cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract CT078: Cyfi: Results from a Phase Ib expansion cohort of anti-hepatocyte growth factor and cytarabine in relapsed and refractory AML

Objective: Patients with AML who are refractory to induction therapy or relapse within 1 year have poor outcomes. Elevated serum hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) level is an adverse prognostic factor. Pre-clinical models have shown that myeloid blasts produce HGF in an autocrine fashion and pharmacologic blockade of the HGF/c-Met axis sensitizes blasts to cell death. We initiated a Phase Ib study with dose expansion cohort study to assess the safety and tolerability of the anti-HGF antibody ficlatuzumab with cytarabine in AML patients who are refractory to 7+3 or have relapsed within 1 year of induction. Methodology: The 3 x 3 design was used for the Phase I with an expansion cohort of an additional 13 patients accrued and treated at the MTD. Ficlatuzumab was administered in escalated dosing of 10, 15, or 20 mg/Kg for 4 doses every 2 weeks starting on day 1. 20 mg/Kg dose was used for the expansion cohort. Cytarabine was administered at a fIxed dose of 2 g/m2 on days 2-7. PBMCs were collected at defined time points. Differential expression from multiplexed single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) was used to assess biomarkers predictive of response. Results: Of the total 18 patients accrued thus far, 16 are evaluable. 5 had progressive disease, and 11 responded, all complete responses. Most frequent grade 3/4 TEAEs were febrile neutropenia, LFT abnormalities, and electrolyte disturbance. There was 1 death from sepsis and multi-organ failure on day 23, following ANC recovery, from the disease, and 1 patient who withdrew from the study due to grade 4 gastrointestinal bleed, likely ficlatuzumab related, both prior to response assessment. scRNA sequencing identified a TNF alpha and IFN gamma inflammatory signature that correlates with response to ficlatuzumab at count recovery. Conclusion: Cytarabine and ficlatuzumab is a safe combination with promising efficacy in high risk relapsed and refractory AML. This combination is warranted in further Phase II studies. scRNAseq may be used to identify biomarkers of response. Citation Format: Victoria E. Wang, Charalambos Andreadis. Cyfi: Results from a Phase Ib expansion cohort of anti-hepatocyte growth factor and cytarabine in relapsed and refractory AML [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr CT078.
Augmenting Renal Lymphatic Density Prevents Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension in Male and Female Mice.

Background Renal inflammation and immune cell infiltration are characteristic of several forms of hypertension. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that renal-inflammation-associated lymphangiogenesis occurs in salt-sensitive and nitric-oxide-inhibition-induced hypertension. Moreover, enhancing renal lymphatic density prevented the development of these two forms of hypertension. Here, we investigated the effects of angiotensin II-induced hypertension on renal lymphatic vessel density in male and female mice. Methods Wild-type and genetically engineered male and female mice were infused with angiotensin II for 2 or 3 weeks. Isolated splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages from mice, and commercially available mouse lymphatic endothelial cells were used for in vitro studies. Results Compared to vehicle controls, angiotensin II-infused male and female mice had significantly increased renal lymphatic vessel density in association with pro-inflammatory immune cells in the kidneys of these mice. Direct treatment of lymphatic endothelial cells with angiotensin II had no effect as they lack angiotensin II receptors; however, angiotensin II treatment of splenocytes and peritoneal macrophages induced secretion of the lymphangiogenic growth factor VEGF-C in vitro. Utilizing our genetic mouse model of inducible renal lymphangiogenesis, we demonstrated that greatly augmenting renal lymphatic density prior to angiotensin II infusion prevented the development of hypertension in male and female mice and this was associated with a reduction in renal CD11c+F4/80- monocytes. Conclusion Renal lymphatics play a significant role in renal immune cell trafficking and blood pressure regulation, and represent a novel avenue of therapy for hypertension.
Structures of fibrils formed by α-synuclein hereditary disease mutant H50Q reveal new polymorphs

Deposits of amyloid fibrils of α-synuclein are the histological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy, with hereditary mutations in α-synuclein linked to the first two of these conditions. Seeing the changes to the structures of amyloid fibrils bearing these mutations may help to understand these diseases. To this end, we determined the cryo-EM structures of α-synuclein fibrils containing the H50Q hereditary mutation. We find that the H50Q mutation results in two previously unobserved polymorphs of α-synuclein: narrow and wide fibrils, formed from either one or two protofilaments, respectively. These structures recapitulate conserved features of the wild-type fold but reveal new structural elements, including a previously unobserved hydrogen-bond network and surprising new protofilament arrangements. The structures of the H50Q polymorphs help to rationalize the faster aggregation kinetics, higher seeding capacity in biosensor cells and greater cytotoxicity that we observe for H50Q compared to wild-type α-synuclein.
Potential distribution and connectivity for recolonizing cougars in the Great Lakes region, USA

