cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resistance of C57B1/6 mice to immunosuppressive effects of aflatoxin B1 and relationship with neuroendocrine mechanisms

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) a secondary metabolite of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, is known for its carcinogenicity and immunosuppressive effects. We previously reported on the immunosuppressive effects of AFB1 in Swiss and CD-1 mice. This study concerned the involvement of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland axis in the immunosuppressive effects of AFB1 in C57Bl/6 mice. Animals were treated orally with 30, 150 or 750 micrograms/kg AFB1 daily for four weeks. Splenic lymphocytes were assayed to investigate their phenotyping using flow cytometry, proliferative response against mitogens and allogeneic lymphocytes, cytolytic cell activity, and IL-2 production. Antibody-mediated immunocompetence was checked using sheep red blood cell (SRBC)-challenged animals by plaque-forming cell assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The dose of AFB1 for the immunosuppressive effects on blastogenic response, IL-2 production, and primary antibody production of splenic cells was much higher than previous studies involving other mice strains. AFB1 decreased the amount of circulating anti-SRBC antibody, and the helper-T cell and B cell populations in phenotyping splenic lymphocytes. There were no significant changes in natural killer cell activity, mixed lymphocyte response, hypothalamic biogenic amine concentrations, and corticotropin releasing factor, and of adrenocorticotropic hormone and corticosterone in plasma. Results were confirmed using adrenalectomized mice. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis does not appear to have a major role in AFB1-induced immunotoxicity.
Designer nations: Neo-liberal nation branding – Brand Estonia

This article critically examines the emergence of nation branding as a commercial practice at the end of the Cold War by conceptualizing it as a means for nations to redefine and reposition themselves within the master narrative of globalization. It examines the industry literature of the nation branding movement, which seeks to legitimate the practice. It argues that nation branding is an engine of neo-liberalism that explicitly embraces a reductive logic, which privileges market relations (market fundamentalism) in articulations of national identity; also contends that nation branding is a risky business that can backfire, since its success depends, in large part, on the intuitive knowledge of individual industry ‘creatives’. It maintains that the methodology of nation branding, qua methodology, is profoundly anti-democratic. It offers recommendations for making nation branding more transparent and accountable to democratic values, but also explores Umberto's concept of ‘semiotic guerrilla warfare’ as a...
Synthesis of the trisaccharide moiety of gangliotriosylceramide (asialo GM2)

Abstract The synthesis of the trisaccharide methyl glycoside β- d -GalNAc-(1→4)-β- d -Gal-(1→4)-β- d -Glc-OMe, which corresponds to the carbohydrate portion of gangliotriosylceramide (asialo GM2), was accomplished by the reaction of 4-O-acetyl-3,6-di-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido- d -galactopyranosyl bromide (18) with a benzylated derivative of methyl 4-O-β- d -galactopyranosyl-β- d -glucopyranoside. Comparative studies with a 6′-benzyl ether and a 6′-benzoate revealed that the substituent at O-6′ is crucial to the outcome of glycosylations at O-4′, the ether derivative being much the more reactive. tert-Butyl 4-O-acetyl-3,6-di-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-phthalimido- d -galactopyranoside, which was readily converted into the corresponding bromide 18, was obtained from the gluco derivative via a single-step, crown ether-assisted epimerization.
Galactose toxicity and activities of the galactose-metabolizing enzymes during development of the chick.

Abstract When an 18% galactose diet was fed to Leghorn chicks, marked mortality differences occurred according to sex and age. Galactose was found to be less toxic to 3-week-old chicks than to newly hatched chicks when each group was kept on the experimental diet for 10 days. In both groups, however, females were consistently more susceptible to galactose toxicity than males. Galactokinase, transferase, and epimerase showed peak activity in the livers of chicks on or about hatching for both males and females. These activities subsequently declined and remained relatively constant. No consistent differences were apparent between male and female chicks in the development of liver galactokinase and epimerase activities. Transferase activity, on the other hand, was significantly higher in the livers of male chicks throughout development, from 5 days before hatching through 50 days of age.
The pharmacodynamics of antibiotic treatment

We derive models of the effects of periodic, discrete dosing or constant dosing of antibiotics on a bacterial population whose growth is checked by nutrient-limitation and possibly by host defenses. Mathematically rigorous results providing sufficient conditions for treatment success, i.e. the elimination of the bacteria, as well as for treatment failure, are obtained. Our models can exhibit bi-stability where the infection-free state and an infection-state are locally stable when antibiotic dosing is marginal. In this case, treatment success may occur only for sub-threshold level infections.
Solidification behavior and recovery kinetics of liquid crystalline polymers

