased. Further, 5α-dihydrotestosterone, an active form of the endogenous androgen, stimulated the PAcP mRNA level in low-density cells; while, caused a decrease in high-density cells. Thus, in LNCaP human prostate carcinoma cells, cell density could modulate PAcP expression at the mRNA level including androgen regulation.
Pinnunavis vs. Pinnuavis

The generic name Pinnuavis is an inadvertent misspelling of Pinnunavis. All previously published specific names using Pinnuavis as the generic name are correctable without change of date or authors...
Optimal VIA Placement in Under Filled Embedded Multimode Waveguides

The self-imaging property of multimode waveguides creates a challenging problem when finding the optimal placement position of an out-of-plane coupler for embedded waveguides. This problem is compounded when the waveguides are coupled using a small input such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) or a single mode fiber where only some of the modes are generated. When the waveguide system is under filled, the coupling efficiency for the optical vertical interconnect assembly (VIA) can vary by as much as 6.2 dB depending on the length of the proceeding waveguide due to different output fields from the self-imaging property. This requires sweeping each individual VIA over the entire range of possible coupler positions to find the total maximum coupling efficiency. This process increases in complexity when a VIA supports several parallel channels all having a different optical path length. If a VIA can be placed in a calculated position from the end of a terminated embedded waveguide dependent upon the modal structure then blind pick and place methods may be used. The optimal coupler placement was determined based on smallest average VIA attenuation, smallest attenuation variance, and worse-case alignment scenario.
An experimental and numerical study of the viscous stability of a round laminar vertical jet with and without thermal buoyancy for symmetric and asymmetric disturbances

The fully viscous hydrodynamic stability equations for a round laminar vertical jet have been numerically solved using the proper boundary-layer base-flow velocity profile and for both symmetric and asymmetric disturbances. The symmetric mode is found to be unconditionally stable. The first asymmetric mode is found to be unstable and characteristics are compared with previous calculations. The computed critical Reynolds number for this mode is 9·4, which agrees with the calculations of Burridge (1968). Disturbance amplitude-ratio contours are also calculated and related to the convection of disturbances in the flow.The effect of thermal buoyancy on jet stability is assessed by solving the fully viscous equations, coupled through buoyancy, and using a buoyancy-perturbed jet flow. A Prandtl number σ of 6·7 is used, and positive thermal buoyancy is found to have a destabilizing effect. Stability characteristics for the limiting case of buoyancy, a purely thermal point-source plume, are determined for a Prandtl number of 2.Finally, an experiment was performed using water jets in water (σ ≈ 4·52–5·89) and a new method of jet production is described. The effect of varying amounts of thermal buoyancy on the laminar length of a jet undergoing naturally occurring transition was determined experimentally. These experiments confirm the calculated destabilizing effect of buoyancy. An empirical correlation is presented for the laminar length of a jet. Also, the effect of both symmetric and asymmetric artificially induced disturbances was determined experimentally. The disturbance amplitude ratio at which transition to turbulence takes place is found to be much less than for buoyant flows adjacent to a wall. The effects of frequency and amplitude of the artificial disturbances were experimentally determined and the trends are found to be consistent with the results of small disturbance theory.The principal new result is that positive thermal buoyancy destabilizes jet flow, and consequently calls into question earlier experimental studies wherein jet flows were observed by density differences. Another new result is the calculation. of amplitude-ratio contours for a non-buoyant jet and the quantitative description of jet stability in terms of these contours along paths of constant physical frequency. A comparison of the non-buoyant theory with experimental jets containing varying amounts of thermal buoyancy indicates that transition did not occur at a well-defined value of the amplitude ratio. Perhaps experiments with truly non-buoyant jets and/or more detailed buoyant calculations could explain this remaining question.
Comparison of the Power Knee and C-Leg during step-up and sit-to-stand tasks.

