cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of dietary ethanol on gallbladder absorption and cholesterol gallstone formation in the prairie dog.

Abstract Dietary ethanol has been reported to protect against cholesterol gallstone formation. Because enhanced gallbladder absorption of water is important in cholesterol cholelithiasis, we examined the hypothesis that ethanol acts by inhibiting the absorptive function of the gallbladder. Eighteen adult male prairie dogs were fed a lithogenic liquid diet containing 0.4% cholesterol. Half of the animals received 30% of total calories as ethanol, whereas their pair-fed controls received equicaloric amounts of maltosedextrin. After 3 months, the gallbladders were inspected for gallstones and crystals, and gallbladder and hepatic bile were analyzed. Cholesterol stones and crystals were present in all nine controls. None of the alcohol-fed animals had stones, but four had cholesterol crystals. Gallbladder cholesterol, phospholipids, and total calcium were significantly decreased in alcohol-fed animals. In both gallbladder and hepatic bile, the cholesterol saturation index was significantly lower in alcohol-fed animals, as was the ratio of trihydroxy to dihydroxy bile salts. The ethanol-supplemented diet produced a significant decrease in the absorption of water by the gallbladder as indicated by changes in the gallbladder bile to hepatic bile ratios of the total bile salt concentration (7.29 ± 1.25 versus 3.84 ± 0.56; p
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Nurseries

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the clinical manifestations of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in neonates. 2. Delineate the role of community-acquired strains of MRSA in the development of sepsis in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). 3. Describe the route of transmission of MRSA. 4. List the measures necessary to control MRSA in NICUs. Staphylococcus aureus has been recognized as a common nosocomial pathogen in nurseries since devastating outbreaks caused serious infections in the 1950s. Adults are commonly colonized, typically involving the nose and skin, with reported rates of carriage ranging from 30% to 50%. Skin colonization with S aureus can occur within 24 to 48 hours of birth from contact with the skin of adults or the environment. S aureus colonization of newborns varies from 20% to 90% over the first week after birth, with the most common sites including the anterior nares, umbilicus, and skin (groin and axillae). The probability of staphylococcal colonization increases with prolonged duration of hospitalization. S aureus is the second most common pathogen causing late-onset sepsis in very low-birthweight infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Since its emergence in the 1960s in the United States, methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) has become a common health care-associated pathogen. According to 2001 data from the National Nosocomial Surveillance System, it comprises 55% of S aureus strains causing nosocomial infection. Traditional risk factors for MRSA colonization or infection have included contact with the health care system, such as recent hospitalization, surgery, close contact with hospitalized individuals, or prior antimicrobial treatment. Numerous outbreaks of MRSA in NICUs have been described, and MRSA has become a major, sometimes endemic, problem in many NICUs. As complex, prolonged care for infants at the extremes of gestational age and birthweight has become increasingly common, so too has the impact of …
Investigation of the Adherence of Glass to Metals and Alloys

This investigation made use of the kinetic adherence test devised by Kapnicky1 for testing the adherence of molten glass to heated metal samples. This testing apparatus attempts to simulate the conditions of the automatic forming machines of the glass-container industry. Several commercially pure metals and alloys plus a carbon-iron series were run for their adherence temperatures. It was found that as the per cent carbon in iron was increased the adherence temperature was decreased. Heat-treating of a modified brass sample decreased its adherence temperature. Persistence tests were run using tungsten, nickel, and Monel with clear and amber soda-lime glass. The persistence test consisted of holding the temperature of the metal constant below its adherence temperature and dropping molten glass beads on the heated metal surface until adherence occurred. The amber glass used gave higher persistance values than the clear soda-lime glass, although the adherence temperatures checked very closely. Monel metal heated to 900°F. gave a persistence of more than 800 molten glass contacts using amber glass at the rate of one glass contact per minute.
Proteasome Inhibition and Aggresome Formation in Sporadic Inclusion-Body Myositis and in Amyloid-β Precursor Protein-Overexpressing Cultured Human Muscle Fibers

The 26S proteasome system is involved in eliminating various proteins, including ubiquitinated misfolded/unfolded proteins, and its inhibition results in cellular accumulation of protein aggregates. Intramuscle-fiber ubiquitinated multiprotein-aggregates are char-acteristic of sporadic inclusion-body myositis (s-IBM) muscle fibers. Two major types of aggregates exist, containing either amyloid-β (Aβ) or phosphorylated tau (p-tau). We have now asked whether abnormalities of the 26S proteasome contribute to s-IBM pathogenesis and whether the multiprotein aggregates have features of aggresomes. Using cultured human muscle fibers we also studied the effect of amyloid-β precursor protein (AβPP) overexpression on proteasome function and the influence of proteasome inhibition on aggresome formation. We report that in s-IBM muscle biopsies 26S proteasome subunits were immunodetected in the γ-tubulin-associated aggresomes, which also contained Aβ, p-tau, ubiquitin, and HSP70. In addition, a) expression of proteasome subunits was greatly increased, b) the 20Sα proteasome subunit co-immunoprecipitated with AβPP/Aβ, and c) the three major proteasomal proteolytic activities were reduced. In cultured muscle fibers, AβPP-overexpressing fibers displayed diminished proteasomal proteolytic activities, and addition of proteasome inhibitor strikingly increased aggresome formation. Accordingly, proteasome dysfunction in s-IBM muscle fibers may play a role in accumulation of misfolded, potentially cytotoxic proteins and may be induced by increased intracellular AβPP/Aβ.
A methodology for the development of novel VANET safety applications

