cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extrapolation for Time-Series and Cross-Sectional Data

Extrapolation methods are reliable, objective, inexpensive, quick, and easily automated. As a result, they are widely used, especially for inventory and production forecasts, for operational planning for up to two years ahead, and for long-term forecasts in some situations, such as population forecasting. This paper provides principles for selecting and preparing data, making seasonal adjustments, extrapolating, assessing uncertainty, and identifying when to use extrapolation. The principles are based on received wisdom (i.e., experts’ commonly held opinions) and on empirical studies. Some of the more important principles are: In selecting and preparing data, use all relevant data and adjust the data for important events that occurred in the past. Make seasonal adjustments only when seasonal effects are expected and only if there is good evidence by which to measure them. When extrapolating, use simple functional forms. Weight the most recent data heavily if there are small measurement errors, stable series, and short forecast horizons. Domain knowledge and forecasting expertise can help to select effective extrapolation procedures. When there is uncertainty, be conservative in forecasting trends. Update extrapolation models as new data are received. To assess uncertainty, make empirical estimates to establish prediction intervals. Use pure extrapolation when many forecasts are required, little is known about the situation, the situation is stable, and expert forecasts might be biased.
Pursed Lips Breathing (PLB) in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/19-1-12826 Pursed lips breathing (PLB) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often gives immediate symptomatic relief from dyspnea by a mechanism that is not well understood. We studied six adult Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients using pursed lips breathing and recorded the following parameters (a) subjective relief from dyspnea graded from mild to maximal. (b) breathing pattern including respiratory rate, tidal volume and total expiration time, (c) specific airways conductance, (d) airway pressures, (e) lung volumes including functional residual capacity, (f) volume of trapped gas. Our study confirms that pursed lips breathing in COPD patients gives (a) symptomatic relief from dyspnea, (b) the breathing pattern is more efficient, (c) airway pressures are increased, (d) there is a significant drop in functional residual capacity during PLB. Presented at the Islamic Medical Association annual convention, Niagara Falls, New York, 1985
A 5-year power technology roadmap

For the past 12 years, the Power Sources Manufacturers Association has conducted a one-day workshop every 3 years to study the status of power supply technology and project its changes over the next 5 years. This paper summarizes the work of the most recent one, held on February 8, 2003. The details of the workshop are included in the 380-page report available from PSMA.
Eigen-value electrodynamic problems for IR carbon nanowaveguides

The paper considers guided wave propagation in carbon nanotubes. For finding the impedance boundary condition we calculate surface axial conductivity in the semiclassical approach based on the Hamilton function given in the tight-binding model. The dependence of the wavenumber of the surface eigenwave versus its frequency is found numerically accounting for attenuation.
Shortening the Infectious Period Does Not Alter Expansion of CD8 T Cells but Diminishes Their Capacity to Differentiate into Memory Cells

Following a primary immune response, a portion of effector T cells gives rise to long-lived memory cells. Although primary expansion and differentiation of effector CD8 T cells is dictated by a brief exposure to Ag, it is unclear whether full memory differentiation is also programmed within the same short window. By carefully modulating the kinetics of Listeria monocytogenes infection, we analyzed the requirements for the programming of effector and memory T cell development in vivo. We find that although limiting the infectious period to the first 24–48 h does not impact the size of the primary CD8 response, the ensuing memory population is significantly diminished. This effect is particularly pronounced in the development of tissue-homing memory cells and is inversely proportional to the initial infectious dose. In contrast to CD8 responses, the differentiation of primary CD4 responses was highly dependent on the continued presence of the infection. Shortening the duration of the infection greatly reduced the development of CD4 effector responses in the spleen and prevented their trafficking to peripheral sites of infection. We propose that the stimulus received by CD8 T cells during the early stages of infection largely contribute to the differentiation of CD8 effector cells, whereas continued or distinct signals received at later stages influence their ability to differentiate into memory cells.
A restrictive theory of metrical stress

Focusing on weight-insensitive binary stress systems, the article presents an approach to metrical stress that is more restrictive than standard approaches and more accurate in its predictions. The proposal's restrictiveness derives from a set of constraints and structural assumptions that run counter to prevailing theories' fundamental principles. For example, the proposed account assumes strict succession between prosodic categories, ensuring that syllables are exhaustively parsed into feet. It tolerates improper bracketing of prosodic categories, allowing feet to overlap and to share entries on the metrical grid. Finally, it makes the foot–stress relationship violable, allowing feet to remain stressless under appropriate rankings. The article examines each of these assumptions and demonstrates how they combine to more accurately predict attested typologies.
CT Imaging: Cardiac Electrophysiology Applications

