cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Helper T-Cell Differentiation in Graft-Versus-Host Disease After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an effective therapeutic option for many malignant diseases. However, the efficacy of allo-HSCT is limited by the occurrence of destructive graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Since allogeneic T cells are the driving force in the development of GVHD, their activation, proliferation, and differentiation are key factors to understanding GVHD pathogenesis. This review focuses on one critical aspect: the differentiation and function of helper T (Th) cells in acute GVHD. We first summarize well-established subsets including Th1, Th2, Th17, and T-regulatory cells; their flexibility, plasticity, and epigenetic modification; and newly identified subsets including Th9, Th22, and T follicular helper cells. Next, we extensively discuss preclinical findings of Th-cell lineages in GVHD: the networks of transcription factors involved in differentiation, the cytokine and signaling requirements for development, the reciprocal differentiation features, and the regulation of microRNAs on T-cell differentiation. Finally, we briefly summarize the recent findings on the roles of T-cell subsets in clinical GVHD and ongoing strategies to modify T-cell differentiation for controlling GVHD in patients. We believe further exploration and understanding of the immunobiology of T-cell differentiation in GVHD will expand therapeutic options for the continuing success of allo-HSCT.
Climate-forced variability of ocean hypoxia.

Oxygen (O2) is a critical constraint on marine ecosystems. As oceanic O2 falls to hypoxic concentrations, habitability for aerobic organisms decreases rapidly. We show that the spatial extent of hypoxia is highly sensitive to small changes in the ocean’s O2 content, with maximum responses at suboxic concentrations where anaerobic metabolisms predominate. In model-based reconstructions of historical oxygen changes, the world’s largest suboxic zone, in the Pacific Ocean, varies in size by a factor of 2. This is attributable to climate-driven changes in the depth of the tropical and subtropical thermocline that have multiplicative effects on respiration rates in low-O2 water. The same mechanism yields even larger fluctuations in the rate of nitrogen removal by denitrification, creating a link between decadal climate oscillations and the nutrient limitation of marine photosynthesis.
Cell type specific chromosome territory organization in the interphase nucleus of normal and cancer cells.

Numerous studies indicate that the genome of higher eukaryotes is organized into distinct chromosome territories and that the 3-D arrangement of these territories may be closely connected to genomic function and the global regulation of gene expression. Despite this progress, the degree of non-random arrangement remains unclear and no overall model has been proposed for chromosome territory associations. To address this issue, a re-FISH approach was combined with computational analysis to analysis the pair-wise associations for six pairs of human chromosomes (chr #1, 4, 11, 12, 16, 18) in the G0 state of normal human WI38 lung fibroblast and MCF10A epithelial breast cells. Similar levels of associations were found in WI38 and MCF10A for several of the chromosomes whereas others showed striking differences. A novel computational geometric approach, the generalized median graph (GMG), revealed a preferred probabilistic arrangement distinct for each cell line. Statistical analysis demonstrated that ∼50% of the associations depicted in the GMG models are present in each individual nucleus. A nearly twofold increase of chromosome 4/16 associations in a malignant breast cancer cell line (MCFCA1a) compared to the related normal epithelial cell line (MCF10A) further demonstrates cancer related changes in chromosome arrangements. Our findings of highly preferred chromosome association profiles that are cell type specific and undergo alterations in cancer cells, lead us to propose a probabilistic chromosome code whereby the 3-D association profile of chromosomes contributes to the functional landscape of the cell nucleus, the global regulation of gene expression and the epigenetic state of chromatin. J. Cell. Physiol. 221: 130–138, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc
Location dependent query proxy

In a mobile environment, the result of queries often depends on the client's location. These queries are called location dependent queries (LDQ). Applying the concept of caching to LDQs provides a means for efficient processing when queries exhibit both semantic similarity and spatial locality. Existing LDQ caching schemes require database (DB) servers to provide validity regions (VR) for LDQ results, which introduces significant processing and/or storage overhead. As a result, DB servers may only provide the validity information conditionally or do not provide it at all. We propose a novel LDQ proxy scheme that can estimate the VR if DB servers do not provide such information. The simulation results show that the LDQ proxy reduces both the LDQ response time and the database workload.
The Time Course of Anticipatory Constraint Integration

Several studies have demonstrated that as listeners hear sentences describing events in a scene, their eye movements anticipate upcoming linguistic items predicted by the unfolding relationship between scene and sentence. While this may reflect active prediction based on structural or contextual expectations, the influence of local thematic priming between words has not been fully examined. In Experiment 1, we presented verbs (e.g., arrest) in active (Subject-Verb-Object) sentences with displays containing verb-related patients (e.g., crook) and agents (e.g., policeman). We examined patient and agent fixations following the verb, after the agent role had been filled by another entity, but prior to bottom-up specification of the object. Participants were nearly as likely to fixate agents "anticipatorily" as patients, even though the agent role was already filled. However, the patient advantage suggested simultaneous influences of both local priming and active prediction. In Experiment 2, using passive sentences (Object-Verb-Subject), we found stronger, but still graded influences of role prediction when more time elapsed between verb and target, and more syntactic cues were available. We interpret anticipatory fixations as emerging from constraint-based processes that involve both non-predictive thematic priming and active prediction.
Development of a Comprehensive Osteochondral Allograft MRI Scoring System (OCAMRISS) With Histopathologic, Micro–Computed Tomography, and Biomechanical Validation

