cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An update on pulmonary complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

The indications for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) continue to expand. However, the risk for pulmonary complications post-HSCT continues to be high. Early recognition and treatment of pulmonary complications may improve outcomes. This is an overview of diagnosis, manifestations, and treatment of the most common infectious and noninfectious pulmonary complications post-HSCT. Knowing the patient's timeframe post-HSCT (preengraftment, postengraftment, late), type of HSCT (allogeneic vs autologous), radiographic findings, and clinical presentation can help to differentiate between the many pulmonary complications. This article will also address pretransplantation evaluation and infectious and noninfectious complications in the patient post-HSCT. While mortality post-HSCT continues to improve, respiratory failure continues to be the leading cause of ICU admissions for patients who have undergone HSCT. Mechanical ventilation is a predictor of poor outcomes in these patients, and further research is needed regarding their critical care management, treatment options for noninfectious pulmonary complications, and mortality prediction models posttransplantation.
Anatomical localization of the cells of origin of efferent fibers in the superior laryngeal and recurrent laryngeal nerves of the dogs

Abstract Using horseradish peroxidase, we identified the cells of origin of motor fibers in the superior laryngeal nerves of dogs. Cells giving rise to fibers in the superior laryngeal nerve were found in the dorsal motor nucleus and the nucleus ambiggus, whereas cells giving rise to fibers in the recurrent laryngeal nerve were found in the nucleus ambiguus and nucleus retroambigualis, but usually not in the dorsal motor nucleus.
Approximative characteristics of the isotropic classes of periodic functions of many variables

Exact-order estimates are obtained for the best orthogonal trigonometric approximations of the Besov (B p,θ r ) and Nukol’skii (H p r ) classes of periodic functions of many variables in the metric of L q , 1 ≤ p, q ≤ ∞. We also establish the orders of the best approximations of functions from the same classes in the spaces L 1 and L ∞ by trigonometric polynomials with the corresponding spectrum.
Major depressive disorder and impulsive reactivity to emotion: toward a dual-process view of depression.

Objective. Dual-process theories of behaviour have been used to suggest that vulnerability to depression involves elevated reactivity to emotions. This study tests that idea, examining self-reported reactivity. Design. Comparison between persons with at least one lifetime episode of major depressive disorder (lifetime MDD) and those without this diagnosis, controlling for symptoms of alcohol use (a potential externalizing confound) and current symptoms of depression (a potential state-dependent confound). Methods. Undergraduates (N = 120) completed a clinical interview to diagnose lifetime MDD and a series of self-reports bearing on diverse aspects of self-control, includingreactivitytoemotion.Thirty-fourpeoplewerediagnosedwithlifetimeMDD;86 did not meet criteria for MDD. The groups were then compared on three factors underlying the scales assessing self-control. Results. TheMDDgrouphadhigherscoresthancontrolsonthetwofactorsthatreflect impulsive reactivity to diverse emotions, including emotions that are positive in valence. These effects were not explained by associations with either externalizing symptoms or current depressive symptoms. Conclusions. Reflexive reactivity to emotions characterizes depression, in addition to some externalizing problems, and it may deserve study as a potential trans-diagnostic feature.
Pharmacological pain control for human immunodeficiency virus-infected adults with a history of drug dependence

Clinicians treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with substance use disorders often face the challenge of managing patients' acute or chronic pain conditions while keeping in mind the potential dangers of prescription opiate dependence. In this clinical review, we critically appraise the existing data concerning barriers to appropriate treatment of pain among HIV-infected patients with substance use disorders. We then analyze published studies concerning the choice of pharmacological pain control regimens for acute and chronic pain conditions in HIV-infected patients, keeping in mind HIV-specific issues related to drug interactions and substance use disorders. We summarize this information in the form of flowcharts for physicians approaching HIV-infected patients who present with complaints of pain, providing evidence-based guidance for the structuring of pain management services and for addressing aberrant drug-taking behaviors.
Negative dysphotopsia: long-term study and possible explanation for transient symptoms.

Purpose To study the incidence, course, and common factors of patients with negative dysphotopsia and consider the possible role of the corneal incision in cases in which symptoms are transient. Setting Private practice and the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Methods Phacoemulsification with implantation of a single-piece acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) was performed in 250 consecutive routine cataract procedures. Patients were asked whether they noticed a temporal shadow on the day after surgery and were followed by serial evaluations for 3 years. Evaluations included subjective questionnaires and objective testing. Results The incidence of negative dysphotopsia was 15.2% on the first postoperative day, decreasing to 3.2% after 1 year, then 2.4% after 2 and 3 years. Common findings included a shallow orbit, prominent globe, space greater than 0.45 mm between the iris and IOL by ultrasound biomicroscopy, and perimetric comet-shaped light in the area corresponding to the shadow. Slitlamp revealed a transparent peripheral capsule and a shadow sign in which a linear shadow on the iris became curvilinear as the light from the slit beam was projected through the incision toward the pupil. Conclusions Two groups of patients experienced negative dysphotopsia that rapidly resolved or remained unchanged from the first postoperative day. It is hypothesized that the corneal edema associated with a beveled temporal incision contributes to transient negative dysphotopsia.
Stimulation of photoreceptor disc shedding and pigment epithelial phagocytosis by glutamate, aspartate, and other amino acids.

