cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FliC-specific CD4+ T cell responses are restricted by bacterial regulation of antigen expression.

Salmonella typhimurium , a facultatively intracellular pathogen, regulates expression of virulence factors in response to distinct environments encountered during the course of infection. We tested the hypothesis that the transition from extra- to intracellular environments during Salmonella infection triggers changes in Ag expression that impose both temporal and spatial limitations on the host T cell response. CD4 + T cells recovered from Salmonella immune mice were propagated in vitro using Ag derived from bacteria grown in conditions designed to emulate extra- or intracellular environments in vivo. Extracellular phase bacteria supported a dominant T cell response to the flagellar subunit protein FliC, whereas intracellular phase bacteria were unable to support expansion of FliC-specific T cells from populations known to contain T cells with reactivity to this Ag. This result was attributed to bacterial regulation of FliC expression: transcription and protein levels were repressed in bacteria growing in the spleens of infected mice. Furthermore, Salmonella -infected splenocytes taken directly ex vivo stimulated FliC-specific T cell clones only when intracellular FliC expression was artificially up-regulated. Although it has been suggested that a microanatomical separation of immune T cells and infected APC exists in vivo, we demonstrate that intracellular Salmonella can repress FliC expression below the T cell activation threshold. This potentially provides a mechanism for intracellular Salmonella at systemic sites to avoid detection by Ag-specific T cells primed at intestinal sites early in infection.
MyD88-Mediated Instructive Signals in Dendritic Cells Regulate Pulmonary Immune Responses during Respiratory Virus Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of respiratory disease in infants worldwide. The induction of innate immunity and the establishment of adaptive immune responses are influenced by the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns by TLRs. One of the primary pathways for TLR activation is by MyD88 adapter protein signaling. The present studies indicate that MyD88 deficiency profoundly impacts the pulmonary environment in RSV-infected mice characterized by the accumulation of eosinophils and augmented mucus production. Although there was little difference in CD4 T cell accumulation, there was also a significant decrease in conventional dendritic cells recruitment to the lungs of MyD88 −/− mice. The exacerbation of RSV pathophysiology in MyD88 −/− mice was associated with an enhanced Th2 cytokine profile that contributed to an inappropriate immune response. Furthermore, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC) isolated from MyD88 −/− mice were incapable of producing two important Th1 instructive signals, IL-12 and delta-like4 , upon RSV infection. Although MyD88 −/− BMDCs infected with RSV did up-regulate costimulatory molecules, they did not up-regulate class II as efficiently and stimulated less IFN-γ from CD4 + T cells in vitro compared with wild-type BMDCs. Finally, adoptive transfer of C57BL/6 BMDCs into MyD88 −/− mice reconstituted Th1 immune responses in vivo, whereas transfer of MyD88 −/− BMDCs into wild-type mice skewed the RSV responses toward a Th2 phenotype. Taken together, our data indicate that MyD88-mediated pathways are essential for the least pathogenic responses to this viral pathogen through the regulation of important Th1-associated instructive signals.
Cell biology. Channels as enzymes.

The TRP family of ion channels is proving rather strange. The latest quirks of behaviour include a new enzymatic activity and second messenger, the ability to conduct magnesium ions, and an involvement in cell survival.
A study of the effects of theelin on gonorrheal vaginitis in children

T HE treatment of gonorrhea1 vaginitis of childhood presents a troublesome problem that has never been satisfactorily solved. Regardless of the method employed the vaginitis frequently persists for many months or even longer unaffected by therapy. In our larger cities the disease is a serious social problem and a scourge in institutions for children, In the child’s vagina the infecting organisms lie within the interstices of the epithelial cells or in the subepithelial space. Bearing this point in mind it is evident why the usual application of antiseptics, which are unable to penetrate beneath the superficial epithelium to the habitat of the gonococcus, yields disappointing results. The consideration of certain well recognized facts suggested the possibility of eradicating the gonorrhea1 vaginitis of children by the application of a radically new method of treatment. We know that the gonococcus is a highly selective organism able to exist only in certain tissues. We know also that the infection subsides before the changes of puberty have converted the delicate thin layered epithelium lining the child’s vagina to the thicker structure of the adult? Finally, primary infection of the adult vagina is either extremely shortlived or nonexistent. With these facts in mind the thought occurred that, if one were able to change sufficiently the character of the epithelial lining of the child’s vagina, one might reasonably hope to destroy the invading gonococcus by making its habitat unfavorable. Edgar Allen, in 1928, employing ovarian hormone, demonstrated that such a transformation could be effected in the case of the immature monkey. Could it be obtained in the child? After the injection of 1005 rat units of ovarian hormone over a period of twenty-one days Allen found that the vagina of the monkey exhibited an epithelium averaging thirty layers in thickness and differentiated into two zones. The vaginal epithelium of the control monkey, on the other hand, remained four to eight layers in thickness. Smears showed a proportional increase of partly or completely cornified epithelial cells. Associated with the vaginal changes there was some development of the cervical glands and an invasion of their lumina by many polymorphonuclear leucocytes. The endometrium was “built
Dynamical resonance locking in tidally interacting binary systems

