cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NF2 mutation status and tumor mutational burden correlate with immune cell infiltration in meningiomas.

The tumor microenvironment is an emerging biomarker of underlying genomic heterogeneity and response to immunotherapy-based treatment regimens in solid malignancies. How tumor mutational burden influences the density, distribution, and presence of a localized immune response in meningiomas is unknown. Representative hematoxylin and eosin slides were reviewed at 40X to assess for the density of inflammatory cells. Lymphocytes and macrophages were quantified in the following ordinal manner: 0 = not present, 1 = 1–25 cells present, and 2 = greater than 26 cells present. Immune cell infiltrate grade was scored for both scattered and aggregated distributions. Next generation targeted sequencing was performed on all meningiomas included in this study. One hundred and forty-five meningiomas were evaluated in this study. Lymphocytes were observed in both scattered (95.9%) and aggregated (21.4%) distributions. A total of 115 (79.3%) meningiomas had 1–25 scattered lymphocytes, and 24 (16.6%) had > 25 scattered lymphocytes, and 6 (4.1%) had no scattered lymphocytes. Twenty (13.8%) meningiomas had 1–25 aggregated lymphocytes. Eleven (7.6%) had > 25 aggregated lymphocytes and 114 (78.6%) had no aggregated lymphocytes. Six (4.1%) meningiomas had 1–25 aggregated macrophages, 5 (3.4%) had > 25 aggregated macrophages, and 134 (92.4%) had no aggregated macrophages. Density of aggregated lymphocytes and aggregated macrophages were associated with higher tumor grade, P = 0.0071 and P = 0.0068, respectively. Scattered lymphocyte density was not associated with meningioma grade. The presence of scattered lymphocytes was associated with increased tumor mutational burden. Meningiomas that did not have scattered lymphocytes had a mean number of single mutations of 2.3 ± 2.9, compared with meningiomas that had scattered lymphocytes, 6.9 ± 20.3, P = 0.03. NF2 mutations were identified in 59 (40.7%) meningiomas and were associated with increased density of scattered lymphocytes. NF2 mutations were seen in 0 (0%) meningiomas that did not have scattered lymphocytes, 46 (40.0%) meningiomas that had 1–25 scattered lymphocytes, and 13 (54.2%) meningiomas that had > 25 scattered lymphocytes, P = 0.046. Our findings suggest that distribution of immune cell infiltration in meningiomas is associated with tumor mutational burden. NF2 mutational status was associated with an increasing density of scattered lymphocytes. As the role of immunotherapy in meningiomas continues to be elucidated with clinical trials that are currently underway, these results may serve as a novel biomarker of tumor mutational burden in meningiomas.
Integration of Genomic Medicine in Pathology Resident Training.

Objectives To assess current pathology resident training in genomic and molecular pathology. Methods The Training Residents in Genomics (TRIG) Working Group has developed survey questions for the pathology Resident In-Service Examination (RISE) since 2012. Responses to these questions, as well as knowledge questions, were analyzed. Results A total of 2,529 residents took the 2019 RISE. Since 2013, there has been an increase in postgraduate year 4 (PGY4) respondents indicating training in genomic medicine (58% to approximately 80%) but still less than almost 100% each year for molecular pathology. In 2019, PGY4 residents indicated less perceived knowledge and ability related to both genomic and traditional molecular pathology topics compared with control areas. Knowledge question results supported this subjective self-appraisal. Conclusions The RISE is a powerful tool for assessing the current state and also trends related to resident training in genomic pathology. The results show progress but also the need for improvement in not only genomic pathology but traditional molecular pathology training as well.
State Estimator Design for Stefan System

The state feedback control presented in Chap. 2 requires the entire profile of the temperature in the liquid phase as a given information. Some imaging-based sensors such as thermographic camera (a.k.a. infrared camera or IR camera) enables to capture the temperature profile; however, they include relatively high noise as compared to single point thermal sensors, such as thermocouples. Thus, estimating the entire temperature profile given a boundary measurement is a significant task for the implementation of the control algorithm.
Hepatic Sensing Loop Regulates PCSK9 Secretion in Response to Inhibitory Antibodies.

Abstract Background Monoclonal antibodies against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9i) lower LDL-C by up to 60% and increase plasma proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (...
Risk Factors for Revolving Door in Children and Adolescents with Psychiatric Disorders.

