cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Practice and thinking for the breakthrough of infectious disease surveillance system in Shanghai

The recent developed diarrhea and acute respiratory infections surveillance systems were a breakthrough of the infectious disease surveillance and monitoring in Shanghai. This series "Infectious Disease Surveillance in Shanghai" briefly introduced current experiences of the updated surveillance systems, in order to provide evidences for promotion in other disease surveillance and to enhance the connection between different surveillance systems.
Prevalence of and Risk Factors Associated With Nonfatal Overdose Among Veterans Who Have Experienced Homelessness.

Importance Individuals with a history of homelessness are at increased risk for drug or alcohol overdose, although the proportion who have had recent nonfatal overdose is unknown. Understanding risk factors associated with nonfatal overdose could guide efforts to prevent fatal overdose. Objectives To determine the prevalence of recent overdose and the individual contributions of drugs and alcohol to overdose and to identify characteristics associated with overdose among veterans who have experienced homelessness. Design, Setting, and Participants This survey study was conducted from November 15, 2017, to October 1, 2018, via mailed surveys with telephone follow-up for nonrespondents. Eligible participants were selected from the records of 26 US Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and included veterans who had received primary care at 1 of these Veterans Affairs medical centers and had a history of experiencing homelessness according to administrative data. Preliminary analyses were conducted in October 2018, and final analyses were conducted in January 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-report of overdose (such that emergent medical care was obtained) in the previous 3 years and substances used during the most recent overdose. All percentages are weighted according to propensity to respond to the survey, modeled from clinical characteristics obtained in electronic health records. Results A total of 5766 veterans completed the survey (completion rate, 40.2%), and data on overdose were available for 5694 veterans. After adjusting for the propensity to respond to the survey, the mean (SD) age was 56.4 (18.3) years; 5100 veterans (91.6%) were men, 2225 veterans (38.1%) were black, and 2345 veterans (40.7%) were white. A total of 379 veterans (7.4%) reported any overdose during the past 3 years; 228 veterans (4.6%) reported overdose involving drugs, including 83 veterans (1.7%) who reported overdose involving opioids. Overdose involving alcohol was reported by 192 veterans (3.7%). In multivariable analyses, white race (odds ratio, 2.44 [95% CI, 2.00-2.98]), self-reporting a drug problem (odds ratio, 1.66 [95% CI, 1.39-1.98]) or alcohol problem (odds ratio, 2.54 [95% CI, 2.16-2.99]), and having witnessed someone else overdose (odds ratio, 2.34 [95% CI, 1.98-2.76]) were associated with increased risk of overdose. Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that nonfatal overdose is relatively common among veterans who have experienced homelessness. While overdose involving alcohol was more common than any specific drug, 1.7% of veterans reported overdose involving opioids. Improving access to addiction treatment for veterans who are experiencing homelessness or who are recently housed, especially for those who have experienced or witnessed overdose, could help to protect this population.
A Tunable Fabry-Perot Cavity Stabilized by a Connected Shearing Interferometer

A spectrometer is insufficient to resolve all emission lines from a single quantum dot. A custom-made Fabry-Perot Interferometer mechanically linked to an actively stabilized Shearing Interferometer is used as a stable and tunable narrow-band filter.
Circulating CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells and postoperative fertility in ovarian endometrioma

The current biomarkers for postoperative fertility assessment caused by ovarian endometrioma (OE) are insufficient. The present study hypothesized that the peripheral lymphocyte subpopulation can be used as a candidate biomarker of postoperative infertility in OE. The association of the number of circulating CD4/CD8 T, NK, and γδ T cells with postoperative fertility was assessed in 33 OE patients aged 20 ~ 40 years between June 2018 and January 2019. Concomitantly, 68 healthy female subjects were recruited. The changes in the baseline immune characteristics between the two groups were compared. The data demonstrated significant differences in the ratio of CD4/CD8 T cells and the number of CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells and γδ T cells between OE patients and control subjects. The patients were followed-up till December 2019 and the number of CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells in the cases was a significant predictor for postoperative fertility as determined by different COX regression models (crude HR = 0.220, 95% CI = 0.059–0.822; adjusted HR = 0.127, 95% CI = 0.024–0.675). A significant delay to successful pregnancy was noted in OE patients (median time, 173 vs. 99 days, log-rank P = 0.013). The present findings suggested that CD56+ NKG2D+ NK cells are a candidate biomarker of postoperative fertility in OE patients. Larger population studies are warranted.
Validation of a Modified Version of the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form Total Symptom Score.