Abstract For U.S. military service members with transfemoral amputations there are different prosthetic knee systems available that function differently. For example the C-Leg® (C-Leg, Otto Bock Healthcare, GmbH, Duderstadt, Germany) is a passive microprocessor knee, and the Power Knee™ (PK, Ossur, Reykjavik, Iceland) provides active positive power generation at the knee joint. This study examined both step-up and sit-to-stand tasks performed by service members using C-Leg and PK systems to determine if the addition of positive power generation to a prosthetic knee can improve symmetry and reduce impact to the remaining joints. For both tasks, average peak sagittal knee powers and vertical ground reaction forces (GRFs) were greater for the intact limb versus the amputated limb across PK and C-Leg groups. For the sit-to-stand task, peak knee power of the amputated limb was greater for PK users versus C-Leg users. Vertical GRFs of the intact limb were greater for the C-Leg versus the PK. The performance of the PK relative to the C-Leg during a STS task illustrated few differences between components and no effect on the intact limb.
Reactive oxygen species in cancer

Elevated rates of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been detected in almost all cancers, where they promote many aspects of tumour development and progression. However, tumour cells also express increased levels of antioxidant proteins to detoxify from ROS, suggesting that a delicate balance of intracellular ROS levels is required for cancer cell function. Further, the radical generated, the location of its generation, as well as the local concentration is important for the cellular functions of ROS in cancer. A challenge for novel therapeutic strategies will be the fine tuning of intracellular ROS signalling to effectively deprive cells from ROS-induced tumour promoting events, towards tipping the balance to ROS-induced apoptotic signalling. Alternatively, therapeutic antioxidants may prevent early events in tumour development, where ROS are important. However, to effectively target cancer cells specific ROS-sensing signalling pathways that mediate the diverse stress-regulated cellular functions need to be identified. This review discusses the generation of ROS within tumour cells, their detoxification, their cellular effects, as well as the major signalling cascades they utilize, but also provides an outlook on their modulation in therapeutics.
Left Ventricle Apical-Aortic Conduit for Aortic Stenosis

Nativeaorticvalvereplacementistheprocedureofchoice for pure aortic valve stenosis. Occasionally, conventional surgery is deemed unacceptably high risk related to calcificationoftheaorticroot,multiplepreviousmediansternotomies, or patent retrosternal grafts. Implantation of a left ventricle apical‐aortic conduit (AAC) is an alternative approach in patients with these and other conditions that either preclude a median sternotomy or present a high risk for aortic cross-clamping and aortotomy. There are several imaging and postoperative concerns related to this situation. A 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest and abdomen with and without contrast is usually performed to assess the degree of aortic root calcium, calcification of the descending thoracic aorta, and the lay of any retrosternal patent coronary artery bypass grafts. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic assessment of the aortic valve is essential to rule out aortic insufficiency. An apical aortic conduit should be performed in the setting of isolated aortic stenosis. Mild aortic insufficiency can be tolerated but the procedure should be avoided in patients with greater than 1 aortic insufficiency. Intraoperative echocardiography is also valuable to further assess the degree of calcification of the descending aorta to help direct placement of the conduit-to-aorta anastomosis. We prefer to perform the operation with femoro-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass and mild hypothermia (34°C).
Automated detection of breast masses on digital mammograms using adaptive density-weighted contrast-enhancement filtering

This paper presents a novel approach for segmentation of suspicious mass regions in digitized mammograms using a new adaptive density-weighted contrast enhancement (DWCE) filter in conjunction with Laplacian-Gaussian (LG) edge detection. The new algorithm processes a mammogram in two stages. In the first stage the entire mammogram is filtered globally using a DWCE adaptive filter which enhances the local contrast of the image based on its local mean pixel values. The enhanced image is then segmented with an LG edge detector into isolated objects. In the second stage of processing, the DWCE adaptive filter and the edge detector are applied locally to each of the segmented object regions detected in the first stage. The number of objects is then reduced based on morphological features. ROIs are selected from the remaining object set based on the centroid locations of the individual objects. The selected ROIs are then input to either a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier or a convolution neural network (CNN) to further differentiate true-positives and false-positives. In this study ROIs obtained from a set of 84 images were used to train the LDA and CNN classifiers. The DWCE algorithm was then,used to extract ROIs from a set of 84 test images. The trained LDA and CNN classifiers were subsequently applied to the extracted ROIs, and the dependence of the detection system's accuracy on the feature extraction and classification techniques was analyzed.
Haar wavelets over triangular domains with applications to multiresolution models for flow over a sphere