We examine the dynamics of resonance locking in detached, tidally interacting binary systems. In a resonance lock, a given stellar or planetary mode is trapped in a highly resonant state for an extended period of time, during which the spin and orbital frequencies vary in concert to maintain the resonance. This phenomenon is qualitatively similar to resonance capture in planetary dynamics. We show that resonance locks can accelerate the course of tidal evolution in eccentric systems and also efficiently couple spin and orbital evolution in circular binaries. Previous analyses of resonance locking have not treated the mode amplitude as a fully dynamical variable, but rather assumed the adiabatic (i.e. Lorentzian) approximation valid only in the limit of relatively strong mode damping. We relax this approximation, analytically derive conditions under which the fixed point associated with resonance locking is stable, and further check these analytic results using numerical integrations of the coupled mode, spin, and orbital evolution equations. These show that resonance locking can sometimes take the form of complex limit cycles or even chaotic trajectories. We provide simple analytic formulae that define the binary and mode parameter regimes in which resonance locks of some kind occur (stable, limit cycle, or chaotic). We briefly discuss the astrophysical implications of our results for white dwarf and neutron star binaries as well as eccentric stellar binaries.
Dynamics of hydrated polyurethane biomaterials: Surface microphase restructuring, protein activity and platelet adhesion

Microphase separation is a central feature of segmented polyurethane biomaterials and contributes to the biological response to these materials. In this study we utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study the dynamic restructuring of three polyurethanes having soft segment chemistries of interest in biomedical applications. For each of the materials we followed the changes in near surface mechanical properties during hydration, as well as fibrinogen activity and platelet adhesion on these surfaces. Both AFM phase imaging and force mode analysis demonstrated that these polyurethane biomaterials underwent reorientation and rearrangement resulting in a net enrichment of hard domains at the surface. Fibrinogen activity and platelet adhesion on the polyurethane surfaces were found to decrease with increasing hydration time. The findings suggest that water-induced enrichment of hydrophilic hard domains at the surface changes the local surface physical and chemical properties in a way that influences the conformation of fibrinogen, changing the availability of the platelet-binding sites in the protein. This work demonstrates that the hydrated polyurethane biomaterial interface is a complex and dynamic environment where the surface chemistry is changing, altering the activity of fibrinogen and affecting blood platelet adhesion.
Balloon angioplasty and intra-arterial papaverine for vasospasm

Although subarachnoid hemorrhage has many causes, vasospasm induced by subarachnoid hemorrhage most commonly occurs after intracraniaI aneurysm rupture (Fig 1). The incidence of angiographically documented, subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced vasospasm is high. 1 Although most deficits induced by the vasospasm can be treated with hypervolemia, controlled hypertension, and hemodilution, in the cooperative study of aneurysmal surgery timing, the death and disability rate due to vasospasm was 13.5%. 2 There are patients who cannot tolerate medical therapy because of pre-existing cardiac or pulmonary disease. Also, some patients may have induced heart failure or pulmonary edema during treatment. Therefore, at our institution, patients who fail medical therapy immediately undergo cerebral angiography and cerebral angioplasty. Vasospasm typically occurs from 4 to 14 days after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Patients can have focal neurological deficits or global deterioration. Patients who are already in coma also typically undergo transcranial Doppler ultrasound looking for elevations of velocity in the Circle of Willis. In addition, at our institution, bedside xenon hemispheric blood flow measurements are taken to support the diagnosis of vasospasm. If there is elevation of the transcranial Doppler velocities and concomitant decrease in cerebral blood flow, clinical vasospasm is diagnosed and therapy is instituted in awake patients, even if the patient is asymptomatic, and in comatose patients in whom extensive neurological testing cannot be performed. However, it should be noted that most subarachnoid hemorrhage patients are not easily transported for complex diagnostic tests.
Noise Induced Rotation

We investigate the impact of noisy restoring force on the damped linear oscillator + 2βz + cz = 0, when interplaying with the damping. Besides describing the strength of destabilizing and stabilizing noise effects, we show the phenomenon of noise induced oscillation (or rotation) and estimate its strength. Wir untersuchen die Stoswirkung einer mit Rauschen behafteten Richtkraft auf den gedampften linearen Oszillator + 2βz + cz = 0, wenn Wechselwirkung mil der Dampfung auftritt. Neben der Beschreibung der Intensitat destabilisierender und stabilisierender Rauscheffekte zeigen wir das Phanomen rausch-induzierter Oszillation (oder Rotation) auf und schatzen dessen Intensitat ab.
Consumer co-ops: Alternative economic and social units

The traditional cooperatives which arose in the 1930s as alternative institutions became hierarchical, full-service supermarkets selling a full range of products. In the 1960s New Wave co-ops arose to meet the needs of a young constituency interested in ecology and nutrition. The New Wave co-ops tended to be non-hierarchical, participatory, and selective in their merchandising. Reality demands of the marketplace have contributed to the evolution of a Third Wave of cooperatives which combined the full product selection and defined organizational structure of the traditional co-ops with the natural food orientation and the volunteerism of the New Wave.
Inner retinal mechanisms engaged by retinal electrical stimulation.

