cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Plasmodium liver stage inhibition by halofuginone

Malaria is a devastating parasitic disease that afflicts one-third of the world's population. Antimalarial drugs in common use address few targets, and their efficacy is being undermined by parasite resistance. Most therapeutics target blood-stage malaria, whereas only few compounds are active against malaria's liver stage, the first stage of the Plasmodium parasite's life cycle within the human host. The identification of inhibitors active against liver-stage malaria would benefit the development of chemical probes to elucidate the poorly understood biology of this phase of the parasite life cycle and could provide agents to prevent and eliminate the disease. Herein we report the development of a live-cell parasite traversal assay in 384-well format amenable to high-throughput screening that exploits the wounding of liver cells by the parasite. This method identifies small molecules that may inhibit the parasite's actin-myosin motor system. The traversal assay, in addition to established methods, was used to evaluate the activity of halofuginone, a synthetic halogenated derivative of the natural alkaloid febrifugine, against liver-stage Plasmodium berghei parasites. Halofuginone was found to inhibit P. berghei sporozoite load in HepG2 cells with an IC(50) value of 17 nM. While the compound does not affect parasite traversal through human liver cells, an inhibition time course assay indicates that it affects essential processes in both early- and late-stage parasite development.
Abnormal returns with momentum/contrarian strategies using exchange-traded funds

Investing in portfolios of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provides abnormal returns that exceed transactions costs, when returns are adjusted for risk using Fama and French's three-factor model. Short formation and holding periods of one day to one week provide abnormal contrarian returns, as past losers become winners and past winners become losers. Medium formation and holding periods of 4–39 weeks provide abnormal momentum returns, as past winners keep winning and past losers keep losing. Abnormal returns for portfolios of ETFs result in an asset allocation setting including all four types of ETFs, namely domestic, international, sector, and bond ETFs, with contrarian returns maximised over a one-day formation and holding period, and with momentum returns maximised over a 20-week formation and holding period.
Nickel uptake by sea urchin embryos and their subsequent development.

There is active uptake of radioactive nickel by fertilized eggs and embryos of the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus. The nickel taken into the cells is free and can be released by the addition of exogenous, non-radioactive nickel. The morphological development of embryos raised in sea water containing 10−2 to 10−6M NiCl2 was investigated. Nickel uptake is initiated right after fertilization, but its effect on development does not appear until much later. Embryos grown in 10−2 and 10−3M NiCl2 cleaved at a normal rate and formed blastulae but did not gastrulate. Embryos grown in 10 −4 to 10−6M NiCl2 were able to gastrulate but failed to develop dorsoventral symmetry and formed radialized larvae.
AGENCY ASCRIPTIONS IN ETHICS AND EPISTEMOLOGY: OR, NAVIGATING INTERSECTIONS, NARROW AND BROAD

In this article, the logic and functions of character-trait ascriptions in ethics and epistemology is compared, and two major problems, the ''generality problem'' for virtue epistemologies and the ''global trait problem'' for virtue ethics, are shown to be far more similar in structure than is commonly acknowl- edged. Beyond the aporia of character-trait ascription and between the Scylla and Charybdis that virtue theories are faced with in each field of philosophy, we find our passage by making full and explicit use of the ''narrow-broad spectrum of trait ascription,'' and by accounting for the various uses of it in an inquiry-pragmatist account. In virtue theories informed by inquiry pragmatism, the agential habits and abilities deemed salient in explanations/evaluations of agents in particular cases, and the determination of the relevant domains and conditions that an agent's habit or ability is reliably efficacious in, is determined by pragmatic concerns related to our evaluative epistemic practices.
Na+-H+ exchanger kinetics in adrenal glomerulosa cells and its activation by angiotensin II

We have studied the kinetic properties of basal and angiotensin II (ANG II) stimulated Na+-H+ exchange in adrenal glomerulosa cells by measuring changes in cytosolic pH (pHi and initial rates of 22Na uptake in the presence or absence of dimethylamiloride (DMA). The cells were studied 1) under basal conditions, 2) at constant pH; (6.8) with varied external sodium (Na+o), and 3) at varied pH; with constant Na+o (50 mM). In 2,7-biscarboxyethyl-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein loaded cells under basal conditions, pH; rose from 7.09 ± 0.02 to 7.19 ± 0.02 (P < 0.05) with addition of ANG II (100 nM). Similarly, DMAsensitive Na influx was enhanced from 9.2 ± 1.3 to 14.8 ± 2.1 nmol Na+/mg protein X min (P μ 0.01) by ANG II. In cells acidloaded by preincubation in Na+-free media (pH; 6.8), addition of varying Na+o resulted in a rapid H+ efflux that was markedly inhibited by DMA. DMA-sensitive Na+ influx into these acidified cells with varied Na+o exhibited a Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) of 23 mM and a maximum velocity (Vm...
Functional nucleotide receptor expression and sarcoplasmic reticulum morphology in dedifferentiated porcine coronary smooth muscle cells.

