cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selecting a College for the LD Student.

LD students can succeed in college if they carefully choose a facility that provides the support they need to realize their potential.
Dietary protein levels and the responses of broilers to single or repeated cycles of fasting and refeeding

Abstract The present study was designed to study short-term responses accompanying either chronic or acute fasting-refeeding cycles. Seven-day old Shaver broilers were fed diets containing either 120 or 300 g crude protein on either free choice basis or on 7 cycles consisting of 1 day of fasting followed by 2 days of feeding. In addition, birds fed free choice were subjected to the above regimen, but only for one cycle. Birds were bled and killed on day 1, 2 & 3 of the final cycle for each of these experiments. Measurements taken at these intervals included in vitro lipogenesis (IVL), growth and feed consumption, hepatic enzyme activities and plasma triiodothyronine (T 3 ), and thyroxine (T 4 ). Birds fed the lower level of crude protein free choice from 7 to 28 d ate less, were smaller and less efficient in growth. De novo lipogenesis and plasma T 3 were greater and T 4 was less in birds fed the lower protein diet. Birds subjected to repeated fasting-refeeding cycles exhibited striking changes on each day of the cycle. The lowest rate of IVL was noted following a 1 day fast and the greatest after 2 day of refeeding. This pattern was noted in birds fed diets containing either 120 or 300 g crude protein/kg although the responses were exaggerated in birds fed the lower level of protein. Chickens fed a low-protein diet in conjunction with a single fasting-refeeding cycle exhibited responses that were similar to chronic fasting-refeeding. The magnitudes of fasting-refeeding responses were magnified by repeated cycles of fasting-refeeding. Feeding a high level of protein modified some of the effects of a fasting-refeeding cycle.
High ethanol sensitivity of recombinant AMPA-type glutamate receptors expressed in mammalian cells

Abstract The effect of ethanol (EtOH) on ion current mediated by recombinant α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA)/kainate (KA) receptors was examined in transfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells using whole-cell recording. Inhibition of KA-activated current was observed in the presence of intoxicating EtOH concentrations. The potency with which EtOH inhibited current was similar for receptors formed by different subunits or subunit combinations. EtOH also inhibited KA-activated current in cultured neurons from fetal rat cortex. However, the potency of EtOH inhibition in cortical neurons was lower than that observed in 293 cells expressing recombinant receptors. The properties of receptors in cultured neurons, other than EtOH sensitivity, were similar to those displayed by recombinant AMPA/KA receptors. These observations indicate that some forms of non-NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptors have relatively high EtOH sensitivity. These receptors appear to differ in some respect from AMPA/kainate receptors expressed endogenously in cortical neurons.
Make Better Choices (MBC): study design of a randomized controlled trial testing optimal technology-supported change in multiple diet and physical activity risk behaviors.

Suboptimal diet and physical inactivity are prevalent, co-occurring chronic disease risk factors, yet little is known about how to maximize multiple risk behavior change. Make Better Choices, a randomized controlled trial, tests competing hypotheses about the optimal way to promote healthy change in four bundled risk behaviors: high saturated fat intake, low fruit and vegetable intake, low physical activity, and high sedentary leisure screen time. The study aim is to determine which combination of two behavior change goals - one dietary, one activity - yields greatest overall healthy lifestyle change. Adults (n = 200) with poor quality diet and sedentary lifestyle will be recruited and screened for study eligibility. Participants will be trained to record their diet and activities onto a personal data assistant, and use it to complete two weeks of baseline. Those who continue to show all four risk behaviors after baseline recording will be randomized to one of four behavior change prescriptions: 1) increase fruits and vegetables and increase physical activity, 2) decrease saturated fat and increase physical activity, 3) increase fruits and vegetable and decrease saturated fat, or 4) decrease saturated fat and decrease sedentary activity. They will use decision support feedback on the personal digital assistant and receive counseling from a coach to alter their diet and activity during a 3-week prescription period when payment is contingent upon meeting behavior change goals. They will continue recording on an intermittent schedule during a 4.5-month maintenance period when payment is not contingent upon goal attainment. The primary outcome is overall healthy lifestyle change, aggregated across all four risk behaviors. The Make Better Choices trial tests a disseminable lifestyle intervention supported by handheld technology. Findings will fill a gap in knowledge about optimal goal prescription to facilitate simultaneous diet and activity change. Results will shed light on which goal prescription maximizes healthful lifestyle change. Clinical Trials Gov. Identifier NCT00113672
Solid short circuit of D-C machines

THEORETICAL work on the determination of short-circuit current in d-c machines is now sufficiently complete so that standard practices can be set up in the same way as already has been done for synchronous machines.
Meropenem versus imipenem/cilastatin in the treatment of intraabdominal infections requiring surgery

