cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of Adenosine Effects in Attenuation of Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury in Rat Heart

We investigated whether xanthine oxidase-derived superoxide radical generation could be modified by interfering with adenosine transport and metabolism in reducing myocardial injury during post-ischemic reperfusion. Isolated rat hearts perfused at constant pressure were subjected to 20 min of pretreatment with test agents, followed by 40 min global ischemia and 30 min reperfusion with or without test agents. In hearts treated with adenosine deaminase inhibitor, erythro 9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA), alone or together with a selective nucleoside transport blocker, p-nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBMPR), the accumulated amount of O-2. was significantly reduced [10.2+/-0.97, 11.6+/-2.4, 8.1+/-0.51, respectively, v 31.6+/-2.1 (s. e.) nmol/wet g/30 min in ischemic control, P<0.01]. A positive correlation between O-2. and inosine release was observed in the initial 5 min of reperfusion in hearts treated with either EHNA or NBMPR ( r=0.475, P<0.05). Furthermore, the accumulated amount of LDH release showed positive correlation with that of O-2. among the same groups (r=0.474, P<0.05). Both EHNA and NBMPR had the cardioprotective effect on the recovery of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), ATP repletion, and build up of endogenous adenosine. This study suggests that : (1) adenosine metabolism can be manipulated towards the formation of O-2. during reperfusion, and it has an important bearing on the cardiac recovery of ischemic myocardium, (2) the generation of O-2. is related to only inosine release during initial reperfusion.
Budget Allocation Formulas: Magic or Illusion?

Purpose – Budget allocation formulas claim objectivity, and hence fairness. But factors composing the formula are limited to supply, demand, and cost. Attempts to correct for this imbalance of empirical data like usage have led to the use of weighted values in the formulas. This paper seeks to argue that assigning “weight” in a formula introduces value judgments and subjectivity, leaving only the misplaced illusion of objectivity.Design/methodology/approach – The paper surveys the published literature on the use of monograph budget allocation formulas and provides analysis to highlight the underlying problems of allocation formulas.Findings – Over the past several decades numerous permutations of the monograph allocation formula have been proposed and published. But there is no magic in formulas once value judgments are introduced. Instead, one is only left with the appearance of objectivity.Originality/value – This paper is a review of the philosophical and economic underpinnings in the library literatur...
Metabolic control of lactose entry in Escherichia coli.

Abstract A general method has been developed for determining the rate of entry of lactose into cells of Escherichia coli that contain β-galactosidase. Lactose entry is measured by either the glucose or galactose released after lactose hydrolysis. Since lactose is hydrolyzed by β-galactosidase as soon as it enters the cell, this assay measures the activity of the lactose transport system with respect to the translocation step. Using assays of glucose release, lactose entry was studied in strain GN2, which does not phosphorylate glucose. Lactose entry was stimulated 3-fold when cells were also presented with readily metabolizable substrates. Entry of o- nitrophenyl-β- d -galactopyranoside (ONPG) was only slightly elevated (1.5-fold) under the same conditions. The effects of arsenate treatment and anaerobiosis suggest that lactose entry may be limited by the need for reextrusion of protons which enter during H+/sugar cotransport. Entry of o- nitrophenyl-β- d -galactopyranoside is less dependent on the need for proton reextrusion, probably because the stoichiometry of H+/substrate cotransport is greater for lactose than for ONPG.
Archiving, processing, and disseminating of ASTER products at the USGS EROS Data Center

The U.S. Geological Survey EROS Data Center archives, processes, and disseminates Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data products. The ASTER instrument is one of five sensors onboard the Earth Observing System's Terra satellite launched December 18, 1999. ASTER collects broad spectral coverage with high spatial resolution at near infrared, shortwave infrared, and thermal infrared wavelengths with ground resolutions of 15, 30, and 90 meters, respectively. The ASTER data are used in many ways to understand local and regional earth-surface processes. Applications include land-surface climatology, volcanology, hazards monitoring, geology, agronomy, land cover change, and hydrology. The ASTER data are available for purchase from the ASTER Ground Data System in Japan and from the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center in the United States, which receives level 1A and level 1B data from Japan on a routine basis. These products are archived and made available to the public within 48 hours of receipt. The level 1A and level 1B data are used to generate higher level products that include routine and on-demand decorrelation stretch, brightness temperature at the sensor, emissivity, surface reflectance, surface kinetic temperature, surface radiance, polar surface and cloud classification, and digital elevation models. This paper describes the processes and procedures used to archive, process, and disseminate standard and on-demand higher level ASTER products at the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center.
Eigenproblem formulation, solution and interpretation for non-proportionally damped continuous beams

