cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metal-intercalator-mediated self-association and one-dimensional aggregation in the structure of the excised major DNA adduct of a platinum-acridine agent.

The crystal structure of the excised major DNA monoadduct, [Pt(en)(ACRAMTU-S)(dGuo-N7)]3+ (“dGuo*”; en = ethane-1,2-diamine; ACRAMTU = 1-[2-(acridin-9-ylamino)ethyl]-1,3-dimethylthiourea, acridinium cation; dGuo = 2‘-deoxyguanosine), of a platinum−acridine cytotoxic agent is reported. The adduct dGuo*, previously identified in enzymatic digests of native DNA treated with this drug, is partially deprotonated and dimerizes through formation of a rare GG- mismatch base pair, which is sandwiched between the planar chromophores of the acridine nonleaving groups linked to platinum. NMR evidence exists that indicates that the dimeric form persists in neutral aqueous solution. The one-dimensional π-stack produced by the dimers in the solid state is reminiscent of a coordinative−intercalative DNA binding mode.
A single physiologic dose of ultraviolet light exposure to human skin in vivo induces phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein of approximate 180 kDa. EGFR is involved in organ morphogenesis, maintenance and repair of tissues, but its signaling has also been shown to be associated with tumor progression. Our study employing immunostaining technique in vivo human skin demonstrated that physiologic dose of UV (4X MED) exposure to human skin enhanced the constitutive level of EGFR by 2.5+/-0.5-fold at 6 and 24 h after UV exposure in comparison to normal skin but declined at 48 h time point. Basal cell layer predominantly expressed EGFR in comparison to other cellular layers of epidermis and account for about 4.0+/-0.5-fold induction when compared to normal non-UV exposed skin. Constitutive EGFR staining was found all over epidermal layers in normal skin samples. In identical experimental conditions, UV exposure to skin induces phosphorylation of EGFR, which has been confined to matured and differentiated layers of the epidermis. Basal cells are completely devoid of EGFR phosphorylation. UV induction of EGFR phosphorylation was found at peak level at 6 h time point after UV exposure. At 24 h time point it remained elevated but appears diffused and declined, however EGFR phosphorylation was markedly declined at 48 h after UV exposure. Results obtained in immunoperoxidase staining were also confirmed by immunoblot analysis where higher induction of EGFR phosphorylation was observed at 6 h after UV exposure, and marked reduction was found at 48 h time point. Normal skin did not show EGFR phosphorylation. EGFR and its downstream signaling have been shown to be associated with cancer progression and its metastasis, thus blocking the EGFR and its downstream signaling molecules can be employed as the targets for therapeutic intervention against solar UV light induced skin cancer in human population. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo human study, which clarifies the difference in cellular localization of UV-induced constitutive and phosphorylated forms of EGFR in epidermal cells.
Developmental mRNA expression of the α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit in the rat cochlea

Abstract A recently discovered α10 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) family is believed to form a heteromeric receptor with the α9 nAChR subunit in auditory hair cells. In the present study, the α10 nAChR subunit expression in the developing and adult rat inner ear was analyzed by PCR and localized using isotopic in situ hybridization. Unlike the α9 subunit, the α10 subunit was not detected at embryonic day 18 (E18). From E21 through postnatal day 15 (P15), the α10 subunit was localized over both inner hair cell (IHC) and outer hair cell (OHC) regions, but in the mature cochlea detectable levels of α10 mRNA were found only over the OHC region. From E21 through adult ages, there was also a small but consistent basal to apical gradient of α10 expression; that is, higher levels in basal regions and lower levels in apical regions. Previously, we detected the α9 nAChR subunit over IHCs as early as E18 and throughout adult ages with a clear basal-apical gradient of expression. Our studies raise the question of whether the α9 and α10 subunits are differentially regulated during embryonic and postnatal development.
Leukapheresis of Patients with Chronic Granulocytic Leukemia (CGL), Using the Haemonetics Blood Processor

By the use of citrated hydroxyethyl starch (HES) as anticoagulant, the Haemonetics blood processor can be used to obtain large numbers of granulocytes from patients with CGL. This report is of 67 leukaphereses on 11 different patients. A median of 1.14 x 10(11) granulocytes was obtained per 6-cycle pheresis (3.4 x 10(10) per liter of blood processed), or eight to ten times the number obtained from comparable leukaphereses of normal donors. High yields of platelets were also obtained, although not in proportion to granulocytes, since some of the patients used as donors have normal or even low platelet counts. The patients tolerated the procedure well, and no adverse reactions to HES were observed. The patients experienced a mean 35 per cent drop in the postleukapheresis WBC count, but in no case was this drop sustained for more than a few days, and no lasting effect on the disease process was observed.
A New Heat Engine and its Applications in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)

