cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrophysiological studies of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors on enteric neurons

Enteric nerves express multiple receptors for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Three excitatory and 1 inhibitory receptor for 5-HT can be identified using electrophysiological methods. The excitatory receptors are the 5-HT1P, 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 subtypes. The 5-HT1P mediates slow depolarizations (> 10 s duration) of many enteric nerves and 5-HT1P receptors mediate some slow excitatory synaptic potentials. The 5-HT3 receptor is a ligand-gated cation channel that mediates fast depolarizations (< 2 s). The 5-HT4 receptor mediates presynaptic facilitation of fast excitatory neurotransmission. The inhibitory receptor is the 5-HT1A receptor. 5-HT1A receptors mediate hyperpolarizations in AH neurons and presynaptic inhibition of fast and slow excitatory neurotransmission.
Modified branched-chain amino acid pathways give rise to acyl acids of sucrose esters exuded from tobacco leaf trichomes

A major diversion of carbon from branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis/catabolism to form acyl moieties of sucrose esters (6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-acyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D- fructofuranosides) was observed to be associated with specialized trichome head cells which secrete large amounts of sucrose esters. Surface chemistry and acetyl and acyl substituent groups of tobacco (T.I. 1068) sucrose esters were identified and quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Sucrose esters were prominent surface constituents and 3-methylvaleric acid, 2- and 3-methylbutyric acid, and methylpropionic acid accounted for 60%, 25% and 9%, respectively, of total C3--C7 acyl substituents. Radiolabeled Thr, Ile, Val, Leu, pyruvate and Asp, metabolites of branched-chain amino acid pathways, were compared with radioactively labeled acetate and sucrose as donors of carbon to sucrose, acetyl and acyl components of sucrose esters using epidermal peels with undisturbed trichomes. Preparations of biosynthetically competent trichome heads (site of sucrose ester formation) were also examined. Results indicate that 3-methylvaleryl and 2-methylbutyryl groups are derived from the Thr pathway of branched-chain amino acid metabolism, 3-methylbutyryl and methylpropionyl groups are formed via the pyruvate pathway, and that acetyl groups are principally formed directly via acetyl-CoA. Arguments are presented which rule out participation of fatty acid synthase in the formation of prominent acyl acids. Results suggest that the shunting of carbon away from the biosynthesis of Val, Leu and Ile may be due to a low level of amino acid utilization in protein synthesis in specialized glandular head cells of trichomes. This would result in the availability of corresponding oxo acids for CoA activation and esterification to form sucrose esters. Preliminary evidence was found for the involvement of cycling reactions in oxo-acid-chain lengthening and for utilization of pyruvate-derived 2-oxobutyrate to form straight-chain acyl substituents.
Haloacetate analogs of pheromones: effects on catabolism and electrophysiology in Plutella xylostella

A series of mono-, di-, and trihalogenated acetate analogs of Zl 1–16: Ac were prepared and examined for electrophysiological activity in antennae of males of the diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella. In addition, two potential affinity labels, a diazoacetate (Dza) and a trifluoromethyl ketone (Tfp), were evaluated for EAG activity. The Z11–16∶Ac showed the highest activity in EAG assays, followed by the fluorinated acetates, but other halo-acetates were essentially inactive. The polar diazoacetate and the trifluoromethyl ketone were also very weak EAG stimulants. The effects of these analogs on the hydrolysis of [3H]Z11–16∶Ac to [3H]Z11–16∶OH by antennal esterases was also examined. The three fluorinated acetates showed the greatest activity as inhibitors in competition assays, with rank order F2Ac > F3Ac > FAc > Ac > Cl2Ac > ClAc > Dza > Br2Ac > BrAc > Tfp > I > Cl3Ac > Br3Ac > OH. The relative polarities of the haloacetates, as determined by TLC mobility, are in the order mono- > di- > trihalo, but F, Cl, Br, and I all confer similar polarities within a substitution group. Thus, the steric size appears to be the predominant parameter affecting the interactions of the haloacetate analogs with both receptor and catabolic proteins inP. xylostella males.
γδ T cells develop, respond and survive - with a little help from CD27.

Although the TNF receptor family member CD27 has been known for some time, its functional role as a coreceptor on T and B cells remains poorly understood. Recent reports have shown that CD27 and its ligand CD70 play a critical role in the development and function of γδ T cells in mice. In this issue of the European Journal of Immunology, a study now extends these findings to the Vγ9Vδ2+ subset of human γδ T cells. This subset, whose responses are readily elicited by phosphoantigens, plays an important role in anti-tumor immune responses. This study shows that most Vγ9Vδ2+ cells express CD27, and signaling via the CD27-CD70 axis is needed for their survival, proliferation and cytokine secretion. Moreover, CD27 functions as a coreceptor, which promotes, in conjunction with TCR-mediated signals, expansion of Th1-biased Vγ9Vδ2+ cells. This new information underscores the significance of CD27 in γδ T-cell functional differentiation, and is likely to facilitate the development of γδ T-cell-based clinical immunotherapy.
Remote T cell co‐stimulation via LFA‐1/ICAM‐1 and CD2/LFA‐3: Demonstration with immobilized ligand/mAb and implication in monocyte‐mediated co‐stimulation

