cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
VCL, an antagonist of the platelet GP1b receptor, markedly inhibits platelet adhesion and intimal thickening after balloon injury in the rat.

Background Arterial injury is immediately followed by platelet adhesion at the site of injury, a process that requires the interaction of subendothelial von Willebrand factor with the platelet GP1b receptor. VCL, a recombinant von Willebrand factor GP1b binding domain, inhibits platelet binding to von Willebrand factor. The aim of this study was to determine whether VCL inhibits platelet adhesion at the site of arterial injury and affects neointimal thickening after injury in rats. Methods and Results Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive VCL, 4 mg/kg bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 2 mg · kg−1 · h−1 for 72 hours, or an identical volume of saline. Balloon injury of the femoral artery was performed 15 minutes after the initial bolus injection of VCL. Scanning electron microscopy performed 1 and 3 days after injury indicated that VCL-treated rats had >80% reduction in the number of platelets adherent to the vessel wall at the site of injury compared with controls (P<.003). Histological e...
Functionality of Defatted Corn Germ Proteins in a Model System: Fat Binding Capacity and Water Retention

Functional properties of two corn germ protein (CGP) preparations, supercritical CO2 (SC—CO2) and hexane defatted, were studied in model systems using response surface methodology. The protein preparations had different fat and moisture content. The SC—CO2 CGP was whiter (1), less red (a) and less yellow (b) in color measurement than hexane CGP. Temperature of incubation influenced the functionality of the SC—CO2 and hexane-defatted CGP in model system. SC-CO2 CGP had higher fat binding and water retention than hexane CGP. Fat binding decreased during the heat treatment for SC-CO2 CGP. Water retention in both preparations increased as temperature increased to 70°C. The different functional properties of hexane CGP may be due to the extent of protein denaturation.
Hepatoma, host liver, and normal rat liver phospholipids as affected by diet

Individual phospholipid classes derived from hepatoma, host liver, and normal liver of rats maintained on chow and fat free diets were examined in detail and the sphingomyelin and phosphoglyceride structures compared. The concentration of hepatoma sphingomyelin was higher while phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, and diphosphatidylglycerol were only one-fourth to one-half normal liver concentrations, irrespective of diet. Hepatoma phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylinositol contained higher percentages of 18∶1 and, except phosphatidylinositol, much lower percentages of most polyunsaturated fatty acids than liver. The 1-position of host liver phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, normal liver phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, and hepatoma phosphatidylcholine from animals on both diets had the same approximate fatty acid composition, but the percentage of 16∶0 in hepatoma phosphatidylethanolamine was reduced dramatically. The low percentage of 16∶0 at the 1-position of both phosphatidylethanolamine and triglycerides suggests that the 1-position fatty acids of these two classes may have a similar origin. The fat free diet reduced the percentage of 18∶2 in liver diphosphatidylglycerol 3-fold and the decrease was offset by increased percentages of 16∶1 and 18∶1; whereas the very low percentage of 18∶2 in hepatoma diphosphatidylglycerol was offset by increased percentages of 18∶0 and 16∶0. Liver phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine from the animals fed the fat free diet contained the highest percentage of 20∶3, which replaced 20∶4. Hepatoma sphingomyelin contained a much higher concentration of 24∶0 and 24∶1 than liver. The hepatoma sphingomyelin also contained a C-24 dienoic acid, which was not detected in host and normal liver. Host liver contained a higher percentage of 22∶6 than normal liver. The diglycerides derived from host liver PC contained a significantly higher percentage of carbon number 38 than normal liver. Diglycerides derived from hepatoma phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine exhibited a 1-random-2-random distribution of fatty acids, whereas diglycerides from liver phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine showed pairing of specific fatty acids.
Sm-p80-based DNA vaccine made in a human use approved vector VR1020 protects against challenge infection with Schistosoma mansoni in mouse

Although there is an effective drug (praziquantel) available for the treatment of schistosomiasis, yet the disease is still spreading unabated and is rampant in 76 countries. Control via praziquantel treatment has so far been insufficient in reducing the disease transmission. Therefore, a vaccine in addition to other strategies, for example, improving sanitation and introduction of new drugs are essential to successfully control and eventually eradicate schistosomiasis. To this effect, we have targeted a functionally important antigen, Sm-p80 as a vaccine candidate. In this study, full length cDNA of Sm-p80 was cloned in VR1020, a FDA approved vector for human use. The protective efficacy of this vaccine formulation was tested in a murine model. Sm-p80-VR1020 vaccine formulation was able to induce 47% reduction in worm burden. Serology on samples obtained from vaccinated animals revealed a strong antibody response which included IgG and all of its subtypes, IgM and IgA. Proliferating splenocytes in response to recombinant Sm-p80 produced a wide spectrum of cytokines representing Th1, Th2 and Th17 types, as ascertained via RT-PCR analysis. These findings further strengthen the importance of Sm-p80 molecule as a vaccine candidate for intestinal schistosomiasis.
Development of tyrosine-based radiotracer 99mTc-N4-Tyrosine for breast cancer imaging.