One approach to treat blindness associated with outer retinal degenerative disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, and age-related macular degeneration, is to develop a multielectrode prosthetic device that will bypass the missing outer retinal elements (e.g., photoreceptors) and will electrically stimulate the remaining inner retinal elements (e.g., bipolar and ganglion cells) in a patterned manner. Indeed, such devices have been developed and implanted in human subjects.1,2 Subjects report that retinal stimulation evokes the perception of phosphenes. However, studies examining the electrophysiological mechanisms engaged by retinal electrical stimulation have been limited in extent. Several in vitro experiments with extracellular electrophysiological recordings in isolated retina preparations have shown that neuronal activity can be evoked by electrical stimulation. Early experiments show that secondary slow-wave retinal potentials can be induced by transretinal electrical stimulation of an amphibian eyecup preparation.3,4 In bullfrog eyecups, the charge-density threshold for evoking responses by epiretinal stimulation was found to be 2.98 μC/cm2.5 Charge-density threshold values were much higher—between 30 and 917 μC/cm2—in isolated rabbit retinas, and similar findings were reported in isolated human retinas.6 Similar threshold values of 500 μC/cm2 using subretinal electrical stimulation have been found in chicken and retinal degenerate Royal College of Surgeons rats (Stett A, et al. IOVS 1999;40:ARVO Abstract 3892).7 However, the main goal of these studies was not to determine underlying mechanisms but to delineate electrode shapes and pulse parameters for safe and effective electrical stimulation in controlled settings. The objective of the present study was to analyze retinal mechanisms during electrical stimulation. To do so, we obtained whole cell recordings from retinal ganglion and bipolar cells in a salamander retina slice preparation. Salamander retina is a widely used model system because its relatively large cells facilitate whole cell recording. In these studies, we tested whether various electrical stimulation parameters induce differential ganglion or bipolar retinal cell responses, and we pharmacologically dissected the retinal circuitry engaged by such stimulation.
The anomalous distribution in heliocentric longitude of solar injected cosmic radiation

Concurrent observations of the solar flare of March 12, 1969 by two spacecrafts separated in solar longitude by 38° show that the accessibility at 1 AU to cosmic ray particles is not a simple function of the relative solar longitude. The cosmic ray flux, degree of anisotropy, and rise time all indicate that the favored path for cosmic ray propagation in this event was some 40° to the east of the nominal Archimedes spiral line of force from the flare location. This is interpreted as evidence for either (a) extreme stochastical wandering of the lines of force of the interplanetary magnetic field, or (b) the redistribution of the cosmic rays in coronal magnetic fields prior to escape onto the nominal Archimedes spiral lines of force.
Improving our aim.

Bioethicists appearing in the media have been accused of "shooting from the hip" (Rachels, 1991). The criticism is sometimes justified. We identify some reasons our interactions with the press can have bad results and suggest remedies. In particular we describe a target (fostering better public dialogue), obstacles to hitting the target (such as intrinsic and accidental defects in our knowledge) and suggest some practical ways to surmont those obstacles (including seeking out ways to write or speak at length, rather than in sound bites). We make use of our own research into the way journalists quote bioethicists. We end by suggesting that the profession as a whole look into this question more fully.
Can transmyocardial CO 2 laser channels supply nutritive blood flow into adjacent myocardium

Clinical reports of transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) suggest that this procedure is effective in relieving angina. However, experimental evidence of nutritive blood flow through the TMLR channels is not available. The purpose of this study was to test whether blood could flow through the TMLR channels created with the carbon-dioxide laser.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effects of particle shape on two-phase flow in pipes

Abstract The results of this study show that particles with the same sphericity but of different shapes behave differently in slurry flow. Also, a quantitative relationship between pressure drop and particle morphological descriptors is determined. Five different shapes of particles with the same volume and surface area are used in this experiment. Each set of particles was circulated in a 24 ft long, 4 in ID Plexiglas pipe by a single-speed slurry pump. By changing the solids concentration of each set of particles, the pressure drop characteristics of the system were obtained.
Identification of N2-methylguanine (2-methylamino-6-hydroxypurine) as a normal constituent of human urine.