This paper introduces a new heat engine using a gas, such as air or nitrogen, as the working fluid that extracts thermal energy from a heat source as the energy input. The heat engine is to mimic the performance of an air-standard Otto cycle. This is achieved by drastically increasing the time duration of heat acquisition from the heat source in conjunction with the timing of the heat acquisition and a large heat transfer surface area. Performance simulations show that the new heat engine can potentially attain a thermal efficiency above 50% and a power output above 100 kW under open-cycle operation. Additionally, it could drastically reduce engine costs and operate in open cycles, effectively removing the difficulties of dry cooling requirement. The new heat engine may find extensive applications in renewable energy industries, such as concentrating solar power and geothermal energy power. Furthermore, the heat engine may be employed to recover energy from exhaust streams of internal combustion engines, gas turbine engines, and various industrial processes. It may also work as a thermal-to-mechanical conversion system in a nuclear power plant, and function as an external combustion engine in which the heat source is the combustion gas from an external combustion chamber.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Probabilistic nonunitary quantum computing

In [1] Gingrich and Williams extended the standard quantum circuit model of quantum computation to include gates that perform arbitrary linear, yet non-unitary, transformations of their input state. In this paper we use this theory to construct quantum circuits that perform desired non-unitary state transformations of the sort arising in lattice-based quantum search. Such n-qubit non-unitary gates cannot be achieved deterministically, but they can be achieved probabilistically using a single ancilla. Our approach is to use the n-qubit non-unitary gate to design an (n+1)-qubit Hamiltonian that can be seen to induce a suitable conditional dynamics such that whenever the output value of the ancilla qubit is measured and found to be |O>, then the remaining (unmeasured) n qubits will contain the desired non-unitary transform of the n-qubit input state. The scheme is necessarily probabilistic because we cannot force the measurement on the ancilla qubit to return the value we want. Fortunately, however, failed attempts are found to disturb the n-qubit input state very little. This allows us to re-use the result of successive “failed” attempts until the success condition is finally attained, and we give analytic expressions for the success probability and net fidelity in this case. By using our previous method for designing a quantum circuit for an arbitrary n-qubit gate in conjunction with our new probabilistic non-unitary procedure we are able to compute an explicit quantum circuit sufficient to implement an arbitrary linear, yet non-unitary, transformation of an input pure or mixed n-qubit state, using only a single copy of the input state. This allows us to extend the repertoire of computations that may be performed on a quantum computer, and in particular, gives the first explicit construction of the quantum circuits needed to perform some of the key operations arising in quantum lattice search.
Efficient and Robust Music Identification With Weighted Finite-State Transducers

We present an approach to music identification based on weighted finite-state transducers and Gaussian mixture models, inspired by techniques used in large-vocabulary speech recognition. Our modeling approach is based on learning a set of elementary music sounds in a fully unsupervised manner. While the space of possible music sound sequences is very large, our method enables the construction of a compact and efficient representation for the song collection using finite-state transducers. This paper gives a novel and substantially faster algorithm for the construction of factor transducers, the key representation of song snippets supporting our music identification technique. The complexity of our algorithm is linear with respect to the size of the suffix automaton constructed. Our experiments further show that it helps speed up the construction of the weighted suffix automaton in our task by a factor of 17 with respect to our previous method using the intermediate steps of determinization and minimization. We show that, using these techniques, a large-scale music identification system can be constructed for a database of over 15 000 songs while achieving an identification accuracy of 99.4% on undistorted test data, and performing robustly in the presence of noise and distortions.
Catalytic reduction of CN-, CO, and CO2 by nitrogenase cofactors in lanthanide-driven reactions.

Nitrogenase cofactors can be extracted into an organic solvent to catalyze the reduction of cyanide (CN−), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) without using adenosine triphosphate (ATP), when samarium(II) iodide (SmI2) and 2,6-lutidinium triflate (Lut-H) are employed as a reductant and a proton source, respectively. Driven by SmI2, the cofactors catalytically reduce CN− or CO to C1–C4 hydrocarbons, and CO2 to CO and C1–C3 hydrocarbons. The CC coupling from CO2 indicates a unique Fischer–Tropsch-like reaction with an atypical carbonaceous substrate, whereas the catalytic turnover of CN−, CO, and CO2 by isolated cofactors suggests the possibility to develop nitrogenase-based electrocatalysts for the production of hydrocarbons from these carbon-containing compounds.
Penicillin-resistant pneumococci-an emerging threat to successful therapy

