cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prolonged neuromuscular blockade for relaxation in two pediatric intensive care patients

Abstract Newer neuromuscular blocking drugs provide optimum blockade and can facilitate ventilation, yet if they are discontinued, they allow predictable reversal. This article documents the use of these drugs in the treatment of two pediatric intensive care unit patients who had different physiologic problems and pharmacologic needs and who were ventilator dependent for a prolonged period. In each case, neuromuscular blockade significantly facilitated ventilation and allowed time for treatment of the underlyingpathology without deleterious pharmacologic side effects resulting in a favorable outcome for both patients. The article discusses some of the unique pharmacologic properties o f these drugs and the rationale for their use.
Relations of middle school students' perceptions of family and school contexts with academic achievement.

The purposes of this study were to examine the relations of both family and school contexts on students' academic achievement and to explore the mediating effects of students' perceptions of their motivations and academic self-competence between the family and school contexts and achievement. Participants were 230 fifth- and sixth-grade students. Students' perceptions of parenting style (demandingness and responsiveness), parental involvement (parental values and involvement in school functions), teaching style (teacher control and responsiveness), and school atmosphere (school responsiveness and supportive social environment) significantly predicted their school achievement; however, students' motivations and self-competence mediated the relations between students' contexts and their academic achievement. Furthermore, parental values, teacher responsiveness, school responsiveness, and supportive social environment predicted students' motivations and academic competence above and beyond parenting style, parental involvement, and teacher control. The importance of students' supportive relationships and the internalization of the messages conveyed to them underscore the need for a contextual view by school psychologists when consulting with parents and education staff regarding achievement concerns. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On the resolving power of the human eye.

Data for one observer are presented for the minimal angle of resolution of two point light sources observed against a background the illumination of which could be varied. Thus, the minimal angle of resolution could be measured for different contrasts between point sources and background. The results show that the minimal angle of resolution, within the range of luminances used, depends primarily on the contrast, irrespective of the level of adapting luminances. A minimal and constant value of the minimal angle of resolution occurs when the contrast is reduced below a fairly critical value.
A study of the interactions of pyridine in solution by means of 13C NMR

Abstract The 13 C solvent shifts of pyridine in 14 solvents are reported. The infinite dilution shift (extrapolated from the dilution curve) is related to similar work on solvent shifts reported previously for nitrogen-15 in trimethylamine. The effects of solvents on the pyridine carbon chemical shifts are shown to be related to functional groups present in the solvent molecule.
MR appearance of placental site trophoblastic tumor: a report of three cases.

OBJECTIVE: We present the MR imaging appearance of three cases of pathologically proven placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT), a potentially malignant but rare form of gestational trophoblastic disease. CONCLUSION: In our series, PSTT presented as myometrial masses that were isointense to healthy myometrium on T1-weighted images and isointense to slightly hyperintense on T2-weighted images. No associated cystic spaces or prominent blood vessels were identified. These MR findings are not specific, and the diagnosis of PSTT is made from biopsy specimen. In two cases, PSTT was invisible sonographically, and accurate localization with MR imaging allowed the patients to be treated with hysterotomy rather than with hysterectomy.
Reducing pesticide over-application with map-based automatic boom section control on agricultural sprayers

The use of precision agriculture technologies such as automatic guidance and map-based automatic boom section control on agricultural sprayers has increased substantially over the past few years. The purpose of these systems is to decrease pesticide application inaccuracy by reducing pass-to-pass overlaps or by turning boom sections off when the boom passes over previously covered areas or beyond field boundaries. The objectives of this study were to compare areas treated by a sprayer before and after the addition of an automatic boom section control system and determine if there was a relationship between field shape factors, specifically perimeter-to-area (P/A) ratio, and pesticide over-application. Coverage files were downloaded from a self-propelled agricultural sprayer with a 24.8 m boom divided into five manually controlled sections. Prior to the subsequent cropping season, automatic boom section control (seven sections) was installed on the sprayer. Application inaccuracy was calculated for the 21 study fields by comparing the actual sprayed area (based on boom section control state: on/off) versus the total projected field area. A comparison between the average percent over-application from fields during season one (12.4%) and season two (6.2%) revealed a significant reduction in off-target application. This reduction represents savings to agricultural producers, potentially justifying the purchase and implementation of this technology. Further analysis indicated an increasing trend in over-application for manual and automatic boom section control as the P/A ratio increased for the study fields. Over-application increased at a greater rate with manual boom section control, which suggests that as field inclusions (grassed waterways or other obstacles) increase, automatic boom section control will provide a greater opportunity for producers to reduce these errors.
Rapamycin increases the yield and effector function of human γδ T cells stimulated in vitro.

