cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thrombopoietin Signal Transduction in Purified Murine Megakaryocytes

Thrombopoietin (TPO) is a recently cloned cytokine that binds to its receptor, Mpl, and promotes hematopoietic expansion and maturation, primarily of the megakaryocyte lineage. The signaling pathways responsible for these events are thought to involve the Janus family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases (JAKs) and the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs), which are activated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Previous investigators have studied these molecules in engineered and naturally occurring cell lines. To investigate the molecular basis for TPO signal transduction in a more physiologic target, we determined the pattern of JAK and STAT activation in purified, normal urine megakaryocytes. These results are compared with those of established cell lines that only proliferate (Ba/F3- mMPL and DA-1-TPO) or only differentiate (L8057) in response to TPO. From these findings, a model is proposed to explain the physiologic roles of JAK2, TYK2, STAT3, and STAT5 in TPO signaling. Furthermore, previous studies of the physical interaction between Mpl and the JAKs are extended, showing a difference in the association of JAK2 and TYK2 with the TPO receptor. Finally, we show that, in the cell line Ba/F3-mMPL, the closely related proteins STAT5A and STAT5B are both activated by TPO stimulation and are capable of heterodimerization. Together, these results further our understanding of the early stages of megakaryocyte and platelet development.
Neuronal Stem Cell Niches of the Brain

The two major stem cell niches that support neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain are the ventricular-subventricular zone that lies along the lateral wall of the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone found within the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Recent advances reveal that adult neurogenesis and integration of newborn neurons within the brain's neural circuitry provides a level of neural plasticity that had previously gone unrecognized. Investigations into the cytoarchitectural organization and molecular controls that regulate the developing embryonic and mature adult neuronal stem cell niches can thus inspire and influence strategies for future regenerative and replacement therapies in cases of brain aging, injury, or disease. Equally important, studies of the brain's stem cell niches can define normal developmental mechanisms and reveal etiologies linked to cognitive deficits and other neurological pathologies. Here, we define the development of the brain's neuronal stem cell niches and identify key characteristics and molecular regulators that help support the mammalian brain's two neurogenic stem cell niches and the molecular pathways that regulate these niches.
Radiological Curricula for Sanitary Engineers

Sanitary engineers should initiate the development and undertake the administration of essential programs for the protection of the public health through the control of environmental pollution caus...
Influence of Cooking Methods on Consumers' Juiciness Acceptability and Palatability of Broiler Chicken Meat

Consumers' juiciness acceptability and overall palatability of 8 - 10 week old broiler chicken meat cooked by boiling and by roasting were evaluated. A 6- person trained and experienced consumer sensory pahel was used in the evaluation. Panelists scored samples from each cooking method according to a 5 - point descriptive scale. The results of the evaluation show that both cooking methods produce acceptable juiciness. Boiled broiler chicken however has a higher score for overall juiciness acceptability. Boiled broiler chicken meat also scored higherjuiciness desirability than the over all desirability of roasted broiler chicken meat. Although meat from both cooking methods produced acceptable juiciness the boiled one is preferred to roasted one and could be explored to get more consumer satisfaction.
A half century of progress towards a unified neural theory of mind and brain with applications to autonomous adaptive agents and mental disorders

Invited article for the book Artificial Intelligence in the Age of Neural Networks and Brain Computing R. Kozma, C. Alippi, Y. Choe, and F. C. Morabito, Eds. Cambridge, MA: Academic Press
Use of Video Review to Investigate Technical Factors That May Be Associated With Delayed Gastric Emptying After Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Importance Technical proficiency at robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) and video assessment are promising tools for understanding postoperative outcomes. Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) remains a major driver of cost and morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Objective To determine if technical variables during RPD are associated with postoperative DGE. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective study was conducted of technical assessment performed in all available videos (n = 192) of consecutive RPDs performed at a single academic institution from October 3, 2008, through September 27, 2016. Exposures Video review of gastrojejunal anastomosis during RPD. Main Outcomes and Measures Delayed gastric emptying was classified according to International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery criteria. Video analysis reviewed technical variables specific in the construction of the gastrojejunal anastomosis. Using multivariate analysis, DGE was correlated with known patient variables and technical variables, individually and combined. Results Of 410 RPDs performed, video was available for 192 RPDs (80 women and 112 men; mean [SD] age, 65.7 [11.1] years). Delayed gastric emptying occurred in 41 patients (21.4%; grade A, 15; grade B, 14; and grade C, 12). Patient variables contributing to DGE on multivariate analysis were advanced age (odds ratio [OR] 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.16;P Conclusions and Relevance This study examines modifiable technical factors through the use of review of video obtained at the time of operation and suggests ways by which the surgical construction of the gastrojejunal anastomosis during RPD may reduce the incidence of DGE as a framework for prospective quality improvement.
Linear Rate-Compatible Codes with Degree-1 Extending Variable Nodes Under Iterative Decoding