Revolving Door (RD) is a frequent phenomenon afflicting children and adolescents with psychiatric diagnoses. Nevertheless, risk factors for RD are still a matter of debate. To better understand RD phenomenon, we conducted a retrospective study on 224 children and adolescents (165 females and 59 males, aged 6–16 years) with a psychiatric hospitalization, taking the multiple risk factors together. At this aim, 108 patients with multiple hospitalizations and 116 patients with only one hospitalization were compared on demographic characteristics, clinical conditions, psychiatric ward stay, and post-discharge management factors. More than half of psychiatric patients were readmitted within three months of discharge. RD patients presented greater severity of illness, needed longer stays, and were more frequently placed in residential facilities than non-RD patients. Non-suicidal self-injurious and adoption were the main predictors of RD. Clinical instruments that detected behavioural and emotional symptoms, suicidal ideation severity, and level of impairment of the person’s functioning were useful to identify patients at high risk for RD. In conclusion, our findings pointed out that several risk factors have to be considered to better understand and, in the future, prevent RD phenomenon.
Description of Guanarito Virus (Arenaviridae: Arenavirus), the Etiologic Agent of Venezuelan Hemorrhagic Fever

This paper characterizes Guanarito virus, the etiologic agent of Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever. Based on its morphology and antigenic properties, Guanarito virus appears to be a new member of the Tacaribe complex of the genus Arenavirus, family Arenaviridae. Complement fixation and indirect fluorescent antibody tests showed that Guanarito virus and its antiserum are broadly cross-reactive with other members of the Tacaribe complex, but it can be differentiated from other members of the complex by neutralization test. Guanarito virus causes mortality in suckling mice and adult guinea pigs, but not in adult mice. Inoculated rhesus monkeys developed viremia and became ill; however, they subsequently recovered and responded with production of antibody. To date, all isolates of Guanarito virus have come from sick persons or wild rodents living within a single geographic focus in the central plains of Venezuela.
From earth to heaven: South African sociology in the international context

Abstract This has been a wonderful SASA meeting, with greater attendance than ever, with so many young and new faces, developing new perspectives for South Africa's second transition. A new generation of sociologists is taking over and SASA, one feels, has turned a corner. It reminds me of the first meeting of your association that I attended. It was 1990 in Stellenbosch. Blade Nzimande, then General Secretary of ASSA (Association of Sociologists of Southern Africa) invited me to address sociologists on the matter of the collapse of state socialism. I gave a rather optimistic address, “Painting Socialism,” the way socialism sows the seeds of its own destruction, by generating demands from below for a democratic socialism. I may have been deluded about the survival of socialism in Hungary but in South Africa I'm delighted to say the imagination of socialism is still alive. From the panels I have attended I see the critical imagination is thriving in SASA, even in the adverse conditions of contemporary Sout...
Optimal income taxation and migration: a world welfare point of view.

Abstract This paper considers a world in which a distortionary income tax must be employed to raise and redistribute revenue. The optimal taxation of emigrants relative to those left behind is examined under the objective of world social welfare maximization. When tastes for consumption and labor do not depend directly on residence, the optimal tax system induces individuals to reside where the marginal products of their chosen labor supplies are highest. This paper also proves the existence of an optimal tax system under which each individual resides where he pays the greatest tax. This result holds even when tastes are allowed to vary with residence in an interesting way.
Bag-of-particles as a deformable model

We present an interactive, physically-based, elastically deformable model using a particle system to model surfaces with interior volumes that can be haptically felt. Oriented particles used in existing surface-only models, and unoriented particles used in volume-only simulations are combined to form a bag-of-particles. Multiple species of surface and volume particles, coupled with prede£ned interspecies parameters, determine the elastic properties of a bag. Starting with an object represented as a 3D voxel bitmap of connected components, the gradient of its distance map gives a vector £eld, or gradient map, that captures the static shape of an object and provides shape-maintaining forces. The gradient map enables the user to de£ne the geometry of the simulated objects, and provides feedback reaction forces allowing a user to feel the model. A bag-of-particles model can simulate several objects in the same scene, as well as objects composed of different materials, such as organs with multiple tissue types. We demonstrate the bag-of-particles approach using a number of different data sources, and apply it to modeling myocardium dynamics.
Efficient implementation of data cubes via materialized views

Data cubes are specialized database management systems designed to support multidimensional data for such purposes as decision support and data mining. For a given mix of queries, we can optimize the implementation of a data cube by materializing some projections of the cube. A greedy approach turns out to be very effective; it is both polynomial-time as a function of the number of possible views to materialize and guaranteed to come close to the optimum choice of views. The work reported here is a summary of results appearing in the following two papers: V. Harinarayan, A. Rajaiaman, and J. D. Ullman, "Implementing data cubes efficiently." To appear in 1996 SIGMOD. An extended version is available by anonymous ftp from db.stanford.edu as pub/harinarayan/1995/cube.ps. H. Gupta, V. Harinarayan, A. Rajaraman, and J. D. Ullman, "Index selection for OLAP." Available by anonymous ftp from db.stanford.edu as pub/hgupta/1996/CubeIndex.ps.
An items record management system

Abstract Because U.S. Selective Depository collections are built on the basis of categories of selection rather than title or subject, management of collection development presents many problems. The implementation of automated item files permits the documents librarian to perceive the dynamics of addition, deletion, rejection, and discontinuance as a continuing and fluid process by which a depository collection develops and can be managed.
On groups of exponent four: A criterion for nonsolvability