In a prospective randomized study meropenem was compared with imipenem/cilastatin in the treatment of 62 patients with intraabdominal infections requiring surgery. The patients were suffering from diffuse or local peritonitis of moderate severity complicating in most cases gangrenous appendicitis, stomach perforation or gall-bladder disease. There were 30 patients in the meropenem group and 32 patients in the imipenem/cilastatin group. Both antibiotic regimens were given intravenously at a dosage of 1 g every 8 h for a mean duration of 7.7 days in the meropenem group versus 8.6 days in the imipenem/cilastatin group. Fifty-nine aerobic strains and 15 anaerobic strains were isolated from cultures of pus taken intraoperatively, the meropenem MICs ranging from ≤ 0.25 to 2 µg/ml. At follow-up at least one month after treatment the outcome was considered successful in all of 27 evaluable patients given meropenem and in all of 29 evaluable patients given imipenem/cilastatin. Both antibiotic regimens were well tolerated.
Reporting what you have seen: effects associated with age and mode of questioning on eyewitness reports.

This study examined age-related differences in the reporting of a filmed domestic scene, in which a mother was either ambiguously caring or ambiguously abusive toward her daughter. Three age groups...
Effects of treatment with lovastatin and pravastatin on daytime cognitive performance

Summary: The HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors lovastatin and pravastatin have both proven to be effective and well tolerated in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. To evaluate whether lovastatin or pravastatin might affect daytime cognitive function, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period, incomplete block, crossover study was performed in 36 patients (24 per treatment) with primary hypercholesterolemia. Patients received placebo, lovastatin (40 mg), or pravastatin (40 mg) for4 weeks. Following a 1-week washout period, patients were crossed over to either lovastatin, pravastatin, or placebo for an additional 4 weeks. Mental performance tests (digit symbol substitution, choice reaction time, auditory vigilance, selective reminding word recall, finger tapping), visual analogue rating scales, and the Profile of Mood States were administered before test drug administration and after 2 and 4 weeks of each treatment. After 4 weeks, no statistically significant differences between treatments in changes from baseline were observed on any parameter with the exception of digit symbol substitution, for which lovastatin and pravastatjn were both significantly better than placebo but did not differ from each other. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was reduced 38% by lovastatin and 30% by pravastatin. In summary, neither of these chemically distinct HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors impaired daytime cognitive performance after 4 weeks of treatment in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.
Abstract 3566: A robust and rapid targeted sequencing technology for iterative multiple genomic features in cancer

Targeted resequencing has enabled researchers and clinicians to analyze specific genomic regions of interest from cancer. For example, deep sequencing of cancer genes has allowed for the sensitive detection of rare somatic variants as well as oncogenic rearrangements that are otherwise difficult to observe with shotgun resequencing. Deep targeted resequencing of these regions can potentially provide prognostic information as well as guide treatment regimens. Current targeted resequencing methods, however, suffer from poor on-target performance, slow capture rates on the order of days, and significant manual effort. Existing commercial kits are extremely restricted for targeting custom regions of interest. Furthermore, libraries prepared for targeted resequencing purposes generally cannot be reused, thus limiting the number of replicates and follow-up experiments that can be performed for cancer samples. We present APEX (attachment-based porous extension) capture, a platform that rapidly and robustly generates targeted DNA fragments for next-generation sequencing on the Illumina platform in as little as two hours. It is based on the principle that chemical reactions are rapidly enhanced in high surface-to-area ratio microenvironments when one reaction component is surface-bound. As a proof of concept, we covalently tethered next-generation sequencing compatible DNA libraries to a silica membrane found in conventional spin columns, performed target-specific primer extension, and eluted them for next-generation sequencing. Through serial dilutions of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human DNA admixtures, we demonstrate CMV target enrichment down to single genome equivalents. In addition, using a tiling primer strategy we were able to robustly capture and resequence entire bacterial genomes. Because our targeted resequencing technology preserves the original sample library, we can sequentially target different regions of interest in a series of guided experiments. We performed multi-tiered analyses of colon biopsies, where we deep resequence cancer genes as well as survey fro cancer-related pathogens such as bacterial genomes that are co-purified in the sample. APEX capture therefore enables researchers to aggressively and rapidly characterize cancer genomic material, where large-scale targeting panels are followed by precise discriminatory ones that can guide diagnosis and treatment. Citation Format: Billy Lau, Anna Cushing, Hanlee Ji. A robust and rapid targeted sequencing technology for iterative multiple genomic features in cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3566. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3566
Measurement of the Shear Modulus of Tissue-Like Materials Using Magnetic Resonance Elastography

We developed a technology to measure the shear modulus of tissue-like materials using Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging. In this technique, called MR elastography or MRE, the sample is vibrated at 100–300 Hz while MR images are made. The shear wave generated by the vibration will propagate into the material at a speed proportional to the square root of the shear modulus. We compared the shear modulus of gel samples measured in this way with the modulus derived from a static compression test and assuming the material is linearly elastic. The results show good agreement of the two methods provided the shear modulus of the material is below approximately 10 kPa. Differences in the two measurements are explainable by differences in the compression rate of the two techniques.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Adelobasileus from the Upper Triassic of West Texas: the oldest mammal