A rate-compatible (RC) code first transmits a set of symbols corresponding to the highest rate. These symbols form the highest-rate code (HRC). If requested by the receiver, the transmitter subsequently sends symbols that lower the rate of the code. Additional symbols are sent until the decoder decodes to a codeword or all symbols of the RC code are exhausted. Consider linear, RC low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes constructed using extending variable nodes of degree 1. That is, every symbol of incremental redundancy (IR) is a linear combination only of symbols of the HRC. We study the convergence of such codes under iterative decoding. We show that the convergence criterion considered after each iteration need only check whether the HRC variable nodes have converged to a codeword. Specifically, there is no need to consider whether the parity checks that generate the IR symbols are satisfied. We substantiate these claims with simulation results of protograph-based raptor-like LDPC (PBRL) codes, which are a family of protograph RC-LDPC codes with the extending structure under consideration. Furthermore, we demonstrate using examples that this extending structure for protograph RC codes is not very far from the optimal extension for a protograph RC code by providing examples of iterative decoding thresholds for PBRL protographs and protographs extended using the optimal degrees for incremental variable nodes.
Structure and Reaction Mechanism of the LigJ Hydratase: An Enzyme Critical for the Bacterial Degradation of Lignin in the Protocatechuate 4,5-Cleavage Pathway.

LigJ from the soil bacterium Sphingobium sp. SYK-6 catalyzes the reversible hydration of (3Z)-2-keto-4-carboxy-3-hexenedioate (KCH) to 4-carboxy-4-hydroxy-2-oxoadipate (CHA) in the degradation of lignin in the protocatechuate 4,5-cleavage pathway. LigJ is a member of the amidohydrolase superfamily and an enzyme in cog2159. The three-dimensional crystal structure of wild-type LigJ was determined in the presence [Protein Data Bank (PDB) entry 6DXQ] and absence of the product CHA (PDB entry 6DWV). The protein folds as a distorted (β/α)8-barrel, and a single zinc ion is bound in the active site at the C-terminal end of the central β-barrel. The product CHA is ligated to the zinc ion in the active site via the displacement of a single water molecule from the coordination shell of the metal center in LigJ. The product-bound structure reveals that the enzyme catalyzes the hydration of KCH with the formation of a chiral center at C4 with S stereochemistry. The E284Q mutant was unable to catalyze the hydration of ...
Abstract 046: Obesity-induced Oxidative Stress in Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells Allows a Sustained Myelopoiesis and Persistent Inflammation in Mouse Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is linked with obesity-induced complications. Obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) modulates myelopoiesis of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and ...
Alkaline Battery Separators with High Electrolyte Absorption from Forced Assembly Coextruded Composite Tapes

In this work, two-component fibrous separators with high electrolyte absorption were fabricated by the delamination of oriented polymer tape which was produced using a unique coextrusion and multip...
Risk Factors for the Development of Carotid Artery In-Stent Restenosis: Multivariable Analysis

Abstract Objectives In this study, we evaluated the relationship between certain patient and stent characteristics with regards to their association with the development of restenosis . Background Carotid artery stenosis is a major cause of stroke. Carotid artery stenting is an FDA approved method for the treatment of carotid artery stenosis. However, carotid artery stenting has been fraught with lumen loss and in-stent restenosis. The literature is limited in regard to variables affecting long term patency after carotid artery stenting. Methods This is a retrospective chart review study investigating the variables affecting the long term patency in patients who underwent carotid artery stenting. The data was analyzed using a Multivariable logistic regression models. Results 148 patients were included in the study. 123 patients did not develop signs of restenosis after 1 year, while 25 patients developed restenosis defined on annual follow up carotid duplex ultrasound. The odds ratio of developing restenosis for current/former smokers vs. never smokers was 10.1 (p = 0.018), closed vs. open cell design stents was 12.5 (p = 0.008). The odds ratio of developing restenosis decreases by 50.1% for every 1 mm increase in the diameter (p = 0.021). Data was collected and reanalyzed at 3 years to look for any changes in risk factors that become significant which showed that the chance of developing restenosis increases by 11.2% for every 1 mm increase in the length of the stent. Conclusions Our data suggest that the risk of developing restenosis is elevated in those with a history of previous/current tobacco use; those treated with closed-cell as opposed to open-cell design. We also found that restenosis is positively associated with stent length and inversely associated with stent diameter. The aforementioned factors should be considered in the management of carotid artery stenosis.
Perioperative complications and outcomes in patients with paraplegia undergoing rotator cuff repair

BackgroundPatients with paraplegia often experience chronic shoulder pain due to overuse. We sought to determine if these patients have an increased prevalence of perioperative complications and hi...
Evaluating Human Perception of Autonomous System Teammate-likeness

