cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of innate lymphoid cells in the cardiac inflammation

To investigate the role of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the heart, we have established a pericarditis model in which mice develop pericarditis upon IL-33 injections. Studies have shown the role of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) mostly in mucosal organs such as lung and gut, however, the role of ILC2s in the heart has been overlooked. We found that the number of ILC2s increases in the heart after IL-33 treatment. The aim of this work is to examine the role of ILC2s in inflammatory heart disease using the IL-33-induced pericarditis model. We hypothesize that IL-33 induces cardiac resident ILCs to become activated ILC2s to produce large amounts of IL-5 and IL-13, driving the development of pericarditis. To determine whether ILCs are required for pericarditis development, we compared WT mice to Rag2 −/− mice and to Rag2 −/− γc −/− mice which lack all of lymphoid cells including ILCs. Whereas Rag2 −/− mice developed pericarditis, Rag2 −/− γc −/− mice were completely protected. This indicates that the adaptive immune response is not required for the development of IL-33-induced pericarditis, but ILCs may play a pathogenic role. We assessed cytokine production by ILC2s in pericarditis to determine the function of ILC2s in the heart. Cardiac ILC2s were a major source of IL-5 and IL-13. The number of eosinophils in the heart was significantly reduced by anti-IL-5 treatment, which prevented the development of pericarditis. In addition, IL-13 −/− mice developed less severe pericarditis compared to WT mice. These data suggest that ILCs play a critical role in inflammatory heart diseases. The pathogenic mechanism of ILC2s in the heart could provide insight into novel therapeutic strategies for treating cardiac inflammation including pericarditis.
The effect of a structured weekly patient meeting on patient reported outcomes (PRO) and resource utilization for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

e23116Background: Women with MBC experience unmet unique symptom management and psychosocial needs due to chronic treatment for an eventually life ending illness. Methods: The MBC Program of Care i...
Neurologic Acyclovir Toxicity in the Absence of Kidney Injury

Abstract Background Herpes zoster (zoster) also commonly known as “shingles,” occurs following re-activation of the varicella zoster virus. It contributes a large cost burden to the U.S. health care system, with an estimated 1 million cases costing $1 billion annually. The current gold standard treatment is acyclovir, which limits viral replication. However, acyclovir has been reported to cause neurotoxicity in patients with acute or chronic kidney disease. Case Report This case presents an occurrence of acyclovir-induced toxic encephalopathy in a patient with normal renal function. A 63-year-old male presented to the emergency department with ataxia, tremors, fluctuating aphasia, confusion, agitation, and fatigue. Results of imaging, lumbar puncture, and laboratory studies directed clinicians toward acyclovir toxicity, despite a normal creatinine level. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Emergency physicians will likely be the first point of contact in the health care system following the onset of acyclovir toxicity. With an increasing incidence of zoster disease, such atypical toxic manifestations may increase. Early recognition is important to avoid permanent neurologic compromise.
New Business Creation, Entrepreneurial Will and Need of Achievement

In conceiving of a possible model of new business creation we have seen that the causal explanation of the creation of a new personal initiative is connected to the creative will of a subject (promoting subject) who considers it the instrument or method of achieving his own objectives. In this way, we have identified how the first element of any start-up process is the presence of an “entrepreneurial vocation” and a creative “will of the entrepreneur” (Te Velde 2004; Casson 2010; Schienstock 2011).
Nucleic acid-based theranostics in type 1 diabetes

Application of RNAi interference for type 1 diabetes (T1D) therapy bears tremendous potential. This review will discuss vehicles for oligonucleotide delivery, imaging modalities used for delivery monitoring, therapeutic targets, and different theranostic strategies that can be applied for T1D treatment.
Reinforcing medical authority: clinical ethics consultation and the resolution of conflicts in treatment decisions.

Despite substantial efforts in the past 15 years to professionalise the field of clinical ethics consultation, sociologists have not re-examined past hypotheses about the role of such services in medical decision-making and their effect on physician authority. In relation to those hypotheses, we explore two questions: (i) What kinds of issues does ethics consultation resolve? and (ii) what is the nature of the resolution afforded by these consults? We examined ethics consultation records created between 2011 and mid-2015 at a large tertiary care US hospital and found that in most cases, the problems addressed are not novel ethical dilemmas as classically conceived, but are instead disagreements between clinicians and patients or their surrogates about treatment. The resolution offered by a typical ethics consultation involves strategies to improve communication rather than the parsing of ethical obligations. In cases where disagreements persist, the proposed solution is most often based on technical clinical judgements, reinforcing the role of physician authority in patient care and the ethical decisions made about that care.
Copper deficiency related myelopathy 40 years following a jejunoileal bypass.