We present a methodology for the development of passive ITS safety applications that aim to disseminate reports about dangerous events on the road. Examples of such applications include the emergency electronic brake light or the highway merge warning. A major issue with such applications is the decision of when a warning should be shown. Since the recipient vehicle may be far away from where the dangerous event occurred, a large number of false warnings may be shown to the drivers. This leads to driver desensitization which may reduce the safety benefits. While previous research has provided a way of handling false warnings by estimating the relevance of the reports, these methods do not take into all the important factors and are not easily adaptable for novel applications. In this paper, we propose a simulation platform for developing and evaluating relevance estimators for passive ITS safety applications that can be utilized for developing novel applications. The paper provides examples of the effectiveness of this platform on three previously proposed applications.
Real option value and path dependence in oncology innovation

Abstract Drug innovation relies on cumulative, path-dependent, incremental research and development (R&D). In oncology, path-dependence may not be along a single dimension, such as steadily improving efficacy or survival against a given endpoint in the same population, but innovation builds on itself. The next innovation may use a recently developed drug in a new way – e.g., a new line of therapy, or a new indication in a different population, or in combination with other drugs. Of course, in some cases, innovation on a current drug can be the development of a next generation drug. Yet, few have studied how path-dependence impacts the decisions of oncology pharmaceutical producers, consumers, and insurers/payers. This study illustrates how real options can be used to value the effects of path-dependence, that is, the additional value that incremental innovation adds when the innovation is a first step along a path to a major innovation. We show how rational pharmaceutical producers and consumers recognize...
First Report of Dothistroma septospora on Native Limber and Whitebark Pine in Montana.

Dothistroma septospora (Doroguine) Morelet (= Dothistroma pini Hulbary), the anamorph of Mycosphaerella pini Rostr. in Munk, has been reported to cause needle blight in 29 Pinus species and hybrids in North America, including limber pine (P. flexilis James) in plantings in Kansas, Nebraska, and Ohio. We are unaware of any reports of D. septospora on limber or whitebark pine (P. albicaulis Engelm.) growing within their native ranges in the western United States. In June 1997, limber and whitebark pine in Montana were observed with severe defoliation and symptoms typical of those caused by D. septospora: affected second- and third-year needles were green at the base with brown tips or reddish-brown spots or bands, and black fruiting bodies in discolored portions of needles. Symptomatic needles were collected in natural stands of limber pine at 22 locations representing 15 counties in central, south-central, and southwestern Montana, and whitebark pine at three locations representing two counties in the Craz...
Time-dependent involvement of PKA/PKC in contextual memory consolidation.

Abstract Rats were implanted bilaterally with cannulae into the dorsal hippocampus and trained in a Pavlovian fear-conditioning paradigm. Four groups of rats were infused intra-cranially with 1-(5′-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7-dihydrochloride), a potent inhibitor of both protein kinase C (PKC) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), at different time intervals in order to examine their involvement in the acquisition and consolidation of contextual fear memory. We demonstrate a significant consolidation deficit of long-term contextual fear-conditioning memory that is maximal when PKA and PKC are inhibited at 90 min post-training. These results suggest the existence of a critical time window, during which these enzymes must be activated for the consolidation of long-term memories.
Dynamical cosmic strings from a gauge theory of gravity

A new dynamical realization of O(5) gauge Euclidean gravity is proposed and shown to possess topologically nontrivial features, cosmic-string flux tubes and dark-matter solitons, of a purely gravitational origin (no Higgs particle needed).
Isolation and characterization of a 2000-bp derivative of pBR322

Abstract A 2000-bp plasmid pBRN3, derived from plasmid pBR322 by deletion was isolated and characterized. This plasmid consists of pBR322 DNA with a deletion from a site near base pair (bp) 50 to a site near bp 2400. This plasmid retains the HindIII and EcoRI cloning sites of pBR322 as well as the bla gene and the replication origin. Both the transformation frequency and yield of plasmid DNA from transformed cells are the same for plasmids pBRN3 and pBR322. pBRN3 DNA was used to clone both HindIII fragments and EcoRI fragments showing that these sites are available for cloning. The small size of plasmid pBRN3 should make it useful for restriction mapping and transcription studies of inserted DNA fragments.
Subaqueous mineral management - The Virginia experience

Concentrations of subaqueous minerals and materials within the jurisdiction of Virginia may prove important to the future economy of the state. Institutional arrangements, policies, laws, regulations, and the status of research affecting subaqueous lands require re-examination. Subaqueous mining must be carefully balanced with other uses of the marine environment. The special problems and management needs associated with the subaqueous lands of Virginia should be carefully considered in the development of laws and regulations governing subaqueous mining.
High resolution X-ray micrography of live Candida albicans using laser plasma pulsed point X-ray sources.