Abstract A rationalized approach is described for formulating the eigenproblems associated with continuous beams where damping non-proportionalities are introduced through the use lumped dampers, partial damping layers or arbitrary complex impedances. An efficient algorithm is then presented for determining an exact solution to the resulting complex eigenvalue equations, and for computing the coefficients associated with the complex eigenfunctions. A normalization procedure is developed which embodies all pertinent modal information, yet presents the complex modes in a manner which approximates the instantaneous displacement patterns associated with the natural frequencies. This scheme also allows an analyst to assess qualitatively and quantitatively the extent of non-proportionality in the damping distribution and determine which parts of the system it most affects. The formulation and normalization techniques are illustrated with two example cases.
Metallothionein expression and stress responses in aging human diploid fibroblasts

Metallothioneins (MTs) are low molecular weight proteins with a high cysteine content that are inducible by heavy metals and by other conditions of environmental stress. This laboratory was investigated in human diploid fibroblasts the induction of MTs by cadmium and by dexamethasone, and the induction of heat shock proteins, as models for age-related changes in gene expression that reflect the ability of old cells to respond to environmental stress. Old cells were more sensitive to the toxic effects of CdCl2 in the concentration range 100-175 microM. Analysis of 35S-cysteine-labelled cell extracts by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography showed that in the absence of any inducer, old cells have a 3.7-fold increase over young cells in the basal level of MT. The rate and extent of induction of MT by CdCl2 was reduced in old cells: Exposure of old cells to 100 microM CdCl2 for 18 h resulted in MT levels about 33% of the amount in young cells. Northern blot analysis showed that the changes in MT protein levels occurred in parallel with changes in mRNA levels, which implicates transcriptional control as the origin of these aging changes. These young/old differences in MT synthesis were maintained in density-arrested cultures, indicating that the aging changes were not due to differences in the cell cycle status of these cell populations. The rate and extent of induction of a 68-kDa heat shock protein were also reduced in old cells, which showed an increase in basal, uninduced level of this protein similar to MT. In contrast, old cells retained the ability to synthesize MTs in response to dexamethasone at a rate similar to that in young cells.
Sexual Assault and Disordered Eating in Asian Women

The link between sexual assault and disordered eating has yet to be clarified, especially for ethnic minority populations. Asian women, in particular, report low rates of both sexual assault and eating disorders compared to their Western counterparts, and studies suggest that these rates may be conservative. The literature indicates that there are cultural attitudes that contribute to non- and underreporting of sexual assault by Asian women and that these sociocultural factors may have an important role in the development of eating disorders as a response to sexual victimization. Research illustrates a relationship between sexual assault and eating disorders; eating disorders may serve as coping mechanisms for survivors of sexual assault by providing a mechanism for comfort, numbing, and distracting in an effort to rid the painful feelings in response to the assault. To stimulate future research, this article reviews the current literature on the development of eating disorders following a sexual assault and on the sociocultural factors linking both phenomena in Asian women, and offers avenues for investigation to increase our understanding of these relationships.
Unidirectional, bidirectional and random growth of embryonic optic axons

Abstract Optic fibers were experimentally deflected from their normal courses in the ganglion cell fiber layer (GCFL) of the embryonic chick retina. Fibers deflected sclerad to the GCFL travelled randomly with no tendency to re-enter the GCFL. Fibers growing in the more sclerad portion of the GCFL travelled bidirectionally, i.e. either toward or away from the optic nerve, sometimes exiting through the retinal periphery. Fibers in the most vitread portion of the GCFL tended to grow unidirectionally, toward the optic nerve. The results indicate that the factors that steer optic fibers toward the optic nerve do not operate through the full thickness of the retina but are narrowly confined to the GCFL, possibly to its most vitread portion. The GCFL acts like a glue that entraps but does not attract optic axons.
Operating system support for massive replication

The increasing number of devices used by each user to access data and services and the increasing importance of the data and services available electronically both favor "access-anywhere" network-delivered services. Unfortunately, making such services highly available is difficult. For example, even though end servers or service hosting sites advertise an availability of "four nines" (99.99%) or "five nines" (99.999%), the end-to-end service availability (as perceived by clients) istypically limited to two nines because of poor wide area network availability [6]. Moreover, although network bandwidths are improving quickly, network latencies are much more difficult to improve in wide area networks, which limits performance for access-anywhere services if those services are delivered from a single location.
Reliability analysis in distributed systems

Reliability of a distributed processing system is an important design parameter that can be described in terms of the reliability of processing elements and communication links and also of the redundancy of programs and data files. The traditional terminal-pair reliability does not capture the redundancy of programs and files in a distributed system. Two reliability measures are introduced: distributed program reliability, which describes the probability of successful execution of a program requiring cooperation of several computers, and distributed system reliability, which is the probability that all the specified distributed programs for the system are operational. These two reliability measures can be extended to incorporate the effects of user sites on reliability. An efficient approach based on graph traversal is developed to evaluate the proposed reliability measures. >
Cancer Screening in the United States, 2007: A Review of Current Guidelines, Practices, and Prospects

