cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How I treat adults with advanced acute lymphoblastic leukemia eligible for CD19-targeted immunotherapy

CD19-targeted immunotherapies have drastically improved outcomes for relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Such therapies, including blinatumomab and CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CD19CAR) T cells, yield high remission rates and can bridge to more definitive consolidation therapy with curative intent. Both treatments are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for r/r ALL (CD19CAR T-cell approval is restricted to patients ≤25 years old). Although availability of blinatumomab and CD19CAR T cells has extended options for the treatment of r/r ALL, prioritizing the sequence of these agents on an individual-patient basis may be difficult for the treating physician. Considering each therapy's advantages, limitations, and challenges is necessary when choosing between them. Although patients may receive both blinatumomab and CD19CAR T cells sequentially in cases that fail to respond or subsequently relapse, a proportion of patients treated with CD19-targeted immunotherapy will lose expression of CD19 and will be excluded from receiving the alternative CD19-targeted therapy. Thus, weighing all considerations for each patient before selecting a CD19-targeted immunotherapy is crucial. Here, we discuss real-life scenarios of adults with r/r ALL, in which we selected either blinatumomab or CD19CAR T-cell therapy, and the rationale behind each decision.
Microbial Community Response to a Novel Salmon Resource Subsidy

Salmon decomposition is traditionally viewed through the lens of energy and nutrient subsidies, but not as a potential “microbial subsidy.” Microbial communities residing on and within spawning salmon are directly introduced into streams after host death. This incorporation takes the form of microbes sloughing off and integrating into substrate biofilms, or indirectly, by macroinvertebrates facilitating dispersal via consumption. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of salmon carcass-derived microbial communities on stream biofilms and macroinvertebrates during an experimental salmon carcass addition in a naive stream (i.e., no evolutionary history of salmon). Microbial communities [epilithic biofilms and within macroinvertebrates (internal)] were sampled at treatment and control sites before (September), during (October), and after (November to following August) a salmon carcass subsidy introduction in two successive years (September 2014-August 2016). We found a significant interaction between carcass addition and time on microbial and macroinvertebrate communities. Heptagenia (Heptageniidae: grazer) density was five times higher in the salmon reach compared to the control. In the salmon reach during year one, Stramenopiles (i.e., eukaryotic microbes) decreased in biofilm communities after two weeks of decomposition. The internal microbiome of Stegopterna mutata (Simuliidae: collector-filterer) varied between years but was significantly different between reaches over time during year two of the study, with four times greater abundance of melanogenesis functional pathways (function determined in silico) in the control reach. Although unique microbial taxa, introduced to this naive stream via salmon carrion, persisted in biofilms on benthic substrate and internal to insects during both years, those taxa represented <2% of the relative abundance in microbial communities. These results highlight the importance of allochthonous carrion resources in the microbial ecology of lotic biofilms and macroinvertebrates. Furthermore, this study contributes to previous research into the complex interkingdom interactions in stream communities in response to a novel allochthonous resource.
Surgery for constipation: a review.

PURPOSE: Constipation is related to intestinal motility disorders (colonic inertia (CI)), pelvic floor disturbances (pelvic outlet obstruction), or a combination of both problems. This review summarizes the physiologic and pathophysiologic changes in patients with intractable constipation and gives an overview of surgical treatment options. RESULTS: Although subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis is the best surgery for CI, there are still approximately 10 percent of patients who will complain of pain and constipation. A completion proctectomy and an ileoanal pouch procedure may be a viable option in a highly select group of patients. In patients with megabowel, reported results are mixed. Subtotal colectomy, partial colectomy for megacolon, and the Duhamel procedure for megarectum have all been reported with variable results. In patients with an isolated distended sigmoid colon, sigmoid colectomy has achieved good results. Anorectal myectomy has not been proven to be successful in the long term. However, in patients with adult short segment Hirschsprung's disease, myectomy can be successful. Patients with pelvic outlet obstruction can be successfully treated with biofeedback. In a small group of patients with a rectocele or a third degree sigmoidocele, surgical intervention yields a high success rate. Division or resection of the puborectalis muscle is not recommended. In patients with a mixed pattern of CI and pelvic outlet obstruction, surgical intervention alone is often not successful. These patients achieve better results by conservative treatment of pelvic outlet obstruction, followed by a colectomy. CONCLUSION: Surgical intervention for patients with intractable constipation is rarely necessary. However, thorough preoperative physiologic testing is mandatory for a successful outcome.
Antecedents of sustainable supply chain initiatives: Empirical evidence from the S&P 500