Acquired copper deficiency myelopathy is a rare disorder associated with hematologic abnormalities, peripheral neuropathy, and sensory ataxia. Although its clinical presentation and radiographic findings are similar to other nutrient deficiencies, practitioners often fail to diagnose copper deficiency. This report describes a case of copper deficiency decades after a jejunoileal bypass (JIB) to draw attention to potential long-term sequelae associated with this now abandoned procedure. A 67-year-old female presented with bilateral paresthesias of her hands and legs, accompanied by gait instability and frequent falls. The individual had a significant history of malabsorption and malnutrition related to a 40 years prior JIB for weight loss. MRI demonstrated T2 hyperintense signal in the dorsal spinal cord between C3 and C5. She was found to have copper deficiency, underwent IV repletion, prescribed oral repletion, and was discharged home. She subsequently developed progressive symptoms over the following year and remained unable to function at home. Treatment required inpatient copper repletion followed by inpatient rehabilitation. Following rehabilitation, the individual demonstrated significant improved independence. Although JIB surgery is not currently performed, it is important to recognize the metabolic consequences of nutrient deficiencies related to this procedure and the potential for the development of neurological sequelae including myelopathy. Furthermore, additional causes of copper deficiency to consider in cases of undifferentiated myelopathy include congenital metabolic syndromes, zinc toxicity, and malabsorption. This case demonstrates the potential of intensive physical and occupational therapy regimens, along with symptomatic treatment and nutrient repletion, to help an individual regain independence and improve activities of daily living.
Role of 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT Imaging in Neck and Back Pain

1264 Objectives Neck and back pain are common causes of disability and can greatly affect quality of life. Several imaging modalities are available for evaluating neck and back pain. The appropriate imaging modality usually depends on the suspected abnormality. In patients with a suspected bone or joint abnormality, scintigraphy including single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) may be considered. Bone scintigraphy can help localize active bone disease. SPECT improves sensitivity over planar imaging with improved anatomic localization. SPECT/CT has been shown to improve sensitivity and specificity in the evaluation of neck and back pain. OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate the role of 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT in the evaluation of patients with neck and back pain. Methods Educational exhibit of multiple interesting cases of neck and back pain using 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT. Correlative imaging where appropriate/available is provided. Results Interesting cases of spinal abnormalities and lesions were characterized with 99mTc-MDP SPECT/CT, including active facet joint arthropathy prior to facet joint injection, subtle pars intra-articularis defects, active degenerative disc disease, active Schmorl’s nodes, discitis, post-surgical spine, and other focal lesions. Conclusions Neck and back pain can be a diagnostic challenge. SPECT/CT has been shown to improve sensitivity and specificity in the evaluation of spinal conditions. Appropriate treatment of neck and back pain often depends on accurately identifying the spinal level and anatomic location of abnormal radiotracer accumulation. Anatomical imaging provides useful information; however, hybrid SPECT/CT imaging improves localization by demonstrating focal increased radiotracer activity when multiple disc levels, facet joints and post-surgical changes are involved. SPECT/CT is rapidly becoming a valuable tool in the evaluation of patients with neck and back pain, complementing anatomical imaging such as conventional radiographs and MRI. $$graphic_9D5F3CFB-86C9-45F2-89E5-6C2540D1BC9E$$
Simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation from donation after cardiac death donors: an updated perspective.

Outcomes of both donation after cardiac death (DCD) liver and kidney transplants are improving. Experience in simultaneous liver-kidney transplant (SLK) using DCD donors, however, remains limited. In an updated cohort (2010-2018), outcomes of 30 DCD SLK and 131 donation after brain death (DBD) SLK from Mayo Clinic Arizona and Mayo Clinic Minnesota were reviewed. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was lower in the DCD SLK group (23 vs 29, P = .01). Kidney delayed graft function (DGF) rates were similar between the 2 groups (P = .11), although the duration of DGF was longer for DCD SLK recipients (20 vs 4 days, P = .01). Liver allograft (93.3% vs 93.1%, P = .29), kidney allograft (93.3% vs 93.1%, P = .91), and patient (96.7% vs 95.4%, P = .70) 1-year survival rates were similar. At 1 year, there were no differences in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (57.7 ± 18.2 vs 56.3 ± 17.7, P = .75) or progression of fibrosis (ci) on protocol kidney biopsy (P = .67). A higher incidence of biliary complications was observed in the DCD SLK group, with ischemic cholangiopathy being the most common (10.0% vs 0.0%, P = .03). The majority of biliary complications resolved with endoscopic management. With appropriate selection, DCD SLK recipients can have results equivalent to those of DBD SLK recipients.
White matter differences in Parkinson’s disease mapped using tractometry

ABSTRACT Neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by a progressive loss of brain function. Improved precision in mapping the altered brain pathways can provide a deep understanding of the trajectory of decline. We propose a tractometry workflow for conducting group statistical analyses of point-wise microstructural measures along white matter fasciculi to identify patterns of abnormalities associated with disease. We combined state-of-the-art tools including fiber registration, tract simplification and fiber matching for accurate point-wise statistical analyses across populations. We test the utility of this method by identifying group differences between Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients and healthy controls. We find statistically significant group differences in diffusion MRI derived measures along the anterior thalamic radiations (ATR), corticospinal tract (CST) and regions of the corpus callosum (CC). These pathways are essential for motor control systems within cortico-cortical and cortico-subcortical brain networks. Moreover, the reported pathological changes were not widespread but rather localized along several tracts. Point-wise tract analyses may therefore offer an advantage in anatomical specificity over traditional methods that assess mean microstructural measures across large regions of interest.
Free Groups and Their Subgroups

Informally, a group is free on a set of generators if no relation holds among these generators except the trivial relations that hold among any set of elements in any group. We make this precise as follows.
Awareness of genetic testing for breast cancer risk among women with a family history of breast cancer: effect of women's information sources on their awareness.