Abstract Cougars (Puma concolor) have lost substantial portions of their historical range yet increased sightings suggest potential for re-establishment in some regions; greater understanding of potential distribution and connectivity is necessary to make sound management and policy decisions. Specifically, the Great Lakes region of the USA will likely be an important area for cougar range expansion into the Midwest and Eastern USA. We used verified cougar observations to model and predict potential distribution and connectivity in the Great Lakes region. We compiled all confirmed observations of cougars from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin (2010–2020); which resulted in 180 reports (154 images/videos, 20 signs, 6 mortalities). We developed an ensemble distribution model (1 km res) based on three machine learning methods. We used weighted cost-distances to identify linkages between core areas and circuit theory to model overall connectivity potential. We calculated selection ratios for land covers (30 m res) at fine and coarse scales. The ensemble distribution model had good performance (ROC of 0.94). Suitability was positively associated with increasing vegetation structure, lower distance to natural cover, and mid-high terrain ruggedness. Forest covers were always selected for regardless of scale, and human development was avoided only at the coarser scale. We identified 191 core patches and 362 linkages connecting them; only 50.1% of them were located within legally protected areas. We identified high regional connectivity in a generally west-east direction. Successful conservation of large carnivores like cougars will depend on conserving not only habitat patches and linkages but also efforts to facilitate long-term coexistence.
Survival Among New Yorkers with HIV from 1981 to 2017: Inequities by Race/Ethnicity and Transmission Risk Persist into the Post-HAART Era.

Data on long-term survival among people with HIV (PWH) can inform the development of services for this population. An estimated 90,000 PWH live in New York City (NYC). Using HIV surveillance data, we conducted survival analysis of PWH diagnosed in NYC before and after introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (pre-HAART cohort: 1981–1994; post-HAART cohort: 1995–2016). We created Kaplan–Meier curves by cohort and demographic factors, and Cox proportional hazards models to evaluate adjusted mortality risk by cohort. 205,584 adults and adolescents were diagnosed with HIV in NYC from 1981 to 2016, half each in the pre-HAART and post-HAART eras. The pre-HAART cohort had significantly poorer survival compared with the post-HAART cohort. Adjusted mortality risk in the pre-HAART cohort was almost threefold that in the post-HAART cohort (HR 2.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.80–2.88). In sex- and risk-stratified models, men who have sex with men (MSM) had the largest difference in mortality risk pre-HAART versus post-HAART (HR 5.41, 95% CI 5.23–5.59). Race/ethnic disparities were pronounced among MSM, with Latino/Hispanic and White MSM having lower mortality than Black MSM. Females with heterosexual risk born outside the US had lower mortality than US-born women. The improvement in survival post-HAART was most pronounced for White people. Survival among persons diagnosed with HIV in NYC increased significantly since the introduction of HAART. However, among MSM and among PWH overall, improvements even post-HAART lagged for Black and Latino/Hispanic people, underscoring the need to address structural barriers, including racism, to achieve optimal health outcomes among people with HIV.
Surface Morphology of Tracheal Epithelium in Vitamin A Deficiency and Reversal

Vitamin A, which maintains cellular differentiation of epithelial tissues, also has an effect on metaplastic and neoplastic lesions in the respiratory tract. The surface morphology of hamster tracheal epithelium during vitamin A deficiency and during reversal upon the administration of vitamin A was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Focal squamous metaplasia of the tracheal epithelium, confined upon the upper two thirds of the ventral surface of the trachea, occurs in vitamin A deficiency. Synchronous differentiation of the epithelium with sloughing of the existing surface occurs after reversal of the deficient state. This change is rapid, occurring within 4 days of the administration of vitamin A. The SEM enabled documentation of extent distribution and surface changes in vitamin A deficiency and reversal.
Learning Probabilistic Semantic Network of Object-Oriented Action and Activity

This paper proposes a method of learning probabilistic semantic networks which represent visual features and semantic features of object-oriented actions and their contextual activities. In this method, visual motion feature classes of actions and activities are learned by an unsupervised Incremental Probabilistic Latent Component Analysis (IPLCA) and these classes and their semantic tags in the form of case triplets are integrated into probabilistic semantic networks to visually recognize and verbally infer actions in the context of activities. Through experiments using video clips captured with the Kinect sensor, it is shown that the method can learn, recognize and infer object-oriented actions in the context of activities.
Mecamylamine is a selective non-competitive antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate- and aspartate-induced currents in horizontal cells dissociated from the catfish retina.