Clinical strategies to exploit Vγ2Vδ2 T cell responses for immunotherapy are confronted with short-term increases in cell levels or activity and the development of anergy that reduces the response to therapy with succeeding treatments. We are exploring strategies to increase the yield and durability of elicited Vγ2Vδ2 T cell responses. One approach focuses on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which is important for regulating T cell metabolism and function. In Vγ2Vδ2 T cells, mTOR phosphorylates the S6K1 and eIF4EBP1 signaling intermediates after antigen stimulation. Rapamycin inhibited these phosphorylation events without impacting Akt or Erk activation, even though specific inhibition of Akt or Erk in turn reduced the activation of mTOR. The effects of rapamycin on the T cell receptor signaling pathway lead to increased proliferation of treated and antigen-exposed Vγ2Vδ2 cells. Rapamycin altered the phenotype of antigen-specific Vγ2Vδ2 cells by inducing a population shift from CD62L + CD69− to CD62L-CD69+, higher expression of CD25 or Bcl-2, lower levels of CCR5 and increased resistance to Fas-mediated cellular apoptosis. These changes were consistent with rapamycin promoting cell activation while decreasing the susceptibility to cell death that might occur by CCR5 or Fas signaling. Rapamycin treatment during antigen-stimulation of Vγ2Vδ2 T cells may be a strategy for overcoming current obstacles in tumor immunotherapy.
Prolactin inhibits the increased cytokine gene expression in Kupffer cells following haemorrhage.

Abstract Kupffer cells are an important source of proinflammatory cytokines and contribute to the systemic inflammatory response observed following haemorrhagic shock. The systemic release of cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, etc., has been associated with the decreased host immune and organ dysfunction following hypotension. Studies indicate that anterior pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) plays an important role in the regulation of lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage function in vivo, as well as in vitro. However, it is not known what effects PRL administration has on Kupffer cells proinflammatory mediator release following haemorrhage. Therefore, it was the aim of this study to determine the effect of in vivo PRL administration on cytokine gene expression in Kupffer cells after haemorrhage. To study this, C3H/HeN male mice were bled to and maintained at a mean arterial pressure of 35 mmHg for 60 minutes, then resuscitated with shed blood, and segregated into two groups: one group was treated with PRL (100 μg/25 g body weight subcutaneously) while the other group received saline-vehicles. This was followed with lactated Ringer’s solution (2 × the volume of shed blood). Two hours thereafter, the animals were sacrificed, Kupffer cells were isolated and stimulated with or without 10 μg/ml LPS for 1 hour. Total RNA was extracted and cytokine mRNA was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results demonstrated that haemorrhage markedly increased the level of mRNA for IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β and TNF-β in Kupffer cells. However, in vivo PRL treatment significantly decreased the cytokine gene expression in Kupffer cells following haemorrhage. This indicates that PRL may be useful in blunting the systemic inflammatory response associated with cell and organ depression following shock.
Determination of transition dipole matrix elements for the 266 nm photofragmentation of ∣JKM〉 state-selected CD3I

Abstract The photofragmentation of rovibrational energy-level and magnetic-state polarized ( X 1 A 1 )CD 3 I ∣JKM〉≡∣111〉 was performed at 266 nm. The ∣ NK ) rotational energy level distribution and the angular momentum polarization of the vibrationless ( X 2 A″ 2 ) CD 3 photofragment were measured by (2+1) REMPI. State-selecting the parent CD 3 I allowed the elements of the transition dipole matrix (or T -matrix) to be determined by relating the initial system (CD 3 I plus photon) statistical tensors to measured product statistical moments. This is believed to be the first report of the experimental determination of T -matrix elements for a chemical reaction.
The anatomy of short sales and price adjustment: evidence from the Hong Kong stock market

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the relationship between excess returns and short sale activities under unexpected informed and uninformed short sales. It is found that in general, the unexpected informed short sale is a bearish signal and has a negative effect on excess returns, while the unexpected uninformed short sale is a bullish signal and has a positive effect on excess returns. It is also found that short sales of large‐cap and frequently traded stocks are more likely to be uninformed, whereas short sales of small‐cap and infrequently traded stocks are more likely to be informed.Design/methodology/approach – Following Conrad's method, the paper differentiates between two short‐sale scenarios: the expected and the unexpected short sales. For the unexpected short sales, the author further differentiates between informed and uninformed short sales. The paper then anatomizes the process into three periods to study the whole process.Findings – The results indicate that in general, the u...
Longitudinal meta-analysis of NIST pH Standard Reference Materials®: a complement to pH key comparisons

