cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of synovial fluid lubricants and inflammatory cytokines in the horse: a comparison of recombinant equine interleukin 1 beta-induced synovitis and joint lavage models.

Lameness is a debilitating condition in equine athletes that leads to more performance limitation and loss of use than any other medical condition. There are a limited number of non-terminal experimental models that can be used to study early inflammatory and synovial fluid biophysical changes that occur in the equine joint. Here, we compare the well-established carpal IL-1β-induced synovitis model to a tarsal intra-articular lavage model, focusing on serial changes in synovial fluid inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and the synovial fluid lubricating molecules lubricin/proteoglycan 4 and hyaluronic acid. The objectives of this study were to evaluate clinical signs; synovial membrane and synovial fluid inflammation; and synovial fluid lubricants and biophysical properties in response to carpal IL-1β synovitis and tarsal intra-articular lavage. Hyaluronic acid (HA) concentrations, especially high molecular weight HA, and synovial fluid viscosity decreased after both synovitis and lavage interventions. Synovial fluid lubricin concentrations increased 17–20-fold for both synovitis and lavage models, with similar changes in both affected and contralateral joints, suggesting that repeated arthrocentesis alone resulted in elevated synovial fluid lubricin concentrations. Synovitis resulted in a more severe inflammatory response based on clinical signs (temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, lameness and joint effusion) and clinicopathological and biochemical parameters (white blood cell count, total protein, prostaglandin E2, sulfated glycosaminoglycans, tumor necrosis factor-α and CC chemokine ligands − 2, − 3, − 5 and − 11) as compared to lavage. Synovial fluid lubricin increased in response to IL-1β synovitis and joint lavage but also as a result of repeated arthrocentesis. Frequent repeated arthrocentesis is associated with inflammatory changes, including increased sulfated glycosaminoglycan concentrations and decreased hyaluronic acid concentrations. Synovitis results in more significant inflammatory changes than joint lavage. Our data suggests that synovial fluid lubricin, TNF-α, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL11 and sGAG may be useful biomarkers for synovitis and post-lavage joint inflammation. Caution should be exercised when performing repeated arthrocentesis clinically or in experimental studies due to the inflammatory response and loss of HA and synovial fluid viscosity.
Whole Blood Versus Conventional Blood Component Massive Transfusion Protocol Therapy in Civilian Trauma Patients.

BACKGROUND Military data demonstrating an improved survival rate with whole blood (WB) have led to a shift toward the use of WB in civilian trauma. The purpose of this study is to compare a low-titer group O WB (LTOWB) massive transfusion protocol (MTP) to conventional blood component therapy (BCT) MTP in civilian trauma patients. METHODS Trauma patients 15 years or older who had MTP activations from February 2019 to December 2020 were included. Patients with a LTOWB MTP activation were compared to BCT MTP patients from a historic cohort. RESULTS 299 patients were identified, 169 received LTOWB and 130 received BCT. There were no differences in age, gender, or injury type. The Injury Severity Score was higher in the BCT group (27 vs 25, P = .006). The LTOWB group had a longer transport time (33 min vs 26 min, P < .001) and a lower arrival temperature (35.8 vs 36.1, P < .001). Other hemodynamic parameters were similar between the groups. The LTOWB group had a lower in-hospital mortality rate compared to the BCT group (19.5% vs 30.0%, P = .035). There were no differences in total transfusion volumes at 4 hours and 24 hours. No differences were seen in transfusion reactions or hospital complications. Multivariable logistic regression identified ISS, age, and 24-hour transfusion volume as predictors of mortality. DISCUSSION Resuscitating severely injured trauma patient with LTOWB is safe and may be associated with an improved survival.
Work-Life Factors, Attitudes, and Wellness Behaviors in Neurology Trainees (4881)

Objective: To identify lifestyle behaviors and study the relationship of wellness and burnout in neurology trainees. Background: Few studies have studied lifestyle behaviors in resident trainees, particularly in neurology. Systemic pressures as well as individual factors may predispose trainees to burnout. A recent survey of neurology trainees showed that poor work-life balance and meaning in work increased the risk of burnout. The aim of the study is to identify lifestyle behaviors and work-life factors that may be associated with burnout. Design/Methods: A pilot (N=19) study at the University of Miami used a 21-question online survey during October of 2019. We surveyed post-graduate-year 2–4 neurology resident physicians for basic demographics and opinions on workload, lifestyle behaviors, coping with stress and fulfillment. Results will be analyzed by Chi-squared or Student’s t-test. Results: The response rate was 56% (19/34), 79% were between the ages 25–34, 58% were female, 63% were married or engaged and 58% identified as Hispanic/Latino. Forty-seven percent reported they were definitely burning out with high stress (≥6/10) in 89% of trainees while 64% were distraught by poor flexibility in their work schedules; 63% ate ≤2 daily servings of fruits/vegetables, 47% exercised Conclusions: The majority of neurology trainees were not adhering to recommendations for exercising, sleeping or adequate intake of fruits/vegetables. Despite high levels of work-related stress, most trainees reported great meaning/fulfillment in their careers. Wider dissemination of this survey may identify modifiable lifestyle behaviors and interventions to potentially mitigate burnout. Disclosure: Dr. Lau has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tornes has nothing to disclose. Dr. Monteith has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Electrocore, Allergan, Supernus, Teva, and and Eli Lilly & Company.
Overexpression of the MHV Receptor