It has been conjectured that B(∞, 4) , the free infinitely generated group of exponent 4 is solvable (in particular, by Higman and Hall). In the references are given the many contributions toward a solution of this problem and related problems. I wish now to report on the recent joint work of Bachmuth and myself [1] and, in particular, to give evidence for the nonsolvability of B(∞, 4) and to give a ring-theoretic criterion for nonsolvability.
Criteria for Exchange Transfusion in Jaundiced Newborns

Objective. A widely published set of exchange transfusion criteria lowers critical bilirubin concentrations when the serum albumin falls to Design and participants. The bilirubin/albumin ratio was defined as a reliable indicator of bilirubin-albumin binding if the frequency curves of specific unbound bilirubin concentrations are normally distributed functions of the ratio. Therefore the bilirubin/albumin ratios at which the unbound bilirubin reached 10, 15, and 20 nmol/L were determined by the peroxidase method in 35 well full-term, 10 ill full-term, and 19 ill preterm neonates. The frequency curves for each unbound bilirubin concentration plotted against the bilirubin/albumin ratio were tested for normality. Results. The frequency of each unbound bilirubin concentration was a normally distributed function of the bilirubin/albumin ratio. Furthermore, the mean ratio at which each unbound bilirubin occurred did not differ significantly among the groups of neonates. Conclusion. The bilirubin/albumin ratio is a simple, nonambiguous way of incorporating the serum albumin concentration into exchange transfusion criteria.
Active Class Selection

This paper presents Active Class Selection(ACS), a new class of problems for multi-class supervised learning. If one can control the classes from which training data is generated, utilizing feedback during learning to guide the generation of new training data will yield better performance than learning from any a priorifixed class distribution. ACS is the process of iteratively selecting class proportions for data generation. In this paper we present several methods for ACS. In an empirical evaluation, we show that for a fixed number of training instances, methods based on increasing class stability outperform methods that seek to maximize class accuracy or that use random sampling. Finally we present results of a deployed system for our motivating application: training an artificial nose to discriminate vapors.
Hypnotherapy for vaginismus.

Abstract The literature on hypnotherapy contains few comments, usually generalizations, on vaginismus. 2 patients with this problem are presented here. Methods used and degrees of success are described. Major stress was on hypnotic relaxation with supporting, persuading, and graded, encouraging measures.
INFLORESCENCE ARCHITECTURE: HOW FLOWER NUMBER, ARRANGEMENT, AND PHENOLOGY AFFECT POLLINATION AND FRUIT-SET'

The adaptive significance of different types of inflorescences in flowering plants has been largely ignored. The few published studies investigating adaptive aspects of floral displays suggest that numbers of flowers and their arrangement in space and time determine levels of pollination and fruit-set in natural populations. The frequently conflicting demands placed on inflorescence architecture have led to an evolutionary compromise that maximizes the genetic contribution of an individual plant to the next generation. These conflicting demands include pollinator attraction vs. ovary competition, fruit dispersal vs. fruit predation, and reproductive vs. vegetative resource allocation. In most cases, the inflorescence size most successful in fruit production is also the most frequent in natural populations. In addition to quantity of offspring, inflorescence architecture affects, and in turn is affected by, the quality of offspring that result from selfing vs. outcrossing.
FIELD NOTES: A CONCEPTUAL APPLICATION OF ATTACHMENT THEORY AND RESEARCH TO THE SOCIAL WORK STUDENT-FIELD INSTRUCTOR SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP

This article conceptualizes an attachment-based model of the student–field instructor relationship, based on empirical research concerning internal working models of attachment, which continue into adulthood and serve as templates for life-long relating. Supportive relationships within a noncritical context are salient for effective supervision; attachment theory provides a framework for developing supportive supervisory relationships and augments existing theories of supervision. Ideal and problematic supervisory relationships are presented followed by recommendations for interventions and future research. The supervisory relationship will be most successful when the field instructor is guided by attachment theory and its conceptualization of a "secure base" (Bowlby, 1988).
Application of a Coupled Wellbore/Reservoir Simulator to Estimate Accumulated Liquid Phase in Gas Wells

Knowledge of the phase distribution and liquid accumulation in gas wells is very important in determining the restrictions that may exist for the inflow from the formation. It is also critical to determine if the flow rate of a well is itself sufficient to remove the loaded liquid phase or if other techniques should be applied. In this article, we used a developed non-isothermal transient multiphase wellbore/reservoir simulator to model liquid accumulation in gas wells. The simulator can be used as a tool to predict the amount of loaded liquid as a function of well flow rate and to design new flow strings to remove accumulated liquid.
PERCEPTUAL RESPONSE SETS ON THE ROD-AND-FRAME TASK IN A COLLEGE SAMPLE

Sunimary.-RFT scores of 38 male college students were examined for the presence of response sets. Significant response sets were found in 79% of the sample's over-all RFT scores. Further, the three RFT series were also analyzed separately for response sets and compared with data from a sample of technical personnel. It was concluded rhat (1) response sets do tend to occur in RFT performances and (2) that response sets are seemingly more apt to occur with college srudents than technical personnel. Most intriguing, however, was the finding that almost all Ss favored the left side of true vertical in their response sets. Several hypotheses were proposed as explanations of such response-set phenomena.
Amyloid, neurodegeneration, and small vessel disease as predictors of dementia in the oldest-old.