This meta-analysis assesses the long-term (up to 70 years) within-laboratory variation of the NIST pH Standard Reference Material® (SRM) tetroxalate, phthalate, phosphate, borate, and carbonate buffers. Values of ΔpH(S), the difference between the certified pH value, pH(S), of each SRM issue and the mean of all pH(S) values for the given SRM at that Celsius temperature, t, are graphed as a function of the SRM issue and t. In most cases, |ΔpH(S)| < 0.004. Deviations from the nominal base:acid amount (mole) ratio of a buffer yield t-independent, constant shifts in ΔpH(S). The mean ΔpH(S) characterizes such deviations. The corresponding mole fraction of impurity in the conjugate buffer component is generally <0.3 %. Changes in the equipment, personnel, materials, and methodology of the pH(S) measurement yield t-dependent variations. The standard deviation of ΔpH(S) characterizes such changes. Standard deviations of ΔpH(S) are generally 0.0015 or less. The results provide a long-term, single-institution complement to the time-specific, multi-institution results of pH key comparisons administered by the Consultative Committee for Metrology in Chemistry and Biology (CCQM).
Phase constitution effect on the ductility of low alloy multiphase transformation induced plasticity steels

Abstract The effect of phase constitution on the ductility of a low-alloy transformation induced plasticity (TRIP)-assisted steel was studied. The processing parameters were selected in such a way to obtain microstructures with systematically different volume fractions of ferrite, bainitic ferrite, martensite, and retained austenite, while keeping the grain size of ferrite and morphology of bainitic ferrite almost the same among various cases. Uniaxial tensile testing was performed at room temperature to examine the strength and ductility for each microstructure. It was observed that the ratio of carbon content to volume fraction of retained austenite is a better indicator of uniform strain than only carbon content or volume fraction. Regardless, martensite was found to be the main factor controlling the ductility. An almost linear relationship between tensile ductility and the volume fraction of martensite was observed up to 40% of martensite. The results also suggested that maximizing ferrite is a more direct design strategy for good ductility since increasing ferrite content reduces martensite volume fraction.
An Empirical Assessment Of Monetary Policy Responses To Capital Inflows In Asia Before The Financial Crisis

This paper highlights monetary policy implemented by monetary authorities in response to a surge of capital inflows in Asia during the period 1985–1996. It statistically assesses the effectiveness of monetary policy responses. Regression results show that Asian countries as a group took the operation of a high rate of sterilization and the foreign exchange market intervention which yielded a small change in the exchange rate. Consequently, they succeeded in keeping nominal exchange rates at desired levels and in limiting increases in monetary growth, despite a surge in capital inflows. The adoption of floating exchange rates, it is concluded, could have avoided the occurrence of financial crisis in Asia. [F32, F41]
The distribution of pyridine nucleotides between nucleus and cytoplasm.

Following enucleation of a portion of human culture cells containing 3H-pyridine nucleotides, autoradiography revealed no difference in the grain density over enucleated and whole cells. These results provide evidence that the concentration of pydine nucleotides does not differ by more than threefold between nucleus and cytoplasm and probably does not vary at all.
Metal-dispersed porous carbon films as electrocatalytic sensors

The attractive features of ultrathin porous carbon films have been coupled with the efficient catalytic action of dispersed metal particles. In particular, loading of these submicrometer foams with ruthenium or platinum centers offers a dramatic increase in the electron transfer rates of important redox systems, such as NADH, uric acid, ascorbic acid, acetaminophen, hydrazine or hydrogen peroxide. Characterization of the electrocatalytic behavior (with respect to the pH, scan rate or metal loading) and the attractive low-potential analytical (sensing) performance are reported. Scanning electron microscopy sheds useful insights into the distribution of the metals within the porous electrode matrix.
Nonparametric Estimation of Spatial and Space-Time Covariance Function

Covariance structure modeling plays a key role in the spatial data analysis. Various parametric models have been developed to accommodate the idiosyncratic features of a given dataset. However, the parametric models may impose unjustified restrictions to the covariance structure and the procedure of choosing a specific model is often ad hoc. To avoid the choice of parametric forms, we propose a nonparametric covariance estimator for the spatial data, as well as its extension to the spatio-temporal data based on the class of space-time covariance models developed by Gneiting (J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 97:590–600, 2002). Our estimator is obtained via a nonparametric approximation of completely monotone functions. It is easy to implement and our simulation shows it outperforms the parametric models when there is no clear information on model specification. Two real datasets are analyzed to illustrate our approach and provide further comparison between the nonparametric estimator and parametric models.
HP 9000/735 second generation PA-RISC Snakes workstation

The second-generation Snakes workstation, the HP 9000/735, is described. Large performance gains were accomplished by improving processor efficiency and by increasing the operating frequency by 50% to 99 MHz. Large memory configurations of up to 400 MByte are supported, with 16 MByte implemented on board. Integration techniques allow higher performance and greater function at lower cost. >
Visitation policies and practices in US ICUs