Some new piecewise constant wavelets defined over nested triangulated domains are presented and applied to the problem of multiresolution analysis of flow over a spherical domain. These new, nearly orthogonal wavelets have advantages over the existing weaker biorthogonal wavelets. In the planar case of uniform areas, the wavelets converge to one of two fully orthogonal Haar wavelets. These new, fully orthogonal wavelets are proven to be the only possible wavelets of this type.
The End of Imminence

A wider consensus is urgently needed on what constitutes a contemporary imminent threat and how to respond legally to such threats under international law. Otherwise, unilateral responses and democratic vulnerability to catastrophic state-based or terrorist attacks will remain the norm.
Experimental Study of the Twist Viscosity in Nematic Liquid Crystals

Abstract Magnetic measurements of the twist viscosity in 24 nematic liquid crystals as a function of temperature show that the activation energy is 5.5 + 0.5 × 103 K; it does not depend strongly on the nematic-to-isotropic transition temperature or on any other obvious parameter.
D1-receptor drugs and cocaine-seeking behavior: investigation of receptor mediation and behavioral disruption in rats

Dopamine D1-receptor antagonists and agonists both attenuate cocaine-seeking behavior (i.e., operant responding in the absence of cocaine reinforcement) elicited by a cocaine prime or cocaine-paired stimuli. It remains unclear whether these effects are D1-receptor mediated. The present study tested whether a D1 antagonist (SCH-23390) would reverse the attenuating effects of a D1 agonist (SKF-81297) on cocaine-seeking behavior and whether behavioral disruption is involved in these effects. Rats trained to press a lever for cocaine reinforcement with light and tone cues paired with each infusion underwent daily extinction sessions during which responding had no scheduled consequences (i.e., neither cocaine nor the cocaine-paired stimulus complex was available). After responding diminished, the effects of the D1 antagonist on the dose–response functions of the D1 agonist for reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior by response-contingent cue presentations or cocaine priming were examined. A separate experiment assessed the effects of the agonist on the dose–response function of the antagonist for cue reinstatement. Stereotyped behavior and activity were also measured during each test session. The attenuating effects of SKF-81297 on cocaine-seeking behavior during cocaine-primed reinstatement were reversed by co-administration of SCH-23390. However, no evidence for reversal of the attenuation during cue reinstatement was found even though agonist-induced stereotypy and antagonist-induced hypoactivity were reversed by co-administration of the two drugs during the same test session. The findings suggest that the attenuating effects of D1-receptor drugs on cocaine-seeking behavior during cocaine reinstatement are mediated by dopamine D1 receptors; however, it remains unclear whether the effects of these drugs on cocaine-seeking behavior during cue reinstatement are D1-receptor mediated. Nevertheless, it is evident that the attenuation of cocaine-seeking behavior by these drugs is not simply due to behavioral disruption.
Digital Rectal Examination and the Primary Care Physicians: A Lost Art?

Digital rectal examination (DRE) in children is crucial to differentiate between simple (habitual) and complicated constipation. Previous experience suggests that primary care physicians (PCPs) avoid DRE in children with constipation before referral. We evaluated the rate of DRE performance by West Virginian PCPs in patients referred to our gastroenterology clinic. Data were collected from the physicians' referral letters and parental reports. We found that the vast majority (85%) of WV-PCPs do not perform DRE before referring their patients, resulting in missed diagnoses and treatment. We concluded that the lack of DRE in children with constipation may result in unnecessary referral to the specialist. To improve standard of care for children with constipation, an educational campaign for PCPs is clearly warranted.
Attributing intelligence to humans and machines: between the devil and the deep blue, see?