The paper presents preliminary results on an evaluation of the perception of teammate-likeness in Human-Autonomy Teaming (HAT). Increases in an autonomous system’s core teaming skills could increase human perception of the teammate-likeness of an autonomous system. In many HAT systems, the autonomous systems have lacked humanness (or human-like characteristics), based on the technology developed to the date. This may affect how much humans perceive the autonomous system as a teammate, rather than just a tool. Increased perception of teammate-likeness would enable human and autonomous systems to work together more closely and may enable the autonomous system behavior to more closely match the human’s expectations of a teammate’s behavior, benefiting coordination and cooperation. Previous work with commercial flight pilots showed the need for different feedback modality requirements of an autonomous teammate. Pilots felt autonomous teammates should provide visible cues of actions in the work environment, in addition to verbal communication to provide a sense of presence in the cockpit. These results motivated the present study to investigate the impact of feedback modality on teammate-likeness of autonomous system. The evaluation study assessed the impact of centralized feedback vs. distributed feedback of a Cognitive Assistant working with a human to manage the outbreak of a fire aboard a simulated Mars station. The Cognitive Assistant and human teamed to manage both sequential and concurrent fires, thereby manipulating task demands. The study showed that human perception of autonomous system teammate-likeness increasing with distributed feedback model due to increased awareness on CA’s actions.
HYPOTHALAMIC HYPERPHAGIA PREVENTED BY DESTRUCTION OF BRAIN DOPAMINE-CONTAINING NEURONS

Bilateral damage to the ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) region in otherwise intact rats results in hyperphagia and rapid weight gain. Rats that had incurred extensive damage to ascending dopamine (DA)-containing pathways as a result of intracerebral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OH-DA) injections failed to overeat or to gain excessive weight following ventromedial hypothalamic damage. However, such rats were hyperactive and hyperemotional soon after the lesion. The integrity of ascending dopaminergic fibers appears critical to the appearance of the hypothalamic hyperphagia syndrome.
Application of Volterra Linear Integral Equations to the Numerical Solution of Vibration Problems-II

A new and simple numerical method is presented for the solution of one-dimensional characteristic value problems. Three examples dealing with beam vibration are given.
Molecular analysis of microdissected tissue: Laser capture microdissection

Publisher Summary At the microscopic level, tissues are composed of complicated interacting and interdependent cell populations, which are regulated by the local extracellular matrix. Thus, analyzing critical gene expression patterns in development, normal function, and disease progression depends on the extraction of specific cells from their complex tissue milieu. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is developed to provide a rapid, reliable method to procure pure populations of selected cells from specific microscopic regions of tissue sections for molecular analysis. This chapter discusses the molecular analysis of microdissected tissue. Further, it describes protocols for preparing the tissue before microdissection and conducting the PCR amplification after microdissection. Finally, it outlines the applications. DNA obtained from cells procured by LCM from clinical specimens is analyzed by a variety of methods, including loss of heterozygosity, clonal analysis, and direct sequencing. Similarly, LCM is used to study expression differences in various tissues using RNA-based techniques, such as cDNA library construction, microarray hybridization, and differential gene expression.
Dose response of the cowpea curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from different regions of Georgia to some currently used pyrethroid insecticides.

Adults of the cowpea curculio, Chalcodermus aeneus Boheman, obtained from infested peas in Attapulgus (SW), Midville (Central) and Tifton (So. Central), GA; were treated topically in the laboratory, with es-fenvalerate, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin and permethrin in 1988 to establish base-line data for the documentation of potential insecticidal resistance. A preliminary test was conducted in 1987, using permethrin, es-fenvalerate, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin and cyhalothrin on insects from Tifton. The log dose probit analysis indicated that in 1987 cyhalothrin was the most toxic of the materials tested. The 1988 test showed that es-fenvalerate was less toxic than the others and was also less toxic in Tifton, where pyrethroid insecticides have been used more extensively, than in Midville and Attapulgus.
The Higher Cost of Being African-American or Latino: Subprime Home Mortgage Lending in New York City, 2004-2005

The recent turmoil in the financial markets caused by rising default rates on subprime residential home mortgages should not obscure that several studies have shown that African-Americans, Latinos, and residents of predominantly minority neighborhoods receive a disproportionately high percentage of subprime loans. The subprime lending crisis should also not obscure the fact that they have also received a disproportionately low percentage of all home mortgage loans. This report uses data made public pursuant to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) to examine home mortgage lending in New York City in 2004 and 2005 to determine whether African-Americans, Latinos, and residents of predominantly minority neighborhoods received their share of home mortgage loans and whether they paid more for the loans they got. The report reaches several conclusions. The most important conclusion is that in New York City in 2005, African-Americans, Latinos, and residents of predominantly minority neighborhoods received significantly higher percentages of subprime HMDA and home purchase loans than whites and residents of predominantly white neighborhoods. Although the HMDA data that this report uses do not contain enough information about the creditworthiness of individual borrowers to determine whether these disparities are the result of illegal discrimination, the disparities in some cases are so stark that they beg for government enforcement agencies who have access to information about borrower creditworthiness to investigate individual lenders further and they invite private parties to commence litigation against lenders through which they can gain access to this information.
THE DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A HYDRAULIC-SOLAR POWERED TRACKING DEVICE