Prior reports suggest that restrictive ICU visitation policies can negatively impact patients and their loved ones. However, visitation practices in US ICUs, and the hospital factors associated with them, are not well described. A telephone survey was made of ICUs, stratified by US region and hospital type (community, federal, or university), between 2008 and 2009. Hospital characteristics were self-reported and included the hospitals' bed number, critical care unit number, and presence of ICU leadership. Hospital and ICU visitation restrictions were based on five criteria: visiting hours; visit duration; number of visitors; age of visitors; and membership in the patient's immediate family. Hospitals or ICUs without restrictions had open visitation policies; those with any restriction had restrictive policies. The study surveyed 606 hospitals in the Northeast (17.0%), Midwest (26.2%), South (36.6%), and West (20.1%) regions; most were community hospitals (n = 401, 66.2%). The mean hospital size was 239 ± 217 beds; the mean percentage of ICU beds was 11.6% ± 13.4%. Hospitals often had restrictive hospital (n = 463, 76.4%) and ICU (n = 543, 89.6%) visitation policies. Many ICUs had ≥ 3 restrictions (n = 375; 61.9%), most commonly related to visiting hours and visitor number or age. Nearly all ICUs allowed visitation exceptions (n = 474; 94.8%). ICUs with open policies were more common in hospitals with < 150 beds. Among restrictive ICUs, the bed size, hospital type, number of critical care units, and ICU leadership were not associated with the number of restrictions. On average, hospitals in the Midwest had the least restrictive policies, while those in the Northeast had the most restrictive. In 2008 the overwhelming majority of US ICUs in this study had restrictive visitation policies. Wide variability in visitation policies suggests that further study into the impact of ICU visitations on care and outcomes remains necessary to standardize practice.
Liposomal anthracyclines and new treatment approaches for breast cancer.

Breast cancer research is entering a new and promising phase, with greater focus on patient quality of life and therapy selection based on specific targets of interest. Growth factor pathway modulators represent an area of increasing interest for clinicians treating various cancer types, including breast cancer. Therapeutic strategies combining cytotoxic drugs with specific targets using small molecules and targeted antibody therapy may help circumvent potential growth factor survival mechanisms in solid tumors. One of the challenges when combining these agents, however, is the potential for pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions, making safety an important consideration. An example of a growth factor pathway modulator with clinical application in breast cancer is trastuzumab. Based on its efficacy in metastatic disease, ongoing clinical trials are examining trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting. Concerns about the cardiac safety of trastuzumab given concomitantly with conventional anthracyclines support ongoing investigations of regimens combining it with liposomal anthracyclines, based on available data indicating a more favorable cardiac safety profile with liposomal formulations. The Oncologist 2003;8(suppl 2):25-30
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase--its role in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Introduction The enzyme gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)* is widely used as a marker in preneoplastic lesions in the liver during chemical carcinogenesis (1). The discovery of a link between GGT and liver carcinogenesis first occurred in 1972 when Fiala and co-workers reported elevated levels of the enzyme in livers of rats fed the hepatocarcinogen 3'-methyl-4dimethylaminoazobenzene and also in transplantable, chemically induced rat hepatomas (2). Using a histochemical stain for GGT, Kalengayi and co-workers found that the increased levels of the enzyme during carcinogen feeding was due to increased GGT activity in focal areas of hepatocytes (3). Further investigation by a number of laboratories revealed elevated levels of GGT in the livers of rats fed a large variety of structurally different hepatocarcinogens, including 2-acetylaminofluorene (4), diethylnitrosamine (4), N-nitrosomorpholine (5) and aflatoxin Bj (3). In livers from carcinogen-treated animals, focal areas of hepatocytes show a number of different enzymatic and pathologic alterations (1). In livers from rats initiated with a variety of hepatocarcinogens and promoted with phenobarbital, staining of serial liver sections shows that 85% of all the foci stain positively for GGT. GGT identifies more foci than any other strain used in these studies (6,7). Elevated levels of GGT during hepatocarcinogenesis are found not only in the liver of rats but in the livers of other species as well. Mouse liver tumors induced by safrole (8) or o-aminoazotoluene (9) are GGT-positive. 'Spontaneous' carcinomas in the mouse do not show elevated levels of GGT (9). However, phenobarbital feeding induces GGT preferentially in the spontaneous mouse tumors compared with the surrounding liver tissue (10,11). Human hepatocellular carcinomas also show increased levels of GGT (12,13). Gerber and Thung (12) reported eight of the ten human hepatocellular carcinomas which they examined were GGT-positive. GGT which has been released from the cell membrane can be detected in the serum (14) and measurement of the level of GGT in the serum has become a common clinical test. Elevated levels of serum GGT are most often associated with liver or pancreatic disease (15). The presence of specific GGT isoenzymes in the serum has been suggested as a means of detecting hepatocellular carcinomas at an early stage (16). There have been several proposals as to the physiological role of GGT. Meister (17) has proposed that it plays a role in amino acid transport. Recent work has led several investigators to conclude that GGT acts primarily as a glutathionase (18). This commentary is a brief review of the bio-
Benthic fluxes in San Francisco Bay