Prior research on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has almost exclusively focused on environmental aspects (GSCM—green supply chain management) and the study of its external drivers and consequences. Framing our study within the “strategy‐conduct‐performance” paradigm, we consider the focal firm's role in the implementation of sustainable supply chain initiatives, social as well as environmental. We use data on the S&P 500 Index retrieved from Bloomberg, including variables for two relevant focal firm strategies: (a) reducing the environmental footprint of the supply chain and (b) reducing social risks in the supply chain (SRSS). Hierarchical logit modeling is carried out to examine the sequential impact of governance board characteristics and the focal firm's adoption of related internal policies and practices on the likelihood of implementing these initiatives along the supply chain. Controlling for industry, firm size, and resources, we find that board structure and diversity influence the implementation of sustainable supply chain initiatives by increasing organizational commitment to environmentally friendly and socially responsible policies and practices. Consequently, empirical evidence exists for the importance of strategic factors, namely a proactive corporate stance on sustainability associated with governance board characteristics, as antecedents of sustainable (environmental and social) supply chain initiatives.
Co-expression of stem cell factor and interleukin 6 in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and their relationship with mast cells

Objective To investigate the expression of stem cell factor (SCF),interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tryptase in bladder epithelia,and their relationship with mast cells in interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS).Methods The protein expression levels and localizations of SCF,IL-6 and tryptase in IC/BPS and normal bladder epithelial tissues were determined by using immunohistochemistry.The mRNA and protein expression levels of SCF,IL-6 and tryptase were detected by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting in IC/BPS and normal bladder epithelial tissues respectively.Results The mRNA and protein expression levels of SCF,IL-6 and tryptase in IC/BPS bladder epithelial tissues were higher than those in normal bladder epithelial tissues (both P ＜ 0.05).The number of mast cells in IC/BPS bladder epithelia tissues was significantly greater than in normal bladder epithelial tissues,and mast cells were found in close proximity of bladder epithelial cells.In addition,the mRNA expression levels of SCF and tryptase displayed a strong positive correlation (r =0.844,P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion The responses of mast cells in IC/BPS may be the result of hyperstimulation by local bladder epithelial SCF and IL-6 co-expression. Key words: Interstitial cystitis; Mast cell; Stern cell factor; Interleukin 6
LONGITUDINAL ELLIPSOID ZONE DYNAMICS AFTER MACULAR HOLE REPAIR IN THE DISCOVER STUDY: Structure-Function Assessment.

PURPOSE To evaluate association of the baseline macular hole (MH) geometric features and longitudinal ellipsoid zone integrity with the visual acuity outcome after surgical repair. METHODS This was a post-hoc analysis of eyes in the DISCOVER study undergoing vitrectomy repair for MH. Anatomical and functional data were collected through one year postoperatively. An automated retinal layer segmentation platform was used for the assessment of outer retinal metrics and volumetric reconstruction of MH. Association of longitudinal ellipsoid zone features and baseline MH height, width, and volume with VA outcomes were investigated. RESULTS Eighty-four eyes with MH were included. The mean baseline VA was 20 of 114 and increased to 20 of 45 (P < 0.001) at postoperative Month 12 (N = 45). Successful MH closure was achieved in 98.8% of cases. Ellipsoid zone integrity metrics significantly improved from baseline (P = 0.002) and postoperative Month 1 (P < 0.001) to post-operative Month 12. Ellipsoid zone metrics independently correlated with VA at all follow-up visits (P < 0.05). Increased baseline MH width and volume negatively correlated with the VA at postoperative Month 12 (P < 0.001). Preoperative VA and EZ integrity on optical coherence tomography were predictors for postoperative VA. CONCLUSION Baseline MH volumetric parameters and EZ parameters were associated with VA outcomes after repair.
Introducing Human Rights in Turkey

Since the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, the military and the media have been the leading traditional powers of oppressive, secularist, and nationalist regimes in the country. As a result, Turkey has been confronted with the anti-democratic practices of its governments. After a period of initial reforms, Recep Tayyip Erdogan seized the levers of power and used them aggressively against his political enemies rather than eliminating the structures of the authoritarian state. He turned Turkey into a one-person regime after the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, and his actions have included the widespread violation of human rights. Among the repercussions of the actions taken were the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of people, the shuttering of media, the dismissal of public employees, the dismissal of academics, and the misuse of the criminal justice system to victimize its citizens. Other adverse effects encompassed widespread violations of human rights, the abuse and mistreatment of prisoners, false imprisonment, torture, and the absence of the right to a fair trial. This introductory chapter addresses a brief historical background on human rights violations, specifically, under Erdogan’s era. This chapter also gives a brief introduction to each essay, the full complement of which address all aspects of human rights in Turkey. This volume consists of twenty chapters that contain substantial new essays prepared by more than 30 leading Turkish and international researchers, human rights activists, scholars, and practitioners in the field. It also provides a complete overview of the issues that inform research, a “map” of the debates that animate the field, and provides readers with new perspectives on the most recent human rights issues from a multidisciplinary perspective.
State–Diaspora Relations in El Salvador and Colombia: Building Legitimacy at Home While Trying to Protect and “Court” Citizens Abroad

This chapter describes the main public diplomacy initiatives of El Salvador and Colombia to maintain contact with and engage their citizens who live in the United States through direct benefits, political rights at home, “courting” strategies, positive messaging, and cultural diplomacy. It also describes the effects that the most recent change in government in each of those two countries (in El Salvador in 2019, and in Colombia, in 2018) had in their public diplomacy approaches toward their diaspora communities. For Colombia, there has been continuity after the last change in government, with the “Colombia Nos Une” (Colombia Unites Us) program at the center. In El Salvador, the 2019 change in government either weakened some of the recent advancements in state-diaspora relations or some of the strategic communications available about those advancements. Reasons and implications are discussed.
The Political Context of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel

The National Mathematics Advisory Panel needs to be situated in its broader political context to more fully understand it. Who created it, for what purpose, and who will (and will not) benefit from it are key questions I address in this article. My argument is that the NMAP, as part of a larger initiative undertaken by the Bush Administration and US financial/corporate elites, serves capital’s efforts to shore up the US’s weakening economic global position and does not benefit the majority of the US people—particularly marginalized and excluded students of color and low-income students.
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the little Ohoopee River Dunes, Emanuel County, Georgia.

Ants were surveyed at the Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area and the Ohoopee Dunes Preserve in Emanuel Co., Georgia. Seventy-seven species were collected from the dunes including a new state record, Paratr...
Thermoelastic Theory of Stressed Crystals and Higher-Order Elastic Constants

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the general theory of thermoelasticity of stressed solids to apply the theory to the interpretation of experiments, which measure nonlinear thermoelastic properties of solids, and to illustrate this application by working out some examples. Experimental work has been motivated by the development in recent years of the measurement of ultrasonic wave velocities as functions of stresses applied to the sample, and the measurement of the amplitude of the first harmonic generated by the passage of an ultrasonic fundamental wave through the sample. These experiments, and others such as the generation of sum- and difference-frequency waves by the interaction of two ultrasonic waves, are all interpreted from the same theoretical basis, namely nonlinear thermoelasticity of anisotropic solids. As thermoelasticity is characterized by a rather cumbersome notation, and indeed throughout the years by many different sets of such notation, corresponding to different theoretical and experimental situations, it is worthwhile to set out the general theory in a unified notation, suitable for application to all experiments on nonlinear thermoelasticity.
Increased in vitro B-cell IgG secretion during acute graft-versus-host disease and infection. Observations in 50 human marrow transplant recipients.

B-cell antibody secretion by lymphocytes from 50 bone marrow transplant recipients and 42 healthy controls was studied in vitro using an indirect hemolysis-in-gel assay to determine Ig-class-specific plaque- forming cells (PFC). The numbers of PFC were determined in medium alone and after stimulation of lymphocytes with killed Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The PFC responses for IgG, IgA, and IgM after stimulation with S. aureus were significantly lower in patients studied during the first 101 days after grafting compared to normals. Statistically significant increased IgG-PFC were found in patients who had acute graft-vesus-host disease (GVHD), grafts from HLA-nonidentical donors, or infections. Healthy patients studied more than 1 yr following transplantation had normal B-cell responses, but patients with chronic GVHD had deficient IgM production. The data suggest that antibody secretion by B cells varies in different marrow transplant patient subgroups and present a basis for further investigation of the interaction between lymphocyte subpopulations leading to antibody production.
Electricity and Magnetism at the Cellular Level

This chapter describes a number of topics related to charged membranes and the movement of ions through them, including Donnan equilibrium, the Gouy–Chapman model, and the Nernst–Planck equation. Ions in solution are analyzed using the Debye–Huckel model and the Poisson–Boltzmann equation. Membrane ion channels are then discussed, with an emphasis on the potassium ion channel structure and function. Patch clamp methods can be used to measure the electrical current through individual channels, but noise in these measurements often obscures the signal. The chapter ends with a review of the possible effects of weak electric and magnetic fields on the body.
WebAppArmor: A Framework for Robust Prevention of Attacks on Web Applications (Invited Paper)

As the World Wide Web continues to evolve, the number of web-based attacks that target web applications is on the rise. Attacks such as Cross-site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection and Cross-site Request Forgery (XSRF) are among the topmost threats on the Web, and defending against these attacks is a growing concern. In this paper, we describe WebAppArmor, a framework that is aimed at preventing these attacks on existing (legacy) web applications. The main feature of this framework is that it offers a unified perspective to address these problems in the context of existing web applications. The framework incorporates techniques based on static and dynamic analysis, symbolic evaluation and execution monitoring to retrofit existing web applications to be resilient to these attacks.
Variability and Trends in Stratospheric Temperature and Water Vapor

The Stratosphere: Geophysical Mon Copyright 2010 b 10.1029/2009GM Long-term variability and trends in global stratospheric temperature are described, based on radiosonde observations since the 1960s and satellite measurements since 1979. New radiosonde-based data sets are available that include adjustments for instrumental inhomogeneities, and these data show good agreement with satellite measurements in the lower stratosphere. The stratosphere exhibits well-known transient warming linked to large volcanic eruptions, plus long-term cooling with magnitudes ~ 0.5 K/decade in the lower stratosphere to ~ 1.2 K/decade in the upper stratosphere. Observations of stratospheric water vapor are also analyzed, based on satellite measurements for 1993–2010. Observed interannual variability is dominated by the quasi-biennial oscillation, plus a step-like drop after 2001. For the observed satellite record, variability in stratospheric water vapor is closely tied to temperature anomalies near the equatorial cold point tropopause.
Best Practices for Teaching with Emerging Technologies

