cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracellular NOD-like Receptors in Host Defense and Disease

The innate immune system comprises several classes of pattern recognition receptors, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), NOD-like receptors (NLRs), and RIG-1-like receptors (RLRs). TLRs recognize microbes on the cell surface and in endosomes, whereas NLRs and RLRs detect microbial components in the cytosol. Here we discuss the recent understanding in NLRs. Two NLRs, NOD1 and NOD2, sense the cytosolic presence of the peptidoglycan fragments meso-DAP and muramyl dipeptide, respectively, and drive the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and the transcription factor NF-κB. A different set of NLRs induces caspase-1 activation through the assembly of large protein complexes named inflammasomes. Genetic variations in several NLR members are associated with the development of inflammatory disorders. Further understanding of NLRs should provide new insights into the mechanisms of host defense and the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.
Effects of Subclinical Hypothyroidism and Its Treatment on Serum Lipids

OBJECTIVE:To determine whether the literature supports an effect of subclinical hypothyroidism on serum lipids and, if so, what are the effects of thyroxine replacement therapy.DATA SOURCES:Articles were identified on MEDLINE using the MeSH terms hypothyroidism, lipids, or cholesterol.DATA SYNTHESIS:The majority of studies that determined the prevalence of lipid abnormalities in subclinical hypothyroidism and studies that evaluated the effects of thyroxine replacement on lipids were small, uncontrolled, and varied in inclusion criteria. Six randomized, placebo-controlled trials were identified that evaluated the effect of levothyroxine on lipids in subclinically hypothyroid patients.CONCLUSIONS:Subclinical hypothyroidism can potentially contribute to a pro-atherogenic lipid profile, with effects being greater at higher thyroid-stimulating hormone levels. Thyroxine replacement reduces total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, with no effect on triglycerides. Effects on high-density lipopro...
Targeting cancer cell death with a bcl-xS adenovirus

Transformation is a complex cellular process that requires several genetic abnormalities. In many cases, one of these abnormalities is an inhibition of PCD, which provides a selective advantage for tumor cells. This has been recently shown in an in vivo model, where overexpression of Bcl-xL is a crucial step in the progression from hyperplasia to neoplasia and is accompanied by a significant decrease in tumor apoptosis [56]. Frequently, overexpression of a member of the Bcl-2 family results in a block in cell death and appears to nullify many built-in cellular defense mechanisms against cancer. Such a block presents a problem because radiation and chemotherapy, standard cancer treatments, ultimately exert their effect by induction of apoptosis and would also be made less effective. Therefore, to better treat cancer it may be necessary to develop novel methods to overcome the effects of the Bcl-2 family. One way to approach this problem is to target the cause - the molecular machinery that allows a cancer cell to survive. Advances in our understanding of apoptosis has identified the Bcl-2 family as a mediator of most apoptosis pathways, including those initiated by oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, growth factor withdrawal, and external damaging signals. Therefore, functional inhibition of Bcl-2 family members is lethal to many cancer cells. Using gene transfer technology, we can now deliver genes that accomplish this goal. Further investigation will reveal whether this translates to improved therapy in the future.
Effect of carbohydrate-protein supplement timing on acute exercise-induced muscle damage.

To determine if timing of a supplement would have an effect on muscle damage, function and soreness. Twenty-seven untrained men (21 ± 3 yrs) were given a supplement before or after exercise. Subjects were randomly assigned to a pre exercise (n = 9), received carbohydrate/protein drink before exercise and placebo after, a post exercise (n = 9), received placebo before exercise and carbohydrate/protein drink after, or a control group (n = 9), received placebo before and after exercise. Subjects performed 50 eccentric quadriceps contractions on an isokinetic dynamometer. Tests for creatine kinase (CK), maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and muscle soreness were recorded before exercise and at six, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h post exercise. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze data. There were no group by time interactions however, CK significantly increased for all groups when compared to pre exercise (101 ± 43 U/L) reaching a peak at 48 h (661 ± 1178 U/L). MVC was significantly reduced at 24 h by 31.4 ± 14.0%. Muscle soreness was also significantly increased from pre exercise peaking at 48 h. Eccentric exercise caused significant muscle damage, loss of strength, and soreness; however timing of ingestion of carbohydrate/protein supplement had no effect.
Wage Announcements with a Continuum of Worker Types

We present models of labor-market discrimination in which identi- cal employers choose among job applicants according to a continuous characteristic such as skin color or worker height. The characteristic in question is assumed to be unre- lated to worker productivity. Firms are required to announce wage offers that are not con- ditioned on the characteristic. Workers apply to firms on the basis of those announce- ments. Firms rank all applicants with respect to the characteristic and select the most desirable one. We show that in equilibrium all firms will offer the same wage, and work- ers will apply to each firm with equal probability. All employed workers will receive the same wage, but lower ranked workers will have a higher rate of unemployment than higher ranked workers and will thus have a lower expected income. These results differ from those of directed-search models characterized by a finite number of worker types. L'affichage d'offres salariales avec continuum de types de travailleurs
Ideological Victimization Homicides Perpetrated by Far-Right Extremists