Pneumococci highly resistant to penicillin G [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) > or = 2 mg L-1] have become prevalent in many parts of the world since their emergence and spread in the late 1970s. In the USA, such organisms are seen primarily in two populations: infants and children, and adults with AIDS. Surveys in both rural and urban areas have revealed presence of these organisms, as well as an increasing frequency of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains relatively resistant to penicillin (MIC 0.1-1.0 mg L-1--now defined by some as 'intermediate' resistance). Predisposing factors are not yet clear. Prior antimicrobial therapy was given to some of the children and most of the adults who are colonized or infected with resistant strains. Prior or concurrent use of cotrimoxazole prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia has been frequent in our cases in adults, most of whom had a concurrent diagnosis of AIDS. Children with disease often have a history of long-term prophylaxis with a beta-lactam drug (for sickle cell disease, etc). Many strains are also resistant to newer cephalosporins like cefotaxime and ceftriaxone (MIC > or = 2 mg L-1). The organisms are frequently multi-resistant, with high MIC values common as well for chloramphenicol and variable for tetracycline, macrolides, cotrimoxazole, and fluoroquinolones. Only to vancomycin are the organisms consistently susceptible. These findings raise alarms about the future of pneumococcal disease in both community and nosocomial disease. Increasing prevalence in otitis and pneumonia in children and in community-acquired pneumonia in adults may lead to use of vancomycin as empirical therapy for these clinical situations. This would increase the selective pressure for emergence of vancomycin-resistant organisms, whether S. pneumoniae or others. Moreover, the pneumococcus was a common cause of hospital infection prior to the introduction of penicillin. The potential now exists for nosocomial pneumococcal infection again to become a feared and ominous occurrence.
Intracavitary Cisplatin Chemotherapy Experience with Six Dogs

Six dogs with a median age of 7 years (range = 5-14 years) were presented for signs referable to thoracic or abdominal effusion associated with neoplasia of the body cavities. Intracavitary cisplatin was administered at 50 mg/m2 every 4 weeks for a median of 2.5 treatments (mean = 3, range = 1-6). Three dogs with pleural mesothelioma had complete resolution of effusion for 289, 129, and greater than 306 days without evidence of tumor growth. Resolution of effusion occurred after one treatment in two dogs and after two treatments in one dog. In three dogs with carcinomatosis of unknown origin, complete responses was seen in two dogs after one treatment for 255 and greater than 807 days, respectively. Intracavitary chemotherapy with cisplatin was associated with palliation and control of malignant pleural and/or abdominal effusion in five of six dogs. Toxicity was minimal, and this method of therapy should be further explored in dogs with similar malignancies.
Antibody repertoire deep sequencing reveals antigen-independent selection in maturing B cells

Antibody repertoires are known to be shaped by selection for antigen binding. Unexpectedly, we now show that selection also acts on a non-antigen-binding antibody region: the heavy-chain variable (VH)-encoded "elbow" between variable and constant domains. By sequencing 2.8 million recombined heavy-chain genes from immature and mature B-cell subsets in mice, we demonstrate a striking gradient in VH gene use as pre-B cells mature into follicular and then into marginal zone B cells. Cells whose antibodies use VH genes that encode a more flexible elbow are more likely to mature. This effect is distinct from, and exceeds in magnitude, previously described maturation-associated changes in heavy-chain complementarity determining region 3, a key antigen-binding region, which arise from junctional diversity rather than differential VH gene use. Thus, deep sequencing reveals a previously unidentified mode of B-cell selection.
Improved instantaneous frequency estimation using an adaptive short-time Fourier transform

Instantaneous frequency estimation (IFE) arises in a variety of important applications, including FM demodulation. We present here a new time-frequency representation (TFR)-based approach to IFE based on an adaptive short-time Fourier transform (ASTFT). This TFR leads naturally to a type of short-term ML estimator of the IF. To further improve the performance, we apply a multistate hidden Markov model (HMM)-based post-estimation tracker. The end result is up to a 16-dB reduction in the threshold SNR over the frequency discriminator (FD) and an 8-dB improvement over the phase-locked loop (PLL) for a Rayleigh fading channel.
Time Horizons, Discounting, and Intertemporal Choice:

Although many decisions involve a stream of payoffs over time, political scientists have given little attention to how actors make the required tradeoffs between present and future payoffs, other than applying the standard exponential discounting model from economics. After summarizing the basic discounting model, we identify some of its leading behavioral anomalies—declining discount rates; preference reversals; higher discount rates for smaller payoffs than for larger payoffs and for gains than for losses; framing effects based on expectations; and a preference for ascending rather than descending sequences. We examine the leading alternative models of discounting and then apply a quasi-hyperbolic discount model to the problem of cooperation in iterated Prisoner's Dilemma games. We demonstrate that if actors display the widely observed tendency to highly discount the immediate future, then cooperation in an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game is more difficult than Axelrod suggests.
Femtocell Access Control in the TDMA/OFDMA Uplink

This paper investigates open vs. closed access in the uplink of femtocell networks, for the particular case of orthogonal multiple access protocols like TDMA or OFDMA. Open access reduces near-far interference and provides an inexpensive way to expand the capacity of the operator''s network. Additionally, with a cap on the amount of resources allocated to the cellular users, open access ensures the femtocell owner still monopolizes a large portion of the femtocell''s capacity and backhaul. Seemingly open access is the appropriate approach for both two parties. We show mathematically and through simulations that the reality is more complicated and depends heavily on cellular user density: for example, closed access is typically preferable at high user densities in orthogonal multiple access. The results of this paper suggest that OFDMA or TDMA femtocells should adapt their access mechanism to the average cellular user density, which changes slowly.
Preparation of Cross-Sectional TEM Samples of Fe-Zn Couples

