cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The association of single umbilical artery with cytogenetically abnormal pregnancies

The clinical significance of the absence of one of the two umbilical arteries (single umbilical artery) lies in its association with congenital malformations. Whether this association includes cytogenetic abnormalities is less clear. A retrospective review of all detected chromosomally abnormal pregnancies at the University of Maryland was carried out. Of 109 cytogenetically abnormal pregnancies, the number of umbilical cord vessels could be documented in 53 cases. Six (11.3%) had a single umbilical artery. A single umbilical artery was noted in two of nine fetuses (22.2%) with trisomy 18 and in two of six fetuses (33.3%) with trisomy 13. Two other unusual chromosomal constitutions were noted in cases of a single umbilical artery. None of the 11 fetuses with sex chromosome abnormalities (including eight with monosomy X) had a single umbilical artery. Of 18 fetuses with trisomy 21, none had a single umbilical artery. This study suggests that a single umbilical artery is preferentially associated with certain karyotypic abnormalities and that trisomy 21 does not appear to be associated with a single umbilical artery.
Computer-Aided Fixture Design Verification: Part 1 — The Framework and Modeling

Computer-aided fixture design (CAFD) techniques have been advanced rapidly that fixture configurations can be generated automatically, for both modular fixtures and dedicated fixtures. Computer-aided fixture design verification (CAFDV) is the technique for verifying and improving existing fixture designs. In this paper, the framework of CAFDV is introduced with two based on two models, geometric and kinematic models. The fixturing tolerance and stability verification will be presented in separated papers.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Markov chain estimation for test theory without an answer key

This study develops Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation theory for the General Condorcet Model (GCM), an item response model for dichotomous response data which does not presume the analyst knows the correct answers to the test a priori (answer key). In addition to the answer key, respondent ability, guessing bias, and difficulty parameters are estimated. With respect to data-fit, the study compares between the possible GCM formulations, using MCMC-based methods for model assessment and model selection. Real data applications and a simulation study show that the GCM can accurately reconstruct the answer key from a small number of respondents.
Miscible rectilinear displacements with gravity override. Part 1. Homogeneous porous medium

The effects of permeability heterogeneities on rectilinear displacements with viscosity contrast and density variations are investigated computationally by means of direct numerical simulations. Physical interpretations are given in terms of mutual interactions among the three vorticity components related to viscous, density and permeability effects. In homogeneous environments the combined effect of the unfavourable viscosity gradient and the potential velocity field generated by the horizontal boundaries was seen to produce a focusing mechanism that resulted in the formation of a strong vorticity layer and the related growth of a dominant gravity tongue (Ruith & Meiburg 2000). The more randomly distributed vorticity associated with the heterogeneities tends to ‘defocus’ this interaction, thereby preventing the formation of the vorticity layer and the gravity tongue. When compared to neutrally buoyant flows, the level of heterogeneity affects the breakthrough recovery quite differently. For moderate heterogeneities, a gravity tongue still forms and leads to early breakthrough, whereas the same result is accomplished for large heterogeneities by channelling. At intermediate levels of heterogeneity, these tendencies partially cancel each other, so that the breakthrough recovery reaches a maximum. Similarly, the dependence of the breakthrough recovery on the correlation length is quite different in displacements with density contrasts compared to neutrally buoyant flows. For neutrally buoyant flows the resonant interaction between viscosity and permeability vorticities typically leads to a minimal recovery at intermediate values of the correlation length. In contrast, displacements with density contrast give rise to a gravity tongue for both very small and very large values of this length, so that the recovery reaches a maximum at intermediate values.
Rotational symmetry of conical Kähler–Ricci solitons

We show that expanding Kahler–Ricci solitons which have positive holomorphic bisectional curvature and are \(C^{2}\)-asymptotic to a conical Kahler manifold at infinity must be the U(n)-rotationally symmetric expanding solitons constructed by Cao.
Study of Process-Induced Cell Membrane Stability in Cell Direct Writing

Process-induced damage to cells is of significant importance and must be mitigated for safe and reproducible cell direct writing. The objective of this study is to investigate the cell membrane stability under the external normal pressure. This investigation is performed by studying the dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer behavior under different normal pressures using molecular dynamics. As the normal pressure increases, the force necessary to rupture the bilayer structure decreases, which indicates cell membrane instability under high normal pressure. This phenomenon can also be explained by the change of free energy difference before and after rupture under different normal pressures. The effect of the pulling speed on the rupture force is also investigated, showing that the rupture force increases almost linearly with the pulling speed.
Solid phase synthesis of oligomeric guanidiniums