Objective:To describe and apply a semiquantitative MRI scoring system for multifeature analysis of cartilage defect repair in the knee by osteochondral allografts and to correlate this scoring system with histopathologic, micro–computed tomography (µCT), and biomechanical reference standards using a goat repair model.Design:Fourteen adult goats had 2 osteochondral allografts implanted into each knee: one in the medial femoral condyle and one in the lateral trochlea. At 12 months, goats were euthanized and MRI was performed. Two blinded radiologists independently rated 9 primary features for each graft, including cartilage signal, fill, edge integration, surface congruity, calcified cartilage integrity, subchondral bone plate congruity, subchondral bone marrow signal, osseous integration, and presence of cystic changes. Four ancillary features of the joint were also evaluated, including opposing cartilage, meniscal tears, synovitis, and fat-pad scarring. Comparison was made with histologic and µCT referenc...
Cooperative organization of inorganic-surfactant and biomimetic assemblies

A model that makes use of the cooperative organization of inorganic and organic molecular species into three dimensionally structured arrays is generalized for the synthesis of nanocomposite materials. In this model, the properties and structure of a system are determined by dynamic interplay among ion-pair inorganic and organic species, so that different phases can be readily obtained through small variations of controllable synthesis parameters, including mixture composition and temperature. Nucleation, growth, and phase transitions may be directed by the charge density, coordination, and steric requirements of the inorganic and organic species at the interface and not necessarily by a preformed structure. A specific example is presented in which organic molecules in the presence of multiply charged silicate oligomers self-assemble into silicatropic liquid crystals. The organization of these silicate-surfactant mesophases is investigated with and without interfacial silicate condensation to separate the effects of self-assembly from the kinetics of silicate polymerization.
Engine model for mapping BSFC contours

Engine manufacturers plot contours of constant BSFC (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption) on torque-speed maps to show those torque-speed combinations at which the engine will operate most efficiently. Conventionally, torque, speed and fuel consumption must be measured at hundreds of points on the map to permit accurate drawing of contours. Both the data taking and the plotting of the contours are very time consuming. Thermal and mechanical efficiencies of an engine were considered in developing a mathematical model that relates torque, speed and fuel consumption. The model can be calibrated to a specific diesel engine by using 40 to 50 experimental obervations of torque, speed and fuel consumption for the engine. Typically, the model can predict fuel consumption to within 1% at most points on the torque-speed map and maximum errors are less than 5%. The model has been extended and programmed to automatically plot contours of constant BSFC and also contours of constant engine power on a torque-speed map.
Driving forces for thermal mass transport

Abstract A unified treatment of the various mechanisms which can influence thermal mass transport has been developed in this paper. A distinction has been made between the so-called intrinsic driving force, as embodied in the Wirtz-Brinkman mechanism, and those forces associated with the flux of heat carriers-phonons and electrons. A qualitative treatment of the phonon flux indicates that it has little direct influence on vacancy motion. The presence of the vacancy tends to enhance the thermal gradient locally and this in turn may increase the effect of E m . The influence of the heat current carried by the charge carriers is also small for an isotropic Fermi surface but can be large in more complicated situations, particularly for metals having both hole and electron contributions. The effect is of the right order of magnitude to explain some of the large heats of transport found for some multi-band metals (such as platinum) but a detailed quantitative check appears difficult.
The effect of levamisole on energy metabolism in Ehrlich ascites tumour cells in vitro.

Abstract It has been found that levamisole, an anthelmintic drug, used also as an immunomodulator in human cancer therapy, is a strong inhibitor of tumour aerobic glycolysis. In vitro , in Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT) cells and supernatants it diminishes glucose uptake and lactate formation. It does not, however, exert a similar inhibitory effect on glycolytic activity in normal liver and muscle supernatants. Metabolic and enzymatic studies have shown that levamisole directly inhibits tumour phosphofructokinase decreasing ATP, as well as 2-phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate as further glycolytic intermediates. l -Cysteine used for comparison also as another inhibitor of tumour aerobic glycolysis, decreasing glucose uptake and lactate formation and diminishing pyruvate and ATP levels, differs in the accompanying increase in 2-phosphoenolpyruvate concentration. This crossing-over in metabolite concentration, only seen in tumour material, points to tumour pyruvate kinase as an isoenzyme sensitive to cysteine inhibition. Direct enzymatic studies have confirmed this suggestion. Some similarities in the influence on the metabolism of both compounds studied have been discussed, as well as the role of the effects observed in understanding the mechanisms of levamisole action (also in worms).
Definite descriptions and semantic pluralism