Measurements of benthic fluxes have been made on four occasions between February 1980 and February 1981 at a channel station and a shoal station in South San Francisco Bay, using in situ flux chambers. On each occasion replicate measurements of easily measured substances such as radon, oxygen, ammonia, and silica showed a variability (±1σ) of 30% or more over distances of a few meters to tens of meters, presumably due to spatial heterogeneity in the benthic community. Fluxes of radon were greater at the shoal station than at the channel station because of greater macrofaunal irrigation at the former, but showed little seasonal variability at either station. At both stations fluxes of oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and silica were largest following the spring bloom. Fluxes measured during different seasons ranged over factors of 2–3, 3, 4–5, and 3–10 (respectively), due to variations in phytoplankton productivity and temperature. Fluxes of oxygen and carbon dioxide were greater at the shoal station than at the channel station because the net phytoplankton productivity is greater there and the organic matter produced must be rapidly incorporated in the sediment column. Fluxes of silica were greater at the shoal station, probably because of the greater irrigation rates there. N + N (nitrate + nitrite) fluxes were variable in magnitude and in sign. Phosphate fluxes were too small to measure accurately. Alkalinity fluxes were similar at the two stations and are attributed primarily to carbonate dissolution at the shoal station and to sulfate reduction at the channel station. The estimated average fluxes into South Bay, based on results from these two stations over the course of a year, are (in mmol m−2d−1):O2= −27 ± 6; TCO2= 23 ± 6; Alkalinity = 9 ± 2; N + N = −0.3 ± 0.5; NH3 = 1.4 ± 0.2; PO4 = 0.1 ± 0.4; Si = 5.6 ± 1.1. These fluxes are comparable in magnitude to those in other temperate estuaries with similar productivity, although the seasonal variability is smaller, probably because the annual temperature range in San Francisco Bay is smaller.
TOP CITED PAPERS IN INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRICS : 6c. TRACKING COGNITIVE DECLINE IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE USING THE MINI-MENTAL STATE EXAMINATION: A META-ANALYSIS (“MINI” IS NOT NECESSARILY TRIVIAL!)

It was well beyond my expectations when I heard from Professor Ames that our meta-analysis paper (Han et al., 2000) was among the top-cited papers in International Psychogeriatrics. As an expression of my gratitude to the editor for the invitation and to the audience of this paper, I would like to offer this informal discussion on the background of the paper and extend a few ideas that were not conveyed fully at the time, due either to insufficient knowledge or unavailability of relevant data or methodologies.
Platelets as Cellular Effectors of Inflammation in Vascular Diseases

Platelets are chief effector cells in hemostasis. In addition, they are multifaceted inflammatory cells with functions that span the continuum from innate immune responses to adaptive immunity. Activated platelets have key thromboinflammatory activities in a variety of vascular disorders and vasculopathies. Recently identified inflammatory and immune activities provide insights into the biology of these versatile blood cells that are directly relevant to human vascular diseases.
Revolutionaries' cemeteries in Berlin: memory, history, place and space

In Germany, the Revolutions of 1848 and 1918/19 resulted in the martyrdom of opposition leaders and constituents, whose burial sites in Berlin became key sites of memory and commemoration for the working-class movement. Political turbulence and regime change throughout the twentieth century has resulted in contestation over the meaning and use of these places; a trajectory illustrating the dynamic, reciprocal relationship between popular memory and official history, and the interplay between representation, place-based associations and spatial relations in constituting social meaning in the urban landscape.
Real-time Pathology to Guide Breast Surgery: Seeing Alone Is Not Believing

Tissue diagnostic techniques based on optical spectroscopy, in various incarnations, are approaching clinical reality for intraoperative guidance of surgical procedures. Examination of tissue properties by elastic light-scattering spectroscopy may constitute a preferable alternative to frozen-section pathology or touch imprint cytology for intraoperative assessment of resection margins during breast-conserving surgery.
Curve and surface smoothing without shrinkage

For a number of computational purposes, including visualization of scientific data and registration of multimodal medical data, smooth curves must be approximated by polygonal curves, and surfaces by polyhedral surfaces. An inherent problem of these approximation algorithms is that the resulting curves and surfaces appear faceted. Boundary-following and iso-surface construction algorithms are typical examples. To reduce the apparent faceting, smoothing methods are used. In this paper, we introduce a new method for smoothing piecewise linear shapes of arbitrary dimension and topology. This new method is in fact a linear low-pass filter that removes high-curvature variations, and does not produce shrinkage. Its computational complexity is linear in the number of edges or faces of the shape, and the required storage is linear in the number of vertices. >
Modeling sensorimotor learning in LIDA using a dynamic learning rate