The intracellular interaction of the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) with its cellular receptor (MHVR) was investigated. Overexpression of MHVR from vaccinia vectors during an ongoing MHV infection resulted in dramatic inhibition of virus production. Infectivity in both cytoplasmic extracts and supernatants was reduced by over three orders of magnitude relative to control cultures in which a truncated MHVR lacking virus binding activity was expressed. Complete MHV virions were not detectable in supernatants of MHVR expressing cells. In the presence of overexpressed MHVR, the coronavirus spike protein was not cleaved into posttranslation products S1 and S2, nor was it fully processed into a form resistant to endoglycosidase H digestion, indicating that intracellular engagement of spike with receptor prevented spike transport and consequent association with virions.
‘Virtual Parrots’ Confirm Mating Preferences of Female Budgerigars

Parrots comprise one of the several taxa in which life-long learning of new vocal signals used in intraspecific communication is known to occur routinely. The functions and evolutionary bases of this ability are largely unknown. In the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), males typically imitate their partner’s contact call type during pair formation. However, a female’s initial choice among unfamiliar males is not based on their production of her call type, because birds without prior social contact rarely produce the same call type. Here, we demonstrate that female budgerigars prefer unfamiliar males with calls that are similar to their own, as measured by spectrogram cross-correlation, but which are not imitations. This was shown by training females via operant conditioning to control access to movies of courting males and by systematically varying the audio tracks of these movies. Females learned this task easily and interacted with virtual males as if they were real. This methodology will be useful for exploring functions and mechanisms of social communication, because it eliminates the confounding impact of short-term changes in a stimulus individual’s behavior on a test individual’s response. Our results suggest that the neuroplastic vocal abilities of budgerigars, and perhaps other parrots, have been shaped by sexual selection.
Innate Receptors and Cellular Defense against Pulmonary Infections

In the United States, lung infections consistently rank in the top 10 leading causes of death, accounting for >50,000 deaths annually. Moreover, >140,000 deaths occur annually as a result of chronic lung diseases, some of which may be complicated by an infectious process. The lung is constantly exposed to the environment and is susceptible to infectious complications caused by bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic pathogens. Indeed, we are continually faced with the threat of morbidity and mortality associated with annual influenza virus infections, new respiratory viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV), and lung infections caused by antibiotic-resistant "ESKAPE pathogens" (three of which target the lung). This review highlights innate immune receptors and cell types that function to protect against infectious challenges to the respiratory system yet also may be associated with exacerbations in chronic lung diseases.
Preparation of sustained release rifampicin microparticles for inhalation.

Objectives The aim of this research was to develop a novel carrier-free dry powder formulation of rifampicin for inhalation with controlled-release properties. Methods Rifampicin dihydrate (RFDH) microcrystals were prepared by a polymorphic transformation of rifampicin. The prepared RFDH microcrystals were coated with poly (dl-lactide-co-glycolide) or poly (dl-lactide), using a spray-dryer equipped with two different types of three-fluid (3F) spray nozzles. The physicochemical and aerodynamic properties of the coated RFDH microcrystals were compared with those of conventional matrix microparticles. Key findings The coated RFDH powder, encapsulating 50% of rifampicin, was successfully prepared by simple in-situ coating methods using two different types of 3F nozzles and had mass median aerodynamic diameter values of 3.5–4.5 µm. The thin flaky morphology of RFDH powders, providing good aerosolization properties, was maintained after coating. The coated RFDH formulations showed relatively low initial rifampicin release, compared with the uncoated RFDH crystals, followed by slow rifampicin release (about 70%) over 8 h in phosphate-buffered saline media (pH 7.4). Significant chemical degradations were not observed from the crystalline-structured RFDH formulations, while the amorphous-structured matrix formulations showed chemical degradation in six months. Conclusions These polymer coated RFDH formulations may be a valuable alternative in the treatment of tuberculosis since the carrier-free formulation offers the benefit of delivering a maximum-potency formulation of the antibiotic directly to the site of infection, and long drug residence times may be achieved by the controlled release of the drug.
Data Distribution Alternatives

This chapter contains sections titled: Design Alternatives Fragmentation Distribution Transparency Impact of Distribution on User Queries A More Complex Example Summary Glossary References Exercises
Foreword: Enduring and Empowering: The Bill of Rights in the Third Millennium