Objective: To examine the association between brain structural changes and β-amyloid deposition, and incident dementia in 183 elderly subjects without dementia (mean age 85.5 years) 2 years later. Methods: Subjects had a brain structural MRI scan and a PET scan with 11 C-labeled Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) in 2009, and were evaluated clinically in 2011. Results: At baseline evaluation, of the 183 participants (146 cognitively normal [CN]); 37 mild cognitive impairment [MCI]), 139 (76%) were PiB+, had small hippocampal volume ( 75th percentile). Two years later, 111 (61%) were classified as CN, 51 (28%) as MCI, and 21 (11%) as dementia. At baseline, 51% of the CN participants and 67.5% of the MCI cases were PiB+. Thirty percent of the CN and 51% of the MCI cases had small hippocampi, and 24% of the CN and 40.5% of the MCI cases had abnormal WMLs. Of the 21 participants who progressed to dementia, 20 (95%) had at least one imaging abnormality. Only 3 (14%) were only PiB+, 1 (5%) had only small hippocampi, 1 (5%) had only WMLs, 1 (5%) was biomarker negative, and the other 16 had various pairs of imaging abnormalities. Continuous variables of PiB retention, left and right hippocampal volume, and WML volume were independent predictors of dementia in a logistic regression analysis controlling for age, sex, education level, and Mini-Mental State Examination scores. Conclusions: The prevalence of β-amyloid deposition, neurodegeneration (i.e., hippocampal atrophy), and small vessel disease (WMLs) is high in CN older individuals and in MCI. A combination of 2 or 3 of these factors is a powerful predictor of short-term incidence of dementia.
Rule use in character classification: Are serial and parallel processing discrete?

Contrary to predictions of a stochastic self-terrninating search model, choice reaction times were lower for rulebound positive sets than for nonrulebound positive sets when memory set sizes were varied and stimulus probabilities were held constant. The result suggests that rule use and chunking, as opposed to probability alone, facilitate character classification. As a corollary, it is proposed that serial and parallel processing differ in degree rather than in kind. The extent to which the memory set has been chunked is the critical variable affecting Ss' scanning practices. In a character classifieation experiment, the S learns a list and then decides as quickly as possible whether single items presented later belong in the list. Generally , the time required to make the decision increases monotonically with the length of the list (Sternberg, 1966). This fact suggests that Ss compare the test item with each item in the memorized list in aserial fashion. One of the surprising discoveries made with the character classification procedure is that an equal amount of time is taken to indieate whether an item is a member of the list or not. Intuitively, one would expect judgments of membership to take much less time than judgments of nonmernbership, since the memory search would be expected to stop when a positive match is made between a test and list item. But because choice reaction times (CRTs) for judgments of membership and norimembership are roughly equal and can be represented by curves of equal slope, it seems that judgments are made after an exhaustive search through the memory set (Atkinson, Holmgren, & Juola, 1969;
Calculation of Three-Dimensional, Viscous Flow Through Turbomachinery Blade Passage by Parabolic Marching

The three-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes equations are formulated in a rotating coordinate system, so as to include centrifugal and Coriolis forces. The equations are parabolized by using a previously calculated inviscid static pressure field. The thin layer Navier-Stokes approximation, which neglects streamwise diffusion, is used. A body-fitted coordinate system is used. The streamwise momentum equation is uncoupled from the cross-stream momentum equation by using contravariant momentum components, and then using the contravariant velocity components as primary unknowns. To reduce problems with small separating regions, the Reyhner and Flugge-Lotz approximation is used. The energy equation is included to allow for calculation of heat transfer. The flow may be laminar, or a simple eddy-viscosity turbulence may be used. A number of curved ducts and an axial stator were analyzed, including cases for which experimental data are available.
RSSI-based localization in cellular networks

This paper presents a novel RSSI based localization scheme that employs an existing cellular network infrastructure to perform trilateration. Traditional localization schemes employ RSSI-based radial distance estimation and trilateration algorithm. However, in a realistic scenario, the RSSI measurements are distorted due to multipath fading thus introducing error in radial distance estimation. Moreover, the selection of the best three anchor cell towers with the lowest localization error is not been explored. The proposed scheme improves localization accuracy using two, novel correcting and evaluating metrics: the Radial Distance Error Indicator (RDEI) and the Localization Error Indicator (LEI). The proposed RDEI metric is derived from the mean square error (MSE) of radial distance estimation in multipath fading channel. In the proposed method, it is employed as a correcting factor for the radial distance estimation. Next, the LEI estimate the combined localization error based on the towers positions, corresponding radial distance estimation and its error. The final position estimation improves localization accuracy as demonstrated through analytical and experimental results.
Effects of Meclofenamate Sodium on Proteasome Activity in Cardiac Cells