Proliferative response of resting T cells generally requires not only cross-linking of the T cell receptor (TcR) but also co-stimulatory signals from accessory molecules. We here have used a "three-cell" model consisting of: (a) resting human CD4+ T cells as responders; (b) CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) OKT3 on latex beads as surrogate stimulators; (c) autologous monocytes as source of co-stimulation. As described by Kawakami et al. (J. Immunol. 1989, 142: 1818), T cell proliferation in this system is observed with paraformaldehyde-fixed monocytes if they have been activated and interleukin (IL) 1 beta/IL 6 is supplied. Since this three-cell system provides TcR cross-linking at a site spatially "remote" from co-stimulation, they help distinguish adhesion from signal transduction but the molecules that mediate co-stimulation in this system have not been identified. Our studies now demonstrate that co-stimulation by the monocytes is dependent on each of two receptor/ligand pathways CD2/LFA-3 and LFA-1/ICAM-1 since it is inhibited by each relevant mAb but not a variety of control mAb. The hypotheses that CD2 and LFA-1 could each mediate co-stimulation was tested in simplified model systems in which the monocyte was replaced with immobilized CD2 mAb or purified ICAM-1 presented on a separate surface from the CD3 mAb. The results in these simplified models demonstrate that on resting T cells either CD2 or LFA-1 molecules alone can mediate "remote" co-stimulation unlike most other T cell surface molecules. Co-stimulation requires IL 1 beta/IL6 both in the weaker LFA-1 ligand-mediated co-stimulation and at lower CD2 mAb concentrations in the stronger CD2 mAb-mediated co-stimulation. Thus: (a) the accessory cell function of stimulated fixed monocytes in T cell proliferation requires both the LFA-1/ICAM-1 and CD2/LFA-3 pathways; and (b) the T cell molecules CD2 and LFA-1 can give co-stimulatory signals that can act in a "remote" fashion.
Anabolic and Antiresorptive Drugs Improve Trabecular Microarchitecture and Reduce Fracture Risk following Radiation Therapy

Many patients with symptomatic bone metastases receive radiation therapy, even though radiation is known to have potential adverse effects on bone. We hypothesized that the concurrent use of a bisphosphonate drug (zoledronic acid, ZA) or a combination of ZA plus an anabolic agent (parathyroid hormone, PTH) would lead to improvements in the microarchitecture and mechanical properties of irradiated bone. Human breast cancer cells were injected into the distal femur of 56 female nude mice, which were then divided into four groups: no treatment (0 Gy), radiation administered 4 weeks postinjection (20 Gy), radiation plus ZA (12.5 μg/kg weekly from weeks 4 to 12) (20 Gy + ZA), and radiation followed by ZA (25 μg/kg weekly from weeks 4 to 8) and PTH(1–34) (100 μg μg/kg daily from weeks 8 to 12) (20 Gy + ZA + PTH). Left limbs served as normal control bones. Bone loss over the 12-week study was tracked with serial radiography and bone densitometry. At the end of the study, micro-computed tomography and mechanical testing were used to quantify bone microarchitecture and bone strength. Radiation alone failed to prevent tumor-induced decreases in bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone volume, and bone strength. Treatment with 20 Gy + ZA or 20 Gy + ZA + PTH as adjuncts to radiation was effective at preserving trabecular bone architecture and bone strength at normal levels. ZA reduced the risk of mechanical fragility following irradiation of a lytic bone lesion. Supplemental use of PTH did not result in further increases in bone strength but was associated with significant increases in BMD and bone mass, suggesting that it may be beneficial in enhancing bone architecture following radiation therapy.
Copper deficiency in rodents alters dopamine β-mono-oxygenase activity, mRNA and protein level.

Cu is an essential cofactor for at least twelve mammalian enzymes including dopamine beta-mono-oxygenase (DBM), which converts dopamine (DA) to noradrenaline (NA). Previous studies reported that certain Cu-deficient (Cu-) rat tissues have lower NA and higher DA than Cu-adequate (Cu+) tissues, suggesting that DBM function was impaired. However, in vitro studies suggested that DBM activity is higher in Cu- tissue. Experiments were conducted on adrenal glands (AG), medulla oblongata/pons (MO), vas deferens (VD) and heart (HT) from a single rat experiment to provide data to help clarify this puzzling contradiction. In vitro DBM activity assays showed Cu- samples had significantly higher activity than Cu+ samples in both AG and MO, but not VD. Activity data were confirmed by Western immunoblots. Quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated higher DBM mRNA in Cu- tissues but unaltered levels of several other cuproenzymes and Cu-binding proteins. Previous pharmacological data implied that high DBM was associated with low NA. HPLC analyses confirmed that NA and DA levels in Cu- MO, VD and HT were significantly lower and higher, respectively, than in Cu+ tissues. However, the NA content of AG was not statistically lower. Furthermore there was no correlation between higher DBM mRNA and lower NA in four Cu-tissues. Adequate dietary Cu is essential to support DBM function in vivo but additional studies are needed to determine the mechanism for increased DBM transcription associated with Cu deficiency.
Changes in rat pituitary nuclear and cytoplasmic pro-opiomelanocortin RNAs associated with adrenalectomy and glucocorticoid replacement.

