cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of the Internet in Endocrinology Practice

The ability of patients to obtain health information on the Internet has had significant implications for the practice of endocrinology. With the Internet, vague symptoms like fatigue and weight gain often lead patients to online searches that suggest the presence of endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypercortisolism, adrenal insufficiency, and testosterone deficiency. Social media and celebrity testimonials may, for much of the population, be the primary source of information about both endocrine and pseudo-endocrine disorders. This chapter reviews some of the research about the influence of the Internet on clinical practice and recommends that clinicians directly discuss medical information-seeking behavior with their patients.
HIV medication adherence amid multiple inequities: Detailing the lived challenges of the most at risk people with HIV

AbstractThis study aimed to identify patterns of barriers to help inform adherence interventions for the most at-risk people living with HIV. Ethnographic data from two peer-led HIV medication adhe...
Reduction of Opioid Use After Upper-Extremity Surgery through a Predictive Pain Calculator and Comprehensive Pain Plan

Purpose For outpatient hand and upper-extremity surgeries, opioid prescriptions may exceed the actual need for adequate pain control. The purposes of this study were to (1) determine rates of opioid wasting and consumption after these procedures and (2) create and implement a patient-specific calculator for opioid requirements with a detailed multimodal analgesic plan to guide postoperative prescriptions. Methods Patients undergoing hand and upper-extremity surgery at a single ambulatory surgery center were recruited before (n = 305) and after (n = 221) implementation of a postoperative pain control program. On the first postoperative visit, patients were given a questionnaire regarding opioid use and pain control satisfaction. Demographic and procedural data were collected via chart review. With these data from the first cohort, we developed a patient-specific opioid calculator and pain plan that was implemented for the second cohort of patients. Bivariate analysis and multivariable regression analysis were used to determine the effect of the intervention. Results Pre-intervention data suggested that younger age; baseline opioid use; use of regional block; unemployment; procedures involving bony, tendinous, or ligamentous work (as opposed to soft tissue alone); and longer procedure time were predictive of higher opioid consumption. Pre- and post-intervention cohorts had similar age and sex distributions as well as procedure length. After the intervention, opioids prescribed decreased 63% from a mean of 32.0 ± 15.0 pills/surgery or 194.5 ± 120.2 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) to 11.7 ± 8.9 pills/surgery or 86.4 ± 67.2 MMEs. Opioid consumption decreased 58% from a mean of 21.7 ± 25.0 pills/surgery (137.7 ± 176.4 MMEs) to 9.3 ± 16.7 (64.4 ± 113.4 MMEs). Opioid wastage decreased 62% from 13.8 ± 13.5 pills/surgery (62.8 ± 138.0 MMEs) to 5.2 ± 10.3 (24.8 ± 89.9 MMEs). Implementation of the pain plan and calculator did not affect the odds of unsatisfactory patient-rated pain control or unplanned opioid refills. Conclusions With implementation of a comprehensive pain plan for ambulatory upper-extremity surgery, it is possible to reduce opioid prescription, consumption, and wastage rates without compromising patient satisfaction with pain control or increasing rates of unplanned pain medication refills. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic II.
Is There a Right to Be Forgiven

Imagine a case of wrongdoing—not something trivial, but nothing so serious that adequate reparations are impossible. Imagine, further, that the wrongdoer makes those reparations and sincerely apologizes. Does she have a moral right to be forgiven? The standard view is that she does not, but this paper contends that the standard view is mistaken. It begins by showing that the arguments against a right to be forgiven are inconclusive. It ends by making two arguments in defense of that right.
Hypertonic saline for the treatment of intracranial hypertension

Osmotherapy is the most common strategy for treatment of brain edema and intracranial hypertension.Mannitol and hypertonic saline are most commonly used in clinical practice.Compared with mannitol, hypertonic saline may have a more efficient and safety in decreasing intracranial hypertension with increasing used resent years.The review introduces the application of hypertonic saline in pediatric clinical practice. Key words: Hypertonic saline; Brain edema; Intracranial hypertension; Osmotherapy
100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoint: Piezoelectrically Mediated Mechanochemical Reactions for Adaptive Materials

Synthetic polymeric materials with adaptive capabilities triggered by mechanical stimuli could significantly extend their life cycle and boost performance. To achieve this, robust mechanically resp...
316. Operativer Verschluß großer Bauchwandhernien nach Dick

Dargestellt werden Indikation, operative Technik und Nachsorge bei grosen Bauchwandhernien. Das dargestellte OP-Verfahren ist geeignet zur Korrektur von Narbenhernien, Rectusdiastasen, grosen Nabelhernien. Es wird eingegangen auf die Art des Nahtmaterials, die Praparation und Technik der Defektuberbruckung. Das Thema wird abgehandelt mit Text, Rontgenbildern, OP-Fotos, OP-Skizzen.
Longitudinal bending stiffness does not affect running economy in Nike Vaporfly Shoes.