Background: Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) suffer from chronic and progressive symptom burden. MPN trials capturing patient-reported symptoms routinely administer the MPN Symptom Assessment Form (SAF). The MPN-10 assesses 10 of the most clinically relevant symptoms, including fatigue and generates a Total Symptom Score (TSS). The original MPN-10 included a fatigue item from the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). The myelofibrosis-specific symptom assessment tool called the MFSAF v4 utilizes a fatigue item developed to be consistent with other items within the SAF. This study sought to validate a modified version of the MPN-10 TSS using the SAF fatigue item for harmonization with MFSAF v4. Methods: Survey data from two cohorts of patients with essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, or myelofibrosis assessing MPN characteristics and symptom burden were used. Results and conclusion: BFI and SAF fatigue items were highly correlated in raw score (Pearson r = 0.88), comparable in their severity categorizations (89% agreement for severe versus non-severe) and respective contributions to the TSS (both Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89). Reliability of SAF fatigue was acceptable and independently associated with known disease-related characteristics (splenomegaly, low quality-of-life, and distress). Fatigue in patients with MPNs is measured with high similarity using the SAF fatigue item within the MPN-10 in harmonization with the MFSAF v4. J Hematol. 2021;10(5):207-211 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jh914
Derivation of the Relativistic Lorentz Transformation Using the Wave Structure of Matter May 27, 2007

The SRT frequency shift, time dilation and energy equivalence formulas are derived from wave structure of matter concepts. The derivation shown removes Einstein’s requirement for the constancy of the speed of light between reference frames, which is not necessary in producing the results of the Lorentz transforms. Also, the photon is revealed to be the interaction between two electron wave centers, not a separate particle, showing a preference for Tetrode’s concept of a photon.
I heard it through the grapevine

Formal policies and procedures are a vital part of hospital risk management. However, as most experienced clinical engineers have discovered, it is also important to adopt informal and non-procedural approaches in promotion of medical device safety. In this paper, major themes will be presented and practical examples will be given.
Polyimide Fibers, Aromatic

In the 1980s, one of the developments in high performance fibers was the use of aromatic heterocyclic polymers such as poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole) (PBZT) and poly(p-phenylene benzoxazole) (PBO). Aromatic polyimides are known for their excellent thermal stability, chemical and solvent resistance, and light stability. Because of these outstanding properties, they are widely used as industrial films, coatings, adhesives, and moldings at high temperatures. In the first part of the article, the synthesis of aromatic polyimides are discussed, describing the one-step method and the two-step method. Moreover, a discussion on the basic technology for forming synthetic fibers, which includes spinning and heat treatment under drawing, is presented. In the second part of this article, structure, morphology, and different properties such as color, density, thermal stability, and so on of aromatic polymide fibers are presented. Keywords: high performance fibers; polyimide synthesis; aromatic polyimides; chemical imidization; PMDA
Effect of α-Acetylation on Utilization of Lysine Oligopeptides in Escherichia coli

Abstract A method has been developed for separating α-acetyllysine oligopeptides from e-acetylated contaminants by chromatography on carboxymethyl cellulose columns with buffered eluents. An Escherichia coli lysine auxotroph will utilize α-acetyltrilysine as a source of lysine, but will not utilize α-acetyl- di- or α-acetyltetralysine. It was concluded that the nutritional ineffectiveness of α-acetylated di- and tetralysine is due to an inability to penetrate the cell envelope. Growth on α-acetyltrilysine was a linear function of time, and growth rate was dependent on the concentration of the acetylated tripeptide. It was therefore concluded that α-acetyltrilysine limits the availability of lysine to the E. coli auxotroph. This property was used to study derepression in the lysine pathway. The pyruvate-aspartic semialdehyde-condensing enzyme and the diaminopimelate epimerase concentrations in cells grown on α-acetyltrilysine increased to a considerably lesser extent than dihydrodipicolinic acid reductase, indicating a lack of coordinate repression in the lysine pathway.
Free‐Floating Left Atrial Ball Thrombus Following Mitral Valve Replacement

We report the case of a 51-year-old woman who underwent mitral valve replacement for prolapse with severe regurgitation, depressed ejection fraction, and atrial fibrillation. Two weeks post-operatively, a transesophageal echocardiogram was performed for bacteremia. The patient was found incidentally to have a large free-floating ball thrombus in the left atrium. The patient was managed with anticoagulation because of the high-risk nature of repeat surgery. One month following diagnosis, the patient still had persistent thrombus in the left atrium seen on transthoracic echocardiography despite therapeutic anticoagulation. Free-floating ball thrombus is a rare and dramatic finding seen on echocardiography in patients with mitral valve disease.
P73 tumor suppressor and its targets, p21 and PUMA, are required for madin-darby canine kidney cell morphogenesis by maintaining an appropriate level of epithelial to mesenchymal transition