AbstractWe pose two arguments for the view that sentences containing definite descriptions semantically express multiple propositions: a general proposition as Russell suggested, and a singular proposition featuring the individual who uniquely satisfies the description at the world-time of utterance. One argument mirrors David Kaplan's arguments that indexicals express singular propositions through a context-sensitive character. The second argument mirrors Kent Bach's and Stephen Neale's arguments for pluralist views about terms putatively triggering conventional implicatures, appositive, and nonrestrictive relative clauses. After presenting these arguments, we show that rival explanations (appeals to implicature, referential use, presupposition, etc.) do not offer equally compelling explanations of the data, and defend the methodology employed in the arguments against some criticisms.
Current management of melanoma: benefits of surgical staging and adjuvant therapy.

Issues regarding appropriate management of stage I to III melanoma are addressed. Accurate surgical staging is critical to identifying patients who can benefit from therapeutic lymph node dissection and adjuvant therapy. Patients with primary tumors ≥1 mm thick are appropriate candidates for sentinel lymph node biopsy, and node-positive patients benefit from therapeutic lymphadenectomy. Although the overall survival benefit of high-dose interferon has been questioned, the weight of evidence supports the use of adjuvant therapy in patients with stage IIB and III disease. J. Surg. Oncol. 2003;82:209–216. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Geothermal energy development in the Soviet Union

The following subjects are discussed: distribution of geothermal resources in the USSR, geothermal energy conversion to electricity, use of low-temperature fluids for space heating, use of hydrothermal resources for agriculture, and other present and prospective uses of geothermal resources. Maps are shown of geothermal gradients and areas of geothermal development in the USSR. (MHR)
A Trial of Imaging Selection and Endovascular Treatment for Ischemic Stroke

BackgroundWhether brain imaging can identify patients who are most likely to benefit from therapies for acute ischemic stroke and whether endovascular thrombectomy improves clinical outcomes in such patients remains unclear. MethodsIn this study, we randomly assigned patients within 8 hours after the onset of large-vessel, anterior-circulation strokes to undergo mechanical embolectomy (Merci Retriever or Penumbra System) or receive standard care. All patients underwent pretreatment computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Randomization was stratified according to whether the patient had a favorable penumbral pattern (substantial salvageable tissue and small infarct core) or a nonpenumbral pattern (large core or small or absent penumbra). We assessed outcomes using the 90-day modified Rankin scale, ranging from 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (dead). ResultsAmong 118 eligible patients, the mean age was 65.5 years, the mean time to enrollment was 5.5 hours, and 58% had a favorable penumbral patt...
Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Stability Experiments on a Flared-Cone Model at Angle of Attack in a Quiet Wind Tunnel

An experimental investigation of the effects of angle of attack on hypersonic boundary-layer stability on a flared-cone model was conducted in the low-disturbance Mach-6 Nozzle-Test Chamber Facility at NASA Langley Research Center. This unique facility provided a 'quiet' flow test environment which is well suited for stability experiments because the low levels of freestream 'noise' minimize artificial stimulation of flow-disturbance growth. Surface pressure and temperature measurements documented the adverse-pressure gradient and transition-onset location. Hot-wire anemometry diagnostics were applied to identify the instability mechanisms which lead to transition. In addition, the mean flow over the flared-cone geometry was modeled by laminar Navier-Stokes computations. Results show that the boundary layer becomes more stable on the windward ray and less stable on the leeward ray relative to the zero-degree angle-of-attack case. The second-mode instability dominates the transition process at a zero-degree angle of attack, however, on the windward ray at an angle of attack this mode was completely stabilized. The less-dominant first-mode instability was slightly destabilized on the windward ray. Non-linear mechanisms such as saturation and harmonic generation are identified from the flow-disturbance bispectra.
Magnetic field dependence of spin doublet in GaAs

The spin-up and spin-down transitions of the ground state of the shallow donor electron have slightly different energies in an applied magnetic field. The splitting of the spin doublet increases with increasing magnetic field intensity. High field measurements of the splitting show that the dependence on magnetic field intensity is not only greater than a linear dependence but also greater than a quadratic dependence.
Replacement of the descending thoracic aorta with intraluminal ring graft

Renal failure and paraplegia are major complications of operations on the descending thoracic aorta. To minimize cross-clamp time and reduce the incidence of such complications, we have used an intraluminal ring graft to reestablish aortic continuity in patients with descending thoracic aortic lesions. From March 1978 to December 1986, we used this technique alone in 28 patients. There were 4 patients with traumatic aortic disruptions, 4 with dissections, 4 with expanding aneurysms, 2 with ruptured aneurysms, 1 with Marfan's syndrome, and 13 with atherosclerotic aneurysms that were repaired electively. The cross-clamp times ranged from 4 to 28 minutes. There were three early postoperative deaths (within 30 days) and one late postoperative death in the follow-up period (mean, 28.2 months). Ring dislodgement occurred only once, in the first patient in this series. There were no instances of postoperative renal failure or paraplegia. We conclude that the use of an intraluminal ring graft greatly reduces the aortic cross-clamp time and is a safe and effective technique.
Effects of Pulsed Magnetic Treatment on Mechanical Characteristics of Manufactured Parts