A RECENTLY initiated re-investigation1 of the free purine bases (other than methylxanthines of dietary origin or uric acid) normally occurring in human urine showed that in addition to xanthine, hypoxanthine, adenine and 7-methylguanine, isolated in older work2, guanine, 1-methylguanine, and a number of as yet unidentified substances of purine-like properties were present. The procedure used segregation of amphoteric components by absorption on ‘Dowex 50’ resin and elution with ammonia, precipitation of the purines with acid silver nitrate, two-dimensional paper chromatography of this concentrate, elution and ultra-violet spectrophotometry. Improved ultra-violet illumination has revealed the presence of an additional substance the ultra-violet spectrum of which strongly suggests a substituted guanine structure; this appears as a faint spot on the paper chromatograms between ‘spot U’1 and adenine.
Mission Control Knowledge Synchronization: Operations to Reference Performance Cycles

Capturing and utilizing previously generated knowledge is crucial to an organization's development and responsiveness in a dynamic environment. Even so, the creation of a reference source from operational knowledge is affected by situational contexts, events, and organizational constraints. The organizational operations to reference cycle within NASA's Mission Control Center can be examined by the approval process of Flight Rule Change Requests (FRCRs). The FRCR process is intended to document knowledge capture and synchronization tasks associated with space flight missions. External pacing exists due to the operational demands of the launch schedule; procedures are not written or modified without direct relation to operational experience or mission requirements. Preliminary analysis illustrates that, although the FRCR approval process has a cyclic nature with a natural frequency of about one month, launches act as critical forcing functions since procedural knowledge and controller expertise must be sync...
Composition gradients in bridgman-grown Hg1−xMnxTe

Abstract The growth of Hg 1− x Mn x Te , a material from which infrared detectors can be made, has been studied. As with other members of the HgTe-based pseudobinary family, this material is prone to large longitudinal composition gradients. These gradients have been studied as a function of growth speed.
A meta‐analysis on the comparative effectiveness of devil's advocacy and dialectical inquiry

The use of meta-analysis allows us to draw stronger inferences from past research than are possible from traditional literature. In this paper the general purpose of meta-analysis is discussed, and it is used to resolve a dispute regarding a collection of studies in strategic management dealing with devil's advocacy and dialectical inquiry. The use of meta-analysis leads to different conclusions from those drawn in an earlier review of these studies. At the end of the paper the limitations and potential uses of meta-analysis in strategic management are discussed.
Instability of the Mitofusin Fzo1 Regulates Mitochondrial Morphology during the Mating Response of the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mitochondria form a highly dynamic network that is shaped by continuous fission and fusion of these organelles. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae two machineries are involved in this process, one of which includes the mitochondrial fusion promoting GTPase Fzo1. Although a role for the F-box protein Mdm30 in regulating the stability of Fzo1 has been proposed, the molecular basis for the regulation of the fission to fusion ratio of mitochondria remains unknown. To discern the mechanism of the regulation of mitochondrial morphology, we arrested cells at different stages of the cell cycle and examined mitochondrial morphology as well as the stability of mitochondrial fission and fusion proteins. In response to a G1 arrest evoked by the mating pheromone α factor the mitochondrial network fragmented into small pieces, which was accompanied by dramatic down-regulation of Fzo1. Mating pheromone also triggered the degradation of Fzo1 produced under the control of a constitutive promoter, and Fzo1 was stabilized upon proteasome inhibition, indicating a role for the proteasome system in the degradation of Fzo1. However, deletion of MDM30 did not stabilize Fzo1 after mating pheromone treatment, showing a different mechanism from the previously reported process of steady state Fzo1 regulation. We show an example for a regulated change of the mitochondrial fission to fusion ratio during the life cycle of budding yeast. Proteasomal degradation of Fzo1 in response to the mating pheromone is proposed to mediate the remodeling of the mitochondrial network during the process of mating.
Outcomes of ceftriaxone use compared to standard of therapy in methicillin susceptible staphylococcal aureus (MSSA) bloodstream infections

Background Standard of care therapy (SOCT) for the treatment of methicillin susceptible staphylococcal aureus (MSSA) infections requires multiple daily infusions. Despite questionable efficacy due to high protein binding, ceftriaxone (CTX) is frequently used for treatment of MSSA at Hines VA Hospital. Objective The objective of this study was to determine clinical and microbiological outcomes in patients with MSSA bacteremia treated with CTX compared to SOCT. Setting This retrospective study was conducted at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital which is a comprehensive health care center serving the veteran population of the greater metropolitan Chicago and northwest Indiana regions and is institutionally affiliated with the Loyola University Medical Center. The Hines VA provides medical care to over 56,000 veterans and operates approximately 500 hospital beds, including acute care and nursing home beds. Method We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with MSSA bacteremia treated at Hines VA Hospital between January 2000 and September 2009. Patients who received either SOCT or CTX for >50 % of the treatment course and for the appropriate duration were included. Patients who were on multiple antibiotics concurrently or who received <14 days of therapy were excluded. Main outcome measure The primary outcome of this study is to compare clinical outcomes of patients with MSSA bacteremia who were treated with CTX compared to those who received standard of care agents. Results Ninety-three patients with MSSA bacteremia were included in the analysis. Fifty-one were treated with SOCT and 42 with CTX. There were no differences in microbiological cure between SOCT (94.1 %) and CTX (95.2 %) (p = 0.812). Clinical cure was similar between groups (74.5 % for SOCT, 83.3 % for CTX) (p = 0.303). CTX was used more often to treat Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia associated with osteomyelitis whereas endocarditis and central line associated infections were treated more frequently with SOCT (p = 0.01). More patients treated with CTX were managed in the ambulatory setting (64 vs. 24 %; p = <0.001). There was a trend toward a longer hospital stay with SOCT. Conclusion Clinical outcomes for MSSA bacteremia did not differ significantly between patients treated with CTX and SOCT. Findings suggest that CTX may be an alternative for outpatient management of MSSA bacteremia.
Should human resource managers use social media to screen job applicants? Managerial and legal issues in the USA