The supercooling behavior of three thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCP's), 60 mole% p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 40 mole% poly(ethyleneterephthalate), 60/40 PHB/PET, 80 mole% p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 20 mole% poly(ethyleneterephthalate), 80/20 PHB/PET and a copolyester of 73 mole% p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 27 mole% of 2-hydroxy-6-naphthoic acid, Vectra A900, was studied by means of both rheological and thermal methods. 60/40 PHB/PET and Vectra A900 exhibited a degree of supercooling as high as 80°C while there was only 20°C of supercooling for 80/20 PHB/PET. The degree of supercooling for the blends of 60/40 PHB/PET and 80/20 PHB/PET also decreased with the increase in 80/20 PHB/PET content. The increase in G′ as the temperature decreased was more gradual for 60/40 PHB/PET and Vectra A900 than that for 80/20 PHB/PET, which was beneficial from a processing point of view. The solidification of the LCP melt was attributed to both the crystallization and the freezing of the mesophase. The degree of crystallinity for all three TLCP's was very small, less than 5%, as measured by the DSC. It was found that both 60/40 PHB/PET and Vectra A900 showed an induction period of a few minutes during solidification while 80/20 PHB/PET solidified continuously at the test temperature. Therefore, 60/40 PHB/PET and Vectra A900 seem to be more suitable for use in processes such as blow molding and film blowing than 80/20 PHB/PET.
Null space learning in cooperative MIMO cellular networks using interference feedback

Cooperative Multi-Point is a technology for improved spectrum utilization where a group of neighboring base stations coordinate their transmissions. However, the performance gain is severely degraded due to out-of-group interference. We propose simple schemes for null space learning and tracking of the interference channel between a terminal and an interfering base station group, whose only required network information is the interference levels at the terminal. In the proposed schemes, the interfering base station group transmits a sequence of learning signals which inflict low interference on a terminal of a neighboring group. The schemes utilize the fact that each terminal normally measures its interference levels and feeds them back to its serving base stations. Then, the serving group distributes this information to the interfering group, from which it learns the null space of the interfering channel. The proposed algorithms do not affect the transmission protocol between the terminal and the serving base stations, and do not add any signaling to the control channel between them. Each terminal communicates only with its serving group and treats the learning signals of the interfering group as noise.
Improved sugar release from lignocellulosic material by introducing a tyrosine-rich cell wall peptide gene in poplar

Lignin degradation is of critical importance in biomass utilization of woody plants, because the presence of lignin limits hydrolytic enzyme access to cellulose and hemicellulose. To date, strategies for lignin removal have ranged from treatment with lignin-degrading fungi to genetic manipulations that reduce lignin content or modify monolignol composition. However, reducing lignin content without compromising tree fitness can be difficult. An alternate approach to modify lignin composition by introducing in situ peptide cross-links is reported here. The hypothesis was that introducing in situ peptide cross-links would not change overall lignin content or distribution in the cell wall, yet should render the lignin more susceptible to protease digestion. To test this, a transgene encoding a high tyrosine-content peptide was designed to express in lignifying tissues of hybrid poplar. Relative to wildtypes, the transgenics had no change in total lignin content or overall plant morphology, although the wood in a number of lines had reduced storage modulus. As predicted, a number of transgenic lines were more susceptible to protease digestion than wildtypes, resulting in a higher polysaccharide release from the lignocellulose complexes. Although preliminary, these results suggest that this may be a viable means to facilitate lignin removal and potentially advance the utilization of woody biomass as a biofuel feedstock.
Automatic Scheme Selection for Toolkit Hex Meshing

Current hexahedral mesh generation techniques rely on a set of meshing tools, which when combined with geometry decomposition leads to an adequate mesh generation process. Of these tools, sweeping tends to be the workhorse algorithm, accounting for at least 50% of most meshing applications. Constraints which must be met for a volume to be sweepable are derived, and it is proven that these constraints are necessary but not sufficient conditions for sweepability. This paper also describes a new algorithm for detecting extruded or sweepable geometries. This algorithm, based on these constraints, uses topological and local geometric information, and is more robust than feature recognition-based algorithms. A method for computing sweep dependencies in volume assemblies is also given. The auto sweep detect and sweep grouping algorithms have been used to reduce interactive user time required to generate all-hexahedral meshes by filtering out non-sweepable volumes needing further decomposition and by allowing concurrent meshing of independent sweep groups. Parts of the auto sweep detect algorithm have also been used to identify independent sweep paths, for use in volume-based interval assignment.
Permanent Non-Etching Adhesion Promotion System for Solder Mask Applications

With the constant drive for miniaturization in the IC substrate market, and the increasing performance demands being made on completed assemblies, the use of etch based adhesion promoter systems is coming into question. Unlike the current technology, Atotech's SecureTM HFz process enhances the adhesion between a Copper conductor and a solder mask with no etching to the conductor itself. This unique approach is designed to meet the current and future market requirements typical to ultra fine line IC substrate manufacturing (sub 10/10 mum line and spaces can be achieved). This work details the SecureTM HFz process and discusses testing carried out, in which, the adhesion properties are attained for treated surfaces and a range of solder mask materials. The tests show that surfaces treated with this non-etching chemistry exhibit comparable or greater adhesion strength when compared to a traditional etching based system. Long term reliability is also evaluated through HAST (Highly Accelerated Stress Test) where again overall performance is equivalent to, or better than the current etch based process. The summary of this work is that Copper surfaces treated with the SecureTM HFz process offer a technical advantage in ultrafine line and space applications due to their improved adhesion to solder mask materials with no changes, critically reduction, in overall track geometry.
Black holes and the Gibbs-Duhem relation