This article, co-authored with James E. Coleman, Jr., is the foreword to an issue of Law and Contemporary Problems collecting a series of articles arising from a series of programs sponsored by the ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities in July, 2000, under the title, "To Secure the Blessings of Liberty: The Bill of Rights and Core Constitutional Guarantees in the New Millennium." The foreword itself focuses on considering some of those issues in the context of the debate about military tribunals and the curtailment of civil liberties during the war on terrorism, which it notes, "undoubtedly will continue for some time into the future."
Exchange Rate Pass-Through and Unemployment Dynamics

This paper develops a small open economy model with nominal rigidities and search-matching frictions to study the implications of incomplete exchange rate pass-through for unemployment dynamics. The model shows that incomplete exchange rate pass-through to the prices of imported goods has a larger impact on unemployment movements than does incomplete pass-through to the prices of imported inputs. Also, the effect of delayed exchange rate pass-through on unemployment dynamics depends critically on the nature of the shock that disturbs the economy.
A Multidimensional Model of the Effect of Gravity on the Spatial Orientation of the Monkey

A "sensory conflict" model of spatial orientation was developed. This mathematical model was based on concepts derived from observer theory, optimal observer theory, and the mathematical properties of coordinate rotations. The primary hypothesis is that the central nervous system of the squirrel monkey incorporates information about body dynamics and sensory dynamics to develop an internal model. The output of this central model (expected sensory afference) is compared to the actual sensory afference, with the difference defined as "sensory conflict." The sensory conflict information is, in turn, used to drive central estimates of angular velocity ("velocity storage"), gravity ("gravity storage"), and linear acceleration ("acceleration storage") toward more accurate values. The model successfully predicts "velocity storage" during rotation about an earth-vertical axis. The model also successfully predicts that the time constant of the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex is reduced and that the axis of eye rotation shifts toward alignment with gravity following postrotatory tilt. Finally, the model predicts the bias, modulation, and decay components that have been observed during off-vertical axis rotations (OVAR).
Homology of Ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid of Diverse Bacterial Species with Escherichia coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus

Hybridization competition experiments were used to examine the ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) homologies of 22 bacteria and 3 higher organisms with Escherichia coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus. Although little or no homology was observed with the higher organisms, the bacteria showed a wide range of homologies. Organisms whose rRNA showed closer homology to E. coli rRNA showed less rRNA homology to B. stearothermophilus rRNA and vice versa.
Pattern or bias? A critical evaluation of Midwestern fluted point distributions using raster based GIS

Abstract Because the abundance and distribution of fluted points has long played a critical role in interpreting various colonization and settlement scenarios of North America, correlations made between fluted point distribution and patterns of Early Paleoindian land use need to be critically evaluated. Gauging not just the source, but also nature of bias within distributional data of this sort is important if we are to improve the accuracy and reliability of our inferences concerning the timing, source, and mode of the radiation of human populations throughout the western Hemisphere. In this study, I employ a raster based GIS approach using a continuous non-site distribution of fluted biface distributions across a twenty-nine county (46,000 km2) study area of northern Illinois. The results suggest that when sources of bias are revealed and controlled for, significant settlement patterning can not only be identified, but more accurately interpreted.
Purification and analysis of ferredoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum

Abstract Ferredoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum has been obtained in a pure state by a new rapid method employing the fact that Fd is soluble in 50–60% acetone while over 99% of the material in dry cells is not. Crystalline Fd purified 918-fold over the dry cells can be obtained in 3 days or less with this method. The amino acid composition and iron and sulfide content of Fd purified by this method are presented.
Natural convection flow of a generalized second grade fluid between two vertical walls

We study the flow due to natural convection of a non-Newtonian fluid, modeled as a generalized second grade fluid, between two vertical parallel walls. The flow results from the two walls being held at different temperatures. The viscosity of the fluid is taken to be a function of temperature according to Reynolds’ exponential law. We solve for the dimensionless velocity and temperature profiles and study their dependence upon certain material parameters.
Chorionic villus sampling: Diagnostic uses and limitations of enzyme assays

Control ranges for enzymes in uncultured chorionic villi were established, based on: (1) 21 of 22 enzymes (mainly lysosomal) in villi had similar properties to the enzyme in cultured fibroblasts; (2) isoenzyme patterns in villi were similar to those in fibroblasts for five lysosomal enzymes but different for aryl sulphatases; (3) control ranges were determined for 12 enzymes in abortion villi and for 21 enzymes in biopsy villi, values tending to be higher in the latter for those enzymes studied in both types of sample; (4) storage of samples under various conditions revealed no major changes in activity of seven lysosomal enzymes.
Measuring the Outcomes of Leadership Development Programs

The lack of research evaluating the outcomes of leadership development programs and the lack of a suitable evaluation instrument are evident in the literature. This study represents the first attem...
Benzodiazepine and beta‐carboline regulation of single GABAA receptor channels of mouse spinal neurones in culture.

