cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
General pharmacologic treatment of acute myocardial infarction.

Pharmacotherapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) encompasses many therapeutic areas, including treatment of the event itself and its possible complications. Revascularization strategies and treatment of the various tachy- and bradyarrhythmias are considered elsewhere in this issue. The general pharmacotherapeutic issues of treatment of the patient with an acute coronary syndrome are considered here, ranging from the basics of oxygen, morphine, and nitrates to include cardioprotective agents (e.g., beta-adrenergic antagonists, magnesium, angiotensin converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitors), and those agents affecting thrombus formation (e.g., aspirin, the newer oral antiplatelet agents, the heparins, and the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors).
Does gaze direction affect accuracy

The gaze direction effect is the finding that observers are typically faster at detecting or identifying a target when it appears in the direction indicated by the gaze of a centrally presented face as compared to other locations. The present research investigated whether the gaze direction effect would occur in accuracy when the target was visually degraded and accuracy was emphasized. In two experiments, the targets were easy to identify correctly, and reaction time (RT) was the dependent variable. In similar experiments, the targets were made difficult to identify and accuracy was the dependent variable. Gaze direction affected RT, but not accuracy. A theoretical mechanism for the gaze direction effect that accounts for these findings is presented.
The rise and fall of horror autotoxicus and forbidden clones

Cui and associates show that healthy individuals have natural autoantibodies (NAAs) specific for myeloperoxidase, proteinase 3, and glomerular basement membrane (GBM) with the same specificity as anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and anti-GBM antibodies that are pathogenic. Although Ehrlich proposed horror autotoxicus and Burnet envisioned elimination of forbidden clones, NAAs are present in all healthy individuals and play beneficial homeostatic roles. Pathogenic autoimmunity is dysregulation of natural homeostatic autoimmunity rather than onset of a previously absent self-recognition.
Role of Enhanced Cellular Adhesion in IL‐6‐Augmented Lymphokine‐Activated Killer‐Cell Function

The authors demonstrated previously that a short-term treatment with IL-6 of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells produces an increase in cytotoxic activity of CD56+/CD3- effector cells generated from human PBL as well as from human thymocytes. In the study described here, the mechanisms by which IL-6 enhances LAK cytotoxicity were examined. Like untreated LAK cells, IL-6-treated LAK cells require Ca++ to initiate cytolysis. However, IL-6 treatment of LAK cells does not alter the rate of programming for lysis. Instead, IL-6 increases target-binding capacity of CD56+/CD3- LAK cells in association with the increased cytotoxicity. Similar to target-binding of untreated LAK cells, the binding between IL-6-treated LAK cells and target cells is dependent on Mg++. Cellular adhesion molecules (CAM), CD11a-c, CD18, CD54, CD56, CD58 and CD2 (T11(1) epitope), are up-regulated in LAK cells by culture with IL-2. Among MoAbs to these CAMs, only Abs to CD11a/CD18 (LFA-1) and CD54 (ICAM-1) decrease both target-binding and cytolysis by LAK cells. IL-6 treatment changes neither the proportion nor the intensity of CAM positive cells. However, MoAbs to CD11a/CD18 and CD54 reduce both target-conjugation and cytotoxicity of IL-6-enhanced LAK cells to the same level as control LAK cells treated with the MoAbs. IL-6-enhanced LAK functions (both target-conjugation and target-lysis) are not abrogated by MoAbs to other CAM which do not inhibit standard LAK functions. These results indicate that IL-6 up-regulates cellular events mediated by CD11a/CD18 and CD54 molecules which are involved in standard LAK functions. These events may result in activation of lytic effector cells, associated with an increase in target-binding and an increase in cytotoxicity.
A localized re-initialization equation for the conservative level set method

The conservative level set methodology for interface transport is modified to allow for localized level set re-initialization. This approach is suitable to applications in which there is a significant amount of spatial variability in level set transport. The steady-state solution of the modified re-initialization equation matches that of the original conservative level set provided an additional Eikonal equation is solved, which can be done efficiently through a fast marching method (FMM). Implemented within the context of the accurate conservative level set method (ACLS) (Desjardins et al., 2008, 6]), the FMM solution of this Eikonal equation comes at no additional cost. A metric for the appropriate amount of local re-initialization is proposed based on estimates of local flow deformation and numerical diffusion. The method is compared to standard global re-initialization for two test cases, yielding the expected results that minor differences are observed for Zalesak?s disk, and improvements in both mass conservation and interface topology are seen for a drop deforming in a vortex. Finally, the method is applied to simulation of a viscously damped standing wave and a three-dimensional drop impacting on a shallow pool. Negligible differences are observed for the standing wave, as expected. For the last case, results suggest that spatially varying re-initialization provides a reduction in spurious interfacial corrugations, improvements in the prediction of radial growth of the splashing lamella, and a reduction in conservation errors, as well as a reduction in overall computational cost that comes from improved conditioning of the pressure Poisson equation due to the removal of spurious corrugations.
Clinical Responses and Serum Prostaglandin Levels in Aspirin Idiosyncrasy: Effect of Aspirin and a New Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agent