A preparation technique for the production of cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM) samples from the interdiffusion regions of Fe-Zn binary couples is described. To alleviate the problem of unequal ion milling rates between the Fe and Zn, a 0.75mm thick Fe sheet has been double plated with a thick electrodeposited Zn coating to achieve a total couple thickness of ≈3mm. After slicing the couple in cross-section, the Fe region of the sample is dimpled to perforation near the Fe-Zn interface. Final thinning for TEM analysis is obtained by ion milling using a liquid nitrogen cold stage and sector speed control. The ion milling procedure is stopped when the perforated hole in the Fe-side of the couple extends through the faster eroding Zn-side of the interface. This technique, in modified form, is expected to be suitable for commercial steels coated with Zn-based alloys.
Effects of intraspecific larval competition on adult longevity in the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus

Larval competition is common in container-breeding mosquitoes. The impact of competition on larval growth has been thoroughly examined and findings that larval competition can lead to density-dependent effects on adult body size have been documented. The effects of larval competition on adult longevity have been less well explored. The effects of intraspecific larval densities on the longevity of adults maintained under relatively harsh environmental conditions were tested in the laboratory by measuring the longevity of adult Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) that had been reared under a range of larval densities and subsequently maintained in high- or low-humidity regimes (85% or 35% relative humidity [RH], respectively) as adults. We found significant negative effects of competition on adult longevity in Ae. aegypti, but not in Ae. albopictus. Multivariate analysis of variance suggested that the negative effect of the larval environment on the longevity of Ae. aegypti adults was most strongly associated with increased development time and decreased wing length as adults. Understanding how larval competition affects adult longevity under a range of environmental conditions is important in establishing the relationship between models of mosquito population regulation and epidemiological models of vector-borne disease transmission.
Race, Gender, and Chains of Disadvantage Childhood Adversity, Social Relationships, and Health

We use a life course approach to guide an investigation of relationships and health at the nexus of race and gender. We consider childhood as a sensitive period in the life course, during which significant adversity may launch chains of disadvantage in relationships throughout the life course that then have cumulative effects on health over time. Data from a nationally representative panel study (Americans’ Changing Lives, N = 3,477) reveal substantial disparities between black and white adults, especially pronounced among men, in the quality of close relationships and in the consequences of these relationships for health. Greater childhood adversity helps to explain why black men have worse health than white men, and some of this effect appears to operate through childhood adversity’s enduring influence on relationship strain in adulthood. Stress that occurs in adulthood plays a greater role than childhood adversity in explaining racial disparities in health among women.
Simplifying informed consent for biorepositories: Stakeholder perspectives

Purpose: Complex and sometimes controversial information must be conveyed during the consent process for participation in biorepositories, and studies suggest that consent documents in general are growing in length and complexity. As a first step toward creating a simplified biorepository consent form, we gathered data from multiple stakeholders about what information was most important for prospective participants to know when making a decision about taking part in a biorepository. Methods: We recruited 52 research participants, 12 researchers, and 20 institutional review board representatives from Durham and Kannapolis, NC. These subjects were asked to read a model biorepository consent form and highlight sentences they deemed most important. Results: On average, institutional review board representatives identified 72.3% of the sentences as important; researchers selected 53.0%, and participants 40.4% (P = 0.0004). Participants most often selected sentences about the kinds of individual research results that might be offered, privacy risks, and large-scale data sharing. Researchers highlighted sentences about the biorepository's purpose, privacy protections, costs, and participant access to individual results. Institutional review board representatives highlighted sentences about collection of basic personal information, medical record access, and duration of storage. Conclusion: The differing mandates of these three groups can translate into widely divergent opinions about what information is important and appropriate to include a consent form. These differences could frustrate efforts to move simplified forms—for biobanking as well as for other kinds of research—into actual use, despite continued calls for such forms.
Quantification of the elemental incompatibility sequence, and composition of the “superchondritic” mantle

The classic compositional model for the bulk Earth and bulk silicate Earth is the “chondritic” model, in which the refractory elements in the bulk Earth, and the refractory lithophile elements in the bulk silicate Earth, are assumed to be in chondritic proportions. Recent discovery of 142Nd anomalies has challenged this view and there has been discussion of a superchondritic Earth or superchondritic mantle, although an alternative explanation that the 142Nd anomalies are inherited from nucleosynthetic anomaly has also been discussed. If the bulk silicate Earth is not chondritic in terms of refractory and lithophile elements, the foundation for many previous publications would be shifted and the new bulk silicate Earth composition must be estimated. This work quantifies the incompatibility sequence and shows that even if the mantle is “superchondritic”, it is still quantitatively consistent with a partially depleted chondritic mantle. Normalization using chondritic mantle abundances is still appropriate. Furthermore, the major and trace lithophile elemental composition of the proposed “superchondritic” mantle as a partially depleted chondritic mantle is derived.
Inhibition of Potentially Lethal DNA Damage Repair in Human Tumor Cells by β-Lapachone, an Activator of Topoisomerase I