The phenotypic dedifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is an early event associated with cell culturing and vascular injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the SMC phenotype underlying the functional responsiveness of SMCs to nucleotides in organ culture. Porcine coronary arteries were either used fresh, cold stored (5 degrees C) 4 days, or organ cultured (37 degrees C) 4 days. Fura-2 digital imaging of single SMCs was used to measure the myoplasmic calcium (Ca(m)) response to 10 microM of the following nucleotide receptor agonists: UTP, UDP, ATP, ADP, and 2-MeSATP. In contrast to the nucleotides UDP, ATP, ADP, and 2-MeSATP, the Ca(m) response increased 10-fold and the number of cells that responded to UTP increased 5-fold in SMCs from organ culture compared to SMCs from fresh or cold-stored arteries. Simultaneous imaging of Ca(m), DNA content, and SR distribution in SMCs from organ culture indicated that the UTP-induced Ca(m) increase occurred exclusively in SMCs that had a dedifferentiated cell phenotype. Three-dimensional image reconstruction of the nucleus and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) revealed a novel transnuclear SR distribution that intertwined with the nucleus in fresh SMCs, while in SMCs from organ culture the SR was predominantly perinuclear and cytoplasmic. This study demonstrates that the functional up-regulation of UTP-sensitive receptors and the disappearance of the transnuclear SR distribution are novel features of dedifferentiated coronary SMCs.
ABO-incompatible liver transplantation with no immunological graft losses using total plasma exchange, splenectomy, and quadruple immunosuppression: Evidence for accommodation☆

ABO-incompatible liver transplants (LTX) have been associated with a high risk of antibody-mediated rejection, poor patient and graft survival, and a high risk of vascular thrombosis and ischemic bile duct complications. We used pretransplantation and posttransplantation double-volume total plasma exchange (TPE), splenectomy, and quadruple immunosuppression (cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil, prednisone, cyclosporine or tacrolimus, and OKT3 induction) in 14 patients receiving ABO-incompatible LTX between June 1992 and February 2001: A(1) to O (seven), B to O (two), B to A (two), A to B (one), AB to A (one), and AB to O (one). Actuarial 1- and 5-year patient and graft survival rates are 71.4% and 61.2 % and 71.4% and 61.2%, respectively, with a mean follow-up of 62.9 +/- 39.4 months. Ten acute cellular rejections occurred, and the mean time to the first episode was 62 +/- 33 days. All were steroid sensitive. No antibody-mediated rejection or vascular thromboses occurred. Pretransplantation pre-TPE immunoglobulin (Ig) G mean isohemagglutinin titers were 262 +/- 326, compared with pretransplantation post-TPE titers of 65 +/- 103 (P =.04). Eight of nine patients with measurable titers before and after TPE achieved a reduction in titers. The mean number of posttransplantation TPE was 5.5 +/- 4.1 (range, 0 to 12), and the last TPE was on postoperative day 9.4 +/- 5.3. IgG isohemagglutinin titers 2 weeks posttransplantation had increased to 153 +/- 309 (P =.03 compared with pretransplantation pre-TPE IgG). ABO-incompatible liver transplantations can be performed with acceptable patient and graft survival rates with a low risk of antibody-mediated rejection with a combination of TPE, splenectomy, and quadruple immunosuppression. Recovery of isohemagglutinin antibody levels without humoral rejection suggests that accommodation may be the protective mechanism preventing late antibody-mediated rejection.
RECOIL PROTON POLARIZATION IN NEUTRAL PION PHOTOPRODUCTION BETWEEN 1000 AND 1800 MeV.

Measurements are presented of the recoil-proton polarization for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ photoproduction angles near 64\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the c.m. system. The steep angular dependence observed by others at lower energies persists to at least 1500 MeV, and the polarization crosses through zero near 63\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} over the entire 900-1600-MeV energy interval. Summary fits are made to available recoil-proton polarization data, 950-1250 MeV, and are found to require terms of order ${cos}^{3}\ensuremath{\theta}$, but no higher.
Signaling in B cells via Toll-like receptors

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and their ligands have emerged as important regulators of immunity, relevant to a wide range of effector responses from vaccination to autoimmunity. The most well-studied ligands of TLRs expressed on B cells include the lipopolysaccharides (for TLR4) and CpG-containing DNAs (for TLR9), which induce and/or co-stimulate B cells to undergo proliferation, class switching and differentiation into antibody-secreting cells. Recent developments in this area include advancements into our understanding of the role of these receptor pathways in B cells, and in particular the relevance of TLR9, which has received substantial attention as both a Th1-like inflammatory immunomodulator and a pathogenic co-stimulator of autoreactive B cell responses.
Quantum Hall effect of two-component bosons at fractional and integral fillings