Clinical measurements and serum prostaglandin concentrations were monitored in three normal subjects, three asthmatic controls and five asthmatic patients with aspirin (ASA) idiosyncrasy before and after oral challenge with small doses of aspirin. Additionally, in the latter group, the effects of ASA were compared with those of piroxicam, a new nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Challenge with either agent caused bronchospasm in patients with aspirin idiosyncrasy, but was more severe after piroxicam. Nasal stuffiness and/or rhinorrhea preceded or accompanied the changes in pulmonary function with both agents. Serum prostaglandin concentrations, which reflect synthesis by platelets during the clotting of blood, revealed significant decreases in PGE1, PGE2, and PGF2α and thromboxane B2 within two to four hours after drug administration in all subjects with or without ASA idiosyncrasy. The change in serum PG concentration was present when bronchospasm developed in patients with ASA idiosyncrasy, but persisted for a longer time, reflecting the irreversible effect of these agents on the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme in platelets. The results demonstrate that administration of minute doses of ASA and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alters prostaglandin synthesis in normal and asthmatic subjects with or without ASA idiosyncrasy. Alteration in arachidonate metabolism may be responsible for the induction of bronchospasm, and cautious use of cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors in patients with known or suspected ASA idiosyncrasy is indicated.
Preferential Attack by Dendroctonus terebrans on Pinus elliottii

Attacks of Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier) on Pinus elliottii Engelm., were followed for about 3 years in northeast Florida. Monthly records were kept of the number of attacks on each living tree. The incidence of attack per category of tree was about 20 times greater on previously attacked trees than on those previously unattacked. Thus, this beetle is highly attracted by other attacks and exhibits, somewhat, the “mass attack” habit noted for other Scolytids, particularly Dendroctonus and Ips.
Noise measurement results of a radiation hardened CMOS 1.2 μm P-well process☆

Abstract Noise performance of transistors fabricated in a radiation hardened CMOS 1.2 μm P-well process was measured using a multi-channel analyzer. The measured noise is presented in terms of equivalent noise charge (ENC) referred to the input of the device under test as a function of total input capacitances for various transistor width-over-length (W/L) ratios, channel lengths (from 1.2 μm to 3.2 μm), drain currents, and impulse response peaking times. A fitting program was used to extract the drain thermal noise and the flicker (1/f) noise contributions from the noise data.
Update on the History and Physical Evaluation of a Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a diagnosis given to patients who complain of pain symptoms after unsuccessful lumbar surgery. Many FBSS patients present for more surgery and an understanding of the common causes of FBSS can help devise a treatment plan. Common identifiable causes for FBSS include poor patient selection, incorrect initial diagnosis, incorrect or inadequate surgery, scarring, infection, and progressive disease. A complete review of the patient's history, physical exam, and all necessary radiological and diagnostic studies will lead to a diagnosis in the majority of the cases.
Impacts of entry in airline markets: effects of revenue management on traditional measures of airline performance

Abstract Assessment of unfair competitive practices in airline markets is typically based on the analysis of changes in aggregate measures of airline performance, such as average fares, traffic and revenues. Simulation results show that these measures can be greatly affected by the competitive revenue management situation. For example, average fares on the incumbent carrier can either increase or decrease following entry by a new competitor, depending on whether one or both airlines perform revenue management. Consequently, these measures on their own do not constitute a reliable indication of the response of incumbent carriers, and provide even less information on their strategic intent, which is critical in identifying predation.
A Post-Kuhnian Approach to the History and Philosophy of Science

What I call the dynamics of reason is an approach to the history and philosophy of science developed in response to Thomas Kuhn's theory of scientific revolutions. Unlike many philosophical responses to Kuhn, however, my approach, like Kuhn's, is essentially historical. Yet Kuhn's historiography, from my point of view, is much too narrow. Whereas Kuhn focusses primarily on the development of the modern physical sciences from the Copernican revolution to Einsteinian relativity theory, I construct an historical narrative depicting the interplay between the development of the modern exact sciences from Newton to Einstein, on the one side, and the parallel development of modern scientific philosophy from Kant through logical empiricism, on the other. I use this narrative to support a neo-Kantian philosophical conception of the nature of the sciences in question?which, in particular, aims to give an account of the distinctive intersubjective rationality these sciences can justly claim. By contrast, Kuhn's picture led to philosophical challenges to this claim, I argue, precisely because he left out the parallel history of scientific philosophy. The basic ideas of this approach were presented in my Dynamics of Reason (Stanford, 2001), and I here want to discuss two extensions of these ideas. First, I want to make clear how the neo-Kantian conception in question represents a fundamentally historicized version of scientific in tersubjective rationality, so that the standards of objectivity in question are always local and contextual. Nevertheless, in spite of?and even because of?this necessary historicization, the way in which such standards change over time still preserves the transhistorical rationality of the entire process. Second, I want to make a beginning in extending my narrative from purely intellectual history (both philosophical and scientific) to the wider cultural context. Far from supporting the idea that the relevant kind of scientific change is less than fully rational (because essentially political,
Watershed Controls on the Geomorphology of Small Coastal Lagoons in an Active Tectonic Environment