Introduction: The Flipped Classroom Chapter One: Building a Solid Foundation Chapter Two: A New Paradigm for a New Century Chapter Three: Essentials Toolkit Chapter Four: Tools for Communication and Content Creation ... beyond text! Chapter Five: Backchannels & Tools for Participatory Learning Chapter Six: Mobile and Beyond Chapter Seven: Online Resources
Evolving multimodal behavior through modular multiobjective neuroevolution

Intelligent organisms do not simply perform one task, but exhibit multiple distinct modes of behavior. For instance, humans can swim, climb, write, solve problems, and play sports. To be fully autonomous and robust, it would be advantageous for artificial agents, both in physical and virtual worlds, to exhibit a similar diversity of behaviors. Artificial evolution, in particular neuroevolution [3, 4], is known to be capable of discovering complex agent behavior. This dissertation expands on existing neuroevolution methods, specifically NEAT (Neuro-Evolution of Augmenting Topologies [7]), to make the discovery of multiple modes of behavior possible. More specifically, it proposes four extensions: (1) multiobjective evolution, (2) sensors that are split up according to context, (3) modular neural network structures, and (4) fitness-based shaping. All of these technical contributions are incorporated into the software framework of Modular Multiobjective NEAT (MM-NEAT), which can be downloaded here.
Characterization of the Aspergillus nidulans Septin (asp) Gene Family

Members of the septin gene family are involved in cytokinesis and the organization of new growth in organisms as diverse as yeast, fruit fly, worm, mouse, and human. Five septin genes have been cloned and sequenced from the model filamentous fungus A. nidulans. As expected, the A. nidulans septins contain the highly conserved GTP binding and coiled-coil domains seen in other septins. On the basis of hybridization of clones to a chromosome-specific library and correlation with an A. nidulans physical map, the septins are not clustered but are scattered throughout the genome. In phylogenetic analysis most fungal septins could be grouped with one of the prototypical S. cerevisiae septins, Cdc3, Cdc10, Cdc11, and Cdc12. Intron-exon structure was conserved within septin classes. The results of this study suggest that most fungal septins belong to one of four orthologous classes.
Simian rhesus rotavirus is a unique heterologous (non-lapine) rotavirus strain capable of productive replication and horizontal transmission in rabbits.

Simian rhesus rotavirus (RRV) is the only identified heterologous (non-lapine) rotavirus strain capable of productive replication at a high inoculum dose of virus (>108 p.f.u.) in rabbits. To evaluate whether lower doses of RRV would productively infect rabbits and to obtain an estimate of the 50% infectious dose, rotavirus antibody-free rabbits were inoculated orally with RRV at inoculum doses of 103, 105 or 107 p.f.u. Based on faecal virus antigen or infectious virus shedding, RRV replication was observed with inoculum doses of 107 and 105 p.f.u., but not 103 p.f.u. Horizontal transmission of RRV to one of three mock-inoculated rabbits occurred 4–5 days after onset of virus antigen shedding in RRV-infected rabbits. Rabbits infected at 107 and 105, but not 103, p.f.u. of RRV developed rotavirus-specific immune responses and were completely (100%) protected from lapine ALA rotavirus challenge. These data confirm that RRV can replicate productively and spread horizontally in rabbits. In attempts to elucidate the genetic basis of the unusual replication efficacy of RRV in rabbits, the sequence of the gene encoding the lapine non-structural protein NSP1 was determined. Sequence analysis of the NSP1 of three lapine rotaviruses revealed a high degree of amino acid identity (85–88%) with RRV. Since RRV and lapine strains also share similar VP7s (96–97%) and VP4s (69–70%), RRV might replicate efficiently in rabbits because of the high relatedness of these three gene products, each implicated in host range restriction.
Defeating heterogeneity in wireless multicast networks

The growing demand for real-time streaming video on portable devices has increased the importance of multimedia multicast in mobile wireless networks. A defining characteristic of such multicast networks is its heterogeneity in both the channel states and the MIMO capabilities of its clients. However, current wireless multicast schemes adapt poorly to such heterogeneity. We introduce Procrustes, a multimedia multicast scheme that is built upon a novel PHY-layer rateless code. Unlike bit-level rateless codes (such as Raptor [14] codes), Procrustes clients automatically adjust the PSNR of the received multicast video stream to match both the instantaneous channel state and the number of active receive antennas. We demonstrate the performance of Procrustes in a simulated environment.
Boundary-Layer Separation on Slender Cones at Angle of Attack