The purpose of this study was to relate women's awareness of breast cancer risk genetic testing to the sources of information used by women for obtaining information about breast health. A sample of 354 women with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer was interviewed. Study variables included women's information sources for breast health, personal risk perceptions, family history of breast cancer, personal experience (i.e., having had a biopsy), awareness of genetic testing, and demographic variables. Regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationships among the variables. Only approximately one-third of the study participants were moderately aware of genetic testing for breast cancer risk. The Internet Web was the only information source significantly related to awareness of genetic testing. Having had a biopsy, being more highly educated, and being married also were significant predictors of awareness of genetic testing. Study participants were not uniformly aware of genetic testing. If the diffusion of Web technology continues, the Web may be a promising source for increasing awareness on genetic testing for breast cancer risk.
Global Supply Chain Design

I review principles and methods of global supply chain design, especially from two viewpoints, in this paper. The first perspective is focused on the practitioner who is interested in an overview of the key concepts and applications of supply chain design within a global context. The second theme of this paper is to assess opportunities for research to extend supply chain design in useful directions, particularly into closely related areas such as supply chain operations and information systems.
CHAPTER 8 – Nonlinear Optical Properties of Gallium Nitride

This chapter discusses nonlinear optical properties of gallium nitride (GaN). Semiconductor nonlinear optics is motivated by the pursuit of new electro-optical devices for applications in areas such as telecommunications and optical computing. The continuing improvements in the growth and processing of wide-bandgap III–V semiconductors are of great interest to the optical community. The advances in the deposition of GaN epitaxial films provide investigators with an optical wave-guiding material with both a large optical bandwidth and high damage threshold. The characterization of the second- and third-order nonlinearities in GaN has accelerated over the past decade because of the rapid improvement in the quality of epitaxially grown material. The intrinsic waveguide nature of the film deposit/substrate suggests that wave-guiding or multilayer structures are the candidates for optical device platforms where propagation lengths about a few millimeters (high-conversion efficiencies) are possible.
An Intelligent Primer

Coming to Life . How Genes Drive Development. By Christiane Nusslein-Volhard . Kales Press, Carlsbad, CA, 2006. 180 pp. $29.95, C$42. ISBN 9780967007670. Nusslein-Volhard's survey of developmental biology for a popular audience includes such topics as controlling genes, molecular prepatterning, evodevo, body plans, cloning, and gene therapy.
Police paradigm shift after the 9/11 terrorist attacks: the empirical evidence from the United States municipal police departments

This research attempts to provide empirical evidence to the claim that community oriented policing (COP) has been supplanted by homeland security policing after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. This empirical evidence is important as it tries to unravel if the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks influenced the focus of police departments away from COP. The 1999, 2003, and 2007 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics were used to analyze the differences among US police departments in the implementation of COP components before and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The findings suggest that except for problem solving, police departments have de-escalated their emphases on COP components overall. Additionally, these changes were shown as consistent across every region in the United States. Further research is needed to determine if this trend is for the long term or just temporary. Also, future research should investigate the impact of this paradigm shift on the relationships between c...
Simulation of attosecond-resolved imaging of the plasmon electric field in metallic nanoparticles

Sub-cycle photoelectron streaking from silver plasmonic nanospheres is simulated using few-cycle laser pulses tuned both on and off the plasmon resonance (376 nm vs 800 nm, respectively) to initiate the plasmon. Phase-locked, isolated attosecond XUV pulses induce photoemission from the nanospheres, and two different types of streaking of the photoelectrons occur simultaneously due to the laser and plasmon electric fields. Streaking is simulated over a wide range of excitation pulse intensities, and final velocity distributions for the photoelectrons emitted at different times are calculated. The resulting velocity distributions exhibit several characteristics attributable to the plasmon electric field. The dipole moment amplitude can be reconstructed using velocity map imaging or time-of-flight photoelectron velocity measurements without separate measurement of the laser electric field or deconvolution using an assumed streaking trace shape. These results indicate that photoelectron experiments in table-top set-ups can provide unprecedented spatio-temporal information about sub-cycle plasmon dynamics in metallic nanostructures.
On a new kind of minimal realization of linear discrete event systems