ABSTRACT Adelobasileus cromptoni Lucas and Hunt, 1990 is based on an incomplete skull from the lower part of the Tecovas Member of the Dockum Formation near Kalgary, Crosby County, Texas. Its age is late Carnian (Tuvalian), about 225 Ma, based on palynostratigraphy, ostracods, vertebrate biochronology, and sequence stratigraphy. This indicates that Adelobasileus is at least 10 million years older than any previously described mammal. The cranium of Adelobasileus shares a large suite of basicranial apomorphies with Liassic mammals. The distribution of 36 characters among 13 taxa of non-mammalian cynodonts and mammals indicates that Adelobasileus, Sinoconodon, and other mammals form a monophyletic group. Adelobasileus is excluded from the monophyletic taxon consisting of Megazostrodon, Haldanodon, morganucodontids, triconodontids, multituberculates, monotremes, and therians. Partly because of incomplete knowledge of Adelobasileus, it is impossible to resolve the trichotomy of Adelobasileus, Sinoconodon, and...
Transition metal ions in crystals: A refined treatment and deduction of coulomb and exchange interaction constants

Abstract Making use of Racah's irreducible tensor operator technique a refined treatment for the 3 d -transition metal ions in crystals has been presented. The refined theory has been applied to analyse the recently observed fine optical spectra of MgF 2 :Co 2+ and MgF 2 :Mn 2+ . Important differences have been noticed in the assignments of the optical lines obtained from the present analysis and from the conventional three-parameter theory. First numerical values of the exchange and Coulomb integrals in these systems have also been given.
Selection of Lactobacillus Mutants for Their α-Dicarbonyl Production

Abstract A method was devised for detecting Lactobacillus mutants that produced amounts of dicarbonyl compounds different from those of their parents. The mutants were recognized by contacting colonies with glass filter paper, which later was sprayed with a solution of o -dianisidine and heated. The amount of dicarbonyl could be estimated by the intensity of the resulting brown spots. The amounts of glyoxal, methylglyoxal, and diacetyl produced by mutants and parents were determined by a high performance chromatography method after growth on two media. Mutants that differed in the production of all three dicarbonyls were noted. The expression of the mutation varied with the medium used.
Numerical Simulation of Gas Phase Reaction Chemistry in Methane-Hydrogen Mixtures

In the present work, gas-phase reactions between opposing streams of mixtures of hydrogen (H2 ) and methane (CH4 ) in the presence of volumetric energy input were simulated. The goal of the simulations is to estimate the concentrations of precursors responsible for the formation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). These estimates are expected to help in understanding fundamental mechanisms of CNT formation and in controlling the synthesis process through parameters such as inlet composition and temperature, reactor pressure and absorbed energy. The simulation employs gas-phase kinetics of the GRI-2.11 mechanism with only reactions involving molecules that contain C and H atoms. The results indicate that the concentrations of H radicals, C2 H2 and C atoms increase significantly with increases in volumetric energy deposition rate beyond a threshold.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Attrition and retention in clinical trials by ethnic origin.

Abstract Context Common perceptions exist within the medical community that retention of Hispanics in clinical trials is difficult, albeit little data is available to support this conviction. Methods A total of 541 randomly selected charts from closed clinical trials between 2000 and 2006 were reviewed. Records were from participating institutions in Texas Medical Center, Houston, and targeted diseases of high prevalence, specifically, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/asthma. Findings Overall, 259 participants (48%) completed the trial they were enrolled in (44% whites, 69% Hispanics, 51% blacks; p p = .04). Among adults, patient's ethnicity was unrelated to study completion. All associations were adjusted for possible confounders. Reasons for not completing a trial varied by ethnicity: “patient withdrawing consent” was more common among whites (51.4%) than Hispanics (21.7%) or blacks (26.2%) ( p p = .04), mostly due to non-compliance with the study protocol. Conclusions Hispanic parents of children with COPD may be more likely to complete a trial than parents of non-Hispanic whites. Among adults, Hispanics had similar completion rates as compared to whites. Culturally sensitive, multi-factorial approaches maybe imperative to increasing patient engagement in clinical trials.
Report on the Minisession "New Developments in Flash ADC Integrated Circuits"

New developments are taking place in the Flash Analog to Digital Converter marketplace. The big news is the digitization of VIDEO. It is expected to be a very large market and the merchant semiconductor and consumer electronics companies will be competing in selling these devices. The companies expect the initial selling price to be in the range of $ 7 - $15 for quantities of 10,000 units or more. This session was organized to expose the community to the new developments in FADC integrated circuits and the needs of physics instrumentation.
ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-LIKE SYNDROME IN TWO HAEMOPHILIACS