Purpose – The purpose of the present paper is to describe managerial and US legal issues associated with using social networking web sites (SNWs) such as Facebook for personnel selection. Managers must consider the benefits and concerns that using such information presents.Design/methodology/approach – The paper identifies issues based on the academic literature, theoretical concepts, and current managerial and legal developments as reported in the popular and business press.Findings – Using SNWs to screen applicants offers benefits to organizations in the form of gaining a large amount of information about applicants, which may be used to supplement other information (e.g. a resume). It may also help a firm address “negligent hiring” legal concerns. However, other legal considerations as well as issues pertaining to information accuracy, privacy, and justice argue against using such information.Research limitations/implications – Throughout the paper, topics are raised which may guide future research.Pra...
Thermo-bioconvection in a suspension of oxytactic bacteria

Abstract This paper studies thermo-bioconvection, a macroscopic convective motion induced in a fluid layer by the combined effect of density stratification caused by the upswimming of oxytactic microorganisms and heating from below. Both agencies affecting the density are destabilizing; therefore, monotonic instability is expected. Oscillatory instability may be possible in the case of cooling from below.
Travel times from earthquakes near southern Kuril and their implications for the fate of subducted lithosphere

Abstract Analysis of travel time residuals from deep- and intermediate-focus earthquakes along the Kuril-Kamchatka arc has been a major impetus in advancing the hypothesis of deep slab penetration. The interpretation of travel times, however, has been controversial. The quality of arrivals reported in bulletins has also been debated. Using both digital and analog seismograms, we precisely measured approximately 400 arrival times of teleseismic P phases for seven earthquakes, most of which occurred since 1987 near southern Kuril. Travel times from many of these events have not been analyzed by other researchers, including a unique pair of shallow- and deep-focus earthquakes beneath the Island of Sakhalin. In general, differences between our precisely measured P arrivals and those reported by the International Seismological Center (ISC) are within ±0.4 s, although isolated, large differences do exist. At common stations, large differences in travel time residuals (up to 1.5 s) are observed between one of the deepest earthquakes in northern Kuril and a deep-focus event beneath the Island of Sakhalin, located some 150 km farther west of the well-defined Wadati-Benioff zone in southern Kuril. Significantly faster travel times (up to 1.2 s or more) are also observed along north-northeast and south-southwest azimuths for the deep-focus event in northern Kuril than for a shallow-focus earthquake west of the Sakhalin Island where the effect of subducted lithosphere should be minimal. In both cases, the observed differential residuals between earthquakes in northern and southern portions of the arc are too large to be caused by epicenter mislocation. Since differential travel time residuals largely reflect differences in near source structure, seismic wave speeds below depths of approximately 650 km seem to vary along this arc. The magnitude of slab-like anomalies in the lower mantle beneath Sakhalin is probably two to three times smaller than that in northern Kuril-Kamchatka. If the pattern of travel time anomalies observed for deep-focus earthquakes in northern Kuril-Kamchatka is caused by coherent subducted slab in the lower mantle, wholesale slab penetration into the lower mantle probably did not occur beneath the Sakhalin. There also appears to be a correlation between the state of strain within subducted lithosphere in the upper mantle and the extent of slab penetration into the lower mantle. Along southern Kuril, a net down-dip extensional strain is observed within the slab at intermediate-depths and persists to an unusual depth of approximately 450 km. On the other hand, in the northern Kuril-Kamchatka, down-dip compressional strain dominates at all depths in the subducted lithosphere.
Emotional intelligence and its correlation to performance as a resident: a preliminary study

Abstract Study Objective To test the hypothesis that emotional intelligence, as measured by the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-I) 125 (Multi Health Systems, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) personal inventory, would correlate with resident performance. Design Prospective survey. Setting University-affiliated, multiinstitutional anesthesiology residency program. Participants Current clinical anesthesiology years one to three (PGY 2-4) anesthesiology residents enrolled in the University of Pittsburgh Anesthesiology Residency Program. Measurements Participants confidentially completed the Bar-On EQ-I 125 survey. Results of the individual EQ-I 125 and daily evaluations by the faculty of the residency program were compiled and analyzed. Main Results There was no positive correlation between any facet of emotional intelligence and resident performance. There was statistically significant negative correlation (−0.40; P Conclusions Emotional intelligence, as measured by the Bar-On EQ-I personal inventory, does not strongly correlate to resident performance as defined at the University of Pittsburgh.
Improved method for measuring and assessing reticle pinhole defects

