cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Regulation of PD-1 Expression on, and Longevity of, Human CD8 + T Cells

Persistent viral infections and tumor burdens are associated with limited longevity of functional CD8 + T cells. Longevity of effector or memory CD8 + T cells may depend on a balance of costimulatory and coinhibitory signals. 4–1BB (CD137), induced as a costimulatory receptor, is known to promote longevity of anti-virus and tumor CD8 + T cells, whereas ‘exhausted’ CD8 + T cells conversely induce coinhibitory receptors such as programmed death-1(PD-1) in order to limit long term CD8 + T cell survival. We hypothesized that myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) often recruited to the tumor microenvironments might control expression of coinhibitory and costimulatory receptors, thereby regulating longevity of effector and memory CD8 + T cells. To this end, we developed various myeloid-derived dendritic cell (DC) types in vitro from human CD14 + monocytes using M-CSF and GM-CSF in the presence of IL-4 with/without other cytokines, and characterized the DC according to their capacity to regulate expression of CD137 and PD-1 on CD8 + T cells, and their impact on longevity of CD8 + T cells following coculture. In contrast to conventional DC generated with GM-CSF and IL-4 (GM-DC), DC produced with M-CSF and IL-4 (M-DC) were highly suppressive to CD8 + T cell cytotoxic activity, inhibiting induction of costimulatory CD137 on CD8 + T cells during allogeneic cell coculture. M-DC generated in the presence of IL-10 (IL-10/M-DC) uniquely induced inhibitory PD-1 in CD8 + T cells, while maintaining the ability to inhibit stimulatory CD137 expression. The presence of TNF-α or LPS during IL-10/M-DC development, on the other hand, deprived the DC of their PD-1 inducing ability. This suggests that pro-inflammatory factors may have converted IL-10/M-DC into a more mature form of DC that no longer possesses the ability to induce PD-1. Expression of the ligand for PD-1 (PD-L1) in M-DCs was increased greatly by IL-10. Importantly, IL-10/M-DC significantly reduced CD8 + T cell viability during coculture. TGF-β, known to demonstrate similar immune suppressive activities as IL-10, failed to promote M-DC to induce PD-1 on CD8 + T cells, suggesting that IL-10 plays a unique role in inducing PD-1 on CD8 + T cells through M-DC. Neither IL-10 nor M-DC alone affected PD-1 expression on CD8 + T cells. We then evaluated whether IL-10/M-DC affected expression of Sirt1, an NAD + -dependent deacetylase known to extend life span of many cell types, in CD8 + T cells. Sirt1 was detected at only marginal levels in freshly isolated naive CD8 + T cells, but its expression was increased upon CD3 activation. Coculture with IL-10/M-DC reduced induction of Sirt1 in anti-CD3 activated CD8 + T cells. Various immune suppressive cells are found in tumor microenvironments and chronically virus infected patients. Our results suggest that IL-10/M-DC may play a role as immune suppressor cells in evasion of a host’s immune system by tumors and viruses, via modulation of CD137 and PD-1 signals, both of which affect longevity of CD8 + T cells. Longevity may relate to expression of Sirt1.
Intensified hand-hygiene campaign including soap-and-water wash may prevent acute infections in office workers, as shown by a recognized-exposure -adjusted analysis of a randomized trial

Variable exposure to causative agents of acute respiratory (RTI) or gastrointestinal tract infections (GTI) is a significant confounding factor in the analysis of the efficacy of interventions concerning these infections. We had an exceptional opportunity to reanalyze a previously published dataset from a trial assessing the effect of enhanced hand hygiene on the occurrence of RTI or GTI in adults, after adjustment for reported exposure and other covariates. Twenty-one working units (designated clusters) each including at least 50 office employees, totaling 1,270 persons, were randomized into two intervention arms (either using water-and-soap or alcohol-rub in hand cleansing), or in the control arm. Self-reported data was collected through weekly emails and included own symptoms of RTI or GTI, and exposures to other persons with similar symptoms. Differences in the weekly occurrences of RTI and GTI symptoms between the arms were analyzed using multilevel binary regression model with log link with personal and cluster specific random effects, self-reported exposure to homologous disease, randomization triplet, and seasonality as covariates in the Bayesian framework. Over the 16 months duration of the trial, 297 persons in the soap and water arm, 238 persons in the alcohol-based hand rub arm, and 230 controls sent reports. The arms were similar in age distribution and gender ratios. A temporally-associated reported exposure strongly increased the risk of both types of infection in all trial arms. Persons in the soap-and-water arm reported a significantly – about 24% lower weekly prevalence of GTI than the controls whether they had observed an exposure or not during the preceding week, while for RTI, this intervention reduced the prevalence only during weeks without a reported exposure. Alcohol-rub did not affect the symptom prevalence. We conclude that while frequent and careful hand washing with soap and water partially protected office-working adults from GTI, the effect on RTI was only marginal in this study. Potential reasons for this difference include partially different transmission routes and a difference in the virus load. In this trial, frequent standardized hand rubbing with ethanol-based disinfectant did not reduce the weekly prevalence of either type of infections. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00821509, 12 March 2009.
Information value of two-prover games