The use of magnetic fields to treat manufactured parts is attractive since easy-to-produce, easy-to-control fields can be used at room temperature, in contrast to more complex treatments such as heat treatment. Little research has been done to apply magnetic treatment to the modification and control of mechanical properties, behavior and performance of manufactured parts. This paper contains descriptions of experimental studies of the effects of pulsed magnetic treatment on the residual stress in machined surfaces and in welded thin-wall tubes, and includes a qualitative explanation of some of the results in terms of dislocation density. The machined part results indicated only possibly small effects, and so further experiments were done with thin-wall tubes that were expected to be more susceptible to magnetic treatment, and a more sensitive measurement technique was used. The difference in damping of vibration of untreated and pulsed magnetically treated welded tubes was used as a measure of treatment effects. Two significant results are reported. One is that pulsed magnetic treatment increased damping by up to 20%, with smaller effects in most tests. The other result is that damping increased, decreased, increased, and so on, as the length of magnetic treatment was increased.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Full-scene subnanometer HYDICE wavelength calibration

The Hyperspectral Data and Information Collection Experiment (HYDICE) collected data during 1995 for purposes of assessing and verifying performance. Accurate wavelength calibration to +/- 0.1 nm is essential for proper application of atmospheric models in order to derive apparent surface reflectance. A method for precise wavelength calibration is described that makes use of the narrow atmospheric oxygen band absorption feature at 762 nm. Precision of +/- 0.1 nm is feasible despite variable surface cover if the signal-to-noise ratio is greater than 100. Resampling the HYDICE images to a common wavelength results in reduced spectral resolution and adversely affects the radiometric accuracy of narrow features such as the oxygen band.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Utilization of MS3 spectra for the multicomponent quantification of diastereomeric N-acetylhexosamines

A rapid and accurate means of quantifying mixtures of diastereomeric N-acetylhexosamine monosaccharides using MS3 product ions is introduced. The method involves derivatizing the monosaccharides with [Co(DAP)2Cl2]Cl (where DAP is diaminopropane), and subjecting the derivatized products to collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Each diastereomer provides unique MS3 product ion abundances. The abundances for the pure monosaccharide standards are used in a system of equations in order to quantify mixtures of these diastereomers. Using the system of equations is quite advantageous, as it is the only mass spectrometric method that has been shown to successfully quantify mixtures of more than two isomers. The utility of the method is demonstrated by successfully quantifying various two and three component mixtures of the diastereomeric monosaccharides. Furthermore, the method is used to quantify the recovery of a single diastereomeric monosaccharide from an acidic resin. Although the multicomponent quantification method described herein is used to quantify mixtures of N-acetylhexosamine diastereomers, it could be applied to any group of isomers, provided distinguishing CID spectra are obtained. This is the first known report of utilizing MS3 product ions for quantification of structural isomeric mixtures.
Lymphocytes bearing the γδ T-cell receptor in normal human intestine and celiac disease

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies to T-cell receptors were used to investigate the prevalence of the two distinct T-cell subpopulations (TCR αβ + and TCR γδ + cells) in the intesstinal mucosa of children with celiac disease (gluten-sensitive enteropathy) as compared with normal intestinal mucosa. TCR ggδ + cells were rarely identified in the epithelium of human fetal or normal postnatal intestine and few were present in the lamina propria, whereas the number and distribution of TCR αβ + cells closely resembled that of CD3 + cells. Compared with normal intestine, a significant increase in the number of CD3 + , CD8 + , TCR αβ + , and TCR γδ + intraepithelial lymphocytes was present in celiac disease. Although the mucosal TCR γδ + cells were less numerous than TCR αβ + cells in celiac disease, there was a marked increase in the number of TCR γδ + cells as compared with controls. The ligand recognized by the γδ T-cell receptor and the function of these cells have not been determined; however, these findings suggest a possible role for TCR γδ + lymphocytes in mucosal immune responses and tissue injury as seen in celiac disease.
Modeling individual email patterns over time with latent variable models

As digital communication devices play an increasingly prominent role in our daily lives, the ability to analyze and understand our communication patterns becomes more important. In this paper, we investigate a latent variable modeling approach for extracting information from individual email histories, focusing in particular on understanding how an individual communicates over time with recipients in their social network. The proposed model consists of latent groups of recipients, each of which is associated with a piecewise-constant Poisson rate over time. Inference of group memberships, temporal changepoints, and rate parameters is carried out via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. We illustrate the utility of the model by applying it to both simulated and real-world email data sets.
Ion internal temperature and ion trap collisional activation: protonated leucine enkephalin