Human attributions of intelligence in others reflect heuristic judgments of superficial qualities rather than systematic analysis of competence. This article reviews the literature on attribution of intelligence in humans and machines, examines the public controversy over human intelligence, and extrapolates to the subject of machine intelligence. The possible effects on public policy ale discussed.
Effects of Azithromycin on Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa From Cystic Fibrosis Patients

There is considerable interest in the use of azithromycin for the treatment of lung disease in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Although its mechanism of action as an inhibitor of bacterial protein synthesis has been well-established, it is less clear how azithromycin ameliorates the lung disease associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is considered to be resistant to the drug. We tested the effects of azithromycin on clinical isolates (CIs) from CF patients and compared them with laboratory reference strains to establish how this drug might interfere with the production of bacterial virulence factors that are relevant to the pathogenesis of airway disease in CF patients. Azithromycin inhibited P aeruginosa PAO1 protein synthesis by 80%, inhibiting bacterial growth and the expression of immunostimulatory exoproducts such as pyocyanin, as well as the gene products necessary for biofilm formation. In contrast, the effects of azithromycin on CIs of P aeruginosa were much more variable, due in large part to their slow growth and limited exoproduct expression. Culture supernatants for two of three clinical strains induced appreciable CXCL8 expression from cultured epithelial cells. Azithromycin treatment of the organisms inhibited 65 to 70% of this induction; azithromycin had no direct effect on the ability of either normal cells or CF epithelial cells to produce CXCL8. Azithromycin does decrease the P aeruginosa synthesis of immunostimulatory exoproducts and is likely to be most effective against planktonic, actively growing bacteria. This effect is less predictable against CIs than the prototypic strain PAO1.
The In Planta Transcriptome of Ralstonia solanacearum: Conserved Physiological and Virulence Strategies during Bacterial Wilt of Tomato

Plant xylem fluid is considered a nutrient-poor environment, but the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum is well adapted to it, growing to 10(8) to 10(9) CFU/g tomato stem. To better understand how R. solanacearum succeeds in this habitat, we analyzed the transcriptomes of two phylogenetically distinct R. solanacearum strains that both wilt tomato, strains UW551 (phylotype II) and GMI1000 (phylotype I). We profiled bacterial gene expression at ~6 × 10(8) CFU/ml in culture or in plant xylem during early tomato bacterial wilt pathogenesis. Despite phylogenetic differences, these two strains expressed their 3,477 common orthologous genes in generally similar patterns, with about 12% of their transcriptomes significantly altered in planta versus in rich medium. Several primary metabolic pathways were highly expressed during pathogenesis. These pathways included sucrose uptake and catabolism, and components of these pathways were encoded by genes in the scrABY cluster. A UW551 scrA mutant was significantly reduced in virulence on resistant and susceptible tomato as well as on potato and the epidemiologically important weed host Solanum dulcamara. Functional scrA contributed to pathogen competitive fitness during colonization of tomato xylem, which contained ~300 µM sucrose. scrA expression was induced by sucrose, but to a much greater degree by growth in planta. Unexpectedly, 45% of the genes directly regulated by HrpB, the transcriptional activator of the type 3 secretion system (T3SS), were upregulated in planta at high cell densities. This result modifies a regulatory model based on bacterial behavior in culture, where this key virulence factor is repressed at high cell densities. The active transcription of these genes in wilting plants suggests that T3SS has a biological role throughout the disease cycle. IMPORTANCE Ralstonia solanacearum is a widespread plant pathogen that causes bacterial wilt disease. It inflicts serious crop losses on tropical farmers, with major economic and human consequences. It is also a model for the many destructive microbes that colonize the water-conducting plant xylem tissue, which is low in nutrients and oxygen. We extracted bacteria from infected tomato plants and globally identified the biological functions that R. solanacearum expresses during plant pathogenesis. This revealed the unexpected presence of sucrose in tomato xylem fluid and the pathogen's dependence on host sucrose for virulence on tomato, potato, and the common weed bittersweet nightshade. Further, R. solanacearum was highly responsive to the plant environment, expressing several metabolic and virulence functions quite differently in the plant than in pure culture. These results reinforce the utility of studying pathogens in interaction with hosts and suggest that selecting for reduced sucrose levels could generate wilt-resistant crops.
Distribution of SNR and Error Probability of a Two-Hop Relay Link in Rayleigh Fading

The performance of a two-hop amplify-and-forward relay link in flat Rayleigh fading channels is analyzed. Closed-form expressions are obtained for the distribution of the instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). An expression for the error probability is presented in general, and the bit-error rate (BER) associated with binary differential PSK (BDPSK) and the symbol-error rate (SER) associated with M-ary amplitude-shift keying (ASK) modulation schemes are derived in particular. These theoretical results are well supported by simulation results. In principle, the analysis approach, which is different from and much simpler than that reported in (9), can be generalized and applied to relay systems that include more hops.
Management of Spinal Deformity in Cerebral Palsy