We introduce a generalization of the standard framework for studying the difficulty of two-prover games. Specifically, we study the model where Alice and Bob are allowed to communicate (with information constraints) - in contrast to the usual two-prover game where they are not allowed to communicate after receiving their respective input. We study the trade-off between the information cost of the protocol and the achieved value of the game after the protocol. In particular, we show the connection of this trade-off and the amortized behavior of the game (i.e. repeated value of the game). We show that if one can win the game with at least (1 - \epsilon)-probability by communicating at most \epsilon bits of information, then one can win n copies with probability at least 2^{-O(\epsilon n)}. This gives an intuitive explanation why Raz's counter-example to strong parallel repetition [Raz2008] (the odd cycle game) is a counter-example to strong parallel repetition - one can win the odd-cycle game on a cycle of length $m$ by communicating O(m^{-2})-bits where m is the number of vertices. Conversely, for projection games, we show that if one can win n copies with probability larger than (1-\epsilon)^n, then one can win one copy with at least (1 - O(\epsilon))-probability by communicating O(\epsilon) bits of information. By showing the equivalence between information value and amortized value, we give an alternative direction for further works in studying amortized behavior of the two-prover games. The main technical tool is the "Chi-Squared Lemma" which bounds the information cost of the protocol in terms of Chi-Squared distance, instead of usual divergence. This avoids the square loss from using Pinsker's Inequality.
Abstract 19533: Pro-Inflammatory Biomarkers in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction in Stable Versus Acutely Decompensated Patients

Introduction: There is limited information about the pathophysiology of decompensation in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). One proposed mechanism involves intermittent exacer...
Statistical sampling approaches.

Description des principes de base et des techniques statistiques appliques a l'echantillonnage dans le domaine du controle de qualite des produits alimentaires
Distinction of Receptor from Nonreceptor Interactions in Binding Studies

Studies of the binding of ligands to various putative pharmacologic receptors are entering a new phase. Over the past decade, sufficient expertise has been developed to measure with confidence the binding of highly radioactively labeled probes to quantitatively small numbers of high-affinity binding sites, which in most cases represent pharmacologic receptors of interest. Now, these techniques are being employed to study receptors for an ever-burgeoning number of pharmacologically active agents [Cuatrecasas and Hollenberg (1976); collection of reviews edited by Blecher (1976)]. Furthermore, it is becoming apparent that the task of assessing receptor characteristics by ligand binding studies (e.g., receptor changes related to desensitization phenomena) may require a more sophisticated approach than may have been initially considered adequate. It thus appears appropriate to develop an overview for such studies, particularly from the point of view of distinguishing ligand binding sites which typify “true” receptor characteristics (therefore specific binding sites) from those cellular binding sites which do not reflect receptor properties (therefore nonspecific or nonreceptor binding sites).
Tissue plasminogen activator: acute thrombotic stroke

Ischaemic stroke is a primarily vascular disorder for which no uniformly successful treatment exists. The socioeconomic consequences of this disorder with the clinical approaches currently available are staggering in the negative: it is the second most common vascular cause of death in North America, and the third leading cause of death and disability in the Northern Hemisphere (Report of the Atherosclerosis Task Force, 1982; Mackay and Nias, 1979).
Nature of the secondary component of beta Lyrae.

Development of a hypothesis concerning the nature of the secondary component of beta Lyrae which is regarded as more plausible than the suggestion that this component is a black hole. Adopting Huang's (1962) and Woolf's (1965) basic model for beta Lyrae, it is suggested that the secondary star may be a massive 'main-sequence' star in rapid, nonuniform motion. Certain findings regarding mu Sco and V356 Sgr, which have primaries that are very cool and underluminous for their masses, are cited as evidence for such an inference, since their underluminosity is probably due to high angular momentum and they are normal enough not to be suspected of harboring a black hole.
Universal products in the US

Universal design is an approach to the development of products and environments that people of all ages and abilities are able to use to the greatest extent possible. Though this approach is often most beneficial to older customers and those with disabilities, universal design benefits everyone to some degree. Everyone who has lived long enough knows that mental, physical and sensory abilities can change at any time — even among young, healthy people. Limitations can be caused by situation and environment as much as by personal abilities — noisy environments can impair hearing and ability to concentrate, dimly lit rooms can limit vision, and flu symptoms can reduce strength and stamina.
On the Value of Time-Lag-Ensemble Averaging to Improve Numerical Model Predictions of Aircraft Icing Conditions

AbstractThe High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model with its hourly updating cycles provides multiple weather forecasts valid at any given time. A logical combination of these individual determi...
Merging optical and numerical methods for denoising in digital holography

The possibility to merge different denoising strategies, by considering optical and numerical methods, permits to sensitively reduce the speckle noise in digital holography. Some examples are made to quantify the performance of these hybrid methods.
Improving Rates of Hpv Vaccination Among Female Patients in a Pediatric Resident Continuity Clinic

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections are the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States, with 14 million people infected annually. Despite AAP recommendations for HPV vaccination starting at 9 years, national vaccination rates remain low. In 2014, 60% of adolescent girls received at least one dose; only 39.7% completed the series. A significant barrier to vaccination is the parental perception that HPV vaccination promotes sexual activity. In our pediatric resident clinic, primarily composed of Hispanic patients, the HPV vaccination rate was …
Hydrogels as an Emerging Material Platform for Solar Water Purification.