Each year, the American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes a summary of its recommendations for early cancer detection, including guideline updates, emerging issues that are relevant to screening for cancer, and a summary of the most current data on cancer screening rates for US adults. In 2006, there were no updates to ACS guidelines for early cancer detection. In this issue of the journal, we describe criteria for successful screening, discuss recent evidence and policy changes that have implications for cancer screening, summarize the ACS guidelines and describe guidelines reviews that are underway, and provide an update of the most recent data pertaining to participation rates in cancer screening from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).
Pharmacological testing in the laser-induced monkey glaucoma model

Glaucoma was induced in cynomolgus monkeys by photocoagulating the trabecular meshwork with the argon laser. Repeat treatments were often necessary and wide intraocular pressure fluctuations were characteristic. Baseline intraocular pressure was measured with a calibrated pneumatonometer hourly for six hours. On a succeeding day a baseline measurement was made, 50 microliter of the drug to be tested applied, and six hourly measurements of intraocular pressure repeated. The effects on intraocular pressure of timolol, epinephrine, pilocarpine, vanadate, prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), forskolin, and corynanthine were tested in at least eight eyes. Significant (p less than 0.05) reductions of intraocular pressure were produced by 0.5% timolol, 2% epinephrine, 4% pilocarpine, 1% vanadate, 500 micrograms of PGF2 alpha and 1% forskolin. Five per cent corynanthine produced no significant lowering of intraocular pressure. Tonography revealed an increased outflow facility associated with the reduction of intraocular pressure 2 hours after the administration of 4% pilocarpine. This glaucoma animal model may be useful in investigating agents that lower intraocular pressure by a variety of mechanisms.
The corneal cones of Limulus as optimised light concentrators.

IN their external shape and optical properties, the crystalline cones of the ommatidia in the compound eye of Limulus polyphemus strikingly resemble ideal light collectors. Such devices were developed1 in a totally different context: for the purpose of optimising the collection of the extremely faint radiation produced in a transparent medium by faster-than-light charged particles (Cherenkov light). Ideal light collectors are ogival-shaped light guides designed to maximise the concentration of diffuse light within a specified angular acceptance. These light guides are optically homogeneous and derive their characteristic properties from the specific shape of the exterior surface which is made specularly reflecting.
Design methodology for three-dimensional space-invariant hypercube networks with graph bipartitioning

We present a new design methodology for constructing three-dimensional space-invariant hypercube interconnection networks. The methodology is based on a graph bipartitioning technique and permits the construction of larger hypercube networks from smaller networks in a systematic and incremental fashion. Owing to their totally space-invariant nature, the resulting three-dimensional hypercube networks are amenable to optical implementations with simple optical hardware such as multiple imaging components and space-invariant holographic techniques.
Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 2 is critical for lipopolysaccharide-mediated post-transcriptional control.

IRAK2, a member of the interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) family, has been implicated in Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated signaling. We generated IRAK2-deficient mice to examine its function in detail. These mice are resistant to lipopolysaccharide-induced septic shock, because of impaired TLR4-mediated induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Although IRAK2 deficiency did not affect TLR4-mediated NFκB activation, a reduction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated mRNA stabilization contributed to the reduced cytokine and chemokine production observed in bone marrow-derived macrophages from IRAK2-deficient mice. Furthermore, the ratios of LPS-induced cytokine and chemokine mRNAs in translation-active (polysomal) versus translation-inactive (free ribosomes) pools were reduced in IRAK2-deficient macrophages compared with wild type macrophages. Importantly, LPS-induced phosphorylation of MKK3/6, MNK1, and eIF4E was significantly reduced in IRAK2-deficient macrophages compared with wild type macrophages. Moreover, LPS stimulation induced an interaction of IRAK2 with TRAF6, MKK3/6, and MK2, implicating a critical role for mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in LPS-induced IRAK2-mediated post-transcriptional control. These results reveal that IRAK2 is required for LPS-mediated post-transcriptional control of cytokine and chemokine expression, which plays an essential role in TLR4-induced septic shock.
Rates of screening colonoscopy are not increased when women are offered a female endoscopist in a health promotion outreach program