An understanding of detailed 3-D cardiac anatomy is important to the field of cardiac electrophysiology. Cardiovascular computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) can comprehensively assess cardiovascular structure and function relevant to the assessment, treatment, and follow-up of patients with electrophysiologically-related disease processes. CCTA provides 3-D visualization of cardiac chambers, coronary vessels, and thoracic vasculature including structures particularly important to cardiac electrophysiology, such as the coronary veins, pulmonary veins, and left atrium. This comprehensive technology is extremely useful for the identification and characterization of cardiovascular substrates relevant to cardiac electrophysiology, and has great relevance to treatment of arrhythmias through preprocedure planning, procedural facilitation, and procedural follow-up.
Regional and Religious Support of Political Parties and Effects on their Issue Positions

Political sociology assumes that social cleavages are manifested in political alignments. This research focuses on the cleavage factors of region and religion in group support of national political parties. It discusses problems in analyzing these factors across cultures and illustrates the problems by analyzing social support for approximately 150 parties in 53 nations in all cultural-geographical areas of the world. Regional and religious patterns of support clearly affect parties' positions on issues. Regionally homogeneous parties tend to oppose national integration, and religiously homogeneous parties tend to oppose the secularization of society. Moreover, parties' positions on secularization also depend heavily on their specific religious composition.
Disk-cylinder and disk-sphere nanoparticles via a block copolymer blend solution construction

Researchers strive to produce nanoparticles with complexity in composition and structure. Although traditional spherical, cylindrical and membranous, or planar, nanostructures are ubiquitous, scientists seek more complicated geometries for potential functionality. Here we report the simple solution construction of multigeometry nanoparticles, disk-sphere and disk-cylinder, through a straightforward, molecular-level, blending strategy with binary mixtures of block copolymers. The multigeometry nanoparticles contain disk geometry in the core with either spherical patches along the disk periphery in the case of disk-sphere particles or cylindrical edges and handles in the case of the disk-cylinder particles. The portions of different geometry in the same nanoparticles contain different core block chemistry, thus also defining multicompartments in the nanoparticles. Although the block copolymers chosen for the blends are important for the definition of the final hybrid particles, the control of the kinetic pathway of assembly is critical for successful multigeometry particle construction.
Comparison of Health Services Use Associated with Ziprasidone and Olanzapine among Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Patients in the USA

Background and Objectives Ziprasidone is increasingly used for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The purpose of this study was to compare healthcare costs and use associated with ziprasidone and olanzapine.
Reversed closure sequence of the mitral and tricuspid valves in congestive heart failure

Abstract Objectives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate functional and hemodynamic factors that determine the mitral-tricuspid and aortic-pulmonary valve closure sequence in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Background. The physiologic factors determining closure sequence of cardiac valves in various forms of heart disease have been found to be complex. Few data exist for dilated cardiomyopathy, particularly for differentiating the effects of a conduction delay versus changes in ventricular performance. Methods. A group of 64 patients were compared with 36 control subjects. Timing of valve closure and electromechanical intervals were determined by combined M-mode echocardiography, phonocardiography and apexcardiography. Hemodynamic data from right heart catheterization were available in 46 patients. Results. In all control subjects, the aortic valve closed before the pulmonary valve and the mitral valve closed before the tricuspid valve. In the study group, 30 patients (49%) had reversed aortic-pulmonary valve closure and 27 (90%) of these had a left-sided conduction delay. There were 38 patients (60%) who had reversed mitral-tricuspid valve closure, but this was unrelated to the presence of a left-sided conduction delay. The presence of high ventricular filling pressures and poor systolic function was associated with delayed closure of both the mitral and the tricuspid valve. This caused the closure sequence to be related to the size of the difference between mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure and mean central venous pressure and also the magnitude of right ventricular dysfunction. Patients with a low wedge pressure ( 16 mm Hg) but a low central venous pressure had a high prevalence (86%) of reversal of mitral-tricuspid valve closure. Patients with high wedge and central venous pressures had a moderate prevalence (47%) of mitral-tricuspid valve closure reversal. Similar findings were observed for right ventricular dysfunction. If the right ventricle was normal or severely dysfunctional, a reversed closure sequence was less common (52% and 41%, respectively) than if moderate dysfunction was present (78%). Conclusions. Aortic-pulmonary valve closure sequence is strongly related to the presence of a left-sided conduction delay. The mitraltricuspid valve closure sequence is unrelated to a conduction delay but can be reversed by relative differences in the severity of systolic dysfunction and filling pressures between the two ventricles.
Cardiovascular hemodynamics: relationships with insulin resistance in obese children.