The purpose of this study was to develop an efficient way to synthesize 99mTc-O-[3-(1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclohexadecane)-propyl]-tyrosine (99mTc-N4-Tyrosine), a novel amino acid-based radiotracer, and evaluate its potential in breast cancer gamma imaging. Precursor N4-Tyrosine was synthesized using a 5-step procedure, and its total synthesis yield was 38%. It was successfully labeled with 99mTc with high radiochemical purity (>95%). Cellular uptake of 99mTc-N4-Tyrosine was much higher than that of 99mTc-N4 and the clinical gold standard 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-glucose (18F-FDG) in rat breast tumor cells in vitro. Tissue uptake and dosimetry estimation in normal rats revealed that 99mTc-N4-Tyrosine could be safely administered to humans. Evaluation in breast tumor-bearing rats showed that although 99mTc-N4-Tyrosine appeared to be inferior to 18F-FDG in distinguishing breast tumor tissue from chemical-induced inflammatory tissue, it had high tumor-to-muscle uptake ratios and could detect breast tumors clearly by planar scintigraphic imaging. 99mTc-N4-Tyrosine could thus be a useful radiotracer for use in breast tumor diagnostic imaging.
Antioxidant therapy attenuates JNK activation and apoptosis in the remote noninfarcted myocardium after large myocardial infarction.

We hypothesized that the concomitant occurrence of increased oxidative stress, JNK activation, and myocyte apoptosis in the remote myocardium (RM) following a large myocardial infarction (MI) are causally related. Three days following coronary ligation, rats were randomized to treatment with probucol and PDTC (MI-T) or vehicle (MI). Control rats (C) underwent sham operation. At 7 weeks, TBARS assay showed increased level of lipid-peroxidation within the RM in the MI group vs C, which was completely inhibited in the MI-T group. Similarly, Western blot analysis showed a twofold increase in p-JNK in the MI group, vs C, which was attenuated in MI-T, a result confirmed by a JNK-kinase activity. Furthermore, apoptosis was increased within the RM in MI vs C, while this was inhibited in MI-T. We conclude that long-term antioxidant therapy with probucol and PDTC attenuates oxidative stress, JNK activation, and myocyte apoptosis within the RM after large MI.
Extracellular matrix as a scaffold for tissue engineering in veterinary medicine: Applications to soft tissue healing

The field of tissue engineering is devoted to the development of strategies for the reconstitution of diseased, injured, or congenitally absent tissues and organs. The large number of preclinical studies that have been conducted in this field have utilized animal models that mimic naturally occurring disease states in most domestic species. The purpose of the present review is to provide an overview of the field of tissue engineering with emphasis on its applications to veterinary medicine and surgery and the use of naturally occurring extracellular matrix as a bioscaffold for tissue and organ reconstruction. Examples are provided for the application of tissue engineering to three body systems; skin, musculotendinous tissues, and lower urinary tract structures.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Productivity: Evidence from the Chemical Industry in the United States

Prior research suggests that participating in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities can lead to higher future productivity. However, the empirical evidence is still scarce. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between CSR and future firm productivity in the U.S. chemical industry. Specifically, this study examines the relationship between CSR in year t and firm productivity in year (t + 1), (t + 2), and (t + 3). We use Data Envelopment Analysis, a non-parametric method, to measure firm productivity. Results from the regression analysis support a significantly positive relationship between CSR and future firm productivity, suggesting that CSR can lead to higher productivity in the chemical industry. The findings add to the validity of the proposition in prior research.
The effects of phencyclidine pretreatment on cocaine-mediated hepatotoxicity in mice.

Cocaine-mediated hepatotoxicity (CMH) requires cocaine (CCN) bioactivation by microsomal monooxygenase enzymes that results in cell death. Proposed mechanisms of toxicity involve reactive metabolites that covalently bind to hepatocellular proteins, depletion of cellular reducing equivalents through redox cycling, and/or the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that alter lipids and proteins. We have previously shown that phencyclidine (PCP) pretreatment potentiated CMH in CF-1 mice without increasing in vitro N-demethylation or N-hydroxylation of CCN. We have now further characterized PCP-potentiated CMH and determined that it is a dose- and time-dependent process, with PCP doses as low as 2.5 mg/kg for 3 days significantly increasing CMH. Immunohistochemistry and histology of livers from mice pretreated with PCP before CCN administration revealed a marked correlation between the regions of CCN metabolite binding and that of necrosis, whereas there was little binding or necrosis in vehicle-pretreated mice. Although hepatic GSH levels were not altered after repetitive PCP treatment alone, a sustained decrease (at least 6 h) in these levels was observed following CCN administration. Inhibitors of inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) abrogated PCP-potentiated CMH, although repetitive PCP treatment alone did not increase nitric oxide synthesis systemically or locally in hepatic tissue nor did lipopolysaccharide induction of NOS (without PCP) directly potentiate CMH. The precise mechanisms of PCP potentiation of CMH and involvement of NOS in CMH remain unclear, however, sustained depletion of GSH levels and increased hepatocellular binding of reactive cocaine metabolites have been demonstrated.
Bipolar disorder pharmacotherapy