Background In surveys, almost 50% of women prefer a female endoscopist (FE) to perform their screening colonoscopies (SCOs). Objective To assess whether offering women an FE is associated with higher rates of SCOs. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting University of Colorado Hospital primary care clinics. Patients Women of ages 50 to 69 years eligible for an SCO. Interventions SCO offers through mail and telephone outreach, with and without an explicit FE option. Main Outcome Measurements Outreach intervention differences in SCO completion rates and percentages of women requesting FE. Results Of 396 women, 72 (18.2%) underwent SCO without difference by type of invitation. Women who received an FE invitation were more likely to request an FE than patients who received no invitation (44.2% and 4.8%, respectively, P Limitations SCO was offered through an outreach program rather than through in-clinic referrals. The study used a nonrandomized trial comparison group. Conclusions Women offered an FE were not more likely to undergo an SCO than those who were not. This study is unique in describing outcomes associated with actual offers of an FE at the time of scheduling. More direct evidence is needed to support the notion that the absence of FEs is an important barrier to colorectal cancer screening among women.
Computational Simulations of Mitral Regurgitation Quantification Using the Flow Convergence Method: Comparison of Hemispheric and Hemielliptic Formulae

Abstraet--Mitral regurgitation results from the incomplete closure of the mitral valve, and the noninvasive diagnosis of this disease remains an important clinical goal. In this study, steady flow computer simulations were used to evaluate flow convergence method for flow rate estimation. The hemispheric and hemielliptic formulae were compared for accuracy in the presence of complicating factors such as ventricular confinement, orifice shape, and aortic outflow. Results showed that in the absence of aortic outflow and ventricular confinement, there was a plateau zone where the hemispheric formula approximated the true flow rate, independent of orifice shape. However, in the presence of complicating factors such as aortic outflow and ventricular confinement, there was no clear zone where the hemispheric formula could be applied. The hemielliptic formula, however, worked in all cases, regardless of chamber size or magnitude of aortic outflow. Therefore, application of the hemielliptic formula should be considered in future clinical studies.
On controllability and observability of time delay systems

This paper deals with controllability and observability properties of time delay systems in the state space R^{n} \times L^{p} . In particular, we prove the equivalence of spectral controllability and approximate null-controllability. Moreover, it is shown that the necessary, condition for approximate F- controllability-obtained recently by Manitius-is also sufficient, and a verifiable and matrix type criterion for F -controllability is derived for systems with commensurate delays. Finally, we introduce the dual observability notion of approximate controllability and prove that the control system Σ is exactly null-controllable if and only if the transposed delay system ΣTis continuously finally observable.
The interaction and coalescence of liquid drops in flow through a capillary tube

Abstract The interaction between two liquid drops of unequal size suspended in low-Reynolds number flow through a capillary tube is studied experimentally. The sizes of the drops are comparable to the diameter of the tube. Conditions under which the interaction leads to coalescence of the drops are identified, and a time scale for coalescence to take place is measured. Results indicate that the interaction between drops leads to coalescence over a limited range of drop sizes that is strongly affected by the values of the capillary number and the viscosity ratio.
Does loss aversion explain dollar-cost averaging?

Abstract Some studies find the dollar-cost averaging investment strategy to be sub-optimal from a mean variance expected utility of wealth perspective. Statman [The Journal of Portfolio Management (1995) fall] introduces a behavioral rationale for the persistence of dollar-cost averaging. Using prospect theory to create an alternative utility function that does not require investors to be strictly risk averse, we empirically test Statman’s conjecture for four investment strategies and for alternative stock investments. We find loss aversion still does not explain the existence of the dollar-cost averaging investment strategy.
A case study of two-stage fault location

An industrial implementation of two-stage VLSI fault location is presented. Two-stage fault location was developed to address the size and computation time problems that were making it impractical to automate fault location with fault dictionaries. It does this by reducing the fault list and the test vector set for each faulty chip before dynamically creating a new, small fault dictionary for each diagnosis. The modern fault dictionary and the two-stage fault location technique are explained. For the case study presented, a new Intel chip was chosen. Its test set was developed and fault simulated, and it was prepared for automated fault location. Two-stage fault location was then applied to the fourteen failures available from initial product development production runs. The results are presented. >
Flare-ups in endodontics: II. Therapeutic measures.

Various treatment regimens for the relief of pain during endodontic therapy, including relief of occlusion, pre-medication, establishment of drainage, and intracanal and systemic medications are presented. In addition, the rationale for the use of placebos is discussed.
The Effect of Filling the Unspecified Values of a Test Set on the Test Set Quality

Test generation and test data compression processes create test vectors with unspecified input values that need to be filled. We study the extent to which filling the unspecified input values affects the untargeted fault coverage of a test set. To make the study independent of any particular test generation or test data compression scheme, we consider test sets for stuck-at faults that are obtained by first unspecifying as many values as possible without losing stuck-at fault coverage, and then filling the unspecified values randomly. The results indicate that there are significant differences in the untargeted fault coverage between different test sets. The differences in the average number of detections of stuck-at faults are less noticeable. We also show that adding a small fraction of untargeted faults to the set of faults considered during the unspecifying process improves significantly the untargeted fault coverage after filling of unspecified values.
THE SURF “BREAK”: KEY TO PALEOGEOGRAPHY?