ConspectusGrowing concern over water scarcity leads to increased research interest in advanced water purification technologies. Solar water purification, which uses solar energy to separate water a...
Effect of Velocity and Impact Angle on Residual Stress Generation in Cold Spray Process – A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

Abstract Cold Spray (CS) process is a solid-phase metal deposition technique capable of depositing micro to nanosized particles on a substrate without melting the particles. The CS process thus retains the original mechanical and chemical properties of the coating material. Residual stresses are an important factor affecting the quality, strength, and performance of the coated substrate in CS process. Currently, there is a lack of clear understanding of the residual stress generation in CS process and its control measures. Existing studies have not investigated the type III residual stress in CS process. This study attempts to investigate the effects of impact velocity and angle of impact on the Type III residual stress generation in CS process using molecular dynamics simulation technique. The study considers the impact of nanosized copper particles on copper substrate and the magnitude of the residual stresses is monitored. It is seen that the coated surface retains both tensile and compressive residual stresses. A higher angle impact shows higher compressive residual stresses, which are beneficial to industrial applications. Similarly, 400 m/s impact velocity showed the highest distribution of compressive residual stress on the body. The study results would be crucial in extending the industrial applications of the CS process.
Understanding the supportive care needs of early-phase cancer clinical trial (CT) participants.

26Background: Early phase CTs investigate novel therapeutic approaches for patients with cancer, but little is known about the use of supportive care services among participants in early phase CTs....
The IT Labor Market in Pandemic Conditions

In this ongoing project, we investigate how the COVID-19 epidemic affects the IT labor market, and, accordingly, how organizations choose to hire IT employees in the current situation. Using a quarterly dataset of 30,678 IT job postings from a large online employment website, we perform descriptive analysis and logistic regression to examine the relationships between pandemic severity and work arrangements (remote vs. on-site), work schedules (part-time vs. full time), and organizational sectors (commercial vs. government vs. non-profit). Our results reveal that the IT market in the summer quarter (June, July, and August) is better than in the previous period, for both part-time and remote job postings. Also, pandemic severity is positively associated with the incidence of on-site IT hires. For governments and non-profit organizations (NPOs) such as hospitals and schools, “frontline” IT support professionals were highly prized, whereas commercial employers, including tech giants, were more interested in growing a remote IT workforce. In our conclusions, we discuss the balance between the trajectory of diagnosed infections and the fluctuations of the labor market, specifically in the IT sector.
Validation of a novel patient-operated device for measuring skin barrier function in atopic dermatitis.

Background Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and capacitance are used in atopic dermatitis (AD) trials to provide objective data on clinical change and response to therapy. Many barrier devices are costly, limiting their utility. GPSkin is a novel low-cost, patient-operable device that measures both TEWL and capacitance via smartphone application. Objective This validation study investigated the correlation of GPSkin with the AquaFlux and Corneometer, and the reliability of these devices, in patients with AD. Methods Fifty AD patients with varying disease severity performed self-measurements with GPSkin, while investigators collected data with all 3 devices, on both nonlesional and lesional skin. Conclusion GPSkin and AquaFlux demonstrated strong correlation for TEWL on nonlesional and lesional skin by Spearman's correlation (rs ), independent of device user. For capacitance, GPSkin and the Corneometer showed moderate correlation when obtained by patients, yet a strong correlation when obtained by a clinician. Despite good correlation, GPSkin showed poor agreement with both the AquaFlux and Corneometer in Bland-Altman plots. GPSkin underestimated both TEWL and capacitance. Overall, the devices had good test-retest reliability. None of the devices could discriminate between AD severity states. While GPSkin marks an exciting advancement in barrier technology, further study is needed for validation on AD skin.
Explaining in Time: Meeting Interactive Standards of Explanation for Robotic Systems