Abstract Oligomers containing guanidinium linkages prepared via solid phase organic synthesis are of interest as possible therapeutic agents and in the assembly of supramolecular architectures. Efficient routes to these oligomers must be developed before their potential may be fully realized. Herein, four routes for their stepwise solid phase synthesis are described. In the first, a resin-bound thiourea was converted to a guanidinium using 2-chloro-1-methylpyridinium iodide. The second method utilized aza-Wittig couplings to prepare guanidiniums from resin-bound carbodiimides. Next, highly activated monomers prepared from bis-tert-butyloxycarbonythioureas and 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene formed guanidiniums upon reaction with terminal amines. The optimum route, however, relied upon the 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride promoted coupling of a protected thiourea monomer with a resin-bound amine to produce the guanidinium linkage. The thiourea monomers for this method are easily prepared from mono-protected diamines and benzoyl- or Fmoc-isothiocyanate. The procedure is straightforward, proceeds cleanly in a relatively short period of time, and is compatible with several functional groups.
Spatial structure and temporal patterns in a large marine ecosystem: Exploited reef fishes of the southeast United States

Abstract The continental shelf of the southeast United States forms one of North America's Large Marine Ecosystems (LME). Despite increased attention on ecosystem management, fisheries within this LME continue to be managed on a single stock basis, in part because interactions among species and environmental effects are poorly understood. Using fishery data from two different sources (recreational and commercial), we applied multivariate statistical techniques to elucidate spatial and temporal dynamics of reef fish assemblages. Spatial analyses of species composition revealed a zoogeographic boundary near Cape Canaveral, Florida, suggesting that management of reef fishes could be applied to the northern and southern regions with discrimination. Temporal analyses revealed, in general, gradual changes in species composition of landings, but with primary shifts in 1992 and again in 1999–2000. Chronological patterns, evident in these two independent data sets, bear the signature of one or more trending factors, which in this LME could include increased exploitation, spread of invasive species, habitat degradation, or climate change.
RSS-based relative localization and tethering for moving robots in unknown environments

The LANdroids project requires robots to autonomously localize, track, and follow (a task also known as tethering) other robots or humans in an unknown environment with limited sensing abilities. In this paper, we present a localization and tethering approach that relies solely on wireless signal strength and robot odometry without requiring any known reference points in the domain. We introduce a data-driven, probabilistic model that maps received signal strength (RSS) values to real-world distance distributions and embed this model in a grid-based localization algorithm that successfully performs the LANdroids tethering task. We furthermore show, that it is possible to improve localization through the addition of a compass sensor and inter-robot information sharing.
Misconstruction and Problems in Communication

Anthropological literature is rich in descriptions and analyses of cultural revitalization movements. On the whole, however, we lack studies of situations and occurrences that contain the necessary—but sometimes not sufficient—conditions for these movements. The events that preceded and accompanied the solar eclipse of 1962 in New Guinea produced the preconditions for a movement of cultural revitalization. This case shows the kind of misinterpretation and misrepresentation that has frequently occurred where linguistic and cultural barriers compound administrative problems. It suggests a field for research—for instance, to uncover millenarian patterns in mythical traditions—in which anthropologists and folklorists can cooperate.
All-dielectric metamaterials: Path to low losses and high spectral selectivity

Ohmic losses severely limit the performance of metamaterials. High-index semiconductors offer an attractive alternative. We review several meta-surfaces based on silicon and silicon carbide enabling infrared applications such as polarization manipulation and thermal emission.
Meiotic recombination protein Rec12: functional conservation, crossover homeostasis and early crossover/non-crossover decision

In fission yeast and other eukaryotes, Rec12 (Spo11) is thought to catalyze the formation of dsDNA breaks (DSBs) that initiate homologous recombination in meiosis. Rec12 is orthologous to the catalytic subunit of topoisomerase VI (Top6A). Guided by the crystal structure of Top6A, we engineered the rec12 locus to encode Rec12 proteins each with a single amino acid substitution in a conserved residue. Of 21 substitutions, 10 significantly reduced or abolished meiotic DSBs, gene conversion, crossover recombination and the faithful segregation of chromosomes. Critical residues map within the metal ion-binding pocket toprim (E179A, D229A, D231A), catalytic region 5Y-CAP (R94A, D95A, Y98F) and the DNA-binding interface (K201A, G202E, R209A, K242A). A subset of substitutions reduced DSBs but maintained crossovers, demonstrating crossover homeostasis. Furthermore, a strong separation of function mutation (R304A) suggests that the crossover/non-crossover decision is established early by a protein-protein interaction surface of Rec12. Fission yeast has multiple crossovers per bivalent, and chromosome segregation was robust above a threshold of about one crossover per bivalent, below which non-disjunction occurred. These results support structural and functional conservation among Rec12/Spo11/Top6A family members for the catalysis of DSBs, and they reveal how Rec12 regulates other features of meiotic chromosome dynamics.
SU-E-T-69: A Novel Method Using Agfa-Kodak- Computer Radiography System for Routine Quality Assurance Tests on Linear Accelerators