1. The effects of the benzodiazepine receptor agonist, diazepam (DZ), and the inverse agonist, methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM), on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor single channel currents were characterized. Outside-out patches were obtained from somata of cultured mouse spinal cord neurones and voltage clamped at -75 mV (ECl = 0 mV). 2. GABA (2 microM) alone or with DZ (20-1000 nM) or DMCM (20-100 nM) was applied to patches by pressure ejection from blunt micropipettes. DZ enhanced GABAA receptor currents with an inverted U-shaped concentration-response curve. Mean steady-state currents were increased by low concentrations of DZ (20-50 nM). At higher concentrations of DZ, the enhancement was diminished. Mean steady-state currents were decreased by DMCM at all concentrations. 3. GABAA receptor channels opened most frequently to a 27 pS main conductance level and less frequently to a 19 pS subconductance level. Neither DZ nor DMCM altered the proportion of time spent at either of the conductance levels. The kinetic properties of the main conductance level were studied. 4. Neither DZ nor DMCM altered the mean GABAA receptor channel open or burst durations. Sums of three exponential functions were required to fit best open and burst duration-frequency histograms for GABA alone or with DZ or DMCM. No significant changes in the three time constants or areas of the three exponential functions for open or burst duration histograms were produced by DZ or DMCM. 5. With increasing concentrations of DZ up to 50 nM, GABA evoked an increased frequency of channel openings and bursts. With higher DZ concentrations, the magnitudes of the increase in channel opening and burst frequencies were reduced. At all concentrations of DMCM, GABA evoked a decreased frequency of channel openings and bursts. 6. Closed duration-frequency histograms for GABA alone or with DZ or DMCM were best fitted by sums of at least six exponential functions. The three shortest closed duration time constants were unchanged by DZ or DMCM. The three longest closed duration time constants were altered by DZ and DMCM, consistent with alterations in opening frequency. 7. DZ increased and DMCM decreased steady-state GABAA receptor current by increasing or decreasing channel opening frequency without altering mean channel open duration. We propose that DZ and DMCM alter GABAA receptor current by acting reciprocally to increase or decrease only, respectively, the apparent agonist association rate at the first of two proposed GABA binding steps without altering channel gating.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
OPCPA Output Wavelength Tuning by Adjusting Time Delay between Seed and Pump Pulses

Fine-tuning of LBO-OPCPA output wavelength has been demonstrated by adjusting time delay between the seed and pump pulses. Because of the saturation of amplification, the output spectrum has a rectangular shape over a tuning range.
Personality and esthetic sensitivity.

Summary In an exploratory study of affective responsiveness as a component of esthetic sensitivity 62 college Ss took the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values and described on an antonym checklist their affective responses to photographs portraying “forces of nature.” One-third of the group with extreme high and low AVL Aesthetic value scores were compared on measures of affective responsiveness and on Sensation-Intuition and Perceiving-Judging scales of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. As predicted, high esthetic value Ss were more acceptant of stimulus materials (p = .005), more often perceptive (p = .025) and intuitive (p = .05) types on the MBTI. Results support a typological conception of esthetic sensitivity, and suggest that direct, “pre-artistic” emotional responsiveness to phenomena expressed in art forms is a component of this personality pattern.
An Experimental Model for the Study of Hepatic Encephalopathy

A subacute experimental model of hepatic encephalopathy was created in the rat by constructing a portacaval shunt with subsequent gavage feeding of a cationic ammonium exchange resin. The clinical course was characterized by fluctuating levels of consciousness, bizarre behavior, and motor symptoms leading to coma and death. Histopathologically, proliferation of Alzeimer type II astrocytes in the cerebral cortex was demonstrated. Serum ammonia levels were greatly elevated. This model should be useful in providing a better understanding of the pathogenesis of hepatic coma, and particularly the role of the astrocyte in this process.
Severe pulmonary hypertension associated with the acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Objective:To evaluate pulmonary hypertension associated with acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy subtype of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Guillain-Barre syndrome consists of a group of autoimmune disorders that generally manifest as symmetric, progressive, ascending paralysis. There are five subtypes o
Problematic empowerment: West african internet scams as strategic misrepresentation

Internet scamming strategies associated with West Africa typically involve the creation and deployment of fictional narratives depicting political turmoil, corruption, violence, poverty, and personal tragedy set in a variety of African nations. This article examines Internet scammers' complicity in promoting these creatively dramatic, yet stereotyped, representations of Africa and Africans. Their approach exemplifies what de Certeau describes as a “tactic” where scammers manipulate the space of representations produced by hegemonic forces in the West to realize subversive ends. The attempts of Internet scammers highlight the difficulties of creating self-representations that are both authentic and persuasive. Marginalized communities face difficult compromises in their efforts to be heard by those they perceive as powerful. This remains the case, despite new mechanisms of communication, such as the Internet, that make connecting (in a purely mechanical sense) much easier and less expensive.
Response of Yellow Perch Diet to a Changing Forage Base in Southern Lake Michigan, 1984-2002