Explainability has emerged as a critical AI research objective, but the breadth of proposed methods and application domains suggest that criteria for explanation vary greatly. In particular, what counts as a good explanation, and what kinds of explanation are computationally feasible, has become trickier in light of oqaque “black box” systems such as deep neural networks. Explanation in such cases has drifted from what many philosophers stipulated as having to involve deductive and causal principles to mere “interpretation,” which approximates what happened in the target system to varying degrees. However, such post hoc constructed rationalizations are highly problematic for social robots that operate interactively in spaces shared with humans. For in such social contexts, explanations of behavior, and, in particular, justifications for violations of expected behavior, should make reference to socially accepted principles and norms. In this article, we show how a social robot’s actions can face explanatory demands for how it came to act on its decision, what goals, tasks, or purposes its design had those actions pursue and what norms or social constraints the system recognizes in the course of its action. As a result, we argue that explanations for social robots will need to be accurate representations of the system’s operation along causal, purposive, and justificatory lines. These explanations will need to generate appropriate references to principles and norms—explanations based on mere “interpretability” will ultimately fail to connect the robot’s behaviors to its appropriate determinants. We then lay out the foundations for a cognitive robotic architecture for HRI, together with particular component algorithms, for generating explanations and engaging in justificatory dialogues with human interactants. Such explanations track the robot’s actual decision-making and behavior, which themselves are determined by normative principles the robot can describe and use for justifications.
Gender Differences in Physical Activity Engagement Among Adolescents With Congenital Heart Disease.

Objective The current study aimed to (a) describe moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary behavior (SB), and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2Peak) via objective assessment among adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD), (b) examine gender differences on MVPA, SB, VO2Peak, and the Theory of Planned Behavior elements, and (c) identify whether gender moderates the relationships between the Theory of Planned Behavior elements and MVPA, SB, and VO2Peak. Methods Adolescent CHD survivors (N = 86; ages 15-18 years) wore an accelerometer to assess MVPA and SB, underwent an exercise stress test to assess VO2Peak, and completed a survey of the Theory of Planned Behavior elements as measured by perceived benefits (attitudes), family/friend support and perceived norms (social norms), and self-efficacy and barriers (perceived behavioral control) to engaging in physical activity. Results On average, CHD survivors engaged in 22.3 min (SD = 15.3) of MVPA/day and 9 hr of SB/day (M = 565.8, SD = 102.5 min). Females engaged in less MVPA but not more SB had a lower mean VO2Peak, reported lower self-efficacy, and perceived greater barriers than males. In a regression model, barriers explained unique variance in MVPA and VO2Peak, but the relationship between barriers and MVPA/VO2Peak did not vary by gender. Self-efficacy did not explain unique variance in MVPA and VO2Peak when included in a model with gender and barriers. Conclusions Family/friend support for physical activity engagement may be an important consideration when developing physical activity interventions for adolescent CHD survivors. The role of gender differences in self-efficacy and perceived barriers on physical activity engagement warrants further investigation.
122. Differenzierte Therapie der Schilddrüsencarcinome

Von 1960–1983 wurden 423 Patienten mit Schilddrusencarcinomen behandelt. Bei follicularen, medulldren und anaplastischen Carcinomen wurde die Thyreoidektomie angestrebt. Die Hemithyreoidektomie mit Keilexcision der gesunden Seite erfolgte beim papillaren Carcinom mit einseitigem Befall. Nach Thyreoidektomie wurde die Hormontherapie durchgefuhrt. Anaplastische Carcinome wurden postoperativ extern bestrahlt. Die Zehnjahresuberlebensraten betrugen beim follicularen Carcinom ohne Metastasen 65%, mit Metastasen 30%, beim papillaren Carcinom ohne Metastasen 90%. Nur 50% der Patienten mit medullarem Carcinom uberlebten 5 Jahre. Beim anaplastischen Carcinom starben 80% innerhalb von 6 Monaten.
Questions Raised by the Electron Microscopic Localization of Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase in Normal and Denervated Superior Cervical Ganglia in the Cat

With the development of the copper thiocholine (CuThCh) histochemical method for the light microscopic (LM) localization of cholinesterases over 30 years ago (15) and the application of its modifications (9–11,16) to the normal and preganglionically denervated superior cervical ganglion (SCG) of the cat, the distributions of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (Bu-ChE) in this tissue appeared to have been established. In the normal ganglion, AChE was present in high concentrations in the perikarya of occasional (< 1%) ganglion cells (6) and in traces in the remainder, and in considerable concentration throughout the neuropil (Fig. 1). Following preganglionic denervation, staining for AChE disappeared completely from the neuropil but remained unchanged in the perikaya of the ganglion cells. It was therefore concluded that staining of the neuropil represented enzyme confined solely to the preganglionic fibers and their terminals. Staining for BuChE was intense throughout the neuropil and completely absent from the perikaya of the ganglion cells; following denervation, there was only a slight decrease in the intensity of staining. From these and related findings (1,2) it appeared that BuChE was present only in capsular glial cells. These findings were consistent with the results of quantitative determinations in normal and preganglionically denervated ganglia (14,25). Pharmacological studies provided a hypothetical explanation for the function of the presynaptically located AChE (12,30).
Comparison of ciprofloxacin with ampicillin in acute infectious exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. A double-blind crossover study.