This study investigates the relations between watershed precipitation, upstream channel slope, and the geomorphology of 19 small (40 to 18,658 m2), fluvial-incised lagoons in the actively uplifting piedmont near Santa Barbara, CA. Lagoons in the study are funnel-shaped, shallow (<2 m), river-dominated, and enclosed by a sandy to cobble-sized beach barrier for much of the year. Results indicate a strong link between watershed processes and lagoon geomorphology, such that a significant portion of the variability in lagoon area, length, volume, average width, circularity, and lagoon width expansion can be explained by the variability of watershed precipitation and channel slope upstream of the lagoons. Performing multiple regression analysis with watershed precipitation and channel slope as independent variables, coefficients of determination for the power function regressions are 0.88 (lagoon area), 0.88 (lagoon volume), 0.83 (lagoon volume), and 0.74 (average width). Upstream slope is the best single predictor of lagoon geomorphology.
Sap18 is required for the maternal gene bicoid to direct anterior patterning in Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract Development of the insect head is a complex process that in Drosophila requires the anterior determinant, Bicoid. Bicoid is present in an anterior-to-posterior concentration gradient, and binds DNA and stimulates transcription of head-specific genes. Many of these genes, including the gap-gene hunchback, are initially activated in a broad domain across the head primordium, but later retract so that their expression is cleared from the anterior-most segmented regions. Here, we show that retraction requires a Bicoid-interacting protein, Sap18, which is part of the Sin3/Rpd3 histone deacetylase complex. In sensitized-mutant backgrounds (e.g., bcdE1/+), removal of maternal sap18 results in embryos that are missing labrally derived parts of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton. These sap18 mutant embryos fail to repress hb expression, and show reduced anterior cap expression of the labral determinant cap ‘n’ collar. These phenotypes are enhanced by lowering the dose of rpd3, which encodes the catalytic subunit of the deacetylase complex. The results suggest a model where, in labral regions of the head, Bicoid is converted from an activator into a repressor by recruitment of a co-repressor to Bicoid-dependent promoters. Bicoid's activity, therefore, depends not only on its concentration gradient, but also on its interactions with modifier proteins within spatially restricted domains.
Siting Noxious Facilities: Are Markets Efficient?

Abstract This paper explores the economics and politics of the siting of noxious facilities. In the base case, facilities are sited by markets, subject to majority agreement in the host jurisdiction. By contrast with the existing market siting literature-which assumes that all the disamenities of a facility will be contained in the host jurisdiction and fully reflected in the jurisdiction′s willingness to accept-here facilities impose disamenities on individuals as a function of distance, and the process of majority agreement is explicitly modeled. The principal finding is that when voters are uniformly distributed within a jurisdiction, an individual who is median distance from a facility suffers less than average (mean) disamenity. Therefore a majority would be willing to serve as facility host for a price (host fee) that is strictly less than the aggregate disamenity that the facility imposes on the jurisdiction. Further, by threatening the equilibrium host with a site just across its border, a firm can induce majority acceptance of a nontrivial facility at zero host fee. Even when this threat site strategy is infeasible, though, market-determined host fees will not signal efficient sites. Thus, markets will produce an excessive number of noxious facilities and place them in the wrong sites. These results are robust to alternative specifications of bargaining power and market structure. If, however, host majority agreement is subject to the veto of a higher jurisdiction-e.g., in response to cries of "NIMBY"-then efficiency may be either improved or reduced.
Simultaneous four-wave mixing and stimulated Raman spectroscopy: effects of Doppler broadening and neighboring lines

Spectral line shapes obtained with four-wave mixing Raman spectroscopy and stimulated Raman spectroscopy are investigated experimentally and theoretically. While both techniques are commonly used as high-resolution spectroscopies, the systematic differences in their spectra have not been well explored. Using an experimental setup capable of simultaneous measurement of coherent Stokes Raman spectroscopy and inverse Raman spectroscopy spectra, we are able to perform a direct comparison between both classes of Raman spectroscopies and to reveal even minor differences in the resulting spectra. After deriving the effect of Doppler broadening in these spectroscopies and taking the influence of neighboring lines into account, we are able to explain the observed differences in the Q-branch vibrational spectra of nitrogen. Possible systematic errors in different high-resolution Raman spectroscopies are discussed.
The effect of Mo on the high-temperature sulfidation of Ni