This study evaluated yellow perch (Perca flavescens) diet in southern Lake Michigan to determine whether prey consumed fluctuated with abundance of zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish species during the period 1984 to 2002. Some change in benthic community abundance was evident from samples collected in the region during the period, including the naturalization of the round goby and the zebra mussel between 1993 and 2002. In addition, changes in fish abundance were evident from 1984 to 2002, when spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius) and alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) increased, while yellow perch, and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) declined. Non-indigenous species eaten by yellow perch in 2002 included spiny water fleas (Bythotrephes longimanus), round gobies, and alewives with the latter two species dominating the diet by volume. Yellow perch did exhibit prey preferences, although they consumed a variety of different organisms over the period of study. This euryphagous characteristic of yellow perch is expected to promote its persistence in southern Lake Michigan, despite a changing prey base.
Structure of high stage potassium graphite

Abstract We have used x-ray diffraction to study the structure of stage 4 through stage 11 potassium-intercalated graphite. Out of plane, the diffraction patterns are analyzed in terms of the Hendricks Teller model for a disordered 1D crystal. Stage 4–5 samples are best described by stage separation of two different package types, while higher-stage samples are better described by a broad distribution of many packages. In-plane, all samples show a high temperature 2D fluid structure of the K atoms. In the stage 4–6 samples, the fluid peak gradually sharpens on cooling and increases in intensity to form a 2D incommensurate (IC) superlattice. This evolution is consistent with a second order transition. By contrast, the higher-stage samples show a strongly first-order, hysteretic transition to a commensurate √7×√7 superlattice at 235K. In all cases, the expansion of the 2D lattice upon freezing agrees within experimental error with the 2–4% increase in out-of-plane density of K layers.
An in vitro model of hematopoietic stem cell homing demonstrates rapid homing and maintenance of engraftable stem cells.

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homing is believed to rely heavily on adhesion interactions between stem cells and stroma. An in vitro assay was developed for adhesion of engraftable HSCs in bone marrow suspensions to pre-established Dexter-type long-term bone marrow culture stromal layers. The cell numbers in the adherent layer and supernatant were examined, along with the engraftment capability of adherent layer cells to indicate the number of HSCs that homed to in vitro stroma. The cell number in the supernatant declined over the 24-hour period. The number of test cells adhering to the stromal layer increased during the first hour and then fell at 6 and 24 hours. The number of test HSCs adhering to the stromal layer was substantial at 20 minutes, increased during the first hour, and then remained constant at 1, 6, and 24 hours of adhesion. These data indicate that adhesion of engraftable HSCs occurs quickly and increases during the first hour of contact with pre-established stroma, that adhesion plateaus within 1 hour of contact, and that HSCs maintain their engraftment capability for at least 24 hours of stromal adhesion. Long-term engraftment from test cells at more than 1 hour of adhesion represents 70.7% of the predicted engraftment from equivalent numbers of unmanipulated marrow cells, indicating that 2 of 3 test engraftable HSCs adhered. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of this model system for studying stem-stromal adhesion, allowing further dissection of the mechanism of HSC homing and exploration of possible manipulations of the process.
Triphenylcyclopropenium hydroxytris(pentafluorophenyl)borate salt for solvent free epoxy curing

A triphenylcyclopropenium salt paired with hydroxytris(pentafluorophenyl)borate counter ion was synthesized as an initiator for cationic polymerization and its activity was compared with triphenylcyclopropenium hexafluoroantimonate. Triphenylcyclopropenium hydroxytris (pentafluorophenyl)borate exhibits excellent activity as a room temperature thermal initiator for epoxide polymerization under solvent free conditions, due to excellent solubility in epoxy resins.
Properties of aluminium ethoxide

Abstract Methods of preparation, melting point, solubility, molecular weight and infra-red spectra of aluminium ethoxide have been studied. Contrary to previous reports pure aluminium ethoxide was found to exist in only one form which melts at about 140°C and is only slightly soluble in non-polar organic solvents at room temperature. Impure forms, which result from the partial decomposition or hydrolysis of aluminium ethoxide, are very complex in nature and are much more soluble than is pure aluminium ethoxide. Properties of these materials depend to some extent on the method of preparation. Some assignments of vibrational frequencies have been made for aluminium ethoxide.
The Gilman Drag Stress commercially pure aluminum

Abstract Deformation data for commercially pure aluminum, obtained over wide ranges of temperatures and deformation rates, are interpreted in terms of dynamical dislocation theories of plastic strain. In particular, a linear increase of dislocation density with strain is assumed which enables us to calculate the Gilman drag stress D , which occurs in the proposed dependence of dislocation velocity upon stress: v=v ∗ exp {—D/τ} . It is shown that the computed values of D increase uniformly with increasing strain and decrease with increasing temperature. A linear variation with these two quantities fits the data as well as, any other relationship that we have examined.
Expanding the boundaries of DSS