Abstract While the transcriptional effects of glucocorticoid hormone manipulation on the pituitary pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene have been documented, it is not yet clear whether glucocorticoids activate additional post-transcriptional mechanisms to regulate POMC gene expression. We have used RNA probes that span exon/intron junctions in sensitive nuclease protection assays in order to examine changes in POMC precursor RNA as well as mature mRNA in nucleus and cytoplasm following both adrenalectomy (ADX) and administration of exogenous glucocorticoids. ADX led to a rapid and sustained 8- to 10-fold increase in the level of POMC primary transcript in the anterior lobe (AL), from 1 to 14 days after ADX. Stimulation of mature POMC mRNA in the nucleus was also rapid, with 7- to 8-fold increases evident by 1 day after ADX. In sharp contrast, the time-dependent accumulation of POMC mRNA in the cytoplasm was slow in comparison, reaching levels approximately 2-fold higher than sham-operated animals by 1 day post-ADX and 12-fold higher by 14 days after ADX. Despite the constant elevated level of nuclear POMC precursor RNA, the rate of accumulation of POMC mRNA in the corticotroph cytoplasm after ADX was not linear, with the greatest increase occurring within the first 1–4 days post-ADX. This led to alterations in the molar ratio of POMC primary transcript: nuclear mRNA: cytoplasmic mRNA in the AL at 1 and 4 days after ADX and showed a relative increase in the proportion of POMC RNA transcripts within the nucleus. Acute administration of dexamethasone to ADX rats resulted in rapid 80–90% inhibition of POMC primary transcript levels in the AL that was maximal by 30 min but with no associated change in mature mRNA. No significant changes in POMC RNA were seen in neurointermediate lobe in any of these studies. These studies suggest that following ADX, time-dependent alterations in nuclear transport of mature POMC mRNA and/or changes in POMC mRNA stability, in addition to changes in gene transcription may account for the overall level of POMC mRNA expressed in the AL. Furthermore, we have illustrated the use of exon/intron probes for accurately quantitating rapid alterations in steady-state levels of nuclear precursor RNA that may reflect transcriptional responses and/or changes in post-transcriptional processing of the primary transcript.
The external secretion of the pancreas and diabetes mellitus

1. Thirteen subjects with diabetes mellitus were used in a clinical study of the secretin test. 2. The observed deviations from the control group of four patients were diminutions in volume of secretion and total secretion of bicarbonate and the enzymes, amylase and trypsin. With one exception these changes were confined exclusively to those patients who had the disease for 3 years or longer. 3. These abnormalities of the duodenal-pancreatic juice could be correlated only with the duration of the disease and not with the age of the patient, the severity of the disease, the presence or absence of acidosis, the amount of insulin required or the diet.
Design tradeoffs for a single degree of freedom structure

This study demonstrates that a single degree-of-freedom structure's vibrations can be effectively suppressed by using either passive damping, a combination of passive damping and active control, or active control without any passive damping. There are several limitations to a controller's effectiveness, two of which are the absorber's mass and stroke length. If settling time is used as the criterion to determine an absorber's effectiveness, then the classical den Hartog solution does not yield the optimum settling time for a passive absorber. The best settling time occurs when the passive absorber is tuned to a natural frequency close to that obtained with the den Hartog solution, but with a damping ratio that is significantly greater. Three different closed-loop control schemes, namely, local velocity feedback (LVF), linear quadratic regulator (LQR), and linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG), are overlaid on a passively tuned absorber. Slightly faster settling times are achieved than with the passive absorber only, and the passive absorber's parameters differ from those used to obtain the best settling time using the passive absorber only. Without passive damping, the three control strategies yield settling times much smaller than that obtained using passive damping only. However, with LVF control the actuator's maximum stroke length is quite large, and after a disturbance the actuator drifts to a steady-state position far from its initial position. For LQR and LQG control schemes, the best settling times result when there is no weighting on the actuator's position and velocity and the ratio between theQ andR matrices is large. The observer in LQG control causes that controller to generate larger settling times when compared to LQR control.
Gamma-Ray Bursts: Should Cosmologists Care?

Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) locations are distributed isotropically on the sky, but the intensity distribution of the bursts seems clearly incompatible with spatial homogeneity. Of the scenarios that attempt to provide an explanation, there are two that enjoy current popularity: (1) GRBs are produced by high-velocity neutron stars that have formed an extended (∼100 kpc) spherical halo or “corona” around our galaxy. (2) The bursters are at cosmological distances, with redshifts near unity for the weaker events. The major evidence used to argue for or against each of these scenarios remains inconclusive. Assuming, not unreasonably, that the cosmological scenario is correct, one can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of studying GRBs as opposed to other objects at moderate redshift. We find that the advantages of GRBs-high intensity, penetrating radiation, rapid variability, and no expected source evolution-are offset by observational difficulties pertaining to the extraction of cosmological information from GRB data. If the cosmological scenario proves to be correct and if the observational difficulties are overcome, then cosmologists certainly should care.
Cefamandole: Antimicrobial Activity In Vitro of a New Cephalosporin

Abstract Cefamandole, a new cephalosporin derivative, was found to have a broad spectrum of activity against a cross-section of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria isolated from clinical material. Gram-positive cocci, except for Streptococcus faecalis, were very susceptible. Penicillin G-resistant Staphylococcus aureus also was susceptible to cefamandole. Minimal bactericidal concentrations for gram-positive cocci approximated the minimal inhibitory concentrations. Strains of Haemophilus influenzae were very susceptible to the drug. Most strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., and Proteus sp. were inhibited by low concentrations. Increasing resistance occurred with larger inocula. Strains of Pseudomonas sp. were resistant to cefamandole.
IT-19TEMOZOLAMIDE RESISTANT INNATE LYMPHOCYTES ADMINISTERED DURING CHEMOTHERAPY IMPROVE SURVIVAL IN HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA

Conventional treatment strategies for high-grade primary brain tumors have failed to consistently extend median survival beyond two years. Using a human/mouse xenograft model, we report improved survival using a combination of Temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy with a Drug Resistant Cellular Immunotherapy (DRI) consisting of activated MGMT-transduced γδ T cells and NK cells. MGMT genetic engineering enables cytotoxic lymphocyte function in a chemotherapy-rich environment at a time when the tumor is maximally stressed. Intracranial (IC) glioma xenografts were established using either unmodified (P) or a TMZ-resistant clone (T) of human GBM-X12 primary explants propagated in mice. Tumor-bearing mice were treated i.p. with 60mg/kg TMZ on days 6, 8,13, and 15 post-tumor placement and received IC injection of 1 x 106 MGMT-modified DRI on post-injection days 7 and 14. Control mice received non-modified cells, TMZ alone or no therapy. Survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Both GBM-X12P and X12T express stress antigens MIC-A, MIC-B, and ULBP-4 with only ULBP-4 slightly upregulated on X12T upon exposure to TMZ. Both tumors were killed by expanded/activated γδ T cells in vitro at approximately 80% at an effector : target ratio of 20:1. Cell therapy alone did not improve survival beyond that of untreated mice for either tumor. For the unmodified tumor X12P, both TMZ therapy and TMZ + DRI significantly improved survival over untreated controls (p < 0.001), and the combined therapy increased median survival from 57 to 75 days over TMZ alone. Combined therapy with TMZ + DRI also improved survival for X12T (p = 0.0147) over untreated controls, and showed a marginal improvement over TMZ alone (p = 0.0966) and improvement in median survival from 22 to 25 days. In summary, the combination of chemotherapy-induced stress antigen expression and targeted DRI significantly increases time to progression and improves survival in tumor-bearing immunodeficient mice.
Inertial Deposition of Particles in the Human Upper Airway Bifurcations

ABSTRACT Particle deposition in symmetric bifurcating airways due to inertial impaction was studied numerically for inspiratory flows. Three-dimensional bifurcation models were constructed. The models had different parent and daughter diameters comparable to the airway generations 3–6 of the human lung. Bifurcation angles of the models were also varied (30®, 45®, and 60®). Airflow fields in the models were obtained by a finite–element method (FIDAP, Fluid Dynamics International, Evanston, IL) for different Reynolds numbers of 100, 265, 530, and 1060 under parabolic and uniform inlet velocity conditions. The calculated flow field data were used to simulate particle trajectory in the airways. Particle deposition efficiency was obtained using the limiting trajectory method. Inlet flow velocity profile, flow Reynolds number, and bifurcation angle were found to have substantial effects on particle deposition. Based on calculated deposition results, empirical equations were derived for particle deposition effic...
Implicit learning of a motor skill after mild and moderate stroke

Objective: To determine if adults in the subacute phase post moderate or mild stroke could learn a motor task under implicit practice conditions.Design: Non-randomized, between-group design.Setting: Subjects' homes.Subjects: Sample of convenience of 15 adults with moderate stroke, 22 adults with mild stroke, and 32 age-matched controls. Stroke severity was determined using the Orpington Prognostic Scale.Intervention: Practice of movements to target switches in two conditions, a repeated series and a random series. Practice was organized into a single session of six blocks of 80 trials such that blocks 1 and 2 were the random series, blocks 3 and 4 the repeated series, block 5 the random series, and block 6 the repeated series. Explicit knowledge of the two conditions was not provided.Main measures: The mean response time and the coefficient of variation were calculated for each block for each group.Results: Regardless of group, participants had a slower response time when practice was unexpectedly switche...
A framework for providing redundancy and robustness in key management for ipsec security associations in a mobile ad-hoc environment