A 4-h posttreatment with 4 microM beta-lapachone was previously shown to enhance the lethality of X-rays against human laryngeal epidermoid carcinoma (HEp-2) cells (D. A. Boothman et al., Cancer Res., 47:5361-5366, 1988). We now show that beta-lapachone (a) activates the DNA-unwinding activity of topoisomerase I, (b) inhibits the fast component of potentially lethal damage repair (PLDR) carried out by HEp-2 cells when present during or immediately following X-irradiation, (c) specifically and synergistically enhances the cytotoxic effects of DNA-damaging agents which induce DNA strand incisions, such as neocarzinostatin or X-rays, against a radioresistant human malignant melanoma (U1-Mel) cell line, (d) does not synergistically potentiate melphalan-induced lethality against U1-Mel cells but inhibits survival recovery and increases sister chromatid exchanges, and (e) does not further enhance the lethal effects of X-rays following prolonged drug exposures, indicating that beta-lapachone modifies initially created DNA lesions or inhibits lesion repair but does not create lethal lesions by itself. beta-Lapachone accelerated the DNA-unwinding activity of topoisomerase I derived from avian erythrocytes, calf thymus, or HEp-2 cells. beta-Lapachone did not intercalate into DNA, nor did it inhibit topoisomerase II or ligation carried out by mammalian or T4 DNA ligases. Structurally similar analogues, alpha-lapachone, lapachol, and dichloroallyl lawsone, did not enhance X-ray-induced cytotoxicity nor did they activate topoisomerase I. Camptothecin, a specific inhibitor of topoisomerase I, significantly radiosensitized HEp-2 cells, in a manner similar to beta-lapachone. These results suggest a role of topoisomerase I in DNA repair. The PLDR capacity of confluent-arrested HEp-2 cells was inhibited when beta-lapachone was given immediately following or during X-irradiation. The effect decreased when the drug was added at later times. beta-Lapachone may enhance lethality by converting single- into double-stranded DNA breaks during PLDR or through DNA conformational changes which inhibit PLDR. We propose that either mechanism of enhanced lethality may result from the ability of beta-lapachone to activate topoisomerase I.
Efficient Parallel Algorithms for Planar st-Graphs

In this paper, we present efficient parallel algorithms for solving several fundamental problems on planar st-graphs. The problems we consider include all-pairs shortest paths in weighted planar st-graphs, single-source shortest paths in weighted planar layered digraphs (which can be reduced to single-source shortest paths in certain special planar st-graphs), and depth-first search in planar st-graphs. The parallel algorithms we obtain are considerable improvement over the previously best known solutions.
Mapping of a Functional Recombination Motif that Defines Isotype Specificity for μ→γ3 Switch Recombination Implicates NF-κB p50 as the Isotype-specific Switching Factor

Ig class switch recombination (CSR) requires expression of activation-induced deaminase (AID) and production of germline transcripts to target S regions for recombination. However, the mechanism of CSR remains unclear. Here we show that an extrachromosomal S plasmid assay is AID dependent and that a single consensus repeat is both necessary and sufficient for isotype-specific CSR. Transfected switch substrates specific for μ→γ3 and μ→γ1 are stimulated to switch with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone or LPS and interleukin-4, respectively. An Sγ3/Sγ1 substrate containing only three Sγ3-associated nucleotides reconstituted LPS responsiveness and permitted mapping of a functional recombination motif specific for μ→γ3 CSR. This functional recombination motif colocalized with a binding site for NF-κB p50, and p50 binding to this site was previously established. We show a p50 requirement for plasmid-based μ→γ3 CSR using p50-deficient B cells. Switch junctions from p50-deficient B cells showed decreased lengths of microhomology between Sμ and Sγ3 relative to wild-type cells, indicating a function for p50 in the mechanics of CSR. We note a striking parallel between the affects of p50 and Msh2 deficiency on Sμ/Sγ3 junctions. The data suggest that p50 may be the isotype-specific factor in μ→γ3 CSR and epistatic with Msh2.
“I Don’t See Color”: Challenging Assumptions about Discussing Race with Young Children

Early childhood classrooms in the US continue to become increasingly diverse as we journey through the twenty first century. Yet and still, many early childhood educators have been slow to respond to these shifts in diversity on the basis of both developmental and political concerns. In this guess editorial, I argue for the integration of anti-racist education in the early childhood social studies classroom. The reasons I discuss here concern: when and how children develop racial attitudes, the difficulty of altering long-standing stereotypes, student empowerment, critical teacher reflection, and issues of standardization. I conclude with several considerations teachers should heed as they engage in this form of education.
Correlation of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cell Populations with Clinical Severity of Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia

We correlated bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell populations with clinical course and outcome in 19 patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Twelve patients demonstrated an elevated (greater than or equal to 5 percent) BAL combined neutrophil and eosinophil count, which correlated with the magnitude of the alveolar-arterial Po 2 gradient. Patients with elevated BAL granulocytes also had significantly higher serum lactate dehydrogenase levels. Three of the four patients who died had the highest percentage of neutrophil counts observed in lavage fluid. Although no patient was thought to have a concurrent bacterial infection, potential pathogens were cultured from the sputum of patients with the most elevated neutrophil counts. Whether BAL granulocytes reflect an inflammatory process analogous to the adult respiratory distress syndrome or signify concomitant bacterial infection remains to be determined. We conclude that BAL granulocytes are associated with more severe respiratory compromise in patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
A dye incorporating rapid permanent pollen mounting method

Abstract A rapid method of mounting and staining pollens by means of a plastic, Elvanol 71-24 incorporating a basic fuchsin stain, has been described.
Effect of immunosuppression on patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Immunocompromised patients are at high risk of medical complications. Immunosuppression might be a relative contraindication to bariatric surgery. We describe our experience with immunosuppressed patients undergoing bariatric surgery and review the safety, efficacy, results, and outcomes. Methods We performed a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. All patients taking long-term immunosuppressive medications or with a diagnosis of an immunosuppressive condition were included in this study. Data on weight loss, co-morbidities, complications, and postoperative immunosuppression were collected. Results From July 1999 to February 2008, 1566 patients underwent bariatric surgery. Of these 1566 patients, 61 (3.9%) were taking immunosuppressive medications or had an immunosuppressive condition. Of these 61 patients, 49 were taking immunosuppressive medications for asthma, autoimmune disorders, endocrine deficiency, or chronic inflammatory disorders. The medications included oral, inhaled, and topical glucocorticoids for 39 patients and other immunosuppressive or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs for 24 patients. The bariatric procedures included laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 55, laparoscopic revisional procedures in 5, and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in 1. No patient died perioperatively. A total of 26 complications occurred in 20 patients. The average percentage of excess weight loss was 72% (range 20–109%) at 1 year postoperatively. At a median postoperative follow-up of 18 months (range 2–68.6), 25 (51%) of 49 patients no longer required immunosuppressive medications owing to improvement of their underlying disease. Obesity-related health problems (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, asthma) had resolved or improved in 80–100% of patients. Conclusion The results of our study have shown that immunocompromised patients can safely undergo bariatric surgery with good weight loss results and improvement in co-morbidities. A large percentage of patients were able to discontinue immunosuppressive medications postoperatively.
Behavior of Precast Concrete Shear Walls for Seismic Regions: Comparison of Hybrid and Emulative Specimens

AbstractThis paper discusses the lateral load behavior of two, 0.40-scale, hybrid, precast concrete shear wall test specimens and the behavior of a third precast specimen designed to emulate monolithic cast-in-place RC shear walls. The walls had identical overall geometry and were constructed by placing rectangular precast panels across horizontal joints. The hybrid walls used mild steel bars [Grade 400 (U.S. Grade 60)] and high-strength unbonded posttensioning (PT) strands for lateral resistance, whereas the emulative wall used only mild steel bars. The mild steel bars crossing the base joint were designed to yield and provide energy dissipation, with the PT steel in the hybrid walls reducing the residual displacements of the structure. The mild steel bars at the base of the emulative wall and one of the hybrid walls used Type II mechanical splices, while the other hybrid wall used continuous bars grouted into the foundation. Because of the lack of PT steel, the emulative wall developed a large residual ...
A dynamic network game for the adoption of new technologies

When a product or technology is first introduced, there is uncertainty about its value or quality. This quality can be learned by trying the product, at a risk. It can also be learned by letting others try it and free-riding on the information that they generate. We propose a class of dynamic games to study the adoption of technologies of uncertain value, when agents are connected by a network. This class of games allows for referral incentives, whereby an agent can earn rewards by encouraging his neighbors to adopt. Dynamic network games can pose important tractability issues. To circumvent such problems, we derive a mean-field equilibrium (MFE) and show that a pricing policy that involves referral incentives leads to a double-threshold strategy by which both low and high-degree agents may choose to experiment with the technology of uncertain value whereas the middle-degree agents free-ride on the information revealed by that experimentation. We characterize how different dynamic pricing mechanisms affect the pattern of early/late adoption and information diffusion. Pricing mechanisms that allow a monopolist to guarantee early adoption by agents of high or low degrees are proposed. We show that dynamic pricing policies that do not involve referral incentives (i.e. price discounts for early adopters) always result in lower-degree agents adopting early. Likewise, dynamic pricing policies involving referral incentives that are high enough always result in higher-degree agents adopting early. The only network information needed to implement such pricing mechanisms is the degree distribution. We illustrate how referral incentives can be preferable on certain networks while price discounts may be preferable on others.
Relationship of Personal Characteristics to Mood and Enjoyment after Hearing Live and Recorded Music and to Musical Taste