// Yanhong Zhang 1 , Ashley Young 1 , Jin Zhang 1 and Xinbin Chen 1 1 Comparative Oncology Laboratory, Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Californian at Davis, Davis, CA, USA Correspondence to: Xinbin Chen, email: // Keywords : P73, p21, PUMA, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), MDCK Received : March 11, 2015 Accepted : June 04, 2015 Published : June 08, 2015 Abstract P73, a member of p53 tumor suppressor family, plays a crucial role in tumor suppression and neural development. Due to the usage of two promoters, p73 is expressed as two isoforms, TAp73 and ∆Np73, with opposing functions. Here, we investigated the potential role of p73 in epithelial polarity and morphogenesis by using Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells as a model system. We found that knockdown of TAp73 enhances, whereas knockdown of ∆Np73 inhibits, MDCK cell proliferation and migration in two-dimensional (2-D) culture. We also found that knockdown of TAp73, but not ∆Np73, disrupts cyst formation of MDCK cells in three-dimensional (3-D) culture. Interestingly, we found that p21 and PUMA, both of which are induced by TAp73 but repressed by ∆Np73, are required for suppressing cell proliferation and migration in 2-D culture and for MDCK ce ll morphogenesis in 3-D culture. Finally, we showed knockdown of TAp73, p21 or PUMA induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) with a decrease in E-cadherin and an increase in EMT transcription factors. Together, our data suggest that TAp73, p21 and PUMA play a critical role in modulating MDCK cell morphogenesis by maintaining an appropriate level of the EMT.
Exploratory studies of the software testing methods used by novice programmers

Computer science courses, including those at the introductory level, require students to be capable of demonstrating that the programs they write satisfy the problem specifications. This demonstration of correctness is nearly always done via testing. Yet these courses tend to offer little or no guidance to the students in selecting appropriate test data. This paper analyzes the characteristics of test data used by novice programmers in the absence of such guidance.
Discrete parametric band conversion in silicon for mid-infrared applications

Silicon photonics has great potential for mid-wave-infrared applications. The dispersion of waveguide can be manipulated by waveguide dimension and cladding materials. Simulation shows that <3μm wide conversion can be achieved by tuning the pump wavelength.
A review of multiscale modeling of metal-catalyzed reactions: Mechanism development for complexity and emergent behavior

We review and provide a perspective on multiscale modeling of catalytic reactions with emphasis on mechanism development and application to complex and emergent systems. We start with an overview of length and time scales, objectives, and challenges in first-principles modeling of reactive systems. Subsequently, we review various methods that ensure thermodynamic consistency of mean-field microkinetic models. Next, we describe estimation of reaction rate constants via quantum mechanical and statistical-mechanical methods as well as semi-empirical methods. Among the latter, we discuss the bond-order conservation method for thermochemistry and activation energy estimation. In addition, we review the newly developed group-additivity method on adsorbate/metal systems and linear free energy or Bronsted-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) relations, and their parameterization using DFT calculations to generate databases of activation energies and reaction free energies. Linear scaling relations, which can enable transfer of reaction energetics among metals, are discussed. Computation-driven catalyst design is reviewed and a new platform for discovery of materials with emergent behavior is introduced. The effect of parameter uncertainty on catalyst design is discussed; it is shown that adsorbate-adsorbate interactions can profoundly impact materials design. Spatiotemporal averaging of microscopic events via the kinetic Monte Carlo method for realistic reaction mechanisms is discussed as an alternative to mean-field modeling. A hierarchical multiscale modeling strategy is proposed as a means of addressing (some of) the complexity of catalytic reactions. Structure-based microkinetic modeling is next reviewed to account for nanoparticle size and shape effects and structure sensitivity of catalytic reactions. It is hypothesized that catalysts with multiple sites of comparable activity can exhibit structure sensitivity that depends strongly on operating conditions. It is shown that two descriptor models are necessary to describe the thermochemistry of adsorbates on nanoparticles. Multiscale and accelerated methods for computing free energies in solution, while accounting explicitly for solvent effects in catalytic reactions, are briefly touched upon with the acid catalyzed dehydration of fructose in water as an example. The above methods are illustrated with several reactions, such as the CO oxidation on Au; the hydrogenation of ethylene and hydrogenolysis of ethane on Pt; the glycerol decomposition to syngas on Pt-based materials; the NH decomposition on single metals and bimetallics; and the dehydration of fructose in water. Finally, we provide a summary and outlook. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Precise removal of decaying dc in DFT algorithm for power system measurement

In this paper we present an approach which precisely removes the errors due to decaying dc offset from Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT). Decaying dc has a continuous spectrum spanning the whole subsynchronous frequencies, making it difficult to be suppressed. DFT as one of the most favorable approaches in power system measurement cannot tackle decaying dc and its results are erroneous in presence of decaying dc. The DFT-based approach proposed in this paper is based on using two different sampling frequencies, one double of the other, and it can extract the part of DFT result which is due to decaying dc component in the form of a formula. Simulations are performed for signals with one decaying dc component and also with multiple concurrent decaying dc components and the results demonstrate that the proposed approach, irrespective of the amplitude and the time constant of the decaying dc component, estimates the phasor of the signal precisely in presence of one decaying dc component and with negligible error in presence of multiple concurrent decaying dc components.
Hybrid coupled-cluster and perturbation method for extended systems of one-dimensional periodicity