It has been reported that aspartate and glutamate selectively impair the structure (Olney, '82) and function (e.g., Furakawa and Hanawa, '55) of second- and third-order retinal neurons while leaving the photoreceptor unaffected. Either amino acid may mimic the endogenous photoreceptor neurotransmitter (Ehinger, '82). We report here that excitatory amino acids also induce massive rod photoreceptor disc shedding in eyecups of Xenopus laevis maintained in vitro. Disc shedding is the process whereby photoreceptors eliminate effete discs. It involves interaction between the distal outer segment and pigment epithelium. Millimolar L-aspartate and L-glutamate, as well as micromolar kainic acid, a glutamate analog, stimulate disc shedding three- to fivefold higher than normal light-evoked shedding levels and result in extensive inner retinal damage. Fifty-millimolar KCl, 1.0 microM ouabain, and replacement of sodium with choline also stimulate disc shedding and alter retinal structure. Extensive neurotoxicity appears unrelated to disc shedding since other amino acids having no significant or marginal effects on retinal structure also stimulate shedding. While the site and mechanism of action of these effectors, and in particular the excitatory amino acids, is now undefined, the data show that amino acids thought to act directly and specifically on inner retinal neurons can also markedly alter photoreceptor and pigment epithelial metabolism.
Ultrasound in obstetrics

Ultrasound has become an integral component of obstetric care, with the vast majority of patients having at least one ultrasound examination during pregnancy. From the determination of early pregnancy and gestational age to the evaluation of fetal growth and well being, ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool for the practicing obstetrician. Recent advances in obstetric ultrasonography have increased its importance in managing pregnancies at risk for aneuploidy, structural anomalies, preterm delivery, and blood flow abnormalities. Compiled of contributions from leading experts across the country, this issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America demonstrates the expanding role of ultrasound in the field of obstetrics. In the United States, ultrasound has been incorporated into prenatal screening programs aimed at identifying fetal chromosomal abnormalities. From their important work on the FASTER Trial (First and Second Trimester Evaluation of Risk), a multicenter prospective study comparing first and second trimester methods of screening for fetal aneuploidy, Karlla Brigatti and Dr. Malone provide a thorough review of first trimester screening including the ultrasonographic evaluation of nuchal translucency. The genetic sonogram, comprised of an evaluation of various sonographic markers during the second trimester, has been used to provide an individualized risk assessment for patients. An expert in both Maternal Fetal Medicine and Genetics, Dr. Stewart presents the potential benefits and obvious limitations of ultrasound in the detection of various fetal chromosomal abnormalities.
Characteristics of the flux of isoprene and its oxidation products in an urban area

[1] We measured the mixing ratios and fluxes of isoprene and its oxidation products, methacrolein (MACR) and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) from a tall flux tower in metropolitan Houston, Texas, during summertime using a relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) system combined with a dual-channel GC-FID instrument. We show that isoprene was affected dominantly by biogenic emission sources during daytime, but also that tail-pipe emission sources (alongside 2-pentenes) are contributing during the rush hours and at night. The observed daytime mixing ratios of isoprene were much lower than over forested areas due to a comparatively low density of isoprene emitting trees in the tower's footprint area. Daytime isoprene fluxes displayed the expected light and temperature driven emission characteristics, and a detailed isoprene emissions model explained average fluxes fairly well. Our investigation of isoprene's oxidation products MACR and MVK showed that both anthropogenic and isoprene oxidation sources exist for MACR, while MVK was strongly dominated by isoprene oxidation between its emission and sampling points due to presumably high local OH radical concentrations. While biogenic emission modeling appears to work well for this urban environment when supplied with accurate input data, emission inventories used for ozone modeling may need to consider tailpipe isoprene (and MACR) emissions to properly account for urban concentrations, particularly higher morning abundances.
Abnormal Near Field Potentials of Brainstem Origin in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) (P7.038)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate novel near field potentials generated within the brainstem of patients with early Parkinson’s disease (PD) following frontal (FN) and ethmoidal nerve (EN) stimulation. BACKGROUND: PD is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. However, it is difficult to diagnose in its earliest stages when treatments would be most effective in reducing disease progression and irreversible neural damage. Given that the earliest PD related pathology occurs within the brainstem, we explored whether sensitive physiological measures to pathology within this brain region serve as useful biomarkers for PD. DESIGN/METHODS: 20 patients and 20 controls were investigated. Electrical stimulation of the FN and the EN was performed while subjects’ eyes were closed. Pulses of 0.2 ms duration were applied at six times the sensory perceptual threshold. Four single and paired electrical stimulations, applied at 10 ms intervals, were randomly delivered every 45-60 sec. The latencies and amplitudes of the reflex responses were recorded from both OOc muscles (pars inferior) using surface electrodes. RESULTS: Patients with PD exhibited short, middle and long-latency responses induced by EN stimulation. None of the controls showed the near field potential with the shortest latency, following EN stimulation (p < 0.00001). The classical three motor responses obtained by FN stimulation (R1, R2 and R3) were similarly found in both PD patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study is the first to have electrically stimulated the EN in PD. It appears to have identified a very sensitive and specific “biomarker” for detecting PD at its earliest stages, perhaps the most sensitive biomarker identified to date. Study Supported by: DOD W81XWH-09-1-0467 Disclosure: Dr. Leon-Sarmiento has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sobota has nothing to disclose. Dr. Doty has received personal compensation for activities with Sensonics, Inc. Adams & Adams, Christopher Abdoney, Clancy & Stevens, Columbia University, Federal Defenders, Middle Dist. Alabama, Lathrop & Gage LLP, Merck, Murphy-Brown LLC, National Institutes of Health, Rothshild Wishek & Sands LLP, Pfizer, Inc, Sensonics, Inc., TASA Group, Western Medical Assessments, and Young, Conway, Stargatt & Taylor. Dr. Doty holds stock and/or stock options in Sensonics, Inc., which sponsored research in which Dr. Doty was involved as an investigator.
Statistics of cone responses to natural images: implications for visual coding