Purpose: Since conventional radiographic films are becoming obsolete, we have developed a novel technique utilizing ComputerRadiography(CR) plates to perform routine Linacquality assurance checks. Methods: A photostimulable CR plate can detect both direct and indirect ionizationradiation, and is even sensitive to photons in the visible range. A technique involving optical bleaching of radiation field on CR plate is being established as the calibration tool for performing routine quality checks such as: light field radiation congruence, symmetric/asymmetric jaw positioning. The CR plate is removed from its cassette with minimal background light and is exposed to a known field size of 6/18 MV photons in air at a fixedsource to surface distance. The jaws are then moved in to form a smaller field size, and light field is then shone on the pre exposed plate. This causes photo bleaching of radiation field proportional to the jaw settings and thereby providing a suitable surrogate to establish the light and radiation coincidence. The plate is then read utilizing a Kodak (ACR 2000i) scanner which reads the photo stimulated luminescence and converts the signal into a digital image pixel map. Analysis using a MATLAB‐based algorithm was done to compute the dose gradient at the junction of the light and radiation field. The technique has been tested against conventional methods of usingfilm and graph paper. Results: All light and radiation field measurements using the CR plate were within 1 mm from measurements. The method has been verified for its reproducibility and estimated uncertainty involving software based analysis has been found to be within +/− 0.2%. Conclusions: A method to efficiently, accurately and reproducibly perform routine QA has been developed. The technique has yielded a reproducible method to quantify the congruence between the light and the radiation field.
Advantages and disadvantages of PET and SPECT in a busy clinical practice

The continued high utilization of rest-stress single-photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is supported by its known clinical benefits, established reimbursement, and wide availability of cameras and radiopharmaceuticals. However, traditional rest-stress SPECT protocols tend to be lengthy and inefficient, and the prevalence of equivocal studies continues to be a problem. The use of stress-only SPECT protocols in selected patients, and a new generation of ultrafast SPECT cameras have led to improved image quality, reduced dosimetry and shorter, more efficient MPI protocols. The utilization of positron emission tomographic (PET) MPI has been accelerated by the availability of radiopharmaceuticals that can be generated on-site, and by the availability of more PET cameras. Emerging evidence consistently demonstrates that PET provides improved image quality, greater interpretive certainty, higher diagnostic accuracy, lower patient dosimetry, and shorter imaging protocols as compared to SPECT. Importantly, PET imaging allows assessment of left ventricular function at peak-stress, and evaluation of microvascular function through the measurement of absolute myocardial blood flow at rest and at peak-stress. Wider utilization of PET MPI is hindered by a high cost of entry, high on-going costs, and an immature reimbursement structure.
An ultraspecific micromethod for the determination of D-glucose.

Abstract A procedure is described for the determination of nanomole quantities of d -glucose in the presence of relatively very high concentrations of d -mannose, d -fructose, 2-deoxy- d -glucose, maltose, and many other sugars. The procedure employs a purified stereospecific d -glucokinase coupled with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.
Numerical simulations of stress generation and evolution in Volmer–Weber thin films

Abstract We present a detailed model of the stresses and shape changes that occur in polycrystalline thin films during Volmer–Weber growth. Our model tracks the shape of an array of islands as they grow and coalesce into a continuous film. The islands change shape as a result of the deposition flux, as well as surface and grain boundary diffusion. Stress is generated in the film as a result of forces exerted between neighboring islands as they meet to form a grain boundary. The internal stresses in the islands and the diffusive changes on their surfaces and grain boundaries are computed using a coupled finite element scheme. Interactions between neighboring islands are modeled using a cohesive zone law. Our model predicts stress-thickness vs. thickness behavior that is in excellent agreement with experiments. Specifically, we observe a three-stage growth process consisting of a stress-free pre-coalescence stage, a rapid tensile rise at coalescence, and an eventual transition to a steady-state. The steady-state stress may be tensile or compressive, depending on the deposition rate, the grain size, and the properties of the film. Detailed parametric studies are conducted to establish the influence of material properties and growth conditions on the stress history, and the results are compared with experimental observations and previous models.
A rising tide: Measuring the economic effects of broadband use across California

Abstract This research estimates the economic effects of broadband use across 39 California counties between 2001 and 2006. Broadband usage data are obtained from household surveys that identify how individuals access the Internet: through dial-up or broadband, where broadband is defined as Internet access through cable modem or digital subscriber line (DSL). The surveys were conducted in California counties twice each year from 2001 to 2006. Estimates from panel regression analysis demonstrate that increased broadband use within California has had a positive and significant effect on growth in employment and total payroll.
Defining underinsurance among children with special health care needs: a Virginia sample.