We investigated blood pressure (BP), cardiac output (CO), and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and their relationships with insulin and glucose blood levels in a group of 24 obese children (mean age, 11.9 ± 2.1 years; 19 males). The data were compared to those obtained from a group of 19 healthy controls of the same age (12.4 ± 2.1 years; p = NS; 13 males). BP at rest was measured and all subjects underwent an exercise testing on the treadmill (Bruce Prot.), time of exercise, maximal heart rate, maximum systolic blood pressure, CO, and SVR at rest and at peak exercise were considered. Only in the OC group were an oral glucose tolerance test were performed to calculate insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and echocardiography performed to determine the left ventricular mass (LVM). The relationships between cardiovascular and metabolic parameters were investigated. Student’s t-test and linear regression analysis were used when appropriate. OC had a significant reduction in TE and higher BP, and linear regression analysis showed significant correlations between BP, ISI, and LVM. We speculate that OC need a regular cardiovascular and metabolic screening to prevent the development of early cardiovascular damage.
Incidence matrix approach for calculating readiness levels

Contemporary system maturity assessment approaches have failed to provide robust quantitative system evaluations resulting in increased program costs and developmental risks. Standard assessment metrics, such as Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), do not sufficiently evaluate increasingly complex systems. The System Readiness Level (SRL) is a newly developed system development metric that is a mathematical function of TRL and Integration Readiness Level (IRL) values for the components and connections of a particular system. SRL acceptance has been hindered because of concerns over SRL mathematical operations that may lead to inaccurate system readiness assessments. These inaccurate system readiness assessments are called readiness reversals. A new SRL calculation method using incidence matrices is proposed to alleviate these mathematical concerns. The presence of SRL readiness reversal is modeled for four SRL calculation methods across several system configurations. Logistic regression analysis demonstrates that the proposed Incidence Matrix SRL (IMSRL) method has a decreased presence of readiness reversal than other approaches suggested in the literature. Viable SRL methods will foster greater SRL adoption by systems engineering professionals and will support system development risk reduction goals.
What Affects Hispanic Volunteering in the United States: Comparing the Current Population Survey, Panel Study of Income Dynamics, and the AIM Giving and Volunteering Survey

This study examines Hispanic formal volunteering and the cultural, social, and community context factors that affect their decision to volunteer. Using data from three surveys in the United States, the study finds that religious attendance, cultural background, and education are the most consistent and significant predictors of Hispanic formal volunteering. Religious attendance has a stronger positive impact on Hispanic volunteering than on non-Hispanics. The impacts of income, social resources, and community characteristics on Hispanics’ volunteering vary by surveys. Secular organizations serving children and youth and religious organizations are the favorite organizations for Hispanic volunteers.
Human intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes keep TNFα levels low by cell uptake and feedback inhibition of transcription

Abstract Background . Human intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) are mainly TCRαβ + CD8 + T cells, juxtaposed between epithelial cells. Their release of TNFα, a cytokine that is toxic to the epithelium, is likely to be tightly regulated. This study documents a novel mechanism to keep TNFα levels low with stimuli that cause large fluctuations in IFNγ release. Methods . IELs were stimulated with combinations of IL-2, IL-12, and IL-15, without TCR ligation. TNFα and IFNγ production was assessed at both the mRNA and protein levels. Uptake of both cytokines was analyzed by radioligand binding. Results . By 72 h with IL-15, IFNγ concentrations increased markedly, while TNFα remained low. With IL-12 supplementation, IFNγ increased 10-fold, while TNFα remained low. Initially, IELs had similar amounts of transcripts for IFNγ and TNFα, indicating equivalent synthetic rates. Two events explain the low extracellular accumulation of TNFα. First, IELs took up 25–30% of bound 125 I-TNFα without undergoing apoptosis. In contrast, they incorporated little IFNγ. Second, TNFα was under strict feedback control as shown by the reduction in transcription with the addition of TNFα. No feedback control was seen with IFNγ. Conclusions . Extracellular TNFα, but not IFNγ, levels are kept low by uptake of free cytokine followed by a decline in transcription, thereby avoiding accumulation of this potentially toxic cytokine.
Three particles in an external trap: Nature of the complete J = 0 spectrum

Three bosonic, spin-polarized atoms in a spherical oscillator potential constitutes the simplest nontrivial Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The present paper develops the tools needed to understand the nature of the complete J=0 energy spectrum for this prototype system assuming a sum of two-body potentials. The resulting spectrum is calculated as a function of the two-body scattering length a s c , which documents the evolution of certain many-body levels that evolve from BEC-type to molecular-type as the scattering length is decreased. Implications for the behavior of the condensate excited-state spectrum and for condensate formation and decay are elucidated. The energy levels evolve smoothly, even through the regime where the number of two-body bound states N b increases by 1, and a s c switches from - to + . We point out the possibility of suppressing three-body recombination by tuning the two-body scattering length to values that are larger than the size of the condensate ground state. Comparisons with mean-field treatments are presented.
Intramolecular nucleophilic attack at silicon in o-silylbenzyl alcohols. Generation of allyl and benzyl anion equivalents

Abstract Substituted silyl ethers of o-bromobenzyl alcohols and the derived o-silylbenzyl alcohols were used to transfer allyl and benzyl groups from silicon to the electrophiles benzaldehyde and benzophenone in excellent yields. γ-Oxidosilane intermediates (and possibly hypercoordinated silicon intermediates) are postulated.
EPR investigations of the effects of inorganic additives on the charring and char/air interactions of cellulose

EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) behaviors of cellulose chars during exposure to air at room temperature strongly depend on the identities of any inorganic additives and on the charring temperature. The air exposure of low-temperature (300−400 °C) cellulose/alkali carbonate chars or alkali bicarbonate chars appears to involve two different chemical processes, the production and annihilation of free radicals. The “new” radicals formed during air exposure have larger g-values than those generated by pyrolysis. In contrast, the corresponding low-temperature chars of pure cellulose and cellulose/NaCl show only an apparently small, slow decrease in radical concentration upon air exposure. For the high-temperature (>400 °C) chars of cellulose and cellulose/additive mixtures used in this study, air exposure is accompanied by a large reduction in apparent radical concentration. However, this decrease is found to depend dramatically on the presence of water in the exposure environment. Adding Na2CO3 into the ...
Experimental study of space–charge waves in heavy ion beams

Abstract When a short-duration, small-amplitude energy perturbation is applied to a heavy-ion beam, positive- and negative-going longitudinal space–charge waves are generated on the beam. Longitudinal diagnostic kickers that provide ∼1% energy perturbation have been implemented for generating space–charge waves on HCX and NTX beams. The kickers consist of specially designed fast pulse generators combined with an existing aperture or ESQ structure to provide the longitudinal perturbation to the beam. The amplitudes of the resulting density waves are ∼10%, measured a few meters downstream of the kicker. The time-of-flight (TOF) of the wave provides an accurate measure of the beam energy. The TOF measurements will be described. Comparison of measured waves with a simple 1-D fluid model of the beam will be presented.
Leaf Spot of Pinto Bean Caused by a Long-beaked Alternaria in Southeastern Arizona

This report identifies an Alternaria disease affecting pinto beans in incidence in Arizona. The similarity of disease symptoms and morphology of the pathogen to a recently characterized Alternaria and its disease of bean in Brazil causes concern about its potentially damaging effects on pinto bean production in Arizona.
Endonasal approaches for sinonasal and nasopharyngeal tumors

It is likely that many of the more senior endoscopic sinus surgeons in the United States have considerable experience with the endoscopic evaluation and management of sinonasal and nasopharyngeal neoplasms. Despite this, surprisingly little has been written about the subject. This article reviews the published literature and synthesizes that information with the author's personal experience into a rational approach to patients with the following disorders: inverted papilloma, adenocarcinoma, hemangioendothelioma, olfactory neuroblastoma, carcinosarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, juvenile angiofibroma, chordoma, and chondrosarcoma. It might seem obvious that an open approach would allow better visualization and access to the perimeter of a sinonasal neoplasm; however, this may not be true. In the modern era with available instrumentation, particularly the Hopkins telescope and its superior optics, combined with three-dimensional navigational systems, and modern imaging make the evaluation and management of these tumors through a transnasal approach feasible, though technically challenging. One criticism might be that it is impossible to remove a tumor of any significant size en bloc using this approach. From a practical standpoint, it is rarely possible to remove these tumors en bloc through any open approach currently popular (e.g., a combined subcranial and midfacial degloving approach has been described for large inverted papillomas by Fliss et alh4 An experienced endoscopic sinus surgeon, however, would have no difficulty removing these same tumors through a transnasal approach with much lower hospital stays and associated morbidity rates. In addition to the obvious cosmetic advantage of an endonasal approach, there are also practical advantages. The midface degloving approach and the lateral rhinotomy and medial maxillectomy approach for inverted papilloma have the potential for cosmetic deformity and an adverse functional impact on nasal airflow. (This finding has been reported by Lueg et al.)'' An endonasal approach avoids both problems.
Abyssal Furrows and Hyperbolic Echo Traces on the Bahama Outer Ridge

Near-bottom investigations with a deep-towed instrument package show that steep-sided, flat-floored furrows (1 to 100 m wide by 0.5 to 20 m deep) eroded into Holocene and Pleistocene hemipelagic mud are responsible for the characteristic hyperbolic echo traces on surface-ship echograms recorded over the Bahama Outer Ridge (water depth, 4 to 5 km). This echogram character, previously interpreted as being caused by side reflections from depositional wave forms, has been typically recorded in abyssal regions of contour-current activity. It is suggested that these remarkably straight longitudinal furrows are formed by secondary helical circulations in the bottom-boundary mixed layer.
Proton stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of benign meningiomas