Abstract The nicotinic acetylcholine channel blockers mecamylamine (MECA) and pempidine (PEMP) blocked voltage-clamped isolated catfish retina cone horizontal responses to aspartate (Asp) and N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) but had little effect on currents induced by kainate and quisqualate. Concentration-response curves for NMDA and Asp in the presence of MECA suggested that MECA was a non-competitive inhibitor of NMDA and Asp responses. Further, the MECA and PEMP block of NMDA and Asp-induced currents was highly voltage-sensitive. The non-competitive and voltage-sensitive block of NMDA and Asp-induced currents by MECA suggest that MECA (and PEMP) block the NMDA receptor ion channel.
Data-centric demand forecasting for utilities

Abstract Growing amounts of data being archived and maintained in process historians calls for ever more intensive use of data-mining technologies allowing to explore the data, extract useful knowledge, and turn it into business advantage. Utility producers and utility distributors can take significant benefits from application of database-intensive techniques. This paper describes how exploratory analysis of historical datasets can help utility companies to identify typical demand patterns, and how these can be further used for forecasting of future consumption, and consequently for making decisions on optimal operation of the utility plant. The technical concept as well as all steps of the forecasting process are described along with summarization of the experience gained from development and practical implementation of a proprietary forecasting tool.
Synthesis and adsorption properties of periodic mesoporous organosilicas with large heterocyclic bridging groups

Synthesis of periodic mesopourous organosilicas (PMOs) is optimized with respect to the percentage of incorporated heterocyclic bridging groups and the time of self-assembly process. High molecular weight heterocyclic groups were incorporated into the PMO framework via co-condensation of tris[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]isocyanurate and tetraethylorthosilicate in the presence of poly (ethylene oxide)-poly (propylene oxide)-poly (ethylene oxide) block copolymer used as template. PMOs with high percentage of heterocyclic bridging groups, high surface area and narrow pore size distribution were synthesized. The chelating properties of the incorporated bridging groups make these PMOs promising adsorbents for heavy metal ions such as mercury.
Microarchitecture of the 80960 high-integration processors

The 80960 is Intel Corporation's newest microprocessor and serves as the first implementation of a novel architecture family. Design goals of the processor and architecture were to maintain a constant cost/benefit ratio in the entire design while identifying and minimization bottlenecks in an overall system architecture. This has resulted in an architecture suited to future proliferation as well as a first implementation with high functionality and good performance. The authors describe the microarchitecture of the 80960 processor and the tradeoffs made in its development to meet the design goals. Features discussed include the instruction decode and sequencing, the integer execution unit, the floating-point execution unit, and the translation lookaside buffer. >
Serum aminotransferase elevation during and following treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSEThe clinical significance of methotrexate (MTX)-induced hepatic toxicity in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is poorly defined. Therefore, we conducted a study to determine whether intensive MTX therapy could be safely delivered despite isolated serum ALT elevations in children with ALL.PATIENTS AND METHODSA total of 243 children with B-precursor ALL were treated with extended pulses of oral divided-dose MTX (dMTX). Serum ALT levels were measured approximately every 7 weeks during therapy, as well as after its cessation. By protocol design, treatment was continued without modification in the presence of ALT elevations if there was no other evidence of liver dysfunction.RESULTSOf 239 assessable patients, 159 (66.5%) had an ALT level > or = 180 IU/L during therapy and 28 patients (17.6%) had one or more values > or = 720 IU/L. After the completion of therapy, only 17 of 104 assessable patients have had one or more elevated ALT value. Eight of these 17 patients (47%) are hepatitis C vi...
Underdetermination and the Claims of Science

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv I Framing the Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 A working definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1.2 Variations in the set of rivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.2.1 Live options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1.2.2 Exhaustive choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.2.3 Exclusive choices: the problem of identical rivals . . . . . . . . 8 1.3 Variations in scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 1.3.1 Variations in possibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 1.3.2 Variations in time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 1.3.3 Maximal scope: agnosticism and fideism . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 1.3.4 Very narrow scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 1.4 Variations in standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 1.5 Top-down and Bottom-up arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 1.6 Three asides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 1.6.1 Aside: underdetermination and ontology . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 1.6.2 Aside: the role of decision and choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 1.6.3 Aside: the units of epistemology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 II Aspirations of Certainty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 2.1 Cartesian underdetermination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 2.2 From scepticism to quietism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 2.3 Thomas Reid’s appeal to Common Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 2.3.1 Madness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 2.3.2 Cognitive commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 2.4 Three further replies to the sceptic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 2.4.1 Impotence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 2.4.2 Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 2.4.3 Cognitive commitment— a variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Total internal reflection holographic microscopy for quantitative phase characterization of cellular adhesion

A new form of near-field microscopy is presented using digital holography for quantitative phase imagery and characterization of cell-substrate interfaces. This imaging technique, termed total internal reflection holographic microscopy (TIRHM), utilizes an evanescent wave phase shift from the presence of cellular organisms, membranes, adhesions, and tissue structures on a prism face in order to modulate an object beam wavefront in a digital holographic microscope. Quantitative phase images of live cellular specimens are presented.
A Heuristic Approach for Interactive Analysis of Bridge Trusses under Moving Loads