We gathered hyperspectral images of natural, foliage-dominated scenes and converted them to human cone quantal catches to characterize the second-order redundancy present within the retinal photoreceptor array under natural conditions. The data are expressed most simply in a logarithmic response space, wherein an orthogonal decorrelation robustly produces three principal axes, one corresponding to simple changes in radiance and two that are reminiscent of the blue–yellow and red–green chromatic-opponent mechanisms found in the primate visual system. Further inclusion of spatial stimulus dimensions demonstrates a complete spatial decorrelation of these three cone-space axes in natural cone responses.
Hydrogeomorphology explains acidification‐driven variation in aquatic biological communities in the Neversink Basin, USA

Describing the distribution of aquatic habitats and the health of biological communities can be costly and time-consuming; therefore, simple, inexpensive methods to scale observations of aquatic biota to watersheds that lack data would be useful. In this study, we explored the potential of a simple “hydrogeomorphic” model to predict the effects of acid deposition on macroinvertebrate, fish, and diatom communities in 28 sub-watersheds of the 176-km2 Neversink River basin in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. The empirical model was originally developed to predict stream-water acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) using the watershed slope and drainage density. Because ANC is known to be strongly related to aquatic biological communities in the Neversink, we speculated that the model might correlate well with biotic indicators of ANC response. The hydrogeomorphic model was strongly correlated to several measures of macroinvertebrate and fish community richness and density, but less strongly correlated to ...
‘I gave them laws that were not good’ (Ezk 20:25): A biblical model of complex subjectivity and the prospects of multi-ethnic contextual reading

The purpose of this article is to address the problem of multi-cultural multi-ethnic contextual Bible reading by giving attention to identity and subjectivity and how it is modeled both in our analyses of contemporary life and in our reconstructions of antiquity and ancient contexts. The aim here is to suggest a position that engages the question of shared values; that creates a space for dialogue between contrasting discourses; and that gives attention to the question of authenticity. I suggest that resources for such a project may be found partly in a re-engaging of biblical prophecy in light of contemporary reflection on subjectivity that embraces recent developments in the debate over modern and postmodern approaches to language and experience tied to the rise of cognitive science. Through an examination of the subject in Žižek, particularly as he engages cognitive science, and in the prophetic rhetoric of Ezekiel, this article argues for grounding multi-group reading strategies or projects on a conception of complex subjectivity that seeks to bridge contemporary discourse with the language of the biblical text. ‘Ek het vir hulle voorskrifte gegee wat nie goed was nie’ (Eseg 20:25): ’n bybelse model van komplekse subjektiwiteit en die moontlikhede van multi-etniese kontekstuele interpretasie. Die oogmerk van hierdie artikel is om die probleem van ’n multi-kulturele,multi-etniese kontekstuele lees van die Bybel te ondersoek. Met dit ten doel, gee die ondersoekaandag aan identiteit en subjektiwiteit en hoe dit gedemonstreer word in die analise van die hedendaagse sowel as in die rekonstruksie van antikwiteite en antieke kontekste. Dieuiteindelike doelwit is om ’n posisie voor te stel wat omgaan met die vraag van gedeelde waardes; wat ruimte skep vir ’n dialoog tussen teenstrydige diskoerse; en wat aandag gee aan die vraag van geloofwaardigheid. Die voorstel word gemaak dat ’n nuwe betrokkenheid by bybelse profesie in die lig van hedendaagse denke oor subjektiwiteit die hulpmiddele bied vir so ‘n poging. Hierdie nuwe denke verbind onlangse ontwikkelinge in die debat oormoderne en postmoderne benaderings tot taal en ervaring met die opkoms van die kognitiewewetenskappe. Die artikel ondersoek die onderwerp soos deur Žižek voorgestel word, veral met betrekking tot hoe hy kognitiewe wetenskap bytrek, en soos dit in die profetiese retoriek van Esegiel beslag vind. Daaruit betoog die artikel vir ’n begronding van multi-groep leesstrategieeof -projekte in die gedagte van komplekse subjektiwiteit wat ten doel het om die hedendaagse diskoers met die taal van die bybelse teks te oorbrug.
Cosmos and Society in Oceania