With the increased resolution of today's lithography processes, reticle pinhole defects are much more printable. Measuring the size of small pinholes using the current SEM method often produces erroneous results when compared to pinhole energy transmission. This is mainly due to the fact that SEMs do not accurately account for edge wall angle and partial filling which can dramatically reduce the pinhole transmission and subsequent printability. Since reticle inspection tools, like wafer steppers and scanners, use transmitted illumination, pinhole detection performance based upon top surface SEM defect sizing is often erroneous for small pinhole diameters. This study first uses simulation to predict printability. Then, a pinhole test reticle is developed with a variety of sub-200nm pinholes. The reticle pinholes are measured with an improved method incorporating transmission and imaged to wafer in order to assess printability.
Temperature Dependence of Relative Modulus in Filled Polymer Systems

The temperature dependence of relative modulus observed in filled thermoset, thermoplastic, and polyelectrolyte salt matrices is explained on the basis of induced stresses produced by the differences in the thermal expansion coefficients of the constituent materials. The analysis is based on the assumption that the modulus of the matrix in a filled polymer is less than that of the unfilled polymer. The temperature dependence of relative modulus is expressed as a function of the difference in thermal expansion coefficients, the volume fraction, the relative modulus in the unstressed state, and mechanical properties of the phases. Agreement is good between the analysis and experimental results for three systems: epoxy and glass, polyethylene and wollastonite, and a polyelectrolyte salt with mica and asbestos.
Terrestrial biogeochemical cycles: Global estimates with remote sensing

Abstract The carbon and nitrogen cycles are crucial for understanding the changing Earth system, influencing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, primary productivity of the biosphere, and biogenic emissions of reactive trace species. The carbon budget of the terrestrial biosphere has attracted special attention because of its role in atmospheric changes in carbon dioxide. The terrestrial biosphere influences atmospheric CO 2 through three main modes: First, large, nearly balanced fluxes of CO 2 in photosynthesis and respiration exhibit a degree of interannual variability which can influence atmospheric CO 2 , at least on annual to decadal time scales. Second, land use changes release C02 to the atmosphere. Third, poorly understood processes are likely resulting in enhanced uptake of CO 2 in certain ecosystems, acting as a sink in the global carbon cycle. This sink may result from forest demographics, atmospheric N deposition, or direct CO 2 fertilization, or some synergistic combination of those processes. Global estimates of terrestrial carbon cycle components requires the use of remote observations; however, the appropriate remote sensing strategies are quite different for the various components.
Forearm and finger hemodynamics, blood pressure control, and lipid changes in patients with diabetic hypertension treated with atenolol and prazosin.

Hypertension and diabetes mellitus frequently coexist and are independent risk factors for reduced peripheral perfusion. Antihypertensive medications that reduce blood pressure and improve peripheral perfusion would have advantages in diabetic patients with hypertension. In a randomized, two-placebo period, single-blind, two-way crossover study, we determined finger and forearm blood flow, lipid levels, and blood pressure control in 19 diabetic patients with hypertension, with each atenolol or prazosin and placebo period of 4 weeks' duration. Both drugs reduced blood pressure (sitting: 157/95 to 142/84 mm Hg, atenolol; 155/95 to 138/82 mm Hg, prazosin; standing: 154/94 to 144/84 mm Hg, atenolol; 154/94 to 133/81 mm Hg, prazosin). Lipid levels did not change except that low-density lipoprotein levels fell from 148 to 127 mg/dl with prazosin. Atenolol did not change forearm or finger blood flow or vascular resistance. Prazosin increased blood flow and reduced vascular resistance in both finger and forearm. In conclusion, prazosin has a potentially more appropriate hemodynamic profile than has atenolol in diabetic patients with hypertension. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1988) 44, 202–210; doi:10.1038/clpt.1988.138
Purification of Fermentation-Derived Acetic Acid By Liquid−Liquid Extraction and Esterification

Liquid−liquid extraction and esterification were investigated for the purification of acetic acid. With model solutions, a solvent system containing equal volumes of Alamine-336 and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol resulted in 85% extraction efficiency when the pH of the broth was below 3.5. At higher pH, Aliquat-336 could extract higher amounts. With the fermentation broth (pH 6−7), direct acidification with sulfuric acid gave yields of 66% at pH 3.4. Lowering the pH by bipolar electrodialysis was more effective and gave higher yields of 85%. Esterification with ethyl and butyl alcohols was optimum at a molar ratio of 3:1 alcohol to acetic acid. With model solutions (no water present), yields were 65−75% of theoretical. However, the large amount of water present in the fermentation broth inhibited esterification, giving yields of only 5−20%.
Lysophosphatidic acid is detectable in human bronchoalveolar lavage fluids at baseline and increased after segmental allergen challenge.