Objectives: The study sought to: 1) examine the national Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) survey to determine whether there are items that can serve to operationalize alternative definitions of underinsurance; 2) construct definitions from the survey items that are consistent with Structural and Economic definitions of underinsurance and devise an algorithm for determining underinsurance for each; and 3) compare these two underinsurance definitions with the Maternal and Child Health definition of inadequate insurance, a definition that takes an Attitudinal approach to the construct. Methods: Analyses included Virginia children who were insured throughout the survey period. Survey items from the national CSHCN survey were examined to identify items related to underinsurance. Items were divided into groups corresponding to three definitions of insurance (Attitudinal, Structural, and Economic). Algorithms were established, and underinsurance rates calculated for each definition. Logistic regression models were constructed to investigate demographic characteristics related to underinsurance. Results: Different percentages of Virginia CSHCN were found to be underinsured based on the definitions of Attitudinal (28.9%), Economic (25.6%), and Structural (2.9%). Eight demographic characteristics and the pervasiveness of the child’s special health care needs were examined in relation to underinsurance. For the Attitudinal definition, poverty level and pervasiveness were significant predictors in the model. In the model predicting Economic underinsurance status, pervasiveness and three of the demographic characteristics significantly predicted underinsurance status. In the multivariate logistic regression model for the Structural definition, none of the predictors was significantly related to underinsurance. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that alternative definitions of underinsurance yield dramatically different underinsurance rates. Further, even when yielding similar rates, alternative definitions may identify substantially different sets of children. The likelihood of being underinsured has a strong association with low-income status and pervasiveness of the child’s special health care needs. Understanding these factors and their implications will be important when planning accessible and comprehensive health plans and care systems for CSHCN.
Observations in the reaction of two magic nuclei: 208Pb and 48Ca☆

Abstract Excitation functions for compound-nucleus and transfer reactions have been measured with 48Ca ions on 208Pb targets. A comparison is made with the 40Ar-on-208Pb reaction to explain the observed anomalous behavior of the transfer reactions and a surprising cutoff of the (48Ca, 3n) exit channel. The former effect is interpreted as an enhancement of the tunneling gap between the projectile and the target while the latter is seen as a consequence of the angular momentum of the compound nucleus.
Synthesis and Structure of New BiMn2MO6 Compounds Where M=P, As, or V

The new compounds BiMn2PO6, BiMn2AsO6, and BiMn2 VO6 have been prepared and shown to be structurally related to several other BiA2MO6 compounds. The structure of BiMn2PO6 was refined from neutron powder diffraction data in space group Pnma with a=12.04 A, b=5.37 A, c=8.13 A, and Z=4. It contains (BiO2)1− chains and (PO4)3− tetrahedra. The observed fivefold coordination for the Mn2+ cations is unusual for Mn in this oxidation state.
Secondary membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.

A 37-year-old man was transferred to Brigham and Women's Hospital for evaluation of progressive renal failure. His medical history was notable for intravenous drug use and heavy ethanol consumption but he denied their use for the last 7 years. He had had at least one bout of alcoholic hepatitis, which was diagnosed about 8 years previously. The patient originally presented to his physician 2 years ago with complaints of mild anorexia and fatigue. Workup at that time was remarkable for slightly elevated liver enzymes and a serum creatinine of 1.2 mg/dl. Six weeks later he noted the onset of periorbital edema followed by edema of the legs and a 20-pound weight gain. He consulted the emergency room of a local hospital for these symptoms one year ago, where he was noted to have elevated liver enzymes and a serum creatinine that had risen to 1.7 mg/dl. Urinalysis revealed 4+ protein and 2+ blood by dipstick; microscopic examination of the urinary sediment revealed red blood cells too numerous to count, 5 to 10 white blood cells/high-power field, and numerous hyaline and granular casts. He was referred to a nephrologist. At physical examination performed by the nephrologist 2 days later, his pulse was 72 beats/mm; blood pressure, 160/110 mm Hg; and respirations were normal. No oral lesions were present, and funduscopic examination showed no abnormalities. The jugular venous pressure was estimated at 9 cm H20, and the thyroid gland was palpable without nodules. The chest was clear; cardiac examination revealed a normal rhythm with a soft S4. A grade II/IV systolic ejection murmur was audible. The abdomen was distended and soft but without tenderness, and no masses were palpable; bowel sounds were normal. The spleen was not detectable, but the liver edge was palpable 4 cm below the right costal margin. The extremities were remarkable for 3 + pitting edema up to the mid-portion of the calf. The skin revealed a discrete, papular, erythematous rash. Laboratory data included a white blood cell count of 30,200/mm3 with
PUBLIC OPINION AND THE END OF BUSING: (Mis) Perceptions of Policy Failure

Public opinion was largely ignored when the federal government first compelled busing for school desegregation in the 1970s. Yet, public opinion has a potentially large impact on local school boards' plans and policies when communities seek or obtain unitary status. Scholarship suggests that self-interest, racial attitudes, and philosophical values shape antibusing sentiments. Analysis of survey data from Nashville, Tennessee, shows that they do there as well. More important, though, further analysis shows that perceptions of busing's failure, which seem to be misguided, have a substantial impact on whether respondents want busing to end, even when race, self-interest, and ideological values are controlled. Perception, as mis-perception, is therefore a potentially salient factor in policy evaluation. Perceptions of policy success or failure may be socially constructed by media, elites, or people themselves. Additional research in this direction is clearly necessary.
The proteasome 11S regulator subunit REGα (PA28α) is a heptamer