Abstract Purpose To determine the independent effect of the curved carbon-fiber plate in the Nike Vaporfly 4% shoe on running economy and running biomechanics. Methods Fifteen healthy male runners completed a metabolic protocol and a biomechanics protocol. In both protocols participants wore 2 different shoes, an intact Nike Vaporfly 4% (VFintact) and a cut Nike Vaporfly 4% (VFcut). The VFcut had 6 medio-lateral cuts through the carbon-fiber plate in the forefoot to reduce the effectiveness of the plate. In the metabolic protocol, participants ran at 14 km/h for 5 min, twice with each shoe, on a force-measuring treadmill while we measured metabolic rate. In the biomechanics protocol, participants ran across a runway with embedded force plates at 14 km/h. We calculated running economy, kinetics, and lower limb joint mechanics. Results Running economy did not significantly differ between shoe conditions (on average, 0.55% ± 1.77% (mean ± SD)) worse in the VFcut compared to the VFintact; 95% confidence interval: (–1.44% to 0.40%)). Biomechanical differences were only found in the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint with increased MTP dorsiflexion angle, angular velocity, and negative power in the VFcut. Contact time was 1% longer in the VFintact. Conclusion Cutting the carbon-fiber plate and reducing the longitudinal bending stiffness did not have a significant effect on the energy savings in the Nike Vaporfly 4%. This suggests that the plate's stiffening effect on the MTP joint plays a limited role in the reported energy savings, and instead savings are likely from a combination and interaction of the foam, geometry, and plate.
Representing Prior Knowledge Using Randomly, Weighted Feature Networks for Visual Relationship Detection

The single-hidden-layer Randomly Weighted Feature Network (RWFN) introduced by Hong and Pavlic (2021) was developed as an alternative to neural tensor network approaches for relational learning tasks. Its relatively small footprint combined with the use of two randomized input projections -- an insect-brain-inspired input representation and random Fourier features -- allow it to achieve rich expressiveness for relational learning with relatively low training cost. In particular, when Hong and Pavlic compared RWFN to Logic Tensor Networks (LTNs) for Semantic Image Interpretation (SII) tasks to extract structured semantic descriptions from images, they showed that the RWFN integration of the two hidden, randomized representations better captures relationships among inputs with a faster training process even though it uses far fewer learnable parameters. In this paper, we use RWFNs to perform Visual Relationship Detection (VRD) tasks, which are more challenging SII tasks. A zero-shot learning approach is used with RWFN that can exploit similarities with other seen relationships and background knowledge -- expressed with logical constraints between subjects, relations, and objects -- to achieve the ability to predict triples that do not appear in the training set. The experiments on the Visual Relationship Dataset to compare the performance between RWFNs and LTNs, one of the leading Statistical Relational Learning frameworks, show that RWFNs outperform LTNs for the predicate-detection task while using fewer number of adaptable parameters (1:56 ratio). Furthermore, background knowledge represented by RWFNs can be used to alleviate the incompleteness of training sets even though the space complexity of RWFNs is much smaller than LTNs (1:27 ratio).
Asia, America and the Transformation of Geopolitics

American security and prosperity now depend on Asia. William H. Overholt offers an iconoclastic analysis of developments in each major Asian country, Asian international relations, and US foreign policy. Drawing on decades of political and business experience, he argues that obsolete Cold War attitudes tie the US increasingly to an otherwise isolated Japan and obscure the reality that a US-Chinese bicondominium now manages most Asian issues. Military priorities risk polarizing the region unnecessarily, weaken the economic relationships that engendered American preeminence, and ironically enhance Chinese influence. As a result, US influence in Asia is declining. Overholt disputes the argument that democracy promotion will lead to superior development and peace, and forecasts a new era in which Asian geopolitics could take a drastically different shape. Covering Japan, China, Russia, Central Asia, India, Pakistan, Korea, and South-East Asia, Overholt offers invaluable insights for scholars, policy-makers, business people, and general readers.
Production of platelet-derived growth factor by interleukin-1 beta and transforming growth factor-beta-stimulated retinal pigment epithelial cells leads to contraction of collagen gels.

PURPOSE In an in vitro model of the later contractile stages of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) stimulate the contraction of collagen gels by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. This contraction occurs after a lag period and appears not to be a direct effect of the cytokines but is mediated by another factor produced in the presence of the two cytokines. The nature of this factor has been investigated. METHODS Human RPE cells were seeded onto collagen gels in the presence of IL-1 beta and TGF-beta. After 24 hours, the conditioned medium was removed and added to new collagen gels seeded with RPE cells, and the diameter of the collagen gels was measured after various intervals. The ability of the conditioned medium to effect contraction was determined after various treatments, including size fractionation, heating, trypsin digestion, and binding to heparin-Sepharose. The involvement of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) as a stimulator of contraction was tested with neutralizing antibodies and by polymerase chain reaction analyses of specific mRNAs. RESULTS IL-1 beta and TGF-beta cause RPE cells to contract after a delay of up to 24 hours, whereas conditioned medium from cytokine-treated cells results in immediate contraction in a manner similar to that of serum. The factor in the conditioned medium causing immediate contraction was found to be heat-stable, trypsin-sensitive, and resistant to extremes of pH. It has a size of between 30 and 50 kDa and binds heparin. The factor in conditioned medium from cytokine-treated cells does not act in the presence of C-kinase inhibitors or cycloheximide, suggesting that signaling is mediated by way of protein kinase C and new protein synthesis. Stimulation of contraction by conditioned medium is inhibited by anti-PDGF antibodies, and contraction is stimulated by human PDGF. CONCLUSIONS Contraction in the presence of cytokines is mediated by the production of PDGF or a PDGF-like molecule. This factor could have implications in the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
Fixing the Federal Wealth Transfer Tax System