The papers included in this special issue of Decision Support Systems are drawn from the second annual pre-ICIS SIG DSS workshop. The papers describe the efforts of DSS researchers to push the boundaries of DSS research. The papers cover a range of topics but they have a common theme: providing decision support in increasingly complex decision-making situations. All of the papers are concerned with addressing a core characteristic of truly complex problems: the problems have different characteristics when viewed from different perspectives. This paper describes the motivation for the workshop and outlines potential research areas. It also provides a summary of the papers in this issue.
The FUV detector for the cosmic origins spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope

Abstract The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) is a high throughput spectrometer that will be placed on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during the last servicing mission in the year 2003. COS will be the most sensitive UV spectrograph ever flown aboard HST and will investigate such fundamental issues as the ionization and baryon content of the intergalactic medium and the origin of large-scale structure of the Universe. The driving design goal for COS is to maximize throughput at a moderate spectral resolution of >20,000 using optics with very few reflections and detectors with high quantum efficiency in two bandpass channels: FUV (1150– 1775 A ) and NUV (1750– 3200 A ). The COS FUV detector, a windowless microchannel plate (MCP) detector, consists of two segments each 85 mm ×10 mm concatenated end to end with a 9 mm gap between them. The design is based on the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer detectors with identical format and front surface radius of curvature that matches the grating focal plane of the spectrograph. However, enhancements have been made in the design and fabrication of the MCPs, the photocathode, the delay line anode and the readout electronics. We discuss these design enhancements and their significance.
A Review of States' Criteria and Procedures for Identifying Children with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether (a) states have altered their definitions and/or eligibility criteria for learning disabilities (LD) since the last review; (b) states have specified-IQ cutoffs below which a child would not be eligible for LD services; (c) the types of methods states use to quantify an ability/achievement discrepancy vary; and (d) an increase in the number of children identified as LD is related to the method or criterion used to quantify an ability/achievement discrepancy. States' guidelines and/or information obtained from state directors of special education were analyzed for all states and the District of Columbia. Results of the review revealed that 40% of states had revised their guidelines between 1988 and 1990; 76% of the states specified a method for determining an ability/achievement discrepancy and the method recommended most frequently was the standard score comparison method. No significant differences were obtained between type of discrepancy method employed by a state and its yearly increase in LD. However, a significant relationship existed between magnitude of a state's ability/achievement criterion and its yearly increase in LD from 1987-88 to 1988-89. The review also revealed an increase in the number of states that specified an IQ cutoff below which a student would not qualify for LD services.
Distributional Monte Carlo Method with Deterministic Collision Modeling

In our previous work, we introduced a new concept for the stochastic simulation of rarefied and nonequilibrium gas flows which we termed Distributional Monte Carlo methods. Whereas traditional Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) methods allow each simulated particle to possess only a single velocity vector, the Distributional Monte Carlo method allows each particle’s velocity to be distributed. Intermolecular collisions over a given time step are treated not as a simple binary collision for a particle pair, but rather as a relaxation problem for the joint velocity distribution function of the total number of particles represented by the two simulated particles undergoing a collision. The current approach combines the stochastic collision selection criteria of DSMC with deterministic collision modeling using the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook approximation. The method was applied to the Bobylev space homogeneous problem and shown to result in a variance reduction of four orders of magnitude over the Nanbu DSMC method. We propose that the development of such methods could substantially improve convergence and result in a significant variance reduction in comparison with DSMC methods.
Al-Sharīf al-Raḍī and the Poetics of ʿAlid Legitimacy Elegy for al-Ḥusayn Ibn ʿAlī on ʿĀshūrāʾ, 391 A.H.

Al-Sharīf al-Radī's qasīdah rhymed in dāl that opens: "These are the abodes at al-Ghamīm, so call to them," (hādhī al-manāzilu bi-al-Ghamīmi fa-nādihā) is generally described as an elegy to al-Husayn ibn 'Alī and dated quite precisely to the Day of 'Āshūrā' 391 (10 Muharram) A.H. (10 Dec., 1000 C.E.) The fifty-eight line polythematic poem goes beyond the normal strictures of rithā' to exhibit a complex generic hybridity. It is my contention that the poem's composition is not haphazard or arbitrary, but rather the poet has masterfully manipulated classical Arabic qasīdah conventions, including form, genre, imagery and diction, to promote a politico-religious claim for ' Alid legitimacy—his own imminent Imāmate—and to create, at the same time, a meticulously crafted and perduring work of the poetic art.
Increased FOXM1 expression can stimulate DNA repair in normal hepatocytes in vivo but also increases nuclear foci associated with senescence