A hybrid of the coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) and second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation (MP2) methods [M. Nooijen, J. Chem. Phys. 111, 10815 (1999); A. D. Bochevarov and C. D. Sherrill, ibid. 122, 234110 (2005); A. D. Bochevarov et al., ibid. 125, 054109 (2006)] is formulated and implemented for one-dimensional periodic extended systems, in which the excitation (T) amplitudes of active bands are determined iteratively by CCSD, while the T amplitudes of mixed active/inactive bands are held fixed at the first-order Moller-Plesset perturbation values. The occupied and virtual bands near the Fermi level, which can cause instability in MP2 when they are (quasi-)degenerate, are selected as active bands to be treated by CCSD, which can, in principle, resist such instability. Two contraction schemes of the T amplitudes (Contractions A and B) are considered. Contraction A is the one proposed for molecules and used also for extended systems because it is efficient for CCSD, but not necessarily so for the hybrid CCSD/MP2. Contraction B is introduced to be more optimally efficient for the hybrid CCSD/MP2 by maximizing the number of intermediate quantities made of the inactive T amplitudes and molecular integrals, which do not vary during CCSD iterations and are computed only once, stored, and reused. In an application to trans-polyacetylene, a smooth transition of the results of the hybrid CCSD/MP2 is observed toward those of CCSD and MP2 by increasing and decreasing, respectively, the number of active bands. With the smallest active space, the hybrid CCSD/MP2 with Contractions A and B achieves a speedup by a factor of 360 and 520, respectively, relative to CCSD. When all of the occupied bands and about half of the virtual bands are active, the hybrid CCSD/MP2 can recover 98% of the CCSD correlation energy or half of the difference between CCSD and MP2 at less than a tenth of the usual CCSD cost.
The explicit token store

This paper presents an unusually simple approach to dynamic dataflow execution, called the Explicit Token Store (ETS) architecture, and its current realization in Monsoon. The essence of dynamic dataflow execution is captured by a simple transition on state bits associated with storage local to a processor. Low-level storage management is performed by the compiler in assigning nodes to slots in an activation frame, rather than dynamically in hardware. The processor is simple, highly pipelined, and quite general. There is exactly one instruction executed for each action on the dataflow graph. Thus, the machine-oriented ETS model provides new insight into the real cost of direct execution of dataflow graphs.
Chronic ethanol exposure selectively inhibits the influenza-specific CD8 T cell response during influenza a virus infection.

Background It is well established that chronic ethanol (EtOH) consumption is associated with increased incidence and disease severity of respiratory infections. Our recent work demonstrates this increase in disease severity to influenza A virus (IAV) infections is due, in part, to a failure to mount a robust IAV-specific CD8 T cell response along with a specific impairment in the ability of these T cells to produce interferon γ (IFNγ). However, the full extent of the lesion in the effector CD8 T cell compartment during chronic EtOH consumption remains unknown. Methods Utilizing the Meadows–Cook murine model of chronic alcohol consumption, mice received EtOH in their drinking water for 8 or 12 weeks. Mice were challenged intranasally with IAV, and the activation and effector functions of IAV-specific CD8 T cells were determined in both the lung-draining lymph nodes (dLN) and lungs. Results Our results confirm the defect in IFNγ production; however, the ability of IAV-specific T cells to produce tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) in EtOH-consuming mice remains unaltered. In contrast, EtOH consumption significantly reduces the ability of CD8 T cells to degranulate and kill IAV-specific targets. Finally, our findings suggest the lesion begins during the initial activation of CD8 T cells, as we observe early defects in proliferation in the dLN of IAV-infected, EtOH-consuming mice. Conclusions These findings highlight the previously unrecognized depth of the lesion in the IAV-specific CD8 T cell response during chronic EtOH consumption. Given the important role CD8 T cell immunity plays in control of IAV, these findings may aid in the development of vaccination and/or therapeutic strategies to reverse these defects in the CD8 T cell response and reduce serious disease outcomes associated with IAV infections in alcoholics.
The Reference Group Reconsidered

(1964). The Reference Group Reconsidered. The Sociological Quarterly: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 5-21.
Light-assisted direct-write of 3D functional biomaterials

Light-assisted 3D direct-printing of biomaterials and cellular-scaffolds has the potential to develop novel lab-on-a-chip devices (LOCs) for a variety of biomedical applications, from drug discovery and diagnostic testing to in vitro tissue engineering and regeneration. Direct-writing describes a broad family of fabrication methods that typically employ computer-controlled translational stages to manufacture structures at multi-length scales. This review focuses on light-assisted direct-write fabrication for generating 3D functional scaffolds with precise micro- and nano-architecture, using both synthetic as well as naturally derived biomaterials. Two bioprinting approaches are discussed in detail – projection printing and laser-based systems – where each method is capable of modulating multiple scaffold parameters, such as 3D architecture, mechanical properties (e.g. stiffness), Poisson's ratio, chemical gradients, biological cell distributions, and porosity. The light-assisted direct-writing techniques described in this review provide the reader with alternative approaches to fabricate 3D biomaterials for utility in LOCs.
A fast algorithm for Chebyshev, Fourier, and sinc interpolation onto an irregular grid