Weinhold's geometric approach to thermodynamics is applied to black-hole-radiation systems to show that Schwarzschild and Reissner-Nordstroem black holes do not possess Gibbs-Duhem relations, and that such relations are unlikely in the Kerr case. These results are interpreted as expressing the lack of symmetries present in normal thermodynamic systems. In addition, a parametrization of the black-hole equations is introduced which greatly simplifies calculations.
MO‐FF‐A3‐02: In‐Vivo Correspondence Validation of a Deformable Image Registration Method

Purpose: During a course of radiation therapy for the prostate, organs such as the bladder and rectum may change shape significantly from day to day, causing the delivereddose to differ from that planned. Deformable image registration has been used to overlap structures with different shape. In this project, we propose a method to validate the correspondence accuracy of a deformable registration algorithm using images of previously treated prostate patients. Method and Materials: The planning and one daily treatmentCTimages for each of five patients with three Calypso transponders implanted in their prostate were retrospectively selected for the study. Two CT volumes of each patient were pre‐processed to mask the fiducials. A fluid‐based image registration method was used to register images. The displacement fields obtained were applied on the original images with fiducials. The overlap of prostate volumes between the registered images was evaluated by the coincidence index (CI). The centroid positions of each transponder were calculated. The distance between the corresponding transponders was used to quantify the accuracy of correspondence of image registration.Results: The fluid deformable image registration produced satisfactory results of the overlap of the prostate volumes. The mean CI is 95.3%, with 91.5% as minimum and 98.7% as maximum. The average distance between the centroid of all pairs of transponders is 0.35 mm. The displacement is related to the quality of image registration. For image registration with CI 98.7%, all displacement of three pairs of transponders is within 0.22 mm. When less overlap is achieved, CI 91.5%, one pair of transponder is 0.78 mm apart. Conclusion: We have used real patient data to validate the correspondence of the fluid deformable image registration method. For the prostate, it has maintained sub‐millimeter mapping accuracy, which is dependent on image registration quality.
Variance and the value of information

A simple way to approximate the value of information is proposed. This approximation suggests that two kinds of quantities are important in determining the value of information: (1) the optimal behaviors that would be chosen if the decision maker knew which subtype (or state) of the resource it faced; and (2) the costs of small deviations from these subtype optima. I show that the value of information is approximately equal to the product of the mean cost of small deviations from the subtype optima and the variance of a modified distribution of the optimal behaviors. This helps to resolve the conflict between a result from economics, which shows that the value of information does not increase with the variance of subtypes, and results from theoretical behavioral ecology, which show that the effect of adding incomplete information to "conventional" models is greatest when the variance of subtypes is greatest. There is no conflict here as long as an increase in the variance of subtypes results in an increas...
Text message intervention designs to promote adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART): a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background The efficacy of antiretroviral therapy depends on patient adherence to a daily medication regimen, yet many patients fail to adhere at high enough rates to maintain health and reduce the risk of transmitting HIV. Given the explosive global growth of cellular-mobile phone use, text-messaging interventions to promote adherence are especially appropriate. This meta-analysis synthesized available text messaging interventions to promote antiretroviral therapy adherence in people living with HIV.
Controlled-Release Tablet Matrices from Carrageenans: Compression and Dissolution Studies

This study investigates the potential of two commercial carrageenans, Gelcarin GP-379 (iota-carrageenan) and Viscarin GP-209 (lambda-carrageenan) to be used for the preparation of controlled-release tablet matrices. Tablets were compressed on an instrumented Stokes single punch machine and compression characteristics of the carrageenans were analyzed. Heckel plots using out-of-die tablet densities were linear with calculated yield pressures of 81.3 MPa and 105.2 MPa for iota- and lambda-carrageenan, respectively. Drug release from tablet formulations that contained equal amounts of the two carrageenans had near zero-order release profiles. There was little or no effect of tablet compression pressure on the drug release profiles from 70 to 175 MPa. As drug loading was increased from 5 to 20%, the diffusional exponent decreased from 1.056 to 0.678. Thirty percent drug loading resulted in breakup of tablets during dissolution and departure from zero-order release. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict the time for 50% release as a function of the concentration of the two carrageenans and a third filler material, microcrystalline cellulose. Predicted values were in good agreement with observed values and R2 for the final cubic model was 0.9984.
The therapeutic uses of topical vitamin A acid