Abstract Two separate acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis and/or asthma were treated in 22 patients in a double-blind crossover study. One course of treatment consisted of 750 mg of ciprofloxacin twice daily and the other of 500 mg of ampicillin four times a day; each drug was given for 14 days. Patients were observed initially, every three to four days during therapy, and weekly during the post-therapy period. Observations that were recorded included graded chest symptoms and physical findings, vital signs, hematologic parameters, and objective sputum measurements (daily volume, purulence, differential quantitative cytology, bacterial counts, and physical properties). Both antibiotic regimens were effective in resolving these acute bacterial exacerbations. Paired t test analysis revealed that ciprofloxacin is as clinically effective as ampicillin in the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbations in chronic bronchial disease, and appears to be superior in clearing bacterial pathogens from the spectrum.
The Prostatic Endocrine-Paracrine (Neuroendocrine) Regulatory System and Neuroendocrine Differentiation in Prostatic Carcinoma: A Review and Future Directions in Basic Research

Endocrine-paracrine (neuroendocrine, amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation [APUD]) cells of the prostato-urethral region are serotonin and peptide containing regulatory cells, which are part of a dispersed neuroendocrine regulatory system also known as the APUD system. These cells most likely regulate growth and differentiation, as well as the secretory functions of the prostate. Prostatic carcinoma exhibits neuroendocrine differentiation in 3 forms: 1) small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, 2) carcinoid-like tumors and 3) conventional prostatic adenocarcinoma with focal neuroendocrine differentiation. Small cell carcinoma and carcinoid-like tumors are rather rare (1 to 2% of all prostatic malignancies) and generally pursue an aggressive course. Focal neuroendocrine differentiation in adenocarcinoma is extensive in 10% of the cases and may be present in virtually all adenocarcinomas to a minor degree. There are conflicting studies on the prognostic significance of focal neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma, although several suggest a poor prognosis. The finding that serum neuroendocrine markers predict initial insensitivity to or the development of resistance to hormonal suppression therapy, coupled with the recent observation that androgen receptor is not expressed in neoplastic neuroendocrine cells suggests that neuroendocrine differentiation directly results in resistance to hormonal manipulation therapy. Neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma raises the possibility of innovative modes of treatment. Future directions of research should concentrate on the quantitative analysis of serotonin and various peptides in prostatic malignancy, since high levels of constitutive secretion may not be appreciated by immunocytochemistry, as well as analysis of tumors for receptors to neuroendocrine products, which are necessary for these products to have a functional role. Finally, specific subtypes of neoplastic cells with neuroendocrine differentiation based on serotonin and peptide profiles should be analyzed.
Structure-Aware Query for Digital Libraries: Use Cases and Challenges for the Humanities

Much recent research in database design focuses on persistence models for semistructured data similar to the SGML and XML that humanities digital libraries have long used to encode digital editions of texts. Structure-aware querying promises to simplify the design of such digital repositories by allowing them to store and query texts using a single, unified information model. Using content the Perseus Project has acquired over the past ten years as a test case, we describe the advantages and delimit the problems in managing structure-aware queries over multiple or ambiguous schemas, evaluate the place of markup in digital libraries where much content is automatically generated, and examine the uses for structure-aware query in a system that stores both semistructured content and graph-structured metadata.
Effect of peer‐led team learning (PLTL) on student achievement, attitude, and self‐concept in college general chemistry in randomized and quasi experimental designs

This study investigated exam achievement and affective characteristics of students in general chemistry in a fully-randomized experimental design, contrasting Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) participation with a control group balanced for time-on-task and study activity. This study population included two independent first-semester courses with enrollments of about 600. Achievement was measured by scores on exams written by an instructor blind to student participation. Established instruments were used to assess changes in attitude to chemistry and self-concept as a chemistry learner. No differences were found in achievement, attitude, or self-concept for students who participated in PLTL vs. those who participated in documented alternative study activities. Overall, certain aspects of attitude and self-concept showed a slight but significant decline from beginning to end of semester, consistent with previous studies. Males have higher positive attitude and self-concept than females, and first-year students have higher positive attitude, self-concept, and achievement than non first-year students. In a quasi-experimental comparison of 10 other course sections over seven years, students who self-selected into PLTL showed stronger exam achievement than those who did not choose to participate. These findings suggest that past reports of improved student performance with PLTL may in part be a consequence of attracting students who are already motivated to take advantage of its value. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 52: 319–346, 2015
Serological Reactions of Mycoplasma hominis: Differences Among Mycoplasmacidal, Metabolic Inhibition, and Growth Agglutination Tests

Seven strains of Mycoplasma hominis from human genital tracts were selected to produce antisera. The complement-dependent mycoplasmacidal (MC) activity and two complement-independent activities, metabolic inhibition (MI) and agglutination during growth (GA), of these sera were compared. The GA and MI tests were equivalent in titer and generally not affected by concentration of antigen; they revealed specific cross-reacting patterns among the seven strains. There was little if any cross-reactivity with antisera to other human mycoplasmas or to Mycoplasma arthritidis. Control sera from unimmunized rabbits and sera against concentrated uninoculated culture media were also nonreactive. On the other hand, the sensitivity and specificity of the MC test were affected by the concentration of antigen: at about 10(2) color-changing units (CCU) of antigen, all strains were equivalently cross-reactive against the seven antisera, but at 10(2) to 10(4) CCU the individual strain specificity appeared, whereas at about 10(5) CCU little or no antibody was detectable by MC. The MC tests with the lowest concentrations of antigen gave the highest titers of antibody, but at such low concentrations of antigen there was not only loss of individual strain specificity but also some cross-reactivity against other human mycoplasmas, M. arthritidis, or control rabbit sera. Studies with paired human sera also indicate that the MC test with small amounts of antigen is more sensitive than GA-MI.
Static typing for a faulty lambda calculus