A heuristic approach is presented for interactive analysis of statically determinate and indeterminate bridge trusses subjected to moving loads such as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) specifications live loads. These loads consist of two-axle truck loading, two-axle truck plus one-axle semitrailer loading, and uniform lane loading. The procedure is based on using the information about the shape of the influence line diagrams (ILDs) for members of a truss. This information may be obtained through numerical experimentation for any given type of truss. A methodology is presented for classifying the ILDs for member axial forces of a bridge truss. The procedure is applied to Pratt trusses. Heuristic rules are developed for finding the maximum compression and tensile forces in the members of a Pratt truss based on its characteristic influence line diagrams and the type of the AASHTO live load. The procedure presented in this article results in substantial savings in structural analysis computations, and is specially suitable on microcomputers in an interactive environment.
Diagnosis and management of sacrococcygeal chordoma

Chordoma is a rare, slow-growing but locally aggressive malignant tumor derived from the primitive notochord and located along the axial skeleton. Between 1973 and 1991, of 15 patients with chordomas treated at the Medical College of Virginia, eight originated in the sacrococcygeal area. There was a median one year interval between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis (range of four months to six years) for this latter group. Two patients had undergone coccygectomies and one patient a lumbar discectomy prior to establishing the correct diagnosis of sacral chordoma. Seven patients underwent resection and one refused therapy. The four patients who had an initial wide radical resection had a longer disease-free survival than the three who underwent local excision. Three of four patients had metastatic disease at the time of death. Early diagnosis and aggressive initial surgical resection are necessary for long-term survival.
A shallow ridged-cavity crossed-slot antenna for the 240- to 400-MHz frequency range

An experimental study has been made of a shallow ridged-cavity crossed-slot antenna to determine its feasibility for operation in the 240- to 400-MHz band. The various trends are summarized for the VSWR response characteristics as the cavity and slot parameters are varied. The wideband antenna characteristics using a ridged cavity configuration are demonstrated. Based on the limited amount of data obtained from the experimental model, the VSWR is < 2.7:1 from 240 to 270 MHz and < 2.1:1 from 290 to 400 MHz for a cavity with a maximum dimension of 33 by 33 by 4 in. Measured radiation patterns with the cavity mounted on a finite-size fiat ground plane are shown.
Impact of french fry length on the number of servings produced per case for quick service restaurants

The contribution of different fry length categories short ( 4 in.) to serving (individual portions) production in a “quick service restaurant” (QSR) was estimated using regression analysis with serving data developed for the purpose. The analysis provides coefficient estimates to measure serving production as a function of the number of short, medium, long, and extra long fries. The results showed significant differences between the numbers of servings produced from different length distributions. Higher proportions of longer fries produced a larger number of servings and thus produced higher serving yield per case. This study indicates greater serving production per case and potentially greater profitability for quick service restaurants that serve french fries in bags or boxes if they use fry grades with longer fry lengths.
Legume proteins in food technology

A number of important aspects concerning the use of legume proteins as ingredients for the processed food manufacturer will be discussed. The conversion of legumes into a material suitable for incorporation into food products involves a series of physical and chemical operations (basically representing various stages of protein purification), each of which can have major implications with regard to the eventual usage of the material. The available processing options will be described as well as their potential ramifications in terms of the nature, composition and properties of the protein fractions obtained. Alternative approaches to the tailoring or modification of the functional behaviour of these fractions will be presented together with a comparative assessment of the basic functional properties of a number of storage globulins from representative members of the Leguminosae.
Bimagnetic nanoparticles with enhanced exchange coupling and energy products

Bimagnetic FePt/Fe3O4 nanoparticles with core/shell or heterodimer structure have been prepared using a sequential synthetic method. The dimension of both FePt and Fe3O4 was tuned by varying the synthesis parameters. The as-synthesized bimagnetic nanoparticles were superparamagnetic at room temperature. After being annealed in a reducing atmosphere, the FePt/Fe3O4 bimagnetic nanoparticles were converted to a hard magnetic nanocomposite with enhanced energy products due to the exchange coupling between the hard and soft magnetic phases. It was found that the exchange coupling in nanocomposites made from the core/shell nanoparticles is stronger than that from the heterodimer nanoparticles. By tuning the dimensions of the FePt and Fe3O4 phases, the energy product up to 17.8 MGOe was achieved in the annealed nanocomposites, which is 36% higher than the isotropic single-phase FePt counterpart.
G-protein-coupled receptor S1P1 acts within endothelial cells to regulate vascular maturation