The sulfidation behavior of Ni-Mo alloys containing up to 40 wt.% Mo was studied at $$P_{s_2 } $$ =0.01 atm. over the temperature range of 550–800°C. The alloys included two solid solutions (Ni-10Mo and Ni-20Mo), the single-phase intermetallic compound Ni4Mo(Ni-29Mo), and two alloys which were two-phase, Ni-30Mo and Ni-40Mo (Ni4Mo+Ni3Mo). The sulfidation of all alloys followed the parabolic rate law. The rate of sulfidation decreased with increasing amounts of Mo. Activation energies for sulfidation gave values of 39.1±1.0 kcal/mol. The sulfide scales were bilayered, consisting of an outer layer nickel sulfide (NiS1+x and Ni3S2) and an inner, complex layer of MoS2 plus intermetallic particles. The rate-controlling step of the sulfidation for the alloys was inward sulfur diffusion and/or outward nickel diffusion through the inner MoS2 layer. Neither selective sulfidation nor internal sulfidation were observed. No significant difference in the sulfidation kinetics, sulfide structure, and scale constitution could be noted between single-phase alloys and two-phase alloys. The location of the markers was the interface between the inner and outer layers, indicating that the inner layer formed by inward diffusion of sulfur, and the outer layer grew by outward nickel diffusion. The inability to form a continuous protective molybdenum sulfide layer is discussed in terms of the structure of MoS2 and changes caused by intercalation of Ni into the layered crystal structure. The decrease in sulfidation rate with increasing Mo was attributed to increasing amounts of the intermetallic compound. The increasing volume fraction of particles decreased the available diffusion area in the inner layer and provided a “blocking” effect.
Stereospecificity of the Reaction Catalyzed by Enoyl-CoA Hydratase

Enoyl-CoA hydratase catalyzes the stereospecific hydration of α,β-unsaturated acyl-CoA thiolesters. Hydration of trans-2-crotonyl-CoA to 3(S)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA proceeds via the syn addition of water and thus the pro-2R proton of 3(S)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA is derived from solvent. Incubation of 3(S)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA with enzyme in D2O results in the slow exchange of the pro-2S proton with solvent deuterium, in addition to the anticipated rapid exchange of the pro-2R proton. Further experiments have shown that the exchange of the pro-2S proton occurs in concert with the formation of the incorrect 3(R)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA enantiomer. The rate of 3(R)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA formation is 4 × 105-fold slower than the normal hydration reaction, but at least 1.6 × 106-fold faster than the non-enzyme-catalyzed reaction. This has allowed us to determine that the absolute stereospecificity for the enzyme-catalyzed reaction is 1 in 4 × 105. The initial formation of 3(R)-hydroxybutyryl-CoA is hypothesized to occur via the ...
Relationships between Locus of Control and Paranormal Beliefs

The present study investigated the associations between scores on paranormal beliefs, locus of control, and certain psychological processes such as affect and cognitions as measured by the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count. Analysis yielded significant correlations between scores on Locus of Control and two subscales of Tobacyk's (1988) Revised Paranormal Beliefs Scale, New Age Philosophy and Traditional Paranormal Beliefs. A step-wise multiple regression analysis indicated that Locus of Control was significantly related to New Age Philosophy. Other correlations were found between Tobacyk's subscales, Locus of Control, and three processes measured by the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count.
Stellar Masses, Kinematics, and White Dwarf Composition for Three Close DA+dMe Binaries

We determine the mass functions and mass ratios for three close white dwarf plus red dwarf binaries (EUVE J0720-317, 1016-053, and 2013+400). Hubble Space Telescope Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph spectra of the He II ?1640 and C IV ?1550 spectral lines trace the white dwarf orbital motion, and Hamilton Spectrograph echelle spectra (Lick Observatory) and lower dispersion spectra trace the red dwarf orbital motion. The data sets allow us to measure orbital periods and velocities, as well as the white dwarf gravitational redshifts. The red dwarf and white dwarf mass estimates obtained from a combination of independent mass measurements for the white dwarf stars and our new orbital elements help constrain probable evolutionary outcomes. We find that EUVE J0720-317 will probably come into contact within a Hubble time and that the mass transfer will be unstable on a dynamical time. We also conclude that the much lower secondary masses in EUVE J1016-053 and EUVE J2013+400 exclude the possibility of significant interaction in these systems. We also present new helium and carbon photospheric abundance measurements in the three white dwarfs. The white dwarf atmospheric composition may show the effects of accretion of red dwarf mass-loss material onto its surface. Finally, we study the kinematics of the systems, and we also show that the white dwarf in EUVE?J1016-053 is part of a quadruple system.
The 2003 phreatomagmatic eruptions of Anatahan volcano : textural and petrologic features of deposits at an emergent island volcano