Cosmos and Society in Oceania. Daniel de Coppet and Andre Iteanu. eds. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 1995. 338 pp.
POWMAC: a single-channel power-control protocol for throughput enhancement in wireless ad hoc networks

Transmission power control (TPC) has great potential to increase the throughput of a mobile ad hoc network (MANET). Existing TPC schemes achieve this goal by using additional hardware (e.g., multiple transceivers), by compromising the collision avoidance property of the channel access scheme, by making impractical assumptions on the operation of the medium access control (MAC) protocol, or by overlooking the protection of link-layer acknowledgment packets. In this paper, we present a novel power controlled MAC protocol called POWMAC, which enjoys the same single-channel, single-transceiver design of the IEEE 802.11 ad hoc MAC protocol but which achieves a significant throughput improvement over the 802.11 protocol. Instead of alternating between the transmission of control (RTS/CTS) and data packets, as done in the 802.11 scheme, POWMAC uses an access window (AW) to allow for a series of request-to-send/clear-to-send (RTS/CTS) exchanges to take place before several concurrent data packet transmissions can commence. The length of the AW is dynamically adjusted based on localized information to allow for multiple interference-limited concurrent transmissions to take place in the same vicinity of a receiving terminal. Collision avoidance information is inserted into the CTS packet and is used to bound/ the transmission power of potentially interfering terminals in the vicinity of the receiver, rather than silencing such terminals. Simulation results are used to demonstrate the significant throughput and energy gains that can be obtained under the POWMAC protocol.
Importance of endogenous angiotensin II in the cardiovascular responses to sympathetic stimulation in conscious rabbits.

Pharmacological evidence indicates that angiotensin (Ang II) converting enzyme inhibitors attenuate cardiovascular responses to sympathetic stimulation. To investigate the physiological significance of this attenuation, the pressor and heart rate responses to bilateral carotid occlusion (BCO) were studied before and after administration of captopril and again during Ang II replacement in conscious, aortic nerve-sectioned rabbits with chronically implanted carotid occluders. In the control period, BCO produced increases (p less than 0.05) in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) of 37.3 +/- 3.0 mm Hg and 21.7 +/- 5.4 beats/min from baseline values of 79.1 +/- 2.5 mm Hg and 255.4 +/- 16.7 beats/min. Captopril (5 mg/kg i.v.) markedly reduced (p less than 0.05) both the pressor (10.2 +/- 2.6 mm Hg) and HR (5.0 +/- 4.0 beats/min) responses to BCO, in parallel with a decrease in plasma Ang II of 75%. Infusion of a subpressor dose of Ang II (5-25 ng/kg/min i.v.) increased plasma Ang II to precaptopril levels and fully restored (p less than 0.05) the pressor (33.0 +/- 5.7 mm Hg) and HR (19.8 +/- 7.7 beats/min) responses to BCO. In two additional series of experiments, the mechanism of the effects of captopril and Ang II were investigated. In the first series, cardiac baroreflex curves (pulse interval versus MAP) were generated by increasing or decreasing blood pressure with phenylephrine or nitroprusside (5-20 micrograms/kg/min i.v.). The slope of the linear region of the curve (2.9 msec/mm Hg) was not changed significantly by captopril treatment (3.1 msec/mm Hg) or Ang II replacement (3.2 msec/mm Hg), indicating that cardiac baroreflex sensitivity was not altered by blockade of the renin-angiotensin system. In the second series, the effect of captopril on the pressor response to exogenous norepinephrine (0.1-2.5 micrograms/kg/min i.v.) was tested. The response was reduced by less than 40%, indicating only a modest postsynaptic component to the action of captopril. These results provide physiological evidence for an important action of endogenous Ang II in facilitating the cardiovascular responses to sympathetic stimulation in conscious rabbits. This facilitation is not due to an action upon the baroreflex per se but results, at least in part, from a presynaptic action of Ang II.
Cassini Attitude Control Operations - Guidelines Levied on Science to Extend Reaction Wheel Life