This study examines homicide victimization during acts of far-right ideologically motivated violence. Focusing on victims of extremist violence in the United States, we compare ideological homicide victims to prior homicide research to determine whether ideological victims are similar to “routine” homicide victims. In addition, ideological victims were broken into four categories to determine whether differences between these victimization groups exist. The results of the study found that ideological victimization is a unique phenomenon, as differences were found between the victims of far-right ideologically motivated homicides and prior homicide victimization research, as well as differences between distinct types of ideological victims.
Comparison of Stormwater Solids Analytical Methods for Performance Evaluation of Manufactured Treatment Devices

As more manufactured stormwater treatment devices enter the market, stormwater managers are searching for effective and rapid methods for evaluating device performance. Many agencies require vendors to test full-scale versions of their devices under controlled conditions. The most common parameter used to document performance is suspended solids for several reasons: 1 many pollutants attach to solids; 2 a solids simulant is relatively easy to generate; and 3 solids are comparatively easy and inexpensive to quantify. However, a controversy still exists in the profession and some regulatory agencies as to whether total suspended solids TSS or suspended sediment concentration SSC, or both, should be measured. This paper focuses on the comparability of the two methods/ protocols used for sample solids analysis, including lessons learned during recent evaluations of two manufactured treatment devices. Analysis of 215 sample pairs where both TSS and SSC were measured on aliquots of the same sample showed that statistically the TSS measured using the wide-bore pipet method and SSC results were indistinguishable from one another and from the original simulant mixture. DOI: XXXX CE Database subject headings: Suspended solids; Stormwater management; Analytical techniques; Water analysis; Performance characteristics; Evaluation.
The Bucket List: a service-learning approach to community engagement to enhance community health nursing clinical learning

Community health nursing education at the undergraduate level is experiencing new and distinct challenges. Reduction in funding for public health services creates fewer resources and learning opportunities for students. To effectively deal with this problem, it is necessary to reconsider how clinical experiences are implemented. Using a service-learning theoretical framework to engage students in a mutually beneficial relationship with underserved and vulnerable populations could address the issue. The "Bucket List" of service-learning and community engagement activities was developed with the goals of improving quality and comprehension of community health didactic, addressing the need to restructure community health clinical experiences, and meeting projected demands for community health nursing services in partnership with communities.
Plant-like substitutions in the large-subunit carboxy terminus of Chlamydomonas Rubisco increase CO2/O2 Specificity

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate is the rate-limiting enzyme in photosynthesis. The catalytic large subunit of the green-algal enzyme from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is ~90% identical to the flowering-plant sequences, although they confer diverse kinetic properties. To identify the regions that may account for species variation in kinetic properties, directed mutagenesis and chloroplast transformation were used to create four amino-acid substitutions in the carboxy terminus of the Chlamydomonas large subunit to mimic the sequence of higher-specificity plant enzymes. The quadruple-mutant enzyme has a 10% increase in CO2/O2 specificity and a lower carboxylation catalytic efficiency. The mutations do not seem to influence the protein expression, structural stability or the function in vivo. Owing to the decreased carboxylation catalytic efficiency, the quadruple-mutant is not a "better" enzyme. Nonetheless, because of its positive influence on specificity, the carboxy terminus, relatively far from the active site, may serve as a target for enzyme improvement via combinatorial approaches.
The hyperbolic equilibrium between insulin sensitivity and secretion.

Abstract Aim The interrelationship between insulin resistance and beta cell secretion has been qualitatively described by a hyperbolic function and quantitatively by the disposition index. The concepts behind these assumptions are however still controversial and this review aims to briefly recall the main aspects of the hyperbolic paradigm in terms of mathematical representation and derived indices, together with the main criticisms of the various features. Synthesis The relationship is analyzed in terms of a qualitative curve with respect to a possible physiological mechanism underlying that particular shape. Quantitatively, the disposition index, which derives from the non-linear hyperbola-like curve, provides an integrated figure of glucose tolerance including both insulin sensitivity and secretion. Different types of metabolic tests and different categories of subjects may yield different mathematical relationships between the two processes. However, various formulas for the disposition index can be wrong and the reasons for this are highlighted. Conclusions Insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity are related with an inverse, non-linear function that shows the critical importance of the beta cell dysfunction for the development of type 2 diabetes. The disposition index is a mirror of glucose tolerance and may be important for evaluating those factors that (hypothetically) signal to the beta cell the reduction of insulin sensitivity, for development of possible novel treatments that restore the normal relation between the insulin resistance and the pancreatic activity.
Studies on the mechanism of demyelination: myelin autolysis in normal and edematous CNS tissue.