This research investigated key management in a Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) environment. At the time this research began key management schemes provided limited functionality and low service availability in a highly partitioned ad hoc environment. The purpose of this research was to develop a framework that provides redundancy and robustness for Security Association (SA) establishment between pairs of nodes. The key contribution of this research is the Key Management System (KMS) framework and, more specifically, the unique way the various components are integrated to provide the various functionalities. The KMS overcomes the limitations of previous systems by (1) minimizing pre-configuration, (2) increasing service availability, (3) and increasing flexibility for new nodes joining the network. A behavior grading scheme provides the network with a system-wide view of the trustworthiness of nodes and enables the KMS to dynamically adjust its configuration according to its environment. The introduction of behavior grading allows nodes to be less dependent on strict identity verification. This KMS was simulated with Monte Carlo and NS2 simulations and was shown to interoperate with IP Security (IPsec) to enable the establishment of IPsec SAs. The simulations have proven the effectiveness of the system in providing service to the nodes in a highly partitioned environment.
Genetic Testing for Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Deficiency in Young Adults

Last May administrators at the University of California, Berkeley announced plans to offer voluntary genetic testing for incoming students. Over the summer ~5500 undergraduates received a DNA collection kit in the mail. More than 700 students responded by returning a saliva sample for the analysis of three common polymorphisms. The exercise, titled Bring Your Genes to Cal, was this year's iteration of Berkeley's On the Same Page program (http://onthesamepage.berkeley.edu), intended to provide incoming students with a shared didactic experience. Although the controversy generated by the project ultimately forced administrators to alter its scope, the resulting debate was useful in highlighting the challenges of inoculating public audiences to the topic of personalized genomics and instituting a framework for formal education in this area. Two particularly prominent issues raised by the project concern the need for genetic tests to be accompanied by complete and accurate clinical information, and the potential shortfalls of over-regulating access to personalized genetic test results.
Scene transport of pediatric patients injured at winter resorts.

Objective. To examine the characteristics of pediatric patients (age ≤16 years) injured at winter resort scenes andtransported by helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) or ground EMS (GEMS) ambulance services to regional trauma centers. Methods. Between 1997 and2001, a total of 119 patients (GEMS = 69; HEMS = 50) were identified from trauma registries andHEMS transport records. Demographic data, initial vital signs, hospital interventions, anddischarge status of the two groups were examined. Results. The distributions of gender, initial vital signs, Injury Severity Score (ISS; either ≤ or > 15), intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), total hospital LOS, andhome discharge status were similar between the two groups (p ≥ 0.05). Patients transported by HEMS were older (14 ± 2 vs. 10 ± 4, p < 0.001), less likely to be admitted to the hospital (73% vs. 98.5%; p < 0.001), andmore likely to have multiple injuries [13 (27%) vs. 8 (11.6%), p ≤ 0.032]. The GEMS patients had a higher rate of isolated e...
Developmentally regulated transporter in Leishmania is encoded by a family of clustered genes

We have previously cloned a gene for a developmentally regulated transport protein from the trypanosomatid protozoan Leishmania enriettii. We demonstrate here that this transporter is encoded by a single family of tandemly clustered genes containing approximately 8 copies of the 3.6 kilobase repeat unit. Transcriptional mapping defines a contiguous 3.3 kilobase region of the repeat unit that encodes the mRNA. The 5' end of the mature mRNA contains the spliced leader or mini-exon previously identified in kinetoplastid protozoa, while the 3' ends of the mRNA are heterogeneous in sequence and in location of the polyadenylation site. We have identified genomic restriction fragments that flank the tandem repeat on the 5' and 3' sides and which may be linked to sequences required for expression of the gene family. Other species of Leishmania also contain sequences that hybridize to the cloned L. enriettii gene at high stringency.
Management of Febrile Outpatient Neonates

To determine whether all febrile outpatients below the age of two months should be routinely hospitalized and given parenteral antibiotics because of the possibility of occult sepsis or meningitis, 147 such admissions were re viewed over four years. None of the neonates had occult bacterial meningitis, while one may have had occult sepsis. Because serious infections may have been missed in outpatients not hospitalized, the outcome of all such illnesses seen in the clinic during a subsequent six months was monitored; none of 17 hospitalized or 20 followed as outpatients experienced sepsis or meningitis. If our findings are confirmed in other studies, febrile outpatient neonates with a well appearance, normal cerebrospinal fluid and physical examination, and dependable follow-up may not require universal hospitalization and antibiotics.
Coding for T-user multiple-access channels

Coding schemes for the binary memoryless T -user adder channel are investigated in this paper. First upper and lower bounds on the capacity sum, which are asymptotically tight with increasing T , are derived for the noiseless case. Second, a class of T -user uniquely decodable codes with rates, asymptotically in T , equal to the maximal achievable values is constructed. A decoding algorithm for these codes is also presented. Next, a class of error-correcting codes for the noisy T -user adder channel is constructed. It is shown that these codes can he used to construct multilevel codes suitable for use on the additive white Gaussian noise channel.
Transient Resistive Wallwake for Very Short Bunches