SUMMARY Ancient geosynclinal coastal deposits, preserved and exposed for present-day examination, probably represent interior—and hence protected—shores, and were therefore characterized by low-to-moderate breaker energy levels, as is the modern Gulf of Mexico. Modern low-energy beach sand size distributions are distinguished by an inflection, here called the surf “break”, formed by a winnowing or statistical filtering process, by the breakers, in the finer sizes. The result is a two-segment curve having an intersection in many cases not far from 1.5 phi. If the energy level is very low, a tail of fines may be added, producing a three-segment curve having two inflection points. Along high energy beaches, the surf “break” occurs at such large grain sizes that it cannot be preserved in sand; whether or not it can be recognized in gravel is not known. Ancient sandstones which represent the breaker zone, along a low-to-moderate energy coast, should also exhibit the surf “break”. The Lyons Sandstone, a known Permian beach deposit, provides an example. Other examples are cited. Any useful indicator of the shoreline position, in lithified rocks, should have three characteristics: ease of recognition, high reliability, and strong probability of preservation. The surf “break” scores reasonably well on all three points. Hence it may be an important key to paleogeography. Nevertheless, there still remains a question inasmuch as certain river sands have similar inflections. Whether these kinks were inherited from near-by, but older, beach deposits, or were formed by stream action, is not known. The reliability of the surf “break” is estimated at 80% or better, except for the case where near-shore sands, of whatever age, are reworked briefly by running water.
The Ethical Value of Oriental Religions under the Roman Empire

To estimate with any considerable degree of accuracy the moral value of the Oriental religions under the Roman Empire is a hard and perhaps an impossible task. The difficulties arise in part from the fact that these religions, like most others, did not aim primarily at developing what we understand by morality in the individual, but rather at establishing such relations with the gods as to give men security and prosperity here and hereafter; and in part the difficulties are due to the paucity of our data and our liability to error in the interpretation thereof. Yet a religion, like any other form of human expression, inevitably influences as well as reflects the conduct of the social group which cultivates it; that is to say, it cannot exist apart by itself. Therefore it is not an unprofitable thing to attempt to determine with such accuracy as may be attainable the relation to morality of the imported Oriental cults which were widely cultivated in the Occidental part of the Roman Empire between the first and the fourth centuries of our era. We confine our consideration to the Western half of the Empire, for there the evidence as to these exotic religions is most plentiful and it is possible to see them isolated, so to speak, from their native environment. It will be necessary, however, first to consider the moral and religious environment into which these cults entered.
Adaptive variable bias magnetic bearing control

Most magnetic bearing control schemes use a bias current with a superimposed control current to linearize the relationship between the control current and the force it delivers. With the existence of the bias current, even in no load conditions, there is always some power consumption. In aerospace applications, power consumption becomes an important concern. In response to this concern, an alternative magnetic bearing control method, called adaptive variable bias control (AVBC), has been developed and its performance examined. The AVBC operates primarily as a proportional-derivative controller with a relatively slow, bias current dependent time-varying gain. The AVBC is shown to reduce electrical power loss, be nominally stable, and provide control performance similar to conventional bias control. Analytical computer simulation and experimental results are presented.
Multifocal Stevens-Johnson syndrome after concurrent phenytoin and cranial and thoracic radiation treatment, a case report

A 46 year old male patient with metastatic prostate cancer developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), initially in three well-demarcated areas on his scalp, chest and back, corresponding to ports of radiation therapy while on phenytoin. The rash spread from these locations and became more generalized and associated with pain and sloughing in the mucous lining of the mouth. There is a documented association between phenytoin administration with concurrent cranial radiation therapy and development of SJS. Erythema multiforme (EM) associated with phenytoin and cranial radiation therapy (EMPACT) is the term that describes this reaction. However, this term may not cover the full spectrum of the disease since it describes EM associated with phenytoin and only cranial radiation therapy. This case report presents evidence that SJS may be induced by radiation to other parts of the body in addition to the cranium while phenytoin is administered concomitantly. With increasing evidence that phenytoin and levetiracetam are equally efficacious for seizure treatment and prophylaxis, and since there is no link identified so far of an association between levetiracetam and SJS, we believe that levetiracetam is a better option for patients who need anticonvulsant medication(s) while undergoing radiation therapy, especially cranial irradiation.
Uranium, thorium, potassium and argon in marine phillipsites