— The effects on myelin of autolysis in situ after death and after purification were studied in normal brains and spinal cords and in those made edematous as a result of chronic triethyl tin (TET) feeding. Myelin prepared from normal and edematous brains and spinal cords autolyzed for 12 h at 4°C contained only slightly less basic protein than that prepared from freshly killed animals. The amounts of a light lipid-protein fraction (dissociated myelin) usually obtained during purification of myelin from edematous CNS were about the same in tissue from freshly killed rats and those autolyzed for 12 h at 4°C. Autolysis for 12 h at room temperature resulted in formation of large amounts of dissociated myelin and loss of basic protein, but more dissociation and basic protein loss occurred in CNS from edematous brains and spinal cords than from the normal. Purified myelin prepared from freshly-killed normal and TET-fed rats was incubated at 37°C in media of several ionic strengths. In Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate (physiological extracellular fluid) extensive dissociation of myelin occurred with much less in 0.04 M-Tris buffer, pH 7.2, and only small amounts were formed in 0.01 M-Tris. In all cases myelin from edematous CNS formed more dissociated fraction than did the normal myelin. Basic protein loss was also proportional to the ionic strength of the media, but there was no difference in loss between normal and TET-myelin. Two different factors, proteolysis and physical extraction of basic protein by salt solutions, may be contributing to myelin dissociation and loss of basic protein.
Undernutrition—Looking Within for Answers

Undernutrition—a condition resulting from inadequate intake or assimilation of nutrients—underlies more than one-third of all deaths worldwide in children younger than 5 years of age ([ 1 ][1]). Enteric infectious disease and undernutrition exacerbate and perpetuate each other by means of impaired innate and adaptive immune responses. Together they produce an insidious condition called environmental enteropathy in which damaged gut mucosal architecture and function are associated with malabsorption, dysregulation of mucosal permeability, and inflammation. This vicious cycle leaves approximately one-fifth of children in the world stunted, and leads to a wide range of continuing health and developmental problems, possibly including cognitive impairment and metabolic syndrome in adulthood ([ 2 ][2]). Maternal malnutrition brings about malnutrition in their children [shockingly, nearly one-third of women in Bangladesh ([ 3 ][3]), as well as in other countries with similar levels of poverty, suffer from this condition]. These multiple, interwoven, and mutually reinforcing factors pose major challenges for efforts to address this situation. On page 548 of this issue, Smith et al. ([ 4 ][4]) show, with the use of an animal model, that the gut microbiota is involved in propagating a form of severe acute undernutrition called kwashiorkor (see the figure). Like previous data linking the microbiota with obesity ([ 5 ][5]), these findings are remarkable. They also provide hope, in that by understanding the role of the gut microbiota in undernutrition, we can devise new ecologically inspired strategies for correcting this problem. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #ref-4 [5]: #ref-5
Unpacking Longings to Return: Guatemalans and Salvadorans in Phoenix, Arizona1

Many migration studies emphasize the settlement process and more recently transnational attachments and identities, but less consideration is given to the idea of return. This article focuses on first-generation Guatemalans and Salvadorans in the United States and examines the varying degrees of migrantsi desires to return home versus actual return. Specifically, the paper highlights the persistence among these migrants, who live and work in Phoenix, Arizona, of a idiasporici or itransnationa li tendency to think of home. This emphasis is important because we do not assume that migrants have clear-cut options about their migration movements. Additionally, it allows us to consider migrantsi social imaginary n the divergent ways in which men and women in our study imagine their return and express their intents to return, which in turn, may influence their responses toward migration. For heuristic reasons, we identify three distinct conceptual categories of longings to return n assertive, ambivalent, and no desire to return. Drawing from narratives of Guatemalan and Salvadoran migrantsi experiences in Phoenix gathered through in-depth interviews, the paper reveals that all three kinds of expressions outlined demonstrate the significance that the location of the immediate family, particularly children, seems to have in ultimately shaping longings to return back home. These considerations highlight the fundamentally social nature of immigrantsi seemingly most individual motivations and desires n to return or to stay.
Heat Transfer and Simulated Sterilization of Particulate Solids in a Continuously Flowing System

The heat transfer coefficients (h) between a cube and water were 239 and 303 W/m2K at 0 and 0.86 cm/s relative velocity. In 35% sucrose and 0 cm/sec, h was 146 W/m2K. A model for heat lethality in cubes during continuous sterilization which used finite difference equations for heat conduction and above values of h, revealed that hold times for 6D inactivation of PA 3679 (F0= 7.2 min) in an isothermal fluid at 132.2°C were 1.78 and 5.2 min for 1 and 2 cm cubes when h was 303 W/m2K and 1.23 and 4.13 min when h was 2500 or higher. When h was 239 W/m2K, hold times were 2.36 and 6.02 min for 1 and 2 cm cubes. When fluid entered the hold tube at 132.2°C and particle to fluid ratio was 0.56, fluid-particle heat exchange increased hold time to 12.2 and 119 min for 1 and 2 cm cubes.
Sierpinski carpets as Julia sets for imaginary 3-circle inversions