ABSTRACT The literature is abundant with references to the use of solar concentrating devices for collecting the sun's energy. This type of collector typically provides a capability of collecting solar energy in media at relatively high temperatures (100°C or more) while flat plate collectors generally utilize direct and diffuse solar radiation to produce more moderate temperatures. Inherent with the use of focusing solar collectors for high efficiency conversion is a heliostat for driving the concentrator in unison with the sun. The purpose of this paper is to report on the design and construction of a self-contained heliostat which operates without external conventional power and with minimal maintenance. The tracking device uses the pressure differential in irradiated sensors to produce the power to align a collector with the sun. Preliminary data indicate that this fluid-mechanical drive system provides adequate accuracy and minimal response time for highly efficient concentrating collectors.
Core thermal hydraulics

After a short review of existing nuclear reactor pressure vessels and core geometry this chapter summarizes the main ideas on how to perform a thermohydraulic analysis of boiling flows in nuclear reactors. Remarkable is that all known threefluid flow patterns and heat transfer mechanisms create the cooling mechanism of the core. To demonstrate the achievable accuracy using gross discretization I simulate 333 three-dimensional tests on bundles with 1, 16, 25, and 36 heated rods, seven different bundles with 64 heated rods from different laboratories: 273 3D experiments on six bundles for critical heat flux, 54 3D experiments on seven bundles for void fraction, two 3D experiments on a bundle for transients and four 1D experiments on a subchannel for transients. The mass flow rates and the pressure in these tests varied from 3 to 2000 kg/(m2 s) and from 1 to 200 bar, respectively. The subcooling was less than 140 K and the thermal power varied from some tenths of a kilowatt to 7 MW. Comparison with the results of other authors is made and a discussion is provided.
Cystic Enlargement of the Iliopsoas Bursa Causing Venous Obstruction as a Complication of Total Hip Arthroplasty A Case Report

Abstract The authors report an unusual complication of total hip arthroplasty. A patient developed significant swelling and discomfort in the left lower extremity 4 1 2 years following a left total hip arthroplasty. Magnetic resonance imaging and venography demonstrated a large intrapelvic mass compressing the external iliac vein. An arthrogram revealed a cystic cavity consistent with an iliopsoas bursa in communication with the hip pseudocapsule. Two aspirations of the bursa led to resolution of the cystic enlargement and symptoms. An enlarged iliopsoas bursa should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hip pain or extremity swelling after total hip arthroplasty.
A population‐based study of long‐term outcomes of cryptogenic focal epilepsy in childhood: Cryptogenic epilepsy is probably not symptomatic epilepsy

Purpose To compare long-term outcome in a population-based group of children with cryptogenic vs symptomatic focal epilepsy diagnosed from 1980–2004 and to define the course of epilepsy in the cryptogenic group.
Constrained state estimation in particle filters

Dynamical systems are often required to satisfy certain constraints arising from basic physical laws, mathematical properties or geometric considerations. Incorporating constraints improves the performance of state estimation and increases the accuracy compared to unconstrained estimation.
A prospective randomized cohort study evaluating 3 weeks vs 6 weeks of oral antibiotic treatment in the setting of “maximal medical therapy” for chronic rhinosinusitis

Background Surprisingly, little literature exists evaluating the optimal duration of antibiotic treatment in “maximal medical therapy” for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). As such, we investigated whether 3 weeks vs 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy resulted in significant differences in clinical response. Methods A prospective, randomized cohort study was performed with patients assigned to 3-week or 6-week cohorts. Our primary outcome was failure of “maximal medical therapy” and surgical recommendation. Secondary outcomes included changes in pretherapy and posttherapy scores for the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI), Chronic Sinusitis Survey (CSS), and computed tomography (CT)-based Lund-Mackay (LM) evaluation. Analyses were substratified based on presence of nasal polyps. Results Forty patients were randomized to the 3-week or 6-week treatment cohorts, with near-complete clinical follow-up achieved. No significant difference was found between the proportion of patients who failed medical therapy and were deemed surgical candidates between the 2 cohorts (71% vs 68%, p = 1.000). No significant difference was found in the change of RSDI or CSS scores in the 3 vs 6 weeks of treatment groups (mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM]; RSDI: 9.62 ± 4.14 vs 1.53 ± 4.01, p = 0.868; CSS: 5.75 ± 4.36 vs 9.65 ± 5.34, p = 0.573). Last, no significant difference was found in the change of LM scores (3.35 ± 1.11 vs 1.53 ± 0.81, p = 0.829). Conclusion Based on this data, there is little difference in clinical outcomes between 3 weeks vs 6 weeks of antibiotic treatment as part of “maximal medical therapy” for CRS. Increased duration of antibiotic treatment theoretically may increase risk from side effects and creates higher healthcare costs.
Role of protein kinase G in nitric oxide- and cGMP-induced relaxation of newborn ovine pulmonary veins

In a variety of systemic blood vessels, protein kinase G (PKG) plays a critical role in mediating relaxation induced by agents that elevate cGMP, such as nitric oxide. The role of PKG in nitric oxi...
STARCH GEL ELECTROPHORESIS OF A FRACTION OF CERTAIN OF THE PLEUROPNEUMONIA-LIKE GROUP OF MICROORGANISMS