Abstract Stratigraphic and field data are used in conjunction with textural and chemical evidence (including data from scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and instrumental neutron activation analysis) to establish that the 2003 eruption of Anatahan volcano was mainly phreatomagmatic, dominated by explosive interaction of homogeneous composition low-viscosity crystal-poor andesite magma with water. The hydromagmatic mode of eruption contributed to the significant height of initial eruptive columns and to the excavation and eruption of altered rock debris from the sub-volcanic hydrothermal system. Volatile contents of glass inclusions in equilibrium phenocrysts less abundances of these constituents in matrix glass times the estimated mass of juvenile magma indicate minimum emissions of 19 kt SO2 and 13 kt Cl. This petrologic estimate of SO2 emission is an order-of-magnitude less than an estimate from TOMS. Similarly, inferred magma volumes from the petrologic data are an order of magnitude greater than those modeled from deformation data. Both discrepancies indicate additional sources of volatiles, likely derived from a separate fluid phase in the magma. The paucity of near-source volcanic–tectonic earthquakes preceding the eruption, and the dominance of sustained long-period tremor are attributed to the ease of ascent of the hot low-viscosity andesite, followed by a shallow phreatomagmatic mode of eruption. Phreatomagmatic eruptions are probably more common at emergent tropical island volcanoes, where shallow fresh-water lenses occur at near-sea-level vents. These relations suggest that phreatomagmatic explosions contributed to the formation of many of the near-sea-level craters and possibly even to the small calderas at the other Mariana islands.
Finite element analysis of localization and micro–macro structure relation in granular materials. Part I: Formulation

The formation of strain localization influences the stability and stiffness of the soil mass or geosystem. The thickness of shear bands provides insight into overall strength and stiffness inside the granular body, and the shear band angle gives information about the failure surface in a given soil or soil mass. Thus, it is important to be able to predict when a shear band forms and how this zone of intense deformation is located and oriented within the granular medium. A rational finite element analysis for capturing the formation and development of shear bands has been formulated by using a micropolar continuum in finite element analysis. Hardening parameters including nonsymmetric stress and length scale are implemented for a realistic stress–strain analysis. Implementation and simulations of the model will be discussed in the Part II of this research. The micro–macro structure relation for finite element analysis based on this formulation paper will be simulated in the corresponding paper.
Dialogue and transparency: A content analysis of how the 2012 presidential candidates used twitter☆

Abstract This study conducted a content analysis of the Twitter pages of the 2012 presidential candidates to determine how they were using Twitter, if they were engaging in meaningful dialogue with their followers, and if they were being transparent. Tweets from February 1, 2012 through February 29, 2012 were coded. Overall, the candidates tweeted most about the economy, events, and specific primaries but failed to created meaningful dialogue with their followers. Some candidates were more transparent than others in regards to who was responsible for tweeting.
The role of postoperative chest radiography in pediatric tracheotomy

A postoperative chest radiograph has traditionally been obtained after tracheotomies to evaluate for the presence of a pneumothorax and to assess tube position. Several recent studies in adults have questioned the usefulness of routine postoperative chest radiography in uncomplicated cases, but the role of post-operative chest radiography in pediatric patients has not been previously reviewed. We performed this study to examine the clinical utility of post-tracheotomy chest radiography in pediatric patients and determine if this routine practice impacts patient management enough to merit continued usage. A retrospective review was performed of 200 consecutive pediatric patients who underwent tracheotomies by the otolaryngology service in a tertiary care pediatric hospital from January 1994 to June 1999. All patients received postoperative chest radiographs. Five of 200 patients had a new postoperative radiographic finding, with three requiring interventions. Two patients required chest tube placement for pneumothorax, and one patient required tracheostomy tube change for repositioning. Fifty-one patients, including both pneumothoraces, exhibited clinical signs of pneumothorax (decreased breath sounds or oxygen saturation) in the immediate postoperative period. Chest X-ray ruled out a pneumothorax in the remaining 49 patients. The majority of these 51 patients were less than 2 years old (94%, P=0.002) or weighed less than 17 kg (89%, P=0.004). Postoperative chest X-rays yielded clinically relevant information in 168 patients that fell into one or more of four high risk categories: age less than 2, weight less than 17 kg, emergent procedures, or concomitant central line placement. Avoiding chest X-rays in the remaining 32 patients would have resulted in potential savings of $5000, which does not reflect the actuarial cost of a missed complication. Since the majority of our patients (84%) fell into a high-risk category, we feel it would be prudent to continue obtaining postoperative chest radiographs following all pediatric tracheotomies.
IMMUNODIFFUSION: SOME CONSIDERATIONS IN ITS USE.