The catch up distance for the resistive wall wake in a round pipe is approximately equal to the square of the pipe radius divided by the bunch length. The standard formulae for this wake are applicable at distances much larger than the catch up distance. In this paper, we calculate the resistive wall wake at distances compared with the catch up distance assuming a constant wall conductivity.
Identifying differential expression in multiple SAGE libraries: an overdispersed log-linear model approach

In testing for differential gene expression involving multiple serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) libraries, it is critical to account for both between and within library variation. Several methods have been proposed, including the t test, t w test, and an overdispersed logistic regression approach. The merits of these tests, however, have not been fully evaluated. Questions still remain on whether further improvements can be made. In this article, we introduce an overdispersed log-linear model approach to analyzing SAGE; we evaluate and compare its performance with three other tests: the two-sample t test, t w test and another based on overdispersed logistic linear regression. Analysis of simulated and real datasets show that both the log-linear and logistic overdispersion methods generally perform better than the t and t w tests; the log-linear method is further found to have better performance than the logistic method, showing equal or higher statistical power over a range of parameter values and with different data distributions. Overdispersed log-linear models provide an attractive and reliable framework for analyzing SAGE experiments involving multiple libraries. For convenience, the implementation of this method is available through a user-friendly web-interface available at http://www.cbcb.duke.edu/sage .
Epigenetics and systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by vascular injury, activation of the immune system, and diffuse tissue fibrosis. The precise etiology of SSc is undetermined, but there is evidence suggestive of a connection between environmental factors and SSc pathogenesis. In general, harmful environmental factors are sensed by the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that alter host gene expression leading to the emergence of disease-specific phenotype. There are three epigenetic mechanisms involved in gene regulation: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNAs. Although there is evidence that SSc phenotype could be, to a some degree, determined by genetic variants, it is clear now that non-genetic factors outweigh the genetic risk in SSc. Accordingly, the environment can trigger epigenetic regulation that in turn establishes a molecular framework linking environmental exposures to genetics, leading to the disease process, possibly in a genetically predisposed host. Although we have just begun to appreciate the potential role of epigenetics in SSc, many important and promising clues have been observed. In this review, we will summarize the work that has been done in the field of epigenetic regulation in SSc, and we will discuss possible factors and mechanisms that may lead to epigenetic dysregulation in SSc.
Treatment of enchondromas of the hand with allograft bone

We investigated whether cortico-cancellous allograft obtained from cadaveric banked bone is effective in the treatment of enchondroma of the hand. Twelve patients had 15 operations on 19 enchondromas using allograft bone. These patients were compared with 16 patients with enchondroma treated with autogenous iliac cancellous bone. The distribution of tumors was similar in both groups. There was no significant difference in the patient's age, their occupations, or whether the operation involved the dominant hand. In both groups, immobilization was maintained until clinical union was obtained. The duration of immobilization for both groups was identical. There were no recurrences, refractures, or complications in patients treated with allograft bone. The grafts incorporated and remodeled in all patients. We concluded that a allograft cortico-cancellous bone can be used effectively in the treatment of enchondromas of the hand. It is especially useful in the treatment of patients with multiple tumors.
CORROSION ACTIVITY IN PRECAST CONCRETE ELEMENTS AND CEMENTITIOUS CLOSURE POURS

AbstractThe use of precast concrete elements in the construction of highway bridges has been a common practice in the United States since the 1950s. These bridges have generally performed well during the initial years after construction, but recent failures in Pennsylvania and Indiana have aroused a nationwide alarm to investigate the causes of failure and find solutions to repair these bridges or develop designs for new replacement bridges. It was found that the stressed and nonstressed embedded reinforcements were severely corroded owing to the ingress of chloride ions in the bridge deck through the surface cracks occurring within the closure pours (shear key) and at the interface of the joints between the precast elements and the closure pours. This paper addresses the corrosion activity of embedded steel bars within the closure pours. The experimental investigation consisted of two types of samples: uncracked and cracked slabs, containing regular precast concrete with different closure pours, namely, ...
A Sensitive and Accurate protein domain cLassification Tool (SALT) for short reads

Motivation: Protein domain classification is an important step in functional annotation for next-generation sequencing data. For RNASeq data of non-model organisms that lack quality or complete reference genomes, existing protein domain analysis pipelines are applied to short reads directly or to contigs that are generated using de novo sequence assembly tools. However, these strategies do not provide satisfactory performance in classifying short reads into their native domain families. Results: We introduce SALT, a protein domain classification tool based on profile hidden Markov models and graph algorithms. SALT carefully incorporates the characteristics of reads that are sequenced from the domain regions and assembles them into contigs based on a supervised graph construction algorithm. We applied SALT to two RNA-Seq data sets of different read lengths and quantified its performance using the available protein domain annotations and the reference genomes. Compared with existing strategies, SALT showed better sensitivity and accuracy. In the third experiment, we applied SALT to a non-model organism. The experimental results demonstrated that it identified more transcribed protein domain families than other tested classifiers. Availability: The source code and supplementary data are available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/salt1/
Wealth effects of food and drug administration (FDA) decisions