Purpose: Given the excellent prognosis for patients with benign meningiomas, treatment strategies to minimize late effects are important. One strategy is proton radiation therapy (RT), which allows less integral dose to normal tissue and greater homogeneity than photon RT. Here, we report the first series of proton stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) used for the treatment of meningiomas. Methods and Materials: We identified 50 patients with 51 histologically proven or image- defined, presumed-benign meningiomas treated at our institution between 1996 and 2007. Tumors of =}2 mm from the optic apparatus were eligible for treatment. Indications included primary treatment (n = 32), residual tumor following surgery (n = 8), and recurrent tumor following surgery (n = 10). The median dose delivered was 13 Gray radiobiologic equivalent (Gy[RBE]) (range, 10.0-15.5 Gy[RBE]) prescribed to the 90% isodose line. Results: Median follow-up was 32 months (range, 6-133 months). Magnetic resonance imaging at the most recent follow-up or time of progression revealed 33 meningiomas with stable sizes, 13 meningiomas with decreased size, and 5 meningiomas with increased size. The 3-year actuarial tumor control rate was 94% (95% confidence interval, 77%-98%). Symptoms were improved in 47% (16/ 34) of patients, unchanged inmore » 44% (15/34) of patients, and worse in 9% (3/34) of patients. The rate of potential permanent adverse effects after SRS was 5.9% (3/51 patients). Conclusions: Proton SRS is an effective therapy for small benign meningiomas, with a potentially lower rate of long-term treatment-related morbidity. Longer follow-up is needed to assess durability of tumor control and late effects.« less
Safety and tolerability of losartan potassium, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, compared with hydrochlorothiazide, atenolol, felodipne ER, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for the treatment of systemic hypertension

This report presents data on the safety and tolerability of losartan potassium (losartan), a selective antagonist of the angiotensin II AT-1 receptor, in approximately 2,900 hypertensive patients treated in double-blind clinical trials. In these studies, headache (14.1%), upper respiratory infection (6.5%), dizziness (14.1%), asthenia/fatigue (3.8%), and cough (3.1%) were the clinical adverse experiences most often reported in patients treated with losartan. These adverse experiences were also frequently reported in patients receiving placebo: 17.2%, 5.6%, 2.4%, 3.9%, and 2.6%, respectively. Dry cough as an adverse event was reported in 8.8% of patients treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and in 3.1% and 2.6% of patients treated with losartan or placebo, respectively. Only dizziness was considered "drug-related" more often in losartan-treated (2.4%) than placebo-treated (1.3%) patients. In controlled clinical trials, losartan was better tolerated than other antihypertensive agents as determined by the incidence of patients reporting any drug-related adverse experiences. Rates of discontinuation due to clinical adverse experiences in patients who received losartan monotherapy or losartan+hydrochlorothiazide were 2.3% and 2.8%, respectively, compared with placebo (3.7%). No laboratory adverse experiences were unexpected or of clinical importance. First-dose hypotension rarely occurred with losartan or with losartan plus hydrochlorothiazide, and withdrawal effects such as rebound hypertension were not observed in clinical trials. There were no clinically important differences in the clinical or laboratory safety profiles in the demographic subgroups for age, gender, or race. In controlled clinical trials, losartan demonstrated an excellent tolerability profile.
The thermodynamic behavior of sulfur in molten nickel and nickel-base alloys

The thermodynamic properties of dilute solutions of sulfur in pure liquid nickel were investigated at 1500, 1550, and 1575°C for sulfur concentrations up to 0.7 wt pct. Based on the infinitely dilute, wt pct standard state, the equilibrium data obtained for the reaction: H2(g) + S = H2S(g) were fitted by the equations: logK = − 1489/T − 1.772, and ΔG° = 6812 + 8.11T, cal/mole. For the solution ofS2(g) in pure Ni according to the reaction: 1/2S2(g) = S (in Ni), the standard free energy of solution is found to be: ΔG° = - 28,342 + 3.62T, cal/mole. For the very dilute solutions of sulfur normally encountered in nickel-base melting, the activity coefficient of sulfur in pure Ni at 1575°C is given by: log fS= -0.035 (pct S). The effects of alloying elements normally used in nickel-base alloys on the activity coefficient of sulfur in molten nickel were investigated. The activity coefficient of sulfur is increased by all of the alloying elements studied, as evidenced by the interaction parameters: eSfe = +0.005, eSCr = +0.030, eSMo = +0.053, eSTi = +0.160, and eSA1 = +0.133. Measured values of the activity coefficient of sulfur in the quaternary system Ni-S-Cr-Fe agreed reasonably well with those predicted from binary and ternary data.
Sources of between-subjects variability in perceptual asymmetries: a meta-analytic review.