Among the investigated causes of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and Meclofenamate Sodium (MS), which are used to reduce pain and fever, has been associated with increased risk of heart failure. The molecular mechanism by which NSAIDs induce cardiac dysfunction has yet to be completely elucidated, but a study using aspirin has demonstrated inhibition of proteasome activity in mouse Neuro 2a cells. The proteasome is a multi-catalytic protease complex that degrades unneeded or damaged intracellular proteins to maintain intracellular homeostasis. After 4 hours of incubation, 30μM MS was found to decrease the beta 5 chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity by 30% in H9c2 rat cardiac cells. Unlike aspirin, which was not found to directly inhibit the proteasome, MS directly modulated all three proteolytic activities of purified 20S mouse proteasome. MS significantly increased the beta 1 caspase-like and beta 2 trypsin-like activities of purified 20S proteasomes in a concentration-dependent manner. However, 500μM MS inhibited the beta 5 activity of purified 20S proteasomes by approximately 15%. Addition of 50μM MS to mouse heart homogenates decreased the 26S beta 5 proteasome activity by 20%. At MS concentrations found in the plasma of persons taking MS, MS was found to severely hinder myotube formation during C2C12 mouse skeletal myoblast cell differentiation. This is the first report of any NSAID directly affecting proteasome activity in cardiac cells and could explain why NSAIDs like MS should not be given to patients prior to heart surgery. Supported by NIH grant HL096819.
Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticle assembly for highly efficient delivery of potent therapeutic agents from medical devices

Controlled delivery of therapeutic agents from medical devices can improve their safety and effectiveness in vivo, by ameliorating the surrounding tissue responses and thus maintaining the functional integrity of the devices. Previously, we presented a new method for providing simultaneous controlled delivery from medical devices, by surface assembly of biodegradable polymer nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulating fluorescent dyes. Here, we continue our investigation with NPs loaded with therapeutic agents, dexamethasone (DEX) or plasmid DNA, and evaluated the bioactivity of the released molecules with macrophage cells associated with inflammation. Over a period of one week, NPs encapsulating DEX released 24.9+/-0.8ng from the probe surface and was successful at suppressing macrophage cell growth by 40+/-10%. This percentage of suppression corresponded to approximately 100% drug delivery efficiency, in comparison with the unencapsulated drug. DNA NP coatings, in contrast, released approximately 1ng of plasmid DNA and were effective at transfecting macrophage cells to express the luciferase gene at 300+/-200 relative luminescence/mg total protein. This amount of luciferase activity corresponded to 100% gene delivery efficiency. Thus, NP coatings were capable of providing continuous release of bioactive agents in sufficient quantities to induce relevant biological effects in cell culture studies. These coatings also remained intact, even after 14 days of incubation with phosphate buffered saline. Although the maximum loading for NP coatings is inherently lower than the more established matrix coating, our study suggests that the NP coatings are a more versatile and efficient approach toward drug delivery or gene delivery from a medical device surface and are perhaps best suited for continuous release of highly potent therapeutic agents.
NMR and NQR studies of boron in vitreous and crystalline borates

Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) have both been used to study boron in crystalline borates and glasses containing boron oxide (B2O3). Both boron nuclear isotopes, 10B and 11B, have magnetic moments and electrical quadrupole moments. The interactions of the latter perturb the NMR Zeeman energy levels and produce broadening and structure in the NMR spectra. Computer analysis of that structure yields quadrupolar parameters that depend very sensitively on the boron coordination, chemical bonding, and the identity of structural groupings containing the boron atoms. NMR spectra for three- and four-coordinated borons are easily distinguished from each other and the fractions of boron in each coordination can be obtained. Similarly, three-coordinated borons bonded to different numbers of non-bridging oxygens are distinguishable and can be quantified. All boron sites are ‘fingerprinted’ by the quadrupolar parameters that can be used to check the validity of values calculated by quantum mechanical procedures. NQR spectra occur at low frequencies (below 1.4 MHz) which poses experimental problems, but they can yield data that are much more accurate than the NMR-derived results, and resolve responses that overlap or conceal each other in the NMR spectra. Identification in glasses of the type and amount of structural groupings found in crystalline borates provides guidance for compositional variations or heat treatments that produce desired macroscopic properties of the glasses.
Evolution of stress in individual grains and twins in a magnesium alloy aggregate.

This is an in situ measurement of the full stress tensor and its evolution in a growing deformation twin and, simultaneously, in the grain where the twin forms. The combined information provides a detailed picture of the grain-twin interaction. The three-dimensional x-ray diffraction method using 80.7 keV synchrotron x rays allows us to in situ investigate a grain within the bulk of a magnesium alloy (AZ31) sample that is compressed to activate the ${10\overline{1}2}⟨\overline{1}011⟩$ tensile twin system. We observe that the stress state of the twin is drastically different from the one of the grain in which it is embedded. We analyze such result in terms of the shear transformation associated with twinning and the dimensional constraints imposed by the surrounding aggregate.
Dephasing by a dynamic asymmetric environment.