Abstract Protonated leucine enkephalin has been used as a prototypical high-mass ion to yield a quantitative estimate of the relationship between the amplitude of the resonance excitation voltage used in an ion trap collisional activation experiment, and the internal temperature to which an ion can be elevated over the bath gas temperature. The approach involves the measurement of the ion dissociation rate as a function of resonance excitation voltage, and the correlation of dissociation rate with ion internal temperature. The relatively high ion trap dissociation rates observed under typical resonance excitation conditions preclude the direct application of the Arrhenius equation to derive internal temperatures. An empirical determination of the relationship between ion internal temperature and dissociation rate over the rate range of interest here was made via the systematic variation of bath gas temperature. The data suggest a very nearly linear relationship between ion internal temperature and resonance excitation voltage, at least under conditions in which ion ejection is minimal. It is shown that protonated leucine enkephalin ions can be elevated by about 357 K over the bath gas temperature using a monopolar resonance excitation voltage of 540 mV p − p(qz = 0.163) without significant ion ejection. It is also demonstrated that ion internal temperature can be readily increased by increasing the bath gas temperature, by accelerating the ions in the presence of a room temperature bath gas (i.e. conventional ion trap collisional activation), or by a combination of the two approaches.
A novel approach for the complete removal of threading dislocations from ZnSe on GaAs (001)

Here we demonstrate a novel approach to the complete removal of threading dislocations in ZnSe on GaAs (001). This approach, which we call patterned heteroepitaxial processing (PHP), involves post-growth patterning and thermal annealing. Eyitaxial layers of ZnSe on GaAs (001) were grown to thicknesses of 2000–6000 A by photoassisted metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). Following growth, layers were patterned by photolithography and then annealed at elevated temperatures under flowing hydrogen. Threading dislocation densities were determined using a bromine/methanol etch followed by microscopic evaluation of the resulting etch pit densities. We found that as-grown layers contained more than 107 CM-2 threading dislocations. The complete removal of threading dislocations was accomplished by patterning to 70 gm by 70∼tm square regions followed by thermal annealing for 30 minutes at temperatures greater than 5000C. Neither post-growth annealing alone nor post-growth patterning alone had a significant effect. The effectiveness of this approach dminishes significantly below 500 C so that annealing at 400 C produces no measurable effect. We propose that the underlying mechanism for dislocation removal is the thermally activated glide of dislocations to the sidewalls of patterned regions, as promoted by sidewall image forces.
Frequency-based load shedding over a data stream of tuples

Usually the data generation rate of a data stream is unpredictable, and some data elements of the data stream cannot be processed in real time if the generation rate exceeds the capacity of a data stream processing algorithm. In order to overcome this situation gracefully, a load shedding technique is recommended. This paper proposes a frequency-based load shedding technique over a data stream of tuples. In many data stream processing applications, such as mining frequent patterns, data elements having high frequency can be considered more significant than others having low frequency. Based on this observation, in the proposed technique, only frequent elements of a data stream are processed in real time while the others are trimmed. The decision to shed a load from the data stream or not is controlled automatically by the data generation rate of a data stream. Consequently, an unnecessary load shedding operation is not allowed in the proposed technique.
Human skeletal remains from cremation urns in the National Museum of denmark

Analysis of the skeletal contents of this random collection of cremation urns provides some very interesting general observations (see Table 1, below). The remains of as many as 19 people have been identified, although fewer actually may be present (e.g., see 875 and 876). Two of these 19 are infants, ages 1 and 3, and a third may be a child of 11 years. Where sex can be identified, ten of the “adults” appear to be females, and only 5 are identified as males.
Maskless micromachining with high-energy focused ion beams

High Energy Focused Ion Beam (HEFIB) direct writing is proving to be an attractive and powerful maskless lithography technique for production of high aspect ratio 3-D microstructures in polymer resists and semiconductors. HEFIB with Proton beam (P-beam writing) offers several unique advantages for microfabrication applications: (a) the focused beam is scanned directly across the sample (no mask), (b) the range of the beam in the sample is well defined with minimal lateral straggling than any other techniques, (c) use of different energies allows different exposure depths, (d) complex shapes are possible and (e) patterns can be made within short exposure time. These characteristics allow P-beam writing to be applied in several areas of microfabrication including (a) rapid (and cheaper) prototyping of 3-D microstructures, (b) custom built structures for basic research, (c) mask production and (d) stamp and mold manufacturing. Recently we have implemented high energy P-beam direct writing with a nuclear microprobe at the Louisiana Accelerator Center (LAC). We are presenting some of the modular structures illustrating the capabilities of this maskless micromachining technique and possible application into Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices.
Quality of analgesia when air versus saline is used for identification of the epidural space in the parturient.