Treatment options in the management of bipolar disorder continue to proliferate. Currently, all of the commonly prescribed atypical antipsychotics are indicated for the treatment of mania. Quetiapine and olanzapine/fluoxetine in combination are US FDA approved in the treatment of bipolar depression. Aripiprazole and lamotrigine have been FDA approved as maintenance therapies in the long-term management of bipolar disorder. Topiramate and gabapentin have been effectively discredited as first-line options in acute mania. This update seeks to summarize recent developments in bipolar disorder pharmacotherapy, offer insight into the nuance of using these newer agents effectively, review risks and benefits of using standard antidepressants in the treatment of bipolar depression and draw to the attention of readers the strengths and limitations of some of the studies that are shaping contemporary psychiatry’s approach to the patient with bipolar disorder.
Protective effects of the calcium antagonists diltiazem and TA3090 against hepatic injury due to hypoxia.

Abstract Recent work has shown that dihydropyridine-type calcium channel blockers such as nitrendipine protect against ischemie liver damage in the rat in vivo (Thurman RG, Apel E and Lemasters JJ, J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 12 : S113–S116, 1988), suggesting that calcium antagonists may have clinical value in preventing ischemie and hypoxic hepatic injury. This study was designed to examine the effects of two benzothiazepine-type calcium channel blockers, diltiazem and TA3090, in the hypoxic perfused rat liver. Livers were isolated and perfused briefly with oxygen-saturated buffer, followed by perfusion for 80 min with nitrogen-saturated buffer with diltiazem or TA3090 (20–200 μM), and concluding with 20 min of perfusion with oxygen-saturated buffer. In control preparations, maximal lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into effluent perfusate following hypoxia averaged about 1100 U/L. Diltiazem and TA3090 decreased LDH release at all concentrations studied; both drugs were most effective at the 100 μM concentration (71 and 73% inhibition, respectively). Oxygen uptake by control livers decreased 78% following hypoxia; diltiazem and TA3090 reduced this effect markedly, with maximal effectiveness again observed with 100 μM (O 2 uptake was decreased by 22% with 100 μM diltiazem and by only 9% with 100 μM TA3090). Histological examination for nuclear uptake of the vital dye trypan blue revealed necrosis of parenchymal cells along with cell shrinking and consequent expansion of the sinusoids in control livers. Perfusion with diltiazem markedly reduced parenchyma! cell death but did not alter the pattern of cell damage observed. In contrast, livers perfused with TA3090 during hypoxia had virtually no parenchymal cell damage, although moderate damage to nonparenchymal cells in the sinusoids occurred. The difference in mechanisms responsible for the phenomena which occur with diltiazem and TA3090 is not completely understood; however, these and other calcium antagonists clearly have powerful hepatoprotective effects against ischemia and hypoxia.
Overexpression of MIC-3 indicates a direct role for the MIC gene family in mediating Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) resistance to root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita).

Transgene-based analysis of the MIC-3 gene provides the first report of a cotton gene having a direct role in mediating cotton resistance to root-knot nematode. Major quantitative trait loci have been mapped to Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) chromosomes 11 and 14 that govern the highly resistant phenotype in response to infection by root-knot nematode (RKN; Meloidogyne incognita); however, nearly nothing is known regarding the underlying molecular determinants of this RKN-resistant phenotype. Multiple lines of circumstantial evidence have strongly suggested that the MIC (Meloidogyne Induced Cotton) gene family plays an integral role in mediating cotton resistance to RKN. In this report, we demonstrate that overexpression of MIC-3 in the RKN-susceptible genetic background Coker 312 reduces RKN egg production by ca. 60–75 % compared to non-transgenic controls and transgene-null sibling lines. MIC-3 transcript and protein overexpression were confirmed in root tissues of multiple independent transgenic lines with each line showing a similar level of increased resistance to RKN. In contrast to RKN fecundity, transgenic lines showed RKN-induced root galling similar to the susceptible controls. In addition, we determined that this effect of MIC-3 overexpression was specific to RKN as no effect was observed on reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) reproduction. Transgenic lines did not show obvious alterations in growth, morphology, flowering, or fiber quality traits. Gene expression analyses showed that MIC-3 transcript levels in uninfected transgenic roots exceeded levels observed in RKN-infected roots of naturally resistant plants and that overexpression did not alter the regulation of native MIC genes in the genome. These results are the first report describing a direct role for a specific gene family in mediating cotton resistance to a plant-parasitic nematode.
Introduction : The African American Male Crisis in Education: A Popular Media Infatuation or Needed Public Policy Response?