Electron microscopy is still the most frequently used method for visualization of subcellular structures in spite of limitations due to the preparation required to visualize the specimen. High resolution X-ray microscopy is a relatively new technique, still under development and restricted to a few large synchrotron X-ray sources. We utilized a single-shot laser (nanosecond) plasma to generate X-rays similar to synchrotron facilities to image live cells of Candida albicans. The emission spectrum was tuned for optimal absorption by carbon-rich material. The photoresist was then scanned by an atomic force microscope to give a differential X-ray absorption pattern. Using this technique, with a sample image time of 90 min, we have visualized a distinct 152.24 nm thick consistent ring structure around cells of C. albicans representing the cell wall, and distinct ‘craters’ inside, one of 570.90 nm diameter and three smaller ones, each 400 nm in diameter. This technique deserves further exploration concerning its application in the ultrastructural study of live, hydrated microbiological samples and of macromolecules.
Clinical Utility of Doppler Echocardiography and Tissue Doppler Imaging in the Estimation of Left Ventricular Filling Pressures A Comparative Simultaneous Doppler-Catheterization Study

Background—Noninvasive assessment of diastolic filling by Doppler echocardiography provides important information about left ventricular (LV) status in selected subsets of patients. This study was designed to assess whether mitral annular velocities as assessed by tissue Doppler imaging are associated with invasive measures of diastolic LV performance and whether additional information is gained over traditional Doppler variables. Methods and Results—One hundred consecutive patients referred for cardiac catheterization underwent simultaneous Doppler interrogation. Invasive measurements of LV pressures were obtained with micromanometer-tipped catheters, and the mean LV diastolic pressure (M-LVDP) was used as a surrogate for mean left atrial pressure. Doppler signals from the mitral inflow, pulmonary venous inflow, and TDI of the mitral annulus were obtained. Isolated parameters of transmitral flow correlated with M-LVDP only when ejection fraction <50%. The ratio of mitral velocity to early diastolic veloc...
Proactive Failure Management for High Availability Computing in Computer Clusters

In this paper, we propose a framework for autonomic failure management with hierarchical failure prediction functionality for coalition clusters. It analyzes node, cluster and system wide failure behaviors and forecasts the prospective failure occurrences based on quantified failure dynamics. Failure correlations are inspected by the predictor. Experimental results in a computational grid on campus show the offline and online predictions by our predictors accurately forecast the failure trend and capture failure correlations in a coalition clusters environment.
Neural dynamic programming based online controller with a novel trim approach

Neural dynamic programming (NDP) is a generic online learning control system based on the principle of reinforcement learning. Such a controller can self tune with a wide change of operating conditions and parametric variations. Implementation details of a self-tuning NDP based speed controller of a permanent-magnet DC machine along the online training algorithm are given. A simple solution is developed for finding the trim control position for the NDP controller NDP controller that can be extended to other problems. The DC machine is chosen for the implementation because it can be easily operated in a variety of operating conditions, including parametric variations, to prove the robustness of the controller and its multiobjective capabilities. The simulation results of the NDP controller are compared with the results of a conventional PI controller to access the overall performance.
SmartWrap: seeing datasets with the crowd's eyes

The web contains many datasets presented visually, whose lack of semantic markup renders them difficult to understand and navigate using a screen reader. In this work, we explore the possibility of understanding the semantics of web datasets by asking sighted web users to manually scrape web pages into spreadsheets. Web users constitute a huge population of potential workers, but most are not programmers and may have difficulty understanding and communicating the abstractions involved in labeling web datasets. We present the design of a tool we call SmartWrap that directs the manual scraping work of everyday end users, explicitly including nonprogrammers, towards the construction of reusable programs, called wrappers, that map the scraped website into a structured dataset. To engage with nontechnical end users, we designed the tool to use very simple interactions. We present a user study validating that users with a variety of technical backgrounds were able to use it to construct wrappers. We also validate the SmartWrap approach to acquiring wrappers for a large part of the web by evaluating wrappers contributed by MTurk users using the tool. From the MTurk work we derive estimates for the costs of eliciting wrappers from the crowdworkers for a large proportion of the sampled datasets, and an estimate of what proportion of web datasets can be wrapped by crowdworkers using the tool. We also report some evidence that web users will contribute dataset semantics to the system without pay, motivated either to improve web accessibility or to expedite their own scraping tasks.
Explicit evaluations and reciprocity theorems for finite trigonometric sums