Objectives FOXM1 is a transcription factor that has been shown to promote cell proliferation in many tissues during early development and high cell turnover tissues in adults. In a number of tumour cell lines, enrichment of FOXM1 has been shown to reduce the DNA damage response (DDR) and induction of senescence by a range of DNA-damaging agents, suggesting a role for the protein in DNA repair. Endogenous FOXM1 is expressed at detectable levels in hepatocytes of mice up to 2 weeks of age, but not in older mice. The aim of this investigation has been to better understand the role of the protein in DDR in normal cells in vivo. Materials and methods Mice with artificially prolonged elevated FOXM1 expression in hepatocytes, were exposed to alkylating diethylnitrosamine. Results FOXM1-enriched mice had dampened DDR after treatment with this alkylating agent, which was consistent with observed increase in expression of genes involved in DNA repair. Paradoxically, mice with FOXM1 expression, within weeks after exposure to the DNA-damaging agent, had increased levels of potentially senescent hepatocytes with large nuclear foci, containing 53BP1. Similarly, spontaneous accumulation of these cells seen with normal ageing in mice was increased with FOXM1 enrichment. Conclusion Despite its known abilities to promote proliferation and DNA repair, and to reduce ROS, enrichment of FOXM1, as with other oncoproteins, may cause increased persistent DNA lesions and/or senescence in normal murine hepatocytes.
The γ-turn as an independent conformational feature in solution

Abstract The γ-turn, an 11-membered hydrogen-bonded ring formed by a 1 → 3 type H-bond, has been observed in chloroform in the tripeptide, t-Boc-Gly1-L-Val2-Gly3-OMe, by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This tripeptide sequence occurs in repeat penta- and hexapeptides of elastin where it also forms a γ-turn. The dihedral angles of γ-turns, which were proposed previously on the bases of theoretical calculations and x-ray diffraction, are compared with the results obtained by proton magnetic resonance. The results reported here demonstrate for the first time that the γ-turn can exist in solution as an independent conformational feature.
Determinants of Hospital Charges and Length of Stay for Ocular Trauma

Abstract Ocular trauma is an important cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States. This study examined the economic effect of ocular trauma by evaluating hospital length of stay and charges for 4406 discharges from Maryland hospitals from 1979 to 1986. Length of stay declined on average 6.1 % per year during this period. Length of stay was positively associated with age which could not be accounted for by the severity of the trauma or the presence of secondary trauma diagnoses. Other factors associated with length of stay included race, principal diagnosis, secondary trauma, and characteristics of the hospital. National projections estimate greater than 227,000 hospital days and $175 to $200 million in hospital charges alone are due to ocular injuries every year.
Evaluating the Predictive Validity of the Computerized Comprehension Task: Comprehension Predicts Production.

Until recently, the challenges inherent in measuring comprehension have impeded our ability to predict the course of language acquisition. The present research reports on a longitudinal assessment of the convergent and predictive validity of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories: Words and Gestures (CDI: WG; Fenson et al., 1994, 1993, 2007) and the Computerized Comprehension Task (CCT; Friend & Keplinger, 2003, 2008). The CDI: WG and the CCT evinced good convergent validity; however, the CCT better predicted subsequent parent reports of language production. Language sample data in the 3rd year confirm this finding: The CCT accounted for 24% of the variance in unique word use. These studies provide evidence for the utility of a behavior-based approach to predicting the course of language acquisition into production.
Experiments with Geometric Non-Linear Coupling for Analytical Validation

Abstract : This study was focused on obtaining accurate experimental data for the validation of the geometrically exact beam theory from a series of experiments in which high quality surface shape and deflection data was collected. Many previous experiments have experienced issues with data collection or test articles which the researchers were unable to overcome. The test program was performed in two stages: qualification and joined-wing. The qualification stage validated the experimental procedures on simple 72 in long aluminum beams with 8 in x 0.5 in cross-sections. The joined-wing stage was the primary experiment focused on obtaining quality data for use in validation and each joined-wing had an overall length of 57 in. The fore wing was designed with a chord of 8 in and a thickness of 0.5 in; the aft wing was designed with a chord of 6 in and a thickness of 0.5 in. These dimensions were chosen so the joined-wing produced a non-linear bend-twist couple before permanent deformation. The bend-twist couple in a solid cross-section aluminum joined-wing was successfully captured with surface shape, deflection points, and strain data.
Serotonin-induced phase advances of SCN neuronal firing in vitro: a possible role for 5-HT5A receptors?