An understanding of the three-dimensional components of spinal deformity in children with cerebral palsy is necessary to recommend treatments that will positively affect these patients' quality of life. Management of these deformities can be challenging and orthopedic surgeons should be familiar with the different treatments available for this patient population. This article discusses the incidence, causes, natural history, and treatment of patients with scoliosis.
INCREASING CUSTOMER SERVICE BEHAVIORS USING MANAGER‐DELIVERED TASK CLARIFICATION AND SOCIAL PRAISE

This project assessed an intervention to improve employee customer service behaviors (correct greetings and closing behaviors). A combination of task clarification and manager-delivered social praise resulted in increased correct greeting from 11.5% to 66% and correct closing from 8% to 70%. The effect was maintained at a 48-week follow-up for employees who were present during the initial study period, but not for more recently hired employees. The results suggest that task clarification combined with manager-delivered social praise is an effective way to improve employee customer service behaviors.
Shot boundary detection in videos using robust three-dimensional tracking

The use of three dimensional information from video is rare in the video analysis literature due to the inherent difficulties of extracting accurate 3D measurements from a single view of a scene. Several methods have been published in recent years, however, that attempt to solve such a problem. They all use the same underlying meaning of exploiting camera motion in order to measure the parallax of visible objects in the scene. In this paper, we employ the use of such algorithms towards solving the problem of automatic shot boundary detection. The idea is to extract salient features from a video sequence and track them over time in order to estimate shot boundaries within the video. We apply many ideas from previously published SLAM techniques in order to model the inherent three dimensional structure of a scene, and accurately track various salient features across frames. We detect shot boundaries in videos by observing the system's ability to successfully track features across frames.
Review of the hay fever literature of 1929

Abstract The most significant advances in the 1929 literature on hay fever may be enumerated as follows: 1.1. The further increase in percentage of good results in treatment by more general recognition that other sensitizations, such as foods, epidermals, etc., may be complicating, or even the only, factors in seasonal hay fever. 2.2. The admission by some of the most enthusiastic advocates of local therapy or nasal surgery that pollen injections have their place in treatment of hay fever. 3.3. The continued increase in reports of hay fever surveys from various sections of the world, and the addition to our list of hay fever producing pollen. 4.4. More thorough analysis of series of cases, especially from the standpoint of "cures." 5.5. Further chemical studies. 6.6. Extensive studies on atypical cases of hay fever, such as hay fever without positive diagnostic tests, and perennial rhinitis due to pollen harbored in protected places in the home. 7.7. The increasing and more widespread realization of the fact that pollen desensitization, although not a perfect treatment, is the most effective means at our disposal for the treatment of hay fever.
Highly vectorized algorithm for transient simulation of space reactor systems

Current interest in the application of nuclear reactor driven power systems to space missions has generated a need for an accurate systems model which is capable of handling the nonlinear transient simulation of such systems [1],[2]. A project to develop a code specifically designed to model and analyze space reactor systems is currently ongoing at Texas A&M. This code, named CENTAR (Code for Extended Nonlinear Transient Analysis of Extraterrestrial Reactors [3],[4]), is written especially for space systems and is highly vectorizable and machine-independent. Timing tests of the code have been run on VAX, CRAY, NEC, CONVEX and SUN systems. These tests demonstrate that CENTAR executes approximately seven times faster in vector mode than scalar mode on a CRAY X-MP. A one-loop model of a thermoelectric-based space reactor system (SP-100-like) was developed to demonstrate the code's capabilities. The SP-100-like model consisted of 24 components containing a total of 67 computational cells. Using a constant time step, this model ran two times faster than real time on a CRAY X-MP. A code assessment plan is currently under development.
The nature of particle motion in regional seismograms and its utilization for phase identification

