cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical study of the effects of reverse sweep on scramjet inlet performance

A comparative numerical study of performance parameters of a similar and an opposite sweep sidewall compression inlet is made. The focus of the study is the investigation of the impact of alternate backward-forward sweep on the compression sidewalls as opposed to back-ward sweep on all the sidewalls. Two equivalent scramjet inlet configurations are designed for this purpose. These inlets have the same wetted areas of compression and expansion and same height and width; but in one inlet all the compression surface are swept back (similar sweep inlet) whereas in the other inlet, alternate surfaces are swept backward and forward (opposite sweep inlet). The cowl closure in both cases begins at the start of the throat region. A three-dimensional Navier-Stokes code is used to calculate the flow through these inlets. Results of these calculations are used to compare the two designs for their performance and flow quality. Effects of boundary- layer ingestion on the performance and overall flow features are also investigated.
Uptake of piperidine and pipecolic acid by synaptosomes from mouse brain.

Piperidine is actively transported into the synaptosomal fraction of adult mouse brain. The transport mechanism appears to be Na+ independent but is temperature dependent and sensitive to ouabain. Analysis of kinetic experiments indicates only a “low-affinity” transport system to be present. By contrast the uptake ofD,L-[3H]pipecolic acid at a concentration of 4×10−7 M was temperature and Na+ dependent, ouabain sensitive, and revealed a two-component system with aK m =3.9±0.17×10−6 M,V max=129±6 pmol/mg protein/3 min for the “high-affinity” system and aK m =90.2±4.3×10−6 M,V max=2.45±0.19 nmol/mg protein/3 min for the “low-affinity” system. Compounds structurally related to pipecolic acid such as glycine,l-proline, 4-amino-n-butyric acid, and 5-amino-n-valeric acid showed an inhibitory effect on uptake at a concentration of 10−4 M. The demonstration of biosynthesis of pipecolic acid in mouse brain and the presence of a “high-affinity” sodium-dependent uptake system suggest a physiological role of this substance in the central nervous system.
Large-order estimates for ground-state energy perturbation series

A general treatment is given, using path integral methods, of obtaining accurate estimates on the rate of growth at large order of the perturbation coefficients for the lowest eigenvalue (ground-state energy) of a large class of anharmonic oscillators. Simple sufficient conditions are given on the potentialV(x) so that accurate upper and lower bounds on the perturbation coefficients may be derived. Several examples are given which generalize previous results. Examples from Euclidean quantum field theory are also considered.
Decision-making in the treatment of subfoveal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration. An analysis from the patient's perspective.

BACKGROUND: The clinical management of subfoveal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration remains controversial. Large multicenter clinical trials recommend laser photocoagulation for certain subfoveal membranes, but many ophthalmologists are reluctant to treat patients with such lesions because a substantial initial visual loss may be induced by the treatment itself. Despite these controversies in management, the attitude of patients toward treatment of these lesions has not been assessed systematically. METHODS: In this article, a newly designed survey containing five hypothetical clinical scenarios was given to 68 patients with age-related macular degeneration to measure their relative preferences for the potential long-term benefits of laser photocoagulation compared with the immediate visual loss induced by laser therapy. RESULTS: This pilot study reveals a strong preference by these patients for laser intervention, despite the risk of immediate visual loss. On all five questions, the laser treatment outcome was preferred over the natural course of the disease. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmologists, when making clinical recommendations to patients with subfoveal exudative macular degeneration, may wish to consider the results of this survey, which suggest a substantial patient preference for laser treatment versus no intervention.
A novel high resolution Cα ? Cα distance dependent force field based on a high quality decoy set

This work presents a novel C(alpha)--C(alpha) distance dependent force field which is successful in selecting native structures from an ensemble of high resolution near-native conformers. An enhanced and diverse protein set, along with an improved decoy generation technique, contributes to the effectiveness of this potential. High quality decoys were generated for 1489 nonhomologous proteins and used to train an optimization based linear programming formulation. The goal in developing a set of high resolution decoys was to develop a simple, distance-dependent force field that yields the native structure as the lowest energy structure and assigns higher energies to decoy structures that are quite similar as well as those that are less similar. The model also includes a set of physical constraints that were based on experimentally observed physical behavior of the amino acids. The force field was tested on two sets of test decoys not in the training set and was found to excel on all the metrics that are widely used to measure the effectiveness of a force field. The high resolution force field was successful in correctly identifying 113 native structures out of 150 test cases and the average rank obtained for this test was 1.87. All the high resolution structures (training and testing) used for this work are available online and can be downloaded from http://titan.princeton.edu/HRDecoys.
Incorporation of sulfate by the mouse thymus: its relation to secretion by medullary epithelial cells and to thymic lymphopoiesis.