Abstract The immunological status of two multiply transfused patients with severe haemophilia A and diffuse lymphadenopathy was evaluated. But patients appeared clinically well and denied homosexuality or intravenous drug abuse. Immunological studies revealed depressed cellular immune function with anergy, relative lymphopenia, decreased T helper cells, and increased T suppressor cells in both patients and an altered T-helpercell/T-suppressor-cell ratio in one. Hyperresponsiveness of the humoral immune system was demonstrated by elevated IgG and IgM. Lymph-node biopsy revealed benign nonspecific hyperplasia in both patients. The lymphadenopathy and immunological features in these two haemophiliacs bear a striking resemblance to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) of homosexuals, intravenous drug abusers, and Haitian immigrants. These findings may represent a prodromal phase or a forme fruste of AIDS. Transmission of an infectious agent in blood products seems likely.
Does intensive statin therapy lower mortality and cardiovascular event risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Does intensive statin therapy lower mortality and cardiovascular event risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome?
Effects of dexamethasone on renal and systemic acid-base metabolism

Effects of dexamethasone on renal and systemic acid-base metabolism. We carried out long-term balance studies in adrenalectomized (ADX) dogs to evaluate the effects of small amounts of a glucocorticoid steroid with minimal mineralocorticoid potency (dexamethasone; DEX) on renal and systemic acid-base metabolism under conditions of constant mineralocorticoid replacement and both normal and increased systemic acid loads. We investigated the effects of low and high dosages of dexamethasone (0.2 mg/day [normal-DEX] vs. 0.8 mg/day [high-DEX]) before and during hydrochloric acid feeding (5 mmol/kg/day) in paired studies on ADX dogs (N = 7) maintained on constant mineralocorticoid replacement (deoxycorticosterone, corticosterone, aldosterone). Prior to hydrochloric acid feeding, no differences in plasma acid-base composition were observed between the two dosages despite greater endogenous acid production with the higher dosage of DEX, evidenced by greater rates of both net acid excretion (NAE) and the excretion of urinary anions other than chloride, bicarbonate, and phosphate (urine anion gap). During hydrochloric acid feeding, mean plasma bicarbonate (PHCO3) decreased from 21.2 ± 0.4 to 13.7 ± 0.5 (normal-DEX) and from 21.1 ± 0.4 to 15.8 ± 0.4 mEq/liter (high-DEX). The difference in the decrements in PHCO3 between groups was significant (P Effets de la dexamethasone sur le metabolisme acido-basique renal et systemique. Les etudes de bilan qui sont rapportees ont ete realisees chez des chiens surrenalectomises (ADX) pour evaluer les effets de faibles quantites d'un steroide glucocorticoide, ayant une activite mineralocorticoide faible (dexamethasone; DEX), sur le metabolisme acido-basique renal et systemique dans des conditions de traitement substitutif permanent de mineralocorticoides et de charge acide soit normale soit elevee. Nous avons etudie les effets de doses de dexamethasone (0,2 mg/jour; normale-DEX) ou 0,8 mg/jour (elevee-DEX) avant et pendant l'administration d'acide chlorhydrique a raison de 5 mmol/kg/jour dans des etudes appariees chez des chiens ADX (N = 7) recevant un traitement substitutif par les mineralocorticoides (deoxycorticosterone acetate, corticosterone, aldosterone). Avant l'administration d'acide chlorhydrique, il n'y avait pas de difference dans la composition acido-basique du plasma selon les doses de DEX malgre l'augmentation de production endogene d'acide sous l'effet de la dose la plus elevee de DEX, augmentation traduite par une elevation de l'etat stationnaire d'excretion nette d'acide (NAE) et de la somme des debits d'excretion des anions urinaires autres que le chlore, le bicarbonate et le phosphate (trou anionique urinaire). Au cours de l'administration d'acide chlorhydrique la concentration plasmatique moyenne de bicarbonate (PHCO3) a diminue de 21,2 ± 0,4 a 13,7 ± 0,5 (normale-DEX) et de 21,1 ± 0,4 a 15,8 ± 0,4 mEq/litre (elevee-DEX). La difference des diminutions de bicarbonate etait significative (P
Automated, in vitro harvest of somatic embryos

This work has demonstrated the aseptic, automated harvest of somatic embryos from a bioreactor suspension culture. Machine vision, emulating the selection criteria of an experienced biologist, classified embryos as harvestable or non-harvestable as they flowed through a 3 mm glass conduit. Embryos classified as harvestable were separated in a sealed harvest chamber. The system harvested 60% of the embryos at a rate of 2.4 embryos/h and incorrectly harvested less than 1% of the non-harvest objects. The low harvest rate precludes the applicability of this technique to research and commercial tissue culture laboratories. The suspension feed-rate, culture population density and culture homogeneity were identified as the most important factors influencing embryo harvest rate. The performance of this technique on more densely populated cultures was projected using anticipated improvements in suspension feedrate. It was concluded that, under the conditions of this analysis, the harvester would be of limited value in a commercial propagation environment but could be beneficial to many research labs working with plant somatic embryos.
Sexual Harassment and Psychosocial Maturity Outcomes among Young Adults Recalling Their First Adolescent Work Experiences