The dynamics of the map is investigated for . This map is derived from multiple geometric circle inversions. Conditions are given for Cantor set and Sierpinski curve Julia sets for this family.
Effect of Sexual Maturation on Thermal Stability, Viscoelastic Properties, and Texture of Female Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Fillets

UNLABELLED The nutrient and energy demand of sexual maturation in many fish cultivars causes structural change to key contractile proteins and thereby, affects fillet firmness. Thermal denaturation and viscoelastic properties of white muscle from diploid (2N; fertile) and triploid (3N; sterile) female rainbow trout were investigated at 6 age endpoints from July 2008 through spawning in March 2009. Differential scanning calorimetry showed, in March, that the actin denaturation temperature (T(max,actin)) of 2N females was higher than that observed in 3N females (78.17 versus 77.27 °C). From 35 to 45 °C, viscoelastic measurement revealed that muscle from 2N females and younger fish (July, 16 mo) had greater elasticity (lower tan δ) than muscle from 3N females and older fish (November to March; 20 to 24 mo), respectively. The highest elastic response and the firmest fillets were observed in July. Raw fillets were softer (Allo-Kramer shear; P < 0.05) from September to January (288.77 g/g on average) than those collected in July (475.15 g/g) and March (366.79 g/g). Soft fillets became firmer after cooking except for January samples. Greater cook yield and softer fillets were observed in January compared to December. Lipid accumulation in 3N females may lubricate muscle fibers and protect them from losing functionality during the spawning season for animals on a high plane of nutrition. PRACTICAL APPLICATION The relationship between fish maturation, measured as egg development, and chemical characteristics of fillets from fertile and sterile fish was evaluated. Thermal denaturation and viscoelastic characterization revealed changes in stability and gelling properties of muscle proteins that were related to changes in fillet texture.
Logic-enhanced memories for data-intensive processing

Emerging computer applications have unique high-volume data processing and high-performance requirements (e.g. multimedia systems). These requirements are not supported well by standard computer hardware: the major performance degrading factor being the limited memory bandwidth available. To alleviate this problem, we aim to assess and develop the utility of hardware memory enhanced with selected programmable processing capabilities as an alternative to the standard approaches. The key idea is to off-load simple, high-volume data processing to the memory itself in order to reduce the traffic between the processor and the memory units. We consider a simple mathematical model for logic-enhanced memory architectures, and using it, we exhibit the potential gains in performance.
Effects of Signage and Floor Plan Configuration on Wayfinding Accuracy

Signage is commonly employed to enhance wayfinding efficiency, especially in buildings with complex floor plan configurations. This study examines the influence of floor plan complexity and several...
Introduction to the Special Issue on Adherence in Pediatric Medical Conditions

Research with a wide range of chronic health conditions in children and adolescents has indicated that nonadherence to medical treatment is pervasive, estimated to be as high as 50% for some conditions (Drotar, 2000; Rapoff, 2010). Nonadherence can take many forms including not filling prescriptions to skipping or missing doses and can be intentional (e.g., deciding not to take a medication because of side effects) or unintentional (e.g., forgetting). Poorer adherence has been documented for regimens that are more time-consuming and complex, and rates of nonadherence in pediatric chronic illness populations, especially among adolescents, are even higher than those in adult populations (Rapoff, 2010). Potentially serious health consequences can result from nonadherence. For example, incomplete adherence to immunosuppressive drugs has been linked to heart, kidney, and liver transplant failures (Ettenger et al., 1991). Nonadherence can influence clinical decisions about care, resulting in increases or changes in medication when none are needed. Nonadherence has been estimated to result in billions of dollars of excess medical care annually (The Task Force for Compliance, 1994). Despite the clinical importance of nonadherence and the significance of its impact on health care delivery, assessment of adherence is not routinely or systematically done in clinical practice, and treatments for adherence problems in pediatric chronic diseases continue to be limited (Rapoff, 2010). Moreover, few studies have evaluated the impact of interventions designed to promote adherence to medical treatment in childhood chronic diseases using randomized controlled trials
Symbolic dynamic filtering for image analysis: theory and experimental validation

Recent literature has reported the theory of symbolic dynamic filtering (SDF) of one-dimensional time-series data and its various applications for anomaly detection and pattern recognition. This paper extends the theory of SDF in the two-dimensional domain, where symbol sequences are generated from image data (i.e., pixels). Given the symbol sequence, a probabilistic finite state automaton (PFSA), called the D-Markov machine, is constructed on the principles of Markov random fields to incorporate the spatial information in the local neighborhoods of a pixel. The image analysis algorithm has been experimentally validated on a computer-controlled fatigue test apparatus that is equipped with a traveling optical microscope and ultrasonic flaw detectors. The surface images of test specimens, made of a polycrystalline alloy, are analyzed to detect and quantify the evolution of fatigue damage. The results of two-dimensional SDF analysis are in close agreement with those obtained from analysis of one-dimensional time-series data from the ultrasonic sensor, which are simultaneously generated from the same test specimen.
Neural networks for system identification