The authors develop the theory of minimal realization of linear discrete event systems. Some investigations on the analyses of eigenvalues and periods of matrices in the Z-domain are carried out. >
Hypertonic saline for the management of raised intracranial pressure after severe traumatic brain injury

Hyperosmolar agents are commonly used as an initial treatment for the management of raised intracranial pressure (ICP) after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). They have an excellent adverse-effect profile compared to other therapies, such as hyperventilation and barbiturates, which carry the risk of reducing cerebral perfusion. The hyperosmolar agent mannitol has been used for several decades to reduce raised ICP, and there is accumulating evidence from pilot studies suggesting beneficial effects of hypertonic saline (HTS) for similar purposes. An ideal therapeutic agent for ICP reduction should reduce ICP while maintaining cerebral perfusion (pressure). While mannitol can cause dehydration over time, HTS helps maintain normovolemia and cerebral perfusion, a finding that has led to a large amount of pilot data being published on the benefits of HTS, albeit in small cohorts. Prophylactic therapy is not recommended with mannitol, although it may be beneficial with HTS. To date, no large clinical trial has been performed to directly compare the two agents. The best current evidence suggests that mannitol is effective in reducing ICP in the management of traumatic intracranial hypertension and carries mortality benefit compared to barbiturates. Current evidence regarding the use of HTS in severe TBI is limited to smaller studies, which illustrate a benefit in ICP reduction and perhaps mortality.
International Maternal Mortality Reduction: Outcome of Traditional Birth Attendant Education and Intervention in Angola

Background. As a result of war and periodic natural disasters, Angola has among the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world. In response to the acute health needs of the population, the International Medical Corps (IMC) developed a traditional birth attendant educational course designed to reduce the preventable causes of maternal and infant mortality. Methods. From 1994 until 1998, Angolan traditional birth attendants (TBAs) participated in an intensive 38-hr training course on prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care. Following the birth of a child, the trained TBAs completed a registration form containing information regarding the health of the mother. Previous studies of Angolan maternal mortality served as historic comparisons. Findings. Complete data including maternal mortality data were available for 19,666 deliveries (83% of total). Fifty five maternal deaths were recorded, which corresponds to a maternal mortality rate of 293 per 100,000 live births. The average historic maternal mortality rate for available comparison groups was 1241 per 100,000 live births. Interpretation. The maternal mortality rate was reduced among women managed by IMC-trained TBAs when compared with historical control data.
Biological sensing of small field differences by magnetically sensitive chemical reactions

There is evidence that animals can detect small changes in the Earth's magnetic field by two distinct mechanisms, one using the mineral magnetite as the primary sensor and one using magnetically sensitive chemical reactions1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14. Magnetite responds by physically twisting2,15, or even reorienting the whole organism in the case of some bacteria16, but the magnetic dipoles of individual molecules are too small to respond in the same way. Here we assess whether reactions whose rates are affected by the orientation of reactants in magnetic fields could form the basis of a biological compass. We use a general model, incorporating biological components and design criteria, to calculate realistic constraints for such a compass. This model compares a chemical signal produced owing to magnetic field effects with stochastic noise and with changes due to physiological temperature variation17. Our analysis shows that a chemically based biological compass is feasible with its size, for any given detection limit, being dependent on the magnetic sensitivity of the rate constant of the chemical reaction.
Esophageal capnometry during hemorrhagic shock and after resuscitation in rats

Background Splanchnic perfusion following hypovolemic shock is an important marker of adequate resuscitation. We tested whether the gap between esophageal partial carbon dioxide tension (PeCO2) and arterial partial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) is increased during graded hemorrhagic hypotension and reversed after blood reinfusion, using a fiberoptic carbon dioxide sensor.
Millimeter wave transmittance and diffractive scattering of radome membranes

The study of electromagnetic properties of a number of woven and non-woven radome membranes with various diameter of threads of the fabric, and thickness of the laminate was made as a continuous function of frequency over the range 30-1000 GHz by utilizing Fourier transform spectroscopy. These woven and non-woven radome membranes were manufactured by W. L. Gore and Associates and known as "Gore-Tex". It is for the first time the transmittance has been measured with various angles of incidence of the incident wave for both TE and TM modes. Strong diffractive scattering has been found above the frequency with wavelength comparable with period of the fabrics (240 GHz for the standard Gore-Tex product).
Infiltration-Inhibiting Reaction of Gadolinium Zirconate Thermal Barrier Coatings with CMAS Melts

The thermochemical interaction between a Gd2Zr2O7 thermal barrier coating synthesized by electron-beam physical vapor deposition and a model 33CaO–9MgO–13AlO3/2–45SiO2 (CMAS) melt with a melting point of ∼1240°C was investigated. A dense, fine-grained, ∼6-μm thick reaction layer formed after 4 h of isothermal exposure to 1300°C. It consisted primarily of an apatite phase based on Gd8Ca2(SiO4)6O2 and fluorite ZrO2 with Gd and Ca in a solid solution. Remarkably, melt infiltration into the intercolumnar gaps was largely suppressed, with penetration rarely exceeding ∼30 μm below the original surface. The microstructural evidence suggests a mechanism in which CMAS infiltration is arrested by rapid filling of the gaps with crystalline reaction products, followed by slow attack of the column tips.
Instant Neurons: Directed Somatic Cell Reprogramming Models of Central Nervous System Disorders