We investigate the feasibility of many candidate quantum Hall states for two-component bosons in the lowest Landau level. We identify interactions for which spin-singlet incompressible states occur at filling factors $\ensuremath{\nu}=2/3$, $4/5$, and $4/3$, and partially spin-polarized states at filling factors $3/4$ and $3/2$, where ``spin'' serves as a generic label for the two components. We study ground states, excitations, edge states, and entanglement spectrum for systems with up to 16 bosons and construct explicit trial wave functions to clarify the underlying physics. The composite fermion theory very accurately describes the ground states as well as excitations at $\ensuremath{\nu}=2/3$, $4/5$, and $3/4$, although it is less satisfactory for the $\ensuremath{\nu}=3/2$ state. For $\ensuremath{\nu}=4/3$ a ``non-Abelian spin-singlet'' state, which is the exact ground state of a three-body contact interaction, has been proposed to occur even for a two-body contact interaction; our trial wave functions are very accurate for the excitations of the three-body interaction, but they do not describe the excitations of the two-body interaction very well. Instead, we find that the $\ensuremath{\nu}=4/3$ state is more likely to be a spin-singlet state of reverse-flux-attached composite fermions at filling ${\ensuremath{\nu}}^{*}=4$. We also consider incompressible states at integral filling factors $\ensuremath{\nu}=1$ and 2. The incompressible state at $\ensuremath{\nu}=1$ is shown to be well described by the parton-based Jain spin-singlet wave function, and the incompressible state at $\ensuremath{\nu}=2$ as the spin-singlet state of reverse-flux-attached composite fermions at ${\ensuremath{\nu}}^{*}=2$, which provides an example of the bosonic integer topological phase.
Modelling of fibre pull-out from a cement matrix

Abstract Theoretical analyses of fibre pull-out from a matrix reported in the literature are briefly reviewed. The effects of Poisson's ratio, elastic-frictional bond strengths, and bond strength variation with slippage distance on the pull-out relation are discussed. A theoretical model motivated by observations of fibre surface abrasion is developed to predict the pull-out force versus displacement relationship. The model takes into consideration the variation of the frictional fibre-matrix bond strength with fibre slippage distance. Good agreement is achieved between model predicted pull-out behaviour and experimental pull-out curves for nylon and polypropylene fibres. For these synthetic fibres, the bond strength increases with the slippage distance during the process of pull-out. The model also predicts reasonably well the pull-out behaviour of steel fibres for which the bond strength decreases with the slippage distance.
A Biologically Based Explanation for Mortality Crossover in Human Populations

We consider the impact of a genetically predetermined maximum life span (or upper bound on life span of a species) on patterns of human mortality. In particular, we consider the implication of a predetermined maximum life span on two distinct population subgroups: one group advantaged, the other group disadvantaged. We show that the existence of a genetically predetermined maximum life span imposes the condition that the two subgroup mortality rates must cross. We further observe that proportional mortality must be associated with divergent mortality differences over the life course. We illustrate these arguments via some simulated examples.
Spectroscopy of α,ω-dithienyl polyenes: evidence for two-photon absorption states from fluorescence studies

The photophysics of a series (alpha) ,(omega) -dithienyl polyenes was studied. Both one photon excited fluorescence and fluorescence originating from two photon absorption states were investigated. There is strong evidence of two photon absorption from fluorescence studies in agreement with our earlier studies involving nonlinear absorption.
Elastic Instabilities and Amorphization of Crystalline Silica Under Pressure

Solid state amorphization can occur when a crystalline phase is compressed at a sufficiently low temperature to inhibit kinetically the transformation to a stable high pressure crystalline phase. An example of such a vitrification transformation occurs in α-quartz, the most stable phase of SiO2 at standard temperature and pressure conditions. Under pressure at room temperature α-quartz gradually transforms to an amorphous form in the range of 25–30 GPa. The driving force for this amorphization is not clear, and speculation has centered on mechanical instabilities of the quartz crystal under pressure. The elastic properties of α-quartz are studied as a function of pressure using both classical interatomic potentials, and ab initio pseudopotentials. In both cases, we find that the α-quartz structure becomes mechanically unstable at about 30GPa. This finding supports a picture in which the amorphization of quartz is triggered by the onset of a lattice shear-instability. The microscopic origin of this elastic softening is intimately related to the presence of an oxygen close-packed cubic arrangement in the quartz high pressure structure.
Effects of selenium on aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity in cultured human lymphocytes

Summary Human lymphocytes were cultured in the presence and absence of inducers of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH). The presence of 10 −5 M selenium (Se) in the culture medium had no effect on non-induced or induced levels of AHH. The presence of Se in the assay, however, inhibited AHH activity by more than 50%. This level of inhibition was seen at concentrations of the substrate benzo(a)pyrene of 1, 3,10 and 100μm and Se concentrations of 0.1, 0.3, 1 and 10 mM, respectively.
Idealized laws, antirealism, and applied science: A case in hydrogeology