Activity of the 20S proteasome, which performs much of the cytosolic and nuclear proteolysis in eukaryotic cells, is controlled by regulatory complexes that bind to one or both ends of the cylindrical proteasome. One of these complexes, the 11S regulator (REG), is a complex of 28 kDa subunits that is thought to activate proteasomes toward the production of antigenic peptides. REG, purified from red blood cells, is a complex of REG alpha and REG beta subunits. We have crystallized recombinant REG alpha (rREG alpha) and collected diffraction data to 3.0 A resolution. The self-rotation function indicates that rREG alpha forms a heptameric ring in the crystal. Equilibrium sedimentation demonstrates that rREG alpha is a heptamer in solution also.
On a Mellin transform technique for the asymptotic solution of a nonlinear Volterra integral equation

A Mellin transform technique for the asymptotic solution of a nonlinear Volterra integral equation presented earlier by Kumar (1971) has been improved upon in the present paper. The application of the present technique makes it possible to get an arbitrary number of terms in the asymptotic solution for large values of argument. An example has been worked out in detail.
The Life History of Some Marine Plankton Diatoms

The diatoms are divided into two big groups, the Pennatae and the Centricae. The first group consists mainly of bottom forms which are either attached or show free movement, whereas the non-motile, suspended Centricae form the main bulk of the planktonic diatoms. The present work is concerned with the second group only. A knowledge of the essential structure of the cell, which is very similar in both groups, is of great importance for understanding the life history of the diatoms. The cell walls consist of two parts which overlap each other like the two halves of a pill box; the valves forming the top and bottom, the connecting bands or girdle the sides of the box. In the course of cell division the two halves of the cell wall become separated and each daughter cell forms a new valve and new connecting bands to fit into the old girdle. Owing to the silicification of the cell membranes, growth is possible only along the pervalvar axis, the longitudinal axis of the “box”. Consequently the diameter of one cell is slightly smaller than that of its sister cell, i.e. by twice the width of the cell wall. In a population this peculiar mechanism of cell division leads to a continuous decrease of the average cell size.
Evaluation and measurement of bone mass.

Abstract Patients taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have an increased risk for osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures. Bone mineral density (BMD) is the best predictor of fracture risk. Measurement of BMD allows the identification of patients at risk before they suffer a fracture. The current “gold standard” for the measurement of BMD and diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Clinicians should be familiar with the ways in which bone mass measurements are reported and should understand how to use BMD measurements in making treatment decisions and monitoring treatment. They should also be aware of current controversies, including the role of peripheral versus central BMD measurements and the use of different reference databases for different patient groups. Laboratory assessment to identify secondary causes of osteoporosis, such as low vitamin D status in patients taking AEDs, is useful, but the role of markers of bone turnover in clinical practice has not been well defined.
Structure of the Methanococcus jannaschii mevalonate kinase, a member of the GHMP kinase superfamily.

Abstract The mevalonate-dependent pathway is used by many organisms to synthesize isopentenyl pyrophosphate, the building block for the biosynthesis of many biologically important compounds, including farnesyl pyrophosphate, dolichol, and many sterols. Mevalonate kinase (MVK) catalyzes a critical phosphoryl transfer step, producing mevalonate 5′-phosphate. The crystal structure of thermostable MVK from Methanococcus jannaschii has been determined at 2.4 A, revealing an overall fold similar to the homoserine kinase from M. jannaschii. In addition, the enzyme shows structural similarity with mevalonate 5-diphosphate decarboxylase and domain IV of elongation factor G. The active site of MVK is in the cleft between its N- and C-terminal domains. Several structural motifs conserved among species, including a phosphate-binding loop, have been found in this cavity. Asp155, an invariant residue among MVK sequences, is located close to the putative phosphate-binding site and has been assumed to play the catalytic role. Analysis of the MVK model in the context of the other members of the GHMP kinase family offers the opportunity to understand both the mechanism of these enzymes and the structural details that may lead to the design of novel drugs.
Bio-inspired hard-to-soft interface for implant integration to bone

Accomplishing full, functional integration at the host-to-biomaterial interface has been a critical roadblock in engineering implants with performance similar to biological materials. Molecular recognition-based self-assembly, coupled with biochemical signaling, may lead to controllable and predictable cellular differentiation at the implant interface. Here, we engineer a bio-inspired interface built upon a chimeric peptide. Binding to the biomaterial interface is achieved using a molecular recognition domain specific for the titanium/titanium alloy implant surface and a biochemical signal guiding stem cells to differentiate by activating the Wnt signaling pathway for bone formation. During a critical period of host cell growth and determination, the bioactive implant interface signals mouse, as well as human, stem cells to differentiate along osteogenic lineages. The Wnt-induced cells show enhanced mineral deposition in an extracellular matrix of their creation and an enhanced gene expression profile consistent with osteogenesis, thereby providing a bone-to-implant interface that promotes bone regeneration.
Site-specific mapping and quantification of protein S -sulphenylation in cells

Cysteine S-sulphenylation provides redox regulation of protein functions, but the extent of this post-translational modification in cells is unknown. Here, Yang et al. develop a method to detect hundreds of S-sulphenylation sites in cells, and show that many of them respond to a physiologically relevant redox stimulus.
Echinacea purpurea aerial extract alters course of influenza infection in mice.