Topical vitamin A acid (VAA) has various mechanisms of action which may be responsible for its therapeutic success in many different disorders. Although the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of VAA are not completely understood, VAA appears to remain mainly on the skin surface. The question of carcinogenicity is unresolved, and more research is needed to clarify this problem. This article reviews the literature regarding the therapeutic uses of VAA and summarizes various investigators' experiences with VAA.
Increased tear secretion in pancreatic cholera: a newly recognized symptom in an experiment of nature

Hormone producing non-B islet cell tumors can be considered experiments of nature because the clinical manifestations allow determination of the pathophysiologic or pharmacologic functions of the peptides produced, and suggest physiologic functions as well. The roles of gastrin as a normal regulator of hydrogen secretion by the stomach and of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) as a regulator of sodium and chloride transport by the intestine were strongly suggested by the clinical manifestations of tumors producing these respective peptides [l]. Herein, we describe a patient with a VIP-producing pancreatic adenocarcinoma who had secretory diarrhea and increased tearing. This case suggests a role for VIP in regulation of human lacrimal gland secretion. CASE REPORT A 35-year-old woman with a previous diagnosis in 1982 of pancreatic cholera secondary to a VIP-producing metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma [2] was admitted in September 1986 for refractory diarrhea secondary to metastatic VIPoma. The patient complained of continual tearing and epiphora (overflow tears) that were worse at night. She denied associated ocular irritation or eye pain. At this time, her stool volume was 21 liters per 24 hours, her serum VIP level was 2,394 pmol/liter (normal less than 30 pmolfliter), and her serum pancreatic polypeptide level was 28,661 pmol/liter (normal less than 300 pmovliter).
RECONSTRUCTION OF SUMMER TEMPERATURES IN INTERIOR ALASKA FROM TREE-RING PROXIES: EVIDENCE FOR CHANGING SYNOPTIC CLIMATE REGIMES

Maximum latewood density and δ 13C discrimination of Interior Alaska white spruce were used to reconstruct summer (May through August) temperature at Fairbanks for the period 1800–1996, one of the first high-resolution reconstructions for this region. This combination of latewood density and δ 13C discrimination explains 59.9% of the variance in summer temperature during the period of record 1906–1996. The 200-yr. reconstruction is characterized by 7 decadal-scale regimes. Regime changes are indicated at 1816, 1834, 1879, 1916, 1937, and 1974, are abrupt, and appear to be the result of synoptic scale climate changes. The mean of summer temperature for the period of reconstruction (1800–1996) was 13.49 °C. During the period of instrument record (1903–1996) the mean of summer temperature was 13.31 °C for both the reconstruction and the recorded data. The coldest interval was 1916–1937 (12.62 ° C) and the warmest was 1974–1996 (14.23 °C) for the recorded data. The reconstruction differs from records of northern hemisphere temperatures over this period, especially because of Interior Alaska warm periods reconstructed from 1834 to 1851 (14.24 °C) and from 1862 to 1879 (14.19 °C) and because of the cool period in the early part of the 20th century (1917–1974). We show additional tree ring data that support our reconstruction of these warm periods. Alternate hypotheses involving autogenic effect of tree growth on the site, altered tree sensitivity, or novel combinations of temperature and precipitation were explored and while they cannot be ruled out as contributors to the anomalously warm 19th century reconstruction, they were not supported by available data. White spruce radial growth is highly correlated with reconstructed summer temperature, and temperature appears to be a reliable index of carbon uptake in this system.
First Synthesis, Experimental and Theoretical Vibrational Spectra of an Oxametallacycle on a Metal Surface

High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) studies were performed to examine the reactions of 2-iodoethanol (ICH2CH2OH) on the Ag(110) surface. The goal of these experiments was to isolate and spectroscopically characterize a stable surface oxametallacycle, an intermediate previously proposed but never isolated in the chemistry of a variety of oxygenates, including epoxides. The hydroxyethyl intermediate (−CH2CH2OH), formed from initial carbon−iodine bond scission, decomposed at 263 K to yield a variety of volatile products as well as a surface oxametallacycle (−CH2CH2O−). The oxametallacycle intermediate, formed at 263 K, remained intact until 340 K, permitting spectroscopic characterization by HREELS. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were employed to determine the fully optimized structure for the oxametallacycle on silver and to predict the infrared spectrum and molecular motions for that structure. The excellent agreement between the infrared spectrum predicted for an oxame...
Dynamic process simulation using a concurrent differential and algebraic solver

Abstract Rigorous modeling of dynamic chemical processes results in systems of differential and algebraic equations (DAEs) whose solution on sequential computers can be highly time consuming. A possible alternative for the solution of very large systems of DAEs is to use concurrent computation on multiprocessor computers, or multicomputers. The waveform relaxation (WR) method, an operator-splitting approach to the solution of such DAE systems, partitions the problem into several lower order systems (subsystems). These subsystems can then be solved using standard integration codes. This method results in algorithms with a highly parallelizable concurrent fraction and low sequential overhead, which are especially suitable for coarseand medium-grain MIMD distributed-memory machines. In this paper, we describe a new simulation code, DAWRS (Differential- Algebraic Waveform Relaxation Solver) to solve DAEs on parallel machines using the WR method. Using a rigorous model for distillation columns, we illustrate how this code can be efficiently applied to the simulation of dynamic chemical processes, and what the limiting factors (in terms of efficiency) turn out to be. A process network involving several distillation columns, with various configurations and dimensions, is given as an illustration of large scale dynamic simulation.
Determinants of hepatic aminopyrine demethylase activity.