The thymus was examined in suckling mice during normal development and the involution and regeneration produced by injection of cortisol, in experiments designed to test the hypothesis that medullary epithelial cells secrete a ymphopoietic hormone responsible for controlling the magnitude of thymic lymphopoiesis. Cellular events were observed by light and electron microscopy. Lymphopoiesis was assessed, after injection of thymidine-3H, by counting the proportion of lymphocytes labeled in radioautographs of thymus. Cortical lymphopoiesis was distributed heterogeneously, being concentrated in the subcapsular region, but medullary lymphopoiesis was statistically homogeneous in distribution and similar in magnitude to the average level of cortical lymphopoiesis in suckling mice. Therefore counts of the labeling index in the medulla were used to estimate the size of the proliferating population of lymphocytes. Epithelial secretory activity was estimated by measuring the incorporation of 36sulfate by the thymus, using gel filtration chromatography to isolate soluble macromolecular 35sulfate—presumed on radioautographic evidence to represent the mucoid epithelial secretory product. Incorporated 35sulfate accumulated rapidly for 4 hr, reached a peak at 12 hr, and had fallen to half that level by 24 hr after a single injection—as would be expected of a secretory product. During normal postnatal development the size of the proliferating population of lymphocytes and the magnitude of 35sulfate incorporation increased in parallel. During acute involution induced by cortisol both parameters diminished greatly but rose to high levels during subsequent regeneration. Accordingly, lymphopoiesis and sulfate incorporation —as defined and measured in these experiments—correlated linearly over a wide range of variation, providing circumstantial evidence to support the hypothesis that medullary epithelial cells secrete a sulfated mucoid lymphopoietic hormone. This conclusion is discussed in terms of the roles of thymus and adrenal cortex in development of the lymphoid system and maturation of immunological competence.
Continuous-time state estimation under disturbances bounded by convex sets

A linear continuous-time system is given whose input and output disturbances and initial conditions are unknown but bounded by known convex sets. These sets, together with the system dynamics and any available observation, determine at any time a set of all possible states, containing the true state of the system. An ellipsoidal bound on this set is obtained. The positive-definite matrix and the center which describe the bounding ellipsoid are found to obey two coupled differential equations: a Riccati matrix differential equation and a vector differential equation. They are similar in structure to the Kalman filter equations except that the matrix part of the solution is not precomputable. A precomputable bound can be obtained, however. The cases with no output and no input disturbances are discussed. An "almost-precomputable" bound is described. Computational results show the applicability and the limitation of the approach.
Comparing subjective video quality testing methodologies

International recommendations for subjective video quality assessment (e.g., ITU-R BT.500-11) include specifications for how to perform many different types of subjective tests. Some of these test methods are double stimulus where viewers rate the quality or change in quality between two video streams (reference and impaired). Others are single stimulus where viewers rate the quality of just one video stream (the impaired). Two examples of the former are the double stimulus continuous quality scale (DSCQS) and double stimulus comparison scale (DSCS). An example of the latter is single stimulus continuous quality evaluation (SSCQE). Each subjective test methodology has claimed advantages. For instance, the DSCQS method is claimed to be less sensitive to context (i.e., subjective ratings are less influenced by the severity and ordering of the impairments within the test session). The SSCQE method is claimed to yield more representative quality estimates for quality monitoring applications. This paper considers data from six different subjective video quality experiments, originally performed with SSCQE, DSCQS and DSCS methodologies. A subset of video clips from each of these six experiments were combined and rated in a secondary SSCQE subjective video quality test. We give a method for postprocessing the secondary SSCQE data to produce quality scores that are highly correlated to the original DSCQS and DSCS data. We also provide evidence that human memory effects for time-varying quality estimation seem to be limited to about 15 seconds.
Bacteriophage Coat Protein as Repressor

It seems that viral coat protein acts as a repressor of protein synthesis at the level of transcription rather than translation.
Global Order and Knowledge Production

A World of Polities: Essays on Global Politics. By Yale H. Ferguson, Richard W. Mansbach. London, UK: Routledge, 2008. 268 pp. $44.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-415-77218-1). Critical Perspectives on Private Authority in Global Politics. By Krause Hansen Hans, Salskov-Iversen Dorte. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. 233 pp. $69.95 hardcover (ISBN-13: 978-1-4039-8946-8). Global Ordering: Institutions and Autonomy in a Changing World. By Louis W. Pauly, William D. Coleman. Vancouver: UBC Press, 2008. 331 pp. $32.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-7748-1434-8). How to examine the mechanisms of global order and grasp the ways in which they are changing? Exemplifying a burgeoning literature on this topic, the books reviewed here hold that during the most recent phase of globalization, the ordering processes are shifting in three respects. First, sovereignty is being redefined. But how? What are the deepening agendas for advancing regional and global governance? What are the rules for good governance? And whose rules? Second, a common theme is evolving hierarchies, i.e., domination and subordination at a world level. A third shared interest is technological innovation as it relates to governance. Spanning theory, method, and policy challenges, the works under consideration demonstrate that states play new roles as they adapt to the transformative forces of globalization. The task is to gauge both the formal and informal aspects of global order, structural constraints, and the extent of policy space: Is it widening or narrowing? Taking into account contextual variation, how do political actors attempt to expand room for maneuver and increase autonomy? To explore these quandaries, the three volumes are eclectic in their orientations and anchored in the same literatures in international relations theory, international political economy, international organization, globalization studies, and, as indicated, global governance. Scholars, graduate students, and upper-level undergraduates will find the concepts and results to be rewarding. Indeed, it is well worth mining the insights of this interdisciplinary research carried out by authors from several countries. Although their foci broadly converge, the contributors’ approaches and findings diverge substantially. A principal disagreement is whether the multiple processes underway basically support or alter the configuration of global power relations. Coauthors and collaborators since 1976, Yale Ferguson and Richard Mansbach put forward more philosophical and historically grounded formulations than those advanced in the other two (edited) volumes. Pulling together their sundry …
Dangerous Liquidity and the Demand for Health Care Evidence from the 2008 Stimulus Payments