A dozen years ago immunology was a subject of remote interest to most biologists. Physicians were acquainted with the word only through their use of vaccines and certain standard long-instituted diagnostic techniques. Immunologists themselves often gave the impression of viewing their field with the assurance that many fundamental problems of immunity had been solved and that those remaining could be solved simply by applying traditional tried and approved methods. There was a feeling of complacency in and for the field; it found only rare adherents. The picture of immunology today is strikingly different. It is a rapidly expanding, vigorously pursued subject which is participated in not only by increasing numbers of immunologists but also for its practical value by biologists, biochemists, and physicians. This rather suddenly renewed interest in what had been a venerable and closeted subject, making it a commonly heard part of the daily language of so many of these scientists, might be attributed to two relatively recent break-throughs. The first was discovery that a certain kind of allergy, commonly called delayed hypersensitivity, accounted not only for the classic tuberculin skin reaction seen in animals infected with tuberculosis but also for a number of other important pathologic phenomena hitherto unexplained. No more will be said here about this facet of immunology. The second break-through was technical; it consisted of invention of a serologic technique, immunodiffusion, capable of analysing complex mixtures of biologic substances with unimagined and unparalleled degrees of resolution and sensitivity. Immunodiffusion has been accepted enthusiastically by the scientific community, but as would be true with any very sensitive high-resolution technique as it became more refined, its users have begun to find various perplexing complexities in its application and interpretation, of which understanding still is poor. The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss some of these potential snares for the user of immunodiffusion. Basic considerations. Like many of the best scientific techniques, immunodiffusion fundamentally is startlingly simple. In all of its varieties it functions on the principle that if appropriate quantities of antigen and precipitating antibody are caused to diffuse toward each other within a suitable supporting medium which prevents their mixing except by diffusion, they will form a visible band of precipitate where they meet4. This band arises specifically and separate from the other bands: each antibody precipitates its matching antigen, and this precipitate forms for each antigen-antibody system in a slightly different plane of supporting medium.
An Empirical Classification of Female Offenders

The purpose of the present investigation was threefold: ( 1 ) to develop an empirical taxonomy of female offenders; (2) to relate these findings to empirical taxonomies of male offenders; and (3) t...
Light-driven translocation of signaling proteins in vertebrate photoreceptors

The dynamic localization of proteins within cells is often determined by environmental stimuli. In retinal photoreceptors, light exposure results in the massive translocation of three key signal transduction proteins, transducin, arrestin and recoverin, into and out of the outer segment compartment where phototransduction takes place. This phenomenon has rapidly taken the center stage of photoreceptor cell biology, thanks to the introduction of new quantitative and transgenic approaches. Here, we discuss evidence that intracellular protein translocation contributes to adaptation of photoreceptors to diurnal changes in ambient light intensity and summarize the current debate on whether it is driven by diffusion or molecular motors.
Laryngeal injury from prolonged intubation: A prospective analysis of contributing factors†‡

Objectives/Hypothesis: The factors leading to laryngeal injury due to intubation are not fully understood. This study sought to determine if duration of intubation, size of endotracheal tube, and/or type of endotracheal tube impact the degree of vocal fold immobility and other laryngeal injury upon extubation. Study Design: Prospective study. Methods: Sixty-one adult patients intubated for more than 48 hours were examined by recorded flexible nasolaryngoscopy shortly after extubation. Results: Forty-one percent of patients had some degree of vocal fold immobility. However, neither the duration of intubation (range, 2-28 days; mean, 9.1 days), the size of endotracheal tube (range, 6 to 8), nor the type of endotracheal tube significantly affected the degree of laryngeal injury including vocal fold immobility. Additionally, none of the collected demographic information (age, gender, height, weight) significantly affected the degree of laryngeal injury. Conclusions: In this cohort, duration of intubation, type of endotracheal tube, and size of endotracheal tube do not significantly correlate to the incidence of vocal fold mobility and degree of laryngeal injury noted after prolonged intubation.
The Eye of the Follower: Information Processing Effects on Attributions Regarding Leaders of Small Groups

The effects of inference-based and recognition-based processes on attributions of leadership responsibility were examined. Participants (126 women, 42 men) competed in small groups in this 2 (performance: win vs. lose) 2 (material sabotage: sabotaged vs. not sabotaged) design study. A third factor addressed how well group leaders matched participants’leader-ship prototypes. Winning leaders were attributed more responsibility for the group outcome than losing leaders; also, sabotage served as a discounting cue, and losing leaders of sabotaged groups were held less responsible. Unexpectedly, no prototype matching was revealed. Participants’ attributions regarding responsibility of the group and self were similar to leader attributions, suggesting that followers’ perceptions differ from those of outside observers. Thus, leaders may not be the only cause of group outcomes in the minds of actual followers.
Porins and specific channels of bacterial outer membranes