Abstract A number of studies have reported correlations between subjects' asymmetry scores on left and right hemisphere specialized tasks. In this paper we report the results of meta-analyses performed on these correlations. Results showed positive correlations between subjects' asymmetry scores on left and right hemisphere specialized tasks in both modalities (asymmetry scores were computed as R-L for both left and right hemisphere specialized tasks). Thus, in both modalities, some of the between-subjects variability in asymmetry scores appears to reflect non-stimulus specific individual differences in perceptual asymmetry. For the visual asymmetry tasks, results also showed that the subjects' asymmetry scores on left and right hemisphere specialized tasks were more highly correlated under conditions of bilateral than unilateral input. This finding suggests that bilateral tasks may be more sensitive to “characteristic perceptual asymmetry” than unilateral tasks.
Investigation of Glycerol Atomization in the Near-Field of a Flow-Blurring Injector using Time-Resolved PIV and High-Speed Visualization

Glycerol has very high kinematic viscosity and high vaporization and auto-ignition temperatures, but it has been effectively atomized at room temperature by using a novel flow blurring (FB) injector and then cleanly combusted without any combustor hardware modification. The present study qualitatively and quantitatively reveals the details of glycerol atomization in the near field of the FB injector. Time-resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) with exposure time of 150 ns and image pair acquisition rate of 15 kHz is utilized to probe the glycerol spray at spatial resolution of 16.83 µm per pixel. PIV results describe the droplet dynamics in terms of instantaneous, mean, and root-mean-square (RMS) profiles of the axial velocity. In addition, high-speed imaging (75 kHz) coupled with backside lighting is applied to reveal the glycerol breakup process at spatial resolution of 7.16 µm per pixel and exposure time of 1 µs. Results indicate that the primary breakup by FB atomization or bubble explosions occurs inside the injector and it results in ligaments and droplets at the injector exit. Then, the secondary breakup by Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurs in the near-field of the injector exit where the high-velocity atomizing air stretches the ligaments into thin ligaments that disintegrate into smaller ligaments, and subsequently, into droplets. Thus, within a short distance downstream of the injector exit (<30 mm), most of the glycerol is atomized into fine droplets demonstrating excellent atomization performance of the FB injector.
Neuroinflammation and disruption in working memory in aged mice after acute stimulation of the peripheral innate immune system.

Acute cognitive disorders are common in elderly patients with peripheral infections but it is not clear why. Here, we injected old and young mice with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic an acute peripheral infection and separated the hippocampal neuronal cell layers from the surrounding hippocampal tissue by laser capture microdissection and measured mRNA for several inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα) that are known to disrupt cognition. The results showed that old mice had an increased inflammatory response in the hippocampus after LPS compared to younger cohorts. Immunohistochemistry further showed more microglial cells in the hippocampus of old mice compared to young adults, and that more IL-1β-positive cells were present in the dentate gyrus and in the CA1, CA2, and CA3 regions of LPS-treated old mice compared to young adults. In a test of cognition that required animals to effectively integrate new information with a preexisting schema to complete a spatial task, we found that hippocampal processing is more easily disrupted in old animals than in younger ones when the peripheral innate immune system is stimulated. Collectively, the results suggest that aging can facilitate neurobehavioral complications associated with peripheral infections probably by allowing the over expression of inflammatory cytokines in brain areas that mediate cognitive processing.
Reactivity of lectins with feline erythrocytes

Blood groups A, B and AB of cats (not related to human blood groups) are defined serologically with feline antisera. Five cats were blood typed and used in this study. Three cats were type B; two were type A. Two per cent suspensions of red blood cells (RBCs) from each cat were prepared and used in agglutination tests with 11 commercial lectins. Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins of non-immune origin. Most of these lectins agglutinated either all or none of the five samples of RBCs. However, wheat germ lectin (WGL) strongly agglutinated feline type B RBCs, but did not agglutinate type A RBCs. Thus WGL may be useful in feline blood typing, especially because the naturally occurring anti-B isoagglutinin is of low incidence and low titre.
Abstract 4493: Rapamycin enhanced in vitro and in vivo activity of dexamethasone against acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoma preclincal models via inhibition of p70S6 kinase activity

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Background: Glucocorticoids are an important part of therapy for lymphoid malignancies and understanding resistance mechanisms may enable designing drug combinations that will improve treatment outcome. We reported that rapamycin (RM) can enhance cytotoxicity of dexamethasone (DM) in cell culture models of lymphoid malignancies (Proc AACR 50: 4062, 2009). In the current study, we examined the mechanisms of synergy as well as in vivo activity of the DM + RM combination. Methods: Cytotoxicity of DM + RM at fixed-ratio concentrations was assessed using the DIMSCAN system in 12 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 3 lymphoma cell lines. Synergy was determined using the multiple drug-effect equation of Chou-Talalay with Calcusyn software. Protein was measured by immunoblotting. Phosphotransferase activity of p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase (p70S6K) was determined using [γ-32P]ATP. In vivo drug activity was determined in NOD/SCID (ALL intravenous) and nu/nu (lymphoma, subcutaneous) mouse xenograft models. Results: DM + RM achieved cytotoxicty > 90% in 7 of 15 cell lines, and DM + RM was synergistic in 5 lines (combination index < 0.9). Among the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway proteins, phosphorylation of p70S6K and ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6) and also p70S6K enzyme activity was inhibited by DM + RM in those cell lines showing DM + RM synergy, but was not inhibited in lines that failed to demonstrate drug synergy. RNAi knockdown of p70S6K also significantly enhanced cytotoxicity of DM + RM in CCRF-CEM cells. In the COG-LL-317x systemic ALL and the GA-10 subcutaneous lymphoma xenograft models, DM + RM significantly (p < 0.01) extended the event-free survival (EFS) of mice compared with DM or RM as single agents. In the RS4;11 systemic ALL model, DM and DM + RM extended EFS (p < 0.01) compared with control or RM alone, although no differences in EFS was observed between DM and DM + RM. Conclusion: Our study showed that RM enhanced activity of DM in ALL and lymphoma cell lines and xenograft models and that inhibition of p70S6K activity is the molecular basis for the synergy between DM + RM in lymphoid malignancies. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4493.
High-dose methadone produces superior opioid blockade and comparable withdrawal suppression to lower doses in opioid-dependent humans.