Abstract Analyses of elements at trace levels in phillipsites from Pacific Ocean deposits indicate the mineral continues to grow within the sedimentary column.The thorium and uranium concentrations decrease while the mineral concentrations increase with depth in the deposit. This observation can be explained by a continuous growth of the phillipsite within the deposits. The varying concentrations of uranium and thorium in phillipsite, fish teeth and clay minerals from given levels of the core indicate a competition by such substances for the dissolved phases of these elements. Phillipsites from the surface layers (upper 20 cm) of widely separated deposits have “apparent K-Ar ages” > 10 6 yr. Systematic variations in this ratio occur with depth. At three levels a differentiation of the Ar-40 K-40 ratio with respect to size is observed, the larger crystals having smaller ratios and vice versa. Treatment of three samples with HCl, presumably removing about 40 per cent of the outer layers of the crystals, increased the concentration of radiogenic argon by almost a factor of two. Heating experiments indicate that loss of argon by diffusion is of minor importance. Idealized models of continuous spherical growth of the mineral over long time intervals, and assuming dr dt = constant , indicate the time dependence of the Ar-40 K-40 ratios for a growing crystal. Most of the results can be explained by modified versions of such models. Without additional knowledge about the many parameters involved in marine phillipsite formation, however, these minerals are not suitable for dating by the K-Ar method.
Yes, but...: Positive Politeness in Conversation Arguments

This article describes some of the linguistic mechanisms people use when engaging in disagreements with one another. Unacquainted students discussed an issue on which they had opposing views. These...
Impact of Mechanical Vibration on the Performance of RF MEMS Evanescent-Mode Tunable Resonators

This letter presents the first experimental investigation on the impact of mechanical vibration on the performance of MEMS evanescent-mode tunable resonators. It is shown both conceptually and experimentally that mechanical vibration can introduce distortions to the RF signal. Signal distortions are found to be very small (<; -40 dBc of sideband or <; 0.5% change in-error vector magnitude) for a diaphragm based MEMS tunable resonator with a diaphragm size of 7 × 7 mm2 and mechanical vibration amplitude of 1g. A novel MEMS tunable evanescent-mode resonator based on two arrays of cantilever beams that replace the diaphragm is also presented to achieve even lower distortion in the presence of mechanical vibration. A 15-25 dB reduction in the vibration-induced sideband is observed.
Diminished transcription of interleukin-8 by monocytes from preterm neonates.

Developmental delays, which impair antibac- terial host defense, are present in the neutrophil system of human preterm neonates. We hypothesized that dimin- ished production of interleukin-8 (IL-8), a neutrophil chemotactic peptide, might in part be responsible for these defects. To test this, monocytes from the blood of preterm neonates, term neonates, and adults were iso- lated immunologically by "negative panning" and subse- quently stimulated with interleukin-la (IL-la), tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a), or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), after which IL-8 levels in the supernatants were mea- sured by ELISA. Total cellular RNA was extracted and IL-8 mRNA was assessed by Northern blotting and by competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses. After stimulation with IL-la, IL-8 accumulation was lowest in supernatants of monocytes from preterm neo- nates, intermediate in supernatants of monocytes from term neonates and greatest from monocytes of adults. Similarly, when stimulated with TNF-a or LPS, mono- cytes from preterm neonates produced less IL-8 than cells from term neonates and adults. These differences in IL-8 concentrations paralleled differences in IL-8 mRNA cx- pression. J. Leukoc. Biol. 53: 399-403; 1993.
RACE, CLASS, AND SEGREGATION PATTERNS IN U.S. IMMIGRANT GATEWAY CITIES

Previous studies have shown some tendency toward increased residential racial and ethnic integration, especially in large West Coast metropolitan areas. They have also shown in limited studies that integration, or at least declines in separation, occur with increases in socioeconomic status. The results of this study, using recently released 2000 census data for metropolitan areas with large numbers of foreign born, show that indeed separation does decline with increases in socio-economic status though it also varies by geography, education, and income and is significantly variable across different ethnic groups in the large immigrant cities. The research in this study also documents the continuing hierarchy of greater integration of Whites with Asians and Whites with Hispanics than with African Americans. It is clear that the changing patterns of separation have moved beyond Black-White contexts. Still, class clearly matters, as integration is greater at higher education levels, and suburban areas in gen...
Effects of fluticasone propionate dosage in an experimental model of feline asthma