A Chebyshev or Fourier series may be evaluated on the standard collocation grid by the fast Fourier transform (FFT). Unfortunately, the FFT does not apply when one needs to sum a spectral series at N points which are spaced irregularly. The cost becomes O(N2) operations instead of the FFTs O(N log N). This sort of “off-grid” interpolation is needed by codes which dynamically readjust the grid every few time steps to resolve a shock wave or other narrow features. It is even more crucial to semi-Lagrangian spectral algorithms for solving convection-diffusion and Navier-Stokes problems because off-grid interpolation must be performed several times per time step. In this work, we describe an alternative algorithm. The first step is to pad the set of spectral coefficients {an} with zeros and then take an FFT of length 3N to interpolate the Chebyshev series to a very fine grid. The second step is to apply either the Mth order Euler sum acceleration or (2M + 1)-point Lagrangian interpolation to approximate the sum of the series on the irregular grid. We show that both methods yield full precision with M ⪡ N, allowing an order of magnitude reduction in cost with no loss of accuracy.
S-Glutathionylation of an Auxiliary Subunit Confers Redox Sensitivity to Kv4 Channel Inactivation

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate ion channels, modulate neuronal excitability, and contribute to the etiology of neurodegenerative disorders. ROS differentially suppress fast “ball-and-chain” N-type inactivation of cloned Kv1 and Kv3 potassium channels but not of Kv4 channels, likely due to a lack of reactive cysteines in Kv4 N-termini. Recently, we discovered that N-type inactivation of Kv4 channel complexes can be independently conferred by certain N-terminal variants of Kv4 auxiliary subunits (DPP6a, DPP10a). Here, we report that both DPP6a and DPP10a, like Kv subunits with redox-sensitive N-type inactivation, contain a highly conserved cysteine in their N-termini (Cys-13). To test if N-type inactivation mediated by DPP6a or DPP10a is redox sensitive, Xenopus oocyte recordings were performed to examine the effects of two common oxidants, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) and diamide. Both oxidants markedly modulate DPP6a- or DPP10a-conferred N-type inactivation of Kv4 channels, slowing the overall inactivation and increasing the peak current. These functional effects are fully reversed by the reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT) and appear to be due to a selective modulation of the N-type inactivation mediated by these auxiliary subunits. Mutation of DPP6a Cys-13 to serine eliminated the tBHP or diamide effects, confirming the importance of Cys-13 to the oxidative regulation. Biochemical studies designed to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism show no evidence of protein-protein disulfide linkage formation following cysteine oxidation. Instead, using a biotinylated glutathione (BioGEE) reagent, we discovered that oxidation by tBHP or diamide leads to S-glutathionylation of Cys-13, suggesting that S-glutathionylation underlies the regulation of fast N-type inactivation by redox. In conclusion, our studies suggest that Kv4-based A-type current in neurons may show differential redox sensitivity depending on whether DPP6a or DPP10a is highly expressed, and that the S-glutathionylation mechanism may play a previously unappreciated role in mediating excitability changes and neuropathologies associated with ROS.
Beneficial effects of stress-dose corticosteroid therapy in canines depend on the severity of staphylococcal pneumonia

Purpose The effects of stress-dose corticosteroid therapy were studied in a canine staphylococcal pneumonia model of septic shock.
The Emanuel Miller Memorial Lecture 1997: Change and Continuity in the Development of Children with Autism

The developmental approach to childhood psychopathology identifies deviations from typical patterns of development and stability of individual characteristics over time, and precursors in early life of later functions. The application of this approach to the social, communicative, and cognitive development of children with autism is discussed. Results from a longitudinal study of children with autism and other developmental disorders are described, indicating that children with autism have stable deficits in joint attention, representational play, and responsiveness to the emotions of others, and that early variations in these abilities are important for concurrent and subsequent language development and for peer engagement many years later.
A dearth of hurricanes cannot explain Maya collapse

A thousand years ago the great Maya culture of Central America collapsed. Climate change was one factor that stressed the civilization until it fractured: A prolonged period of intense and persistent drought left the Maya's descendants to carry on without a robust elite urban class.
Clonidine, an α2-receptor agonist, diminishes GABAergic neurotransmission to cardiac vagal neurons in the nucleus ambiguus

In hypertension, there is an autonomic imbalance in which sympathetic activity dominates over parasympathetic control. Parasympathetic activity to the heart originates from cardiac vagal neurons located in the nucleus ambiguus. Presympathetic neurons that project to sympathetic neurons in the spinal cord are located in the ventral brainstem in close proximity to cardiac vagal neurons, and many of these presympathetic neurons are catecholaminergic. In addition to their projection to the spinal cord, many of these presympathetic neurons have axon collaterals that arborize into neighboring cardiorespiratory locations and likely release norepinephrine onto nearby neurons. Activation of alpha(2)-adrenergic receptors in the central nervous system evokes a diverse range of physiological effects, including reducing blood pressure. This study tests whether clonidine, an alpha(2)-adrenergic receptor agonist, alters excitatory glutamatergic, and/or inhibitory GABAergic or glycinergic synaptic neurotransmission to cardiac vagal neurons in the nucleus ambiguus. Cardiac vagal neurons were identified in an in vitro brainstem slice preparation, and synaptic events were recording using whole cell voltage clamp methodologies. Clonidine significantly inhibited GABAergic neurotransmission but had no effect on glycinergic or glutamatergic pathways to cardiac vagal neurons. This diminished inhibitory GABAergic neurotransmission to cardiac vagal neurons would increase parasympathetic activity to the heart, decreasing heart rate and blood pressure. The results presented here provide a cellular substrate for the clinical use of clonidine as a treatment for hypertension as well as a role in alleviating posttraumatic stress disorder by evoking an increase in parasympathetic cardiac vagal activity, and a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure.
Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia associated with mosaic Down's syndrome