Porins and specific channels both produce water-filled pores that allow the transmembrane diffusion of small solutes, but the latter contain specific ligand-binding sites within the channels. Recent structural studies show that many or most of these proteins exist as beta-barrels with the beta-strands traversing the thickness of the outer membrane. The channels often have diameters in the range of 1 nm, and thus the penetration rates of solutes through porin channels are likely to be affected strongly by what appear to be minor differences in the size, shape, hydrophobicity or charge of the solute molecule. With the specific channels, the presence of binding sites can accelerate very significantly the diffusion of some ligands when they are present at low concentrations. Thus these simple channels can sometimes achieve a surprising degree of real or apparent specificity. Recent data tend to favour the idea that these proteins are first exported into the periplasm, and then inserted into the outer membrane. Although lipopolysaccharides seem to play a significant role in the final assembly of the trimeric porins, the details of the targeting process still remain to be elucidated.
CovS Inactivates CovR and Is Required for Growth under Conditions of General Stress in Streptococcus pyogenes

The gram-positive human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus [GAS]) causes diseases ranging from mild and often self-limiting infections of the skin or throat to invasive and life-threatening illnesses. To cause such diverse types of disease, the GAS must be able to sense adverse environments and regulate its gene expression accordingly. The CovR/S two-component signal transduction regulatory system in GAS represses about 15% of the GAS genome, including many genes involved in virulence, in response to the environment. We report that CovR is still able to repress transcription from several promoters in the absence of the putative histidine kinase sensor for this system, CovS. We also show that a phosphorylation site mutant (D53A) of CovR is unable to repress gene expression. In addition, we report that a strain with a nonpolar mutation in CovS does not grow at a low pH, elevated temperature, or high osmolarity. The stress-related phenotypes of the CovS mutant were complemented by expression of covS from a plasmid. Selection for growth of a CovS mutant under stress conditions resulted in isolation of second-site mutations that inactivated covR, indicating that CovR and CovS act in the same pathway. Also, at 40°C in the wild-type strain, CovR appeared to be less active on the promoter tested, which is consistent with the hypothesis that it was partially inactivated by CovS. We suggest that under mild stress conditions, CovS inactivates CovR, either directly or indirectly, and that this inactivation relieves repression of many GAS genes, including the genes needed for growth of GAS under stress conditions and some genes that are necessary for virulence. Growth of many gram-positive bacteria under multiple-stress conditions requires alteration of promoter recognition produced by RNA polymerase association with the general stress response sigma factor, σB. We provide evidence that for GAS, which lacks a sigB ortholog, growth under stress conditions requires the CovR/S two-component regulatory system instead. This two-component system in GAS thus appears to perform a function for which other gram-positive bacteria utilize an alternative sigma factor.
Coherent interference suppression via partially adaptive beamforming

The problem of adaptive beamforming in a coherent interference environment is addressed. A partially adaptive beamformer is proposed to present desired signal cancellation. The mean squared error at the beamformer output is shown to consist of a signal cancellation term associated with the presence of interferers coherent with the desired signal and an interference cancellation term. Both terms are functions of the degrees of freedom employed in the partially adaptive beamformer. Hence, the authors propose choosing the degrees of freedom to minimize the average mean squared error over a likely set of interference scenarios. An approximate solution to this optimization problem is described. Simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of this approach. >
Reliability modeling of multi-state degraded systems with multi-competing failures and random shocks

In this paper, we develop a generalized multi-state degraded system reliability model subject to multiple competing failure processes, including two degradation processes, and random shocks. The operating condition of the multi-state systems is characterized by a finite number of states. We also present a methodology to generate the system states when there are multi-failure processes. The model can be used not only to determine the reliability of the degraded systems in the context of multi-state functions, but also to obtain the states of the systems by calculating the system state probabilities. Several numerical examples are given to illustrate the concepts.
Long-term stability of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator at -80 C.

Background Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a thrombolytic widely used clinically in the treatment of acute thrombotic disease such as ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and deep venous thrombosis. This has led to much interest in tPA based lytic therapies leading to laboratory based in-vitro and in-vivo investigations using this drug. However, tPA reconstituted in solution exhibits full activity for only 6–8 hours, according to the manufacturer. Therefore, methods to store reconstituted tPA for long durations while maintaining activity would be of assistance to laboratories using this enzyme.
Polarization switching in composite resonator vertical cavity lasers

We report polarization switching in a monolithic dual-resonator vertical-cavity laser. The light output from the top ion-implanted cavity under forward bias above threshold is partitioned into two orthogonal polarizations of the fundamental transverse mode. A reverse bias of sufficient magnitude applied to the bottom oxide-confined cavity causes the abrupt suppression of the dominant polarization and simultaneous emergence of the orthogonal polarization. We find that the electro-optic birefringence of the two polarizations increases with increasing reverse bias. We show that the mechanism of the polarization switch is consistent with wavelength-dependent loss from electroabsorption in the reverse-biased quantum wells of the oxide-confined cavity.
Access pattern based local memory customization for low power embedded systems