Influenza infection is a major clinical problem and Echinacea purpurea, a widely consumed botanical product, is purported to alter the course of respiratory infections including influenza. Mice infected with WSN influenza A and treated with E. purpurea polysaccharide extract had less weight loss than untreated mice but similar pulmonary viral titers. Echinacea-treated mice had lower systemic and pulmonary KC and IL-10 levels and lower systemic IFN-γ levels following influenza infection. These suggest that E. purpurea alters the clinical course of influenza infection in mice through modulation of cytokines and not direct antiviral activity.
Signal Transduction Pathways Used by EGF to Stimulate Protein Secretion in Rat Lacrimal Gland

Purpose To determine the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on lacrimal gland secretion of proteins and characterize its signal-transducing components. Methods Both exorbital lacrimal glands were removed from male Sprague-Dawley rats. Dispersed acini were isolated by collagenase digestion in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate (KRB) buffer at 37 degrees C. Acini were incubated with EGF (10(-7) M), the cholinergic agonist carbachol (10(-4) M), or the alpha(1)-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine (10(-4) M), and peroxidase secretion was measured by a fluorescence assay. To measure intracellular calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)), acini were incubated in fura-2 tetra-acetoxymethyl ester for 60 minutes at 22 degrees C, and fluorescence was measured at 340 and 380 nm with an emission wavelength of 505 nm. Extracellular Ca(2+) was chelated with KRB-BSA without CaCl(2) and with 2 mM EGTA before measurement of peroxidase secretion. Protein kinase C (PKC) was downregulated by incubating acini overnight, with or without the phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 10(-6) M), and peroxidase secretion was measured. Results EGF-stimulated peroxidase secretion in a concentration-dependent manner with a significant increase at 10(-7) M. EGF-stimulated secretion was inhibited by the EGF receptor (EGFR) inhibitor AG1478, but not by the phosphoinositide-3 kinase inhibitor LY292004 or the mitogen-activated kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126. EGF increased [Ca(2+)](i), whereas chelation of extracellular Ca(2+) inhibited EGF-induced peroxidase secretion by 90%. Downregulation of PKC also inhibited EGF-stimulated peroxidase secretion. Conclusions EGF stimulates lacrimal gland secretion of protein by activating the EGFR to increase [Ca(2+)](i) and activate PKC.
Evaluation of thin films for the Next-Generation Space Telescope (NGST) sunshield

The optics and detectors for the NGST, will operate at IR wavelengths between 0.5 and 30 micrometers . To accomplish the requirements set for NGST, the telescope and science module will have to operate at temperatures below 60 K. To achieve cryogenic temperatures, several of the current designs for NGST use a large deployable sunshield to passively cool the telescope. The current concepts for the sunshield consist of 4 to 6 layers of thin film thermal control material supported by deployable struts. The sunshield will need to be about 30 by 15 meters, and will have to survive for 10 years in a deeps space environment. A program has been initiated to identify thin film materials that will meet the NGST sunshield requirements. The first step in this program is a literature research that has identified potential thin film materials and coatings for the sunshield. The second step will involve an initial screening of these materials, followed by more rigorous testing of selected candidate materials. This testing will characterizes the mechanical, thermal and optical properties before and after exposure to a simulated NGST sunshield environment. In addition, because the sunshield will be folded and stowed before launch, the candidate materials will be folded, stowed and unfolded before exposure to the simulated environment.
The electrocardiogram in obesity: statistical analysis of 1,029 patients.

The electrocardiogram in 1,029 obese subjects was correlated with the severity of obesity and with age, sex and blood pressure. The heart rate, PR interval, QRS duration, QTc interval and voltage (R + S or Q wave in leads 1,11 and III) increased, and the QRS vector shifted to the left with increasing obesity. These changes were independent of age, sex and blood pressure. Bradycardia was present in 19% of the patients, but tachycardia in only 0.5%. ST and T wave abnormalities were present in 11 %, correlating better with increasing age and blood pressure than with severity of obesity. Conduction abnormalities were infrequent. Low voltage was present in only 3.9% of the patients and QTc prolongation was present in 28.3%. The heart rate and QRS voltage increase with increasing obesity. Conduction is slowed, and the QRS vector shifts toward the left as percent overweight increases. These changes must be considered when evaluating both baseline electrocardiographic studies in obese patients and the changes seen during weight reduction.
Focus on Women

Letters from: [ David L. Brautigan ][1] [ Patricia J. Brown ][1] M. R. C. Greenwood, in her Editorial “Dancing with wolves” ([29 Mar., p. 1787][2]), lists a large number of “notabl[e]” scientific societies that “are or have recently been headed by women or minorities.” Without disparaging Greenwood's choice of the societies worthy of note in this regard, I would like to point out that the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology could have been safely added to the list. Our current president, Susan Taylor of the University of California at San Diego, is the fifth female scientist in recent years to head the society. # {#article-title-2} The cover image of the 5 July issue taken from the painting “Three Ages of Woman” by Gustav Klimt (1905), also shown on page 41 of the same issue, depicts an elderly, naked, despondent woman at the left. Where are the old and decrepit men pictured? Old men are wearing suits and ties (pp. 23 and 24) or are on mountaintops (p.26). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.273.5280.1321e [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.273.5283.1787
Simulation of high-field magnetotransport in non-planar 2D electron systems