This special theme issue, Beyond Brown: New Approaches to Addressing Inequities in Education for African American Males, addresses not only a major void in the research literature, but serves as a catalyst for better understanding the educational plight and its social implications for African American males throughout the United States. The editors of this special issue assembled some of America's best and brightest social scientists and researchers to examine the contemporary experiences of African American males in education, as well as to offer new approaches to addressing these educational and societal issues. To this end, the contributors were asked to use the monumental court decision as a point of departure and move beyond Brown to examine the constellation of variables that may explain the general condition for African American males in education.
Middle Miocene paleoceanography of the western equatorial Pacific (DSDP site 289) and the evolution ofGloborotalia (Fohsella)

Abstract Evolution of the planktic foraminiferal lineageGloborotalia (Fohsella) occurred during the Miocene between 23.7 and 11.8 Ma and forms the basis for stratigraphic subdivision of the early middle Miocene (Zones N10 through N12). Important morphologic changes within theG. (Fohsella) lineage included a marked increase in test size, a transition from a rounded to an acute periphery, and the development of a keel in later forms. We found that the most rapid changes in morphology ofG. (Fohsella) occurred between 13 and 12.7 Ma and coincided with an abrupt increase in the δ18O ratios of shell calcite. Comparison of isotopic results ofG. (Fohsella) with other planktic foraminifers indicate that δ18O values of the lineage diverge from surface-dwelling species and approach deep-dwelling species after 13.0 Ma, indicating a change in depth habitat from the surface mixed layer to intermediate depth near the thermocline. Isotopic and faunal evidence suggests that this change in depth stratification was associated with an expansion of the thermocline in the western equatorial Pacific. After adapting to a deeper water habitat at 13.0 Ma, theG. (Fohsella) lineage became extinct abruptly at 11.8 Ma during a period when isotopic and faunal evidence suggest a shoaling of the thermocline. Following the extinction ofG. (Fohsella), the ecologic niche of the lineage was filled by theGloborotalia (Menardella) group, which began as a deep-water form and later evolved to an intermediate-water habitat. We suggest that the evolution ofG. (Fohsella) andG. (Menardella) were tightly linked to changes in the structure of the thermocline in the western equatorial Pacific.
Intracellular fibroblast growth factor produces effects different from those of extracellular application on development of avian cochleovestibular ganglion cells in vitro.

In an avian coculture system, the neuronal precursors of the cochleovestibular ganglion typically migrated from the otocyst and differentiated in response to soluble fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2), which had free access to FGF receptors on the cell surface. Free FGF-2 switched cells from a proliferation mode to migration, accompanied by increases in process outgrowth, fasciculation, and polysialic acid expression. Microsphere-bound FGF-2 had some of the same effects, but in addition it increased proliferation and decreased fasciculation and polysialic acid. As shown by immunohistochemistry, FGF-2 that was bound to latex microspheres depleted the FGF surface receptor protein, which localized with the microspheres in the cytoplasm and nucleus. For microsphere-bound FGF-2, the surface receptor-mediated responses to FGF-2 appear to be limited and the door opened to another venue of intracellular events or an intracrine mechanism.
Factorial Design for Efficient Experimentation

While James Dyson's eponymous company, Dyson Ltd., based in Malmesbury, United Kingdom, is known to make high-quality vacuum cleaners, Dyson might have saved himself and his company a lot of time and money if he had been aware of the factorial design approach to experimentation. In fact, as discussed below, the statement of Dyson on cause and effect is incorrect. It is possible to learn what improves a system by changing more than one input variable at a time. Furthermore, this learning can be done more efficiently and with the additional benefit of acquiring information about input-variable interactions that cannot be revealed in the one-at-a-time changes advocated by Dyson. Unfortunately, he is not alone in his beliefs. Many in industry, government, and elsewhere share such misconceptions. The aim of this article is to present some of the key ideas in factorial designs and demonstrate how this approach offers both greater efficiency and insight than one-at-a-time changes.
Comparative roles of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and androstenediol sulfate as precursors of testicular androgens.

The relative conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and 3H-androstenediol- 3-sulfate testosterone to and androstenedione by microsomal preparations of rat testes was studied. In 2 hr, in the presence of DPN, TPN and TPNH, 44% of androstenediol–3-sulfate was converted to testosterone and 29% to androstenedione compared to 15% and 43%,respectively, of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. In addition, small amounts of the following 5α reduced steroids were isolated as products of both substrates: epiandrosterone and dihydrotestosterone; from androstenediol–3-sulfate only: androsterone, 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol and αandrostane- α,17β-diol. The much greater conversion of androstenediol–3-sulfate to testosterone suggests this to be the preferable precursor. The identification of 5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol as a distant product of androstenediol–3-sulfate metabolism is consistent with the previous suggestion that this potent inhibitor of testicular steroid sulfatase may act by feedback inhibition to control the ...
Unified high-level synthesis and module placement for defect-tolerant microfluidic biochips

Microfluidic biochips promise to revolutionize biosensing and clinical diagnostics. As more bioassays are executed concurrently on a biochip, system integration and design complexity are expected to increase dramatically. This problem is also identified by the 2003 ITRS document as a major system-level design challenge beyond 2009. We focus here on the automated design of droplet-based microfluidic biochips. We present a synthesis methodology that unifies operation scheduling, resource binding, and module placement for such "digital" biochips. The proposed technique, which is based on parallel recombinative simulated annealing, can also be used after fabrication to bypass defective cells in the microfluidic array. A real-life protein assay is used to evaluate the synthesis methodology.
Reconfigurable NDI controller using inertial sensor failure detection & isolation