Summary Background Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a biologically active lysophospholipid and a component of normal plasma. LPA binds to receptors expressed on circulating and structural lung cells and affects cell growth and activation. Whether LPA is present in the lung has not been previously reported. Objective To develop an assay to measure LPA in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids, and to study the association between LPA and allergic airway inflammation. Methods Seventeen allergic subjects underwent bronchoscopy and segmental allergen challenge, followed 18 h later by BAL. Supernatants were analysed for LPA content using liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy. Expression of LPA receptors on primary bronchial epithelial cells was analysed by immunolabelling, and the effects of LPA on epithelial cell barrier function was investigated by measuring transepithelial resistance. Results LPA was detectable in BAL from control lung segments, and significantly increased 18 h after allergen challenge. Polyunsaturated species of LPA were especially increased following segmental allergen challenge. LPA levels did not strongly correlate with the number or percentages of eosinophils, neutrophils of lymphocytes, whereas MIP-3α (CCL20) levels correlated significantly with the allergen-driven influx of lymphocytes. The levels of LPA from control sites correlated inversely with BAL protein content, suggesting that LPA promoted epithelial barrier integrity at baseline. Experiments using primary human bronchial epithelial cells confirmed that LPA tightened the epithelial cell barrier. Conclusion Lysophosphatidic acid is detectable in human BAL fluids at baseline and its expression increases during allergic inflammation. LPA does not appear to be a dominant chemoattractant for eosinophils or lymphocytes during allergic airway inflammation. In the absence of ongoing inflammation, LPA may promote epithelial barrier integrity.
Johannes de Garlandia on organum in speciali

The extraordinary dissemination of the Parisian repertory, resulting in its establishment in the thirteenth century as a kind of ‘Classical’ style (and later as an ars antiqua), was greatly abetted – if not made possible in the fist place – by what may have been an exclusively written mode of transmission. This is apparently the earliest body of polyphony to have been conceived, preserved and circulated entirely in writing. Equally important for the impact of the music of Paris, however, is the fact that it spawned a didactic tradition. It provided the foundation for a group of treatises that were the first to elucidate an already existing polyphonic repertory. Rather than instructing the singer how to generate polyphonic embellishments of plainchant ex tempore, these theoretical texts provided him with the information he needed to transform the written symbols in the manuscript before him into sounding music consistent with the intentions of the composer (or, at least, of the scribe), and they offered guidance to the organista wishing to create other works in a similar idiom. To be sure, these treaties did not transmit the Paris style intact.
Liquid nitrogen enhancement of partially annealed fission tracks in glass

THE number density of fission tracks in solids is reduced if the sample is heated before chemical etching, and the effect of annealing must be accounted for before an age date can be assigned to the sample1–3. The extent of the annealing can be observed by a measurement of the reduction in the track parameters (diameter and/or length) and subsequent comparison to unannealed tracks. Correct ages can be obtained by careful calibration studies of track density reduction against track diameter or length reduction at different annealing temperatures and times4,5. For crystalline minerals, however, these correction techniques are not generally valid6. In this study, glass samples were partially annealed and then immersed in liquid nitrogen for various periods and we show that the properties of the glass and/or the track parameters can be altered so as to observe tracks that would normally be erased by annealing.
Stark shifts and resonant multiphoton ionisation in multimode laser fields

The author presents a theory of resonant multiphoton ionisation by multimode laser light. He investigates N photon resonant N+1 photon ionisation for a high order bound-bound transition with the resonance dominated by the Stark shift. Two aspects of the problem are considered. He studies the bandwidth dependence for the resonant ionisation probability, approximating the multimode laser light by a chaotic field. Secondly, he investigates the effects of finite mode numbers of the multimode laser. Finally, the theory is compared with the recent experimental results of Lompre et al (1981).
Algebras Having Linear Multiplicative Complexities

The foundations are laid for a theory of multiplicative complexity of algebras and it is shown how “multiplication problems” such as multiplication of matrices, polynomials, quaternions, etc., are instances of this theory. The usefulness of the theory is then demonstrated by utilizing algebraic ideas and results to derive complexity bounds. In particular linear upper and lower bounds for the complexity of certain types of algebras are established.
Adhesion, friction, and wear of plasma-deposited thin silicon nitride films at temperatures to 700 C

The adhesion, friction, and wear behavior of silicon nitride films deposited by low- and high-frequency plasmas (30 kHz and 13.56 MHz) at various temperatures to 700 C in vacuum were examined. The results of the investigation indicated that the Si/N ratios were much greater for the films deposited at 13.56 MHz than for those deposited at 30 kHz. Amorphous silicon was present in both low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited silicon nitride films. However, more amorphous silicon occurred in the films deposited at 13.56 MHz than in those deposited at 30 kHz. Temperature significantly influenced adhesion, friction, and wear of the silicon nitride films. Wear occurred in the contact area at high temperature. The wear correlated with the increase in adhesion and friction for the low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited films above 600 and 500 C, respectively. The low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited thin silicon nitride films exhibited a capability for lubrication (low adhesion and friction) in vacuum at temperatures to 500 and 400 C, respectively.
Effects of Preoperative Skin Preparation on Postoperative Wound Infection Rates: A Prospective Study of 3 Skin Preparation Protocols