A transient hardware fault occurs when an energetic particle strikes a transistor, causing it to change state. These faults do not cause permanent damage, but may result in incorrect program execution by altering signal transfers or stored values. While the likelihood that such transient faults will cause any significant damage may seem remote, over the last several years transient faults have caused costly failures in high-end machines at America Online, eBay, and the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, among others [6, 44, 15]. Because susceptibility to transient faults is proportional to the size and density of transistors, the problem of transient faults will become increasingly important in the coming decades.This paper defines the first formal, type-theoretic framework for studying reliable computation in the presence of transient faults. More specifically, it defines λzap, a lambda calculus that exhibits intermittent data faults. In order to detect and recover from these faults, λzap programs replicate intermediate computations and use majority voting, thereby modeling software-based fault tolerance techniques studied extensively, but informally [10, 20, 30, 31, 32, 33, 41].To ensure that programs maintain the proper invariants and use λzap primitives correctly, the paper defines a type system for the language. This type system guarantees that well-typed programs can tolerate any single data fault. To demonstrate that λzap can serve as an idealized typed intermediate language, we define a type-preserving translation from a standard simply-typed lambda calculus into λzap.
Scrotal Exploration for Unilateral Nonpalpable Testis

Purpose: We previously reported initial scrotal exploration for unilateral nonpalpable testis, followed by laparoscopy when a viable testis was not found. Although we concluded that scrotal exploration could often make laparoscopy unnecessary, the knowledge that patients with presumed nubbins would undergo laparoscopy meant that the surgeon did not have to decide whether findings were definitive. In a second series of consecutive patients laparoscopy was used only when it appeared indicated.Materials and Methods: Boys with unilateral nonpalpable testis underwent initial scrotal exploration. Laparoscopy was only performed when neither a nubbin nor a testis was found, when there was a patent processus vaginalis and/or when gross findings suggesting a nubbin were thought inconclusive.Results: There were 43 patients, including 30 (70%) with monorchism and 13 (30%) with an extra-abdominal (7) or intra-abdominal (6) testis. Of 30 patients found to have monorchism laparoscopy was performed only in 7 (23%), inclu...
The structure and properties of human beta-lipoprotein and beta-apoprotein.

Abstract Little is known about the structure of the protein of serum beta-lipoprotein owing to the insolubility of the delipidated product (beta-apoprotein). Attempts have been made to solubilize the apoprotein (Granda and Scanu, 1966) or a chemical derivative of the apoprotein ( Gotto et al., 1968a , Gotto et al., 1968b , Gotto et al., 1968c ; Scanu et al., 1967 ; Shore and Shore, 1967 ). This communication describes the preparation of beta-apoprotein by solubilization with sodium decyl sulfate. The apoprotein closely resembles the parent lipoprotein in immunological properties and structural conformation. The circular dichroism and infrared spectrum of beta-lipoprotein indicate a significant amount of pleated sheet, anti-parallel chain (APC) β-structure. This is also true for the apoprotein, except that the molar ellipticity at 216 mμ ([θ′]216) is reduced by about 25%. The apoprotein has a fibrillar appearance when viewed with the electron microscope by the technique of negative staining.
Evaluation of a fluorescent dust tracer technique in cotton ginning

A technique employing a fluorescent tracer for following the break-up and dispersion of cotton trash has been developed. Senescent cotton leaves were treated with a fluorescent dye, pulverized to match the same particle size distribution as naturally occurring leaf in raw seed cotton and uniformly incorporated into the seed cotton mass prior to processing in a saw-type micro-gin. A control lot was similarly processed, excluding any dye. Airborne samples collected from the major fugitive dust emission points by standard techniques, macro trash samples collected from four locations, and the final condensed lint product clearly show that the use of such tracers is not only feasible but highly useful in determining the locations where respirable dust is emitted. From the fraction of labelled tracer material found at any site, the relative amounts of both total and respirable dust emissions of that plant component can be estimated from the known masses of dyed material added to a given mass of seed cotton. Est...
Altered sodium perception in essential hypertensive patients following rapid volume expansion