This evaluation can be found in standard tables of series, such as those of E. R. Hansen [44, p. 262, eq. (30.1.2)], L. B. W. Jolly [56, pp. 102–103, eq. (352)], and A. P. Prudnikov, Yu. A. Brychkov, and O. I. Marichev [70, p. 646, eq. 6]. We do not know who first proved (1.1), but several proofs exist. If we replace the power 2 on the left side by an arbitrary positive even power, finding an explicit evaluation becomes more difficult. Often, in applications, one does not need an explicit evaluation in closed form but only an asymptotic formula; for example, see T. M. Apostol’s paper [4]. The earliest evaluation known to us of a sum of the type (1.1) is by M. Stern [79, p. 155], who in 1861 proved that, for any positive odd integer k,
Surface electronic properties and CO hydrogenation activity of nickel deposited on rutile TiO2(100) as a model supported catalyst

Abstract A combined ultrahigh-vacuum surface analysis-high-pressure cell system has been used to study the electronic properties and CO hydrogenation behavior of nickel deposited on single-crystal rutile TiO2(100) as a model supported catalyst. Photoemission studies show that nickel atoms at the Ni TiO 2 (100) interface are negatively charged. In situ CO hydrogenation studies at a total pressure of 80 Torr have been performed on Ni TiO 2 (100) and Ni(111) from 170 to 270 °C. The methane turnover number of Ni TiO 2 (100) is a function of the Ni coverage and attains a maximum at an average Ni thickness of 5 A the methanation activity of 5 A Ni TiO 2 is a factor 3.3–3.7 times that of Ni(111), with an accompanying shift of the product distribution toward higher hydrocarbons.
Cytogenetics of triplet conjugation in Tetrahymena: Origin of haploid and triploid clones

Triplet conjugation occurs frequently when three different mating types of T. thermophila are mixed under appropriate conditions. Genetic studies show that fertilization is usually tripolar, with each conjugant contributing a pronucleus to one mate and receiving a pronucleus from the other. Triplets are less common and less stable when only two mating types are mixed, and nuclear exchange is not always reciprocal. Some conjugants contribute a pronucleus but do not receive one in return. Others receive two pronuclei instead of one. Such triplets chracteristically yield one haploid, one diploid and one triploid exconjugant, all of which are able to establish vigorous clones.
Recovery of DNA from agarose gels using a modified ElutrapTM

We have made a significant improvement in the electroelution device, Elutrap (Schleicher and Schuell) by substituting an agarose gel barrier, which is made from 0.6% agarose (SeaKem GTG; FMC Corporation), into the elution chamber in place of the manufacturer specified BT2 membrane. This modification substantially increases the DNA recovery from agarose gels, even in samples containing less than 1 microgram of DNA, and shortens elution times particularly for large sizes of DNA (greater than 4.4 kbp). Additionally, the gel barrier provides a reproducible quantity and quality of DNA recovery. The high quality of the eluted DNA using the modified Elutrap makes this system suitable for further DNA manipulations.
Digital Switching of Local Arginine Density in a Genetically Encoded Self-Assembled Polypeptide Nanoparticle Controls Cellular Uptake

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a class of molecules that enable efficient internalization of a wide variety of cargo in diverse cell types, making them desirable for delivery of anticancer drugs to solid tumors. For CPPs to be useful, it is important to be able to turn their function on in response to an external trigger that can be spatially localized in vivo. Here we describe an approach to turning on CPP function by modulation of the local density of arginine (Arg) residues by temperature-triggered micelle assembly of diblock copolymer elastin-like polypeptides (ELP(BC)s). A greater than 8-fold increase in cellular uptake occurs when Arg residues are presented on the corona of ELP(BC) micelles, as compared to the same ELP(BC) at a temperature in which it is a soluble unimer. This approach is the first to demonstrate digital 'off-on' control of CPP activity by an extrinsic thermal trigger in a clinically relevant temperature range by modulation of the interfacial density of Arg residues on the exterior of a nanoparticle.
Incretin pharmacology: a review of the incretin effect and current incretin-based therapies.

Abstract Given the demonstrated importance of the incretin effect on the prandial insulin response, augmentation of the incretin effect in people with type 2 diabetes is an important pharmacological approach to glycemic management. In recent years, the use of incretin-based therapies, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors, has increased dramatically due to their demonstrated efficacy, low risk of hypoglycemia when used as monotherapy, and reasonable tolerability. Given their effects on glycemic parameters and the likelihood of aiding in weight loss, GLP-1 receptor agonists provide a unique treatment option for people with type 2 diabetes. Increased clinical experience and study of incretin-based therapies will help answer questions about safety issues that have arisen from post-marketing reports. The potential benefit of incretin-based therapies in the treatment of people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease is currently an active area of inquiry. While the potential benefits of incretin-based therapies in the arena of cardiovascular risk reduction are promising, results from ongoing outcomes-based studies will help determine the role of these agents in this setting.
Orwell's despair, Burdekin's hope: Gender and power in dystopia