A modified derivation of nonlinear dynamic inversion provides the theoretical underpinnings for a reconfigurable control law for aircraft that have suffered combinations of actuator failures, missing effector surfaces, and aerodynamic changes. The approach makes use of acceleration feedback to extract information pertaining to any aerodynamic change and thus does not require a complete aerodynamic model of the aircraft. The control law does require feedback of effector positions to accommodate actuator dynamics. Both accelerometer and rate gyro failure detection and isolation (FDI) systems are implemented, allowing up to three independent failures for each FDI system as long as they are in different axes. Nonlinear simulation results show that the FDI systems improve the robustness to accelerometer/rate gyro uncertainties. An advanced tailless aircraft model is used to demonstrate the concepts. The simulation includes accelerometer and rate gyro noise and bias, failures due to accelerometers, rate gyros, and actuators, and modeled missing surfaces that cause airplane aerodynamic changes.
Automated deception detection of 911 call transcripts

This study is a successful proof of concept of using automated text analysis to accurately classify transcribed 911 homicide calls according to their veracity. Fifty matched, caller-side transcripts were labeled as truthful or deceptive based on the subsequent adjudication of the cases. We mined the transcripts and analyzed a set of linguistic features supported by deception theories. Our results suggest that truthful callers display more negative emotion and anxiety and provide more details for emergency workers to respond to the call. On the other hand, deceivers attempt to suppress verbal responses by using more negation and assent words. Using these features as input variables, we trained and tested several machine-learning classification algorithms and compared the results with the output from a statistical classification technique, discriminant analysis. The overall performance of the classification techniques was as high as 84% for the cross-validated set. The promising results of this study illustrate the potential of using automated linguistic analyses in crime investigations.
Effect of surrounding point charges on the density functional calculations of NixOx clusters (x = 4–12)

Embedded Ni x O x clusters (x = 4–12) have been studied by the density-functional method using compensating point charges of variable magnitude to calculate the ionic charge, bulk modulus, and lattice binding energy. The computations were found to be strongly dependent on the value of the surrounding point charge array and an optimum value could be found by choosing the point charge to reproduce the experimentally observed Ni–O lattice parameter. This simple, empirical method yields a good match between computed and experimental data, and even small variation from the optimum point charge value produces signifi cant deviation between computed and measured bulk physical parameters. The optimum point charge value depends on the cluster size, but in all cases is signifi cantly less than ±2.0, the formal oxidation state typically employed in cluster modeling of NiO bulk and surface properties. The electronic structure calculated with the optimized point charge magnitude is in general agreement with literature photoemission and XPS data and agrees with the presently accepted picture of the valence band as containing charge-transfer insulator characteristics. The orbital population near the Fermi level does not depend on the cluster size and is characterized by hybridized Ni 3d and O 2p orbitals with relative oxygen contribution of about 70%.
Diode Laser Measurements for DDDAS: Flowfield Reconstruction Using Dynamic Experimental and Numerical Data

A Dynamic Data Driven Application Systems (DDDAS) approach is developed for evaluation of fluid-thermal systems wherein a complete specification of the boundary conditions is not known a priori and experimental diagnostics are restricted to a limited region of the flowfield. The methodology is applied to the configuration of a heated jet injected into a laminar boundary layer where the jet temperature is an unknown. Diode laser absorption measurements near 761 nm of molecular oxygen are recorded at 400Hz to characterize the time varying temperature of the two dimensional jet. Agreement between the CFD simulation and experimental data is good for average and RMS (root meet square) temperature fluctuations, and show very good correlation between the frequency spectra, especially nearer the injection point.
Early gene expression changes induced by the bacterial superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B and its modulation by a proteasome inhibitor

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is an acute, serious systemic illness caused by bacterial superantigens. Nonavailability of a suitable animal model until recently has hampered an in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of TSS. In the current study, we characterized the early molecular events underlying TSS using our HLA-DR3 transgenic mouse model. Gene expression profiling using DNA microarrays identified a rapid and significant upregulation of several pro- as well as anti-inflammatory mediators, many of which have never been previously described in TSS. In vivo administration of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) led to an increase in the expression of Th0- (IL-2, 240-fold); Th1- (IFN-γ, 360-fold; IL-12, 8-fold); Th2- (IL-4, 53-fold; IL-5, 4-fold) as well as Th17-type cytokines (IL-21, 19-fold; IL-17, 5-fold). The immunoregulatory cytokines (IL-6, 700-fold; IL-10, 18-fold); CC chemokines (such as CCL 2, 11, 3, 24, 17, 12, 7), CXC chemokines (such as CXCL 1, 2, 5, 11, 10, 19); and several proteases (matrix metalloproteinases 13, 8, 3, and 9) were also upregulated. Serum levels of several of these cytokines/chemokines were also significantly elevated. Pathway analyses revealed significant modulation in a variety of biochemical and cellular functions, providing molecular insights into the pathogenesis of TSS. Administration of bortezomib, a clinically approved proteasome inhibitor capable of blocking NF-κB pathway, was able to significantly modulate the expression of a variety of genes induced by SEB. Thus, our study showed that TSS is a complex process and emphasized the potential of use of bortezomib in the therapy of superantigen-induced TSS.
Respiratory Disease and Panic Attacks Among Adults in the United States