Abstract We present a new model of sensorimotor learning in a systems-level cognitive model, LIDA. Sensorimotor learning helps an agent properly interact with its environment using past experiences. This new model stores and updates the rewards of pairs of data, motor commands and their contexts, using the concept of reinforcement learning; thus the agent is able to generate (output) effective commands in certain contexts based on its reward history. Following Global Workspace Theory, the primary basis of LIDA, the process of updating rewards in sensorimotor learning is cued by the agent’s conscious content, the most salient portion of the agent’s understanding of the current situation, issued by the Global Workspace module of LIDA. Furthermore, we add a dynamic learning rate to control the extent to which a newly arriving reward may affect the reward update. This learning rate control mechanism is inspired by a hypothesis from neuroscience regarding memory of errors. Our experimental results show that sensorimotor learning using a dynamic learning rate improves performance in a simulated movement of pushing a box.
Preparation of Immunoliposomes

Liposomes have been extensively tested as carriers of drugs, enzymes and other biologically important molecules [1]. One of the major problems of using liposomes as carrier systems is their non-specificity of delivery. In our laboratory, we have attempted to solve this problem by covalently attaching target-specific antibody to liposomes. In the method developed, the antibody is first made amphipathic by the covalent attachment of palmitic acid. The derivatized antibody is then incorporated into liposomal bilayers using a detergentdialysis or modified ‘REV method [2]. We have termed these antibodycarrying liposomes ‘immunoliposomes’. Using a monoclonal antibody (11–4.1) against the murine major histocompatibility antigen, H-2Kk, we have shown that these immunoliposomes bind specifically to target cells carrying the proper cell-surface antigens [3, 4].
Drought-Deciduous Shrubs

Deciduous shrubs and small trees are quite common in the deserts of North America, and can be divided into two primary functional groups, depending on whether they are drought-deciduous or winter-deciduous. In this chapter we will concentrate on drought-deciduous shrubs because they are most abundant, at least in the warm deserts, and because they represent a distinct structural/functional group of woody desert perennials that employ a drought-evading survival strategy (Levitt 1980; Smith and Nobel 1986). However, drought-deciduous shrubs within the deserts of North America display a great deal of morphological and physiological diversity. Almost all deciduous shrubs and trees of the North American deserts exhibit the C3 photosynthetic pathway. Many drought-deciduous shrubs, such as Encelia farinosa, are broadleaf species, but there are numerous species of highly successful microphyllous deciduous shrubs, such as Ambrosia dumosa. In this chapter we will examine, within this broad functional group, the environmental determinants of leaf size, the trade-offs between leaf-area development and stress tolerance, and the interplay between leaf size and the capacity of stems and twigs to assimilate CO2. We will use the broadleaf shrub Encelia farinosa as a case study, and also examine the functional trade-offs between leaf and stem photosynthesis in deciduous shrubs that exhibit bark/twig photosynthesis.
Informing change: Course content analysis and organization

This paper introduces a novel, supportive tool for engineering educators while making course adaptations. As pointed out in the 2013 FIE workshop “An Online Revolution in Learning and Teaching,” online learning is likely to impact every department and teacher in some manner. Other innovations impacting engineering educators include active learning, peer instruction, problem-based learning, and just-in-time teaching. When implementing change, educators are expected to present existing course materials in alternative formats. One resultant difficulty is visualizing, understanding, and judging the impact of various alternatives. Learning materials organization is often limited by delivery methods such as learning management systems that present material linearly. This project uses text analysis and graph transformation techniques to produce various alternatives allowing educators to envision ways changes can be effectively implemented in their courses. We demonstrate how temporal and topical relations between individual learning items can be extracted from existing courses and used to produce a graph that is an effective representation of the course. From this, graph transformations produce alternative organizations of course material allowing various solutions for educators to consider while redesigning their courses. This form of automated brainstorming stimulates out-of-the-box thinking, often producing options previously not considered.
Relocation of Koyna earthquakes

The Koyna earthquake of December 10, 1967 was the most damaging reservoir-induced earthquake. It was followed by a long sequence of earthquakes which is still continuing. Precise locations of the Koyna earthquakes have been very much disputed as different locations of the main earthquake and stronger aftershocks were obtained by various workers. Over 1,500 epicenters of Koyna earthquakes through 1973 were obtained by Guha et al. (1974). They cover a large area in a diffused pattern. In view of the continuing seismicity and a recently obtained seismic velocity model, the larger events ( ML ≧ 4.0) and about 300 selected smaller events ( ML < 4.0) were relocated. The relocated epicenters show some concentration and suggest the possibility of two trends in the NNE and NW directions. There is a NNE trend of epicenters near the dam and another about 20 km west of the reservoir. The NW trend cuts through these NNE trends. The events were grouped to obtain their composite fault-plane solutions which indicate left-lateral strike-slip faulting along the NNE faults and normal faulting in the NW direction. Faults observed in the LANDSAT imagery match with these trends.
Endothelium-derived relaxing factor inhibits norepinephrine contraction of fetal guinea pig arteries