The research questions addressed gender differences in the subjective appraisal of teens experiencing sexual harassment, and the psychosocial maturation of male and female teens appraising such events as threatening to their well-being. Using survey methodology, U.S. undergraduate women (n = 316; 85% White Caucasian) and men (n = 270; 85% White Caucasian) reported on their earliest formal work experiences (participants’ average age was M = 19.03, SD = 1.87). Results indicated that women, more than men, were more upset by, and were more likely to label an event as, sexual harassment. Results further demonstrated that men, particularly men who appraised harassment as bothersome and relied on behavioral coping, reported detriment to maturity outcomes of autonomy and social responsibility. Implications for a “wimpy male” hypothesis are discussed.
Mechanics of the formation of orthogonal sets of solution seams, and solution seams and veins and parallel solution seams and veins

Abstract Commonly observed networks of pressure solution seams (PSSs) and PSSs and veins can be broken down to three basic assemblages: orthogonal PSS sets, orthogonal PSS/vein sets, and parallel PSS/vein sets. We investigate stress distributions around PSSs idealized as localized volume reduction structures (LVRSs) to identify the conditions for forming these three fundamental assemblages. Various geometries of LVRSs are taken into account, including elliptical LVRSs with smooth flanks, LVRSs with triangular and rectangular asperities on their flanks, and LVRSs with overall irregular geometries, such as columnar and conical shapes. The modeling results indicate that if the first PSS set has elliptical shapes with smooth flanks, the conditions for generating the fundamental assemblages listed above are highly restrictive, primarily due to relatively large average aspect ratios of PSSs as measured in the field, which indicate lower stresses around PSSs as they grow. However, both laboratory and field observations have shown that PSS surfaces are extremely rough. We find that PSSs with relatively rough flanks and PSSs with overall irregular trace geometry such as sutured and zig-zag or wiggly are much more favorable for generating the stresses for the formation of these fundamental structural assemblages. Based on a series of stress domain maps from our mechanical model, we evaluated the stress, strain, and geometric conditions for the formation of each of the three assemblages. It turns out that there are a wide variety of loading and geometric factors favoring the formation of a particular type of assemblage.
Heavy doping for improved short-channel operation of GaAs MESFET

A theoretical calculation is performed to investigate the I/V characteristics of GaAs MESFETs. The calculation is based on a simple model that takes into account the dependence of electron mobility on electric field and doping. It is shown that velocity overshoot may be treated by an effective velocity higher than the bulk value.
Risk-based screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae prior to intrauterine device insertion.

Abstract Objective The objective was to compare three strategies for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae screening prior to intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. Study design This was a secondary analysis of the Contraceptive CHOICE Project. We measured the prevalence of C. trachomatis and/or N. gonorrhoeae at the time of IUD insertion. We then compared sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values, and likelihood ratios for three screening strategies for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae prior to IUD insertion: (a) "age-based" — age ≤25 years alone; (b) "age/partner-based" — age ≤25 and/or multiple sexual partners; and (c) "risk-based" — age ≤25, multiple sexual partners, inconsistent condom use and/or history of prior sexually transmitted infection (STI). Results Among 5087 IUD users, 140 (2.8%) tested positive for C. trachomatis , 16 (0.3%) tested positive for N. gonorrhoeae , and 6 (0.1%) were positive for both at the time of IUD insertion. The "risk-based" screening strategy had the highest sensitivity (99.3%) compared to "age-based" and "age/partner-based" screening (80.7% and 84.7%, respectively.) Only one (0.7%) woman with a chlamydia or gonorrhea infection would not have been screened using "risk-based" screening. Conclusion A risk-based strategy to screen for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae prior to IUD insertion has higher sensitivity than screening based on age alone or age and multiple sexual partners. Implications Using a risk-based screening strategy (age≤25, multiple sexual partners, inconsistent condom use and/or history of an STI) to determine who should be screened for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae prior to IUD insertion will miss very few cases of infection and obviates the need for universal screening.
Antigen-specific regulatory T cells develop via the ICOS–ICOS-ligand pathway and inhibit allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity

Asthma is caused by T-helper cell 2 (Th2)-driven immune responses, but the immunological mechanisms that protect against asthma development are poorly understood. T-cell tolerance, induced by respiratory exposure to allergen, can inhibit the development of airway hyperreactivity (AHR), a cardinal feature of asthma, and we show here that regulatory T (T(R)) cells can mediate this protective effect. Mature pulmonary dendritic cells in the bronchial lymph nodes of mice exposed to respiratory allergen induced the development of T(R) cells, in a process that required T-cell costimulation via the inducible costimulator (ICOS-ICOS-ligand pathway. The T(R) cells produced IL-10, and had potent inhibitory activity; when adoptively transferred into sensitized mice, T(R) cells blocked the development of AHR. Both the development and the inhibitory function of regulatory cells were dependent on the presence of IL-10 and on ICOS-ICOS-ligand interactions. These studies demonstrate that T(R) cells and the ICOS-ICOS-ligand signaling pathway are critically involved in respiratory tolerance and in downregulating pulmonary inflammation in asthma.
QoS aware storage cache management in multi-server environments