We investigated sodium and volume-dependent mechanisms in the modulation of adrenal and renal vascular responsiveness to angiotensin II in hypertensive (n = 9) and normal subjects (n = 5) who demonstrated normal responses during steady-state salt balance (intact modulation). Adrenal and renal vascular responses to angiotensin II were assessed on four occasions. These studies were performed during steady-state high salt and low salt balance and later during non-steady state conditions, after acute volume expansion with normal saline or dextran infusions. The volume expansion studies were administered while study subjects were in low salt balance. In both the normal and hypertensive patients saline and dextran suppressed plasma renin activity and aldosterone release, induced renal vasodilation and enhanced the renal vascular response to angiotensin II, similar to that observed during high salt balance. Saline also reduced the adrenal response to angiotensin II in normal subjects but the adrenal response to angiotensin II in hypertensives remained enhanced. The slopes of regression lines relating angiotensin II and aldosterone following saline infusion were significantly different (P < 0.05) between normal subjects (21 +/- 6) and hypertensives (110 +/- 33). Volume expansion with dextran did not effect the normal or hypertensive adrenal response to angiotensin II. We have demonstrated that the renal vascular response to angiotensin II is rapidly modulated by volume expansion per se in normal subjects and hypertensive patients with intact steady-state renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system responses. However, hypertensives have a delay in resetting the adrenal responsiveness to angiotensin II suggesting that they have altered sodium perception during rapid changes in salt balance.
DEXTROMETHORPHAN (DM) AMELIORATES EFFECTS OF NEONATAL HYPOXIA ON BRAIN MORPHOLOGY AND SEIZURE THRESHOLD IN RATS. • 2239

DEXTROMETHORPHAN (DM) AMELIORATES EFFECTS OF NEONATAL HYPOXIA ON BRAIN MORPHOLOGY AND SEIZURE THRESHOLD IN RATS. • 2239
Enhancing the performance of a fluidic glucose biosensor with 3D electrodes

Abstract In this work, we enhanced the performance of a fluidic glucose sensor by using three dimensional electrodes made of standing nanopillars. To fabricate the electrodes, vertically standing gold nanopillars on gold films deposited on glass substrates were first formed. The nanopillars along with the underlying film were then patterned into electrodes (in a three-electrode design) and the electrodes were then enclosed in a PDMS chamber to form a fluidic sensor device. Of the three electrodes, one was used as enzyme electrode after functionalization with an enzyme (i.e. glucose oxidase) and the other two were used as working and counter electrodes, respectively. The performance of this fluidic glucose sensor was evaluated by measuring amperometric currents at various glucose concentrations. The nanopillar modified glucose sensor exhibited linear behavior with a sensitivity value as high as 35.9 μA cm −2 mM −1 in a concentration range from 0.25 to 2.5 mM. In comparison with a fluidic glucose sensor having only flat electrodes, the detection sensitivity for the sensor with nanopillar modified electrodes was five times higher.
Postmortem of a cometary suicide

Impact Jupiter: The Crash of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9. By David H. Levy Plenum: 1995. Pp. 290. $25.95, £20.76. The Great Comet Crash: The Collision of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 and Jupiter Edited by John R. Spencer andJacqueline Mitton Cambridge University Press: 1995. Pp. 118. £16.95, $24.95.
The effect of unemployment among union members on union wage contracts

In this paper a simple modification of union behavior has been suggested. This modification endogenized union preferences by making them depend on the level of unemployment among union members. When placed in the context of a two-sector economy, with a unionized and nonunionized sector and stochastic demand conditions, the model generated realistic patterns of wage and employment outcomes. These outcomes were shown to be critically sensitive to the union's concern with employment versus high wages. To the extent that such concerns are established through organizations, labor market outcomes in economies with a high degree of unionization will depend on the pattern of institutional arrangements as well as underlying economic influences, such as the level of productivity, the level of aggregate demand, and the composition of aggregate demand.
Identification and characterization of cytosolic sulfotransferases in normal human endometrium.

Understanding the factors which alter estrogen metabolism and activity in endometrial tissue is important because unopposed estrogen stimulation is an important risk factor in the development of endometrial carcinoma. The cyclic progression of the endometrium through proliferative and secretory phases is normally under the control of the ovarian hormones β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone. One mechanism by which progesterone inhibits the activity of E2 in secretory endometrium is by elevating the degree of E2 sulfation, thereby reducing its ability to bind to the estrogen receptor and elicit a cellular response. Our laboratories have investigated the cytosolic sulfotransferases (STs) found in biopsies of both proliferative and secretory endometrium obtained from five normal pre-menopausal women who were not taking any drugs or steroids. Two of the human cytosolic STs were detected in human endometrial tissues. The phenol-sulfating form of phenol ST (P-PST) was found at varying levels in cytosol from both proliferative and secretory endometrium in all of the women studied but with no consistent correlation to the phase of the menstrual cycle. In contrast, estrogen ST (EST) was not detected in the proliferative endometrial cytosol of any of the women studied but was consistently found in all of the secretory endometrial cytosols. The presence and levels of these STs was confirmed by ST activity studies, immunoblot analysis and Northern blot analysis. These results indicate that the expression of EST in human endometrial tissues varies with the phase of the menstrual cycle and is most likely regulated by progesterone secreted from the ovaries.
State of the art in emission tomography equipment.