Background and Objectives: Identification of the epidural space is often performed using the loss-of-resistance technique (LOR), commonly with air or saline. The effect of air or saline on the quality of labor epidural analgesia has not been adequately studied. Methods: Women who requested labor epidural analgesia were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups depending on the syringe contents used for the LOR technique and injected into the epidural space. In the air group (n = 80) the anesthesiologist used 2 mL of air, and in the saline group (n = 80) the anesthesiologist used 2 mL of 0.9% saline. After LOR was obtained, a multiorifice epidural catheter was threaded 5 cm into the epidural space and 13 mL of bupivacaine 0.25% was administered in divided doses. The success of the epidural block was determined by asking the patient if she required additional medication 15 minutes later. The occurrence of paresthesias and intravascular or subarachnoid catheters was noted. Results: In the air group, 36% of patients requested additional pain medication, and in the saline group 19% requested additional medication (P = .022). We were not able to find a statistically significant difference between groups in the incidence of paresthesias (42% air v 51% saline), intravascular catheters (5% air v 8% saline), or subarachnoid catheters (0 in both groups). Conclusions: Using 0.9% saline for the LOR technique is associated with better analgesia as compared with air for labor analgesia, and this advantage should be considered when selecting the syringe contents for the LOR technique. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2000;25:596-599.
Planetary-scale variability of the fair-weather vertical electric field in the stratosphere

The paper reports the discovery of short-term variability in the planetary-scale-size vertical electric field measured in the stratosphere. Measurements were made on superpressure balloons at 26-km altitude separated by up to 3000 km. Data are presented which show that the large-scale current system is variable, with twice the amplitude of the average diurnal variations, on time scales of tens of minutes to hours.
Effect of human insulin administration on urinary acidification in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes.

Abstract 1. 1. A previous study has shown that oral glucose administration results in a transient fall in urinary acid excretion in humans. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of physiologic doses of insulin on urinary acidification while maintaining serum glucose concentration constant. 2. 2. This was accomplished by using a euglycemic insulin clamp method. Eight patients with insulin-dependent diabetes and no clinical or laboratory evidence of detectable renal disease were studied. 3. 3. Data obtained during two 2-hour periods of steady state insulin infusion rates of 0.2 and 0.5 mU/kg/min were compared. This resulted in steady state serum free insulin levels of 15 ± 0.1 and 39 ± 0.6 uU/ml respectively. 4. 4. Urinary pH and bicarbonate excretion rate rose while the excretion rates of titratable acid, ammonium and net acid fell significantly with increased insulin administration. 5. 5. These changes occurred in the absence of any significant changes in serum glucose, potassium, Ca 2+ or phosphorus concentrations or urinary excretion rates of Na + , K + , phosphorus or Ca 2+ . 6. 6. These data suggest that increased insulin levels within the physiological range can result in a transient fall in the rate of urinary acid excretion. 7. 7. These findings confirm previous observations in animals and suggest that insulin may be the cause of post prandial urinary “alkaline tide”.
Correlation of human spermatozoa heparin binding with the zona-free hamster egg in vitro penetration assay

The purpose of our research was to determine whether heparin-binding characteristics of human spermatozoa are related to fertilizing potential, as determined by the hamster egg in vitro penetration assay. Penetration rates were standardized (hamster egg in vitro penetration assay index) by comparison with semen from fertile controls in each bioassay. Saturation of heparin-binding domains was achieved in 100% of raw ejaculates (prewash), but in only 53% of "swim-up" (postwash) samples. The dissociation constants ranged from 0.31 to 48.75 nmol/10 6 cells, and binding site concentrations from 0.47 to 20.82 × 10 17 binding sites/cell. Heparin-binding affinity was significantly greater in prewash compared with postwash samples ( p 17 binding sites/cell, p 2 = 0.142, p 2 = 0.201, p
Chitin disaccharide (GlcNAc)2 induces natural competence in Vibrio cholerae through transcriptional and translational activation of a positive regulatory gene tfoXVC.

Abstract A pathogenic marine bacterium Vibrio cholerae shows natural competence for genetic transformation in the presence of chitin, a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). In this study, we extensively analyzed the regulatory mechanisms of tfoXVC, encoding an activator protein for the chitin-induced competence. Using a chromosomal tfoXVC-lacZ reporter system, we showed that a disaccharide of chitin, (GlcNAc)2, at least was needed to activate both the transcription and translation of tfoXVC. This activation was moderate at the transcriptional level but was strong at the translational level. We also identified two sequence elements, one for transcription and another for translation. The transcriptional control element (TCE) included a 34-bp potential transcriptional operator overlapped by the tfoXVC promoter, while the translational control element (TLE) consisted of a 42-bp sequence located within the 5′-untranslated region. Deletion of either TCE or TLE still resulted in (GlcNAc)2-dependent competence for exogenous DNA. However, the deletion in both elements induced competence for transformation at high efficiency regardless of the presence or absence of (GlcNAc)2. These results suggested the dual activation of tfoXVC expression to be essential to induce competence. The highly transformable strain created here should aid the study of natural competence in V. cholerae.
Difficulty in detecting deviations from wave-function collapse