Government regulations are an increasingly important component of the environment in which firms operate. Regulations may subject firms to large costs and possibly regulatory-induced risks, both of which may have effects on stockholders' wealth. In this paper we investigate the valuation effects of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) product approvals, rejections and disciplinary decisions on the firms that operate in the food and drug industries. We find that FDA decisions have very large wealth effects. The large price changes associated with approval and rejection decisions suggest that a significant amount of uncertainty about FDA decisions is present almost up to the announcement day. These results are somewhat surprising given the lengthy period of time involved in developing and reviewing drugs and the continuous flow of information received by the market about their potential. We also find some evidence of information leaks preceding FDA announcements. With respect to disciplinary decisions, the evidence from the data suggests that stockholders experience large losses associated with FDA actions. Since these losses represent lost stream of future illegal income, it appears that ignoring FDA rules may be quite profitable for firms that are not caught.
Applied novel sensing material graphene/polypyrrole for humidity sensor

A novel sensing graphene/polypyrrole (PPy) material was prepared by a chemical oxidative polymerization method with various weight percentages of graphene. The structure and morphology were characterized by XRD (X-ray diffraction), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), UV–vis spectrometry and TGA (thermo-gravimetric analysis). The humidity sensing properties were measured by using an LCR (inductance, capacitance and resistance) analyzer. The results indicate that the sample with 10% graphene/PPy had better humidity sensing properties than the other samples at relative humidity (RH) in the range 12–90%. The response and recovery times were approximately 15 s and 20 s, respectively. The prepared sensor has a higher sensitivity (S = 138) than those developed elsewhere and the humidity hysteresis value was very small at all humidities (<0.16%). The results herein demonstrate the potential of graphene/PPy composite for use in fabricating high-performance humidity sensors.
One Continent, One Currency? Varieties of Common Currency Experience in Europe and Latin America

Currency unions have been promoted as a means to increase trade, investment and growth. A crucial issue in giving up the domestic currency is the loss of a mechanism to absorb real external shocks. High real exchange volatility between countries considering such a policy would suggest that a currency union could be quite costly in terms of large, persistent misalignment and thus balance of payments imbalances. Von Hagen and Neumann (1994) assessed the readiness of nine European countries for Euro-zone membership by examining real exchange rate variability. In this paper we analyze their predictions, and find them to be quite accurate for Europe. All of the nations which appeared ready for the Euro have joined. Of the three which did not appear prepared, two have retained their own currency, and the third has experienced real appreciation and stagnant exports. Given the prescience of this method, we apply it to nine Latin American nations. A number of countries in this region have begun to form a currency union by unilaterally adopting the U.S. dollar. The Von Hagen-Neumann method finds very high real exchange rate variability between the U.S. and the Latin American nations-indeed much higher than that between Germany and the countries which would later adopt the Euro-so adopting the dollar could cause very painful adjustment in Latin America. Copyright 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd..
Exit-Point Based Approaches for Real-Time Traffic Evacuation Management

Real-time traffic evacuation management has become an increasingly attractive research topic, as a result of the rapid development and wide spread deployment of a large number of applications for traffic data collection, processing and dissemination. In this paper we extend our existing work on developing a smart traffic evacuation management system (STEMS) by enhancing it with new evacuation algorithms. These new algorithms facilitate a safer and more efficient evacuation for the general public in case of natural or human-caused disasters. STEMS mitigates the unexpected aspect of unpredictable disasters by dynamically generating evacuation plans when given the scope and location of an incident. The proposed evacuation algorithms leverage real-time traffic information to route traffic efficiently towards the closest evacuation exit points and out of the disaster areas. The advantage of these exit-point centered approaches is that their performance is not affected by the street network topology. We present simulation studies showing the improvement, in terms of evacuation effectiveness, of the proposed algorithms over the existing ones
Hypoxia inhibits contraction but not calcium channel currents or changes in intracellular calcium in arteriolar muscle cells.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that hypoxia inhibits currents through Ltype Ca 2+ channels and inhibits norepinephrine-induced rises in intracellular Ca 2+ in cremasteric arteriolar muscle cells, thus accounting for the inhibitory effect of hypoxia on norepinephrine-induced contraction of these cells. Methods: Single smooth muscle cells were enzymatically isolated from secondorder and third-order arterioles from hamster cremaster muscles. The effects of hypoxia (partial pressure of oxygen: 10–15 mm Hg) were examined on Ba 2+ (10 mM) currents through L-type Ca 2+ channels by use of the perforated patch clamp technique. Also, the effect of hypoxia on norepinephrine-induced calcium changes was studied using Fura 2 microfluorimetry. Results: Hypoxia inhibited the norepinephrine-induced (10 M) contraction of single arteriolar muscle cells by 32.9 ± 5.6% (mean ± SE, n 4). However, hypoxia had no significant effect on whole-cell currents through L-type Ca 2+ channels: the peak current densities measured at +20 mV were �3.83 ± 0.40 pA/pF before hypoxia and �3.97 ± 0.36 pA/pF during hypoxia (n 15; p > 0.05). In addition, hypoxia did not inhibit Ca 2+ transients in arteriolar muscle cells elicited by 10 M norepinephrine. Instead, hypoxia increased basal Ca 2+ (13.8 ± 3.2%) and augmented peak Ca 2+ levels (29.4 ± 7.3%) and steady-state Ca 2+ levels (15.2 ± 5.4%) elicited by 10 M norepinephrine (n 21; p < 0.05). Conclusions: These data indicate that hypoxia inhibits norepinephrine-induced contraction of single cremasteric arteriolar muscle cells by a mechanism that involves neither L-type Ca 2+ channels nor norepinephrine-induced Ca 2+ mobilization. Instead, our findings suggest that hypoxia must inhibit norepinephrineinduced contraction by affecting a component of the signaling pathway that lies downstream from the increases in Ca 2+ produced by this neurotransmitter.
Neuromonitoring for cervical disc surgery: Concepts and controversies