We investigate the manner in which quantum interference is suppressed when a particle interacts with a spatially localized, dynamical environment. To do so we examine a model with two classical paths along which an electron can travel and allow it to interact with a bath of harmonic oscillators on one path and travel freely on the other. In particular, we show that the quantum fluctuations of the path of the particle can couple to the environment and thus lead to dephasing and calculate the dephasing time in the high-temperature limit. We compare this result to other views of how propagating electrons lose phase coherence.
Possibility of Producing Arterial Hypertension by Intracisternal Injection of Kaolin.

SummaryA suspension of kaolin injected into the cerebello-medullary cistern of 9 dogs failed to produce a significant or sustained elevation of blood pressure, although considerable internal hydrocephalus was present in all autopsied dogs.
Role of Nitric Oxide and Adenosine in Control of Coronary Blood Flow in Exercising Dogs

Background—Inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis results in very little change in coronary blood flow, but this is thought to be because cardiac adenosine concentration increases to compensate for the loss of NO vasodilation. Accordingly, in the present study, adenosine measurements were made before and during NO synthesis inhibition during exercise. Methods and Results—Experiments were performed in chronically instrumented dogs at rest and during graded treadmill exercise before and during inhibition of NO synthesis with Nω-nitro-l-arginine (L-NNA, 35 mg/kg IV). Before inhibition of NO synthesis, myocardial oxygen consumption increased ≈3.7-fold, and coronary blood flow increased ≈3.2-fold from rest to the highest level of exercise, and this was not changed by NO synthesis inhibition. Coronary venous oxygen tension was modestly reduced by L-NNA at all levels of myocardial oxygen consumption. However, the slope of the relationship between myocardial oxygen consumption and coronary venous oxygen tensio...
Propagation constant of a transmission line

Starting with the logarithmic variation of voltage and current along a transmission line, a derivation of the propagation constant is given in this article, depending only upon the application of Kirchoff's laws and simple hyperbolic trigonometry.
Improved reading techniques for electronic structural surveillance tags

Results from our efforts to improve the performance of low-cost, unpowered, wireless, resistance based Electronic Structural Surveillance tags (ESS) will be presented. The ESS tags use an unpowered embedded sensor read by an external reader using an inductively coupled impedance measurement. Read range of coupled tags is largely dependent on the strength of inductive coupling which is influenced by the relative shape and size of the coils. Reader coil geometries can be optimized to increase read range. Additionally, an enhanced circuit model, for data extraction, is developed and tested with the corrosion sensor. The model provides increased information about the sensor and its surroundings. Better coil design and circuit model based data extraction methods can improve the reliability in reading the sensor. Recommendations for design and analysis resulting from this study can be extended to optimize other electronic structural surveillance tag sensors.
Living through College Literacy: Nursing in a Second Language

This case study of a Chinese undergraduate nursing student focuses on her literacy experiences in her nursing major. Although traditional academic writing played some role in her education, the unusual demands of nonacademic, disciplinary documents, particularly nursing care plans (NCPs), played a more significant and more intractable role in her education and in the difficulties she faced. This investigation of features of academic literacy across the curriculum also embeds this student’s experience in broader concerns of the nursing curriculum and nursing regulatory agencies, further complicating the role of disciplinary literacy acquisition.
Interaction of Atmospheric Ions with Biological Material

The object of this study was to investigate some of the possible physical and chemical bases for the alleged physiological effects of inhaled ionization on humans. Evidence is adduced from ` glow discharge electrolysis ' experiments to show that the ordinary ` small ions ' of atmospheric electricity carry appreciable quantities of chemical and electrostatic energy. It was found that about 5 × 10−4 coulomb/sq cm of such ions incident on Escherichia coli would kill them to 1/e. This amounts to 3 × 108 erg/gm and is about 8 times the amount of ultraviolet energy or 700 times the amount of X-ray energy required to kill E. coli. It is estimated that natural atmospheric ionization inhaled by humans can supply in one day at most 10−10 coulomb/sq cm to a small part of the upper respiratory tract, so that these experiments show that the amount of natural ionization inhaled is too small to kill bacteria or virus in the upper respiratory tract. It is pointed out, however, that the mucus may collect and transmit the ion energy in the form of chemically reactive molecules which finally reach more sensitive biological material, such as the receptor centres through which virus gain access to epithelial cells, and thus the ion energy may have some effect on airborne respiratory infections. This transmission of the ion energy is analogous to the ` indirect effect ' of radiation chemistry.
Properties of DNA isolated from organs of calves treated with S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine III. Template activity for bacterial RNA polymerase