We use the example of a Stern-Gerlach apparatus to show that the quantum-mechanical measurement problem ceases to be a physical problem for a measuring device with many degrees of freedom in the sense that deviations from wave-function collapse become virtually impossible to detect.
Sisal fiber-reinforced cement composite with Portland cement substitution by a combination of metakaolin and nanoclay

This paper reports the partial replacement of Portland cement (PC) by combination of metakaolin (MK) and nanoclay (NC) in sisal fiber-reinforced cement composites by studying the microstructure, mechanical behavior, and the interfacial properties between fiber and cement matrices. The mechanical properties of cement matrix and natural fiber-reinforced composites are studied using compressive strength development and flexural behavior, respectively. The tensile behavior of the natural fiber was also investigated and analyzed by Weibull distribution model. The characteristics of hydration products were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetry analysis. Our results show that the combination of MK and NC can improve the hydration of cement more effectively, with better microstructure and enhanced mechanical properties, than mixes without them. The calcium hydroxide (CH) contents of matrixes with 50 wt% combined substitutions, containing 1, 3, and 5 wt% of nanoclay, were 58.12, 60.16, and 64.25 % less than that of PC, respectively. The ettringite phase is also effectively removed due to the substitution of MK and NC, which improve both Al/Ca and Si/Ca ratios of calcium silicate hydrates (C–S–H) due to the high content of SiO2 and Al2O3. The interfacial bond between fiber and cement matrix and flexural properties of sisal fiber-reinforced cement composites are also significantly improved. The optimum interface adhesion between sisal fiber and matrix was achieved by replacing cement by 27 % MK and 3 % NC, which increased the bond strength and pull-out energy by 131.46 and 196.35 %, respectively.
Current concepts on the molecular pathology of non-small cell lung carcinoma

Recent advances in the understanding of the complex biology of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), particularly activation of oncogenes by mutation, translocation and amplification, have provided new treatment targets for this disease, and allowed the identification of subsets of NSCLC tumors, mostly with adenocarcinoma histology, having unique molecular profiles that can predict response to targeted therapy. The identification of specific genetic and molecular targetable abnormalities using tumor tissue and cytology specimens followed by the administration of a specific inhibitor to the target, are the basis of personalized lung cancer treatment. In this new paradigm, the role of a precise pathology diagnosis of lung cancer and the proper handling of tissue and cytology samples for molecular testing is becoming increasingly important. These changes have posed multiple new challenges for pathologists to adequately integrate routine histopathology analysis and molecular testing into the clinical pathology practice for tumor diagnosis and subsequent selection of the most appropriate therapy.
Allylglycine-Induced seizures in male and female rats

Abstract The possibility that a sex difference in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity might be an underlying cause of the previously reported sex differences in picrotoxin-induced seizures was investigated. Male and female rats were injected (IP) with the GABA antagonist, L-allylglycine (100, 150, 200, or 250 mg/kg), and observed for behavioral signs of five categories of seizures induced by picrotoxin: myoclonic, focal, generalized tonic extension, generalized clonic, and generalized seizures with tonic and clonic components. The latency to the first occurrence of each seizure category was scored. Of the five categories of seizures investigated, only focal and generalized tonic extension seizures were observed after allylglycine in the doses tested. Female rats were significantly more susceptible than male rats to allylglycine-induced focal (p
IT skills portfolio research in SIGCPR proceedings: analysis, synthesis and proposals

This paper provides an analysis on information technology (IT) skills portfolio issues from the perspective of firms. The motivation behind this study was our observation that firms are having increasing difficulty in determining their optimal skills portfolio and in acquiring and managing that portfolio in turbulent times. Because a shortage of skilled IT professionals with has been a common theme from the early days of computing, we believe that an analysis of past work using the skills portfolio perspective gives us insights into the gaps where future IS research can illuminate this area. First, the paper reviews 102 IT skills portfolio related papers that appeared in the SIGCPR proceedings between 1985 and 2000. Then the thesis of these papers are summarized and classified according to what skills portfolio firms look for and how they acquire and maintain skills. Particular attention is paid to the gaps in the research to date. Finally, a set of research issues and propositions are given based on the analysis.
Nitrogen Retention and Plasma Amino Acid Responses in Mature Geldings Fed Three Dietary Concentrations of Lysine