Abstract George Orwell's 1984 bears a striking resemblance to a little-known anti-fascist dystopia, Swastika Night , that was published twelve years earlier. While the similarities between the two books are in some cases remarkable, of even greater interest is the different treatment of political domination and gender ideology in the two novels. Orwell's critique of power worship is inherently limited by his inability to perceive that preoccupations with power and domination are specifically associated with the male gender role. By contrast, Katherine Burdekin, a feminist writer who published Swastika Night using the pseudonym ‘Murray Constantine’, focuses her critique on the ‘cult of masculinity’ and the fascist dictatorship to which it can lead. Her novel is set 700 years in the future, after Hitlerism has been established in Europe as the official creed, and with it a ‘Reduction of Women’ to an animal level. This essay analyses the relationship between gender and power as understood by these two writers, one world-famous, the other forgotten.
e Historical Jesus and Oaths: A Response to Donald A. Hagner and Jonathan Klawans

This essay responds to the evaluations of the essay, 'Did the Historical Jesus Prohibit All Oaths?' by John P. Meier, published in two parts in JSHJ 5.2 (2007) and 6.1 (2008). Agreement is found in the conclusion that the historical Jesus did prohibit all oaths. Points of disagreement are explored.
“I never talked”: enforced silence, non-narrative memory, and the Gulag

Jehanne Gheith's essay comes from a larger project of life history interviews with Gulag survivors which she conducted over several years (multiple interviews with each person). The Gulag is typica...
When do voters actually think “It’s the Economy”? Evidence from the 2008 presidential campaign

Studies linking election outcomes to economics frequently assume that the economy’s salience is constant. This study shows that the economy’s salience systematically fluctuates. The number of voters focused on economic issues shifted dramatically throughout the 2008 campaign as the recession worsened and this change occurred well before the financial markets collapsed in September 2008. However, even during the recession substantial numbers of individuals said their vote was based on non-economic issues and for these individuals there was no relationship between their assessment of the economy and their electoral choice. Consistent with extant theories of issue attention, citizens who were the hardest hit by the recession and those who had the most anxiety about suffering a financial dislocation in the future were most likely to consider economic performance electorally important while secure voters were less likely to be economic voters.
Analysis of cellular exposure to peroxynitrite in suspension cultures.

A mathematical model was developed to predict the intracellular concentrations of NO, O2-, and peroxynitrite in suspension cell cultures exposed to NO and/or peroxynitrite. Oxygen and CO2 were also considered. Steady state concentrations were computed as a function of radial position within an idealized spherical cell, with a distinction being made between cytosolic and mitochondrial values. Spatial variations in the intracellular concentrations of O2, CO2, and NO were found to be negligible. The extremely low membrane permeabilities for O2- (estimated from lipid bilayer data) caused O2- to be consumed in the compartment in which it was generated (mitochondria or cytosol) and resulted in concentrations that depended on the generation rate and the concentrations of superoxide dismutase and NO in the individual compartments. Special attention was paid to the origins of intracellular peroxynitrite. Potential sources of peroxynitrite include intracellular generation in mitochondria and cytosol and (depending ...
Expansion of Economic Education in the Soviet Union

Because of our intense preoccupation with economic education in the United States and, to a lesser extent, with budding economic education movements in a few other democratic countries, we have paid little attention to the teaching of economics elsewhere. John W. Baer's paper on economic education in the Soviet Union, therefore, is a welcome surprise. In this well-documented article, Professor Baer provides some interesting statistics on the number of economists being training in the U.S.S.R. as compared with the number in the United States, and outlines the Soviet Union's current drive to improve economic literacy on the part of adult workers.
Task-based information management

Effective collaboration in fast-changing environment can put great dem ands on a collaborator's time. Therefore, information retrieval and filtering tools for these environments should impose as little on that time as possible. Not only should they exclude as many irrelevant documents as possible from those presented to the user (to avoid the time wasted sorting through and reading those documents), they should also minimize the user's effort in characterizing his or her information needs. The goal of the Task-based Information Distribution Environment (TIDE) system is to achieve these objectives by explicitly representing each collaborator's current task and using those representations to deliver documents that meet the information needs implied by those tasks. It does this by treating information gathering as a diagnosis problem, in which the situation (i.e., the current state of beliefs about various questions related to a task) leads probabilistically to test that will provide the most evidence toward reaching a diagnosis (i.e., a description of the documents most likely to be useful to that task). It encodes tasks as nodes in a Bayesian network, and computes document descriptions based on the probabilistic relationship among tasks and their corresponding information requirements.
The measurement of vocational maturity in adults

Abstract This investigation was designed to develop a measure of vocational maturity in adults. An Adult Vocational Maturity Inventory was constructed so that its items would reflect on the respondents past vocational decisions. The inventory was then administered to 200 unemployed men, 100 vocational trainees, and 100 graduate students. The total sample was equally divided into item analysis and cross-validation groups. Based on an analyses of the scores for the cross-validation group, the graduate students had the highest level of vocational maturity, the unemployed men had the lowest, and the vocational trainees fell in between the other two. Results of this study lent support for the hypothesis that vocational maturity can be quantitatively measured in adults. Evidence was also given in support of vocational choice theorists who have suggested that occupational maturity can continue into later life stages than adolescence.
Intranasal immunization with a lipooligosaccharide-based conjugate vaccine from nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae enhances bacterial clearance in mouse nasopharynx