Nuclear transplantation, cell fusion, and induced pluripotent stem cell studies have revealed a surprising degree of plasticity in mature mammalian cell fates. Somatic cell reprogramming also has been achieved more recently by the directed conversion of nonneuronal somatic cells, such as skin fibroblasts, to neuronal phenotypes. This approach appears particularly applicable to the in vitro modeling of human neurologic disorders. Central nervous system neurons are otherwise difficult to obtain from patients with neurologic disorders; however, nonhuman models may not reflect patient pathology. Somatic cell reprogramming may afford models of nonfamilial "sporadic" neurologic disorders, which are likely caused by multiple interacting genetic and nongenetic factors. Directed somatic cell reprogramming, which does not pass through typical in vivo developmental stages, toward many mature neuronal phenotypes has now been described. This article reviews the field and discusses the potential utilities of such models, such as for the development of personalized medicine strategies.
Enhanced Transmission and Nonreciprocal Properties of a Ferromagnetic Metal Layer in One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

We show in transfer-matrix calculations of electromagnetic transmission through a ferromagnetic metal layer embedded in one-dimensional photonic crystals that electromagnetic losses can be greatly suppressed and nonreciprocal response significantly enhanced, when placing the layer at the node of the localized mode produced at the defect in the periodic structure. Nonreciprocal circular dichroism and Faraday rotation are observed at the ferromagnetic resonance and far from the resonance, respectively, and can be controlled with magnetic field.
ESR investigation of the oxidative damage in lungs caused by asbestos and air pollution particles

Abstract Exposure to asbestos and air pollution particles can be associated with increased human morbidity and mortality. However, the molecular mechanism of lung injuries remains unknown. It has been postulated that the in vivo toxicity results from the catalysis of free radical generation. Using electron spin resonance (ESR) in conjunction with the spin trap α-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)-N-tert-butylnitrone (4-POBN) we previously investigated in vivo free radical production by rats treated with intratracheal instillation of asbestos (crocidolite fibers) and an emission source air pollution particle (oil fly ash). In this report we compare the effect of two different exposures on the type of free radicals they induce in in vivo animal model. Twenty-four hours after the exposure, ESR spectroscopy of the chloroform extract from lungs of animals exposed to either asbestos or oil fly ash gave a spectrum consistent with a carbon-centered radical adduct (aN=15.01 G and aH=2.46 G). To test whether free radical formation occurred in vivo and not in vitro, a number of control experiments were performed. Combinations (both individually and together) of asbestos or oil fly ash and 4-POBN were added to lung homogenate of unexposed rats prior to chloroform extraction. No detectable ESR signal resulted. To exclude the possibility of ex vivo free radical generation, asbestos or oil fly ash was added to lung homogenate of an animal treated with 4-POBN. Also, 4-POBN was added to lung homogenate from rats instilled with asbestos or oil fly ash. Neither system produced radical adducts, indicating that the ESR signal detected in the lung extracts of the treated animals must be produced in vivo and not ex vivo or in vitro. In conclusion, ESR analysis of lung tissue demonstrated that both exposures produce lipid-derived radical metabolites despite their different composition and structure. Analogously, both exposures provide evidence of in vivo enhanced lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, it is concluded that without the presence of a spin-trapping agent, no free radical metabolites could be detected directly by ESR in either exposure.
Schedule-Induced Behavior: A Reappraisal of Wood-Chewing:

4 female albino food-deprived rats were run through experimental sessions consisting of three phases: baseline, periodic free-food delivery (one rat skipped this phase), and periodic free-food deli...
Biorthogonal wavelets with 4-fold axial symmetry for quadrilateral surface multiresolution processing