When is a law too idealized to be usefully applied to a specific situation? To answer this question, this essay considers a law in hydrogeology called Darcy's Law, both as it is used in what is called the symmetric-cone model, and as it is used in equations to determine a well's groundwater velocity and hydraulic conductivity. After discussing Darcy's law and its applications, the essay concludes that this idealized law, as well as associated models and equations in hydrogeology, are not realistic in the sense required by the D-N account. They exhibit what McMullin calls mathematical idealization, construct idealization, empirical-causal idealization, and subjunctive-causal idealization. Yet this lack of realism in hydrogeology is problematic for reasons unrelated to the status of the D-N account. These idealizations are also problematic in applied situations. Their problems require developing two supplemental criteria, necessary for their productive application.
Capsule function following anterior dislocation: Implications for diagnosis of shoulder instability

During shoulder dislocation, the glenohumeral capsule undergoes non-recoverable strain, leading to joint instability. Clinicians use physical exams to diagnose injury and direct repair procedures; however, they are subjective and do not provide quantitative information. Our objectives were to: (1) determine the relationship between capsule function following anterior dislocation and non-recoverable strain; and (2) identify joint positions at which physical exams can be used to detect non-recoverable strain in specific capsule regions. Physical exams were simulated at three joint positions including external rotation (ER) using robotic technology before and after anterior dislocation. The resulting joint kinematics, strain distribution in the capsule, and non-recoverable strain were determined. Following dislocation, anterior translation increased by as much as 48% (0° ER: p = 0.03; 30° ER: p = 0.03; 60° ER: p < 0.01). Capsule sub-regions with less non-recoverable strain required more ER to detect differences in the strain ratios between the intact and injured joint. Strain ratio changes on the humeral side of the posterior axillary pouch (0.31 ± 0.32) were significant at all joint positions (0° ER: p = 0.03; 30° ER: p = 0.048; 60° ER: p = 0.04), whereas strain ratio differences on the humeral side of the anterior axillary pouch (0.18 ± 0.21) were significant only at 60° of ER (p = 0.03). Therefore, standardizing physical exams for joint position could help surgeons identify specific locations of non-recoverable strain that may have been ignored.
Mechanisms of Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetes leads to end-stage renal disease in a considerable fraction of patients. A number of risk factors for this process can be identified. These include glycemic control, familial and ethnic risks, and hemodynamic alterations in both systemic and intrarenal hypertension. This latter category of hemodynamic risks may interact with metabolic and genetic influences to ultimately produce progressive diabetic nephropathy. However, manipulation of these vascular stresses by anti hypertensive therapy presently offers the most efficacious means of influencing the progression and perhaps even clinical appearance of diabetic nephropathy.
Civilisation as Paradigm: An Inquiry into the Hermeneutics of Conflict

This article examines Samuel Huntington's claims that his civilisational theory rises to the level of paradigm and is not merely social science theory. This claim is examined in light of Huntington's focus on Islamic civilisation and its relationship to the ongoing war on terror. The specific manifestations of Islam that have been relevant to this war are placed within the context of what Jeffrey Herf refers to as reactionary modernism, which views violent reactions to modernity as alternative expressions of modernity. While Islam has civilisational characteristics, as Huntington suggests, the violence that gives rise to terror is a result of time- and region-specific reactionary modern variables, and is not inherent in Islam itself. Second, though civilisation-as-social science might shed light on policy options to deal with the problem of terror, civilisational theory is not equipped to supersede the interest-orientation of realism.
Update on pregnancy, condom use, and prevalence of selected sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents.

Sexual activity among adolescents had increased in the US over the past 20 years. Surveys suggest that 14-44% of males and 7-30% of females under age 15 have had sexual intercourse. Risk factors for early sexual activity include low socioeconomic status low future achievement orientation and peer and media influence. Surveys indicate however that less than 50% of youths use condoms when having intercourse. Both pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates are therefore elevated in these populations in the US. 40% of female American adolescents are impregnated before turning 20 years old; approximately 75% of these pregnancies are unplanned. Of the more than 1 million annual adolescent pregnancies 400000 are aborted 470000 are born to term and the rest result in spontaneous miscarriage. Only 5% of those ultimately born are turned over for adoption. The US public annual monetary cost of these unwanted and unplanned pregnancies is estimated to be $20 billion. Teen mothers usually do not finish their education do not support themselves financially have failed marriages produce babies with relatively more health problems and have more babies grouped close together by age. US adolescents and youths are simply not using contraception effectively. Condoms are especially appropriate and recommended within this age group due to the often sporadic nature and multiplicity of their sexual contacts as well as the ability of condoms to reduce the risk of both pregnancy and STD transmission. Physicians need to teach and counsel their young clients and advocate that they receive services targeted to their needs. Finally any such interventions should be developed with the understanding that the level of knowledge about condoms is not related to their use and that high- risk sex behavior is related to a decreased likelihood of condom use. Risk prevention efforts should reach young adolescents before they initiate and become accustomed to sexual risk-taking and aim to change attitudes toward peer beliefs and behaviors; decrease perceived costs; and increase attitudes about the effectiveness of condoms in preventing STDs.
Self-Configured Fair Queueing