Household finances can affect health and health care through several channels. To explore these channels, we exploit the randomized timing of the arrival of the 2008 Economic Stimulus Payments. We find that the payments raised the probability of an adult emergency department visit over the following 23 weeks by an average of 1.1 percent. This effect is difficult to reconcile with the Permanent Income Hypothesis. We observe little impact on avoidable hospitalizations or emergency visits for nonurgent conditions and no difference in effects as a function of health insurance coverage. By contrast, we show that the increase is driven by visits for urgent medical conditions, like drug- and alcohol- related visits. Complementary evidence suggests that consumers are not simply substituting from outpatient doctor visits to hospital care. The results thus suggest that liquidity constraints may not constitute a direct barrier to care, but rather that liquidity can increase health care utilization indirectly by increasing the need for care.
Isolation and characterization of a 66-kDa protein from rat liver plasma membrane with RhoA-stimulated phospholipase D activity.

Abstract A 66-kDa molecular weight protein with phospholipase D activity was solubilized and partially purified from rat liver plasma membrane. The activity and regulation of this phospholipase D have been characterized. Immunoblot analyses indicated that the enzyme was distinct from hPLD1 and PLD2, but was recognized by an antibody to the 12 terminal amino acids of PLD1. PLD activity was stimulated by 1–100 μM Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ and displayed a pH optimum of 7.5. Activity was inhibited by both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. This PLD was activated in an ATP-independent manner by the PKC isozymes α and βII but not activated by other PKC isozymes. It was also stimulated by the small G-proteins RhoA and ARF. RhoA stimulated the greatest activation, followed by ARF and PKCα. This enzyme was further activated in a synergistic manner when combinations of PKCα and RhoA or ARF were used. This enzyme displayed a greater response activation by RhoA than to activation by ARF. While a potential breakdown product of PLD1, activation by RhoA indicates that the PLD characterized here is distinct from the other PLDs cloned or isolated to date.
New Mathematical Model to Estimate Tissue Blood Perfusion, Thermal Contact Resistance and Core Temperature

Analytical solutions were developed based on the Green's function method to describe heat transfer in tissue including the effects of blood perfusion. These one-dimensional transient solutions were used with a simple parameter estimation technique and experimental measurements of temperature and heat flux at the surface of simulated tissue. It was demonstrated how such surface measurements can be used during step changes in the surface thermal conditions to estimate the value of three important parameters: blood perfusion (w(b)), thermal contact resistance (R"), and core temperature of the tissue (T(core)). The new models were tested against finite-difference solutions of thermal events on the surface to show the validity of the analytical solution. Simulated data was used to demonstrate the response of the model in predicting optimal parameters from noisy temperature and heat flux measurements. Finally, the analytical model and simple parameter estimation routine were used with actual experimental data from perfusion in phantom tissue. The model was shown to provide a very good match with the data curves. This demonstrated the first time that all three of these important parameters (w(b), R", and T(core)) have simultaneously been estimated from a single set of thermal measurements at the surface of tissue.
Action of human pancreas alanine aminopeptidase on biologically active pep tides: kinin converting activity

Abstract A group of 15 biologically active peptides were studied with respect to their susceptibility to chain shortening by human pancreas alanine aminopeptidase. Those susceptible were somatostatin, melanocyte stimulating hormone, fibrinopeptide A, eosinophilotactictetrapeptide, lysyl-bradykinin, and methionyl-lysyl-bradykinin. The latter two were selected for further study. Direct identification and determination of the reaction products, lysine and/or methionine, were undertaken to establish unequivocally the kinin-converting activity of human pancreas alanine aminopeptidase, which exhibited a pH optimum at pH 7.9. The K m and k cat values for this enzyme for lysyl-bradykinin were 57 μmol/l and 3000 min −1 , respectively. The corresponding values for this enzyme for methionyl-lysyl-bradykinin were calculated to be 49 μmol/l and 16000 min −1 , respectively. Bradykinin itself is extremely resistant to hydrolysis by this pancreatic enzyme.
Influence of temperature and concentration on the sintering behavior and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite

Abstract Human bone mineral contains calcium-deficient crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) embedded in collagen fibers. Research over the past two decades has focused on preparing synthetic HA, which closely resembles bone apatite and exhibits excellent osteoconductivity. This paper describes the synthesis of nano-HA particles via a wet precipitation method. The concentration of the reactants (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/dL) and the temperature of the reaction (25, 70 and 100 °C) were varied. FESEM images were used to determine the size and shape of the resulting nano-particles. The length and breadth of the HA particles were found to increase with the temperature, while the aspect ratio increased with both the concentration and the temperature. The average length of the particles was in the range 53–165 nm and the average breadth in the range 29–52 nm. Agglomerates of HA precipitates were formed during the synthesis process. HA precipitated at 25 °C and concentration 0.5 g/dL resulted in large agglomerates with a specific surface area of 79.8 m 2 /g. HA agglomerates synthesized at each condition were pressed into discs and sintered at 1200 °C. It was found that there was a positive correlation ( p = 0.015) between sintered density and biaxial flexural strength. A maximum strength of 57.4 MPa was observed for the specimens 2.0–70 which also attained the highest density, 92%. XRD results indicated that most of the sintered discs had slightly decomposed. The decomposition of the specimens and their resulting microstructures also contributed to the mechanical strength drop of the specimens.
TAM receptor deficiency affects adult hippocampal neurogenesis

The Tyro3, Axl and Mertk (TAM) subfamily of receptor protein tyrosine kinases functions in cell growth, differentiation, survival, and most recently found, in the regulation of immune responses and phagocytosis. All three receptors and their ligands, Gas6 (growth arrest-specific gene 6) and protein S, are expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). TAM receptors play pivotal roles in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Loss of these receptors causes a comprised neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of adult hippocampus. TAM receptors have a negative regulatory effect on microglia and peripheral antigen-presenting cells, and play a critical role in preventing overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines detrimental to the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of adult neuronal stem cells (NSCs). Besides, these receptors also play an intrinsic trophic function in supporting NSC survival, proliferation, and differentiation into immature neurons. All these events collectively ensure a sustained neurogenesis in adult hippocampus.
Sudden Infant Death

Abstract An infant who subsequently died of sudden-infant-death syndrome was included in a sample of 24 healthy neonates in a study of normal learning ability using cardiac habituation to an auditory stimulus. This infant showed more lability and poorer stabilization of the cardiac rate after stimulation. Although cardiac lability did not interfere with his learning capacities, these findings suggest a dysfunction of the central mechanism for stabilizing the autonomic response especially after stimulation. (N Engl J Med 291:219–222, 1974)
Synthesis and computational studies of Mg complexes supported by 2,2′:6,2′′-terpyridine ligands

The reactions of the substituted 2,2′:6,2′′-terpyridine ligands, 4′-mesityl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (mesitylterpy) (1a), 4,4′,4′′-tri-tert-butyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (tri-tButerpy) (1b) and 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (phenylterpy) (1c) with Grignard reagents were investigated. When half an equivalent of mesitylterpy or tri-tButerpy were treated with MeMgBr in diethyl ether, the only products were (R-terpy)MgBr2 (R = mesityl (5a), or tri-tBu (5b)) and Me2Mg and a similar reaction was observed in THF. Compounds 5a and 5b were characterized by X-ray crystallography. Changing the Grignard reagent to PhMgBr also generated 5a and 5b along with Ph2Mg, while the reaction between MeMgCl or PhMgCl and 1a or 1b generated (R-terpy)MgCl2 (R = mesityl (6a), or tri-tBu (6b)) and either Me2Mg or Ph2Mg, respectively. The products from reactions between phenylterpy (1c) and Grignard reagents were highly insoluble and could not be fully characterized but appeared to be the same as those from reactions with 1a and 1b. In contrast to other studies using tridentate nitrogen ligands, which formed either mixed halide alkyl species or dihalide and bis(alkyl) species depending on whether the Grignard reagent was reacted with the ligand in diethyl ether or THF, the formation of mixed halide, alkyl complexes of the type (R-terpy)MgR′X (R′ = Me or Ph; X = Cl or Br) or dialkyl species such as (R-terpy)MgR′2 (R′ = Me or Ph) was not observed here, regardless of the reaction conditions. DFT studies were performed to complement the experimental studies. The experimental results could not be accurately reproduced unless π-stacking effects associated with free terpyridine were included in the model. When these effects were included, the calculations were consistent with the experimental results which indicated that the formation of the terpy Mg dihalide species and R′2Mg (R′ = Me or Ph) is thermodynamically preferred over the formation of mixed alkyl halide Mg species. This is proposed to be due to the increased steric bulk of the terpy ligand in the coordination plane, compared with other tridentate nitrogen donors.
Exome sequencing generates high quality data in non-target regions