Surface multiresolution processing is an important subject in CAGD. It also poses many challenging problems including the design of multiresolution algorithms. Unlike images which are in general sampled on a regular square or hexagonal lattice, the meshes in surfaces processing could have an arbitrary topology, namely, they consist of not only regular vertices but also extraordinary vertices, which requires the multiresolution algorithms have high symmetry. With the idea of lifting scheme, Bertram (Computing 72(1---2):29---39, 2004) introduces a novel triangle surface multiresolution algorithm which works for both regular and extraordinary vertices. This method is also successfully used to develop multiresolution algorithms for quad surface and $\sqrt 3$ triangle surface processing in Wang et al. (Vis Comput 22(9---11):874---884, 2006; IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph 13(5):914---925, 2007) respectively. When considering the biorthogonality, these papers do not use the conventional $L^2({{\rm I}\kern-.2em{\rm R}}^2)$ inner product, and they do not consider the corresponding lowpass filter, highpass filters, scaling function and wavelets. Hence, some basic properties such as smoothness and approximation power of the scaling functions and wavelets for regular vertices are unclear. On the other hand, the symmetry of subdivision masks (namely, the lowpass filters of filter banks) for surface subdivision is well studied, while the symmetry of the highpass filters for surface processing is rarely considered in the literature. In this paper we introduce the notion of 4-fold symmetry for biorthogonal filter banks. We demonstrate that 4-fold symmetric filter banks result in multiresolution algorithms with the required symmetry for quad surface processing. In addition, we provide 4-fold symmetric biorthogonal FIR filter banks and construct the associated wavelets, with both the dyadic and $\sqrt 2$ refinements. Furthermore, we show that some filter banks constructed in this paper result in very simple multiresolution decomposition and reconstruction algorithms as those in Bertram (Computing 72(1---2):29---39, 2004) and Wang et al. (Vis Comput 22(9---11):874---884, 2006; IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph 13(5):914---925, 2007). Our method can provide the filter banks corresponding to the multiresolution algorithms in Wang et al. (Vis Comput 22(9---11):874---884, 2006) for dyadic multiresolution quad surface processing. Therefore, the properties of the scaling functions and wavelets corresponding to those algorithms can be obtained by analyzing the corresponding filter banks.
Reaching and Teaching Teens: Adolescent Health Literacy and the Internet

Virtually 100% of American teens have access to the Internet either at home, school, libraries, or elsewhere, and the majority are using it daily. The Internet has become one of the most important vehicles to educate and inform young people about health and medical issues. However, many teens have limited searching skills or problems with literacy and other issues that may make it difficult for them to locate and understand authoritative information. Parents, teachers, school nurses, health professionals, librarians, and Web designers who impact teenagers' health knowledge and skill development in information seeking, health decision making, and health literacy should be aware of the issues in dealing with this unique group and should also be familiar with quality health resources on the Web.
Stratigraphy and megaflora of a K-T boundary section in the eastern Denver Basin, Colorado

A 50-m-thick section of the Denver Formation (D1 sequence of Raynolds) exposed at the West Bijou Site of the Plains Conservation Center, Arapahoe County, Colorado, contains the first complete Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary section in the Denver Basin. The 3-cm-thick boundary claystone coincides with a 21 percent palynological extinction, contains iridium and shocked-mineral anomalies, and is immediately overlain by a 7-cm-thick, fern-spore anomaly interval. The entire 50-m section is of reversed magnetic polarity and is interpreted to be subchron C29r because of paleontological data, the presence of a tuff with an 40 Ar/39 Ar date of 65.73 ± 0.13 Ma, and by correlation to the Kiowa cored well. A diagnostic basal Puercan (Pu1) mammal jaw was found 12 m above the boundry clay, and ceratopsian and hadrosaurian dinosaur fragments occur 4 m below the boundary clay. Estimates of the basin sedimentation rate derived from the duration of C29r based on marine cyclostratigraphy suggest that the 28 m of basal Paleocene strata represent approximately 200,000 years. Abundant fossil leaves found within the Paleocene sedimentary rocks at the West Bijou Site K-T boundary section allow assessment of early Paleocene patterns of plant diversity. Nine leaf localities at eight stratigraphic levels in the basal 22 m of the Paleocene section were sampled and analyzed to better understand the flora that survived the global K-T catastrophe. The Paleocene flora of this site is taxonomically dominated by dicotyledonous angiosperms (74%), with lesser numbers of monocotyledons (10%), ferns and allies (11%), and conifers (5%). By number of specimens, angiosperms comprise greater than 95 percent of the flora. Within the sampled section, there were no recognizable directional trends in diversity or abundance, suggesting that earliest Paleocene vegetation was stable, although not particularly diverse. The West Bijou Megaflora is strikingly similar in composition and relative abundance to basal Paleocene floras from the northern Great Plains. This K-T boundary disaster-recovery flora, also known as the FUI flora, is shown to have been widespread, ranging from central Colorado to southern Canada, a distance of at least 1,100 km. The West Bijou Site megaflora is markedly different from coeval floras along the western margin of the Denver Basin, supporting the hypothesis that orography and elevation provided greater influence on basal Paleocene floral composition and diversity than did latitude.
Eccentric sequences in graphs

The eccentricitye(v) of a vertexv of a connected graphG is the maximum distance fromv among the vertices ofG. A nondecreasing sequencea1,a2, ...,ap of nonnegative integers is said to be an eccentric sequence if there exists a connected graphG of orderp whose vertices can be labelledv1,v2, ...,vp so thate(vi)=ai for alli. Several properties of eccentric sequences are exhibited, and a necessary and sufficient condition for a sequence to be eccentric is presented. Sequences which are the eccentricity sequences of trees are characterized. Some properties of the eccentricity sequences of self-complementary graphs are obtained. It is shown that the radius of a nontrivial self-complementary graph is two.
Analysis of Transport Activity of Arabidopsis Sugar Alcohol Permease Homolog AtPLT5