Many core-stateless mechanisms have been proposed to resolve the scalability problem in the core routers. However, they place considerable reliance on the edge routers or anterior core routers to mark correct flow information in corresponding packets. As a result, the condition of incorrect flow information may severely degrade the fairness among different flows. To achieve the robust fairness, an approximately core-stateless fair sharing mechanism, self-configured fair queuing (SCFQ) is proposed in this paper. This mechanism is mainly composed of two rate estimators; one estimator is used to estimate the arrival rate of the malicious flows that can be adopted to emend the incorrect flow information of the arrival packets. The other one is used to estimate the fair share rate. Computer Simulation is applied to compare the fairness of the SCFQ, core-stateless fair queuing (CSFQ), linear fair sharing estimation (LFSE), deficit round robin (DRR), and first in first out (FIFO). From the simulation results, the SCFQ is capable of supporting much better fairness than that of other compared mechanisms under a variety of traffic conditions. Also, the overhead of the SCFQ is low, so it is very suitable to be deployed in high-speed core routers.
High power neodymium-doped single transverse mode fibre laser

A 5W CW single transverse mode neodymium-doped fibre laser operating in the 1.06μm region is reported. The silica-based double clad fibre laser routinely achieves 51% slope efficiency when pumped at 807 nm by a fibre-coupled multimode laser diode bar pump source.
Microfabricated scaffold-guided endothelial morphogenesis in three-dimensional culture

Morphogenesis is a fundamental process by which new blood vessels are formed during angiogenesis. The ability to control angiogenesis would lead to improvements in tissue engineering constructions; indeed, the study of angiogenesis has numerous clinical applications, for example, in the investigation of metastatic cancer, peripheral and coronary vascular disease, and wound healing. Conventional in vitro organotypic cell culture approaches to these studies are limited primarily by their reliance on microvascular vessel formation through a random process of morphogenesis that lacks the spatial reproducibility and orientation needed for high-throughput drug testing. We have developed a bioreactor system for scaffold-guided tubulogenesis coupled with 3-D organotypic culture to spatially control vessel formation and its orientation. To create microchannels to guide microvessel formation, we fabricated rigid scaffolds using photolithography and light curing epoxy, and soft scaffolds formed by a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp directly into collagen. Scaffolds seeded with dermal microvascular endothelial cells were placed between gelled layers of collagen containing dermal fibroblasts within a Transwell filter system and cultured for up to 2 weeks to allow for vessel maturation. Morphological analysis of thin tissue sections following standard histology and immunohistochemical detection of endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and basement membrane confirmed vessel formation along the microchannel walls with either scaffold. This system may also provide a means to explore revascularization within decellularized extracellular matrices, the culture of microvessel networks with controlled geometries, and possibly the spatial guidance of angiogenesis for interfacing with an external microfluidic supply network. As a new tool for guided angiogenesis, our approach introduces new possibilities for identification of anti-angiogenic therapeutics.
Global low-rank enhancement of decentralized control for large-scale systems

This note proposes a new control strategy which is computationally attractive for systems of large dimensions. The main idea is to supplement decentralized feedback with a global additive term, which is computed as a product of two low-rank matrices. This feature is of critical importance for systems that cannot be adequately stabilized using standard decentralized control. The low-rank matrices can be efficiently obtained using linear matrix inequalities, and the resulting control is suitable for implementation in a multiprocessor environment. Simulations on a platoon of vehicles demonstrate that such a control can significantly improve the robustness of the closed-loop system with respect to uncertain nonlinearities.
The Psychological Impact of Prejudice: Implications for Intergroup Contact

This research concerns the effects of prejudice on how members of devalued groups feel toward intergroup contact. With members of laboratory-generated groups (Study 1) and devalued ethnic groups (Study 2), two experimental studies tested the impact of exposure to prejudice on emotional states and feelings toward cross-group interactions. Results suggest that exposure to prejudice can negatively affect group members' emotional states in intergroup contexts, and can lead them to feel more negatively toward interactions with both a single, prejudiced outgroup member, and with outgroup members in general. Implications of the findings and suggested directions for future research are discussed.
B Lymphocyte Stimulator Protein-Associated Increase in Circulating Autoantibody Levels May Require CD4+ T Cells: Lessons from HIV-Infected Patients

Abstract To assess the helper T cell dependence of B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) protein-driven autoantibody production in vivo, serum levels of BLyS protein, total IgG, and anti-IgG anti-phospholipid (aPhL) autoantibodies from HIV-infected patients (n = 105) with varying degrees of CD4+ cell depletion and healthy control donors at low risk for HIV (n = 64) were determined. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from these subjects were stained for surface expression of BLyS protein. Monocyte surface expression and serum levels of BLyS protein were increased in HIV-infected patients as were serum total IgG and IgG aPhL autoantibody levels. No associations were detected between increased serum BLyS protein levels and patient age, sex, disease duration, history of opportunistic infection or malignancy, or serum total IgG levels. However, serum levels of IgG aPhL autoantibodies were greater in patients with high serum BLyS protein levels than in those with normal serum BLyS protein levels. Importantly, this association between serum levels of BLyS protein and IgG aPhL was appreciated only in patients who were not severely CD4+ cell-depleted and not in patients who were severely CD4+ cell-depleted (peripheral blood CD4+ cell counts ≤ 200/mm3). Thus, BLyS protein may preferentially facilitate IgG autoantibody production in vivo in a helper T cell-dependent manner. This raises the possibility that the combination of a BLyS protein antagonist with an agent that targets (helper) T cells may have salutary synergistic effects on autoantibody production in diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
Measurement and Sources of Lateral Tape Motion: A Review