Cats with inflammatory bronchial disease are usually treated with glucocorticoid (GC) drugs to reduce airway inflammation. Inhalant GC delivery can preserve airway effects while systemic effects are minimized. An appropriate dosage regimen for inhaled GC in cats has not been investigated. A blinded, randomized, cross-over study design was used to investigate the ability of three different dosages of the inhalant GC fluticasone propionate delivered by metered dose inhaler to ameliorate eosinophilic airway inflammation in cats with experimentally induced allergic airway inflammation. Further, suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) at each dose was assessed. Fluticasone administered at dosages of 44, 110, or 220 microg q 12h reduced airway eosinophilia by 74%, 82%, or 81%, respectively (no difference). None of the dose regimens tested caused HPAA suppression. We conclude that a twice daily dosage of 44 microg fluticasone should be evaluated for the management of cats with naturally occurring inflammatory bronchial disease.
Differential GPS/inertial navigation approach/landing flight test results

In November 1990, a differential GPS/inertial flight test was conducted to acquire a system performance database and demonstrate automatic landing using an integrated differential GPS/INS with barometric and radar altimeters. Flight test results obtained from postflight data analysis are presented. These results include characteristics of DGPS/inertial error, using a laser tracker as a reference. In addition, data are provided on the magnitude of the differential correlations and vertical channel performance with and without radar altimeter augmentation. Flight test results show one sigma DGPS/inertial horizontal errors of 9 ft and one sigma DGPS inertial vertical errors of 15 ft. Without selective availability effects, the differential corrections are less than 10 ft and are dominated by receiver unique errors over the time period of an approach. Therefore, the one sigma performance of the autonomous GPS (8-ft horizontal and 20-ft vertical) is very similar to the DGPS/inertial performance. Postprocessed results also demonstrate significant improvements in vertical channel performance when GPS/inertial is aided with radar altimeter along with a low-resolution terrain map. >
Individual Differences in Environmental Exploration and Cognitive Mapping Skills

Parents can strongly influence their children’s environmental experiences, as these examples illustrate. From the time infants become mobile, parents provide them with environments to explore, set the boundaries for exploration, structure the spatial layouts and objects provided in the home environment, encourage and discourage certain types of exploration and point out spatial locations and relationships. To the extent that they influence their children’s exploration and use of environments, parents probably also influence the development of their children’s cognitive mapping skills, that is, their skills for maintaining spatial orientation and solving spatial problems in large-scale environments.
Block multitransform coding of non-stationary signals

We develop a new class of multitransform (which we call "MBR") algorithms for representing time-varying signals based on a parallel structure and compare their performance and implementation complexity to existing cascade structure algorithms. The algorithms use either a gradient or a non-gradient search over partial sets of several different basis functions to effectively capture different signal characteristics. We see that our proposed parallel structure yields algorithms that require fewer than one-half the number of computations of the previously derived cascade structure to represent the signal with equivalent error. Also, we use a non-gradient based recursive technique, the recursive residual projection (RRP) algorithm, to find the dominant components (DC) of the signals. We find that the MBR algorithms using the RRP search have superior performance in many instances.
Dissection of Bidirectional Synaptic Plasticity Into Saturable Unidirectional Processes

In populations of synapses, overall synaptic strength can undergo either a net strengthening (long-term potentiation) or weakening (long-term depression). These phenomena have distinct induction pathways, but the functional outcome is usually measured as a single lumped quantity. In hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapses, we took two approaches to study the activity dependence of each phenomenon in isolation. First, we selectively blocked one process by applying kinase or phosphatase inhibitors known, respectively, to block potentiation or depression. Second, we saturated depression or potentiation and examined the activity dependence of the converse process. The resulting unidirectional learning rules could be recombined to give a well-known bidirectional frequency-dependent learning rule under the assumption that when both pathways are activated kinases dominate, resulting in potentiation. Saturation experiments revealed an additional process in which potentiated synapses can be locked at high strength. Saturability of the components of plasticity implies that the amount of plasticity contributed by each pathway depends on the initial level of strength of the synapses. Variation in the distribution of initial synaptic strengths predicts a form of metaplasticity and can account for differences in learning rules observed under several physiological and genetic manipulations.
Oligodendrocytes express an α/β-interferon-susceptible Mx gene: Molecular characterization of the encoded protein

Interferons (INFs) are cytokines that exert a plethora of biological activities by interacting with receptors and inducing the synthesis of effector proteins. One such effector is an antiviral protein called Mx, widely distributed among vertebrates. Mx proteins belong to the superfamily of large GTPases, which includes dynamins, products of the Drosophila shibire gene, the yeast Vps1p, and others. Oligodendrocytes (OLGs) synthesize, assemble, and maintain myelin in the central nervous system. In an effort to identify genes implicated in establishing a myelinogenic phenotype, we isolated a 2,494 bp cDNA that encodes a protein of 654 amino acids, which are 95% identical to ovine Mx (from endometrium of pregnant sheep) and 83% similar to human MxA. Cultured OLGs express the mRNA and protein. We present structural features of this protein and speculate on the origin of its induction and the functional significance of its presence in OLGs. The finding that OLGs express an IFN-susceptible protein raises interesting possibilities in light of the evidence that β-IFN is therapeutically beneficial for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. GLIA 37:183–189, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Mucosa-sparing, KTP laser coagulation of submucosal telangiectatic vessels in patients with radiation-induced cystitis: a novel approach.