One of the most widely used and increasingly prevalent tools during spine surgery is intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). IONM can provide the spine surgeon with real-time feedback of possible neurologic insult, potentially allowing for immediate interventions that decrease iatrogenic injury. Despite the proven utility in scoliosis surgery, the value of IONM during cervical disc surgery remains unclear. For cervical patients with myelopathic symptoms or risk of spinal cord injury, IONM may lead to intervening strategies that could alter outcome, however, data to support its routine use is sparse. For non-myelopathic patients undergoing ACDF, IONM does not necessarily reduce neurologic complications and substantially increases the overall cost of care.
Ethics of Provider Risk Factor Modification in Total Joint Arthroplasty.

The current environment of limited health-care resources demands efficient delivery of medical care to achieve a financially sustainable health-care model. Several initiatives in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 require that hospitals simultaneously improve quality and decrease the cost of care or face financial penalties. One strategy to achieve more efficient care is to decrease the number of risk factors with which patients present prior to a surgical procedure such as total joint arthroplasty. We believe that it is moral to engage in patient risk factor modification prior to elective joint replacement1. Cost reduction and quality improvement with an emphasis only on patient behavior modification fail to address the health-care provider portion of the value proposition. In this article, we focus on the ethics of modifying hospital and surgeon-specific risk factors using the example of total joint arthroplasty. Currently, orthopaedic surgeons and hospitals may undertake any type of surgical procedure consistent with their willingness and access to resources. An orthopaedic surgeon may perform a hip or knee replacement provided that the surgeon has developed the skills to perform the procedure and is credentialed by a hospital. Similarly, a patient may obtain a hip or knee replacement as long as there is a surgeon at a particular hospital willing to perform total joint arthroplasty. However, to what extent should this be the case? Volume and experience are known to be predictive of better outcomes. Should all surgeons, regardless of volume or experience, be allowed to perform joint replacements? Should all hospitals be permitted to offer hip and knee replacements to their patients? Instead, should regional centers of specialized care, known as centers of excellence, be created where procedures are exclusively performed rather than allowing a wide range of procedures to be performed by a wide …
Support for Torture: Some Ideational Predictors

Few recent conundrums have weighed as heavily as have decisions on the use of torture in pursuit of foreign policy goals, a dilemma particularly salient in the context of the Global War on Terror and the revelations about Abu Ghraib. In this paper, we investigate whether and to what extent a person’s endorsement of torture as a form of punishment (for terrorists) is linked to two more general ideational dispositions: (1) placing high value on individual deference and submissiveness to the existing social order, and, (2) a readiness to stratify people more generally into those of greater and lesser intrinsic value. Since the psychological dispositions that predict support for torture might depend on the reasons one articulates for the stance one adopts, we examine how this backing may differ when torture is cast in retributive, instrumental, and moral terms. Using a unique nationally, representative dataset, we find support for our hypotheses.
Evaluation of 3D Automated Systems for the Measurement of Pavement Surface Cracking

AbstractPavement management systems rely on accurate distress measurements to support transportation agency officials in making decisions on budget planning and allocation as well as on the design of maintenance and rehabilitation strategies. Errors in distress data measurements lead to inappropriate project prioritization and increased maintenance and rehabilitation costs. This paper presents an independent evaluation of the accuracy and precision of high-speed field measurements of pavement cracking taken by three different automatic three-dimensional (3D) systems that represent the state of the practice. Cracking data were collected from a field experiment designed to represent typical conditions encountered in Texas highway network and comprised twenty 550-ft pavement sections. Three vendors participated in the experiment; two of them used the same hardware (i.e., INO LCMS sensors) but different proprietary algorithms to detect and quantify surface distresses. The third vendor used PaveVision sensors....