The sources of lateral tape motion in a tape drive are reviewed. Currently used measurement methods and models for lateral tape motion are analyzed and compared. The effect of roller run-out, tape edge contact, and tape tension transients on lateral tape motion is discussed. A dual stage actuator tape head is investigated to improve track-following capability and increase the track density on a magnetic tape.
Response of the Tadpole Shrimp Triops Longica Udatus To Hypoxia

Tadpole shrimp, Triops loregicaudatus live at the bottom of small ephemeral pools where the supply of oxygen is extremely variable. When oxygen tensions in the lower water layers are low, shrimp make numerous trips to the surface in order to obtain oxygen to satisfy metabolic demand. These trips to the surface are disruptive to the normal growth and development of the shrimp because they are energetically costly and they require time away from the benthic feeding zone. This study investigated the negative impact of time spent at the surface on growth and the extent to which hemolymph hemoglobin concentration, [Hb], increase the capacity of animals to remain submerged in hypoxic waters. Hemolymph [Hb] were found to be inversely related to the oxygen tension in which animals were raised and positively correlated with the amount of time spent in the benthic feeding zone during hypoxia. Individuals that spent more time in the benthic feeding zone had higher growth rates than those which spent more time at the surface during hypoxia. We conclude that extracellular [Hb] is an important adaptation in T. longicaudatus by facilitating oxygen uptake during hypoxia, allowing animals to spend more time in benthic habitats where they feed thereby increasing growth and possibly reproductive success.
Impact of pregnancy on the progression of diabetic retinopathy in Type 1 diabetes.

Aims To evaluate the impact of pregnancy on the progression of diabetic retinopathy in women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus and to identify risk factors for the progression of retinopathy during pregnancy. Methods One hundred and seventy-nine pregnancies in 139 women with pregestational Type 1 diabetes were studied prospectively between January 1990 and December 1998. Dilated fundal examination was performed at booking, 24 weeks and 34 weeks or 4–6 weekly if retinopathy present at booking. Data were collected on glycaemic control (HbA1c) throughout pregnancy. Results Progression to proliferative retinopathy was seen in four (2.2%) pregnancies while moderate progression was seen in a further five (2.8%) pregnancies. Progression of retinopathy was significantly increased in women with duration of diabetes 10–19 years compared with duration < 10 years (10% vs. 0%; P = 0.007) and in women with moderate to severe background retinopathy at booking (30% vs. 3.7%; P = 0.01). Although HbA1c at booking was higher (7.5% vs. 6.6%; P = 0.08) and the fall in HbA1c between booking and 24 weeks was greater (1.6% vs. 1.2%; P = 0.2) in those women showing progression of retinopathy, these changes were not significant. Conclusions Progression of retinopathy in pregnancy was uncommon (5.0% pregnancies) but was significantly more common in women with duration of diabetes > 10 years and in women with moderate to severe retinopathy at baseline. Laser therapy was needed in 2.2% pregnancies, which is much lower than that reported in earlier studies. Diabet. Med. 18, 573–577 (2001)
Are Conceptual Frameworks Necessary for Theory Building? The Case of Family Sociology*

Many “theoretical” writings in sociology and in the social sciences use conceptual frameworks (perspectives, paradigms). Developments in family sociology are used as a case study to explore the rol...
Emergency Physician and Stroke Specialist Beliefs and Expectations Regarding Telestroke

Background and Purpose— Telestroke has been effective in the management of acute ischemic stroke. This study characterizes and compares stroke specialist (SS) and emergency physician (EP) perceptions of telestroke and identifies barriers preventing increased implementation. Methods— A survey was developed and distributed nationwide to 382 SSs through an online survey system and in paper form to 226 EPs attending the 2008 American College of Emergency Physicians national conference. Results— Stroke specialists perceived themselves to be more knowledgeable about telemedicine and telestroke (P<0.001 and P=0.010, respectively). A large majority of physicians in both specialties either strongly agreed or agreed that telestroke will reduce geographical differences in stroke management and that it is superior to telephone consultation. EPs perceived patient preference (P<0.001), recombinant tissue plasminogen activator side effects (P<0.001), level of technology (P=0.005), and recombinant tissue plasminogen acti...
Clinical promise tempered by reality in the delivery of combined chemoradiation for common solid tumors