Introduction This study aimed evaluate the safety and feasibility of endoscopic potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser application in the management of patients with radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis (RHC). Technical Considerations We retrospectively reviewed the records of 20 patients with RHC who underwent endoscopic KTP laser ablation of telangiectatic bladder vessels between October 2005 and January 2013. After initial cystoscopy, KTP laser was used to ablate the submucosal vasculature while preserving the overlying mucosa. The surgical outcome was evaluated by duration of hematuria-free interval, number of episodes of hematuria, and number of required medical and/or surgical interventions after initial treatment. Overall, 20 patients underwent 26 sessions of KTP laser ablation of bladder vessels. The procedure was able to stop bleeding 92% of the time and the average hematuria-free interval after ablation was 11.8 months, with a range of 1-37 months. In 13 patients (65%) hematuria resolved after 1 session of KTP laser treatment, whereas 5 patients (25%) required multiple sessions. Two patients (10%) with severe hematuria continued to have bleeding after laser treatment, which necessitated proximal diversion of urine with percutaneous nephrostomy tubes to control bleeding. Conclusion This study suggests that KTP laser, with its unique photoselectivity property, is a safe, effective, and durable treatment with minimal side effects for ablation of submucosal bladder vessels in patients with RHC.
Communication boards in critical care: patients' views.

Abstract Background Some patients receiving mechanical ventilation experience an intensified need to communicate while their ability to do so is compromised as the endotracheal tube prevents speech. Although the use of a communication board to enhance communication with such patients has been suggested, few descriptive or empirical studies have addressed the content and format of these devices or of patients' perspectives on decreasing frustration with communication. Objectives The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the perceived level of frustration of patients receiving mechanical ventilation while they attempt to communicate; (2) to determine patients' perceived level of frustration if a communication board had been used; and (3) to describe patients' perceptions of the appropriate content and format of a communication board. Methods Twenty-nine critically ill patients who were extubated within the past 72 hours were included in this descriptive study. Subjects participated in a 20- to 60-minute audiotaped interview consisting of questions about their perceived level of frustration when communicating with and without a communication board and their thoughts about the appropriate content and format of a board. Transcripts were analyzed by questions for meaning and overall themes. Results Sixty-two percent ( n = 18) of patients reported a high level of frustration in communicating their needs while receiving mechanical ventilation. Patients judged that their perceived level of frustration in communicating their needs would have been significantly lower ( P n = 20) perceived that a communication board would have been helpful, and they also identified specific characteristics and content for a communication board. A communication board may be an effective intervention for decreasing patients' frustration and facilitating communication. Conclusions Most patients receiving mechanical ventilation experienced a moderate to a high level of frustration when communicating their needs. In this study, a communication board, if used patiently during mechanical ventilation, has been shown to alleviate frustration with communication. Patients have specific ideas about what terms and ideograms are useful for a communication board. Further research is needed to test the effects of a communication board and other methods of facilitating communication on outcomes such as satisfaction and anxiety of patients, adequate and appropriate management of pain, and length of mechanical ventilation time and hospital stay.
Carrier and socket technology for high pin count QFP packages

The carrier and socket technology for high pin count Quad Flat Pack (QFP) packages is a set of three components that can be used in various combinations, that allow for easier manipulation of fine pitch, (fine pitch defined as packages having a lead tip to lead tip spacing of 0.65 millimeters or less), QFP between various shipping, test, programming, and prototype environments. The three components are the small outline carrier, surface mountable development socket, and through hole mountable programming socket. The carrier is designed to protect the leads of the QFP from deformation, while allowing the leads to make electrical connection with the contacts of the two different sockets. The development socket is surface mountable with a footprint that is identical to the naked QFP housed within the carrier. The programming socket is a through hole mountable, clam-shell socket, which accepts the same carrier as the development socket. The carrier and socket technology was developed primarily to assist in the development and prototyping of re-configurable QFP devices. Specifically, those QFP devices that need to be placed in a different electrical environment to be re-configured, than the electrical environment the device will be in, once it has been configured to the users satisfaction. >
Performance of statistical models to predict mental health and substance abuse cost.

Background Providers use risk-adjustment systems to help manage healthcare costs. Typically, ordinary least squares (OLS) models on either untransformed or log-transformed cost are used. We examine the predictive ability of several statistical models, demonstrate how model choice depends on the goal for the predictive model, and examine whether building models on samples of the data affects model choice.