Exome sequencing using next-generation sequencing technologies is a cost efficient approach to selectively sequencing coding regions of human genome for detection of disease variants. A significant amount of DNA fragments from the capture process fall outside target regions, and sequence data for positions outside target regions have been mostly ignored after alignment. We performed whole exome sequencing on 22 subjects using Agilent SureSelect capture reagent and 6 subjects using Illumina TrueSeq capture reagent. We also downloaded sequencing data for 6 subjects from the 1000 Genomes Project Pilot 3 study. Using these data, we examined the quality of SNPs detected outside target regions by computing consistency rate with genotypes obtained from SNP chips or the Hapmap database, transition-transversion (Ti/Tv) ratio, and percentage of SNPs inside dbSNP. For all three platforms, we obtained high-quality SNPs outside target regions, and some far from target regions. In our Agilent SureSelect data, we obtained 84,049 high-quality SNPs outside target regions compared to 65,231 SNPs inside target regions (a 129% increase). For our Illumina TrueSeq data, we obtained 222,171 high-quality SNPs outside target regions compared to 95,818 SNPs inside target regions (a 232% increase). For the data from the 1000 Genomes Project, we obtained 7,139 high-quality SNPs outside target regions compared to 1,548 SNPs inside target regions (a 461% increase). These results demonstrate that a significant amount of high quality genotypes outside target regions can be obtained from exome sequencing data. These data should not be ignored in genetic epidemiology studies.
Identifying the greatest team and captain—A complex network approach to cricket matches

Abstract We consider all Test matches played between 1877 and 2010 and One Day International (ODI) matches played between 1971 and 2010. We form directed and weighted networks of teams and also of their captains. The success of a team (or captain) is determined by the ‘quality’ of the wins, not simply by the number of wins. We apply the diffusion-based PageRank algorithm to the networks to assess the importance of the wins, and rank the respective teams and captains. Our analysis identifies Australia as the best team in both forms of cricket, Test and ODI. Steve Waugh is identified as the best captain in Test cricket and Ricky Ponting is the best captain in the ODI format. We also compare our ranking scheme with an existing ranking scheme, the Reliance ICC ranking. Our method does not depend on ‘external’ criteria in the ranking of teams (captains). The purpose of this paper is to introduce a revised ranking of cricket teams and to quantify the success of the captains.
A scanning electron microscope study on Gregarina sp. from Udeopsylla nigra.

SYNOPSIS Scanning electron microscope studies on Gregarina sp. from the cricket Udeopsylla nigra revealed that the epicytic folds of the younger gamonts are undulatory, whereas those of the older gamonts are relatively straight. The protomerite of the primite is conical with a mammiliform structure at the anterior tip, where the epicytic folds originate from a disc-like structure. The protomerite of the satellite is flattened.
Geography as Human Ecology : A Decade of Progress in a Quarter Century

[T]he contest between geographers and their adversaries is identical with the old controversy between historical and physical methods. One party claims that the ideal aim of science ought to be the discovery of general laws; the other maintains that it is the investigation of phenomena themselves.... While physical science arises from the logical and aesthetic demands of the human mind, cosmography has its source in the personal feelings of man towards the world, towards the phe nomena surrounding him. We may call this an "affective" impulse in contrast to the aesthetic impulse. Goethe expressed this idea with admirable clearness: "It seems to me that every phenomenon, every fact, itself is the really interesting object. Whoever explains it, or connects it with other events, usually only amuses himself or makes sport of it, as, for instance, the naturalist or historian. But a single action or event is interesting, not because it is explainable, but because it is true." -F. Boas, 1887
Effects of Enhanced Parasympathetic Tone on Atrioventricular Nodal Conduction During Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia

Abstract The effects of various physiologic and pharmacologic stimuli on the anterograde slow pathway in patients with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia are well characterized. We sought to further characterize the nature of anterograde and retrograde conduction during tachycardia and to define the differential input of the parasympathetic nervous system to these pathways. A custom-made neck suction collar was placed to stimulate the carotid body baroreceptors during supraventricular tachycardia. Neck suction at −60 mm Hg was applied and changes in tachycardia cycle length, AH, and ventriculoatrial intervals were measured in 20 patients. These measurements were repeated after intravenous administration of 10 mg of edrophonium to enhance vagal tone. We observed a 15 ± 6 ms increase in tachycardia cycle length from baseline (p
Discovering natural kinds of robot sensory experiences in unstructured environments

We address the symbol grounding problem for robot perception through a data-driven approach to deriving categories from robot sensor data. Unlike model-based approaches, where human intuitive correspondences are sought between sensor readings and features of an environment (corners, doors, etc.), our method learns intrinsic categories (or natural kinds) from the raw data itself. We approximate a manifold underlying sensor data using Isomap nonlinear dimension reduction and apply Bayesian clustering (Gaussian mixture models) with model identification techniques to discover categories (or kinds). We demonstrate our method through the learning of sensory kinds from trials in various indoor and outdoor environments with different sensor modalities. Learned kinds are then used to classify new sensor data (out-of-sample readings). We present results indicating greater consistency in classifying sensor data employing mixture models in nonlinear low-dimensional embeddings. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Randomized Trial of Drain Antisepsis After Mastectomy and Immediate Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction

In this 2-site randomized trial, we investigated the effect of antiseptic drain care on bacterial colonization of surgical drains and infection after immediate prosthetic breast reconstruction. With IRB approval, we randomized patients undergoing bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction to drain antisepsis (treatment) for one side, with standard drain care (control) for the other. Antisepsis care included both: chlorhexidine disc dressing at drain exit site(s) and irrigation of drain bulbs twice daily with dilute sodium hypochlorite solution. Cultures were obtained from bulb fluid at 1 week and at drain removal, and from the subcutaneous drain tubing at removal. Positive cultures were defined as ≥1+ growth for fluid and >50 CFU for tubing. Cultures of drain bulb fluid at 1 week (the primary endpoint) were positive in 9.9 % of treatment sides (10 of 101) versus 20.8 % (21 of 101) of control sides (p = 0.02). Drain tubing cultures were positive in 0 treated drains versus 6.2 % (6 of 97) of control drains (p = 0.03). Surgical site infection occurred within 30 days in 0 antisepsis sides versus 3.8 % (4 of 104) of control sides (p = 0.13), and within 1 year in three of 104 (2.9 %) of antisepsis sides versus 6 of 104 (5.8 %) of control sides (p = 0.45). Clinical infection occurred within 1 year in 9.7 % (6 of 62) of colonized sides (tubing or fluid) versus 1.5 % (2 of 136) of noncolonized sides (p = 0.03). Simple and inexpensive local antiseptic interventions with a chlorhexidine disc and hypochlorite solution reduce bacterial colonization of drains, and reduced drain colonization was associated with fewer infections.
Cleavage of type 2 adenovirus DNA by HaeIII endonuclease. I. Catalog of HaeIII fragments.

Type 2 adenovirus DNA was divided into 14 fragments by sequential use of BamI, HsuI, SmaI, and EcoRI endonuclease. Each fragment was purified by gel electrophoresis and subsequently cleaved with HaeIII endonuclease. From the number of fragments produced, we could calculate the number of HaeIII cleavage sites: there are a total of 187 sites. HaeIII sites were not randomly distributed along the adenovirus chromosome. Most sites were clustered in the G + C-rich left half of the chromosome. The sum of the molecular weights of the HaeIII fragments is 22.4 · 106, within 2% of the molecular weight of adenovirus DNA (22.9 · 106).
Theoretically predicted structures of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase and their susceptibilities to oxidation

Abstract Oxidative damage to the plasma membrane Ca 2+ -ATPase (PMCA) appears to contribute to the decreased clearance of intracellular Ca 2+ in the neurons of aged brain, possibly contributing to its vulnerability to numerous age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. The precise sites of oxidative susceptibility have not been identified. However, it is known that calmodulin (CaM) protects the purified PMCA against oxidative inactivation, perhaps via conformational restructuring of the protein through dissociation of a 20 residue domain (C20W) in the C-terminal region that function as a CaM-binding site. In order to postulate likely oxidation sites and the mechanism underlying the protection offered by CaM, we have generated a three-dimensional model of PMCA via a combination of homology/comparative modeling, threading, protein–protein docking, and guidance from prior biochemical and analytical studies. The resulting model was validated based on surface polarity/hydrophobicity profiling, standard ProCheck, WhatIF, and PROVE checks, as well as comparison with empirical structure–function observations. This model was then used to identify likely oxidation sites by comparing time-averaged solvent accessibility of potentially oxidizable surface residues as measured from molecular dynamics simulations of intact PMCA and the PMCA sequence from which C20W has been deleted. The resulting model complex has permitted us to identify three amino acids whose solvent accessibility is greatly reduced by the C20W dissociation: Tyr 589, Met 622, and Met 831.
Effects of Food on Clinical Pharmacokinetics

Food-drug interactions can be associated with alterations in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of various drugs that may have clinical implications. The various phases in which food may interact with a coadministered drug are: (i) before and during gastrointestinal absorption; (ii) during distribution; (iii) during metabolism; and (iv) during elimination. Absorption and metabolism are the phases where food has most effect, and this review will focus on those areas. It will also review the variable and complex effects of antacids and metal ions on drug absorption. Mechanisms related to food effects on drug absorption have been described under 5 categories: those causing decreased, delayed, increased or accelerated absorption, and those in which food has no significant effect. Among the major variables that interface between differential effects of food and postprandial bioavailability are: (i) the physicochemical characteristics and enantiomorphic composition of the drug; (ii) timing of meals in relation to time of drug administration; (iii) size and composition of meals (especially fat, protein and fibre); and (iv) dose size. However, the influence of food is largely a matter of the design of the pharmaceutical formulation. In addition, the mechanism of ‘food effect’ may involve physiological and sensory responses to food, such as changes in gastrointestinal milieu and gastric emptying rate, reflex action, and may also involve the site and route (either portal or lymphatic) of drug absorption. Mixing drugs with fruit juice, such as grapefruit and orange juice, and acidic beverages, such as commercial soft drinks, may affect absorption because of decreases in gastric pH, which could offer a therapeutic advantage in certain clinical conditions, such as patients with HIV disease and cancer. The increased bioavailability caused by the concomitant intake of grapefruit juice results from the inhibition of intestinal cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4, but not hepatic CYP3A4 or colon CYP3A5, which probably involves the bioflavonoid naringenin and furanocoumarins. Although there is a vast amount of literature, there is still no rational scientific basis to predict the effect of food for a particular chemical entity or a chemical class of therapeutic agents. A mechanistic understanding of the effects of food may serve as a key to the pharmacokinetic optimisation of patient therapy, both in outpatients and hospitalised patients of various age groups.
Dietary antiaging phytochemicals and mechanisms associated with prolonged survival