6 McClure, J. D., "On Perturbed Boundary Layer Flows," Fluid Dynamic Research Lab. Rept. 62-2, July 1962, MIT, Cambridge, Mass. 7 Lighthill, M. J., "Reflection at a Laminar Boundary Layer of a Weak Steady Disturbance to a Supersonic Stream, Neglecting Velocity and Heat Conduction," Quarterly Journal of Mechanics and Applied Mathematics, Vol. 3, No. 3, March 1950, pp. 302-325. 8 Lighthill, M. J., "On Boundary Layers and Upstream Influence II Supersonic Flows Without Separation," Proceedings of the Royal Society, Vol. 217, 1953, pp. 478-507, 9 Benjamin, T. B., "Shearing Flow Over a Wavy Boundary," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1959, pp. 161-205. 10 Lees, L. and Reshotko, E., "Stability of the Compressible Laminar Boundary Layer," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 12, No. 4, 1962, pp. 555-590. 11 Inger, G. R., "Discontinuous Supersonic Flow Past an Ablating Wavy Wall," AIAA Journal, Vol. 7, No. 4, April 1969, pp. 762-764. 12 Inger, G. R., "Rotational Inviscid Supersonic Flow Past a Wavy Wall," Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Vol. 13, No. 11, Nov. 1968, p. 1579. 13 Martellucci, H., Rie, H., and J. F. Somtowski, J. F., "Evaluation of Several Eddy Viscosity Models through Comparison with Measurements in Hypersonic Flows," AIAA Paper 69-688, San Francisco, Calif., 1969. 14 Brown, W. B., "Stability of Compressible Boundary Layers," AIAA Journal, Vol. 5, No. 10, Oct. 1967, pp. 1753-1759. 15 Lew, H. G. and Li, H., "The Role of the Turbulent Viscous Sublayer in the Formation of Surface Patterns," Rept. R68SD12, June 1968, General Electric Missle and Space Div., Valley Forge, Pa. 16 Klein, E. J., "Liquid Crystals in Aerodynamic Testing," Astronautics and Aeronautics, Vol. 6, No. 7, July 1968, pp. 20-25. 17 Williams, E. P. and Inger, G. R., "Investigations of Ablation Surface Cross Hatching," SAMSO TR-70-246, June 1970, McDonnell Douglas Astronautics, Huhtington Beach, Calif.
Computer Simulation, RHEED And Photoluminescence Studies Of The Role Of Growth Kinetics In MBE Of III-V Semiconductors

Although much of the detail of the surface kinetic processes and rates during molecular beam epitaxial growth of compound semiconductors remains uninvestigated, computer simulations employing parameterised rates have nethertheless begun to reveal the significance of the interplay of the surface kinetic processes to the growth mechanism and the resulting atomistic nature of interfaces. The presence of the dissociative surface chemical reaction kinetics of the group V molecular species, in addition to the surface migration and desorption kinetics accounted for in historical atomistic models and simulations of crystal growth, is revealed in the work of Ghaisas and Madhukar to lead to a configuration-dependent-reactive-incorporation (CDRI) growth process. Its limiting cases -the Reaction Limited Incorporation (RLI) and Configuration Limited Reactive Incorporation (CLRI) growth mechanisms - are shown to have significant consequences for the time dependent morphology of the growing surface revealed in the behavior of the average terrace width ( ) and mean square fluctuations in step height (σh). Consequences of these features as a function of the kinetics of growth have been calculated for the behavior of the reflection-high-energy-electron-diffraction (RHEED) intensity and compared with corresponding measurements during homoepitaxy of GaAs(100)3. An example of this behavior is shown in fig. 1. Panel (a) shows the behavior of the effective migration length of a typical Ga atom during the course of growth of a given atomic layer (the even numbered layers not shown correspond to As layers in this, the [100], growth case. Note the time dependent nature. Panels (b) and (c) show the dynamics of and σh. Note the oscillatory nature, the time period coinciding with the growth time of a monolayer. The former shows damping, indicative of a growth kinetics control-led roughening in the growth front. This is confirmed by the increase in the average value of the latter. An overall measure of the surface smoothness which combines lateral (i.e. ) and vertical© (1987) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mine Burial Prediction: A Short History and Introduction

Naval mines have been in use for over 200 years. They are a cheap and effective way to significantly affect naval operations. Bottom mines in shallow water are particularly difficult to find when they are partially or wholly buried. The U.S. Office of Naval Research (Arlington, VA) and the Naval Research Laboratory (Stennis Space Center, MS) sponsored a six-year-long program to upgrade the capability to predict mine burial. The program consisted of laboratory studies, computer modeling, and field observation programs. Results of the studies have been combined into stochastic predictive programs that utilize state of the art process models and incorporate uncertainty in model capability and in our ability to know the correct values of model inputs.
Electrophysiological responses to adenosine analogs in rat hippocampus and cerebellum: Evidence for mediation by adenosine receptors of the A1 subtype

Adenosine has profound depressant effects upon the electrophysiological activity of the brain, but the adenosine receptor subtypes which mediate these responses are uncertain. In order to resolve this question, we have characterized the effects of two adenosine analogs which differ in their relative potencies at adenosine A1 and A2 receptors. The effects of these adenosine analogs were examined on spontaneous firing rate of Purkinje neurons in the rat cerebellum in situ, in cerebellar brain slices in vitro, and on synaptic transmission in the rat hippocampus in vitro. Although the A2 agonist appeared to be more potent with local drug application techniques in situ, our in vitro results suggest that the A1 receptor subtype is involved in the electrophysiological actions of these drugs in both rat cerebellum and hippocampus. Furthermore, these data indicate that the physical properties of some adenosine analogs may reduce apparent drug potencies when they are studied with local application techniques.
Quasiequilibrium statistical mechanics of two-dimensional superfluids and the two-dimensional Coulomb gas