Abstract A study has been made of age and maturational determinants as well as of the incubation conditions which effect aminopyrine demethylase activity of rat liver. The specific activity of N -demethylation in vitro by the 9000 g supernatant fraction increased about 3-fold in the first 30 days after birth. The relative deficiency of the newborn was not affected by increasing the supply of NADPH. No evidence for an inhibitor or for the presence of an inactive form of the enzyme during the newborn period was found. After puberty, the male rat, under the influence of androgen, showed a further increase per unit of microsomal protein. Nonetheless, the marked increase in overall capability to demethylate resulted from the increase in liver size. Undernourished rats had a defect in metabolism greater than that which could be accounted for on the basis of decreased body and liver weight. The finding of different effects of pH on the enzymatic activity of newborns and adults suggests the presence of age-dependent differences in the enzyme(s) or inhibitor(s) involved in the demethylation of aminopyrine.
T‐Cell Recruitment and Th1 Polarization in Adipose Tissue During Diet‐Induced Obesity in C57BL/6 Mice

The role of adaptive immunity in obesity-associated adipose tissue (AT) inflammation and insulin resistance (IR) is controversial. We employed flow cytometry and quantitative PCR to assess T-cell recruitment and activation in epididymal AT (eAT) of C57BL/6 mice during 4-22 weeks of a high-fat diet (HFD (60% energy)). By week 6, eAT mass and stromal vascular cell (SVC) number increased threefold in mice fed HFD, coincident with onset of IR. We observed no increase in the proportion of CD3(+) SVCs or in gene expression of CD3, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), or regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) during the first 16 weeks of HFD. In contrast, CD11c(+) macrophages (MΦ) were enriched sixfold by week 8 (P < 0.01). SVC enrichment for T cells (predominantly CD4(+) and CD8(+)) and elevated IFN-γ and RANTES gene expression were detected by 20-22 weeks of HFD (P < 0.01), coincident with the resolution of eAT remodeling. HFD-induced T-cell priming earlier in the obesity time course is suggested by (i) elevated (fivefold) interleukin-12 (IL-12)p40 gene expression in eAT by week 12 (P ≤ 0.01) and (ii) greater IFN-γ secretion from phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)/ionophore-stimulated eAT explants at week 6 (onefold, P = 0.08) and week 12 (fivefold, P < 0.001). In conclusion, T-cell enrichment and IFN-γ gene induction occur subsequent to AT macrophage (ATMΦ) recruitment, onset of IR and resolution of eAT remodeling. However, enhanced priming for IFN-γ production suggests the contribution of CD4(+) and/or CD8(+) effectors to cell-mediated immune responses promoting HFD-induced AT inflammation and IR.
The origin of life—a review of facts and speculations

Three popular hypotheses attempt to explain the origin of prebiotic molecules: synthesis in a reducing atmosphere, input in meteorites and synthesis on metal sulfides in deep-sea vents. It is not possible to decide which is correct. It is also unclear whether the RNA world was the first biological world or whether some simpler world preceded it.
Histologic comparison of the CO 2 laser and Nd:YAG with and without water/air surface cooling on tooth root structure

Specimens consisted of 18 extracted single rooted teeth unaffected by periodontal disease. After debriding roots, specimens were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups and subjected to a single pass, at varying energy densities, of a CO 2 , Nd:YAG, and Nd:YAG with air/water surface cooling (Nd:YAG-C). The rate of exposure was controlled at 4 mm/sec. Approximate energy densities were: CO 2 , 138, 206, 275, and 344 J/cm 2 ; Nd:YAG, 114, 171, 229, and 286 J/cm 2 ; Nd:YAG-C, 286, 343, 514, and 571 J/cm 2 . The CO 2 laser was used both in continuous and pulsed beam modes (20 Hz, 0.01 sec pulse length and 0.8 mm dia spot size) whereas the Nd:YAG and Nd:YAG-C were preset at 50 Hz, 0.08 sec pulse length and 0.6 mm dia spot size. Specimen examination by SEM revealed, for all lasers, a direct correlation between increasing energy densities and depth of tissue ablation and width of tissue damage. However, to achieve the same relative dept of tissue ablation, the Nd:YAG-C required higher energy densities than either the CO 2 or Nd:YAG lasers. The Nd:YAG-C generated a cavitation with sharply defined margins. Furthermore, regardless of energy density, and in contrast with other laser types, areas treated with the Nd:YAG-C did not exhibit collateral zones of heat damaged surface tissue.
Spatial analysis of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis near Lyme, Connecticut.