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a major cause of otitis media in children. We investigated whether intranasal immunization with a detoxified lipooligosaccharide-tetanus toxoid (dLOS-TT) conjugate vaccine would generate protective immunity against NTHi in a mouse model of nasopharyngeal clearance. The results demonstrated that intranasal immunization with dLOS-TT plus adjuvant cholera toxin (CT) significantly induced LOS-specific IgA antibodies in mouse external secretions, especially in nasal wash (90-fold), bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (25-fold), saliva (13-fold) and fecal extract (three-fold). LOS-specific IgA antibody-forming cells were also found in mucosal and lymphoid tissues with their highest numbers in the nasal passage (528 per 10(6) cells). In addition, the intranasal immunization elicited a significant rise in LOS-specific IgG (32-fold) and IgA (13-fold) in serum. For the immunized mice which had been challenged through the nose with 10(7) live NTHi strain 9274 cells, the vaccine group showed a significant reduction (74-77%) of NTHi, compared to that of control groups with CT alone or dLOS plus CT (P<0.05). Negative correlations were found between bacterial counts and the levels of nasal wash IgA or IgG, saliva IgA and serum IgG. The clearance of five heterologous strains was investigated and revealed a significant clearance of strains 3198, 5657 and 7502 but not of strains 1479 and 2019. These data suggest that intranasal immunization with dLOS-TT vaccine elicits both mucosal and systemic immunity against NTHi and enhances bacterial clearance from nasopharynx in mice. Such a vaccine and vaccination regime may be applicable to humans with an appropriate formulation.
Incremental thermal titrations.

Abstract An automatic pipet is used with external glass check valves to deliver equal increments of a titrating agent from o ne Dewar flask to another one containing the dissolved sample. Each increment of titrant causes a slight change in temperature due to the heat of the reaction occurring. By using a recording potentiometer to establish equal time intervals and to plot the resulting temperature changes, end points are easily identified as the last increment causing a characteristic recording. An alternative method can be used with the same equipment. This is a differential approach which allows the recorder to respond to any change in temperature, but to return to some base line before the regular time for the next increment. The usefulness of both methods is illustrated by a titration of 0.02 M boric acid with and without glycerol.
Dietary Restrictions in Dialysis Patients: Is There Anything Left to Eat?

A significant number of dietary restrictions are imposed traditionally and uniformly on maintenance dialysis patients, whereas there is very little data to support their benefits. Recent studies indicate that dietary restrictions of phosphorus may lead to worse survival and poorer nutritional status. Restricting dietary potassium may deprive dialysis patients of heart-healthy diets and lead to intake of more atherogenic diets. There is little data about the survival benefits of dietary sodium restriction, and limiting fluid intake may inherently lead to lower protein and calorie consumption, when in fact dialysis patients often need higher protein intake to prevent and correct protein-energy wasting. Restricting dietary carbohydrates in diabetic dialysis patients may not be beneficial in those with burnt-out diabetes. Dietary fat including omega-3 fatty acids may be important caloric sources and should not be restricted. Data to justify other dietary restrictions related to calcium, vitamins, and trace elements are scarce and often contradictory. The restriction of eating during hemodialysis treatment is likely another incorrect practice that may worsen hemodialysis induced hypoglycemia and nutritional derangements. We suggest careful relaxation of most dietary restrictions and adoption of a more balanced and individualized approach, thereby easing some of these overzealous restrictions that have not been proven to offer major advantages to patients and their outcomes and which may in fact worsen patients' quality of life and satisfaction. This manuscript critically reviews the current paradigms and practices of recommended dietary regimens in dialysis patients including those related to dietary protein, carbohydrate, fat, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and calcium, and discusses the feasibility and implications of adherence to ardent dietary restrictions and future research.
Asymmetric torsional potential function and conformational analysis of furfural by far infrared and Raman spectroscopy