The Cassini spacecraft was launched on October 15, 1997 and arrived at Saturn on June 30, 2004. It has performed detailed observations and remote sensing of Saturn, its rings, and its satellites since that time. Cassini deployed the European-built Huygens probe, which descended through the Titan atmosphere (Saturn's largest moon) and landed on its surface on January 14, 2005. The Cassini mission has recently been approved by NASA to continue through September of 2017. This 7-year extension is called the Solstice mission and it presents challenges to the spacecraft operations team and its ability to maintain the health of the spacecraft. To keep the spacecraft healthy for 7 more years, the spacecraft team must carefully manage hydrazine use (about 48% of the 132 kg launch load remains as of January 2011). A vital part of conserving hydrazine is to use the reaction wheel assembly (RWA) control system for precise pointing and slews wherever possible. In any given week, the Cassini spacecraft is commanded to use RWA control about 99% of the time, with about 1% of the time requiring reaction control system (RCS) thruster control (to perform Delta V course corrections or to bias the RWA momentum). Such extensive use of the RWA hardware throughout the mission requires that the RWAs be operated in a way that minimizes degradation in the RWA electronics, DC motor, and spin bearing for each reaction wheel. Three consumables in particular have been identified for the RWAs: (1) Total number of revolutions for each RWA. (2) Time spent at very low wheel speeds. At these low speeds, good elasto-hydrodynamic (EHD) film lubrication may be compromised. (3) Total number of on/off power cycles. The second of these consumables, minimizing the time spent at very low wheel speeds, is especially important to keep the spin bearing healthy and well-lubricated. These consumables are actively managed by the attitude control operations team throughout the mission. One vital management technique is to predict individual RWA momentum (given the pointing and slews that are needed to collect the best science) and to bias the RWA momentum in a way that reduces both the total number of revolutions as well as the time spent below EHD wheel speed. Another strategy to protect RWA health is to alter the planned pointing of the spacecraft (which can affect science collection) so that the RWA consumables are conserved. This paper focuses on why this second technique is needed, and discusses how guidelines have been developed by the attitude control team which affects the planned science pointing, so that science data can be most optimally collected while still minimizing RWA consumable usage.
Trends in polymer characterization

The unique properties of polymers derive chiefly from their long-chain nature, their high molecular weights, and their molecular weight distribution. The characterization of these properties has developed in steps, each followed by a period of consolidation and application. The most recent of these steps of advancement were the introduction of gel-permeation or liquid-exclusion chromatography (GPC), solving the problem of determining molecular weight distributions, and the calculation of the unperturbed dimensions of polymer chains. In the current period of consolidation following these advances, disturbing trends are evident. More use is being made of empirical but rapid techniques such as GPC, but less regard is being paid to the need for the calibration samples required to give them meaning. Absolute methods for molecular weight measurement, providing such samples, are practiced far less than a decade ago, and much special apparatus developed for these techniques is no longer commercially available. These methods are vital, and their continuing development and practice must be encouraged.
Uptake of 15N by macrophytes in subsurface-flow wetlands treating domestic wastewater.

Constructed subsurface-flow wetlands are becoming more common for on-site treatment of domestic wastewater to provide secondary quality effluent. Macrophytes are generally added to wetlands to increase treatment efficiency but their role in reducing N content is controversial. Our investigation utilized two subsurface-flow wetlands to determine the efficiency of different macrophytes in uptake of 15N labeled ammonium sulfate. Macrophytes in Wetland 1 recovered 35 % of the added N in their shoots but only 5 % of the added N was recovered in the shoots and roots in Wetland 2. A major difference for the two wetlands was N and hydraulic loadings. Wetland 1 received 7.5 Kg N ha-1d-1 and Wetland 2 received 16.9 Kg N ha-1d-1. Retention time for Wetland 1 based on pore volumes was 2.9 d and for Wetland 2 it was 1.2 d. The retardation factor for NH4+ was approximately 2.5 for both wetlands and the breakthrough curves indicated lack of plug flow. The importance of macrophytes in taking up NH4 appeared to dependent ...
Down-regulation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-1 in intestinal tumorigenesis

A17 Introduction: The bioactive sphingolipid, Sphingosine 1-Phosphate (S1P) is implicated in the regulation of cellular proliferation, migration, and survival via its G protein-coupled receptors S1P1-5. While animal models of intestinal neoplasia have demonstrated a beneficial effect of dietary sphingolipids in chemoprevention, the role of S1P in colon cancer is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to help define the role of the S1P receptor-ligand system in colon cancer.Methods: Small intestine specimens of bigenic S1P1+/-Apcmin and S1P1+/+Apcmin mice were compared to determine effect of S1P1 heterozygosity on polyp number. Growth inhibition of RIE-1 cells was assessed using enforced expression of S1P1 receptor by adenoviral vector followed by treatment with S1P. Matched human normal and cancer colon tissue were obtained from surgical specimens. Differential expression of S1P1 between the tissues was evaluated utilizing western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry.Results: Bigenic S1P1+/-Apcmin mice revealed a 27% increase in polyp number when compared to control mice. Induced expression of S1P1 in RIE-1 cells caused growth inhibition with treatment of S1P. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry revealed an increased expression of S1P1 in the human normal tissue as compared with tumor tissue.Conclusions: Our results suggest that S1P1 receptor functions in the intestinal epithelium to inhibit tumorigenesis. Down-regulation of S1P1 in colorectal cancer may have functional consequences in the proliferation and or metastatic spread of cancer. Further evaluation of Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-1 is necessary to determine its potential for therapeutic intervention in colon cancer.
Expression patterns of genes encoding elastase and controlling mucoidy: co-ordinate regulation of two virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from cystic fibrosis.