Abstract DNA-dependent RNA polymerase from E. coli K 12 was used to assay the template activity of DNA isolated from seven organs of calves which had been treated with a single dose of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC). Native thymus DNA isolated from a normal calf was used as a reference standard. The activity of DNA isolated from thymus, bone marrow and lymph nodes of normal calves was higher than that of DNA isolated from liver, kidney, spleen and intestinal mucosa of the same animals. The activity of the DNA from these four organs remained unchanged during three weeks after treatment of calves with DCVC whereas the activity of DNA isolated from the three hemopoietic tissues of the same animals showed a marked decrease by the 10th day and was only from 1–5% of normal three weeks after treatment of the calves with DCVC. This decrease in activity coincided with the development of aplastic anemia of the calves.
A microfluidic culture platform for CNS axonal injury, regeneration and transport

Investigation of axonal biology in the central nervous system (CNS) is hindered by a lack of an appropriate in vitro method to probe axons independently from cell bodies. Here we describe a microfluidic culture platform that polarizes the growth of CNS axons into a fluidically isolated environment without the use of targeting neurotrophins. In addition to its compatibility with live cell imaging, the platform can be used to (i) isolate CNS axons without somata or dendrites, facilitating biochemical analyses of pure axonal fractions and (ii) localize physical and chemical treatments to axons or somata. We report the first evidence that presynaptic (Syp) but not postsynaptic (Camk2a) mRNA is localized to developing rat cortical and hippocampal axons. The platform also serves as a straightforward, reproducible method to model CNS axonal injury and regeneration. The results presented here demonstrate several experimental paradigms using the microfluidic platform, which can greatly facilitate future studies in axonal biology.
Robert Bárány and the controversy surrounding his discovery of the caloric reaction

It was not until the latter half of the 19th century that the vestibular part of the inner ear was recognized to have a function separate from hearing. Robert Barany was one of the first clinicians to assess vestibular function systematically in patients. He developed standard caloric, rotational, and pointing tests and was the first to describe benign paroxysmal positional nystagmus. Barany began his career working in the otology clinic of Adam Politzer at the University of Vienna. He received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1916 for his work on the mechanism of the caloric reaction. However, in the aftermath of the First World War and the controversy surrounding his selection for the Nobel Prize, Barany left Vienna for Uppsala, Sweden, where he spent the last 20 years of his life in relative isolation.
Quantum calculations on water in the KcsA channel cavity with permeant and non-permeant ions.

Abstract Different ions in the pore of the KcsA channel behave differently, and we relate this to their solvation. We show that the selectivity is dependent, in part, on the solvation in the cavity (sometimes referred to as the vestibule, it is the region containing water molecules between the intracellular gate and the selectivity filter at the extracellular end of the pore). We have shown earlier that potassium is more dependent at the upper end of the cavity region on solvation by the threonines there, while sodium ion has more water molecules as ligands. In addition, sodium ion is placed asymmetrically, while potassium is nearly exactly symmetric with respect to the four-fold symmetry of the channel. We have now extended these calculations to rubidium and cesium ions, and find that rubidium solvation resembles that of potassium (and both are permeant ions), while cesium resembles sodium (and both are non-permeant), in terms of the geometry of up to eight hydrating, and four non-hydrating, water molecules. In each case, a maximum of 12 water molecules are relevant to the calculation. The placement of the water molecules in the two cases is essentially the same as found from the electron density in the X-ray structure of Zhou and MacKinnon. For Na + and K + , we show that energy decreases from bulk to the cavity to the lowest position in the selectivity filter (accurate energy could not be calculated for the heavier ions). A separate calculation shows that fixing the Na + ion at the position of the K + minimum, followed by re-optimization produced a significantly modified system, not something that could be produced by thermal fluctuations. Moving the K + into the Na + position in the upper cavity led to a small increase in energy, ≈ 3 k B T, but was accompanied by large shifts in the positions of hydrating waters, which would create a major kinetic barrier. Therefore, thermal fluctuations could not invalidate the conclusions of the main calculations.
LV motion estimation based on the integration of continuum mechanics and estimation theory

This paper presents a scheme based on the integration of continuum mechanics and estimation theory to characterize the complex nonrigid motion of the left ventricle (LV) over a sequence of 3D images. The proposed scheme is implemented in a hierarchical fashion so that both the global and local motion and deformation can be analyzed. First, global motion and deformation are analyzed and compensated by applying the 'Chen surface' modeling. Parametric representation of left ventricle surfaces are also obtained based on the segmented 3D images. Then, we develop a local motion estimation model assuming that thin slice of endocardium surface can be considered as an incompressible medium and can be characterized by the constraint of incompressibility derived from continuum mechanics. This constraint of continuum mechanics is integrated with the correlation functions derived from the estimation theory. The correlation functions are computed from the original intensity images and can be used to measure confidence of the estimation. An overall objective function can therefore be constructed as the weighted sum of the incompressibility and a motion discontinuity-preserving smoothness constraint with the corresponding correlation functions. The optimal estimation of the local deformation is obtained by minimizing this objective function. Since the proposed scheme is based on a physics model, the results are therefore more consistent with the heart function. This integrated scheme allows the point correspondences to depart slightly from the manually segmented surfaces in the region of strong uncertainty. The proposed scheme is able to generate consistent 3D motion vectors for a sequence of cardiac images. Three-dimensional visualization of the displacements is also investigated.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cracking paths at the ply interface in a cross-ply laminate