In this paper, we propose a novel two-step approach to the management of the storage caches to provide predictable performance in multi-server storage architectures: (1) An adaptive QoS decomposition and optimization step uses max-flow algorithm to determine the best decomposition of application-level QoS to sub-QoSs such that the application performance is optimized, and (2) A storage cache allocation step uses feedback control theory to allocate shared storage cache space such that the specified QoSs are satisfied throughout the execution.
Segmental spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain.

Primary cultures of neurons provide opportunities to study the cell biology of neurons under controlled conditions. Because differences exist in cellular properties among populations of neurons in the brain, survival requirements for neurons among these regions differ as well. This chapter outlines protocols for the preparation of primary cultures of spinal cord from 2-d-old neonatal rats. One protocol prepares cultures enriched in neurons and an alternative procedure prepares cultures enriched in non-neuronal cells. Comparison of biochemical data between these two culture preparations allows deductions of effects of treatments on neurons in the cultures. Limitations in interpretation of data obtained from cultured neurons are discussed.
Terahertz photonics for imaging

This paper concerns the application of microwave photonic techniques for Terahertz imaging. The system under investigation comprises of two high power, low noise electro-optic microchip lasers that mix in a traveling wave detector to produce a 200 GHz millimeter wave signal that is multiplied to .8 or 1.2 THz. The traveling wave detector, the multiplier and the THz radiating elements are to be integrated on an MMIC chip. The paper focuses on the development of the laser subsystem.
Metastatic neuroblastoma: the mimicker of basilar skull fracture in children.

A 21-month-old Caucasian boy was seen at another hospital with a chief complaint of mild ecchymosis in the left infraorbital region. The parents denied any known trauma or fall. His examination did not reveal any obvious fracture and he was discharged with a presumed diagnosis of facial contusion from a fall. Three days later he presented with worsening ecchymosis and marked bilateral periorbital swelling. The child’s past medical history was unremarkable. He took no medications and had no allergies. Vital signs were normal. His facial examination showed marked swelling and periorbital ecchymosis with proptosis of both eyes. His ocular movements were decreased (Figure 1). His pupils were 4 mm and reactive. His nasal passages were obstructed with a small mass. He was lethargic but arousable. The remainder of his examination was unremarkable. The computed tomography (CT) scan of his head showed soft tissue mass in the orbital regions pushing the eyes forward and extensive bony erosions (Figures 2 and 3). He was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. A iopsy of the tissue revealed neuroblastoma. He was tarted on chemotherapy, but he developed neutropenic
Experimental tests of minimum viable population size

Fitness and rates of extinction were compared among populations of the housefly, Musca domestica L., kept either at constant effective sizes of 50, 500 or 1500 or passed through extreme founder events reducing effective size to 5. Populations were maintained for 24 generations, which for small to medium-sized mammals would be less than the 200 years suggested by Soule et al. (1986) as necessary for maintaining viable populations of endangered species. The results demonstrate that effective population sizes have to be greater than the 50 individuals suggested by Franklin (1980) to retain fitness and escape extinction, even in the short term. In contrast to populations of constant size that exhibited monotonic decreases in fitness through time, populations established with few founders rebounded from initial inbreeding depression. However, they were less adaptable to environmental stress than constant size populations, suggesting that populations founded with few numbers may do well within a single environment but may do far less well if they are reintroduced to natural environments or exposed to rapid environmental changes.
Autoradiography of Water-Soluble Materials in Plant Tissues

Samples of tissue with water-soluble substances are lyophilized and doubly-infiltrated with parlodion and paraffin. Sections are mounted on an adhesive-coated cover slip with chloroform. The reverse side of the cover slip is coated successively with a thin layer of Harleco resin and a thick layer of Kodak “Opaque”. A corner of the cover slip is broken off as a marker. The cover slip is assembled with a covering glass slide on a nuclear track plate (Kodak NTB-2) with protective coating, the section being in contact with the emulsion, and held in place during radioactive exposure. Before development, the cover slip and plate are exposed briefly to light and then disassembled. Following development of the plate and removal of the layer of resin and opaque from the cover slip, staining of the section is optional. Lining up of the section with its autoradiograph can be accurate within 1-5μ.
BLACK MALE UNEMPLOyMENT IN U.S. METROPOLITAN AREAS: THE ROLE OF BLACK CENTRAL CITy SEGREGATION AND JOB DECENTRALIZATION*