Summary Transcriptional patterns of lasB and algD were compared in isogenic mucoid and non-mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from cystic fibrosis patients. The lasB gene encodes elastase, a major proteolytic enzyme secreted by P. aeruginosa, while algD is required for the synthesis of alginate, an exopolysaccharide frequently overproduced by strains infecting cystic fibrosis patients. A possible coregulation at the transcriptional level of these major virulence determinants was analysed. The lasB and algD genes showed inverse levels of promoter activity. The lasB promoter was active in non-mucoid cells and inactive in mucoid cells (in four out of five tested pairs), while the algD promoter was active in mucoid cells and silent in non-mucoid cells in all cases. When PAO568, a model strain for the analysis of control of the alginate system, was grown under conditions promoting mucoidy, the algD promoter was activated, whereas lasB mRNA could not be detected. This effect was reversed when the cells were grown in a medium suppressing mucoidy. Insertional inactivation of algR, a member of the signal-transduction systems regulating algD transcription, although abolishing algD expression and rendering cells non-mucoid, did not alter the nature of the induction and repression patterns of lasB seen in the parental strain PAO568. These results suggest that the lasB gene and the alginate system are co-ordinately regulated at a level parallel to or above the algR gene.
Dynamics of spherulitic growth in blends of polypropylene isomers

The spatiotemporal growth of spherulites in blends of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and atactic polypropylene (aPP) isomers has been investigated theoretically with the time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau equation, which consists of a nonconserved crystal order parameter and a conserved compositional order parameter. In the description of the total free energy, a local free energy density in the form of an asymmetrical double well, signifying the metastability and latent heat of crystallization, is combined with a nonlocal free energy term representing the interface gradient. In addition, the Flory–Huggins free energy for mixing between iPP and aPP isomers has been employed to account for blend miscibility. Two-dimensional simulations have been carried out, based on the known material parameters of blends of iPP and aPP. The rejection of aPP from the growing spherulitic front has been modeled for comparison with the reported experimental observations. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2892–2899, 2004
Fused spectropolarimetric visible near-IR imaging

We report on the development and characterization of a compact, lightweight, robust, and field-portable spectropolarimetric imaging system at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL). It operates in the 400 to 900 nm region with a passband of 10 nm at 600 nm. This automated imager is designed using a tellurium dioxide (TeO/sub 2/) acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) as an agile spectral selection element and a commercial nematic liquid-crystal variable retardation (LCVR) plate as a tunable polarization selection device with an off-the-shelf uncooled charge coupled device (CCD) camera and optics. Image acquisition with both spectral and polarization features facilitates significant improvement in target detection. This paper has described the design concept and a program, with a detailed description of the VNIR imager, and present images obtained from it and the analysis of the results.
Palladin nucleates actin assembly and regulates cytoskeleton architecture

The actin scaffold protein palladin regulates both normal cell migration and invasive cell motility, processes that require the coordinated regulation of actin dynamics. Palladin localizes to actin-rich protrusions and has a well-documented effect on metastasis of invasive cancers. However, its potential effects on actin dynamics have remained elusive. Here, we show that the C-terminal immunoglobulin-like domain of palladin (Ig3) that is directly responsible for actin binding and bundling also potently nucleates the formation of actin filaments in vitro. Palladin eliminated the lag phase that is characteristic of the slow nucleation process of actin polymerization under both G- and F-actin buffer conditions. Furthermore palladin did not alter the critical concentration, and only had a modest effect on the rate of elongation of actin filaments. Therefore the increase in polymerization rate brought about by palladin can be attributed to a direct role for palladin in stabilizing the formation of actin nuclei. We also present evidence that nucleation is likely achieved by a mechanism involving actin-induced dimerization. In addition, we monitored actin polymerization in real-time using TIRF microscopy and found that palladin bundles the actin filaments while promoting polymerization. Finally, we examined whether the Ig3 domain of palladin is required for actin organization in a cellular context. In cells transfected with a full-length palladin construct containing either a deletion of the actin-binding domain or point mutations that disrupt actin-binding we observe dramatically altered cellular distributions of both palladin and actin, which suggests that this direct interaction with actin is critical for regulating cytoskeletal organization and dynamics. These observations define a new function for palladin and support an emerging view of actin-binding proteins that exhibit a dual cellular-nuclear localization and also participate in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton architecture.
Cytoskeletal dynamics: a view from the membrane.