Aging is well-known an inevitable process that is influenced by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the aging process are not well understood. Increasing evidence shows that aging is highly associated with chronic increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), accumulation of a low-grade proinflammatory phenotype and reduction in age-related autophagy, suggesting that these factors may play important roles in promoting aging. Indeed, reduction of ROS and low-grade inflammation and promotion of autophagy by calorie restriction or other dietary manipulation can extend lifespan in a wide spectrum of model organisms. Interestingly, recent studies show that some food-derived small molecules, also called phytochemicals, can extend lifespan in various animal species. In this paper, we review several recently identified potential antiaging phytochemicals that have been studied in cells, animals and humans and further highlight the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the antiaging actions by these molecules.
Analysis of forced response of detuned blade rows

A mathematical model is developed and utilized to demonstrate the enhanced forced response behavior associated with aerodynamic, structural, and combined aerodynamic-structural detuning of a loaded rotor operating in an incompressible flow field. The unsteady aerodynamic gust response and oscillating cascade aerodynamics are determined by developing both a complete first-order unsteady aerodynamic analysis and a locally analytical solution in individual grid elements of a body fitted computational grid. The aerodynamic detuning is accomplished by means of alternate circumferential airfoil spacing, with alternate blade structural detuning also considered. The beneficial forced response effects of these detuning techniques are then demonstrated by applying this model to various detuned rotor configurations.
On minimax rates of convergence in image models under sequential design

Abstract A binary image model is studied with a Lipschitz edge function. The indicator function of the image is observed in random noise at n design points that can be chosen sequentially. The asymptotically minimax rate as n →∞ is found in estimating the edge function, and an asymptotically optimal algorithm is described.
Perspectives for Molecular Genetics Research and Application in Poultry

Abstract Genetic engineering of microrganisms to produce more efficient vaccines, immunizing polypeptides, monoclonal antibodies, microbes with enhanced biodegradable capabilities, and pharmaceuticals have potential usefulness for poultry producers and researchers. Molecular technology can be used for chromosome mapping. Application of gene transfer technology to poultry requires an integrated program, including molecular genetics expertise, cell biology-embryology knowledge, and breeding capabilities. A successful gene transfer in poultry promises an increase in genetic variability. A gene theoretically can be inserted directly into selected stocks without extraneous genetic material. There is the exciting potential for inserting genes from other species. The recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology for isolating and cloning a gene sequence can be readily applied to poultry. Cloned DNA for a desired gene sequence requires a delivery system to get the sequence into the germ line. A retrovirus vector that includes the sequence appears to be the system of choice for oviparous species at this time. Germ line target cells are primordial germ cells, spermatozoa, ova, and early embryonic cells that will give rise to gonads that have a chromosome with the inserted sequence. Evaluation of gene transfers at the molecular level will determine if insertion is accomplished, as well as the number and location. A major portion of a molecular genetics program will include breeding evaluation for expression, stability, and usefulness, including all the conventional procedures for multiplication, selection and structuring of populations for crossing, and field testing.
Hepatic Parenchymal Cells in Cystic Fibrosis: Ultrastructural Evidence for Abnormal Intracellular Transport

Few ultrastructural observations of hepatic parenchymal cells in cystic fibrosis (CF) have appeared in the literature. Utilizing a unique opportunity to examine freshly fixed hepatic tissue by transmission electron microscopy, we studied 12 patients dying with CF at Duke Hospital from 1979 to 1981 in order to identify possible abnormalities of intracellular architecture. The major findings include (1) intracellular fatty vacuoles, (2) distended bile ductules and bile ducts containing increased cellular debris, (3) profiles of distended rough endoplasmic reticulum containing material of medium electron density, and (4) membrane-bound deposits of electron-lucent material containing electron-dense cores resembling mucus. We suggest that the material seen within the cytocavitary network reflects a derangement of intracellular transport.
Dimension polynomials of intermediate differential fields and the strength of a system of differential equations with group action