SUMMARY The particle motion of regional arrivals is frequently treated in automatic phaserecognition schemes as that appropriate to simple P or S waves incident on an elastic, laterally homogeneous half-space. This model implies that the motion in ‘P-type’ phases can be described in terms of a single, generalized signal process and ‘S-type’ phases in terms of two independent processes (SV and SH) and thus, all regional arrivals could be fully characterized by three components of motion. In this paper, we present anlyses of the particle-motion patterns of various regional arrivals recorded at the ARCESS array from closely spaced events in the Kola Peninsula. We have found that only Pn-particle motion, described in terms of two independent signal processes, can be reliably characterized by three-component recordings. On the other hand, the various regional arrivals following Pn, such as Pg, Sn and Lg, can only be poorly characterized on the basis of three-component recordings alone. The reason is that these arrivals must be described in terms of more than two independent generalized signal processes, at least three for Pg and Sn, and possibly up to five for Lg. Recognition of these phases will thus require the use of more sensors than signal processes in the observing sensor configuration, such as three-component sensors combined with a small tripartite array. We have investigated the feasibility of adaptive, automatic recognition of regional arrivials by a wavefield extrapolation scheme utilizing such a mini-array . The process, which appear to be promising, adaptively learns the particle-motion patterns of individual arrivals, including complex site-response functions, from examples of closely located regional events.
Ler interdomain linker is essential for anti-silencing activity in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) expresses a type III secretion system (T3SS) required for pathogenesis. Regulation of the genes encoding the T3SS is complex; two major regulators control transcription, the silencer H-NS, and the related H-NS-like protein Ler. Our laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular differences that distinguish the anti-silencer Ler from H-NS, and how Ler differentially regulates EPEC virulence genes. Here, we demonstrate that mutated Ler proteins either containing H-NS α-helices 1 and 2, missing from Ler, or truncated for the 11 aa C-terminal extension compared with the related H-NS protein, did not appreciably alter Ler function. In contrast, mutating the proline at position 92 of Ler, in the conserved C-terminal DNA binding motif, eliminated Ler activity. Inserting 11 H-NS-specific amino acids, 11 alanines or 6 alanines into the Ler linker severely impaired the ability of Ler to increase LEE5 transcription. To extend our analysis, we constructed six chimeric proteins containing the N terminus, linker region or C terminus of Ler in different combinations with the complementary domains of H-NS, and monitored their in vivo activities. Replacing the Ler linker domain with that of H-NS, or replacing the Ler C-terminal, DNA binding domain with that of H-NS eliminated the ability of Ler to increase transcription at the LEE5 promoter. Thus, the linker and C-terminal domains of Ler and H-NS are not functionally equivalent. Conversely, replacing the H-NS linker region with that of Ler caused increased transcription at LEE5 in a strain deleted for hns. In summary, the interdomain linker specific to Ler is necessary for anti-silencing activity in EPEC.
B cell depletion in diffuse progressive systemic sclerosis: safety, skin score modification and IL-6 modulation in an up to thirty-six months follow-up open-label trial

Introduction: An over-expression of CD19 has been shown in B cells of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and B cells are thought to contribute to the induction of skin fibrosis in the tight skin mouse model. The aim was to define the outcome on safety and the change in skin score after rituximab therapy in SSc patients and to correlate the clinical characteristics with the levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and with the immune cell infiltrate detected by immunohistochemistry. Methods: Nine patients with SSc with mean age 40.9 ± 11.1 years were treated with anti-CD20, 1 g at time 0 and after 14 days. Skin biopsy was performed at baseline and during the follow-up. B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and IL-6 levels were also determined at the follow-up times. Results: After 6 months patients presented a median decrease of the skin score of 43.3% (range 21.1-64.0%), and a decrease in disease activity index and disease severity index. IL-6 levels decreased permanently during the follow up. After treatment, a complete depletion of peripheral blood B cells was observed in all but 2 patients. Only 3 patients presented CD20 positive cells in the biopsy of the involved skin at baseline. Conclusions: Anti-CD20 treatment has been well tolerated and SSc patients experienced an improvement of the skin score and of clinical symptoms. The clear fall in IL-6 levels could contribute to the skin fibrosis improvement, while the presence of B cells in the skin seems to be irrelevant with respect to the outcome after B cell depletion. Trial registration: ISRCTN77554566.
Suppression of the Rhines effect and the location of vortices on Saturn