The transporters responsible for sugar uptake into non-photosynthetic sink tissues in plants, such as roots and flowers, have not been fully identified and analyzed. Plants encode around 100 putative sugar transporters within the major facilitator superfamily, yet only a few have been studied. Here we report the analysis of a sugar alcohol permease homolog (AtPLT5, At3g18830) from Arabidopsis. A wide range of sugars including hexoses, pentoses, tetroses, a sugar acid, and sugar alcohols but not disaccharides induced inward currents in oocytes expressing AtPLT5. AtPLT5 expression also resulted in 14C-labeled substrate uptake in oocytes, indicating that AtPLT5 encodes an ion-coupled uptake transporter. K(0.5) values for glucose and sorbitol were highly dependent on external pH. Expression of AtPLT5 was found primarily in sink tissues: in the elongation zone of roots, in the inflorescence stem, and several floral structures, especially in the floral abscission zone. Expression was induced by mechanical wounding and insect feeding. Analysis of transport properties and expression in Arabidopsis indicate that AtPLT5 functions to transport a wide range of sugars into specific sink tissues in the plant.
EVALUATION OF EXTRACRANIAL CAROTID ARTERY DISEASE BY ULTRASONIC DUPLEX SCANNING: A CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

The development of noninvasive methods of extracranial carotid artery evaluation over the past decade has led to questions as to their usefulness in daily clinical practice. They have generally been proposed for use in screening asymptomatic patients with bruits or those about to undergo major operative procedures. Since patients with focal symptoms are considered candidates for arteriography, noninvasive tests in this situation may be redundant. However, as the accuracy of the imaging and pulsed Doppler methods has improved, it is appropriate to re-examine this question. Based upon our experience, it is our current feeling that initial screening using ultrasonic Duplex scanning does have a place in symptomatic patients and can be shown to be cost effective.
What non-land-grant researchers can contribute to agricultural sustainability

Research on agricultural production has been largely the domain of an institutional system established especially for the purpose. However, the complexities and diverse character of agriculture require diversified modes of research. Such a strategy might be better pursued by a more diversified set of research institutions. Non-land-grant institutions, although lacking the land-grant system's strong experience in agriculture and its close ties with farmers, potentially represent a large pool of scientific expertise in a broad range of fields relevant to agriculture. Also, they are under different institutional constraints, and may be in a better position to do more speculative, long-range research that does not promise immediate practical benefits. Although such research has been criticized by people in the sustainable agriculture movement who believe that research should be more directed at farmers' current problems, a truly sustainable agriculture will require a deeper grasp of how agricultural systems work. Achieving this will demand a breadth of understanding that extends beyond the production-oriented studies that dominate current sustainable agriculture research programs.
Black ordinary chondrites - An analysis of abundance and fall frequency

Black ordinary chondrite meteorites sample the spectral effects of shock on ordinary chondrite material in the space environment. Since shock is an important regolith process these meteorites provide insight into the spectral properties of the regoliths on ordinary chondrite parent bodies. To determine how common black chondrites are in the meteorite collection and, by analogy, the frequency of shock-alteration in ordinary chondrites, several of the world's major meteorite collections were examined to identify black chondrites. Over 80 percent of all cataloged ordinary chondrites were examined and, using an optical definition, 61 black chondrites were identified. Black chondrites account for approximately 13.7 percent of ordinary chondrite falls. If the optically altered gas-rich ordinary chondrites are included the proportion of falls that exhibit some form of altered spectral properties increases to 16.7 percent. This suggests that optical alteration of asteroidal material in the space environment is a relatively common process.
Improved impact damage resistance in adaptive shape memory alloy hybrid composite materials

Composite material impact damage tolerance and resistance are often limiting criteria when composites are considered for critical load bearing applications. Often undetectable to visual inspection, foreign object impact causes varying degrees of damage to composite structures which can initiate fatal material failures under various operating loads. This paper examines a new concept of composite material toughening by embedding small amounts of fibrous superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) materials into brittle composite materials. In this preliminary study, a 2.8-percent volume fraction of activated (i.e. superelastic) shape memory alloy fibers were embedded within G40- 600/5245C graphite/bismaleimide to create a hybridized composite material. Impact test results show that with the SMA fibers, impact resistance of the hybrid composite materials was increased. At impact energies that perforate the standard graphite/bismaleimide, the SMA fibers stopped perforation of the hybridized composite. Preliminary results show that composite-ply delamination was reduced as much as 25 percent because of the embedded SMA fibers.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Detection of microbial antibodies in chickens: immunofluorescence studies with serum and egg yolk.