Housing segregation has been suggested as an important cause of high unemployment among black Americans, because segregation restricts the black population to living in those central city areas which are losing jobs. Previous studies have not offered a conclusive test of this hypothesis, as they present conflicting findings and have a number of methodological difficulties. Using regression analyses on data from U.S. SMSAs, it is shown that the differential in unemployment rates between blacks and whites in U. S. SMSAs (and particularly SMSAs outside the South) is substantially influenced both by segregation patterns restricting blacks to the central city and by job decentralization. This black/while unemployment differential and the overall unemployment rate in an area determine the level of black unemployment in the area. Thus, central city segregation and job decentralization have important indirect effects on the black unemployment rates of U. S. metropolitan areas.
Patch-based regularization for iterative PET image reconstruction

Iterative image reconstruction for positron emission tomography (PET) can improve image quality by using spatial regularization that penalizes image intensity difference between neighboring pixels. Themost commonly used quadratic penalty often over-smoothes edges and small objects in reconstructed images. Non-quadratic penalties can preserve edges but may introduce piece-wise constant blocky artifacts. The results are also sensitive to the hyper-parameter that controls the shape of the penalty function. This paper presents a robust regularization for iterative image reconstruction by using neighborhood patches instead of individual pixels in formulating the non-quadratic penalties. An optimization transfer algorithm is developed for the corresponding optimization problem. Computer simulations show that the proposed patch-based regularization can achieve better contrast recovery for small objects compared with quadratic regularization, and is more robust to the hyper-parameter than the conventional pixel-based non-quadratic regularization.
Crystal structure of thrombin in a self-inhibited conformation.

The activating effect of Na+ on thrombin is allosteric and depends on the conformational transition from a low activity Na+-free (slow) form to a high activity Na+-bound (fast) form. The structures of these active forms have been solved. Recent structures of thrombin obtained in the absence of Na+ have also documented inactive conformations that presumably exist in equilibrium with the active slow form. The validity of these inactive slow form structures, however, is called into question by the presence of packing interactions involving the Na+ site and the active site regions. Here, we report a 1.87A resolution structure of thrombin in the absence of inhibitors and salts with a single molecule in the asymmetric unit and devoid of significant packing interactions in regions involved in the allosteric slow → fast transition. The structure shows an unprecedented self-inhibited conformation where Trp-215 and Arg-221a relocate >10A to occlude the active site and the primary specificity pocket, and the guanidinium group of Arg-187 penetrates the protein core to fill the empty Na+-binding site. The extreme mobility of Trp-215 was investigated further with the W215P mutation. Remarkably, the mutation significantly compromises cleavage of the anticoagulant protein C but has no effect on the hydrolysis of fibrinogen and PAR1. These findings demonstrate that thrombin may assume an inactive conformation in the absence of Na+ and that its procoagulant and anticoagulant activities are closely linked to the mobility of residue 215.
Investigation of Ejection Releases of an MB-1 Rocket from a 0.04956-Scaled Model of the Convair F-106a Airplane at Mach Number 1.59

Report presenting an investigation of the ejection release characteristics of the MB-1 rocket from the missile bay of a Convair F-106A airplane. Results regarding pitching moment, ejections, release conditions, and missile trajectory are provided.
Atherosclerotic intracranial arterial stenosis: risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment

Intracranial atherosclerosis is one of the most common causes of stroke worldwide and is associated with a high risk of recurrent stroke. New therapeutic approaches to treat this high-risk disease include dual antiplatelet treatment, intensive management of risk factors, and endovascular therapy. Early data from randomised trials indicate that aggressive medical therapy is better than stenting for prevention of recurrent stroke in high-risk patients with atherosclerotic stenosis of a major intracranial artery. Nevertheless, there are subgroups of patients who remain at high risk of stroke despite aggressive medical therapy. Further research is needed to identify these high-risk subgroups and to develop more effective treatments. Non-invasive vascular imaging methods that could be used to identify high-risk patients include fractional flow on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), quantitative MRA, and high-resolution MRI of the atherosclerotic plaque. Alternative therapies to consider for future clinical trials include angioplasty alone, indirect surgical bypass procedures, ischaemic preconditioning, and new anticoagulants (direct thrombin or Xa inhibitors).
SINGLE BOOK REVIEWS

Nostalgia for the Modern: State Secularism and Everyday Politics in Turkey. Esra Ozyurek. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2006. 227 pp.
Autonomous Self-Assessment of Autocorrections: Exploring Text Message Dialogues

Text input aids such as automatic correction systems play an increasingly important role in facilitating fast text entry and efficient communication between text message users. Although these tools are beneficial when they work correctly, they can cause significant communication problems when they fail. To improve its autocorrection performance, it is important for the system to have the capability to assess its own performance and learn from its mistakes. To address this, this paper presents a novel task of self-assessment of autocorrection performance based on interactions between text message users. As part of this investigation, we collected a dataset of autocorrection mistakes from true text message users and experimented with a rich set of features in our self-assessment task. Our experimental results indicate that there are salient cues from the text message discourse that allow systems to assess their own behaviors with high precision.
Nonempirical Apparent Permeability of Shale