Geographic information systems combined with methods of spatial analysis provide powerful new tools for understanding the epidemiology of diseases and for improving disease prevention and control. In this study, the spatial distribution of a newly recognized tick-borne disease, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), was investigated for nonrandom patterns and clusters in an area known to be endemic for tick-borne diseases. Analysis of confirmed cases of HGE identified in 1997–2000 in a 12-town area around Lyme, Connecticut, showed that HGE infections are not distributed randomly. Smoothed HGE incidence was higher around the mouth of the Connecticut River and lower to the north and west. Cluster analysis identified one area of increased HGE risk (relative risk=1.8, p=0.001). This study demonstrates the utility of geographic information systems and spatial analysis to clarify the epidemiology of HGE.
Blunt pediatric vascular trauma: Analysis of forty-one consecutive patients undergoing operative intervention

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of blunt vascular trauma to death and disability in children. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 41 patients aged 17 years and younger requiring operative intervention for 48 blunt vascular injuries during the past 18 years. Results: Eight patients had arterial injuries (seven brachial, one superficial femoral) associated with orthopedic trauma resulting from falls. All eight were associated with a pulse deficit and were easily recognized. None of the eight had late sequelae after vascular repair. Thirty-three patients had vascular trauma as a result of motor vehicle crashes ( n = 17), motor vehicle/pedestrian accidents ( n = 12), or severe crush injuries ( n = 4). Twenty-one (64%) were admitted in shock. Twenty-one major abdominal venous injuries were present in 17 patients and were lethal in 11 (65%). Abdominal venous injuries were not recognized before laparotomy. Nine of the 33 (27%) patients had extremity vascular injuries associated with orthopedic trauma, and three (9%) had major injuries of thoracic vessels. Only three patients had major abdominal arterial injuries in this series. Conclusions: Vascular injuries resulting from blunt trauma are rare in the pediatric age group. Whereas blunt arterial injuries associated with long bone fractures are readily recognized, easily treated, and result in minimal late morbidity, blunt abdominal venous injuries are rarely recognized before exploration and are lethal in more than half. Devastating venous injuries are more common than arterial injuries after blunt abdominal trauma in children. (J VASC SURG 1994;20:419-25.)
Cyclohexylamine mutagenicity: an in vivo evaluation utilizing fetal lambs.

Summary The in vivo effects of cyclohexylamine (CHA) upon the segregation apparatus and chromosome morphology of mitogenically capable lymphocytes obtained from the peripheral circulating blood tissue of living fetal lambs in utero were evaluated. CHA proved to be a clastogen in vivo . The mechanism(s) of chromosome effect was evidently expressed during both G 1 and S-G 2 phases of the cellular autosynthetic cycle. Increases in numerical aberrations were not observed but the chemical was found to produce in vivo toxicity in that a dose-related inhibition of growth was an observable concomitant of increasing levels of treatment.
Macrophage depletion ameliorates nephritis induced by pathogenic antibodies

Abstract Kidney involvement affects 40–60% of patients with lupus, and is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. Using depletion approaches, several studies have suggested that macrophages may play a key role in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis. However, “off target” effects of macrophage depletion, such as altered hematopoiesis or enhanced autoantibody production, impeded the determination of a conclusive relationship. In this study, we investigated the role of macrophages in mice receiving rabbit anti-glomerular antibodies, or nephrotoxic serum (NTS), an experimental model which closely mimics the immune complex mediated disease seen in murine and human lupus nephritis. GW2580, a selective inhibitor of the colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) receptor kinase, was used for macrophage depletion. We found that GW2580-treated, NTS challenged mice did not develop the increased levels of proteinuria, serum creatinine, and BUN seen in control-treated, NTS challenged mice. NTS challenged mice exhibited significantly increased kidney expression of inflammatory cytokines including RANTES, IP-10, VCAM-1 and iNOS, whereas GW2580-treated mice were protected from the robust expression of these inflammatory cytokines that are associated with lupus nephritis. Quantification of macrophage related gene expression, flow cytometry analysis of kidney single cell suspensions, and immunofluorescence staining confirmed the depletion of macrophages in GW2580-treated mice, specifically within renal glomeruli. Our results strongly implicate a specific and necessary role for macrophages in the development of immune glomerulonephritis mediated by pathogenic antibodies, and support the development of macrophage targeting approaches for the treatment of lupus nephritis.
Neurotoxicity of hexachlorophene: New pathological and biochemical observations