As in the adult circulation, the endothelium may play an important role in determining fetal vascular tone. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the endothelium on norepinephrine- and phenylephrine-induced contraction of pulmonary and carotid arteries from near-term fetal guinea pigs. Isometric contractions of isolated rings to the cumulative addition of norepinephrine (10(-9)-10(-5) M) were measured before and after 1) endothelium removal, 2) NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; 10(-4) M) to inhibit endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), 3) methylene blue (10(-5) M) to inhibit guanylate cyclase, 4) oxyhemoglobin (3 x 10(-6) M) to bind EDRF, and 5) indomethacin (10(-5) M) to inhibit cyclooxygenase. All treatment effects were measured in endothelium-intact segments. The maximal norepinephrine contraction of fetal pulmonary (40 +/- 8% KCl, n = 7) and carotid (13 +/- 7% KCl, n = 7) arteries was much less (P < 0.05) than the maximal contraction to 120 mM KCl. Treatments that inhibit the action of EDRF increased contraction of both fetal pulmonary and carotid arteries. L-NMMA also increased contraction to phenylephrine. Indomethacin had no effect on the contractile responses to norepinephrine of either artery. Thus EDRF inhibits alpha-adrenoceptor-stimulated contraction of fetal pulmonary and carotid arteries and may attenuate the constrictor responsiveness of the fetal circulation in vivo.
Theoretical studies of the solvent effect on the conformation of the HO-C-C-X (X = F, NH2, NO2) moiety with competing intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

Theoretical calculations up to the ab initio IEF-PCM/CCSD(T)/CBS//IEF-PCM/B3LYP/6-311++G** and IEF-PCM/B97D/aug-cc-pvtz levels have been performed for 2X-ethanol and 2X-phenol systems with X = F, NH2, NO2 in chloroform and aqueous solution. The calculated relative free energies by means of the IEF-PCM continuum dielectric method do not differ very much at the DFT and ab initio levels. Application of explicit solvent models and the FEP/MC method for determining relative solvation free energies causes, however, large deviations in the predicted equilibrium compositions, although the predominant conformation for the solute is generally in agreement with that from the corresponding IEF-PCM calculations. Existence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond (HB structure) for species with the HO–C–C–X moiety is preferred compared with a conformation when the hydrogen bond is disrupted (NoHB) for the considered F- and NO2-substituted molecules both in chloroform and aqueous solution. For 2NH2-ethanol, the HB structure i...
Conformal and Equiareal World Maps

(1935). Conformal and Equiareal World Maps. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 212-223.
The research on the current situation and supervision of health-care food

As the inheritance and development of the traditional dietetic therapy culture,health-care food has already had a long-term development up till now.What's more,The health-care food becomes a scale of production.However,the disadvantage of health-care food has made it in the confidence crisis.According to the situation analysis of health-care food,supervision system,the existing problem,the article proposes some coordinate countermeasure aiming at supervision of health-care food effectively.
Picasso: The Making of Cubism 1912–1914

An exceptional collaborative effort between conservators and art historians, this e-publication focuses on 15 of Picasso's cubist works produced in a narrow window between 1912 and 1914. The artwor...
The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century

(2006). The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-first Century. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 827-830.
Constitutional Referendum in the United States of America

The United States of America, as a federation of now 50 states each with its own constitution and legal system still enjoying a large degree of governmental autonomy within the national legal frame work, presents a strikingly mixed picture regarding the use of direct democracy-the submission of proposed governmental action to a popular vote-in lawand constitution-making processes. At the na tional level, direct democracy has never been used for either type of enactment. At the state and local level, however, its use dates back to colonial times and has been increasing gradually (though still not universal) ever since. Since the mid-19th century, every new state admitted to the union has been required by Congress to submit its initial constitution to popular vote,' and all but one of the state con stitutions now require a popular vote to ratify all constitutional changes proposed by the most commonly used methods.2 In the language of the Populist and Progressive movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such direct democratic law making takes two forms: referendum, which submits proposed stat utes or constitutions or amendments thereof to a popular vote before they can take effect; and initiative, which permits a relatively small minority of citizens to frame proposals for legislative or constitutional change and have them submitted to popular vote for adoption or re jection. Once it was generally accepted in American law (by the early 19th Century) that constitutions are a form of law distinct from and hierarchically superior to ordinary legislation within a given system, one could distinguish four principal types of direct-democratic law
Abstract 52: Statin Therapy Accelerates Venous Thrombus Resolution: Assessment In Stasis And Chemical Injury Induced Thrombosis