Abstract Until quite recently, there was no firmly established role for cytotoxic chemotherapy in the curative management approach for many of our most common malignancies. Systemic therapy was often reserved for recurrent or metastatic disease after initial surgery and/or radiotherapy. Today, the treatment of many advanced cancer patients involves integration of chemotherapy into the definitive treatment strategy. This evolution in therapy is largely a reflection of the clinical trials process that has defined clinical benefit for the addition of chemotherapy in several settings. This is good news overall. It validates years of preclinical experimentation that predicted advantage in combining chemotherapy with radiation. Moreover, with a primary objective to increase cancer cure rates, we now see confirmatory evidence across a spectrum of recent clinical trials. Tempering this good news is the fact that these gains are often quite small. They are commonly accompanied by increased toxicity and are generally achieved in good performance status patients who may not accurately reflect the broad cancer population. In addition, the first generation of positive trials for a particular disease site are often accomplished with vastly differing treatment regimens. This frequently leaves the general oncologist to query "which specific approach is best?" In this article, we briefly trace the evolution of current therapy approaches in 2 common human solid tumors, namely cancer of the head and neck and non–small-cell cancer of the lung. The focus involves the development of chemoradiation strategies in the definitive treatment setting. Clearly, surgery plays a critical role in treatment for many patients in these anatomic categories. However, we lack randomized trials that directly compare operative versus nonoperative treatment approaches and thus have consciously neglected review of the surgical series for purposes of this article. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Sir John Hicks as a development economist

Abstract Beyond his theoretical virtuosity, Nobel Laureate Sir John Hicks' knowledge of economic history and his erudition in the history of economic thought all combined to make him a foremost development economist of unique quality. Hicks' contributions to development economics are worthy of remembrance from the standpoint of grand issues in the subject, problem-solving techniques, and microeconomic studies. Special attention should be given to his emphasis on the rise of industrialism, the role of Impulses in development, and the significance of international trade. Considering the problem-solving techniques of analysis used by development economists, we can recognize the fundamental contributions of Hicks in two special areas — social accounts and welfare economics. During the 1950s, Hicks also undertook several studies of the financial and taxation problems in emerging countries. The next generation of development economists may still benefit from the inheritance of Hicks' writings.
Cost-effectiveness of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy

Abstract A study was done comparing the charges and outcomes for extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) with those for percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PCN), which was the treatment of choice at our hospital for stones of the upper urinary tract when ESWL was introduced. Using a retrospective cohort design, patients were matched for age, sex, physical status index (American Society of Anesthesiologists), stone size, and urinary tract obstruction. Twenty-nine pairs of PCN and ESWL patients with complete data were matched. The groups were not significantly different in the matching parameters. Seventy-two per cent of patients in each group (21/29) were stone free after the initial hospitalization. PCN patients required more auxiliary procedures per patient than did the ESWL patients; in addition, 5 (17%) of the PCN patients had perforation of the renal pelvis and 5 (17 %) required transfusions. On discharge, 48 per cent (14/29) of the PCN patients had nephrostomies compared with none of the ESWL patients. The ESWL group had a shorter mean length of stay (2.9 vs 8.7 days, p
Controlling turbulence in a rearward-facing step combustor using countercurrent shear

The present work describes the application of countercurrent shear flow control to the nonreacting flow in a novel step combustor. The countercurrent shear control employs a suction based approach, which induces counterflow through a gap at the sudden expansion plane. Peak turbulent fluctuation levels, cross-stream averaged turbulent kinetic energy, and cross-stream momentum diffusion increased with applied suction. The control downstream of the step operates via two mechanisms: enhanced global recirculation and near field control of the separated shear layer. The use of counterflow also enhances three dimensionality, a feature that is expected to be beneficial under burning conditions.
Modeling the Dynamics of an Activated Sludge Process Using Yield and Growth Functions

Transient or dynamic responses often occur in continuous aerobic systems like the activated sludge process when environmental variables change. The system’s response to a dynamic load change has yet to be successfully modeled. In this paper we examine previously collected experimental data of the system’s response to a step change. The real time profile of the growth rate μ and the cell/substrate yield, Y, are studied via parametric manipulation. It was observed that both variables, μ and Y, experience an initial step drop and then a hysteresis response to a new steady-state level, following a sudden step change in the feed flow rate. A modified Monod equation is proposed here to qualitatively model the hysteresis dynamic response of a sudden dilution rate change to an open, continuous microbial growth system.
Mass spectroscopic study of photolytic decomposition of triethylgallium and arsine

Abstract Mass spectrometry has been utilized to study the photolytic decomposition of triethylgallium and arsine leading to the deposition of GaAs thin films. A Hg-Xe arc lamp is utilized as the light source. We find that the products of photodissociation are essentially the same as those found previously for pyrolytic decomposition. We also find that while thin gallium films photodeposited from triethylgallium contain high amounts of carbon, GaAs thin films photodeposited from triethylgallium and arsine do not contain significant carbon concentrations.
Paleopalynological Insights on Dating of Newark Supergroup Rocks and Their Correlation with European Sections: ABSTRACT