Twenty female rats with nursing litters were fed a diet containing 500 p.p.m. of hexachlorophene (HCP). The blood concentrations of hexachlorophene in mother rats were 4.7-6.0 mug/ml and in infant rats 2.0-2.5 mug/ml. Fifty percent of mother rats and 75% of infant rats died. Most of the surviving animals were asymptomatic apart from imparied visual function. Ten adult and 20 infant rats were killed by perfusion. Light- and electron-microscopic studies showed vacuolation of myelin in the central and peripheral nervous system and axonal degeneration which was especially severe in the optic nerves. After withdrawal of HCP hydrocephalus ex vacuo was present in the chronically intoxicated infant rats and the optic nerves showed marked atrophy and gliosis. Studies with liver mitochondria prepared from lactating hexachlorophene-fed rats showed a 50-75% inhibition of respiration with succinate as substrate.
IBM_UB_1: A Dual Mode Unconstrained English Handwriting Dataset

In this paper we present a new dual mode, twin-folio structured English handwriting dataset IBM_UB_1. IBM_UB_1 is our first major release from a large multilingual handwriting corpus. Containing over 6000 pages of handwritten matter, this dataset can not only be used for unconstrained handwriting recognition, more importantly, the dataset's unique twin-folio structure presents a natural fit for research on writer identification, keyword spotting, indexing and various forms of handwritten document search and retrieval. We first describe two central characteristics of the dataset - the twin-folio structure and dual modality (online/offline) - and their relevance to current research problems. Secondly, we describe the dataset, its collection and construction, and provide key descriptive statistics. Finally, we evaluate the dataset on two different research domains - handwriting recognition and writer identification - and present related experimental results.
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Donors Varying Widely in Age are of Equal Cellular Fitness After in vitro Expansion Under Hypoxic Conditions

AbstractBackground aims. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are gaining in popularity as an experimental therapy for a number of conditions that often require expansion ex vivo prior to use. Data comparing clinical-grade MSC from various ages of donors are scant. We hypothesized that MSC from older donors may display differences in cellular fitness when expanded for clinical use. Methods. We evaluated the expression of several markers of aging, oxidative stress and growth kinetics, and telomere length, in MSC obtained from a wide age range (8 months to 58 years). Results. To evaluate cellular fitness we compared MSC expanded from younger (8 months–6 years) versus older (38–58 years) donors in terms of selected cell-surface markers, lipofuscin, migration ability, telomere length and expression of iNOS, PGE2, p16INK and SOD. Results did not differ between these groups. Neither SOD activity (0.025 versus 0.028 U/mL) nor death after oxidative challenge was significantly different (1% versus 1.5%, P = 0.14). We d...
Transesophageal echocardiography-guided closed aortic plication for intraoperative aortic dissection.

A 71-year-old female who developed introperative aortic dissection after coronary artery bypass grafting underwent a successful closed aortic plication with obliteration of the intimal tear under image guided transesophageal echocardiography.
Going public through writing: women journalists and gendered journalistic space in China, 1890s—1920s

This article examines the historical emergence of a women's public sphere in early 20th-century China, a time when modernization was at the top of the national agenda, by looking at how some women — who belonged to the scholar-gentry class and had experience of the West — became journalists. These women carved out a distinctively women's public sphere by establishing a press that was both for women and by women. While Chinese male intellectuals envisioned women's press merely as instrument for enlightening and educating women, women journalists promoted women's journalism as a public forum, particularly for women to participate in discussions of modernization. Struggling against the fact that women in China were traditionally perceived as a subordinate and incapable group, these women journalists had to utilize their elite background to claim credit for their writings and secure their place in the public discursive field.
Shape of a vapor stem during nucleate boiling of saturated liquids

The transport processes occurring in an evaporating two-dimensional vapor stem formed during saturated nucleate boiling on a heated surface are modeled and analyzed numerically. From the heater surface heat is conducted into the liquid macro/microthermal layer surrounding the vapor stems and is utilized in evaporation at the stationary liquid-vapor interface. A balance between forces due to curvature of the interface, disjoining pressure, hydrostatic head, and liquid drag determines the shape of the interface. The kinetic theory and the extended Clausius-Clapeyron equation are used to calculate the evaporative heat flux across the liquid-vapor interface. The vapor stem shape calculated by solving a fourth-order nonlinear ordinary differential equation resembles a cup with a flat bottom. For a given wall superheat, several metastable states of the vapor stem between a minimum and maximum diameter are found to be possible. The effect of wall superheat on the shape of the vapor stem is parametrically analyzed and compared with limited data reported in the literature.
Transformation, associative uncertainty, and free recall of sentences

Eight sentences, each under a different transformation condition, were learned by eight groups of S s given different sentence × transformation pairing. Free recall followed each of 16 presentations of a list. It was conjectured that learning of transformation conditions and learning of sentence contents should not interact. The conjecture was supported for total correct recall data. However, while intralist intrusion errors were independent of transformation condition, transformation errors were partly a function of sentence content. The possibility is raised that syntactic and semantic errors are not wholly independent. While learning rate and number of intralist intrusion errors for the sentences were predictable from their free-associative uncertainty values, transformation errors were not.
Visible to Infrared Luminescence from a 28-Atom Gold Cluster