Two approaches are presented for utilization of neural networks in identification of dynamical systems. In the first approach, a Hopfield network is used to implement a least-squares estimation for time-varying and time-invariant systems. The second approach, which is in the frequency domain, utilizes a set of orthogonal basis functions and Fourier analysis to construct a dynamic system in terms of its Fourier coefficients. Mathematical formulations are presented, along with simulation results. >
Impact of Bath Stability on Electroplated Cu for Through-Silicon-Vias (TSV) in a Controlled Manufacturing Environment

This study addresses the impact of bath stability on electroplated copper for through silicon via (TSV) in a controlled manufacturing environment. Microstructure, impurities and other properties of the copper produced were characterized using an array of techniques, including Electron Backscatter Diffraction Analysis (EBSD), Focused Ion Beam – Secondary Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM) and Time of Flight - Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Chemical analyses of the plating baths throughout their lives indicates that the process can be controlled. Overall, a manufacturing process was demonstrated that can create high quality TSV Cu fill interconnects for 3D IC over the life of the bath. The process has enabled further development work at State University of New York Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) for downstream processes such as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) and Cu-Cu bonding.
Parameters affecting intracellular delivery of molecules using laser-activated carbon nanoparticles

Abstract Previous studies showed that carbon nanoparticles exposed to nanosecond laser pulses cause intracellular uptake of molecules. In this study, prostate cancer cells incubated with carbon-black (CB) nanoparticles and fluorescent marker compounds were exposed to 10 ns laser pulses at 1064 nm wavelength, after which intracellular uptake was measured by flow cytometry. Calcein and dextran (150 kDa) were delivered into > 50% of cells, whereas larger dextrans (≤ 2000 kDa) were taken up by ~ 10% of cells. Under all conditions studied, cell viability loss was minimal. Uptake also increased with increasing laser power, increasing CB nanoparticle concentration, increasing CB nanoparticle size and decreasing laser wavelength. CB nanoparticles enabled uptake better than gold nanoparticles or multi-walled carbon nanotubes under the conditions studied. Proof-of-principle experiments showed intracellular uptake by cells in vivo. We conclude that intracellular uptake of molecules using laser-activated CB nanoparticles provides a promising approach to deliver molecules into cells. From the Clinical Editor Delivery of drugs using nanoparticles as carriers is promising. The authors in this study investigated the use of laser-activated carbon nanoparticles to increase the cellular uptake of payloads in various parameters. The positive data generated should provide further platform for a new approach for intracellular delivery of molecules.
Phase I trial of 3-hour infusion of paclitaxel with or without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients with advanced cancer.

PURPOSEWe conducted a phase I trial of a 3-hour infusion of Taxol (paclitaxel; Bristol-Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, NJ) to identify the maximum-tolerated dose of Taxol as a 3-hour infusion with and without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support.MATERIALS AND METHODSThirty-five patients with advanced, untreatable malignancies were treated with a 3-hour infusion of Taxol once every 3 weeks. Groups of three patients were entered at escalating dose levels of Taxol in a traditional phase I design in each of two parallel arms: arm A, without G-CSF, and arm B, with G-CSF. Patients assigned to the G-CSF arm received G-CSF 5 micrograms/kg/d subcutaneously starting on day 2 for 9 to 14 days. All patients were pretreated with dexamethasone, diphenhydramine, and ranitidine, and were monitored continuously for cardiac arrhythmias during the first treatment.RESULTSDose-limiting myelosuppression with Taxol without G-CSF was observed at the 250-mg/m2 dose level. The dose-limiting toxicity for Taxol with G-C...
Lack of Sanitation = Lack of Education: Creating ‘Girl-Friendly’ Schools in Sub-Saharan Africa

Since it is clear that educating girls is necessary for both poverty reduction and social development in sub-Saharan Africa, a more effective and comprehensive approach to encourage African girls to stay in the classroom is needed. Schools must be made more “girl friendly.”While non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as WaterAid and Water 1st International as well as foundations like Ryan’s Well focus on bringing water and sanitation facilities to developing countries, they do not have a particular emphasis on improving sanitation in schools. Western corporations donate sanitary supplies to African girls, but questions of the long-term sustainability of these donations have yet to be addressed. Moreover, programs have not been implemented to discuss basic issues of menstruation, health, and hygiene since these topics are seen as taboo in many sub-Saharan African societies.The purpose of this paper is to outline the necessary components of “girl friendly” schools in order to improve girls’ health and educational prospects. There are four components of the “girl friendly” approach to education: the first is the building of private and hygienic toilets at schools; the second entails supplying clean water for washing; the third involves providing sanitary pads and tampons to schoolgirls at little to no cost; and the fourth concerns educating students and teachers about puberty and hygiene so as to improve girls’ health, promote dialogue, and dispel menstrual taboos.
Initiation of persistent lymphocytic choriomeningitis infection in adult mice.