Fowler, Richard C. (George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.), Don W. Coble, Norman C. Kramer, and Thomas McP. Brown. Starch gel electrophoresis of a fraction of certain of the pleuropneumonia-like group of microorganisms. J. Bacteriol. 86:1145-1151. 1963.-Starch gel electrophoresis is suggested as a means of further characterizing strains of the pleuropneumonia-like group of microorganisms (PPLO), defined herein as including both the various "L" forms of bacteria and the Mycoplasmataceae. The techniques used may be varied to "select" other groups of proteins or classes of compounds (e.g., glycoproteins, lipoproteins, and enzymes). Only the results by starch gel electrophoresis on the soluble portion of sonically treated, washed cultures, grown in a pancreatic digest of beef heart enriched with bovine serum, are reported. As yet, differences appear more significant than similarities among the electrophoretically separable proteins. The demonstration of characteristic protein patterns for each strain studied suggests possibilities of further dividing serological groups into sero-logically distinct subtypes. Tentative migration values (E(f)) have been assigned to the protein bands for convenience in designation. Numerous interrelationships are thereby suggested.
Remote diagnosis and monitoring of complex industrial systems using a genetic algorithm approach

Remote diagnosis of industrial and manufacturing facilities constitutes a feasible alternative at high-risk or remote sites where unmanned operation is preferred. Computer-aided diagnostic tools can reduce downtime by providing support to remote monitoring centers and on-site plant operators. This paper describes a novel technique to perform on-line remote monitoring and diagnosis of industrial and manufacturing systems based on Bayesian belief networks and genetic algorithms. An implementation of the methodology in a chemical process industry is presented and potential applications for different types of industrial systems are discussed. >
Flexible Conformal Micromachined Absolute Pressure Sensors

The fabrication and characterization of micromachined piezoresistive absolute pressure sensors in a flexible substrate is presented. A suspended aluminum oxide diaphragm containing nichrome (Ni-80%/Cr-20%) piezoresistive sensors backed by a vacuum cavity was utilized to form the sensor. The piezoresistors were placed in a half-Wheatstone bridge geometry to provide a linear response and thermal stability. The average value of the gauge factor of nichrome was measured to be 1.95. The average normalized Hooge coefficient $\text{K}_{1/f}$ was found to be $4.64\times 10^{-11}$ for the nichrome piezoresistors. The pressure sensors displayed an average sensitivity of 1.25 nV/Pa and average value of noise equivalent pressure (NEPr) of 7.44 kPa in the bandwidth of 1–10 Hz in the 1/ $f$ -noise limited regime. In the Johnson noise-limited regime, the NEPr was found to be 10 Pa in a 1-Hz bandwidth. [2014-0028]
Effects of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors on alloimmunization to transfused antigens: Current paradigms and future considerations

Abstract Transfused red blood cells, platelets, or coagulation factors have the capacity to induce alloantibodies, which once formed, can be a clinical barrier to future transfusion therapy and/or transplantation. Large observational studies over the last 50 years have characterized some of the general properties of transfusion induced alloimmunization, which appear to vary to a considerable extent from what is generally observed for human responses to other immunogens, such as microbial pathogens and vaccines. Transfused cells and factor only induce immune responses in the minority of recipients. There are data to suggest that differences in the unit may play a role. However, there are clearly differences in recipient biology, as once a recipient makes one antibody they are much more likely to make additional antibodies; indeed, recipients have been categorized as “responder” and “non-responder” by the field. Recent mechanistic studies have begun to define potential causes for such differences in alloimmunization from patient to patient, but much progress needs to be made to understand how, why, and in whom alloimmunization occurs. This review gives a general background on immunology in the context of transfusion, summarizes recent progress in the field, and discusses future directions for exploration. Particular attention is paid to the general concept that the human immune system is melded by the wide range of antigens encountered in our environment, and that the effects of such on the immune system may have a profound effect upon response to transfused cells.
Meridional Alignment of Tropical Cirrus Clouds

A NUMBER of underlying misconceptions must be pointed out in the recent suggestion by Kellner1 that meridional alignment of tropical cirrus clouds results from geomagnetic interactions with the nuclei inside the cirrus particles. First, it is not an established fact that cirrus ice crystals are actually nucleated by dusts of meteoritic origin, although this is an interesting hypothesis that was introduced some years ago by Bowen2. Secondly, if any meteoritic dusts do serve as nuclei at cirrus-levels it would be most unlikely that those of iron–nickel composition would be important. Rather, it would be the stony component that might conceivably offer epitactic surface nucleation sites for ice growth. Actually, direct tests3 of nucleating efficacy of stony meteoritic particles indicate much lower nucleation efficiency than silicate dusts of terrestrial origin, leaving even that portion of the meteoritic dust an unlikely source of cirrus nuclei.
Alternatives to “modern” health delivery systems in Africa: Public policy issues of traditional health systems