Memory accesses represent a major bottleneck in embedded systems power and performance. Traditionally, the local memory relied on a large cache to store all the variables in the application. However, especially in large real-life applications, different types of data exhibit divergent types of locality and access patterns, with diverse locality and bandwidth needs. Traditional caches had to compromise between the different types of locality required by the access patterns, and trade-off performance against bandwidth requirement. Instead, our approach customizes the local memory architecture matching the diverse access patterns and locality types present in the application, to reduce the main memory bandwidth requirement, and significantly improve power consumption, without sacrificing performance. Our approach generated an average 30% memory power reduction without degrading performance on a set of large multimedia/general purpose applications and scientific kernels, over the best traditional cache configuration of similar size, demonstrating the utility of our algorithm.
Release of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone from Enzymatically Dispersed Rat Hypothalamic Explants Is Pulsatile

This study was conducted to investigate 1) the utility of a cell perifusion system to examine questions dealing with the regulation of pulsatile LHRH release and 2) the necessity of cell-cell connections for communication between LHRH neurons and for coordination of LHRH release. To this end, cell perifusion of both hemihypothalamic tissue and enzymatically dispersed hypothalamic tissue isolated from adult male rats was performed. Periodic perfusate samples were collected and assayed to measure LHRH release. LHRH release from both hemihypothalami and dispersed hypothalamic tissue was clearly pulsatile, with comparable pulse frequencies and amplitudes. These results were interpreted to support the hypothesis that coordination of pulsatile LHRH release can be maintained in the absence of most cell-cell connections. This suggests a paracrine rather than a neural mechanism for the coordination of LHRH secretory events leading to the distinct signals we observe as pulses of LHRH in situ.
Narrow groove plasmonic nano-gratings for surface plasmon resonance sensing

We present a novel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) configuration based on narrow groove (sub-15 nm) plasmonic nano-gratings such that normally incident radiation can be coupled into surface plasmons without the use of prism-coupling based total internal reflection, as in the classical Kretschmann configuration. This eliminates the angular dependence requirements of SPR-based sensing and allows development of robust miniaturized SPR sensors. Simulations based on Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) were carried out to numerically calculate the reflectance - from different gold and silver nano-grating structures - as a function of the localized refractive index of the media around the SPR nano-gratings as well as the incident radiation wavelength and angle of incidence. Our calculations indicate substantially higher differential reflectance signals, on localized change of refractive index in the narrow groove plasmonic gratings, as compared to those obtained from conventional SPR-based sensing systems. Furthermore, these calculations allow determination of the optimal nano-grating geometric parameters - i. e. nanoline periodicity, spacing between the nanolines, as well as the height of the nanolines in the nano-grating - for highest sensitivity to localized change of refractive index, as would occur due to binding of a biomolecule target to a functionalized nano-grating surface.
Semi-Supervised Training for Statistical Word Alignment

We introduce a semi-supervised approach to training for statistical machine translation that alternates the traditional Expectation Maximization step that is applied on a large training corpus with a discriminative step aimed at increasing word-alignment quality on a small, manually word-aligned sub-corpus. We show that our algorithm leads not only to improved alignments but also to machine translation outputs of higher quality.
Directionality, coupling, and multivariable loop-shaping

The author presents results useful in applying multivariable loop-shaping ideas to ill-conditioned plants. First, he examines the relation between open- and closed-loop properties at one loop-breaking point. He also investigates how feedback properties at one point are related, both nominally as well as robustly, to those at the other point, and describes the role played by the directional properties of an ill-conditioned plant. By combining these two sets of results, he shows how the open-loop transfer function at one point should be shaped to obtain satisfactory feedback properties at the other point. Finally, he studies design limitations imposed when the plant is ill-conditioned and investigates the sensitivity of feedback properties to violations of the alignment conditions. >
Glycodendrimers based on cellobiosyl-derived monomers

Reductive amination of suitably functionalized trisaccharide monomers, based on cellobiosylgalacto residues, has made it possible to construct high-molecular-weight glycodendrons and glycodendrimers for the display of large bioactive oligosaccharides and proteins in a well-defined manner. Key words: cellobiose, glycodendrimers, reductive amination, trisaccharide monomers.
Kidney Transplantation from Living Unrelated Donors

Kidney transplant candidates increasingly are looking to their relatives, spouses, and even friends for a better chance at transplantation. The wait for a cadaver kidney might be 2-5 years. Although kidneys from well-matched family members have been transplanted with excellent results for many years, accepting living donors who are genetically unrelated to the patient has not been encouraged until recently. Results show that, among 1700 patients who received kidney transplants from living unrelated donors in the United States from 1995 through 1998, the one- and projected ten-year graft survival rates were 92% and 67%, respectively. These results are superior to the 87% and 50% rates for more than 26,000 cadaver kidney transplants during the same period. Risks to the donor are low (< 0.005% mortality and < 0.3% serious complications) but not absent. Thus, motivated spouses, friends, and adopted or step-family members can play an important role in the rehabilitation of patients who need a kidney transplant.