Rationale: The efficacy of methadone for treating heroin dependence derives, in part, from suppression of opiate withdrawal and attenuation of the effects of heroin. Objectives: The purpose of this double-blind, within-subject, inpatient study was to determine whether larger doses of methadone, which are more effective in the treatment of opioid dependence, produce greater or longer-lasting blockade of the effects of heroin in addition to adequate withdrawal suppression. Methods: Participants were maintained on 30, 60, and 120 mg methadone (ascending order) for approximately 3 weeks at each dose. During each maintenance period, heroin challenges were administered at 4, 28, and 52 h after the last methadone dose. Opioid agonist effects and opioid withdrawal symptoms were assessed prior to heroin challenge. Challenge sessions consisted of three doses of heroin (0, 10, and 20 mg/70 kg; ascending order) 45 min apart. Results: All three methadone maintenance doses produced similar agonist effects. Participants tested 4 h after receiving 120 mg methadone showed complete suppression of withdrawal symptoms and full attenuation of the effects of heroin. Thirty and 60 mg methadone suppressed withdrawal for up to 52 h, but failed to block completely the effects of heroin. The effects of heroin increased slightly at longer post-methadone intervals. Conclusions: Heroin use may persist during methadone treatment because low to moderate doses of methadone suppress withdrawal, but fail to eliminate the effects of heroin. These results provide a mechanism for the clinical observation that higher methadone doses are more effective at reducing heroin use.
Cortical glucose utilization patterns in primary degenerative dementias of the anterior and posterior type

Regional cortical function was evaluated in 13 patients with primary degenerative dementia and six age-matched, neurologically normal control individuals. Five patients were selected on the basis of preponderant signs of posterior dementia, five had mainly signs of anterior dementia, and the remaining three evidenced mixed anterior-posterior cognitive deficits. Positron emission tomographic scans following the intravenous administration of fluorodeoxyglucose revealed a characteristic pattern of abnormalities in each group: those with posterior dementia, as primarily manifested by verbal and visuospatial deficits, had a predominant focus of hypofunction in the posterior parietal and temporal regions; those with the less common anterior dementia, evidenced by prominent personality and social behavioral changes, had their most conspicuous abnormality in the anterior frontal cortex; those with approximately equal signs of anterior and posterior dementia had abnormalities in both anterior frontal and posterior parietal-temporal areas. The results indicate that the primary degenerative dementias may reflect a selective abnormality of the frontal and parietal association corticies. The continuous distribution of cortical involvement in patients with these disorders suggests that diagnostic entities as neuropathologically distinct as Alzheimer's disease (mainly posterior involvement) and Pick's disease (mainly anterior involvement) could share a common pathophysiology. A focusing of histological and biochemical efforts in areas of major functional abnormality could hasten the elucidation of such mechanisms and the development of effective therapies.
Diagnosis of pregnancy in the squirrel monkey

Diagnostic pregnancy assessments have been carried out in 18 squirrel monkey females using Delfs' method for chorionic gonadotropin bioassay palpatory, x-ray and other auxiliary techniques. Out of the 24 bioassay tests performed, 11 were positive (one of them weakly positive) and 13 negative. These results were confirmed by the other parallel measures, except in two cases of possible false positive reactions. No false negative results were noted. The implications of the results are discussed in terms of the sensitivity and reliability of the bioassay in the early diagnosis of pregnancy in the squirrel monkey.
Loss of DAP12 and FcRγ drives exaggerated IL-12 production and CD8(+) T cell response by CCR2(+) Mo-DCs