For many years virologists have been puzzled by the fact that very high doses [lO^lO6 5096 mouse infective doses (MID50)] of some strains of lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus frequently do not kill mice, whereas smaller doses do [1-3]. The mice surviving the high dose have been found to carry persistent LCM viral infection, and this state was termed the high dose-inhibitory phenomenon (HDIP) [1]. It appears to differ from congenital or neonatal, persistent, tolerant infection of mice with LCM, mainly by its shorter duration and the presence of nonneutralizing antibody [4] in the serum. This condition appears to be very similar to that found in other persistent viral infections which cause slow disease (such as Aleutian mink disease, equine infectious anemia, and possibly visna) and, therefore, has been studied as a model for the initiation of viral persistence in the adult animal.
Calculation of regional deposition of aerosol in the respiratory tract

The removal of air-borne particles in the respiratory tract is treated to enable regional deposition to be inferred from measurement of expired aerosol as well as predicted from theory of the primary removal processes. The analysis uses the analogy of a continuous tubular filter-bed and includes consideration of respiratory pauses and the mechanical mixing of gas flow. Derived equations relate regional deposition, distribution of aerosol in the expired air, and efficiency of removal at different depths in the respiratory tract.
Detection of a surrogate biological agent with a portable surface plasmon resonance sensor onboard an unmanned aircraft system

A system was developed to perform near real-time biological threat agent (BTA) detection with a small autonomous unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Biological sensors recently reached a level of miniaturization and sensitivity that have made UAS integration a feasible task. A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor was integrated into a small UAS platform for the first time, providing the UAS with the capability to collect and then quantify the concentration of a surrogate biological agent in near realtime. The sensor operator ran the SPR unit through a ground-station laptop, viewing the sensor data in real time during flight. An aerial sampling mechanism was also developed for use with the SPR sensor. The sampling system utilized a custom impinger setup to collect and concentrate aerosolized particles. The SPR and sampling system's feasibility was demonstrated using an aerosolized sucrose solution as a mock BTA. Three field experiments were carried out to test and validate the biological sampling system. ...
Measurement of theP13lifetime in Sr

The lifetime of the $^{3}P_{1}$ state of Sr has been measured by observing the intensity of the $5{s}^{2}^{1}S_{0}\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}5s5p^{3}P_{1}$ fluorescence as a function of time, following the excitation of the $^{3}P_{1}$ state by a 1-\ensuremath{\mu}sec pulse from a flashlamppumped dye laser. The measured value of the $^{3}P_{1}$ lifetime is 21 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 1 \ensuremath{\mu}sec.
Dirac systems with discrete spectra

In this paper we consider the one dimensional Dirac system 1.1 where αk(x) < 0, λ is a complex spectral parameter, and the remaining coefficients are suitably smooth and real valued. We regard (1.1) as regular at x = a but singular at x = b; in Section 4 we extend our result to problems having two singular endpoints. Equation (1.1) arises from the three dimensional Dirac equation with spherically symmetric potential, following a separation of variables. For the choices p(x) = k/x, αk(x) = 1,p 2(x) = (z/x) + c, p 1(x) = (z/x) – c, and appropriate values of the constants, (1.1) is the radial wave equation in relativistic quantum mechanics for a particle in a field of potential V = z/x [17]. Such an equation was studied by Kalf [11] in the context of limit point-limit circle criteria, which is one of the matters we consider here.
Ground Extraction from Terrestrial LiDAR Scans Using 2D-3D Neighborhood Graphs

We introduce a new method for filtering terrestrial LiDAR data into two categories: Ground points and object points. Our method consists of four steps. First, we propose a graph-based feature, which is obtained by combining 2D and 3D neighborhood graphs. For each point, we assign a number, that is the count of common neighbors in 2D and 3D graphs. This feature allows the discrimination between terrain points and object points as terrain points tend to have the same neighbors in both 2D and 3D graphs, while off-terrain points tend to have less common neighbors between 2D and 3D graphs. In second step, we used c-mean algorithm to quantize the feature space into two clusters, terrain points and object points. The third step consists of repeating the first and the second step using different neighborhood sizes to construct the KNN(k-nearest neighbor) graph. In the final step, we propose a decision-level fusion scheme that combines the results obtained in the third step to achieve higher accuracy. Experiments show the effectiveness of our method.
Prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes in Kansas.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to determine the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes among rural and urban populations in Kansas. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study utilized 2009 BRFSS data and included 18,912 respondents. Participants were identified through a stratified random sample of adult Kansans, living in a non-institutionalized setting, and with access to a land-based telephone line. Analyses were conducted using SAS to provide descriptive statistics for groups based on diabetes status. A logistic regression was conducted to explore significant variables associated with the likelihood of diabetes. RESULTS: Diabetes prevalence was lower among urban (11.8%) populations than rural (12.7%) areas of Kansas, but the inverse was true for pre-diabetes (3.7% urban, 3.1% in rural). Lower income and lower levels of educational attainment were associated with increased rates of diabetes and pre-diabetes, with the highest prevalence levels overall found among rural Latinos (19.3%) and urban African Americans (22.9%). Multivariate regression suggests that age, income, ethnicity, education, sex, rural vs urban status, and race all served as significant predicators of diabetes, net of other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Rural residents were more likely than urban residents to report having diabetes, whereas urban residents were more likely than rural residents to report having pre-diabetes. Although rural vs urban status played a significant role in the model's predicative ability for diabetes and pre-diabetes diagnosis, increased age was by far the most significant factor in diabetes and pre-diabetes diagnosis.
Twelfth Annual Report from the American Committee for Irish Studies, 1978-9