Many aspects of cytoskeletal assembly and dynamics can be recapitulated in vitro; yet, how the cytoskeleton integrates signals in vivo across cellular membranes is far less understood. Recent work has demonstrated that the membrane alone, or through membrane-associated proteins, can effect dynamic changes to the cytoskeleton, thereby impacting cell physiology. Having identified mechanistic links between membranes and the actin, microtubule, and septin cytoskeletons, these studies highlight the membrane’s central role in coordinating these cytoskeletal systems to carry out essential processes, such as endocytosis, spindle positioning, and cellular compartmentalization.
Bandpass Sampling--An Opportunity to Stress the Importance of In-Depth Understanding.

Many bandpass signals can be sampled at rates lower than the Nyquist rate, allowing significant practical advantages. Illustrating this phenomenon after discussing (and proving) Shannon’s sampling theorem provides a valuable opportunity for an instructor to reinforce the principle that innovation is possible when students strive to have a complete understanding of physical processes and mathematical models.
Creatine Kinase MM and MB Isoforms

The analysis of creatine kinase (CK) isoforms is important for the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and for the early determination of coronary artery reperfusion in patients treated with thrombolytic therapy. The CK-MB isoform levels are increased in patients with AMI several hours before CK-MB levels and are potentially useful for diagnosis during the critical 2 to 6 hours after the onset of symptoms. Either MM or MB isoforms can be used to determine the success of reperfusion therapy, although measurement of the MB isoforms provides the earliest and most definitive results. Levels of MB isoforms are also elevated in patients with skeletal muscle disease, and together with the relative MB index, can be useful for determining whether the muscle damage is acute or chronic.
Explicitism about Truth in Fiction

The problem of truth in fiction concerns how to tell whether a given proposition is true in a given fiction. Thus far, the nearly universal consensus has been that some propositions are ‘implicitly true’ in some fictions: such propositions aren’t expressed by any explicit statements in the relevant work (or works), but are nevertheless held to be true in those works on the basis of some other set of criteria. I call this family of views ‘implicitism’. I argue that implicitism faces serious problems, whereas the opposite view (‘explicitism’) is much more plausible than has previously been thought. After mounting a limited defense of explicitism, I explore a difficult problem for the view and discuss some possible responses.
(Muslim) Women’s Bodies, Islamophobia, and American Politics

Taking Islamophobia as shorthand for a set of more complex phenomena in recent American politics this article offers an analysis of some of the ways in which Muslim women’s bodies have occupied center stage in discourses on Islam and Muslims in the United States. It focuses on representations of Muslim women as victims of their religion and the men in their communities on the one hand, and the discrimination and marginalization of the same Muslim women in public discourse and security policies on the other. Islamophobic discourses are also gendered through the particular contribution of women pundits and their claims to feminist authenticity. Recognizing the racist, xenophobic, and misogynist dimensions of Islamophobic discourses within a liberal framework makes it possible to go beyond decrying its premises and repercussions.
American Slang:A Mirror of The Society

American slang constitutes an important part of American English. It is also a symbol of American society and culture. So the study of American slang can surely be quite helpful in our learning of American English and understanding of American society and culture. In this paper, the origin and features of American slang will be discussed, and the focus is on the relationship between slang and society.
P17: PNEUMOMEDIASTINUM A RARE COMPLICATION OF COLONOSCOPY POLYPECTOMY SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITH CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT

Purpose of Study Colonoscopies are a relatively safe and are associated with few complications. We present a rare case of post-colonoscopy polypectomy resulting in a pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. Methods Used An 84 year old male with a history of colonoscopy with polypectomy the day prior was admitted due to a syncopal episode. The only complaint was a small amount of dark red blood per rectum. On examination vital signs were stable, the patient appeared pale with dry membrane mucosa, abdominal and pulmonary exam were benign, labs were concerning for a Hgb 6.9 g/dl. Chest X-ray depicted free air beneath the right hemidiaphragm, computed tomography demonstrated pneumoretroperitoneum, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. Visceral angiogram failed to demonstrate any source of active bleeding. Due to the overall stable condition of the patient conservative management with prophylactic zosyn and transfusion of 2 units of packed red blood cells was initiated. Patient was discharged 5 days after admission with stable respiratory and hemodynamic signs. Summary of Results Diagnostic colonoscopies are relatively safe procedures with the most common complications being bleeding and perforations, with an incidence of less than .2%. Though perforations are rare they are associated with a high mortality and morbidity. Causes of perforation can be due to excessive insufflations, instrumental trauma and usually present with intra-abdominal free air but rarely with a pneumomediastinum. A pneumomediastinum is the presence of free air within the mediastinum and in our case was due to a micro-perforation from a colonic polypectomy. The colonic wall defect allowed free air into the retroperitoneum, which spread along the fascial planes and entered the mediastinum and subcutaneous tissues. The most sensitive test for pneumomediastinum is computed tomography and extra-pulmonary causes of pneumomediastinum can be successfully treated conservatively with rest and antibiotics. Conclusions Though complications from polypectomies are rare, they can be associated with a high morbidity and mortality but rarely associated with pneumomediastinum and in certain stable patients can be treated with conservative management.
Effects of treatment using cerebroprotein hydrolysate and compound Salvia on outcome of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalophathy

Objective:To research the effect of cerebroprotein hydrolysate and Xiang-Dan complexion on hypoxic-ischemic encephalophathy.Methods: Patients were treated by Cerebroprotein Hydrolysate and compound Salvia after neonatal phase. All of them were followed-up untill ten-month old,and recorded DQ score to evaluate prognosis. Result: For neonates suffering from severe HIE,development qatio (DQ) score of treating group was higher than that of none-treating after ten-month fellow-up while incidence of poor prognosis of theating group was lower. In moderate HIE group,after ten-month ferrow-up, the mean of DQ score was greater than eighty-five, which was higher than that of severe HIE group,indicating better prognosis.Conclusion: continous therapy after neonate-phase could decrease the incidence of nerve sequela, improve prognosis.
Terminology and Classification

Major efforts expended in recent decades toward developing a consequence-oriented, problem-based, clinically valid classification system have resulted in the inclusion of a large number of syndromes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), of the American Psychiatric Association (1994), or the generally comparable International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10), which has been developed to succeed the 9th edition (ICD-9) published by the World Health Organization (1980). However, for many of these disorders, including substance-related disorders, there are relatively limited data on key dimensions that are necessary for validating their designation as distinct disorders.
ALGEBRAIC ISOMORPHISM INVARIANTS FOR GRAPHS OF AUTOMATA

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights algebraic isomorphism invariants for the graphs of automata. Finite automata, which are mathematical models of discrete-time finite-state systems, can be represented by a finite sequence of directed graphs called transition graphs. These graphs are studied from an algebraic point of view in terms of a natural representation of the graphs by linear transformations. The classical invariants of linear transformation similarity become invariants of graphical isomorphism. The principal objective of the investigation is to determine the extent to which these algebraic invariants specify the structure (isomorphism class) of an arbitrary transition graph. Based on the solution obtained for connected graphs, it is shown that the elementary divisors can be formulated in terms of the depths of the points of a forest. By combining these results and solving for the graphical invariants in terms of the elementary divisors, one is able to determine, for an arbitrary transition graph, the precise extent of the structural information conveyed by these algebraic isomorphism invariants.
The Free and Open Press: The Founding of American Democratic Press Liberty, 1640-1800

The current, heated debates over hate speech and pornography were preceded by the equally contentious debates over the "free and open press" in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Thus far little scholarly attention has been focused on the development of the concept of political press freedom even though it is a form of civil liberty that was pioneered in the United States. But the establishment of press liberty had implications that reached far beyond mere free speech. In this groundbreaking work, Robert Martin demonstrates that the history of the "free and open press" is in many ways the story of the emergence and first real expansions of the early American public sphere and civil society itself. Through a careful analysis of early libel law, the state and federal constitutions, and the Sedition Act crisis Martin shows how the development of constitutionalism and civil liberties were bound up in the discussion of the "free and open press." Finally, this book is a study of early American political thought and democratic theory, as seen through the revealing window provided by press liberty discourse. It speaks to broad audiences concerned with the public square, the history of the book, free press history, contemporary free expression controversies, legal history, and conceptual history.
Type II NKT Cells and Their Emerging Role in Health and Disease

NKT cells recognize lipid Ags presented by a class I MHC-like molecule CD1d, a member of the CD1 family. Although most initial studies on NKT cells focused on a subset with semi-invariant TCR termed invariant NKT cells, the majority of CD1d-restricted lipid-reactive human T cells express diverse TCRs and are termed type II NKT cells. These cells constitute a distinct population of circulating and tissue-resident effector T cells with immune-regulatory properties. They react to a growing list of self- as well as non-self-lipid ligands, and share some properties with both invariant NKT and conventional T cells. An emerging body of evidence points to their role in the regulation of immunity to pathogens/tumors and in autoimmune/metabolic disorders. An improved understanding of the biology of these cells and the ability to manipulate their function may be of therapeutic benefit in diverse disease conditions.
Governing Commercial Agriculture in Africa: The Challenges of Coordinating Investments and Selecting Investors11While the author is a senior staff member of the World Bank, the views expressed in this chapter are solely the author’s and are independent of World Bank policies or practices.

While the discussion about Africa’s future agricultural development has focused mainly on the role of small farms, increased investor interest suggests that there could be real potential in larger scale commercial investments in the Continent. A key question is what policies and institutions are necessary to enable countries to get the most out of these investments in terms of economic development and food security. This chapter focuses on how private investors and governments in Africa can work with each other to overcome bottlenecks in commercial agriculture. It discusses mechanisms to coordinate interdependent private and public investments, especially in infrastructure, select investors well, and mitigate the social risks associated with the change in land governance. It also explores ideas for collective governance mechanisms beyond government. Infusing the literature on agricultural development with that of industrial organization and policy and natural resource management leads one to view agriculture as a set of small and large farms that need an enabling policy and institutional environment to increase productivity and shared economic growth.