Objective. To compare the effects of different skin preparation solutions on surgical‐site infection rates. Design. Three skin preparations were compared by means of a sequential implementation design. Each agent was adopted as the preferred modality for a 6‐month period for all general surgery cases. Period 1 used a povidone‐iodine scrub‐paint combination (Betadine) with an isopropyl alcohol application between these steps, period 2 used 2% chlorhexidine and 70% isopropyl alcohol (ChloraPrep), and period 3 used iodine povacrylex in isopropyl alcohol (DuraPrep). Surgical‐site infections were tracked for 30 days as part of ongoing data collection for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project initiative. The primary outcome was the overall rate of surgical‐site infection by 6‐month period performed in an intent‐to‐treat manner. Setting. Single large academic medical center. Patients. All adult general surgery patients. Results. The study comprised 3,209 operations. The lowest infection rate was seen...
Foreigners’ Archive – Contemporary China in the Blogs of American Expatriates

This study scrutinized blogs written by American expatriates in twenty-first-century China. The primary objectives were to explore how China is represented in such blogs and to understand the discursive processes through which the American bloggers utilize the blogging technology to narrate their perceptions of the Chinese realities. Drawing on the postcolonial and discursive perspectives, we have determined that the blogs examined here consist of a distinct discursive space of cultural representation and contestation. They were also interpreted as a digital extension of conventional Euro-American travel writing as they share with the genre a set of rhetorical conventions and face the same set of problems of representing the cultural Other. These assumptions guided the discourse analyses of the blogs, written by three American individuals. The study revealed that the bloggers used three prominent metaphors to convey their perceptions of contemporary China, which echo the conventional Western knowledge of ...
A variable fluid-transformer for increasing efficiency in hydraulic control systems

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Thesis. 1965. Sc.D.
Distinct patterns of cyclin D1 regulation in models of liver regeneration and human liver.

Abstract The expression of cyclin D1 and associated cdks was examined in models of liver regeneration and human liver specimens. In mouse liver after 70% partial hepatectomy, there was >20-fold induction of cyclin D1 mRNA and protein, beginning prior to peak. DNA synthesis. In normal rat liver, basal levels of cyclin D1 protein were significantly higher than in the mouse. After hepatectomy in the rat, cyclin D1 mRNA was induced 6- to 10-fold, while the protein levels changed 20-fold in rat hepatocytes. Immunoprecipitation of cyclin D1 demonstrated its association with cdk4 but not cdk5 in regenerating liver. In human liver biopsy specimens, cyclin D1 protein was detectable in normal liver and induced 2- to 10-fold in mitotically active liver following transplantation. These results suggest that the regulation of cyclin D1 protein in human liver may more closely parallel the mouse than the rat hepatectomy model. Furthermore, cyclin expression in primary cells in culture may differ significantly from that observed in vivo .
Infrared spectroscopy of Li+(CH4)n, n = 1–9, clusters

Abstract We report the infrared spectra of Li+(CH4)n, n = 1–9, clusters in the C−H stretching region using vibrational predissociation spectroscopy. Vibrational frequencies and geometries were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31+G∗ level with zero-point corrected binding energies at the MP2/6-31+G∗ level. Experiments and calculations indicated a first solvent shell size of four CH4. Second solvent shell ligands were identified by smaller frequency shifts and changes in relative intensity, suggesting a reduced influence of Li+ beyond the first shell. Perturbation of the CH4 vibrational modes appears to be dominated by the Li+⋯CH4 electrostatic interaction, while CH4⋯CH4 interactions between first and second shell molecules have no measurable effect.
A Rigorous Least-Squares Analysis of Complex Gamma-Ray Spectra with Partial Compensation for Instrumental Instability

The least-squares method for analyzing multichannel gamma-ray spectra is one of great power and versatility, but its full potential is difficult to realize due to instrumental instabilities. For sources having low or moderate activities and for which the counting times range from a few minutes to several hours, the most important instabilities are long term drifts in zero-energy channel-intercept and gain. A computer routine based on the use of a special reference source is described, which can detect changes in zero-intercept of as little as 0.05 channels (for a 512 channel analyzer), and in gain of as little as 0.1%. By prior transformation of the data to compensate for these effects, and by the use of appropriate weighting factors in the least-squares analysis, the goodness of fit is dramatically improved. Often, the goodness of fit indicator "chi-squared over degrees of freedom" is reduced from a value in excess of three, to a value which does not differ significantly from unity. The weighting procedure described takes into account the statistical errors in both the complex spectrum which is to be analyzed, and in the reference spectra which are its components. These computer methods have been applied to the analysis of gamma-spectra from biological materials containing low activities of the natural series of radionuclides, and of atomic fallout products.