The eleventh annual conference of the American Committee for Irish Studies was hosted by the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 3-5 May 1973, with Professor Leo F. McNamara supervising local arrangements. Assisting Professor McNamara were conference committee members Mary Bromage, Richard Kennedy, Frances McSparran, Francis O'Brien and James O'Neill. The quality of the previous conferences was sustained as well-conceived sessions provided for a programme that was both imaginative and substantive. An impressive library exhibit of the University of Michigan holdings of Irish interest numbered among the several conference attractions. Once again, well over a hundred active members from throughout the United States, Canada and Ireland, together with invited guests, were in attendance. Dermot Foley, Head of the Library Council of Ireland, treated the assemblage to one of the finest banquet discourses in memory. At the annual business meeting held on 4 May, the organization's membership approved an executive committee recommendation to raise the annual dues from four to six dollars. The motion also contained a provision admitting to regular membership, for a fee of three dollars, graduate students whose status is attested to by a supervising faculty member. Rising costs were cited as the reason for the rise in dues. It was further announced that Professor James I,iddy, of the Division of Humanities, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, will organize an ACIS seminar on contemporary Irish writing at the December 1973 Modern Language Association meeting; and that the annual ACIS joint session with the American Historical Association will be postponed to 1974 because of the new AHA ruling limiting affiliate organizations to alternate year participation. Finally, the revised by-laws of the ACIS were ratified unanimously by the members in attendance. The conference closed with a distinctly novel session, chaired by Maurice Harmon, in which Professors Gareth and Janet Dunleavy, of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, gave a presentation on the O'Conor papers, one of Ireland's richest manuscript collections, followed by a colour slide presentation of the Jeanne R. Foster-William M. Murphy Collection of Irish and Anglo-Irish Miscellanea by Professor
A 12‐hour Evaluation of the Analgesic Efficacy of Diflunisal, Propoxyphene, A Propoxyphene‐Acetaminophen Combination, and Placebo in Postoperative Oral Surgery Pain

One-hundred thirty-two outpatients with pain following oral surgery were randomly assigned, on a double-blind basis, to a single oral dose of diflunisal 500 or 1000 mg, propoxyphene napsylate 100 mg, a combination of propoxyphene napsylate 100 mg with acetaminophen 650 mg, or placebo. Using a self-rating record, subjects rated their pain and its relief hourly for 12 hours after medication. Measures of total and peak analgesia were derived from the patient's subjective reports. Diflunisal 500 and 1000 mg were significantly superior to placebo and propoxyphene alone for every measure of total and peak analgesia, and the effect of diflunisal persisted for 12 hours. Diflunisal 1000 mg was significantly superior to the propoxyphene-acetaminophen combination for all measures of analgesia. Although the propoxyphene-acetaminophen combination was significantly superior to placebo for most measures of analgesia, propoxyphene alone was significantly superior for only two measures. Adverse effects attributed to all drugs were mild and transitory.
Heterosis for survival and dentition in Hereford, Angus, Shorthorn, and crossbred cows.

Records of 328 Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn, and first-cross cows produced from 1960 to 1963 were used to estimate heterosis (h) and individual (gI) and maternal (gM) average breed effects on cumulative survival (CS) by ages to 12 yr, longevity (L), and size (SI) and condition of incisors at 10 to 15 yr of age. Reasons for cow disposal were also studied. The 155 cows born in 1960 and 1961 first calved at 3 yr of age, and the 173 born in 1962 and 1963 first calved at 2 yr of age. Analyses for CS and L were done for both actual culling of cows open in two consecutive years (AC) and imposed culling of any open cow (IC). The model for CS and L included cow birth year-breed of cow's sire (Y-S), sires within Y-S, breed of dam (D), and D x Y-S. For SI, the model included breed of cow, year of recording, and quadratic effect of age. Linear contrasts were used to estimate h, gI, and gM for quantitative variables, and chi-square was used for discrete variables. Under both AC (P less than .05) and IC, crossbreds exceeded straightbreds in CS to 12 yr (16.7 and 8.5%) and L (1.36 and .99 yr). Estimates of gI and gM for CS and L were generally small, except for the low (P less than .05) gM of Shorthorn cows under IC. Mortality and culling for emaciation, cancer eye, or prolapse was less for crossbreds than for straightbreds and increased with age. Crossbreds had longer (P less than .01) and better (P less than .001) teeth than straightbreds. The longer productive life of crossbred cows reduces rearing costs for replacements and increases sales of calves and cull cows.
Thermal aging of traditional and additively manufactured foams: analysis by time-temperature-superposition, constitutive, and finite-element models