[1] Saturn's atmosphere contains numerous vortices that reside predominantly within specific localized latitude bands. Two-dimensional turbulence theory predicts that vortices which do form are readily destroyed as they interact with dispersive Rossby waves in a process called the “Rhines effect,” which acts to organize turbulent energy into alternating zonal flows through the interaction of Rossby waves and turbulence of similar scales. Observations show that at some latitudes, vortices are more prevalent, suggesting that Rossby waves are suppressed in these regions. Following the method applied to Jupiter by Theiss (2006), we generalize the 2-D Rhines scale to include depth-dependent flow with a finite deformation radius; this allows for a simple estimate of the conditions under which Rossby waves are suppressed in the cloud layer. We then compare the latitudes of known vortices to the predicted latitudes where Rossby waves may be suppressed on Saturn. We find a good correlation, suggesting that, as on Jupiter, Rossby wave suppression helps explain the prevalence of vortices at specific latitudes on Saturn.
Management strategies and information failure

Success in large-scale projects demands useful information flow. The quality of information available strongly affects the quality of the decisions systems can make. When key items of information are missing, faulty and even disastrous decisions may result. Testimony before the Rogers Commission on events surrounding the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger underline the damage that missing information can cause. Yet major information failures are seldom accidental. Rather, they reflect basic strategies used by organizations to process the events around and within them. The organization’s structure and its philosophy of management are both vital determinants of how information in it will be treated.
Effect of surfactants on the instability of a liquid thread: Part II: Extensional flow

Abstract The effect of surfactants on the capillary instability of a liquid thread extending under the influence of an ambient flow is studied by linear theory for small-amplitude perturbations, numerical simulations for arbitrary amplitude perturbations based on boundary-integral and finite-volume methods, and numerical simulations based on an approximate model that relies on the long-wave approximation. Theoretical predictions and numerical simulations confirm previous predictions that, in the absence of surfactants, perturbations with a sufficiently small amplitude eventually decay as long as neither the viscosity of the thread nor the viscosity of the ambient fluid is equal to zero. It is shown, however, that for zero or infinite viscosity ratio, disturbances of any wavelength eventually amplify leading to thread breakup at a finite time. Surfactants stabilize the interface during the initial stages of the instability, but the increase in the mean surface tension due to surfactant dilution by stretching leads to higher perturbation amplitudes at long times. An asymptotic flow model is developed to describe the evolution of a viscous thread suspended in an ambient inviscid fluid subject to axisymmetric disturbances with long wavelength. Numerical solutions suggest that the similarity solution developed previously for a thread suspended in a quiescent fluid describes the behavior during the final stages of breakup.
Heterologous expression of NA+-K+-ATPase in insect cells: Intracellular distribution of pump subunits

The Na+-K+-ATPase is a heterodimeric plasma membrane protein responsible for cellular ionic homeostasis in nearly all animal cells. It has been shown that some insect cells (e.g., High Five cells) ...
Response of the Tick Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae) to Hemocoelic Inoculation of Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochetales)

When Borrelia burgdorferi B31 low passage strain spirochetes were directly injected into the hemocoel of Dermacentor variabilis (Say) females, the bacteria were cleared from the hemocoel within < 24 h. Viable spirochetes were not found in hemolymph, salivary gland, or ovary tissues by subculturing or by IFA. The hemocyte population increased approximately 6 times within the first 6 h after inoculation compared with the uninoculated controls. In contrast, the soluble total hemolymph protein content decreased inversely with the increase in hemocytes. Borreliacidal activity was demonstrated with cell-free hemolymph from D. variabilis. In vitro antimicrobial assays using hemolymph from borrelia-challenged and nonchallenged ticks resulted in 72% spirochete reductions compared with only 11.5%, respectively, within 1 h. Additional evidence of induced antimicrobial hemolymph protein activity was demonstrated by SDS-PAGE, which revealed upregulation of a lysozyme-like peptide (approximately 15 kDa) (22% increase) and the induction of a approximately 5.8 kDa peptide in the B. burgdorferi-challenged ticks. In contrast with the nonvector borne Bacillus subtilis, D. variabilis presented a rapid and robust response to challenge with cultured B. burgdorferi spirochetes and lead to their early elimination. The role of the tick immune system, including possible differences between vector and nonvector ticks, in determining the success of invasive bacteria is discussed.
The Role Of L1 Influence On the Learning Of a Target Language In a Non Target Language Environment