Introduction In deep vein thrombosis (DVT), both the induced inflammation response and fibrinolytic capacity are critical in resolving experimental DVT. Unresolved, obstructing thrombi can lead to the burdensome and costly sequelae of the post-thrombotic syndrome. Recently, statins have shown to reduce the incidence of DVT (JUPITER trial). In this study, we investigated the in vivo effects of statin therapy on resolution of already formed DVT using serial intravital microscopy (IVM) imaging and thrombus mass measurements. Methods DVT was induced in C57Bl/6J male mice (N=190) by topical ferric chloride of the femoral vein (chemical injury) or ligation of the IVC (stasis). One day after DVT induction, mice started treatment of atorvastatin (1.14mg/kg), mevastatin (10 mg/kg) or PBS by once daily oral gavage. Serial IVM was preformed at days 2, 4 and 6 utilizing FITC-dextran (ex/em 490/520nm), CLIO-AF555 (ex/em 555/565nm), and MMPSense680 (ex/em 680/700nm) imaging agents for thrombus architecture, macrophage content and MMP activity measurements. Thrombus masses were collected at days 4, 7, 10 in stasis DVT mice and combination statin/enoxaparin (10mg/kg/d, s.c.) were also compared to statin therapy. Platelet activation and coagulation were analyzed using aggregometry and thromboelastography on whole-blood. Results We found that statin therapy reduced DVT burden and inflammation in both chemical- and stasis-induced established DVT up to 10 days compared to control (p Conclusion Statin therapy accelerates DVT resolution despite reducing thrombus related inflammation. The net reduction of thrombus burden tracked with statin-mediated favorable effects on fibrinolysis, coagulation, and platelet function. These results support statins as a translatable therapy to improve the resolution of DVT.
Comparison of inflation of third dose diphtheria tetanus pertussis (DTP3) administrative coverage to other vaccine antigens

Third dose diphtheria tetanus pertussis (DTP3) administrative coverage is a commonly used indicator for immunization program performance, although studies have demonstrated data quality issues with administrative DTP3 coverage. It is possible that administrative coverage for DTP3 may be inflated more than for other antigens. To examine this, theory, we compiled immunization coverage estimates from recent country surveys (n=71) and paired these with corresponding administrative coverage estimates, by country and cohort year, for DTP3 and 4 other antigens. Median administrative coverage was higher than survey estimates of coverage for all antigens (median differences from 26 to 30%), however this difference was similar for DTP3 as for all other antigens. These findings were consistent when countries were stratified by income level and eligibility for Gavi funding. Our findings demonstrate that while country administrative coverage estimates tend to be higher than survey estimates, DTP3 administrative coverage is not inflated more than other antigens.
The cultural evolution of shamanism.

Shamans, including medicine men, mediums, and the prophets of religious movements, recur across human societies. Shamanism also existed among nearly all documented hunter-gatherers, likely characterized the religious lives of many ancestral humans, and is often proposed by anthropologists to be the “first profession,” representing the first institutionalized division of labor beyond age and sex. In this article, I propose a cultural evolutionary theory to explain why shamanism consistently develops and, in particular, (1) why shamanic traditions exhibit recurrent features around the world; (2) why shamanism professionalizes early, often in the absence of other specialization; and (3) how shifting social conditions affect the form or existence of shamanism. According to this theory, shamanism is a set of traditions developed through cultural evolution that adapts to people's intuitions to convince observers that a practitioner can influence otherwise unpredictable, significant events. The shaman does this by ostensibly transforming during initiation and trance, violating folk intuitions of humanness to assure group members that he or she can interact with the invisible forces that control uncertain outcomes. Entry requirements for becoming a shaman persist because the practitioner's credibility depends on his or her “transforming.” This contrasts with dealing with problems that have identifiable solutions (such as building a canoe), in which credibility hinges on showing results and outsiders can invade the jurisdiction by producing the outcome. Shamanism is an ancient human institution that recurs because of the capacity of cultural evolution to produce practices adapted to innate psychological tendencies.
Chest tightness variant asthma (CTVA): reconfirmed and not generally appreciated

In 2013, Shen et al. published a report in which they described 24 patients with asthma whose sole presenting clinical manifestation was chest tightness (1). In doing so, these investigators have reminded us that: (I) asthma can present with a variety of symptoms; (II) physiological testing for bronchial hyperresponsiveness is very important to assess for the possibility of symptomatic asthma; and (III) a favorable response to asthma therapy is necessary to confirm that the tests showing bronchial hyperresponsiveness are true and not false positive tests.
Flawed environmental justice analyses

In December 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a natural gas pipeline proposed to run approximately 1000 km from West Virginia to end points in Virginia and North Carolina ([ 1 ][1]). The
Treatment of the Obese Patient with Asthma

Asthma in obese adults is more severe than in lean individuals, and emerging data from clinical and translational studies suggest that obese patients are also less likely to respond to controller therapies, particularly inhaled corticosteroids. As a result, obese asthmatics receive complicated treatment regimens to which they are less likely to respond favorably. Given the high prevalence of both asthma and obesity, this interaction has significant potential to adversely impact both individual and population asthma burden. Despite this, no specific guidance currently exists in NIH or international guidelines as to the optimal therapeutic approach to the obese asthmatic. This chapter will review clinical data regarding mechanisms by which obesity modifies asthma phenotype, focusing on clinical and translational studies of response to controller therapies such as glucocorticoids and agents targeting leukotriene pathways.