Abstract The far i.r. (400-50 cm −1 ) spectra of gaseous and solid furfural (2-furancarboxaldehyde), c -C 4 H 3 O (CHO), have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman (3500-20 cm −1 ) spectra of the gas and liquid have been obtained at variable temperatures and the spectrum of the solid at 25 K. These data have been interpreted on the basis that the molecule exists in two different conformations in the fluid states and that the conformation which has the two oxygen atoms oriented in a trans configuration, OO- trans , is most stable (Δ H ⩽ 1 kcal/mol) in the gas; however, the conformation which has the two oxygen atoms oriented cis , OO- cis , is preferred in the liquid (Δ H = 1.07 ± 0.03 kcal/mol) and is the only rotamer present in the spectra of the solid. The asymmetric torsional fundamental for the OO- trans rotamer has been observed at 146.25 cm −1 in the far i.r. spectrum of the vapor and has five accompanying “hot bands”. The corresponding fundamental for the OO- cis rotamer has been observed at 127.86 cm −1 along with a “hot band” which occurs at 127.46 cm −1 . From these data a cosine-based potential function governing internal rotation of the CHO top has been determined and the potential coefficients have values of V 1 = 173 ± 2, V 2 = 3112 ± 20, V 3 = 113 ± 2 and V 4 = −198 ± 6 cm −1 . This potential is consistent with an enthalpy difference between the more stable OO- trans and high energy OO- cis conformers being 286 ± 24 cm −1 (818 ± 67 cal/mol) and a trans to cis barrier height of 3255 ± 20 cm −1 (9.31 ± 0.06 kcal/mol). These results are compared to the corresponding quantities obtained previously from microwave spectroscopy and theoretical methods.
Influence of simulated neuromuscular noise on movement variability and fall risk in a 3D dynamic walking model

People at risk of falling exhibit increased gait variability, which may predict future falls. However, the causal mechanisms underlying these correlations are not well known. Increased neuronal noise associated with aging likely leads to increased gait variability, which could in turn lead to increased fall risk. This paper presents a model of how changes in neuromuscular noise independently affect gait variability and probability of falling, and aims to determine the extent to which changes in gait variability directly predict fall risk. We used a dynamic walking model that incorporates a lateral step controller to maintain lateral stability. Noise was applied to this controller to approximate neuromuscular noise in humans. Noise amplitude was varied between low amplitudes that did not induce falls and high amplitudes for which the model always fell. With increases in noise amplitude, the model fell more often and after fewer steps. Gait variability increased with noise amplitude and predicted increased probability of falling. Importantly, these relationships were not linear. At either low gait variability or very high gait variability, small increases in noise and variability affected probability of falling very little. Conversely, at intermediate noise and/or variability levels, the same small increases resulted in large increases in probability of falling. Our results validate the idea that age-related increases in neuromuscular noise likely play a direct contributing role in increasing fall risk. However, neuromuscular noise remains only one of many important factors that need to be considered. These findings have important implications for fall prevention research and practice.
RecFOR and RecOR as Distinct RecA Loading Pathways

The molecular role of the RecF protein in loading RecA protein onto single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein-coated ssDNA has been obscured by the facility with which the RecO and RecR proteins alone perform this function. We now show that RecFOR and RecOR define distinct RecA loading functions that operate optimally in different contexts. RecFOR, but not RecOR, is most effective when RecF(R) is bound near an ssDNA/double-stranded (dsDNA) junction. However, RecF(R) has no enhanced binding affinity for such a junction. RecO and RecR proteins are both required under all conditions in which the RecFOR pathway operates. The RecOR pathway is uniquely distinguished by a required interaction between RecO protein and the ssDNA binding protein C terminus. The RecOR pathway is more efficient for RecA loading onto ssDNA when no proximal dsDNA is available. A merger of new and published results leads to a new model for RecFOR function.
The current surgical management of carotid body paragangliomas.

Abstract To determine if recent trends in evaluation and therapy have contributed to the successful surgical management of carotid body paragangliomas, we reviewed our experience over the past decade. Nineteen carotid body paragangliomas were identified in 17 patients. Eleven patients underwent complete, preoperative embolization of their afferent arteries with one complication. Calculated carotid body paragangliomas surface areas did not differ between the embolized 64.6 ± 43.3 cm 2 and nonembolized 63.0 ± 57.9 cm 2 lesions. Intraoperative blood loss was lower ( p = 0.02) in the patients treated with embolization (372 ± 213 ml) compared with their cohorts (609 ± 564 ml). However, the operative times were equivalent 4.1 hours versus 4.5 hours in both groups. Intraoperative electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring was used in 10 patients; in one patient the EEG indicated intraoperative thrombosis of the carotid artery, which was successfully treated by thrombectomy without complications. Two patients required carotid bifurcation resection and vascular reconstruction to remove the entire tumor; a late stroke manifested by contralateral hand weakness developed in one of these patients. The incidence of cranial nerve injury was low at 16%, with one transient ramus mandibularis paresis and two instances of vocal cord dysfunction. Two additional patients had a postoperative Horner's syndrome. We conclude that by diminishing intraoperative blood loss through complete and careful preoperative embolization and use of intraoperative EEG monitoring along with careful surgical technique, the complications associated with this challenging operation are facilitated and diminished. (J Vasc Surg 1992;15: 1035–45.)
COMPLEX FORMATION INFLUENCE ON REACTION RATE. II. HYDROLYTIC BEHAVIOR OF RIBOFLAVIN IN BORATE BUFFER.