There have been several reports of the association between Down's Syndrome and acute megakaryoblastic (M7) leukemia (AMKL). The diagnosis of this rare form of leukemia has been better delineated by the use of the platelet peroxidase reaction and the antifactor VIII antibody immunoperoxidase test. In the past, the prognosis of patients with a combination of Down's Syndrome and AMKL has been extremely poor, with a median survival of 6.9 months for 11 reported cases in the literature. The present report reviews the previously reported cases and describes a unique patient with mosaic Down's syndrome and AMKL with favorable response to therapy.
Hydrogen peroxide activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 in vascular smooth muscle cells

We have reported previously that hydrogen peroxide induces arachidonic acid release from prelabeled vascular smooth muscle cells. Here, we studied the effect of hydrogen peroxide on the phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 in these cells. Hydrogen peroxide induced a rapid, time-dependent increase in the phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2. Hydrogen peroxide also increased arachidonic acid release from prelabeled cells in a time-dependent manner similar to that of phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2. Protein kinase C depletion significantly inhibited the hydrogen peroxide-stimulated cytosolic phospholipase A2 phosphorylation and arachidonic acid release. Hydrogen peroxide caused a time-dependent increase in mitogen activated protein kinase activity. Taken together, these findings suggest that cytosolic phospholipase A2 may, at least in part, contribute to arachidonic acid release induced by hydrogen peroxide and this effect appears to be mediated by protein kinase C and mitogen activated protein kinase.
Suppression of Raman gain in single-transverse-mode dual-hole-assisted fiber

Measurements of backscattered Raman amplified spontaneous emission in single-mode dual-hole-assisted fiber indicate suppression of Raman gain by more than two orders of magnitude compared to SMF. These results imply that fiber lasers based on the dual-hole-assisted fiber design are effectively immune to SRS, thus enabling significant power scaling beyond current limits from a single-mode core.
Mesotheliomas with crystalloid structures: report of nine cases, including one with oncocytic features

Although the presence of crystalloids has historically been of largely academic interest or simply an intriguing curiosity, these structures have occasionally been useful in the differential diagnosis of some tumors. Crystalloids have only rarely been reported in mesotheliomas, and their presence in these tumors has not been sufficiently investigated, nor has their potential value as an ultrastructural marker for mesothelioma been established. The finding of a case of mesothelioma in which the vast majority of the neoplastic cells contained intracytoplasmic crystalloids prompted a search for these structures in 69 consecutive cases of mesothelioma (59 epithelioid, 7 sarcomatoid, 3 mixed-epithelioid sarcomatoid). Crystalloids were found in 9 (15%) of the 59 epithelioid mesotheliomas, indicating that these structures are not as rare as had been thought. That these inclusions were demonstrated in tumors exhibiting diverse histological patterns and were not confined to a single subtype of epithelioid mesothelioma indicates that, because of their unique morphology, when present, they can assist in the diagnosis of these tumors. In addition, oncocytic features were also seen in one of the cases with crystalloid inclusions. Pathologists should be aware of the fact that, even though uncommon, mesotheliomas can present oncocytic morphology and, therefore, these tumors should be included in the differential diagnosis of those neoplasms that display similar morphological features, and which can metastasize to the serosal membranes. To my knowledge, an oncocytic mesothelioma has not previously been reported.
Pulmonary Protective and Vasodilator Effects of a StandardizedPanax GinsengPreparation Following Artificial Gastric Digestion

We have previously demonstrated that purified ginsenosides produce pulmonary vasodilation and prevent effects of free radical injury on the lung. We examined the effect of artificially digested standardized ginseng preparation G115 in perfused rabbit lungs. G115 was incubated in artificial gastric juice (0.03 M NaCl + 0.08 M HCl) 37 degrees C for 1 h, and artificial intestinal juice (0.05 M KH2PO4 + 0.02 M NaOH) 37 degrees C for 5 h, neutralized with NaOH and lyophilized. Pulmonary vasoconstriction was induced with U46619, and cumulative additions of G115 in undigested, gastric digested and gastric and intestinal digested forms were made to the perfusate. In separate experiments, oxygen free radical injury by electrolysis was produced in the presence of G115 in the perfusate and ACh-induced vasodilation assessed before and after injury. Undigested, gastric digested and combined gastric and intestinal digested G115 significantly dilated lungs (44%, undigested; 26%, gastric digested; 45%, gastric and intestinal digested). In addition, both undigested (-27 +/- 5% vs. -24 +/- 5%) as well as gastric and intestinal digested G115 (-23 +/- 3% vs. -16 +/- 2%) preserved ACh-induced vasodilation following injury. Artificially digested G115 is a pulmonary vasodilator which protects against free radical injury, suggesting that oral G115 has the same effects.
Economic growth and the demand for construction materials