The luminescence properties of chemically prepared gold nanoclusters, each composed of a 28-atom core and a glutathione (GSH) adsorbate layer consisting of 16 molecules, were investigated. These clusters show a distinct absorption onset at 1.3 eV corresponding to the opening of an electronic gap within the conduction band (HOMO-LUMO gap). Here we report on the radiative properties of these molecular-like gold clusters. By using a combination of different detectors with sensitivities in the visible to the infrared (2.0−0.8 eV), a broad luminescence extending over this entire spectral range was observed. Our results further suggest that the luminescence can be separated into two bands with maxima around 1.5 and 1.15 eV indicating that radiative recombination between the ground state and two distinctively different excited states takes place. The origin of the observed luminescence bands is discussed using a solid state as well as a molecular model for the electronic structure and relaxation of the clusters....
Effects of serum response factor (SRF) deletion on conditioned reinforcement

Abstract Serum response factor (SRF) is a ubiquitously expressed stimulus-dependent transcription factor that regulates gene expression by binding to serum response element in the promoter region of target genes. Recent studies in mice have shown that SRF is important for activity-dependent gene expression and synaptic plasticity in the adult brain but is dispensable for neuronal survival. Given these important functions of SRF in the CNS, it is expected to play a critical role in several aspects of learning and memory. Here we evaluated the role of SRF in conditioned reinforcement using two lines of conditional SRF mutant mice. These SRF mutant mice exhibited different spatial patterns of SRF deletion in the post-natal forebrain and notably within the hippocampus. SRF deletion was more widespread in SRF-CKCre mutants than in SRF-SynCre mutants, particularly in areas of the cortex and striatum. Mutant and wild-type mice were trained to associate one auditory cue (CS+) with reward, whereas a second cue remained relatively neutral (CS−). All mice readily acquired this discrimination, entering the food cup during CS+ but not during CS−. In a subsequent test of conditioned reinforcement, in the absence of food, wild-type control mice and SRF-SynCre mice learned to selectively perform an instrumental response that yielded CS+ presentation rather than another response that produced CS−. SRF-CKCre mutants failed to show this preferential responding for CS+. These results suggest a role for SRF in conditioned reinforcement, a manifestation of incentive learning that has been implicated in many aspects of adaptive and maladaptive behavior, such as substance abuse and eating disorders.
Testing the ability of males and females to respond to altered songs in the dueting green lacewing, Chrysoperla plorabunda (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Green lacewings in the carnea group of Chrysoperla engage in species-specific heterosexual duets using low-frequency substrate-borne signals. Within each species, both sexes sing nearly identical songs. Songs are the principal barriers to hybridization between sympatric species in the complex. Here, we investigated the responsiveness of males and females of Chrysoperla plorabunda to synthesized, prerecorded songs that differed from the species mean in the period between repeated volleys of abdominal vibration. We tested 15–16 males and 15–16 females using playbacks of two signals that gradually increased or decreased in volley period, starting at the species mean. We found that (1) duets during courtship are accurate, interactive, and adjustable by each participant; (2) in staged duets, both sexes respond best to song tempos near the mean volley period of their population, but can nonetheless maintain duets with signals of nearly twice, or half, the normal volley period; (3) individuals fine-tune their adjustments to signals of different volley periods by changing their own volley duration and latent period, or less often by inserting extra volleys or skipping every other volley; (4) males are significantly better at matching signals of changing tempo than females; and (5) the range of song responsiveness of C. plorabunda does not overlap the natural range of volley periods found in Chrysoperla adamsi, an acoustically similar sibling species, thus reaffirming strong behavioral isolation. In sum, the precise, almost unbreakable heterosexual duets characteristic of song species of the carnea group result from tight mutual feedback between partners. Effective reproductive isolation between species can be based on song differences alone.
Absolutely relative: how research results are summarized can affect treatment decisions.

Abstract purpose: To determine whether alternative methods of presenting a contrast between the same two quantities in descriptions of research results could lead to different treatment decisions by physicians. subjects and methods: We conducted a survey of practicing physicians and of faculty and fellows in training programs in clinical epidemiology and social science research methods. Each questionnaire presented results from a published study of either hypertension or hypercholesterolemia in two different ways: once as the relative change in the outcome rate and once as the absolute change in the outcome rate. We asked respondents to read each summary and indicate how the information contained in the summary would influence decisions about treatment. results: Of the 235 physicians who completed the questionnaire, 108 (46%) gave different responses to the same results presented in different ways. Of these, 97 (89.8%) indicated a stronger inclination to treat patients after reading of the relative change in the outcome rate (p conclusion: The manner of presentation of results can influence physicians' judgments about the treatment of patients.