Abstract An analysis of the benefits and costs accruing to the consumer and society of traditional health care delivery systems in African countries is presented. Three public policy options with respect to the traditional health system are reviewed. Finally, evidence is presented from nine countries in Africa on their present policies toward traditional health systems.
SMI-32 antibody against non-phosphorylated neurofilaments identifies a subpopulation of cultured cortical neurons hypersensitive to kainate toxicity

Abstract SMI-32, an antibody against a non-phosphorylated neurofilament epitope identifies a subpopulation of human cortical neurons preferentially lost in Alzheimer's or Huntington's disease. In murine cortical cultures SMI-32 labeled a small subset of neurons exhibiting enhanced vulnerability to kainate toxicity. Most SMI-32(+) neurons were GABAergic and exhibited kainate-activated C0 2+ uptake. Thus expression of Ca 2+ permeable AMPA or kainate receptor-gated channels likely underlies the heightened vulnerability of SMI-32(+) cortical neurons to kainate.
Analytical and experimental investigation of the effects of oxygen chemisorption on the electrical conductivity of CdS

Abstract An investigation of the effects of surface states on the equilibrium conductivity of thin, wide bandgap semiconductors is presented. A comparison of measured conductivities with those computed from different surface state models (discrete or distributed), chosen a priori, reveals that the oxygen chemisorption states of natural surfaces of CdS (single crystals and evaporated films) are distributed in energy. An exponential distribution of the form D s (E) = N 0 exp[ (E−E c ) kT c ] give the best agreement between theory and experiment.
FROM BRIGHT IDEAS TO SOCIAL RESEARCH: STUDIES OF THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION

Abstract : The study of crisis research can give information on two issues in the methodology of social science: the decision to translate a research idea into actual practice, and the nature of the background of the research which preserves the ephemeral data of historical events. The study was done with the social scientists who conducted research on the assassination of President Kennedy and a matched control sample of other social scientists. The positions and interests of the critical and control groups differed little. In fact, a majority of the control group was interested in crisis research and even had thought about doing a study of the Kennedy assassination. Organizational pressures seemed little effective as a reason for doing research. Descriptions by the critical group of how they engaged in their study showed a strong connection to current research and a quick start of the actual research process. The principal factor which seems to account for the action taken by the critical group is the evaluation taken of the role of the scientist. The control group is less interested in personal prestige and more in communication. Further the critical group was more inclined to take risks. This showed itself in the attitude toward research techniques, toward basic research as a risk-taking enterprise and in gambling on financial support for their studies.
Deposition Testimony and the Surrogate Witness Evidence for a "Messenger Effect" in Persuasion

The present study tested the hypothesis that jurors' impressions of an absentee witness and his or her testimony are biased by the -individual who reads the deposition. A total of 88 undergraduates watched a videotape of testimony in which the respondent, presented as either the actual witness or a surrogate reader, displayed either a positive or negative demeanor. Results showed that the demeanor of the reader (an irrelevant cue), as well as the witness (a relevant cue), affected subjects' verdicts and perceptions of testimonial credibility. These findings illustrate a bias in social perception and persuasion that can be termed a "messenger effect." The implications for the increased use of videotaped depositions in the courtroom are discussed.
Pulmonary thromboembolism in children with rheumatic diseases

Results Thrombotic events have been associated with antiphospholipid antibodies in autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) from deep vein thromboses (DVT) or in situ pulmonary arterial thrombosis is uncommon in rheumatic diseases, especially in children. The diagnosis and treatment of PTE may be delayed due to a paucity of symptoms or to symptoms attributed to more common manifestations such as pleuritis or pneumonia. We report findings in 6 children with PTE secondary to SLE (4), Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) (1) and Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN) (1).
A Bound on the MSE of Oversampled Dithered Quantization With Feedback

We analyze the behavior of the mean squared error (MSE) achievable by oversampled, uniform scalar quantization using feedback, pre- and post-filters of unrestricted order, when encoding wide-sense stationary discrete-time random sources having (possibly) unbounded support. Our results are based upon the use of subtractively dithered uniform scalar quantizers. We consider the number of quantization levels, N, to be given and fixed, which lends itself to fixed-rate encoding, and focus on the cases in which N is insufficient to avoid overload. In order to guarantee the stability of the closed-loop, we consider the use of a clipper before the scalar quantizer. Our results are valid for zero-mean sources having independent innovations whose moments satisfy some mild requirements, which are met by infinite-support distributions such as Gaussian and Laplacian. We show that, for fixed N, the MSE can be made to decay with the oversampling ratio lambda as O(e-c 0 lambda 1/3) when lambda tends to infinity, where c 0 [0.5(N-1)]2/3. We note that the latter bound is asymptotic in lambda but not in N, and that it includes clipping errors.
Reexpansion pulmonary edema after VATS successfully treated with continuous positive airway pressure