Objective To determine the association between respiratory disease and panic attacks among adults in the US population. Method Data were drawn from the Midlife Development in the United States Survey (n = 3,032), a representative sample of adults aged 25 to 74 years. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between self-reported respiratory and other lung disease and panic attacks, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcohol/substance use disorders. Results After adjusting for demographic characteristics, comorbid mental disorders, and comorbid physical disorders, self-reported respiratory disease (ie, asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema) was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of panic attacks (odds ratio, 1.7; confidence interval, 1.2 to 2.4). Other self-reported lung disease was also associated with a significantly increased odds of panic attacks (odds ratio, 2.3; confidence interval, 1.2 to 4.2), and having both self-reported respiratory disease and another lung disease was associated with increased likelihood of panic attacks (odds ratio, 4.1; confidence interval, 1.7, 9.9). These associations also persisted after adjusting for demographic characteristics, comorbid mental disorders, and physical comorbidity. Conclusion These findings are consistent with and extend previous clinical and epidemiologic data by showing a specific association between self-reported respiratory disease and panic attacks among adults. Future studies that investigate the relationship between respiratory disease and panic attacks, and other mental disorders, using prospectively collected data on respiratory functioning, may help to improve our understanding of the mechanism of this association.
Adapting a Polarity Lexicon using Integer Linear Programming for Domain-Specific Sentiment Classification

Polarity lexicons have been a valuable resource for sentiment analysis and opinion mining. There are a number of such lexical resources available, but it is often suboptimal to use them as is, because general purpose lexical resources do not reflect domain-specific lexical usage. In this paper, we propose a novel method based on integer linear programming that can adapt an existing lexicon into a new one to reflect the characteristics of the data more directly. In particular, our method collectively considers the relations among words and opinion expressions to derive the most likely polarity of each lexical item (positive, neutral, negative, or negator) for the given domain. Experimental results show that our lexicon adaptation technique improves the performance of fine-grained polarity classification.
Synthesis and solid-state structures of (triphos)iridacyclopentadiene complexes as models for vinylidene intermediates in the (2 + 2 + 1) cyclotrimerization of alkynes

The iridium 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphinomethyl)ethane (triphos) complexes [{κ 2 ( C 1 , C 4 )-CR CRCR CR}{CH 3 C(CH 2 PPh 2 ) 3 }Ir(NCMe)]BF 4 ( 2 - NCMe , R = CO 2 Me) and [{κ 2 ( C 1 , C 4 )-CR CRCR CR}{CH 3 C(CH 2 PPh 2 ) 3 }Ir(CO)]BF 4 ( 2 - CO , R = CO 2 Me) serve as models for proposed iridium–vinylidene intermediates of relevance to the [2 + 2 + 1] cyclotrimerization of alkynes. The solid-state structures of 2 - NCMe , 2 - CO , and [κ 2 ( C 1 , C 4 )-CR CRCR CR]{CH 3 C(CH 2 PPh 2 ) 3 }Ir(Cl) ( 2 - Cl ), were determined by X-ray crystallography.
Surface feature variations observed in 52100 steel sliding against a thin boron carbide coating

Boron carbide (B4C) is well known for its high hardness and wear resistance and has been used as a wear-resistant coating. If one of a pair of contact surfaces is coated by B4C, it may polish its mating surface and act as a run-in coating. Developing such run-in coatings demands a thorough understanding of the mating surface evolution in wear. This paper reports a study on the characteristics of the surface feature variations of 52100 steel balls run against B 4C coated disks. The contact conditions, asperity contact temperature, pressure and deformation are analyzed. Changes in the surface statistical properties, asperity height autocorrelations and power density spectra are monitored for the 52100 steel as the sliding distance increases. The results indicate that under the conditions used in this research, the B 4C coating can accomplish polishing in a sliding distance of less than 2 m. Based on these observations we suggest a new paradigm for an ideal run-in coating. © 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
First Measurement of the Left-Right Charge Asymmetry in Hadronic Z Boson Decays and a New Determination of sin2θWeff

We present the first measurement of the left-right charge asymmetry ${A}_{Q}^{\mathrm{obs}}$ in hadronic $Z$ boson decays. This was performed at ${E}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}91.27\mathrm{GeV}$ with the SLD at the SLAC Linear Collider with a polarized electron beam. Using 89 838 events we obtain ${A}_{Q}^{\mathrm{obs}}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.225\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.056\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.019$, which leads to a measurement of the electron left-right asymmetry parameter, ${A}_{e}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.162\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.041\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.014$, and ${sin}^{2}{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{W}^{\mathrm{eff}}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0.2297\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0052\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0018$. Also, the ${A}_{Q}^{\mathrm{obs}}$ measurement combined with the left-right cross section asymmetry determines ${A}_{e}$ independent of the value of the electron-beam polarization.
Hydrogen Peroxide Production from Glycerol Metabolism Is Dispensable for Virulence of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in the Tracheas of Chickens