Once thought to be prevailingly barren of palynomorphs, sediments from all of the known Newark basins have now yielded correlatable palynofloras. However, for various reasons, only poorly preserved florules (Danville-Dan River basin) or scarce productive zones (Fundy basin) have been found in some of the basins. Sedimentation in the Newark rift zone apparently began in late Ladinian to late Carnian time along most of the front. New analytical data from a buried basin in southern Georgia now extend this observation about 400 km (two stages) farther south. From south Georgia to the Richmond basin in Virginia, the youngest sediments are Carnian or Carnian/Norian. In the Culpeper basin, Virginia, new information indicates sedimentation beginning during the Carnian, in keeping with the other southern basins. However, in the Culpeper basin and all of the northern basins, sedimentation persisted much longer. Latest Triassic to late Liassic floras are found in all of them. Palynoflorules as young as Toarcian have been studied in the Hartford-Deerfield basin of Connecticut-Massachusetts. Ultimately, these dates depend on correlation with palynofloras from classic marine fossil zones in south-central Europe, work which is in flux and progressing rapidly in European laboratories, boding probable changes in the Newark basin palynostratigraphic framework. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1450------------
Viscoelastic response of a simple strand

Abstract A method is presented in which the axial viscoelastic response of a simple strand may be predicted given the stress relaxation of the filament's construction material. This approach utilizes the Schapery collocation method to determine the coefficients for the elements of a Wiechert model. The geometric effects of the strand are then combined with the analytical solution for the Wiechert model to develop a system of convolution integrals which satisfy the equilibrium and boundary conditions for the strand construction. The solutions for these integrals are approximated numerically using a modified Newton's iterative method combined with a numerical technique developed by Lee and Rogers.
Periodic Optimal Cruise for a Hypersonic Vehicle with Constraints

Anew approach is presented to solve periodic optimal control problems. As an applicationof the approach, fueloptimal periodic control problems for a hypersonic vehicle are solved. The model of the vehicle was constructed by using numerical data and  gures from available space plane literature. In particular, heating-rate and load-factor constraints are considered tomake thismodelmore realistic thanotherpreviousmodels.These constraints increase the dif culty in obtaining a numerical solution and also increase the sensitivity to the initial guess for convergence. By assuming the shape of an altitude pro le as a sinusoidal function of range and by using a bang-bang thrust control, a suboptimal solution is obtained for the vehicle without any constraints. This suboptimal solution serves as a very good initial guess for the optimal solution generated by theminimizing-boundary-conditionmethod. The optimal solution shows a fuel saving of 8.12% over the steady-state cruise, with a maximumheating rate of 1202.4 W/cm2 , andwith a maximumload factor of 8.27. Constraints for a heating rate and a load factor are then added to the problem.With amaximumheating rate of 400W/cm2 , the fuel saving reduces to 2.45%.With a load factor of 7, the fuel saving does not change much from the nonconstrained solution. An optimal periodic-cruise solution with maximum heating rate of 1158.0 W/cm2 and simultaneously with maximum load factor of 7 is also determined with a fuel saving of 8.09%.
Chaos at 35,000 feet

The author discusses his experience in gaining investment and starting up a company to develop an improved defibrillation technique. He outlines his frustrations and daily hassles, and tells how an incident of airline passenger cardiac failure strengthened his resolve to continue. The company set up, Control Dynamics, although small, is functional. Over the last several years, many contracts have been won to develop chaos-control technology. Patent applications for chaos-based devices have been successful, and now we are intensely working toward practical applications of our research.
Tolerance to antinociceptive effects of morphine without tolerance to its effects on schedule-controlled behavior.

The development of tolerance to behavioral effects of morphine was investigated in rats that responded on a two-lever, multiple-trial, multiple differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate fixed-ratio (mult DRL FR) schedule of food presentation. Stable performances were maintained when sessions were conducted just twice per week. The effects of cumulative doses of morphine (1.0–8.0 mg/kg) or chlordiazepoxide (CDP; 4.0–32.0 mg/kg) were evaluated once per week; saline injections were given in the intervening sessions. The effects of saline and morphine on nociception were also evaluated in hot-plate tests conducted on the same subjects 15 min after selected operant sessions. Initially, morphine produced dose-related decreases in response rates and reinforcement rates in the DRL and FR components as well as significant increases in hot-plate response latencies. Following weekly administration of morphine (1.0–8.0 mg/kg) for 10 weeks, there was little or no tolerance to its effects on operant behavior. In contrast, complete tolerance developed to the antinociceptive effects of morphine. These results suggest that tolerance to various behavioral effects of morphine may be dissociated, and that the loss of reinforcement may be insufficient by itself to produce tolerance to effects of morphine on operant behavior. Additionally, whereas CDP initially produced only dose-related decreases in DRL and FR response rates, following weekly morphine the smaller doses of CDP (4.0–16.0 mg/kg) produced increases in response rates. Finally, the effects of cumulative doses of morphine did not differ significantly from the effects of noncumulative doses of the drug.