At the end of 2010, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 was enacted to extend many of the Bush-era tax cuts. It also increased the estate and gift tax exemption to $5 million, lowered the rate to 35% and implemented spousal portability for exemptions. The 2010 Tax Act did not, however, address many of the substantial problems created by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, originally scheduled to expire at the end of 2010. Instead, lawmakers merely “kicked the can down the road,” in a manner of speaking, and delayed EGTRRA’s sunset until the end of 2012. This period of continued uncertainty makes planning for the future unnecessarily difficult and expensive. This article proposes making permanent the $5 million exemption, 35 percent tax rate and spousal portability of the 2010 Tax Act, while remedying the problems and uncertainty created by the scheduled sunset of existing estate and gift tax rules on December 31, 2012.
Narcissism and Effective Crisis Management: A Review of Potential Problems and Pitfalls

In the event of a crisis, effective leadership by senior officials plays a significant role in an organization's attempt to return to a state of normal operation. Effectiveness, however, can be hampered by a leader's behaviour and attitude towards colleagues, and other employees within the organization. This paper explores how narcissism and narcissistic leaders may affect crisis management within an organization. Using the literature from the American Psychiatric Association, crisis management, and leadership, this paper explores how personality disorders associated with narcissism may affect the pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis stages of crisis management. The paper concludes by offering suggestions on how to handle narcissistic leaders within an organization, and areas for future research.
A method for detection of pseudobactin, the siderophore produced by a plant-growth-promoting Pseudomonas strain, in the barley rhizosphere

Detection in the rhizosphere of the siderophore produced by an inoculated microorganism is critical to determining the role of microbial iron chelators on plant growth promotion. We previously reported the development of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to ferric pseudobactin, the siderophore of plant-growth-promoting Pseudomonas strain B10. One of these MAb reacted less strongly to pseudobactin than to ferric pseudobactin. The MAb reacted to Al(III), Cr(III), Cu(II), and Mn(II) complexes of pseudobactin at a level similar to the level at which it reacted to ferric pseudobactin and reacted less to the Zn(II) complex, but these metals would make up only a small fraction of chelated pseudobactin in soil on the basis of relative abundance of metals and relative binding constants. Fourteen-day-old barley plants grown in limed and autoclaved soil were inoculated with 109 CFU of Pseudomonas strain Sm1-3, a strain of Pseudomonas B10 Rifr Nalr selected for enhanced colonization, and sampled 3 days later. Extraction and analysis of the roots and surrounding soil using the MAb in an immunoassay indicated a concentration of 3.5 × 10-10 mol of ferric pseudobacting g-1 (wet weight). This is the first direct measurement of a pseudobactin siderophore in soil or rhizosphere samples.
Posttranslational modifications distinguish the envelope glycoprotein of the immunodeficiency disease-inducing feline leukemia virus retrovirus.

Abstract The envelope glycoprotein (gp70) of a molecularly cloned, replication-defective feline leukemia virus (FeLV-FAIDS clone 61C) carries determinants for induction of fatal immunodeficiency disease, whereas the gp70 of its companion replication-competent, probably parent virus (clone 61E) does not. Immunoprecipitation analysis of the extracellular glycoproteins of 61E and EECC, a replication-competent viral construct composed of the 61C env and 3' long terminal repeat fused to the 61E gag-pol genes, demonstrated that the gp70 of EECC could be distinguished from that of 61E by both feline immune serum and a murine monoclonal antibody. Molecular weights of both the envelope precursor polyprotein (gp80) and the mature extracellular glycoprotein (gp70) of 61E were smaller than the corresponding proteins from the pathogenic EECC. Both the molecular weight disparity and monoclonal antibody discrimination of the two gp80s were abolished by inhibition of envelope protein glycosylation with tunicamycin, whereas the apparent gp70 size differences were resolved by enzymatic removal of N-linked oligosaccharides. Pulse-chase studies in EECC-infected cells demonstrated that processing of gp80 to gp70 was delayed and that this retardation of envelope glycoprotein processing could be simulated in 61E-infected cells by treatment with the glucosidase inhibitor N-methyldeoxynojirimycin, a compound that causes retention of oligosaccharides in the high-mannose form. The resultant 61E gp70 then could be recognized by sera from EECC-immunized cats. The presence of a higher content of sialic acid on the apathogenic 61E gp70 indicated that oligosaccharides of 61E and EECC gp70 were processed differently. These data suggested that the unique biochemical properties which distinguish the envelope glycoproteins of the FeLV-FAIDS variant from its companion apathogenic parent virus were responsible for T-cell cytopathicity and induction of immunodeficiency disease. Further biochemical characterization of these glycoproteins should be useful in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of immunodeficiency disease induced by retroviruses.
The One and the Many