Abstract It has been observed in both ceramic and polymer–matrix composites that the evolution of transverse matrix cracking shows two distinct stages. When tensile stress is applied in the fiber direction of the 0° ply, cracks are formed in the 90° ply at a load level much lower than the ultimate strength of the laminate. As the load increases, more transverse cracks are initiated. At some critical load, the number of cracks ceases to increase; instead, the existing cracks penetrate into the adjacent 0° layers and eventually fracture the 0° fibers. Catastrophic failure becomes imminent when the 0° fibers are broken. The purpose of this paper is to identify conditions under which transverse cracks are deflected into the ply interfaces at the second stage of damage evolution. To this end, the energy release rates for deflection and penetration are used as a criterion to predict the crack growth paths. It is found that the predicted crack path depends on the geometry, the material properties and the degree of damage. Based on this analysis, a crack path prediction diagram is obtained for crack growth at the ply interface.
Political considerations of studying tax compliance

Given the recent interest of the Internal Revenue Service in having academic social scientists do research on the problem of tax noncompliance, it is important to consider the political and administrative context in which such research would occur. While the IRS offers a tremendous opportunity in the form of data and expertise, its tax enforcement mission and political environment play an important role in shaping the research agenda. Specifically, the academic social scientists, wishing to avail themselves of the opportunity, must be able to demonstrate the practical application of their research, something that researchers of the so-called “underground economy” did not do. Moreover, the research must not perpetuate the notion that the ability or efficiency of the IRS to enforce the tax laws is being widely eroded. The criminal deterrence doctrine is an area of basic research having particular interest to the IRS. There is a discussion of how research on the deterrence of tax crime might develop.
Release of intracellular membrane-bound calcium precedes the onset of stimulus-induced exocytosis in platelets.

Abstract The time courses of the intracellular release of membrane-bound Ca 2+ measured by chlortetracycline fluorescence, and exocytosis measured with an extracellular calcium electrode have been determined simultaneously in platelets at 21°C. Thrombin, trypsin and the thiol reagent, thimerosal produced concentration dependent release of intracellular membrane calcium which always significantly preceded the onset of secretion. Thrombin and trypsin initiated Ca 2+ mobilization in 0.75 to 1.8 sec. whereas secretion commenced 4–8 sec. later. Ca 2+ release was 30–50% completed before exocytosis started. This is the first direct evidence that the release of intracellular Ca 2+ in platelets occurs with a time course consistent with its proposed role in activation-secretion coupling.
Physiological methods to study biofilm disinfection

This report reviews the development of a rapidin situ approach to study the physiological responses of bacteria within biofilms to disinfectants. One method utilized direct viable counts (DVC) to assess the disinfection efficacy when thin biofilms were exposed to chlorine or monochloramine. Results obtained using the DVC method were one log higher than plate count (PC) estimates of the surviving population after disinfection. Other methods incorporated the use of fluorogenic stains, a cryotomy technique to yield thin (5-μm) sections of biofilm communities and examination by fluorescence microscopy. The fluorogenic stains used in this approach included 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC), which indicates cellular electron transport activity and Rhodamine 123, which responds specifically to proton motive force. The use of these stains allowed the microscopic discrimination of physiologically active bacteria as well as heterogeneities of active cells within thicker biofilms. The results of experiments using these techniques with pure culture and binary population biofilms on stainless steel coupons indicated biocidal activity of chlorine-based disinfectants occurred initially at the bulk-fluid interface of the communities and progressed toward the substratum. This approach provided a unique opportunity to describe the spatial response of bacteria within biofilms to antimicrobial agents and address mechanisms explaining their comparative resistance to disinfection in a way that has not been possible using traditional approaches. Results obtained using this alternative approach were also consistently higher than PC data following disinfection. These observations suggest that traditional methods involving biofilm removal and bacterial enumeration by colony formation overestimate biocide efficacy. Hence the alternative approach described here more accurately indicates the ability of bacteria surviving disinfection to recover and grow as well as demonstrate spatial heterogeneities in cellular physiological activities within biofilms.
Binding of cellular ribonuclease to DNA during purification of RNA from Amoeba proteus

Abstract During the extraction of RNA from Amoeba proteus, cellular ribonuclease was found to bind to DNA. Removal of DNA from the phenol-extracted RNA preparation by digestion with electrophoretically pure deoxyribonuclease caused release of the bound ribonuclease, which degraded the RNA. The association of ribonuclease with DNA occurred during homogenization of amoebae at 0–5° in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and a ribonuclease inhibitor. The association could be prevented by direct homogenization of the cells with phenol.