Let K be a differential field of zero characteristic with a basic set of derivations Δ = {δ1, …, δm} and let Θ denote the free commutative semigroup of all elements of the form \( \theta = \delta_1^{{k_1}} \cdots \delta_m^{{k_m}} \) where ki ∈ ℕ (1 ≤ i ≤ m). Let the order of such an element be defined as ord \( \theta = \sum\limits_{i = 1}^m {{k_i}} \), and for any r ∈ ℕ, let Θ(r) = {θ ∈ Θ | ord θ ≤ r}. Let L = K〈η1, …, ηs〉 be a differential field extension of K generated by a finite set η = {η1, …, ηs} and let F be an intermediate differential field of the extension L/K. Furthermore, for any r ∈ ℕ, let \( {L_r} = K\left( {\bigcup\limits_{i = 1}^s {\Theta (r){\eta_i}} } \right) \) and Fr = Lr ∩ F. We prove the existence and describe some properties of a polynomial ϕK,F,η(t) ∈ ℚ[t] such that ϕK,F,η(r) = trdegKFr for all sufficiently large r ∈ ℕ. This result implies the existence of a dimension polynomial that describes the strength of a system of differential equations with group action in the sense of A. Einstein. We shall also present a more general result, a theorem on a multivariate dimension polynomial associated with an intermediate differential field F and partitions of the basic set Δ.
Dual Trauma Couples.

A recent article from the family counseling literature is reviewed, offeringfamily counselors an overview of the "dual trauma couple. " Common themes these couples experience, characteristics they display, and general treatment guidelines from which to construct systemic interventions are discussed.
Level schemes of 67, 68, 70Ga

Abstract The internal conversion electron and gamma-ray spectra due to proton-induced reactions with separated zinc isotopes 67, 68 and 70 have been measured at various incident beam energies between 1.5 and 5.0 MeV. Many lines seen in the spectra are attributed to transitions in the gallium isotopes produced by the Zn(p, n)Ga reaction. The transition energies together with other available data have been used to assign energy levels in 67Ga at 0.166, 0.356, 0.820, 0.910, 1.25, and 1.55 MeV; in 68Ga at 0.174, 0.316, 0.373, 0.510, 0.573, 0.828, 0.879 and 1.10 MeV; and in 70Ga at 0.188, 0.448, 1.03 and 1.66 MeV. Threshold measurements confirmed the existence of levels at 0.174, 0.316, 0.373, and 0.510 MeV in 68Ga.
The identity of oligoclonal bands in patients with multiple sclerosis

evidence for B cell antigen presentation during EAE and MS, we chose to explore the role of antigen presentation by myelin antigen-specific B cells. We hypothesized that antigen presentation by cognate antigen-specific B cells during EAE is sufficient to support CD4mediated neuroinflammation. We induced active EAE using MOG protein or peptide immunization and induced passive EAE using encephalitogenic CD4 T cell lines in mice expressing MHCII by DCs alone and those in which B cells are deficient in MHCII expression. Further, we examined mice expressing MHCII by B cells alone with or without an increase in precursor frequency for MOG-specific B cell receptors. We found that maximal disease in protein-induced active EAE models is dependent upon B cell antigen presentation. Further, increasing the precursor frequency of MOG-specific B cells, but not the addition of soluble MOG-specific antibody, is sufficient to facilitate passive EAE in mice expressing MHCII by B cells alone. This is the first direct demonstration in vivo that B cells can serve as the sole APC and coordinate CD4 T cell autoreactivity to myelin antigens during EAE. These data support a model in which expansion of antigen-specific B cells during CNS autoimmunity amplifies cognate interactions between B and CD4 T cells and independently drives neuro-inflammation at later stages of disease.
EXPERT SYSTEM FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL SETTING ASSISTANCE

An experimental knowledge-based expert system to assist in traffic signal setting for isolated intersections is presented. In contrast to existing computer aids, the system can be applied to intersections of highly irregular geometries. Algorithmic processes to evaluate signal settings and decision tables to identify traffic flow conflicts are invoked by the expert system; phase distribution of flows is performed by applying heuristic rules. The system was written in the OPS5 expert system environment. Advantages and disadvantages of the expert system programming approach relative to conventional algorithmic processes in the traffic engineering domain are described.
Pyrolysis of Benzyl Phenyl Ether Confined in Mesoporous Silica

Benzyl phenyl ether (PhOCH2Ph, BPE), a model for related structural features in lignin and low-rank coal, has been immobilized in MCM-41 hexagonal mesoporous silicas having pore diameters of 2.7, 2.2, and 1.7 nm. Pyrolysis studies conducted at 275 °C have revealed that the free-radical reaction pathways previously observed on nonporous Cabosil silica remain operative in the MCM-41 silicas. The BPE pyrolysis rate is slightly slower (ca. 2- fold) in these nanoporous solids than on Cabosil, which is correlated with a corresponding decrease in the rate of radical formation by homolysis of the weak O−C bond. Two rearrangement pathways dominate the chemistry and account for ca. 67 mol % of the products at all pore sizes studied, which is markedly increased compared with the corresponding Cabosil case (ca. 50 mol %). The first pathway is recombination of the incipient benzyl and phenoxyl radicals to form surface-immobilized benzylphenol isomers, 1. The second pathway involves an O−C phenyl shift in surface-attac...