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) stimulates signaling pathways via G-protein-coupled receptors and triggers diverse cellular processes, including growth, survival, and migration. In S1P1 receptor-deficient embryos, blood vessels were incompletely covered by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), indicating the S1P1 receptor regulates vascular maturation. Because S1P1 receptor expression is not restricted to a particular cell type, it was not known whether the S1P1 receptor controlled VSMC coverage of vessels in a cell-autonomous fashion by functioning directly in VSMCs or indirectly through its activity in endothelial cells (ECs). By using the Cre/loxP system, we disrupted the S1P1 gene solely in ECs. The phenotype of the conditional mutant embryos mimicked the one obtained in the embryos globally deficient in S1P1. Thus, vessel coverage by VSMCs is directed by the activity of the S1P1 receptor in ECs.
High Yield Magnetic Nanoparticles Filled Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Using Pulsed Laser Deposition

We present a high yield filling technique of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), grown vertically on a SiO2 substrate, with magnetic nanoparticles using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Magnetization measurements in-plane and out- of-plane with respect to the sample surface indicate reasonable coercivity estimated at 0.4 T. The magnetic anisotropy is however found to be randomly oriented, indicating a polycrystalline structure. The unique difference between the in-plane and out-of- plane magnetizations is the sharing produced by the demagnetizing field in the perpendicular direction.
Exergy Costing in Exergoeconomics

This paper presents a new approach to exergy costing in exergoeconomics. The monetary flow rate associated with the thermal, mechanical and chemical exergy of a material stream at a given state is calculated by considering the complete previous history of supplying and removing units of the corresponding exergy form to and from the stream being considered. When exergy is supplied to a stream, the cost of adding each exergy unit to the stream is calculated using the cost of product exergy unit for the process or device in which the exergy addition occurs. When the stream being considered supplies exergy to another exergy carrier, the last-in-first-out (LIFO) principle of accounting is used for the spent exergy units to calculate the cost of exergy supply to the carrier. The new approach eliminates the need for auxiliary assumptions in the exergoeconomic analysis of energy systems and improves the fairness of the costing process by taking a closer look at both the cost-formation and the monetary-value-use processes. This closer look mainly includes the simultaneous consideration of the exergy and the corresponding monetary values added to or removed from a material stream in each process step. In general, the analysis becomes more complex whenmore » the new approach is used instead of the previous exergoeconomic methods. The benefits of using the new approach, however, significantly outweigh the increased efforts. The new approach, combined with some other recent developments, makes exergoeconomics an objective methodology for analyzing and optimizing energy systems.« less
Acute Alteration of Plasma Renin Activity by Large Doses of Intravenous Prednisolone

SummaryLarge doses of intravenous glucocorticoids have been used in an attempt to reverse homograft rejection. The intravenous administration of 1 g prednisolone over 1 hr resulted in a significant acute reduction of plasma renin activity in 5 normal subjects tested and in 11 out of 15 patients bearing renal homografts. No definite explanation for failure to respond nor the mechanism of this prednisolone effect is readily at hand. An acute decrease in renin activity could be salutary for the chronically or acutely rejecting patient in that it could reduce vasopressor and salt-retaining effects. However, several of the non-responders had an increase in renin activity which could have been detrimental.Judith Anne Smith rendered expert technical assistance.
Rheolytic thrombectomy does not prevent slow-, no-reflow during percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute myocardial infarction (MI) has been associated with a high incidence of slow-, no-reflow. The slow-, no-reflow phenomenon is known to complicate both thrombolytic therapy and PCI. Removing intracoronary thrombus before PCI in acute MI patients may reduce the incidence of slow-, no-reflow phenomena. We studied the procedural outcome of 21 patients who underwent rheolytic thrombectomy using Possis® rheolytic thrombectomy catheter in the setting of acute MI as compared to twenty-eight patients who underwent PCI in the setting of acute MI using other modalities (PTCA with or without stenting) without thrombectomy. The study included 49 consecutive patients with 21 patients in the rheolytic thrombectomy group, and 28 patients in the no-rheolytic thrombectomy group. There was no significant difference between the two groups as regards to gender, age, and prevalence of coronary artery risk factors. The left ventricular ejection fraction was 44.7 ± 12 in the rheolytic thrombectomy group, and 37.6 ± 10.8 in the no-rheolytic thrombectomy group (p = 0.08). Thirty eight percent of the patients in the rheolytic thrombectomy group experienced slow flow, no-reflow, while 28.6% of the patients in the no-rheolytic thrombectomy group experienced slow flow, no-reflow (p = 0.5). In this matched series of patients with acute MI undergoing PCI, rheolytic thrombectomy by the Possis rheolytic thrombectomy catheter device does not appear to reduce the risk of slow flow, no-reflow, or in-hospital death, compared to standard PTCA and stenting of the infarct-related artery.
Chlorofluorocarbon evidence for rapid ventilation of the Ross Sea