I have finally changed my mind about computers. I used to regard them with pre-modernist disdain. I considered them to be just another triumph of technocracy, a symptom of the redefinition of thought as manipulation within pre-established channels. I was worried that they privilege novelty over organicity and mask the role of the body in the written word. So I have resisted my colleagues' suggestions that I have a computer installed in my office. Of course, my refusal never ends the conversation. I am occasionally invited into a neighboring office so that the computer's features may be demonstrated to me. My colleagues explain that a computer removes the drudgery and makes work enjoyable. I tell them that I already enjoy my work, and that I especially enjoy guiding my blue felt-tip pen along the lines of my yellow legal pad. One of my special pleasures is to decide, every so often, after examining the breadth of the line and the resistance of the pen, that the point has become dull. I then discard the pen and start again with a new one, confident that the fine, crisp line will sharpen my thought. I ask whether I would continue to experience such pleasures if I were to begin writing on a computer. They respond that the computer is more efficient. I tell them that I find it very efficient to think about the next sentence while staring out the window at the city skyline. Is it more efficient, I ask, to come up with the next sentence by staring into the computer? They tell me that they can display different documents on the screen simultaneously. I politely explain that I can do the same thing on my desk. This time they change their approach. They ask whether I know that, if I had a computer, I could put a question to it, in normal language, and the computer would almost immediately display documents that provide an answer. I hesitate for a second as I recall the question I was exploring when I was interrupted, then inquire about the sort of question that one is permitted to ask. As far as the law is concerned, any question you like, they tell me. All right, I say, what about this one: What does Hegel mean for the law? Well no, they say, of course you cannot ask that kind of question. Oh, I say, I'm sorry. I take another moment to reflect. This is astonishing.
Hall Effect in Semiconductors

The Hall effect, which was discovered in 1879, determines the concentration and type (negative or positive) of charge carriers in metals, semiconductors, or insulators. In general, the method is used in conjunction with a conductivity measurement to also determine the mobility (ease of movement) of the charge carriers. At low temperatures and high magnetic fields, quantum effects are sometimes evident in lower dimensional structures; however, such effects are not be considered here. Also, this article concentrates on semiconductors, rather than metals or insulators, although the same theory generally applies. Three, strong advantages of Hall effect measurements are ease of instrumentation, ease of interpretation, and wide dynamic range. With respect to implementation, the only elements necessary, at the lowest level, are a current source, a voltmeter, and a modest-sized magnet. The carrier concentration can then be calculated within a typical accuracy of 20% without any other information about the material. Measurments of concentrations ranging from 104 to 1020 cm−3 have been obtained. Also, the type (n or p) can be unambiguously determined from the sign of the Hall voltage. Competing techniques include capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements to determine carrier concentration; thermoelectric probe (TEP) measurements to determine carrier type; and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements to determine mobility. Keywords: hall effect; principles; semiconductors; charge carriers; metals; insulators; practical aspects; van der pauw results; data analysis; initial interpretation; sample preparation; problems; depletion effects; inhomogeneity; nonohmic contracts; contact size
A Preliminary Inquiry into the Methodologies Employed in Research on ICTs and Society: Prologue ("An Alternate View of Knowledge Negotiation")

This paper originates in a commitment to write a panel presentation on the methodologies employed in published research on ICTs and society for the 2009 ICTs, Society, and Human Beings conference. The author recognized that this task was not feasible without a rethinking of how to proceed. This paper describes how the author reconceptualized her thinking about how to fulfill her original commitment and offers an example of how we begin to understand what our research question is about.
Vaccine-associated fibrosarcoma with keloidal differentiation in a cat:

A 6-year-old Domestic Shorthair cat was presented with a history of subcutaneous mass of the lateral left hind limb. The subcutaneous mass developed over a period of approximately 16 months subsequent to administration of Feline leukemia virus vaccines. Based on the histopathological and immunohistochemical examination, the subcutaneous mass was diagnosed as vaccine-associated fibrosarcoma with keloidal differentiation.
Response: common variable immunodeficiency patients with increased CD21 −/lo B cells suffer from altered receptor editing and defective central B-cell tolerance

The letter by Rakhmanov et al[1][1] suggested that normal κ/λ ratios in CD21+ naive B cells and increased Igλ-chain usage by CD21−/lo B cells in common variable immunodeficiency disease (CVID) patients with expanded CD21−/lo B-cell populations (CVID group-Ia[2][2]) were evidence of normal or
Using Passive RFID Technology for Mobile Robot Navigation and Environment Mapping