Abstract Despite the widespread research on metal demand in recent years, there is little in the professional literature on the demand for construction materials and other non-fuel, non-metallic minerals. A recent and interesting exception is Humphreys (1994), which finds that intersectoral shifts in the UK economy favouring the service sector at the expense of the manufacturing sector have had a negative influence on the intensity of metal use but a positive influence on the intensity of use of construction materials. As a result, the latter has changed very little in the UK over the past 30 years while the former has declined dramatically. In an attempt to determine if Humphreys's findings apply to other countries as well, this study extends his analysis to the USA. The results are quite different. The intensity of use for construction materials has declined dramatically over the past 30 years, more so than the intensity of metal use. Moreover, intersectoral shifts—the decline of manufacturing and the rise of services—appear to influence intensity of use trends for both metals and construction materials less than resource saving technology, material substitution and intrasectoral shifts within the manufacturing sector.
Enhancer Complexes Located Downstream of Both Human Immunoglobulin Cα Genes

To investigate regulation of human immunoglobulin heavy chain expression, we have cloned DNA downstream from the two human Cα genes, corresponding to the position in the mouse IgH cluster of a locus control region (LCR) that includes an enhancer which regulates isotype switching. Within 25 kb downstream of both the human immunoglobulin Cα1 and Cα2 genes we identified several segments of DNA which display B lymphoid–specific DNase I hypersensitivity as well as enhancer activity in transient transfections. The corresponding sequences downstream from each of the two human Cα genes are nearly identical to each other. These enhancers are also homologous to three regions which lie in similar positions downstream from the murine Cα gene and form the murine LCR. The strongest enhancers in both mouse and human have been designated HS12. Within a 135-bp core homology region, the human HS12 enhancers are ∼90% identical to the murine homolog and include several motifs previously demonstrated to be important for function of the murine enhancer; additional segments of high sequence conservation suggest the possibility of previously unrecognized functional motifs. On the other hand, certain functional elements in the murine enhancer, including a B cell–specific activator protein site, do not appear to be conserved in human HS12. The human homologs of the murine enhancers designated HS3 and HS4 show lower overall sequence conservation, but for at least two of the functional motifs in the murine HS4 (a κB site and an octamer motif ) the human HS4 homologs are exactly conserved. An additional hypersensitivity site between human HS3 and HS12 in each human locus displays no enhancer activity on its own, but includes a region of high sequence conservation with mouse, suggesting the possibility of another novel functional element.
Small inhibitory RNA – a tool for credentialing candidate genes

The effect of a drug is related to the interaction of the numerous gene products that participate in a drug pathway. The clinical importance of genetic variability on the overall outcome of most drug pathways remains to be determined. As a result, there is a need to efficiently identify the genes that not only participate in the pathway but also play a significant role in regulating the effects of a drug. The emerging technique of specific gene silencing through RNA interference initiated by small inhibitory RNA may prove to be a useful and powerful tool in the credentialing of candidate genes in drug pathways.
This month at the NIH NIDDK progenitor cell genome anatomy projects

Abstract Readers are encouraged to write letters to the editor concerning articles that have been published in Gastroenterology. Short, general comments are also considered, but use of the Correspondence section for publication of original data in preliminary form is not encouraged. Letters should be typewritten double-spaced and submitted in triplicate.
Prediction of significant left main coronary artery stenosis by the 12-lead electrocardiogram in patients with rest angina pectoris and the withholding of clopidogrel therapy

We report the prospective use of an electrocardiographic sign--lead aVR ST-segment elevation greater than that seen in lead V(1)--in patients with an acute coronary syndrome as a method to prompt early angiography, to withhold clopidogrel therapy, and to perform urgent coronary bypass surgery leading to successful clinical outcomes.
Glutathione: a vital lens antioxidant.

ABSTRACT The reducing compound glutathione (GSH) exists in an unusually high concentration in the lens where it functions as an essential antioxidant vital for maintenance of the tissue's transparency. In conjunction with an active glutathione redox cycle located in the lens epithelium and superficial cortex, GSH detoxifies potentially damaging oxidants such as H2O2 and dehydroascorbic acid. Recent studies have indicated an important hydroxyl radical-scavenging function for GSH in lens epithelial cells, independent of the cells' ability to detoxify H2O2. Depletion of GSH or inhibition of the redox cycle allows low levels of oxidant to damage lens epithelial targets such as Na/K-ATPase, certain cytoskeletal proteins and proteins associated with normal membrane permeability. The level of GSH in the nucleus of the lens is relatively low, particularly in the aging lens, and exactly how the compound travels from the epithelium to the central region of the organ is not known. Recently, a cortical/nuclear barrie...
Use of 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin in microsurgical reconstruction in a patient with von Willebrand's disease.