The virtually rigorous renormalization-group technique of Kosterlitz is applied to the vortex nucleation theory of superfluidity. The rate of decay of superfluid velocity and the superfluid density for moving helium films are obtained. The results are applicable to all temperatures on and below the critical point. Velocity exponents are directly related to the superfluid density of a film at rest. Finite-velocity effects are shown to account for pronounced changes in the dissipation and in the superfluid density near the critical point. This paper also confirms the prediction that, for a film at rest, the critical point value of $\frac{{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s}}{T}$ is a universal constant. At any nonzero velocity, however, finite-velocity effects will mask this result. The subcritical static polarizability of a two-dimensional Coulomb gas with hard-core interactions is obtained, in direct analogy to the ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s}$ calculation.
On the Evaluation of Systemic Science Education Reform: Searching for Instructional Sensitivity.

We propose a multilevel-multifaceted approach to evaluating the impact of education reform on student achievement that would be sensitive to context and small treatment effects. The approach uses different assessments based on their proximity to the enacted curriculum. Immediate assessments are artifacts (students' products) from the enactment of the curriculum; close assessments parallel the content and activities of the unit/curriculum; proximal assessments tap knowledge and skills relevant to the curriculum, but topics can be different; and distal assessments reflect state/national standards in a particular knowledge domain. To provide evidence about the sensitivity of the multilevel approach in ascertaining outcomes of hands-on science programs we administered close, proximal, and distal performance assessments to evaluate the impact of instruction based on two Full Option Science System units—Variables, and Mixtures and Solutions—in a Bay Area school district. Results indicated that close assessments were more sensitive to the changes in students' pre- to post-test performance than proximal assessments. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 369–393, 2002
Effect of ambient temperature on the performance of shape memory alloy seismic devices

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a class of metallic alloys that exhibit unique characteristics such as shape memory effect and superelasticity effect. SMAs are found in two main phases: the high temperature phase, which is known as austenite (superelastic), and the low temperature phase, which is known as martensite. Although there are few civil engineering applications using SMAs, there have been considerably large numbers of research studies focusing on exploiting SMAs in seismic resistant design and retrofit of buildings and bridges. Most of these studies focus on utilizing the superelasticity phenomenon exhibited by SMAs at high temperatures. The effect of ambient temperature variation on the efficacy of superelastic SMA devices that are used in seismic applications is a major concern. This paper presents an analytical investigation on the effect of ambient temperature variation on the performance of superelastic SMA bridge restrainers during earthquakes. A thermomechanical constitutive model is developed to describe the constitutive behavior of the SMA restrainers at various temperatures. The SMA model is implemented in a 2-DOF bridge model and tested using 20 historical ground motion records. The ambient temperature is varied from a temperature below Af to a relatively high temperature. The results of the study showed that SMAs are more effective when used in its austenitic phase and thus when the temperature decreases below Af SMA devices lose a major part of their efficiency. On the other hand, the study also showed that at high temperatures the ductility demand of the bridge frames increases.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Causes of Macrocytosis in HIV-infected Patients not Treated with Zidovudine

Abstract Objective : Zidovudine is a well known cause of macrocytosis. However, many HIV-infected patients develop macrocytosis even though they do not receive zidovudine. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate other causes of high mean corpuscular volumes (MCV) in HIV infected patients. Methods : Thirty patients with a MCV≥100 fl (cases) were compared to 60 randomly selected controls with MCV≤99 fl, none of them receiving zidovudine. Results : Sex ratio, age, mean CD4, prevalence of alcohol abuse and liver disease were similar in both groups. Vitamin B12 or folic acid levels were not decreased in patients with macrocytosis. In contrast, there was an association between macrocytosis and use of stavudine alone or in combination with another antiviral drug (28/30 cases, 15/60 controls, odds ratio 40.6 (95% confidence interval 5.1-325.2), P ≤0.001). The haemoglobin concentration among cases (mean 13.5 g/dl) was similar to that of controls (mean 13.0 g/dl). Conclusions : Stavudine use increase the risk of macrocytosis more than 40-fold in HIV-infected patients who do not receive zidovudine. None of the stavudine-treated patients, however, developed anaemia or had to interrupt treatment because of this side effect.
Negotiation behavior and outcomes: Empirical evidence and theoretical issues.