A study was made of the hydrolytic behavior of riboflavin in aqueous solutions buffered with a borate buffer system. It was observed that the vitamin decomposed slower in the presence of the buffered rather than unbuffered solutions of equivalent hydroxide-ion concentration. Rate studies suggested that a reversible 1: 1 association occurred between riboflavin and a component of the buffer to yield a product which underwent hydrolytic cleavage of the isoalloxazine ring at a slower rate than the parent compound. Similar studies with lumiflavin failed to demonstrate this effect and showed that the ribityl side-chain of riboflavin was involved in the association.
Fault-tolerant flight control design for effective and reliable aircraft systems

Effectiveness in flight control is achieved by maintaining specified performance despite the presence of faults and reliability implies taking the necessary measures to correct the fault before it leads to substantial performance deterioration and instability. In order to achieve both effectiveness and reliability, in this paper, we propose a fault-tolerant control (FTC) approach that is able to simultaneously compensate for actuator faults, model mismatch and parameter variations in aircraft systems. The proposed control design successfully combines the properties of active and passive FTCs to accommodate faults while retaining acceptable system performance. A passive baseline controller is designed using sliding mode theory and an active controller is designed using a model reference adaptive approach. The proposed control paradigm retains system performance under fault free conditions and triggers corrective measures only when necessary, hence ensuring flight effectiveness and enhancing system’s reliab...
A Diabatically Driven Mesoscale Vortex in the Lee of the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract An analysis of a diabatically driven and long-lived midtropospheric vortex in the lee of the Tibetan Plateau during 24–27 June 1987 is presented. The large-scale conditions were characterized by the westward expansion of the 500-mb western Pacific subtropical high and the amplification of a trough in the lee of the plateau. Embedded within the lee trough, three mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) developed. A vortex emerged following the dissipation of one MCS, with its strongest circulation located in the 400–500-mb layer. Low-level warm advection, and surface sensible and latent heating contributed to the convective initiation. Weak wind and weak ambient vorticity conditions inside the lee trough provided a favorable environment for these MCSs and the vortex to develop and evolve. The organized vortex circulation featured a coherent core of cyclonic vorticity extending from near the surface to 300 mb, with virtually no vertical tilt. The air in the vicinity of the vortex was very moist, and the...
A sequential procedure for monitoring the mean of a shot noise process

A sequential detection procedure for monitoring the intensity function of a shot noise process is studied. An invariance principle for the sample mean of such a process is proved and utilized to control the false signal rate. Reaction time performance of the procedure is studied by Monte Carlo methods.
A complex chromosome rearrangement, der(6)ins(6)(p21.1q25.3q27)inv(6)(p25.3q27), in a child with cleidocranial dysplasia

Complex chromosome rearrangements (CCRs) are structural abnormalities involving >2 chromosomes or >3 breakpoints. It has been suggested that the probability of imbalance increases as the number of breakpoints increase. Here we report a 7-month-old, Hispanic girl presenting with cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) who was found to have a complex chromosome rearrangement of chromosome 6. Fluorescence in situ hybridization studies with bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones showed that the rearrangement involved insertion of 6q into 6p disrupting the "Runt related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2)" gene at chromosome 6p21.1. In addition, a pericentric inversion of chromosome 6 was identified. Despite the complex nature of the rearrangement, no cryptic deletions or duplications could be detected by array comparative genomic hybridization.
Gathering people to gather data

An interview with Paul Wicks, Vice President of Innovation at PatientsLikeMe, a patient network and real-time research platform.
C−H and C−NO2 Dissociation Energies in Some Azines and Nitroazines

Structures and energies have been computed for six azines, their mononitro derivatives, and the radicals formed by loss of a hydrogen or a nitro group. A density functional procedure (B3P86/6-31+G**) was used. Relative stabilities within isomeric groups are compared, and 20 C−H and C−NO2 dissociation energies are presented. The results are viewed as demonstrating the importance of the electron-attracting powers of the ring nitrogens.
Evaluation of a Cesium-Ion Rocket Employing a Large Porous Tungsten Ionizer

An ion rocket engine was operated for more than 50 hours using a porous tungsten ionizer. The ionizer was assembled using the techniques of electron beam welding, combined with a high temperature furnace braze. Accelerator and power efficiencies of 90 to 70 percent, respectively, were obtained at a current density of 113 amperes per square meter. This power efficiency was obtained at a specific impulse of 8880 seconds. Preliminary results indicate a propellant utilization efficiency of about 90 percent. (auth)
Low temperature semiconductor surface passivation for nanoelectronic device applications

Abstract A low temperature remote plasma assisted oxidation (RPAO) process for interface formation and passivation has been extended from Si and SiC to GaN. The process, which can be applied to nanoscale structures including quantum dots and wires, provides excellent control of ultra-thin interfacial layers which passivate the GaN substrate, preventing a parasitic or subcutaneous oxidation of the substrate during plasma deposition of SiO 2 . This remote plasma processing for GaN-dielectric heterostructures includes: (i) an in situ nitrogen plasma surface clean, (ii) RPAO for formation of an interfacial GaO x transition region between the GaN and deposited dielectric, and (iii) a remote plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of an SiO 2 dielectric.