In this paper, the use of passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as a support technology for mobile robot navigation and environment mapping is investigated. A novel method for localizing passive RFID tags in a geometric map of the environment using fuzzy logic is, first, described. Then, it is shown how a mobile robot equipped with RF antennas, RF reader, and a laser range finder can use such map for localization and path planning. Experimental results from tests performed in our institute suggest that the proposed approach is accurate in mapping RFID tags and can be effectively used for vehicle navigation in indoor environments.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Automatic maximum entropy spectral reconstruction in NMR

Developments in superconducting magnets, cryogenic probes, isotope labeling strategies, and sophisticated pulse sequences together have enabled the application, in principle, of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy to biomolecular systems approaching 1 megadalton. In practice, however, conventional approaches to NMR that utilize the fast Fourier transform, which require data collected at uniform time intervals, result in prohibitively lengthy data collection times in order to achieve the full resolution afforded by high field magnets. A variety of approaches that involve nonuniform sampling have been proposed, each utilizing a non-Fourier method of spectrum analysis. A very general non-Fourier method that is capable of utilizing data collected using any of the proposed nonuniform sampling strategies is maximum entropy reconstruction. A limiting factor in the adoption of maximum entropy reconstruction in NMR has been the need to specify non-intuitive parameters. Here we describe a fully automated system for maximum entropy reconstruction that requires no user-specified parameters. A web-accessible script generator provides the user interface to the system.
Fli1 and Ets1 Have Distinct Roles in Connective Tissue Growth Factor/CCN2 Gene Regulation and Induction of the Profibrotic Gene Program

CCN2 (connective tissue growth factor), an important regulator of angiogenesis, chondrogenesis, and wound healing, is overexpressed in a majority of fibrotic diseases and in various tumors. This study investigated regulation of CCN2 gene expression by Ets family of transcription factors, focusing on two members, Fli1 and Ets1, with deregulated expression during fibrosis and tumorigenesis. We show that Ets1 and Fli1 have opposite effects on CCN2 gene expression. Ets1 functions as an activator of CCN2 transcription, whereas Fli1 acts as a repressor. A functional Ets binding site was mapped at –114 within the CCN2 promoter. This site not only mediates stimulation by Ets factors, including Ets1, Ets2, and GABPα/β, but is also required for the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β response. The contrasting functions of Ets1 and Fli1 in regulation of the CCN2 gene were confirmed by suppressing their endogenous levels using adenoviral vectors expressing specific small interfering RNAs. Additional experiments using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays have revealed that in fibroblasts both Ets1 and Fli1 occupy the CCN2 promoter. TGF-β stimulation resulted in displacement of Fli1 from the CCN2 promoter and a transient inhibition of Fli1 synthesis. Moreover, reduction of Fli1 expression resulted in up-regulation of COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes and down-regulation of the MMP1 gene. Thus, inhibition of Fli1 recapitulated some of the key effects of TGF-β, suggesting that Fli1 suppression is involved in activation of the profibrotic gene program in fibroblasts. On the other hand, activation of the CCN2 gene downstream of Ets1 is consistent with its role in angiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodeling. This study strongly supports a critical role of Fli1 and Ets1 in the pathological extracellular matrix regulation during fibrosis and cancer.
Susceptibility of Arcanobacterium pyogenes from different sources to tetracycline, macrolide and lincosamide antimicrobial agents

Abstract Chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, and the macrolide, tylosin, are extensively used for growth promotion and disease prophylaxis in the cattle and swine industries in the US. Arcanobacterium pyogenes , a common inhabitant of the mucosal surfaces of cattle and swine, is also a pathogen associated with a variety of infections in these animals. A broth microdilution technique was used to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of 48 A. pyogenes isolates to macrolides, lincosamides and tetracyclines. The MIC 50 and MIC 90 for chlortetracycline were 0.12 and 8 mg/l, respectively. Similarly, the MIC 50 and MIC 90 for oxytetracycline were 0.25 and 8 mg/l, while the MIC 50 and MIC 90 for tetracycline were 0.25 and 16 mg/l, respectively. The MIC 50 and the MIC 90 were ≤0.06 and >64 mg/l, respectively, for erythromycin, tylosin and clindamycin. This resistance pattern indicated that some of these A. pyogenes isolates may carry an MLS B resistance determinant. A. pyogenes isolates (12.5%) were resistant to erythromycin, and this percentage doubled when MICs were performed following induction with erythromycin. Of the 48 A. pyogenes isolates, 25 and 41.7% were resistant to MLS B antimicrobial agents and the tetracycline derivatives, respectively. MLS B resistance was present in 22.2 and 35.3% of A. pyogenes isolates of bovine ( n =27) or porcine ( n =17) origin. In contrast, 70.6% of porcine isolates were resistant to the tetracyclines, compared with 25.9% of bovine isolates. These data suggest that a large proportion of A. pyogenes field isolates may be resistant to these commonly used antimicrobial agents.
Dendritic cells augment choroidal neovascularization.