Reexpansion pulmonary edema is a well-described complication of treatment for pleural effusion and pneumothorax. It is very rarely described in association with anesthesia and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The etiology is unclear but several mechanisms have been proposed. We report a case of reexpansion pulmonary edema after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery treated successfully with continuous positive airway pressure.
COMMITMENT AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATION: A STUDY OF COMMITMENT MECHANISMS IN UTOPIAN COMMUNITIES *

This paper defines commitment and proposes three types, continuance, cohesion, and control commitment, which bind personality systems to areas of social systems, linking cognitive, cathectic, and evaluative orientations to roles, relationships, and norms, respectively. Two processes underlie the development of each of the three types of commitment: sacrifice and investment support continuance; renunciation and communion support cohesion; and mortification and surrender support control. On the basis of these processes, a large number of commitment mechanisms, or commitment-producing organizational strategies, are set forth. Use of these strategies generally distinguishes successful (enduring) and unsuccessful (shortlived) nineteenth century American utopian communities. OMMITMENT is a consideration which arises at the intersection of organiza
HPLC Analysis of Catechins, Theaflavins, and Alkaloids in Commercial Teas and Green Tea Dietary Supplements: Comparison of Water and 80% Ethanol/Water Extracts

To help meet the needs of consumers, producers of dietary tea supplements, and researchers for information on health-promoting tea compounds, we compared the following conditions for the extraction of tea leaves and green tea-containing dietary supplements: 80% ethanol/water at 60 °C for 15 min and boiled water for 5 min. The following 7 catechins, 4 theaflavins, and 3 alkaloids were separated in a 70-min single HPLC analysis: (−)-epigallocatechin, (−)-catechin, (+)-epicatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, (−)–gallocatechin-3-gallate, (−)-epicatechin-3-gallate, (−)-catechin-3-gallate, theaflavin, theaflavin-3-gallate, theaflavin-3′-gallate, theaflavin-3,3′-digallate, caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. The following ranges of concentrations of flavonoids (catechins plus theaflavins) in the tea leaves extracted with 80% ethanol were observed (in mg/g): in 32 black teas, 19.8 to 115.1; in 24 green teas, 12.3 to 136.3; in 14 specialty teas, 4.9 to 118.5; in 7 herbal teas, 0 to 46.0. Total alkaloids in all teas ranged from 0 to 32.6 mg/g. Significantly greater amounts of flavonoids were extracted from the tea leaves with aqueous ethanol than with boiled water. Levels of tea catechins in 10 capsules sold as dietary supplements were about 50 to 75% lower than the amounts listed on the labels. Catechin content of 4 commercial green tea extracts ranged from 96 to 696 mg/g. The results make it possible to maximize the extraction of tea compounds to better relate the flavonoid and alkaloid content of teas and dietary tea supplements to their health-promoting effects.
A comparative analysis of 2 national breast reconstruction surveys: concerns regarding autologous and microsurgical breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND Pertinent findings of two national breast reconstruction (BR) surveys from two different institutions at two separate times (2012 vs 2010) were analyzed for comparison. METHODS An appraisal of sampling methodology, sample demographics, years of practice, practice affiliation, BR type, and annual volume between the two studies was conducted using statistical analysis. RESULTS Proper sampling technique and adequate sample size were used in both surveys to represent the typical population of general US plastic surgeons practicing BR. There were no differences in mean age or years of practice between the sample population in both studies. The percentage of plastic surgeons with academic affiliation was higher in the 2012 survey compared to the 2010 survey (28% vs 18%, P 20 cases per year in the 2012 survey compared to the 2010 survey (P 60 cases per year in the 2010 survey and >20 cases per year in the 2012 survey, correlated significantly with academic practice and multidisciplinary cancer centers, respectively (P<0.05). There was a significant decline in the percentage of plastic surgeons performing microsurgical BR from 2010 to 2012 (35% vs 25%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Comparative data suggest that there are fewer high volume BR cases being performed by US plastic surgeons and that there has been a reduction among plastic surgeons in the use of microsurgical BR from 2010 to 2012. We believe that these findings may indicate early signs of the changes in BR trends in the US.
Kinetics study of solid ammonia borane hydrogen release – modeling and experimental validation for chemical hydrogen storage

Ammonia borane (AB), NH3BH3, is a promising material for chemical hydrogen storage with 19.6 wt% gravimetric hydrogen capacity of which maximum 16.2 wt% hydrogen can be released via an exothermic thermal decomposition below 200 °C. We have investigated the kinetics of hydrogen release from AB and from an AB-methyl cellulose (AB/MC) composite at temperatures of 160–300 °C using both experiments and modeling. The hydrogen release rate at 300 °C is twice as fast as at 160 °C. The purpose of our study was to show safe hydrogen release without thermal runaway effects and to validate system model kinetics. AB/MC released hydrogen at ∼20 °C lower than neat AB and at a faster release rate in that temperature range. Based on the experimental results, the kinetics equations were revised to better represent the growth and nucleation process during decomposition of AB. We explored two different reactor concepts; auger and fixed bed. The current auger reactor concept turned out to not be appropriate, however, we demonstrated safe self-propagation of the hydrogen release reaction of solid AB/MC in a fixed bed reactor.
MAGNETIC INTERACTIONS BETWEEN RARE-EARTH IONS IN INSULATORS. III. EPR MEASUREMENTS OF Ce$sup 3+$ PAIR-INTERACTION CONSTANTS IN LaCl .