Abstract Six mature Quarter Horse geldings (age, 11.5 ± 4.7 years; body weight [BW], 526 ± 9.2 kg) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design to determine the effects of three dietary lysine (Lys) levels on nitrogen (N) retention and plasma amino acid (AA) concentrations. The geldings were fed a basal diet of concentrate and Bermuda grass hay supplemented with synthetic essential amino acids (EAA) to meet estimated requirements for EAA. Geldings were fed one of three dietary treatments: (1) a basal diet deficient in Lys (L−; 0.027 g of Lys•kg −1 BW•d −1 ); (2) a basal diet supplemented with synthetic Lys to meet National Research Council (NRC; 2007) requirements (L+; 0.036 g of Lys•kg −1 BW•d −1 ); or (3) a basal diet supplemented at twice the recommended Lys requirement (2 × L; 0.070 g Lys•kg −1 BW•d −1 ). Horses fed the 2 × L diet had higher N intakes ( P = .0056) than horses fed either the L− or L+ diet. However N retention ( P = .63) was not different between treatments. Plasma Lys was greater ( P P P = .03), and total plasma non-EAA ( P
Control and manipulation of microfluidic flow via elastic deformations

We utilize elastic deformations via mechanical actuation to control and direct fluid flow within a flexible microfluidic device. The device consists of a microchannel with a flexible arch prepared by the buckling of a thin elastic film. The deflection of the arch can be predicted and controlled using the classical theory of Euler buckling. The fluid flow rate is then controlled by coupling the elastic deformation of the arch to the gap within the microchannel, and the results compared well with analytical predictions from a perturbation calculation and numerical simulations. We demonstrate that placement of these flexible valves in series enables directed flow towards regions of externally applied mechanical stress. The simplicity of the experimental approach provides a general design for advanced functionality in portable microfluidics, self-healing devices, and in situ diagnostics.
LIPID CLASS AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF PERIPHERAL NERVE FROM NORMAL AND ORGANOPHOSPHORUS‐POISONED CHICKENS*

The demyelination which attends tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) or di-isopropyl-fluorophosphonate (DFP) administration in chickens has been well characterized histologically (Fenton, 1955; Cavanaugh, 1954) as resembling Wallerian degen- eration. However, no study of lipid class composition of chicken nerve degenerating after TOCP poisoning has been reported comparable to classical studies of Johnson, Mcnab band Rossiter (1949a) and of Brante,(1949) who described the lipid class changes in transected sciatic nerve. Webster (1954) observed no change in lipid phosphorus concentration or rZP]- phosphate incorporation into lipids in the sciatic nerves of TOCP-poisoned hens, while NELSONand BARNUM(1960) noted a decrease in [32P]phosphate incorporation into the brain lipids of DFP-poisoned mice. These findings were in contrast to those of Magee and Rossiter (1954) who noted an increase in the incorporation of p2P]- inorganic phosphate into the lipids of sciatic nerve degenerating after section. In the present study, individual lipid classes were isolated, identified, quantitated, and their fatty acid compositions determined in normal and organophosphorus- poisoned chickens. These results are compared with a parallel study (Berry, Cevallos and Wade, 1965) on normal and sectioned cat sciatic nerve in order to determine whether the two types of demyelination were chemically similar.
Transforming manner adverbs into subject-oriented adverbs: evidence from Japanese

It is well known that some adverbs in English, such as stupidly, cleverly and clumsily, can be interpreted as manner adverbs or agent-oriented adverbs depending on their positions in a sentence, e.g., John danced stupidly vs. Stupidly, John danced. Three approaches are possible and have been proposed for this alternation: (i) positing an agent-oriented adverb as the basic entry from which a manner adverb is derived (Ernst 2002), (ii) positing a manner adverb as the basic entry from which an agent-oriented adverb is derived (McConnell-Ginet 1982), and (iii) positing two distinct lexical entries for the two readings (Pinon 2010). I present data from Japanese which support the second approach. However, there would be a problem if we directly adopt the second approach for the Japanese data, since the adverbs that at first sight look like agent-oriented adverbs in Japanese are not truly ‘agent’-oriented, but rather ‘surface-subject’-oriented. I propose an analysis that does not suffer from this problem, by modifying an idea from McConnell-Ginet (1982) and also incorporating the notion of comparison class from Ernst (2002). The discussion extends to another class of adverbs called ‘evaluative adverbs’, such as fortunately and oddly, which show the same morphological property with surface-subject oriented adverbs in Japanese.
Transient study of DC Zonal Electrical Distribution System in Next Generation Shipboard Integrated Power Systems using PSCAD

Developing power management schemes for the Next Generation Integrated Power System (NGIPS) for ships requires an adequate model of the power system. NGIPS is the subject of ongoing research in different fields and a design handbook of this system is not available yet. This paper presents a design, modeling and simulation procedure for a DC Zonal Electrical Distribution System (ZEDS) in a notional NGIPS model. PSCAD™ software is used as the EMTP simulation tool to study the system. The DC ZEDS is developed based on data available in the literature. The models of the components are designed as multi-terminal blocks including the power converter modules and required enclosures. The modeling procedure for each component includes topology selection, analytical formulation, design, and implementation in PSCAD™ software. Case studies are performed to verify the performance of developed models and study of fundamental concepts about the DC ZEDS which is subject of interest in areas such as power management and protection of NGIPS.
Suprasegmentals and the performance of poetry

(1962). Suprasegmentals and the performance of poetry. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 366-372.