Spontaneous firing rates of neurons in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) follow a consistent pattern, peaking near the midpoint of the light phase in a 12:12 light/dark schedule, and repeating this brief period of increased activity in subsequent circadian cycles. These carefully timed fluctuations reflect the output signal of the SCN, long recognized as the site of the endogenous biological clock in mammals. In rat hypothalamic slices, bath incubations of 8-OH-DPAT had previously been shown to elicit phase advances when applied at ZT6 (or 6 h following the onset of light), an action that could readily be attributed to 5-HT7 receptor activation. The present studies set out with the simple goal of establishing that the same receptor mechanism was responsible for the phase-shifting actions of 5-HT itself. Surprisingly, the phase advances elicited by 5-HT (0.5 μM, 1 h) at ZT6 were reduced by one 5-HT7 antagonist, ritanserin (10 μM), but not by another, mesulergine (10 μM). Receptor binding studies demonstrated a 25-fold greater affinity of ritanserin for h5-HT5A sites compared to mesulergine (Ki = 71 nM vs. 1,800 nM), an observation suggestive of a 5-HT5A mechanism for 5-HT and consistent with earlier observations of robust labeling of 5-HT5A sites in the SCN. 5-HT generated by the addition of L-tryptophan (10 μM, 1 h) to the slices displayed the same pattern of sensitivity, that is, blockade by ritanserin but not by mesulergine. Rp-cAMPS, a cAMP antagonist, failed to block the phase shifts elicited by 5-HT at a concentration (1 μM) previously shown to be effective against 8-OH-DPAT-induced phase shifts, in keeping with the proposed negative coupling of 5-HT5A receptors to cAMP production. Taken together, these results suggest that activation of both 5-HT5A and 5-HT7 receptors can produce phase advances of the circadian clock in vitro when they occur during mid-subjective day. Synapse 54:111–118, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of Thyroid Hormone on GLUT4 Glucose Transporter Gene Expression and NIDDM in Rats

Previous studies have shown that T3 coordinately stimulates GLUT4-glucose transporter messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression in mixed fiber-type skeletal muscle of the rat and produces a concomitant elevation in basal (noninsulin mediated) glucose uptake. The aim of the present study was to 1) determine the precise mechanism(s) for the T3-induced expression of GLUT4 in skeletal muscle, and 2) investigate the potential benefits of T3 on noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Ten daily ip injections of T3 (100 μg/100 g BW) administered to hypothyroid male Sprague-Dawley rats, increased both GLUT4 mRNA and transcription approximately 70% (P < 0.05) in mixed fiber-type hindlimb skeletal muscle. Transcriptional induction was subsequently defined to be restricted to red (oxidative) muscle fibers (2.5-fold; P < 0.05), whereas GLUT4 protein was increased in both red and white (glycolytic) skeletal muscle. GLUT4 mRNA and protein expression were similarly inducible in the skeletal muscle of insulin-re...
Valgus Ankle Deformity and Arthritis

This article describes several conditions that may result in valgus ankle arthritis. The emphasis is on correction of pathology or deformity to prevent valgus arthritis from developing. The surgical techniques available for the treatment of this form of ankle arthritis, once it develops, are described also.
Representation of an immune responsive gene family encoding fibrinogen-related proteins in the freshwater mollusc Biomphalaria glabrata, an intermediate host for Schistosoma mansoni

Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) are found in the hemolymph of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata, are up-regulated following exposure to digenetic trematode parasites, and bind to trematode larval surfaces, suggestive of a role in internal defense. Southern blot and degenerate-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were undertaken to better understand the diversity of the FREP-encoding gene family. Probes corresponding to the N-terminal IgSF domains of specific FREP gene subfamilies (FREPs 2, 3, 4, 7, 12 and 13) revealed between 1 to 8 loci per subfamily on Southern blots. Probes representing the relatively conserved C-terminal fibrinogen domain of FREPs bound many sequences in Southern blots of genomic DNA from B. glabrata, and from two related gastropod species, Biomphalaria pfeifferi and Helisoma trivolvis. Using degenerate-PCR, we obtained 42 unique fibrinogen-encoding sequences from 180 clones derived from a single individual of the M-line strain of B. glabrata, further supporting the notion of their abundant representation in the B. glabrata genome. The fibrinogen-encoding sequences of FREPs encoding one or two IgSF domains tended to separate into distinct clades, but bootstrap support for this separation was low. A novel category of fibrinogen-encoding sequence was also revealed. This study provides the approximate number of gene copies in several FREP subfamilies, confirms the existence of a diverse FREP gene family, reports additional unusual sequences encoding fibrinogen-like molecules, and provides further justification to explore the functional roles of FREPs in both B. glabrata and B. pfeifferi, both important intermediate hosts of the human pathogen, Schistosoma mansoni.
Ultrasonic characterization of shrinkage microporosity in aluminum castings

Abstract Shrinkage microporosity in cast aluminum was characterized utilizing the frequency dependence of ultrasonic attenuation caused by scattering from the pores. Measurements were made with the plate specimen immersed in water, and, by using a focused transducer, spatial resolution of about 2 mm was obtained. An accurate measure of attenuation was obtained by comparing the specimen’s ultrasonic signal with that from a pore-free reference specimen. Although the attenuation could be fitted using a single spherical pore size, better fits were obtained by assuming a lognormal distribution of spheres. Pore volume fraction inferred from the lognormal fits overestimates the actual volume fraction, determined from density measurements, by the same factor for all volume fractions. The actual volume fraction is overestimated by more than 100%, due to the complicated, nonspherical pore shapes, and must be taken into account to obtain accurate values of porosity. The strong correlation ( r 2 =0.97) between ultrasonic and density-derived volume fractions permits reliable, nondestructive laboratory measurements of porosity.