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-12 and -11 (CF2Cl2 and CFCl3) measurements were made in seawater on the Ross Sea continental shelf and adjacent slope region in 1984. Concentrations of CFC-12 and CFC-11 in Ross Sea continental shelf water averaged nearly half that of saturated surface water. Circumpolar Deep Water within 50 km of the Ross Sea continental shelf also contained measureable CFC-12 and CFC-11, but an order of magnitude less than shelf waters. CFC-12 and CFC-11 concentrations in the deep water overlying the continental slope increased with depth, indicating recent ventilation and bottom water formation near the continental shelf. Several water masses on the continental shelf that are commonly distinguished on the basis of temperature and salinity characteristics also varied in CFC content, and thus in their modes and rates of ventilation and renewal. A time-dependent model reproducing the 1984 sub-surface shelf water CFC concentrations demonstrates the relative importance of mixed layer entrainment, gas exchange through leads in the winter sea ice field, and mixing with source waters derived from the Circumpolar Deep Water. Model results show that mixed layer entrainment at the beginning of winter is the dominant process ventilating sub-surface shelf water in the eastern Ross Sea, while western shelf waters also require significant gas exchange during winter. Shelf water residence time can only be constrained by the model and available data to 10 years, but most probable values are ∼2.5 years in the eastern Ross Sea and ∼4 years in the western Ross Sea. CFC concentrations in water which has circulated beneath and has been modified by the Ross Ice Shelf indicate that the transformation time from High Salinity Shelf Water to Ice Shelf Water can be as short as 3.5 years. With reasonable oxygen consumption and nutrient regeneration rates, the balance of ventilation and mixing processes that reproduced observed shelf water CFC-12 concentrations also can account for observed oxygen and nitrate levels, if the western surface waters are undersaturated by ∼10% at entrainment. © 1991.
Experimental study of ignition and subsequent flame spread of a solid fuel in a hot oxidizing gas stream

Abstract Characteristics of ignition and subsequent flame spread of solid fuels (PBAA, PIB and paraffin waxes) in a hot oxidizing gas stream were studied experimentally by using a shock tunnel with a flat-plate fuel specimen placed parallel to the flow. Effects of freestream oxygen content (20% – 100%), freestream temperature (1270 – 2100 °K), freestream velocity (77 – 275 m/sec) and diluent inert gases (N2, Ar) on ignition and flame spread behavior were studied. It was observed that, if the external heating rate is high or if the sample tends to pyrolyze at low temperatures, the heat feedback from the exothermic gas phase reaction is not important and the effects of freestream oxygen content are small for both ignition and flame spread. However, if the external heating rate is small or the sample tends to pyrolyze only at high temperature, the heat feedback from the exothermic gas phase reaction is important and effects of freestream oxygen content are significant for ignition and flame spread.
Turbulence Regimes and Turbulence Intermittency in the Stable Boundary Layer during CASES-99

AbstractAn investigation of nocturnal intermittent turbulence during the Cooperative Atmosphere–Surface Exchange Study in 1999 (CASES-99) revealed three turbulence regimes at each observation height: 1) regime 1, a weak turbulence regime when the wind speed is less than a threshold value; 2) regime 2, a strong turbulence regime when the wind speed exceeds the threshold value; and 3) regime 3, a moderate turbulence regime when top-down turbulence sporadically bursts into the otherwise weak turbulence regime. For regime 1, the strength of small turbulence eddies is correlated with local shear and weakly related to local stratification. For regime 2, the turbulence strength increases systematically with wind speed as a result of turbulence generation by the bulk shear, which scales with the observation height. The threshold wind speed marks the transition above which the boundary layer approaches near-neutral conditions, where the turbulent mixing substantially reduces the stratification and temperature fluc...
Tenascin‐C expression in dystrophin‐related muscular dystrophy

The mdx mouse has a mutated dystrophin gene and is used as a model for the study of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We investigated whether regenerating mdx skeletal muscle contains the extracellular matrix protein tenascin-C (TN-C), which is expressed in wound healing and nerve regeneration. Prior to the initiation of muscle degeneration, both normal and mdx mice displayed similar weak staining for TN-C in skeletal muscle, but by 3 weeks of age the mice differed substantially. TN-C was undetectable in normal muscle except at the myotendinous junction, while in dystrophic muscle, TN-C was prominent in degenerating/regenerating areas, but absent from undegenerated muscle. With increasing age, TN-C staining declined around stable regenerated mdx myofibers. TN-C was also observed in muscle from dogs with muscular dystrophy and in human boys with DMD. Therefore, in dystrophic muscle, TN-C expression may be stimulated by the degenerative process and remain upregulated unless the tissue undergoes successful regeneration.
Evaluation of pharyngeal dysphagia with manofluorography.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze cervical dysphagia with a two-modality method using simultaneous fluoroscopy and solid-state computerized manometry (manofluorography). Manofluorography provides functional data that are not obtainable using barium swallow or standard manometry.
A momentum analyser of high resolution