In recent studies on the acquisition of a second or foreign language in a non target language environment, environmental factors such as lack of native peer input, a formal language learning situation and pressure on the learner to produce the required target language structures have been considered to have attributed to a high incidence of L1 induced or interlingual errors. In order to investigate this problem, I collected spontaneous speech samples from some eighty francophone students enrolled at the Faculte de Sciences Economiques and the Ecole de Solvay who were learning English at the Institut de Phonetique at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. The data represented two levels of learning, the first degree level when students entered the course and the third degree level which marked the end of the course. My hypothesis was that given a difference in emphasis within the TL syllabus from that of TL forms (communicative English) to that of TL content (business English) and given also that the same methodological approach was adopted with native teacher input and optimal corrective feedback, students might progress beyond Ll-induced to somewhere approximating TL rule formation. The error samples were broken down into categories representing syntax, word order, morphology, semantic concepts and lexis. They were examined and compared across levels for examples of interlingual (Ll-induced) and organisational (non Ll-induced) errors. An anamysis of the data indicated a decrease in interlingual errors but an increase in organisa-tional errors at the third degree level, suggesting the existence of a continuum that accommodates possibilities of fossilization due to lack of native peer input. My data also suggested the role of L1 in its influence on the formation of semantic concepts in TL and in organising, comparing and hypothesizing lexical domains in the two languages.
On Condition of Contrition: French Reactions to American Films on the Vietnam War, 1978–1987

As the French have assessed American military actions over the past three decades, they have done so within a framework of memories about the Vietnam War. This article considers French memories of that war by examining reactions to American films on Vietnam released in France from 1978 to 1987, from Coming Home and The Deer Hunter to Rambo II and Platoon. Drawing upon reviews from 30 French newspapers and magazines as well as box-office figures and quotes from viewers, it identifies and analyzes patterns in French reactions. It observes a far larger current of French support for America’s war than normally acknowledged, while also noting disagreements among opponents of the war over whether the films expressed sufficient regret and evidence of lessons learned. Although still reluctant to debate their own colonial wars in those years, the French addressed the topic indirectly in discussing Hollywood’s retrospective view of the Vietnam War.
Goodwill Toward Nature

It is sometimes claimed that an ethical relationship with nature is analogous to Aristotelianfriendship. Aristotle claims thatfriends are valuable principally in virtue of providing reflections of ourselves; yet extant accounts of environmental friendship do not explain how nonhuman organisms can satisfy this role. Recent work in neo-Aristotelian metaethics delineates a theory of value that underscores the similarities between the biological evaluations we make of living things and the moral evaluations we make of ourselves. I argue that these similarities help us make sense of the claim that nonhuman organisms can be reflections of ourselves and thus the object of a relationship akin to friendship. I conclude by suggesting that Aristotle's conception of goodwill may be even more appropriate than friendship as a model for a virtuous relationship with nature.
Intensified Biodiesel Production Using a Rotating Tube Reactor

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel, produced by the transesterification of oils or fats with alcohols. The present work investigates the use of a thin-film system, a rotating tube reactor (RTR) for continuous production and separation of biodiesel. A thin liquid film is created in RTR by strong centrifugal forces generated in the RTR. These thin, intensely mixed films are capable of delivering high heat- and mass-transport rates. In the current study, biodiesel is synthesized from canola oil, methanol, and sodium hydroxide as a catalyst. Parameters such as rotational speed, flow rate, temperature, and catalyst concentration were investigated in terms of bound glycerol. Atmospheric pressure and low operating temperature (40–65 °C) have been used to achieve conversions in excess of 98% in residence time of less than 1 min.
The wavelet transformation analysis for vibration signal of ignation shock section of SRM

In consideration of the limitation traditional method for unstable signal precessing,the feature of dividing frequency accurately of wavelet transformation was made use of to extract the dynamic characteristic information of vibration signal in ignition shock section of SRM.Simulation and actual signal processing show that the method has the ability to eliminate noise.