SummaryThe indirect immunofluorescence test, employing egg yolk extract rather than hen's serum, should offer an important additional tool for the detection of certain microbial antibodies in domestic and wild birds.
On structure-related properties of synthetic organic clot-dissolving (thrombolytic) compounds☆

Abstract Salicylic acid detivatives and various other anionic compounds induce upon dissolution marked fibrinolytic activity in human plasma by activating its fibrinolytic system. Clots formed from such plasma dissolve spontaneously on incubation, even after having been carefully washed. The fibrinolysis-inducing capacity of synthetic organic compounds depends on the type and position of the substitution of the mother compound. The capacity for salicylates and γ-resorcylates increased manyfold with the increase of the bulkiness of the substituent. Above and below an optimal concentration, no fibrinolytic activity is obtained. There is evidence that the synthetic fibrinolytic compounds act basically as inhibitors, possibly by interfering with the activity of an antiactivator, thus freeing the blood activator to activate plasminogen. The synthetic fibrinolytic compounds have a strong affinity for proteins; the major part of them is bound to albumin and lost for the fibrinolysis-inducing process. It is hoped that the synthetic organic fibrinolysis-inducing compounds may be developed into convenient thrombolytic agents.
The Typology of Wh-Movement, Wh-Questions in Malay

This article investigates the complex facts of Malay wh-questions, and suggests a theory of how Malay wh-questions fit into the typology of wh-questions permitted by a Minimalist conception of Universal Grammar. The paper examines the principles that account for overt wh-movement, wh-in-situ and partial wh-movement in Malay. We argue that the apparent optionality seen in Malay reduces to whether, in the lexicon, a question word consists of an operator and variable combined in a single word, or of a variable bound by a separate, phonologically null operator. We then apply the analysis based on Malay to other languages (primarily, to Chinese and English), and show that the principles employed for Malay are sufficient to explain the variation in wh-question formation among these languages.
A Comparison of the Effects of Environmental Temperature Changes and 4.4°C. Cold on the Biological Half Life (t 1/2) of Thyroxine-I131 in Fowls

Abstract IT HAS been shown that the thyroid hormone secretion rate (TSR) of fowls is significantly lower during summer months than during winter months (Turner, 1948; Stahl and Turner, 1961). The rate of uptake and release of thyroidal-I131 has been shown to be stimulated by short term exposure of fowls to 4.4°C. However, these rates were shown to return to normal by longer term exposure to 4.4° C. (Hendrich and Turner, 1963). The thyroid stimulating hormone secretion rate (TSH-SR) of fowls has been shown to be increased by cooler as compared to warmer environmental temperatures (Hendrich and Turner, 1964). The biological half-life (t 1/2) of thyroxine-I131 (L-T4-I131) refers to the time required for the disappearance of one-half of the hormone present in the blood at a given time. The purpose of the following research was to compare the effects of environmental temperature changes and a 4.4°C. temperature on the t 1/2 …
Neural Population Modeling and Psychology: A Review

Abstract The development of neural population modeling as it relates to psychology is traced from the early 1940s to the present. The evolution of the field has been from descriptions of randomly connected neurons transmitting all-or-none signals to analyses of structured multi-level networks whose dynamics involve several different spatial and temporal scales. The cybernetic revolution of the 1940s led to the incorporation into digital neural models of such concepts as linear threshold logic, redundant computation, and information. Each of these concepts has more recently been synthesized with learning to generate a set of adaptive neural models. Concurrently, a variety of data from neurophysiology and from experimental psychology suggested models that incorporated continuous and nonlinear effects. Since the late 1960s there has been much activity in the design of rules for modifiable synapses in models of learning or conditioning. There has also been much activity in the design of lateral inhibitory networks that model sensory pattern storage. The development of models of these effects is outlined, together with that of multi-level networks that combine modifiable synapses and lateral inhibitory anatomies. These multi- networks model such psychological effects as reinforcement, attention, coding of feature detectors, and interactions between short-term and long-term memory.
The chicken cDNA for ornithine decarboxylase antizyme

Two full length avian cDNAs for ornithine decarboxylase antizyme were isolated from a chicken cochlear cDNA library and differed in length through use of alternative poly(A) addition signals. The chick antizyme protein sequence predicted by translational frameshifting of the mRNA is 216 amino acids long and is more similar to Xenopus antizyme than to the mammalian protein.
Flexural Behavior of an Ultrahigh-Performance Concrete I-Girder

The flexural behavior of an ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) was investigated through the testing and related analysis of a full-scale prestressed I-girder. A 28 ksi (193 MPa) compressive strength steel fiber reinforced concrete was used to fabricate an 80 ft (24.4 m) long AASHTO Type II girder containing 26 prestressing strands and no mild steel reinforcement. Intermediate and final behaviors, including cracking, flexural stiffness, and moment capacity, were investigated. Test results are compared to predictions based on standard analytical procedures. A relationship between tensile strain and crack spacing is developed. The uniaxial stress-strain response of UHPC when subjected to flexural stresses in an I-girder is determined and is verified to be representative of both the stress and flexural stiffness behaviors of the girder. A flexural design philosophy for this type of girder is proposed.