Abstract A two magnet system has been developed to give stigmatic focussing with unit magnification and a momentum dispersion over 3.5 times that obtained with a single magnet.
Long-term activation of protein kinase C by nicotine in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

: Previous results from our laboratory suggest that long-term treatment of primary cultured bovine adrenal medullary (BAM) chromaffin cells with nicotine or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, either of which directly activates protein kinase C (PKC), increases the mRNA levels encoding catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes and proenkephalin. In the present study, we have examined the effects of nicotine on BAM cell PKC activity with special emphasis on long-term effects. Nicotine increased particulate PKC activity in a concentration-dependent manner when measured using in vitro enzyme assay with histone as the substrate. This effect is mediated through nicotinic cholinergic receptors, because 1,1-dimethylphenylpiperazinium, a nicotinic agonist, had a similar effect. In addition, chlorisondamine, a specific nicotine-receptor blocking drug, antagonized the effect of nicotine. Nicotine also increased specific [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate ([3H]PdBu) binding within 1 min, the effect of which was maximal between 3 and 12 min. This effect was reversed by chlorisondamine similarly after 12 min and after 18 h of nicotine treatment, indicating that continual nicotinic-receptor occupancy is required for persistent PKC activation. Compared to PKC activation, the onset of nicotine-stimulated diacylglycerol production was slow, and it was observed after 12 min of incubation with nicotine. The diacylglycerol levels, specific [3H]PdBu binding, and PKC activity remained significantly elevated for at least 18 h with continuous nicotine incubation. Furthermore, nicotine increased the PKC immunoreactivity of a particulate protein with a molecular mass of 82 kDa in the western blot. These results suggest that nicotinic-receptor activation increases PKC activity and immunoreactivity in BAM cells. The long-term PKC activation may serve several functions, such as activation of mRNA production and a negative feedback regulation of either nicotinic receptors or voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.
Quantitative Standards for Absolute Linguistic Universals

Absolute linguistic universals are often justified by cross-linguistic analysis: If all observed languages exhibit a property, the property is taken to be a likely universal, perhaps specified in the cognitive or linguistic systems of language learners and users. In many cases, these patterns are then taken to motivate linguistic theory. Here, we show that cross-linguistic analysis will very rarely be able to statistically justify absolute, inviolable patterns in language. We formalize two statistical methods--frequentist and Bayesian--and show that in both it is possible to find strict linguistic universals, but that the numbers of independent languages necessary to do so is generally unachievable. This suggests that methods other than typological statistics are necessary to establish absolute properties of human language, and thus that many of the purported universals in linguistics have not received sufficient empirical justification.
Differential Semimajor Axis Estimation Performance Using Carrier-Phase Differential Global Positioning System Measurements

This paper investigates the impact of navigation errors on the navigation and control aspects of formation flying spacecraft. The use of carrier-phase differential Global Positioning System measurements in relative navigation filters is analyzed, with a particular focus on the semimajor axis error. Semimajor axis error is shown to be the sum of two positive quantities that are related to the satisfaction of the balance and correlation requirements. Previous publications have suggested that a "good" navigation filter would yield estimates of the along-track velocity and radial position that are strongly correlated. However, practical experience with filters based on the carrier-phase differential Global Positioning System measurements has shown that this seldom occurs, even when the estimation accuracies are very good. Analytical methods and numerical simulations are used to show that the optimal semimajor axis estimate from a Kalman filter does not satisfy these requirements for any combination of measurement and process noise. Numerical examples with a fully nonlinear extended Kalman filter appear to bear out these conclusions. The combination of these simulations and analysis provides new insights on the crucial role of the process noise in determining semimajor axis knowledge.
Deficits in Complex Motor Functions, Despite No Evidence of Procedural Learning Deficits, Among HIV+ Individuals With History of Substance Dependence

HIV and drugs of abuse affect common neural systems underlying procedural memory, including the striatum. We compared performance of 48 HIV seropositive (HIV+) and 48 HIV seronegative (HIV−) participants with history of cocaine and/or heroin dependence across multiple Trial Blocks of three procedural learning (PL) tasks: Rotary Pursuit (RPT), Mirror Star Tracing (MST), and Weather Prediction (WPT). Groups were well matched on demographic, psychiatric, and substance use parameters, and all participants were verified abstinent from drugs. Mixed model ANOVAs revealed that the HIV+ group performed more poorly across all tasks, with a significant main effect of HIV serostatus observed on the MST and a trend toward significance obtained for the RPT. No significant differences were observed on the WPT. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in performance across all three PL tasks. Importantly, no significant Serostatus X Trial Block interactions were observed on any task. Thus, the HIV+ group tended to perform worse than the HIV− group across all trial blocks of PL tasks with motor demands, but showed no differences in their rate of improvement across all tasks. These findings are consistent with HIV-associated deficits in complex motor skills, but not in procedural learning.
A Reply to Schlesinger