In order to investigate the form of interaction between non-$S$-state, Kramers rare-earth ions, the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra from pairs of ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{3+}$ ions in La${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$ have been measured at 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and at 25 and 36 GHz. The spectra have been fitted to a general effective-spin pair-Hamiltonian in order to obtain values for the g tensors and certain terms in the interaction tensors K. By using additional data from bulk-property measurements on Ce${\mathrm{Cl}}_{3}$, values for all the terms in K can be deduced. The contributions to the measured parameters from the various interaction mechanisms thought to be present in rare-earth compounds are discussed in detail. Apart from the usual magnetic dipole interaction, it is generally difficult to identify each contribution unambiguously. In the present case, however, because of the simple nature of the ${\mathrm{Ce}}^{3+}$ wave functions, there is clear evidence for the existence of an electric quadrupole-quadrupole interaction between next-nearest-neighbor ions, and its magnitude has been determined. There is also unambiguous evidence for anisotropic superexchange of the type suggested by Levy and by Elliott and Thorpe, and it is found that this has matrix elements of magnitude compariable with the more usual bilinear exchange interaction, which is also present.
An Improved Hollander's Distribution-Free Test for Parallelism

Hollander (1970) proposed a distribution-free signed rank test for testing parallelism of two regression lines. Hollander's test requires that the number of pairs of data in the two datasets must be equal and even. This requirement of the test is met by discarding observation pairs randomly from one or both datasets as needed. In this article, we propose that instead of discarding the observation pairs randomly, we add observation pairs randomly in one or both datasets as needed to meet the requirement of Hollander's test. By using simulation technique we show that the new test is a significant improvement over the original test of Hollander since the new test is consistently more powerful than the original test and provides narrower confidence intervals for the difference of the two slopes of the regression lines.
Modeling the world-how it's blocked out on the Web

Placing bets on one technology over another is risky; however, there are some guiding lights. The Web is here to stay. It offers a way of sharing and presenting multimedia information to a worldwide set of interactive participants. Therefore, any technology tied to the Web's development is likely to change modeling and simulation. The tremendous interest in Java for doing simulation has taken a firm hold within the simulation field. Apart from being a good programming language, its future is intrinsically bound to the coding and interaction within a browser. VRML, and its X3D successor, represent the future of 3D immersing environments on the Web. Model handles and their accompanying object groups will remain invisible unless requested by those with a modeling bent. The modeling approach presented takes a substantial departure from existing approaches. That is the modeling environment and the object environment merge seamlessly into a single environment. There isn't a difference between a circle and a house, or a sphere and a teapot, Furthermore, objects can take on any role. This frees the modeler to choose whatever metaphor agreed upon by a certain community. There is no single syntax or structure for modeling. Modeling is both an art and a science; the realization that all objects can play roles takes us back to childhood. The Rube modeling environment is being built in the hope that by making all objects virtual we can return to free-form modeling of every kind.
Nur77 Agonists Induce Proapoptotic Genes and Responses in Colon Cancer Cells through Nuclear Receptor–Dependent and Nuclear Receptor–Independent Pathways

Nerve growth factor-induced Balpha (NGFI-Balpha, Nur77) is an orphan nuclear receptor with no known endogenous ligands; however, recent studies on a series of methylene-substituted diindolylmethanes (C-DIM) have identified 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(phenyl)methane (DIM-C-Ph) and 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-anisyl)methane (DIM-C-pPhOCH3) as Nur77 agonists. Nur77 is expressed in several colon cancer cell lines (RKO, SW480, HCT-116, HT-29, and HCT-15), and we also observed by immunostaining that Nur77 was overexpressed in colon tumors compared with normal colon tissue. DIM-C-Ph and DIM-C-pPhOCH3 decreased survival and induced apoptosis in RKO colon cancer cells, and this was accompanied by induction of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) protein. The induction of apoptosis and TRAIL by DIM-C-pPhOCH3 was significantly inhibited by a small inhibitory RNA for Nur77 (iNur77); however, it was evident from RNA interference studies that DIM-C-pPhOCH3 also induced Nur77-independent apoptosis. Analysis of DIM-C-pPhOCH3-induced gene expression using microarrays identified several proapoptotic genes, and analysis by reverse transcription-PCR in the presence or absence of iNur77 showed that induction of programmed cell death gene 1 was Nur77 dependent, whereas induction of cystathionase and activating transcription factor 3 was Nur77 independent. DIM-C-pPhOCH3 (25 mg/kg/d) also inhibited tumor growth in athymic nude mice bearing RKO cell xenografts. These results show that Nur77-active C-DIM compounds represent a new class of anti-colon cancer drugs that act through receptor-dependent and receptor-independent pathways.