This study investigated the influence of mood, personality characteristics, musical taste, musical training, college major, gender, and age, plus hearing music live or recorded, on listeners' moods after hearing music and on their enjoyment of the music. It also looked at the influence of the above listener characteristics on musical taste. Subjects were 101 undergraduate students, and the Personality Research Form served as the personality measure. Students took the personality test, answered a question describing their moods, heard either a live or a recorded musical perform- ance, again described their moods, and answered other questions about themselves and their responses to the music. Mood follow- ing the music was found to be predicted by mood prior to the music, enjoyment of the music, the Change scale of the PRF, and negatively by the Understanding scale. An interaction between mood prior to the music and enjoyment of the music was also found to be significant in predicting mood following the mus...
Reproductive rates of Russian wheat aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) biotypes 1 and 2 on a susceptible and a resistant wheat at three temperature regimes.

Abstract The reproductive rates of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Biotype 1 (RWA 1) and Biotype 2 (RWA 2) were compared in the laboratory at three temperature regimes on a Russian wheat aphid resistant cultivar (‘Prairie Red’) and a susceptible cultivar (‘TAM 107′). The objective of this study was to expose RWA 1 and RWA 2 to three temperature regimes and two levels of resistance to find whether there were reproductive differences that may occur within each biotype as well as differences in reproduction between biotypes. In addition, temperature effects of the Dn4 gene on biotype reproduction were noted. Differences in reproductive rates between the two biotypes seem to be driven by temperature. For both biotypes, longevity and reproductive rate parameters, except for intrinsic rate of increase, were lower at the 24–29°C temperature regime than the 13–18°C and 18–24°C temperature regimes. The intrinsic rate of increase was higher for both biotypes at the 18–24°C a...
Dynamic Interactions Between Interest Rate, Credit, and Liquidity Risks: Theory and Evidence from the Term Structure of Credit Default Swap Spreads

Using a large data set on credit default swaps, we study how default risk interacts with interest-rate risk and liquidity risk to jointly determine the term structure of credit spreads. We classify the reference companies into two broad industry sectors, two broad credit rating classes, and two liquidity groups. We develop a class of dynamic term structure models that include (i) two benchmark interest-rate factors to capture the libor and swap rates term structure, (ii) two credit-risk factors to capture the credit swap spreads of high-liquidity group of each industry and rating class, and (iii) both an additional credit-risk factor and a liquidity-risk factor to capture the difference between the high- and low-liquidity groups. Estimation shows that companies in different industry and credit rating classes have different credit-risk dynamics. Nevertheless, in all cases, credit risks exhibit intricate dynamic interactions with the interest-rate factors. Interest-rate factors both affect credit spreads simultaneously, and impact subsequent moves in the credit-risk factors. Within each industry and credit rating class, we also find that the average credit default swap spreads for the high-liquidity group are significantly higher than for the low-liquidity group. Estimation shows that the difference is driven by both credit risk and liquidity differences. The low-liquidity group has a lower default arrival rate and also a much heavier discounting induced by the liquidity risk.
PEGylation Prevents the N-Terminal Degradation of Megakaryocyte Growth and Development Factor

Purpose. Determine the effect of PEGylation on in-vitro degradation for recombinant human Megakaryocyte Growth and Development Factor (rHuMGDF) in the neutral pH range.
Dijet azimuthal decorrelations for Δϕdijet < 2π/3 in perturbative QCD

We point out an inconsistency in perturbative QCD predictions previously used for dijet azimuthal decorrelations for azimuthal angles of Δϕ dijet < 2π/3 between the two jets. We show how the inconsistency arises and how the calculations can be modified to provide more accurate results that exhibit a smaller scale dependence and give a better description of the data than the inconsistent results. We also explain how the quality of the predictions strongly depends on a perceivedly minor detail in the definition of the dijet phase space and give recommendations for future measurements.
Metallurgy of Spinal Instrumentation

Examination of clinical literature tends to suggest a rather limited diversity of metals used in spinal instrumentation (Netter FH (ed) Atlas of human anatomy, 5th edn. Saunders Elsevier, Philadelphia, 2011; Yoshihara H, Spine J in press, 2013). The American Society of Materials (ASM) Materials and Processes for Medical Devices (MPMD) database shows approximately 33 different alloys used in medicine in the USA. Within this database, only about one-third are used in orthopedic applications, and in the clinical environment, these alloys are generally referred to in very general terms such as titanium, Ti6Al4V, stainless steel A316L, or cobalt-chrome, CoCrMoC. For the purpose of spinal applications, it may be convenient to consider the general alloy systems, ferrous stainless steel, titanium and its alloys, cobalt-chromium, and tantalum. From this standpoint, the characteristics along with their clinical advantages and disadvantages can be discussed. The reader is kindly guided to many excellent texts concerning specific aspects of metallurgy as well as other chapters in this book for details on specific alloy systems and their properties (Yu WD, Oper Tech Orthop 13(3):159–170, 2003; Black J, Biological performance of materials, 4th edn. Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, 2006; Hosford WF, Physical metallurgy, 2nd edn. Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, 2010; Narayan RJ (ed) ASM handbook: vol 23, Materials for medical devices. ASM International, Materials Park, 2012; Yahia L (ed) Shape memory implants. Springer, Berlin, 2000). It should be noted based on the following section that for all metals represented herein, in terms of clinical applications, many of the properties discussed have little effect on their selection during surgery as the medical priority is maintaining bony alignment and minimizing patient discomfort.
Plastic Strength of Structural Members: A Symposium: Plastic Deformation of Wide-Flange Beam-Columns