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a by-product of glycerol metabolism in mycoplasmas and has been shown to cause cytotoxicity for cocultured eukaryotic cells. There appears to be selective pressure for mycoplasmas to retain the genes needed for glycerol metabolism. This has generated interest and speculation as to their function during infection. However, the actual effects of glycerol metabolism and H2O2 production on virulence in vivo have never been assessed in any Mycoplasma species. To this end, we determined that the wild-type (WT) R(low) strain of the avian pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum is capable of producing H2O2 when grown in glycerol and is cytotoxic to eukaryotic cells in culture. Transposon mutants with mutations in the genes present in the glycerol transport and utilization pathway, namely, glpO, glpK, and glpF, were identified. All mutants assessed were incapable of producing H2O2 and were not cytotoxic when grown in glycerol. We also determined that vaccine strains ts-11 and 6/85 produce little to no H2O2 when grown in glycerol, while the naturally attenuated F strain does produce H2O2. Chickens were infected with one of two glpO mutants, a glpK mutant, R(low), or growth medium, and tracheal mucosal thickness and lesion scores were assessed. Interestingly, all glp mutants were reproducibly virulent in the respiratory tracts of the chickens. Thus, there appears to be no link between glycerol metabolism/H2O2 production/cytotoxicity and virulence for this Mycoplasma species in its natural host. However, it is possible that glycerol metabolism is required by M. gallisepticum in a niche that we have yet to study.
The Developmental Genetics of Hybrid Inviability: A Mitotic Defect in Drosophila Hybrids

We report studies of the developmental basis of hybrid inviability in the Drosophila melanogaster complex. The pathology of these hybrids closely resembles that of mitotic mutants in D. melanogaster. We use mosaic and cytological analyses to show that hybrid male inviability is associated with, and probably caused by, a defect in mitotic cell division. In the mosaic study, we find that male clones produced in otherwise female hybrids are not cell lethal but are very small, probably reflecting defects in mitotic proliferation. Cytological inspection of larval neuroblasts reveals a profound mitotic defect in hybrids: chromosomes show a near-complete failure to condense even after 2 hr of incubation in colchicine. Both the defect in clonal proliferation and in chromatin condensation are rescued by mutations known to rescue normally inviable hybrid males. We present a simple model in which hybrid inviability is partly or entirely caused by a mitotic defect; this defect is, in turn, caused by an interaction between the Hybrid male rescue (Hmr) locus of D. melanogaster and autosomal gene(s) from D. melanogaster's sister species.
1.4 Dialogue in Narrative Inquiry: Collaboration in Doctoral Study in the USA

In this chapter we describe a process of using dialogue to construct and re-construct interpretations in narrative inquiry. We used narrative and dialogue as partners in the pursuit of learning, what Bakhtin called ‘consciousness.’ Our approach to inquiry was collaborative and well suited to research that is multivocal and socially critical. We define dialogue as more than comfortable talk or questions/answers in an interview; it requires a willingness to ask hard questions, learn from differences, and maybe change one’s mind. It is nurtured by trust and openness. Dialogue carries ethical considerations and is burdened by the acknowledgement that learning involves taking risks and will likely call one’s assumptions and meanings into question. To develop our chapter, we used narrative in the initial telling of research stories. As authors (a professor and five U.S. and international doctoral student advisees) we narrated our individual research plans and experiences using dialogue to interrogate what we were writing and learning. We considered our work together as both a theoretical and methodological project that involved a particular approach to dialogue in narrative inquiry that was necessarily highly interpretation throughout. This process led us to new ways of thinking about dialogue in narrative inquiry as well as new methods to make our research more thoroughly narrative.
Some Strategies Teaching Configuration Aerodynamics in Aeronautical Engineering Capstone Design

This paper describes some unconventional approaches to teaching configuration aerodynamics in the context of an aeronautical engineering capstone design course. The goal of this course is to produce graduating students that can balance creativity and analysis to produce viable designs. Highly unorthodox configurations are common in winning designs submitted to student design competitions (AIAA DBF, SAE Heavy Lift, etc). An approach de-emphasizing tail volume coefficients and emphasizing the first principles application of primary-source government specifications (MIL 8785C) has been successfully employed. Examples from both the capstone lecture series and an associated student project will be discussed.
Predicting tablet computer use: An extended Technology Acceptance Model for physicians