Cellular solids or foams are a very important class of materials with diverse applications ranging from thermal insulation and shock absorbing support cushions, to light-weight structural and floatation components, and constitute crucial components in a large number of industries including automotive, aerospace, electronics, marine, biomedical, packaging, and defense. In many of these applications the foam material is subjected to long periods of continuous stress, which can, over time, lead to a permanent change in structure and a degradation in performance. In this report we summarize our modeling efforts to date on polysiloxane foam materials that form an important component in our systems. Aging of the materials was characterized by two measured quantities, i.e., compression set and load retention. Results of accelerated aging experiments were analyzed by an automated time-temperaturesuperposition (TTS) approach, which creates a master curve that can be used for long-term predictions (over decades) under ambient conditions. When comparing such master curves for traditional (stochastic) foams with those for recently 3D-printed (i.e., additively manufactured, or AM) foams, it became clear that AM foams have superior aging behavior. To gain deeper understanding, we imaged the microstructure of both foams using X-ray computed tomography, and performed finite-element analysis of the mechanicalmore » response within these microstructures. This indicates a wider stress variation in the stochastic foam with points of more extreme local stress as compared to the 3D printed material.« less
Transcriptional Analysis of the Guinea Pig Mucosal Immune Response to Intravaginal Infection with Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2

Genital herpes infection in guinea pigs closely models human infection but tools for immune characterization are limited. Immunity to HSV infection at the vaginal epithelial surface was characterized in guinea pigs using PCR-based array analysis of vaginal swab samples. IFNγ was one of the most significantly upregulated genes throughout the infection and over 40% of genes with significantly altered expression were linked to IFNγ based on INTERFEROME analysis. IFNγ transcripts and biologically active IFNγ at the genital mucosa were confirmed by RTPCR and IFNγ reporter cells. Gene ontology analysis revealed activation of many biological processes related to genital immunity shared by humans and mice demonstrating the similarities of the local immune response to primary genital HSV-2 infection in guinea pigs and other established models. This transcription-based array will be useful for dissection of immunity during reactivation from latency, an infection outcome that is not well recapitulated by other animal models.
A distributed integration system enabling electronic health records: an Italian experience

Today distributed systems are commonly employed in patient data management to improve the care process. Moreover, distributed systems can be usefully applied to realise lean and flexible architectures that facilitate healthcare structure interoperability. Systems used in healthcare structures are characterised by proprietary data flow formats and encoding systems, which hinder the possibility of sharing data in a standard format, and extracting atomic data for further analysis. This paper describes the architecture of a distributed interoperability system able to structure flow data into standard formats and send them to an advanced electronic health record designed as part of the Smart Health 2.0 project (PON04a2_C). The use of the distributed interoperability system within the experimental phase of the electronic health record highlights the flexibility of the proposed solution in meeting the reality of the healthcare structures involved.
Ideal forming theory

Metal processing involves several steps: (i) Reduction: mining, refining, smelting (from powder to ingots), and casting (melt ingot and mold into desired shapes). (ii) Composition and properties control: alloying, quenching (fast cooling), annealing (slow cooling), and heating. (iii) Forming: forging (by hammering or applying mechanical pressure), rolling, extrusion (pushing through), drawing (pulling), composites.
Straight Paths Through Queer Walking Simulators: Wandering on Rails and Speedrunning in Gone Home:

This article identifies the limitations of queerness in Gone Home (The Fullbright Company, 2013) by exploring the ways in which players’ movements through space in video games can be considered que...
Phenomenology of perinatal obsessive–compulsive disorder

Abstract This chapter focuses on the phenomenology of obsessive–compulsive disorder symptoms that develop or worsen perinatally. The content of obsessions and nature of the compulsions during this period are generally related to the protection of an unborn or newborn child and most commonly involve contamination fears during pregnancy and intrusive thoughts about harm during the postpartum period. Comorbid depressive symptoms are often present as well. Perinatal OCD symptoms are maintained by the misinterpretation of intrusive thoughts as highly significant and meaningful, overestimates of threat and responsibility for preventing harm, compulsive rituals, and avoidance of fear cues. Although research has documented an increased risk of OCD during pregnancy and the postpartum period, perinatal OCD is understudied and underrecognized relative to depression and psychosis.