The results of an analytical and experimental study of the inelastic deformations of wide-flange steel beam-columns are presented. Emphasis has been placed on the influence of axial thrust on the m...
Mechanisms of the Brain and Cultures

Mathematical and neural mechanisms of concepts, emotions, instincts, imaginations, intuitions are described. The paper reviews past mathematical difficulties of modeling the mind and a new mathematical theory of dynamic logic (DL) and neural modeling fields (NMF), which overcome these difficulties. DL evolves fuzzy logic into crisp one. Orders of magnitude improvement is achieved in recognition, fusion, predictions. NMF-DL is extended to a hierarchical mind system, to language and interaction of language and cognition. It follows that language, symbolic abilities, and higher cognitive functions could only evolve jointly. Models of neural mechanisms are developed for the mind hierarchy; they explain roles of the beautiful, music, sublime in the mind, cognition, and evolution of languages and cultures. DL is related to the knowledge instinct, a mechanism that drives the mind to understand the world. This instinct is more important than sex or food. Two mechanisms of the knowledge instinct, differentiation and synthesis, determine evolution of consciousness and cultures, and explain three types of cultural evolutions. The knowledge-acquiring cultures lead to science and technology, but doubt their values; traditional cultures invest limited amount of knowledge with strong emotions, values are certain but knowledge stagnates; multi-cultural societies combine knowledge and values. Different languages lead to different emotionalities and different evolutionary paths of cultures. Differences in emotional mechanisms of languages lead to different paths of cultural evolution and affect cultures no less than lexical contents.
MRNA expression of Phex in mice and rats: the effect of low phosphate diet.

Phex is the gene whose mutation is the cause of X-linked hypophosphatemia in humans and mice. The organs expressing Phex in normal animals, and their possible sensitivity to stimulation by low phosphate diets, are unknown. In this study, Phex expression was measured in 6-wk-old normal B6C3H male and female mice and in 135 g Sprague-Dawley rats fed a normal phosphate diet or a low phosphate diet with deionized water ad libitum for 7 d. The animals were then anesthetized, and a variety of organs were collected and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Phex mRNA expression was measured in each organ by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with primers specific for both Phex and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH). Southern blots were prepared, hybridized with 32P-labeled internal oligonucleotides, and quantified with a phosphor imager. The Phex/G3PDH ratio was computed, and the data were compiled as the mean ± SEM. In these growing animals, the highest Phex expression levels were found in the gonads, brain, and lung. In contrast, Phex expression in calvaria and femur was markedly less. Two significant changes were found in animals that were fed a low phosphate diet. Spleen showed a significant decrease in Phex mRNA levels on low phosphate diet (60±10% of normal P diet, n=12/group, p=0.002). The pituitary gland showed a significant increase in Phex expression with low phosphate diet (851±127% of G3PDH) over normal P diet (569±78%, n=24–25/group, p=0.03). No significant change was found in femur, calvaria, or a variety of soft tissues. In summary, Phex mRNA was found in most tissues examined. Expression levels varied by two orders of magnitude from highest to lowest with more in gonads, brain, and lung and with less in bone. Increased Phex mRNA was found in the pituitary gland of animals that were fed a low phosphate diet.
Low-Storage Semi-Implicit Runge-Kutta Methods for Reactive Flow Computations

The numerical methods developed in this paper are motivated by our current research project on direct numerical simulation of laminar-turbulent transition of reacting hypersonic boundary layers. In such simulations, the full Navier-Stokes equations with reactive source terms are simulated by resolving all flow time and length scales using high-order spatial and temporal discretization methods. Such reactive flow equations are stiff because the source terms modeling finite-rate thermochemical processes contain a wide range of time scales. Implicit methods are needed to treat the stiff terms while more efficient explicit methods can still be used for the nonstiff terms in the equations. In addition, highorder accuracy is required for the overall methods in direct numerical simulation. This paper presents two families of low-storage semi-implicit Runge-Kutta methods and extends previous derivations (JCP 96) of general semi-implicit Runge-Kutta methods for split differential equations in the form of u = f ( t , u} +g(t, u), where / is treated explicitly and g is simultaneously treated implicitly. Two versions of such schemes, namely autonomous and non-autonomous methods have been derived and tested such that they are both high-order accurate and strongly stable for efficient computations.