The current state of the art in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) equipment is based on developments over the last 35 years, including those items necessary to make the devices clinically useful. In SPECT, most of the development has involved rotating gamma cameras, since this device could also be used for conventional planar imaging. Recent advances involve the use of multiheaded SPECT cameras and have led to a substantial increase in image quality with these devices. Historically, attenuation correction in SPECT has been applied only to brain and abdominal studies. Currently, the application of nonuniform attenuation correction for cardiac studies, which typically requires acquisition of a transmission scan, has been investigated. Over the past 10 years, greater interest in the clinical application of PET has led to design changes in the equipment used for chemistry and scanning. Modern cyclotrons are typically smaller, self-shielded, and less comp...
A histamine derivative increases intracellular calcium mobilization and oxidative metabolism in HL-60 cells.

Abstract Past work in our laboratory has shown that a derivative of histamine, histamine-trifluoromethyl-toluidide (HTMT), has surprising tissue specificity on lymphocytes and can produce remarkable immunosuppression. This study focuses on the effects of HTMT on Ca2+ mobilization and oxidative metabolism in undifferentiated and DMSO-differentiated HL-60 cells. HTMT caused two phases of increases in intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) in HL-60 cells. The responses were dose dependent, with similar EC50 values (1.7×10−5M for undifferentiated and 1.5×10−5M for differentiated cells). The increase in [Ca2+]i in differentiated cells was much greater than in undifferentiated cells. The maximum responses were observed after the undifferentiated cells were incubated with DMSO for 7 days. The increase in [Ca2+]i induced by HTMT in both types of cells was competitively antagonized by high concentrations of histamine but not by classic histamine receptor antagonists (H1, H2, or H3). The inhibitory effects of histamine on [Ca2+]i accumulation in differentiated cells were partially reversed by histamine H2 receptor antagonist ranitidine, whereas in undifferentiated cells, the effects of histamine on Ca2+ mobilization were not affected by ranitidine. Other cAMP elevating agents did not inhibit increases in [Ca2+]i in undifferentiated cells but did effect [Ca2+]i in differentiated cells. The enhanced response in [Ca2+]i mobilization after differentiation of HL-60 cells appeared to be the result of an increase in the expression/function of receptors for HTMT. One interesting feature of this regulation was the fact that cAMP per se did not regulate HTMT induced Ca2+ mobilization in undifferentiated cells but inhibited the mobilization in differentiated cells. HTMT caused the generation of reactive oxygen species in both undiffrentiated and differentiated HL-60 cells as measured by chemoluminescence and the levels of generation correlated with the mobilization of [Ca2+]i. In addition, the EC50s for the HTMT induced calcium mobilization and the generation of reactive oxygen species were similar, as was the case for histamine induced inhibition (Ki) in both cell types. The data imply a second messenger role for Ca2+ in HTMT induced neutrophil activation.
Comparative inactivation of enteric adenoviruses, poliovirus and coliphages by ultraviolet irradiation

The inactivation of enteric adenoviruses 40 and 41 by ultraviolet (UV) radiation was investigated and compared with poliovirus type 1 (strain LSc-2ab) and coliphages MS-2 and PRD-1. Purified stocks of the viruses were exposed to collimated ultraviolet radiation in a stirred reactor for a total dose of up to 140 mW s/cm2. The doses of UV to achieve a 90% inactivation of adenovirus 40, adenovirus 41, coliphages MS-2 and PRD-1 and poliovirus type 1 were 30, 23.6, 14, 8.7 and 4.1 mW s/cm2, respectively. Adenovirus 40 was significantly more resistant than coliphage MS-2 to UV irradiation (P 0.05). The resistance of PRD-1 was less than MS-2 (P < 0.01), but greater than poliovirus type 1 (P < 0.01). Adenoviruses 40 and 41 were more resistant than Bacillus subtilis spores, often suggested as an indicator of UV light performance. The double-stranded DNA adenoviruses appear to be the most resistant of all potentially water-borne enteric viruses to UV light disinfection.
The role of magnesite spatial distribution patterns in determining dissolution rates: When do they matter?

Abstract We systematically explore the role of magnesite distribution patterns in dictating its dissolution rates under an array of flow velocity and permeability contrast conditions using flow-through column experiments and reactive transport modeling. Columns were packed with magnesite distributed within quartz matrix in different spatial patterns: the Mixed column has uniformly distributed magnesite while the zonation columns contain magnesite in different number of zones parallel to the main flow. Dissolution rates are highest under conditions that maximize water flowing through the magnesite zone. This occurs under fast flow and high-permeability or uniformly distributed magnesite zones. Under high flow and low permeability magnesite conditions, dissolution only occurs at the magnesite–quartz interface, leading to rates an order of magnitude lower in the One-zone columns than those in the Mixed columns. Spatial patterns do not make a difference under low flow conditions when the system approaches equilibrium (v R MgCO 3 ,B ( mol / s ) = 10 - 9.60 A e , where Ae is the surface area that effectively dissolves with IAP/Keq