Purpose Dendritic cells (DCs) are innate immune cells that have recently been shown to support angiogenesis in tumors, endometriosis, and lymph nodes. A major cause of legal blindness is wet age-related macular degeneration (wet ARMD), wherein abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina, an abnormality also referred to as choroidal neovascularization (CNV). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of DCs in the development of CNV. Methods Laser photocoagulation was used to induce CNV in C57BL/6J mice. The authors analyzed CNV lesions for the presence of DCs using flow cytometry and immunostaining at designated times. They also analyzed the effects of intravenous DC transplantation on CNV development by measuring the lesion area using confocal microscopy 1 week after laser injury. Results The authors analyzed CNV lesions for the presence of DCs by flow cytometry and observed that CD11c(+) major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II(+) DCs transiently infiltrated the CNV lesions, reaching a peak at 2 to 4 days after laser injury. These DCs were mostly immature (CD11c(+) MHCII(low)) and expressed vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. Immunostaining of laser-induced CNV lesions confirmed that DCs are located at the sites of newly formed blood vessels. Intravenously injected DCs incorporated into the CNV lesions. However, only immature DCs enhanced CNV size. Conclusions These results suggest a role for DCs in promoting angiogenesis and lesion growth in laser-induced CNV. The present data suggest that DCs may represent potential cellular targets for therapeutic intervention in wet ARMD.
Calcium-dependent protein kinase activity and protein phosphorylation in zones of the adrenal cortex.

Abstract The guinea pig adrenal cortex is composed of two chromatically distinct concentric zones. The steroidogenic response to ACTH by the two zones is likewise distinct: ACTH stimulates cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity in the outermost zone, but fails to do so in the inner zone. This despite the fact that adenylate cyclase activation by ACTH and cAMP formation are similar for the two zones. To further examine this model, protein kinase activity and protein phosphorylation have been examined. It was found that the cAMP-dependent, Ca2+/ phospholipid-dependent, and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activities were significantly higher in the outer zone than in the inner zone by 70, 60 and 800%, respectively. Although the physiological meaning of a zonal difference in protein kinase activity is not as yet clear, the marked difference in Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity between the inner and outer zones correlates well with the marked difference in steroidogenesis that exists between the two zones. Of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases known to exist, there is preliminary evidence to suggest the presence of kinase III in the guinea pig adrenal cortex. Protein phosphorrylation induced by the three kinase systems in the two adrenocortical zones revealed notable differences in phosphoprotein patterns. In addition, it was found that exogenous calmodulin was phosphorylated and that the kinase responsible for this was more active in the inner zone.
Arteriohepatic dysplasia: phenotypic features and family studies

Arteriohepatic dysplasia (AHD) is a disorder characterized by intrahepatic cholestasis and peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. We have reviewed the phenotypic features in the 56 previously reported cases and 7 persons from our institutions with AHD to summarize the type of cardiac, hepatic, facial, ocular and skeletal manifestations observed in this disorder. Family studies evaluating first-degree relatives of patients with AHD are compatible with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance with reduced penetrance and variable expressivity.
Distribution of serotonin 2A and 2C receptor mRNA expression in the cervical ventral horn and phrenic motoneurons following spinal cord hemisection.

Cervical spinal cord injury leads to a disruption of bulbospinal innervation from medullary respiratory centers to phrenic motoneurons. Animal models utilizing cervical hemisection result in inhibition of ipsilateral phrenic nerve activity, leading to paralysis of the hemidiaphragm. We have previously demonstrated a role for serotonin (5-HT) as one potential modulator of respiratory recovery following cervical hemisection, a mechanism that likely occurs via 5-HT2A and/or 5-HT2C receptors. The present study was designed to specifically examine if 5-HT2A and/or 5-HT2C receptors are colocalized with phrenic motoneurons in both intact and spinal-hemisected rats. Adult female rats (250-350 g; n = 6 per group) received a left cervical (C2) hemisection and were injected with the fluorescent retrograde neuronal tracer Fluorogold into the left hemidiaphragm. Twenty-four hours later, animals were killed and spinal cords processed for in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Using (35)S-labeled cRNA probes, cervical spinal cords were probed for 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor mRNA expression and double-labeled using an antibody to Fluorogold to detect phrenic motoneurons. Expression of both 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor mRNA was detected in motoneurons of the cervical ventral horn. Despite positive expression of both 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor mRNA-hybridization signal over phrenic motoneurons, only 5-HT2A silver grains achieved a signal-to-noise ratio representative of colocalization. 5-HT2A mRNA levels in identified phrenic motoneurons were not significantly altered following cervical hemisection compared to sham-operated controls. Selective colocalization of 5-HT2A receptor mRNA with phrenic motoneurons may have implications for recently observed 5-HT2A receptor-mediated regulation of respiratory activity and/or recovery in both intact and injury-compromised states.
A delivery device containing a poorly water-soluble drug in a hydrophobic medium: ruminal delivery application

Abstract A controlled release device is described for dispensing a poorly water-soluble drug. The device consists of a reservoir containing a mixture of two phases: a swellable hydrogel phase and a hydrophobic phase containing the drug. The reservoir is surrounded by a wall that is, in part, permeable to the drug, and, in part, to water. When exposed to an external aqueous medium, water is imbibed through the device wall into the hydrogen phase creating a hydrostatic pressure difference between the device contents and the external medium. This pressure difference induces drug release at a relatively constant rate over a prolonged duration.
A non-cooperative power control game in delay-constrained multiple-access networks