We present a simulation of ballistic magnetotransport in a curved resonant quantum cavity, a non-planar two-dimensional (2D) electron system formed by partial release of the planar cavity under strain. A transfer-matrix technique originally due to Usuki and coworkers [Phys. Rev. B 52, 8244 (1995)] has been adapted to ensure the technique’s continued dependability at high magnetic fields, and accommodate the nonzero local curvature of the simulated system. Conductance in non-planar structures is found to be highly sensitive to the changes in the curvature, indicating their potential in NEMS and sensing applications.
Corticotropin releasing factor neurons are innervated by calcitonin gene-related peptide terminals in the rat central amygdaloid nucleus.

Abstract The central nucleus of the rat amygdala (CeA) contains many Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) immunoreactive neurons. Previous studies have demonstrated that these CRF neurons project to brain stem regions responsible for modulation of autonomie outflow. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) terminals overlap the distribution of CRF cell bodies in the CeA. These CGRP terminals mainly originate from cell bodies that are located in the pontine parabrachial nucleus. The present study examined the possibility that CRF cell bodies are innervated by CGRP terminals. The results suggest that over 35% of the CRF neurons in the CeA are contacted by CGRP terminals as judged by the indiscernible distances between the terminals and cell bodies and or dendrites. In addition, a dual-labeled electron microscopic technique demonstrates that CGRP terminals form synaptic contacts with CRF cell bodies and dendrites. This suggests that CGRP neurons in the parabrachial nucleus can modulate the activity of CRF amygdaloid brain stem efferents. Previous studies have shown that CRF, when administered into the central nervous system, produces increases in heart rate, blood pressure, and plasma catecholamines. CGRP administration into the amygdala has been shown to have a similar effect on the autonomie nervous system. It is, therefore, possible that CGRP could exert these effects via an amygdaloid CRF pathway.
On the non-linear cohomology of Lie equations. II

Let Rkcdk(T) be a differential equation; set Rk_l=dk_l(T), Rk_2=dk_2(T), -~k+z= v-lRk+~cJk+~(T), RO+z=Rk+zf~J~ ~k+~=v-l~+zcJk+z(~7), and set J~(Rk)= V-lJl(Rk)cJ(z.k)(T). For l>~--l, let gk+zcSk+lJo(T)*| ) be the kernel of ~+~-1: (7.3) where 2z: Jk+~(T)-+~(1, k)(T). We remark that the sheaf Sol (Rk) of solutions of R~ is stable under the Lie bracket of vector fields. We say that R k is/ormally transitive if n0: Rk~Jo(T) is surjective. The differential equations Jk(T; ~) and J~(V) considered in w 6 are Lie equa- tions, and Jk(T; ~) is formally transitive. A differentiable sub-groupoid Pk of Qk is a Lie equation (finite form) if it is a fibered submanifold of ~: Qk-'X. For xeX, I~(x)~P~ and V~,~:)(P~) determines a subspace /~.~ of ,)~(T)x. The vector sub-bundle R~,~Ju(T) such that R~.~=v(/~.~) is a Lie equation (infinitesimal form); we say that P~ is a finite form of R~. :For example, the sub-groupoids Q~(~) and Q~(V) of Qz are finite forms of J~(T; ~) and J~(V) respectively. We have/~. F=
Brain acetylcholine mediates the hypertensive response to physostigmine in the rat.

Abstract Injection of physostigmine, either i.v. or into the lateral cerebral ventricle, evokes an immediate bradycardia and a subsequent hypertensive response in the unanesthetized rat. Reduction of brain acetylcholine (ACh) levels by intracerebroventricular (i.vent.) injection of hemicholinium-3 caused a parallel reduction in the pressor response to i.v. administered physostigmine and a 50–60% reduction in the response to the i.vent. injected drug. In contrast, the bradycardia was unaffected by even maximum depletion of brain ACh. Transection of the brain prior to injection of physostigmine in anesthetized rats localized the central site of the physostigmine pressor effect to a region in or caudal to the midbrain. It is concluded that the hypertensive response to physostigmine in the rat involves the active participation of brain ACh.
Two dimensional ultrasonic beam distortion in the breast: In vivo measurements and effects

Two dimensional arrival time data was obtained for the propagation of ultrasound across the breasts of 7 female volunteers. These profiles were extracted through the use of cross-correlation measurements and a simulated annealing process that maintained phase closure while aligning the data. The phase aberration measured in two dimensions had a larger magnitude than previously reported phase aberration measured in one dimension in the breast. A point spread function generation computer program was used to demonstrate the system response degrading effects of the measured phase aberration and the usefulness of current one dimensional phase aberration correction techniques. The results indicate that two dimensional correction algorithms are necessary to restore the system performance losses due to phase aberration.
The German Aesthetic Tradition