Abstract Objective Information technology has rapidly changed work in the United States in the 21st century. Healthcare, however, is one industry that has lagged behind in IT investment for a variety of reasons. Recent federal initiatives to encourage IT adoption in the healthcare industry provide an ideal context to study factors that influence technology acceptance. Method Data from 261 practicing pediatricians were collected to evaluate an extended Technology Acceptance Model. We employed structural equation modeling to statistically test three theoretically plausible models. Results Results indicated that individual, organizational, and device characteristics collectively influence pediatricians’ intention to adopt tablet computers in their medical practice. Subjective norms, compatibility, and reliability explain 72% of the variance in perceived usefulness. Additionally, compatibility and reliability explain 38% of the variance in perceived ease of use. Conclusions These results extend the literature on technology adoption by modeling determinants of the two core attitudinal constructs in the Technology Acceptance Model. Understanding these constructs will facilitate the adoption of technology and the management of health policies.
Survivorship of Experimental Green Cloverworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Pupal Cohorts in Soybeans

The survivorship of pupal green cloverworms (GCW), Plathypena scabra (F.), was studied experimentally in Iowa soybean fields during 1978 to 1980. During 1978 and 1980, predation was the primary pupal mortality factor, accounting for 37.8 and 60.0% mortality, respectively. Two categories of predation were identified: “eaten” and “missing” pupae. More pupae were “missing” and fewer pupae were “eaten” in field plots 0 to 4 m from the fencerow than in plots 30 to 34 m or 76 to 80 m from the fencerow. During 1979, a single severe thunderstorm destroyed 82.8% of the cohorts. Laboratory feeding trials identified 10 species of crickets, ground beetles, and rodents as GCW pupal predators. Exclusion cage experiments during 1980 showed that the northern field cricket, Gryllus pennsylvanicus Burmeister, accounted for 60 to 87% of total pupal predation. The combined impact of this cricket and several ground-foraging birds seemed to account for the high levels of pupal predation observed adjacent to the fencerow.
The muonionalusta meteorites, when and where did they fall?

Wickman, F. E.: The Muonionalusta meteorites, when and where did they fall? Geologiska Foreningens i Stockholm Forhandlingar, Vol. 92, pp. 404–405. Stockholm, September 30, 1970. Chang and Wanke (1969) have shown that the terrestrial age of the Muonionalusta iron meteorites is great; the meteorites have therefore survived two glaciations at least and the places of recovery are unlikely to be the impact points. The implications of these indications are discussed in the hope that field geologists working in the general area will be aware of the possibility of discovering field evidence that can solve the problems involved.
Lightspeed at a Snail's Pace: Relativity Meets Ultracold Physics

Bose-Einstein condensates in crystals of light with honeycomb geometry give rise to nonlinear Dirac equations and relativistic linear stability equations supporting a zoo of long-lived relativistic vortices, skyrmions, and solitons.
The effect of chronic liver disease on acute outcomes following cervical spine trauma.

Abstract Background Context The adverse impact of chronic liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, on outcomes following orthopedic surgery has been increasingly recognized in recent years. The impact of these conditions on acute outcomes following spinal trauma remains unknown. Study Design This is a cohort control study that uses patient records in the Massachusetts Statewide Inpatient Dataset (2003–2010). Purpose The study aimed to evaluate whether chronic liver disease increased the odds of mortality, complications, failure to rescue (FTR), reoperation, and hospital length of stay (LOS) following cervical spine trauma. Patient Sample The sample is composed of 10,841 patients with cervical spine trauma. Outcome Measures Posttreatment morbidity, mortality, reoperation, and LOS were the outcome measures. Methods Differences between patients with and without chronic liver disease were evaluated using chi-square or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Logistic and negative binomial regression techniques were used to adjust for confounders, including whether a surgical intervention was performed. Receiver operator characteristic curves were used to assess final model discrimination. Results There were 117 patients with chronic liver disease identified in the cohort. The rate of surgical intervention for cervical trauma was not significantly different between patients with and without chronic liver disease (odds ratio [OR]: 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52–1.29). Mortality (OR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.23–3.66), FTR (OR: 2.86, 95% CI: 1.34–6.11), complications (OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.12–2.45), and LOS (regression coefficients: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14–0.48) were all significantly increased for patients with chronic liver disease in final adjusted models that controlled for differences in case-mix and whether a surgical procedure was performed. Final models explained approximately 72% of the variation in mortality and FTR. Conclusions Our novel findings indicate that patients with chronic liver disease may be at elevated risk of posttreatment morbidity and mortality following cervical spine trauma. Medical comanagement in the acute period following injury and optimization before surgery may diminish the potential for adverse events.
UKSG 2016: Sociological Observations

ABSTRACTThe UKSG 2016 Conference is analyzed in terms of Andrew Abbott's ecological theory of professionalization and Gorman and Sandefur's description of new knowledge workers. The sessions at the UKSG can be understood as a result of an interaction between market-oriented, entrepreneurial, globalized, new knowledge workers and more traditionally organized and located librarians. The provision of new services for patrons and scholarly communication (as competitive areas of professional expertise being carved out by librarians) are the categories with the largest number of sessions offered. UKSG has primarily become not about serials. Open access, ethical concerns, and other issues raised at the Conference are also placed in context.