In his reply to my paper ([2]) Professor Schlesinger claims to show that "there is no doubt that the transient theory of time is consistent and intelligible" ([3], p. 95). He supports his claim by appealing to the observations of the inhabitants of two physical systems X and Y in which the X-clocks are running only half as fast as the Y-clocks. In my reply I shall argue that the situation he describes is irrelevant to task he wants to accomplish, and that, therefore, doubt does indeed arise concerning the coherence of the theory he propounds. To get to the heart of the matter consider the following passage:
Augmenter of liver regeneration: an important intracellular survival factor for hepatocytes.

Background/Aims Augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR), a protein synthesized and stored in hepatocytes, is associated with mitochondria, and possesses sulfhydryl oxidase and cytochrome c reductase activities. We sought to determine the effects of ALR depletion in hepatocytes by antisense oligonucleotide transfection. Methods Rat hepatocytes in primary culture were transfected with antisense oligonucleotide for ALR mRNA (ALR-AS) or scrambled oligonucleotide. Various analyses were performed at times up to 24h after transfection. Results Treatment with ALR-AS caused a decrease in ALR mRNA, cellular depletion of ALR protein primarily from mitochondria, and decreased viability. Flow cytometric analysis of ALR-AS-transfected hepatocytes stained with annexin-V cy3 and 7-aminoactinomycin D revealed apoptosis as the predominant cause of death up to 6h; incubation beyond this time resulted in necrosis in addition to apoptosis. ALR-AS-transfection caused release of mitochondrial cytochrome c , activation of caspase-3, profound reduction in the ATP content, and cellular release of LDH. Inhibition of caspase-3 inhibited the early phase of ALR-AS-induced death but not the late phase that included ALR and LDH release. Conclusions These results suggest that ALR is critically important for the survival of hepatocytes by its association with mitochondria and regulation of ATP synthesis.
The problem of unwanted pets: A case study in how institutions 'think' about clients' needs

The research on organizational framing and the metaphor of institutional "thinking" highlight the ways that social problems organizations shape the ameliorative services they deliver. Social problems work then perpetuates representations of problems that may not match the conditions clients face. This study extends social problems literature to argue that organizations sometimes "think" differently about the problems they intend to solve than do persons involved with these problems in everyday life. Using ethnographic research and interviews, this article contrasts the way in which animal sheltering, as an institution, frames the problem of unwanted animals with how the public interprets that problem. Institutional "thinking" portrays pets as commitments for life, and shelters thus strive to offer resources that allow people to keep their animals in their homes. However, interviews reveal that most people simply want troublesome animals out of their homes. This mismatch of intentions sheds new light on the complexities of claims-making and social problems work. In particular, the "paradox of popularization" means that efforts to gain public support for definitions of social problems often ignore or exacerbate aspects of problems that do not fit institutional frames.
Faculty Reflections on the Institute for Aging and Social Work Experience

Considerable research highlights the value of mentorship to the professional development of early career faculty in academia, yet less research focuses on factors motivating individuals to provide formal guidance to junior colleagues. Given that new social work faculty, in particular, may not receive sufficient mentoring, understanding what attracts senior scholars to serve as mentors can inform the development of future endeavors to promote mentorship programs in social work. This article presents findings from interviews with eight out of nine faculty leaders from the Summer Institute on Aging and Social Work, an advanced training program in aging research for social work faculty, regarding what prompted their participation in an ongoing mentorship role and how they were impacted by serving in such a capacity. Results from thematic analysis reveal three primary domains in faculty mentors' narratives: (a) their role and experiences in the institute, (b) reflections on the program itself, and (c) advice f...
Abundance and Distribution of Larval and Juvenile Fundulus heteroclitus in Northeast Florida Marshes

Abstract Larvae and juveniles of Fundulus heteroclitus (Mummichog), commonly occur in small, water-filled depressions on the intertidal marsh surface during low tide. Previous work has shown that larger juveniles are typically found at lower elevations on the marsh surface, while small larvae are more abundant in the high marsh. The present study compared the abundance and size distributions of larval and juvenile Mummichog between relatively low- and high-elevation sites on the marsh surface at three locations in Northeastern Florida. Fundulus heteroclitus were both more abundant and larger in size at low-elevation sites than at high-elevation sites following the size-selective marsh-use pattern shown in other locations.