Physics of fluid flow in shale reservoirs cannot be predicted from standard flow or mass-transfer models because of the presence of nanopores, ranging in size from one to hundreds of nanometers, in shales. Conventional continuum-flow equations, such as Darcy’s law, greatly underestimate the fluid-flow rate when applied to nanopore-bearing shale reservoirs. As a result of the existence of nanopores in shales, the molecular mean free path becomes comparable with the characteristic geometric scale, and we hypothesize that under this condition, Knudsen diffusion, in addition to correction for the slip boundary condition, becomes the dominant mechanism. Recently, a few models have been developed that use various empirical parameters to account for these modifications (Javadpour 2009; Civan 2010; Darabi et al. 2012). This paper aims to provide a different approach to modeling apparent permeability in shale reservoirs. The proposed model is analytical, free of any empirical coefficients, and has been derived without invoking the assumption of slip flow at the pore wall. Our model of apparent permeability represented by a single analytical equation, depends only on pore size, pore geometry, temperature, gas properties, and average reservoir pressure. The proposed model is valid for Knudsen numbers less than unity and it stands up under the complete operating conditions of a shale reservoir. Our model reasonably predicts results as reported by other models. Finally, the model shows that pore-surface roughness and mineralogy have a negligible influence on gas-flow rate, whereas pore geometry and pore size play a significant role in the proportion of diffusion in total flow rate. Our study shows that a combination of Darcy flow and Knudsen flow—ignoring the Klinkenberg effect— can describe gas flow for a range of Knudsen flow applicable to a shale-gas system.
Liars, Traitors, and Spies: Wen Ho Lee and the Racial Construction of Disloyalty

This brief essay explores the recurrent themes raised in the investigation and prosecution of Wen Ho Lee for espionage in the absence of any evidence that he passed any information to any foreign agent. In this essay I reflect on 150 years of American legal history and show how Asians in America have been legally and socially constructed as foreign, and how that foreignness translates into distrust and presumptions of disloyalty in various circumstances. Elements of my own personal family history are woven into the discussion. I trace how that presumption of disloyalty has played into the Wen Ho Lee prosecution. Finally, I describe some of the complex repercussions this presumption creates in the formation of Asian American racial identity.
Computational approaches to detect allosteric pathways in transmembrane molecular machines

Many of the functions of transmembrane proteins involved in signal processing and transduction across the cell membrane are determined by allosteric couplings that propagate the functional effects well beyond the original site of activation. Data gathered from breakthroughs in biochemistry, crystallography, and single molecule fluorescence have established a rich basis of information for the study of molecular mechanisms in the allosteric couplings of such transmembrane proteins. The mechanistic details of these couplings, many of which have therapeutic implications, however, have only become accessible in synergy with molecular modeling and simulations. Here, we review some recent computational approaches that analyze allosteric coupling networks (ACNs) in transmembrane proteins, and in particular the recently developed Protein Interaction Analyzer (PIA) designed to study ACNs in the structural ensembles sampled by molecular dynamics simulations. The power of these computational approaches in interrogating the functional mechanisms of transmembrane proteins is illustrated with selected examples of recent experimental and computational studies pursued synergistically in the investigation of secondary active transporters and GPCRs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Proteins edited by J.C. Gumbart and Sergei Noskov.
LEED AND THERMAL DESORPTION STUDIES OF SMALL MOLECULES (H2, O2, CO, CO2, NO, C2H4, C2H2 AND C) CHEMISORBED ON THE STEPPED RHODIUM (755) AND (331) SURFACES

Abstract The chemisorption of H2, O2, CO, CO2, NO, C2H4, C2H2 and C has been studied on the clean Rh(111) and (100) surfaces. LEED, AES and thermal desorption were used to determine the surface structures, disordering and desorption temperatures, displacement and decomposition characteristics for each species. All of the molecules studied readily chemisorbed on both surfaces. A large variety of ordered structures was observed, especially on the (111) surface. The disordering temperatures of most ordered surface structures on the (111) surface were below 100°C. It was necessary to adsorb the gases at 25° C or below in order to obtain well-ordered surface structures. Chemisorbed oxygen was readily removed from the surface by H2 or CO gas at crystal temperatures above 50°C. CO2 appears to dissociate to CO upon adsorption on both rhodium surfaces as indicated by the identical ordering and desorption characteristics of these two molecules. C2H4 and C2H2 also had very similar ordering and desorption characteristics and it is likely that the adsorbed species formed by both molecules is the same. Decomposition of ethylene produced a sequence of ordered carbon surface structures on the (111) face as a result of a bulk-surface carbon equilibrium. The chemisorption properties of rhodium appear to be generally similar to those of iridium, nickel and palladium.