A 19-year-old male patient with type 1 von Willebrand's disease underwent two separate superficial inferior epigastric artery free flap tissue transfers and three revision procedures for reconstruction of a postextirpative mid-facial defect. Intravenous 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) was administered as bleeding prophylaxis prior to incision for free tissue transfer. For each debulking procedure, DDAVP was administered by intranasal sprays in minutes prior to incision and redosed 12 and 24 hours postoperatively. There were no incidents of either thrombosis or bleeding. This outcome indicates that 0.3 μg/kg intravenous DDAVP may be effective as bleeding prophylaxis for patients with mild and quantitative defects in von Willebrand factor undergoing microvascular reconstruction. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2011.
Hydrogen‐donating mechanism of rosmariquinone, an antioxidant found in rosemary

Rosmariquinone (RQ), an ortho-quinone diterpenoid found in rosemary, was shown to act as a hydrogen-donating antioxidant. The proposed mechanism is based on the isolation of the catechol intermediate arucadiol (AD) in methyl oleate test systems. AD was also observed in a bulk soybean oil oxidation experiment, which supports the observation that RQ is converted to AD during oxidation of the oil. Because AD was found in both light-induced oxidation and autoxidation test systems, the antioxidant mechanism proceeds in a similar manner. The antioxidant activities of RQ and AD were not significantly different in the autoxidation experiments, while AD was a significantly better (P<0.05) antioxidant than RQ in the light-induced oxidation.
The putative Na+/Cl--dependent neurotransmitter/osmolyte transporter inebriated in the Drosophila hindgut is essential for the maintenance of systemic water homeostasis

Most organisms are able to maintain systemic water homeostasis over a wide range of external or dietary osmolarities. The excretory system, composed of the kidneys in mammals and the Malpighian tubules and hindgut in insects, can increase water conservation and absorption to maintain systemic water homeostasis, which enables organisms to tolerate external hypertonicity or desiccation. However, the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of systemic water homeostasis by the excretory system have not been fully characterized. In the present study, we found that the putative Na+/Cl−-dependent neurotransmitter/osmolyte transporter inebriated (ine) is expressed in the basolateral membrane of anterior hindgut epithelial cells. This was confirmed by comparison with a known basolateral localized protein, the α subunit of Na+-K+ ATPase (ATPα). Under external hypertonicity, loss of ine in the hindgut epithelium results in severe dehydration without damage to the hindgut epithelial cells, implicating a physiological failure of water conservation/absorption. We also found that hindgut expression of ine is required for water conservation under desiccating conditions. Importantly, specific expression of ine in the hindgut epithelium can completely restore disrupted systemic water homeostasis in ine mutants under both conditions. Therefore, ine in the Drosophila hindgut is essential for the maintenance of systemic water homeostasis.
Incorporating excitation-induced dephasing into the Maxwell–Bloch numerical modeling of photon echoes

Abstract We describe the incorporation of excitation-induced dephasing (EID) into the Maxwell–Bloch numerical simulation of photon echoes. At each time step of the usual numerical integration, stochastic frequency jumps of ions—caused by excitation of neighboring ions—is modeled by convolving each Bloch vector with the Bloch vectors of nearby frequency detunings. The width of this convolution kernel follows the instantaneous change in overall population, integrated over the simulated bandwidth. This approach is validated by extensive comparison against published and original experimental results. The enhanced numerical model is then used to investigate the accuracy of experiments designed to extrapolate to the intrinsic dephasing time T2 from data taken in the presence of EID. Such a modeling capability offers improved understanding of experimental results, and should allow quantitative analysis of engineering tradeoffs in realistic optical coherent transient applications.
Heat flow through the San Jacinto fault zone, southern California

Summary Five new and three existing heat flow measurements ranging from 0.027 to 0.078 W m-2 indicate that heat flow increases toward the San Jacinto fault, a major branch of the San Andreas fault in southern California. Determined somewhat subjectively, this heat-flow distribution has a half-width of 14 km and a maximum of 0.032 W m-2 above a regional value of 0.042W m-2. The heat flow anomaly reported here is believed to have resulted from conductive dissipation of heat generated during faulting, though hydrothermal discharge occurs at several distant locations along the fault. Assuming an average slip rate of 2.5 cm yr-1 and depending on the model used, the needed long-term mean dynamic shear stress for the anomaly may range from 28 to 63 MPa with a favoured choice from 30 to 40 MPa. Compared to the San Andreas fault in the Coast Ranges of central California where appears a flat 100 km wide regional anomaly of 0.033 W m-2, the shear heating rate along the San Jacinto fault (0.046 MW km-1) is about one-seventh of that along the San Andreas fault; however, the absence of a peak anomaly over the San Andreas fault trace requires a shear stress of 10 MPa only.