Hammermeister, Kai. The German Aesthetic Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 259pp. $22.00 paperback. Among the many reasons to write an academic book, the desire to provide a service is probably the least frequent. However, Kai Hammermeister obviously felt very strongly about rendering the history of German aesthetic theory from Baumgarten and Kant to Heidegger and Adorno accessible to a wider audience-whatever the cost. And there is inevitably a price to be paid for writing this kind of book, which moves briskly and without fear of strong opinions through some of the most complicated philosophical works of the past two centuries. Under the characteristically bold and blunt title The German Aesthetic Tradition, Hammermeister delivers in just over two hundred pages "the straight dope" on the leading contenders for forbidding philosophical difficulty: Fichte, Schelling, and, of course, Hegel, that famed fortress of impenetrable German prose. Unflinchingly, however, Hammermeister renders them all entirely comprehensible. Even undergraduates should have no difficulty following his expositions. Nor should one dismiss this pedagogical quality as reductive popularization. Hammermeister's book is quite an accomplishment. His highly economical presentation never fails to touch on virtually all the important issues in any given author. To be sure, one can quibble-Karl Philip Moritz seems to gets short-changed; Holderlin deserves his own chapter-but all in all, Hammermeister has succeeded in producing a perfectly coherent narrative of the development of aesthetic theory from the 18th-century to the present. Indeed, what makes this book so eminently readable are not only the succinct summaries of individual authors but their integration into an overarching three-part movement. Baumgarten, Kant, Schiller, and Schellingare subsumed under "The Age of Paradigms," followed by "Challenging the Paradigms" in the writings of Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche. The book concludes with a section entitled "Renewing the Paradigms," as Hammermeister argues that the positions of Cassirer, Lukacs, Heidegger, Gadamer, and Adorno basically reinvent the (aesthetic) wheel. Thus he claims, for example, that Adorno's and Heidegger's anti-idealist rhetoric conceals their strong allegiance-not, as one might expect, to Hegel, but rather to Schelling; like him they are said to accord art the exalted and exclusive privilege of providing access to a truth unavailable to theoretical or philosophical discourses. Beyond the incredibly useful service of introducing the uninitiated to the arcana of German aesthetics-there really is nothing comparable out there-it is this claim that post-Nietzschean theories of art not only recycle the older aesthetic tradition but follow essentially the very same trajectory that had led from Kant to Hegel in the first place, that makes this volume original, provocative, and enormously problematic. …
Detectability of Vasopressin in Continuous Venovenous Hemodialysis Effluent of Patients with Vasodilatory Shock Treated with Exogenous Arginine Vasopressin

Study Objectives. To determine whether vasopressin is detectable in the continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) effluent of patients receiving exogenous arginine vasopressin, and to determine whether treatment-specific factors are associated with vasopressin levels in CVVHD effluent. Design. Prospective observational study. Setting. Intensive care units of a tertiary care academic medical center. Patients. Twenty-seven adults with vasodilatory shock who received a stable-dose continuous intravenous infusion of arginine vasopressin with concomitant uninterrupted CVVHD for at least 4 hours between September 2008 and May 2010. Measurements and Main Results. Vasopressin levels in CVVHD effluent were assessed by radioimmunoassay. Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance and Pearson correlation. A multivariate linear regression was used to assess for independent factors associated with vasopressin levels in CVVHD effluent. The CVVHD effluent of all patients was assessed for vasopressin levels. The median exogenous arginine vasopressin dose was 0.03 unit/minute (range 0.02–0.18 unit/min), whereas the median CVVHD effluent flow rate was 22.6 ml/kg/hour (interquartile range [IQR] 21.5–26.8 ml/kg/hr). Vasopressin was detectable in all effluent samples (median 88.8 pg/ml, IQR 36.4–113.7 pg/ml). There were no significant differences in CVVHD effluent vasopressin levels among CVVHD filter types (p=0.39). The CVVHD effluent vasopressin levels correlated with exogenous arginine vasopressin dose (r2=0.49, p<0.001). After adjustment for CVVHD effluent flow rate and administration of corticosteroids, with multivariate linear regression, only exogenous arginine vasopressin dose was independently associated with CVVHD effluent vasopressin level. Conclusion. Vasopressin is detectable in CVVHD effluent, suggesting that it is removed by CVVHD. In addition, exogenous arginine vasopressin infusion dose is independently associated with CVVHD effluent vasopressin level.
Early school competence: the roles of sex-segregated play and effortful control.

The purpose of this research was to examine the role that young children's same-sex peer interactions play in influencing early school competence. The authors also examined the degree to which effortful control (EC) moderated these relations. The same-sex play preferences of 98 young children (50 boys and 48 girls; mean age = 54.77 months) were observed during the fall semester. At the end of the fall semester, one set of teachers reported on children's EC, and at the end of the following spring semester, another set reported on children's school competence (social, academic, and perceptual-motor). Results revealed that EC moderated the refections of children's same-sex play to their school competence. These patterns differed for boys and girls such that same-sex play was positively related to school outcomes for boys high in EC and for girls low in EC.