A game-theoretic approach for studying power control in multiple-access networks with transmission delay constraints is proposed. A non-cooperative power control game is considered in which each user seeks to choose a transmit power that maximizes its own utility while satisfying the user's delay requirements. The utility function measures the number of reliable bits transmitted per joule of energy and the user's delay constraint is modeled as an upper bound on the delay outage probability. The Nash equilibrium for the proposed game is derived, and its existence and uniqueness are proved. Using a large-system analysis, explicit expressions for the utilities achieved at equilibrium are obtained for the matched filter, decorrelating and (linear) minimum mean square error multiuser detectors. The effects of delay constraints on the users' utilities (in bits/Joule) and network capacity (i.e., the maximum number of users that can be supported) are quantified
Modeling of 3D Angle Interlock Woven Fabric Composites

A three dimensional micromechanical modeling approach was previously developed for predicting elastic constants of 2D woven fabric composites [Sheng, S.Z. and Hoa, S.V. (2001). Three dimensional micromechanical modeling of woven fabric composites. Journal of Composite Materials, 35(19): 1701-1729.]. In this paper, the approach is extended for predicting elastic constants of 3D angle interlock woven fabric composites. The micro fabric geometry of general 3D woven composites is described by using a three dimensional geometric model first. Then a variational potential method is proposed to obtain the continuous integration transformation of the three-dimensional stiffness and compliance matrices associated with the micro fabric geometry for 3D woven fabric composites. Finally, elastic constants are obtained by using the method based on the fabric geometry for several 3D angle interlock woven fabric composites. Good agreement is shown between the present predicted results and experimental results available in...
Sound wave propagation in a rarefied gas-II: Gross-Jackson model

Abstract In a previous work on sound propagation in rarefied gases, the authors had reported results obtained by the use of the BGK model. These results are now compared with some new results obtained by the use of the Gross-Jackson model N=5) for Maxwell molecules. It is concluded that results are only slightly model dependent.
High, room and low temperature photoabsorption cross sections of CS2 in the 1800–2300 Å region

Using synchrotron radiation as a continuum light source, we have measured the absolute photoabsorption cross sections of CS2 with a spectral bandwidth (FWHM) of 0.8 A. The absorption cross sections of CS2 have been measured from 1800 to 2300 A at temperatures of 383 and 295 K and from 1800 to 2150 A at 203 K. Significant temperature effects and hot bands are observed, particularly in the long wavelength region. The apparent continuum cross section underlying the vibrational features in the 2200–2300 A region increases by about an order of magnitude when the gaseous CS2 temperature increases from 295 K to 383 K. The new temperature-dependent laboratory cross section data should be useful in the determination of the CS2 abundance in Jupiter's atmosphere after the impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.
Thermally assisted collision-induced dissociation in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer.

Thermally assisted collision-induced dissociation (TA-CID) provides increased dissociation in comparison with CID performed at ambient temperature in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Heating the bath/collision gas during CID increases the initial internal energy of the ions and reduces the collisional cooling rate. Thus, using the same CID parameters, the parent ion can be activated to higher levels of internal energy, increasing the efficiency of dissociation and the number of dissociation pathways. The increase in the number of dissociation pathways can provide additional structural information. A consequence of the increase in initial internal energy is the ability to use less power to effect collisional activation. This allows lower q z values to be used and, thus, a greater mass range of product ions to be observed. TA-CID alleviates the problems associated with traditional CID and results in more available information than traditional CID.
Integrating harvest scheduling and reserve design to improve biodiversity conservation

Abstract Reserve establishment and strategic harvest planning are two longstanding but often separate approaches to conserving biodiversity in working landscapes. Our paper unites these fields and explores how ecological characteristics of landscapes influence conservation outcomes, with a particular consideration of tropical forests. We used an integer programming model to compare the performance of different management designs on simulated landscapes with different species diversity values and degrees of conspecific spatial aggregation. We explored three classes of reserve and harvest plans: optimal, random, and fixed-pattern (the last of which is most common in tropical forest management). Optimal designs (and performance criteria) were rooted in the Optimized Floating Refugia strategy, a new approach to landscape-level forest management that assumes local extinctions will occur and seeks to facilitate recolonization for as many species as possible via strategic spatiotemporal planning. We found several interesting interactions between harvest planning and reserve establishment. On landscapes with ecological characteristics resembling those of tropical forests (high species diversity and high conspecific aggregation), strategic harvest plans with no reserves saved more species than fixed-pattern, aggregated harvest plans with over 20 percent of stands set aside as reserves. Our findings also suggest an important rule of thumb: less aggregated harvest plans lead to fewer extinctions than more aggregated harvest plans. Overall, we found that the integration of harvest planning and reserve design led to novel insights, and that the divergence in absolute performance between different management regimes (but not the ordinal ranking) was highly dependent on the ecological characteristics of the landscape.
Computation of minimal norm control asymptotics relative to the null controllability of non-standard parabolic-like dynamics