This article examines the ability of the individual differences, motivational, and cognitive approaches of negotiation to account for empirical research on dyadic negotiation. Investigators have typically focused on objective, economic measures of performance. However, social-psychological measures are important because negotiators often do not have the information necessary to make accurate judgments of the bargaining situation. Negotiators' judgments are biased, and biases are associated with inefficient performance. Personality and individual differences appear to play a minimal role in determining bargaining behavior; their impact may be dampened by several factors, such as homogeneity of subject samples, situational constraints, and self-selection processes. Motivational and cognitive models provide compelling accounts of negotiation behavior. A psychological theory of negotiation should begin at the level of the individual negotiator and should integrate features of motivational and cognitive models. Negotiation is a pervasive and important form of social interaction. Negotiation is necessary whenever conflict erupts and there are no fixed or established rules or procedures to resolve conflict and whenever people want to search for agreement without resorting to aggression or open fighting (Lewicki & Litterer, 1985). Negotiation occurs in business and academic environments and in informal social interactions such as deciding with a friend or spouse where to dine or vacation. Clearly, negotiation is essential for anyone who must interact with other people to accomplish their objectives. There is broad interest in the study of negotiation behavior. This interest is evident in the interdisciplinary history of the study of negotiation in the fields of psychology, economics, industrial relations, organization behavior, sociology, and law. The theoretical goal is to predict the processes and outcomes of negotiation. The practical or applied goal is to help people negotiate more effectively (Bazerman, 1986; Raiffa, 1982). The fundamental and enduring questions raised by the growing body of research on negotiation behavior include the following: What factors lead to negotiation success or failure? Which theoretical perspective provides the best account of negotiation behavior? What empirical findings must a theoretical approach to negotiation explain? The purpose of this article is to address these theoretical and empirical issues. A variety of theoretical analyses of negotiation behavior have been developed. An important theoretical distinction is that between normative and descriptive approaches (Neale & Northcraft, in press; Raiffa, 1982). Normative models are based on axioms of individual rationality (cf. von Neumann &
A simplified method for producing rapid ventricular hypertrophy in rats

Banding the suprarenal abdominal aorta in rats resulted in a 26% increase in the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight. The maximum left ventricular hypertrophy was attained on the sixth day following the banding. There was also a 16% increase in the ratio of right ventricular weight to body weight. There was no evidence of congestive heart failure. The method described is technically simple, hypertrophy develops rapidly, and it results in a reproducible degree of hypertrophy. The method has distinct advantages over other methods used to produce cardiac hypertrophy in rats such as banding the thoracic aorta, arteriovenous fistula, exercise, anaemia, and treatment with sympathomimetic drugs and thyroxine.
Vibrational Spectrum of Bathorhodopsin in the Room-Temperature Rhodopsin Photoreaction

Picosecond time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (PTR/CARS) is used to generate high signal to noise (S/N) vibrational spectra of bathorhodopsin (batho) formed in the photoreaction of room-temperature rhodopsin (RhRT). These PTR/CARS spectra of bathoRT, measured as a function of only the time following 3-ps (full width at half maximum), 500-nm excitation of RhRT, demonstrate that the vibrational structure of bathoRT in the 700−1700-cm-1 region is distinct from that of RhRT and remains unchanged over at least the 10 ps [8 ps cross correlation time (CCT)] to 100 ns interval of the RhRT photoreaction. Given the experimental difficulties associated with the irreversibility of the RhRT photoreaction, these are the first time-resolved vibrational spectra of bathoRT over the full 700−1700-cm-1 region to be reported. The PTR/CARS spectra taken after 100 ns contain vibrational features other than those assignable to either RhRT or bathoRT (potentially assignable to the blue-shifted intermediate, BS...
N-(m-[125I]iodophenyl)maleimide: an agent for high yield radiolabeling of antibodies

In an effort to radiolabel antibodies, N-(m-[125I]iodophenyl)maleimide (m-[125I]IPM) was prepared by the demetallation of an N-[m-tri-(n-butyl)stannylphenyl]maleimide intermediate. The unlabeled intermediate was synthesized in greater than or equal to 75% yield using a palladium catalyzed reaction of hexabutylditin with m-bromoaniline, followed by reaction with maleic anhydride and ring annulation. All products were confirmed by NMR and elemental analysis. Labeling with 125I was carried out in a biphasic mixture containing chloramine-T (radiochemical yield greater than or equal to 70%). Rabbit IgG modified with the heterobifunctional crosslinking agent N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP) and bovine serum albumin were conjugated with m-[125I]IPM (yield: 40 and 80%, respectively). In addition, m-[125I]IPM was conjugated to rabbit IgG subunits (HL) in 70% yield. The in vitro stability of the radiolabeled proteins in serum showed less than 1% deiodination over 24 h.
Terrain adaptive gaits for the Ambler

The configuration of the Ambler, a six-legged autonomous walking vehicle for exploring Mars, enables the recovery of a trailing leg past the leading leg to reduce the energy expenditure in terrain interactions. In this paper, gaits developed for this unprecedented configuration are described. A stability criterion has been developed which ensures stability of the vehicle in the event of failure of any one of the supporting legs. Periodic gaits developed for the Ambler utilize the Ambler's unique abilities and continuously satisfy the stability criterion. The performance of the periodic gait which provides minimum terrain interactions per advancement has been further improved by enabling terrain adaptive foot placement without disturbance of the gait parameters.
Induced preincubation aging of the avian egg and subsequent development of the embryo, as revealed by the DNA, RNA, and protein level of its spleen.