Abstract Semidiscrete finite element method (FEM) approximation schemes are presented for the null controllability of two non-standard parabolic PDE control systems. The key feature here is that the null controllers being approximated exhibit the asymptotics of the associated minimal energy function. The main driver is the appropriate use of a result in [R. Triggiani, Optimal estimates of norms of fast controls in exact null controllability of two non-classical abstract parabolic systems, Advances in Differential Equations 8 (2) (2003) 189–229.], which was originally devised to derive the sharp minimal norm control asymptotics for the fully continuous problem.
Analysis of fluorescence decay kinetics measured in the frequency domain using distributions of decay times

Abstract We describe the theoretical and practical aspects of analyzing complex fluorescence decay kinetics using continuous distributions of decay times. Our analysis uses frequency-domain data, provides for global analysis of multiple data sets and includes the possibility of excited-state processes. Simulated data were used to estimate the types of distributions which can be reasonably recovered from the measurements. Additionally, we describe a variety of distributions recovered from experimental data. For mixtures of one, two or three exponentially decaying fluorophores we recovered narrow lifetime distributions, which are essentially identical to a multi-exponential decay. Similarly, a two-state excited-state reaction also yielded a narrow distribution with negative preexponential factors. The presence of time-dependent spectral relaxation of labeled lipids results in a wide distribution of decay times, which becomes narrower for faster relaxation rates at higher temperatures. Hence, the decay-time distributions appear to be sensitive to the dynamics of the environment surrounding the fluorophore. Additionally, distributions of decay times were observed to result from transient effects in collisional quenching, from energy transfer in the presence of a range of donor-to-acceptor distances, and for several single-tryptophan proteins.
Saturation Dependence of Solute Diffusion in Porous Media: Universal Scaling Compared with Experiments

Solute diffusion in variably saturated porous media plays an important role in the transport of contaminants and dissolved chemicals in the vadose zone. Various empirical and semiphysical models have been proposed to describe the saturation dependence of solute diffusion. In this study, we applied concepts from percolation and effective medium theories to develop a theoretical framework to model solute diffusion. Percolation theory, which has been successfully applied to describe saturation-dependent air permeability, electrical conductivity, and gas diffusion in porous media, provides a universal scaling, a power law in the water content (less a threshold value) with an exponent of 2.0. To evaluate our universal scaling, we used a database including 106 experiments (766 data points) from published studies and found good agreement between theory and measurement.
Antimicrobial Activity of Compounds Containing Active Chlorine and Iodine in the Presence of Egg Solids

Abstract The antimicrobial activity of two chlorinated sanitizers, sodium hypochlorite and sodium dichloroisocyanurate, a chlorinated cleaner, and an iodophor were determined in the presence and absence of egg solids. Sodium hypochlorite and sodium dichloroisocyanurate were tested against Salmonella typhimurium using concentrations of about 270 ppm active chlorine near pH 7. The test organism was killed rapidly by the sanitizers in water. When 1.0% egg solids was added, antimicrobial activity rapidly decreased and was slight after 1 hr, although a chemical test showed 17 to 30 ppm residual active chlorine. The commercial chlorinated cleaner gave a pH of 11.2, and Streptococcus faecalis was used as the test organism since salmonellae do not survive at this pH. This cleaner at 240 ppm active chlorine was effective in water but was ineffective against the test organism after incubation 30 min with 1% egg solids despite the presence of 52 ppm residual active chlorine by the chemical test. Tests in a commercial plant demonstrated that active chlorine chemicals added to wash water were completely inactivated in a few minutes. An iodophor was tested at a molar concentration equivalent to that used with chlorine compounds (949 ppm I2) and also at 25 ppm I2, both at acid pH's since iodophors were ineffective at neutral or alkaline pH's. At 25 ppm I2, the iodophor was ineffective when egg solids were added. At 949 ppm I2 and pH 3.52 the iodophor rapidly killed the salmonellae even after incubation for 1 hr with 1% egg solids and 710 ppm I2 remained. Maintaining bactericidal levels of residual chlorine in egg washwater appears impractical. Use of a iodophor might be effective but would be costly and would require major changes in washing procedures.
Home‐based behavioral treatments for chronic benign headache: a meta‐analysis of controlled trials

Controlled clinical trials have consistently demonstrated that behavioral treatments for chronic benign headache produce clinically beneficial outcomes both post-treatment and at follow-up. Given these results there is interest in cost-reduction and redesign of these treatments to improve their accessibility. One promising approach in this regard is home-based headache treatment. These treatments seek to provide the same amount of treatment as clinic-based treatments; however, some of the material typically presented to the patient by a clinician is presented through home-study materials (e.g., manuals, audiotapes). To date, the published literature contains 20 controlled clinical trials which have examined the outcomes produced by home-based treatments. This article presents the first comprehensive meta-analysis of these clinical outcome studies. Results of the quantitative analyses suggest that home-based treatments produce comparable, or with certain outcome measures, superior results to clinic-based t...