SummaryThe phenomenon of splenomegaly was utilized to examine the effect of preincubation storage of chicken and turkey eggs on the capacity of the host spleen to respond to a specific growth stimulus. The preincubation treatment consisted of holding fertile eggs at 13° and 85% relative humidity: chicken eggs, 0, 7, 14, and 21 days and turkey eggs, 0, 7, and 14 days. The eggs were then incubated at 37° and 65% relative humidity: chicken eggs for 10–11 days and turkey eggs for 14 days before receiving a chorioallantoic graft of splenic tissue from mature White Leghorn male donors. Suitable nongrafted controls were maintained. After 8 additional days of incubation, the surviving embryos in both the experimental (grafted) and control groups provided data on the following parameters: weight of the embryo, weight of the embryo spleen, mitotic index of the latter organ as well as its DNA, RNA, and protein content. Grafting resulted in a marked enlargement of the host embryo spleen. Storing eggs before incubatio...
Block of avian cardiac fast sodium channels by tetrodotoxin is enhanced by repetitive depolarization but not by steady depolarization.

The blockade of Na+ channels by tetrodotoxin (TTX) was studied in the avian heart with the maximum rate of rise ( V ˙ max ⁡ ) of phase 0 of the action potential used as an indicator of Na+ conductance (gNa). Inhibition by TTX of V ˙ max ⁡ occurred at lower concentrations (IC50⋍20 n m ) than those reported in mammalian hearts (IC50, 1 to 10 μ m ). The IC50 was not affected by K+-induced membrane depolarization. Inhibition of closed Na+ channels by TTX was demonstrated and the degree of inhibition was increased by repetitiye excitation. The time constant for recovery (τRec) from inactivation of V ˙ max ⁡ was increased by TTX, a result consistent with the ability of the toxin to trap Na+ channels in the inactivated state. Reduction of the external Na+ concentration ([Na+]0 by 50% reduced the IC50 5.3-fold. This shift can largely be accounted for by the non-linear relationship between V ˙ max ⁡ and gNa, that is, there need not be an important effect of [Na+]0 on toxin binding to its receptor. The interaction between TTX and its receptor in the avian heart is about as sensitive as that observed in peripheral nerve. However, like its less-sensitive mammalian heart counterpart, the TTX-Na+ channel interaction is frequency-dependent and apparently little influenced by membrane voltage or [Na+]0.
788 FEBRILE SEIZDRES: NOT A BHNIGN EVENT

While pediatricians have considered febrile seizures (FS) benign, recent literature shows a correlation between FS, outpatient baoteremia, and late meningitis. To study the overall morbidity of FS, 161 outpatient children from 2 months - 5 years were analyzed by complete blood count (CBC), blood culture (BC), and complete cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSFA). Results: 9/161 positive BC (S. pneumoniae), 1 clinically unsuspected meningitis, 5 aseptic meningitities, and 1 late meningitis. 16/161 children febrile without source on initial exam had significant disease on re-evaluation done because of a positive CBC ( > 20,000 or > 20% band forms): 2 urinary tract infections, 9 pneumonias, 3 positive BC, 1 otitis media, and 1 adenitis. Diarrhea in 5 children with increased band forms indicated the “toxic shigella syndrome.” In 3 children with otitis media on initial exam, markedly abnormal CBC's correlated with a positive BC. FS are not benign. 5.5% of children are bacteremic and 15-20% have clinically inapparent disease. A FS necessitates CSFA, CBC, and BC. Positive CBC's require re-evaluation, with possible chest X-ray and urinalysis. A minimum of 48 hours of intravenous therapy is required for children with a positive BC.
Prostaglandin-induced premature oviposition in the coturnix quail.

Abstract Intrauterine injection of prostaglandin E 1 , E 2 , A 1 , F 2α , F 1β and F 2β all induced premature egglaying in the coturnix, PGE 1 being the most potent. As little as 5 ng of PGE 1 yielded 5/5 successful ovipositions within a few minutes. Arachidonic acid and phospholipase A were also effective, indicating that the avian uterus can synthesize prostaglandins from exogenous or endogenous precursors. Indomethacin (0.1mg) inhibited the action of both arachidonic acid and phospholipase A but not that of PGE 1 . It is concluded that the avian uterus is more responsive to prostaglandins than the mammalian myometrium and thus may serve as a highly sensitive model for further studies.
Increased oxidative stress and altered substrate metabolism in obese children

Objective. Pediatric obesity, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, has steadily increased in the last decades. Although excessive inflammation and oxidation are possible bi...
Automated self-healing framework for service-oriented systems

In this paper, we propose a technique for service-oriented architectures (SOA) to dynamically evaluate the performance of Web services based on their previous history, and user requirements. The likelihood of fault occurrence is then used to create recovery plans. The `best' recovery plan is then chosen to be either executed immediately, or saved for a later execution. We assess the overall system dependability using the generated plan and the available invocation information of the included services. Experiment results indicate the applicability of our technique, and show the improved performance in comparison with similar existing approaches.