Dap12 and FcRγ, the two transmembrane ITAM-containing signaling adaptors expressed in dendritic cells (DC), are implicated in the regulation of DC function. Several activating and adhesion receptors including integrins require these chains for their function in triggering downstream signaling and effector pathways, however the exact role(s) for Dap12 and FcRγ remains elusive as their loss can lead to both attenuating and enhancing effects. Here, we report that mice congenitally lacking both Dap12 and FcRγ chains (DF) show a massively enhanced effector CD8+ T cell response to protein antigen immunization or West Nile Virus (WNV) infection. Thus, immunization of DF mice with MHCI-restricted OVA peptide leads to accumulation of IL-12-producing monocyte-derived dendritic cells (Mo-DC) in draining lymph nodes, followed by vastly enhanced generation of antigen-specific IFNγ-producing CD8+ T cells. Moreover, DF mice show increased viral clearance in the WNV infection model. Depletion of CCR2+ monocytes/macrophages in vivo by administration anti-CCR2 antibodies or clodronate liposomes completely prevents the exaggerated CD8+ T cell response in DF mice. Mechanistically, we show that the loss of Dap12 and FcRγ-mediated signals in Mo-DC leads to a disruption of GM-CSF receptor-induced STAT5 activation resulting in upregulation of expression of IRF8, a transcription factor. Consequently, Dap12- and FcRγ-deficiency exacerbates GM-CSF-driven monocyte differentiation and production of inflammatory Mo-DC. Our data suggest a novel cross-talk between DC-ITAM and GM-CSF signaling pathways, which controls Mo-DC differentiation, IL-12 production, and CD8+ T cell responses.
Parallel Fast Gauss Transform

We present fast adaptive parallel algorithms to compute the sum of N Gaussians at N points. Direct sequential computation of this sum would take $O(N^2)$ time. The parallel time complexity estimates for our algorithms are $O(N/np)$ for uniform point distributions and $O(N/np log N/np + nplognp)$ for nonuniform distributions using np CPUs. We incorporate a planewave representation of the Gaussian kernel which permits “diagonal translation”. We use parallel octrees and a new scheme for translating the plane-waves to efficiently handle nonuniform distributions. Computing the transform to six-digit accuracy at 120 billion points took approximately 140 seconds using 4096 cores on the Jaguar supercomputer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Our implementation is kernel-independent and can handle other “Gaussian-type” kernels even when an explicit analytic expression for the kernel is not known. These algorithms form a new class of core computational machinery for solving parabolic PDEs on massively parallel architectures.
TAURINE TRANSPORT IN THE HUMAN KIDNEY

This study was performed to evaluate renal transport of taurine in the human kidney. Previous studies suggested that normal individuals have three distinct excretion classes which are under genetic control. Four normal volunteers were given an oral load of taurine (260 mg/1.73 M2) and urinary excretion measured. Then they were studied by classical clearance techniques using inulin as a marker of glomerular filtration. Following baseline determinations of taurine clearance, each subject was given increasing intravenous doses of B-alanine. Following oral loading, three subjects excreted taurine at a rate of 3.8-5.6 uM/min, while one subject had an excretion rate of 0.14-0.34 uM/min. During baseline conditions, fractional reabsorption of taurine in the three high excretors ranged from 0.65 to 0.80. With B-alanine loading, fractional reabsorption of taurine decreased to 0.13 to 0. In the low excretor, fractional reabsorption of taurine under baseline conditions was 0.99 and decreased to only 0.55 during B-alanine loading. These studies suggest the presence of both a high and low Km transport system for taurine in the human kidney which is shared by other B-amino acids. Our oral loading studies suggest that taurine transport is genetically determined by a pair of co-dominant alleles.
The functions of the social bond

Travis Hirschi's control or social bonding theory argues that those persons who have strong and abiding attachments to conventional society (in the form of attachments, involvement, investment, and belief) are less likely to deviate than persons who have weak or shallow bonds. Later, Gottfredson and Hirschi moved away from the social bond as the primary factor in deviance, and toward an emphasis on self-control. In short, low self-control is associated with higher levels of deviance and criminality irrespective of the strength or weakness of one's social bonds. In this article I argue that Talcott Parsons' AGIL schema easily incorporates Hirschi's social bond into its broader analytical framework. Furthermore, from within the logical framework of Parsons' system, Hirschi's move from an emphasis on social bonds to an emphasis on self-control is wholly compatible with, and even anticipated by, the AGIL schema. The article illustrates, and argues for, the continuing importance of theoretical subsumption in sociology and criminology. Lastly, a set of testable hypotheses is generated based upon this theoretical reformulation.
Key Factors in the Market for Remanufactured Products

Measures to extend the economic lives of products---such as remanufacturing carried out by closed-loop supply chains---are receiving increased attention because of various economic and regulatory factors. In this paper, we examine drivers of price differentials between new and remanufactured products using data on purchases made on eBay. Our analysis shows that seller reputation significantly explains the price differentials between new and remanufactured products. We also find that products remanufactured by original equipment manufacturers or their authorized factories are purchased at relatively higher prices than products remanufactured by third parties. However, in the presence of these reputation signals (seller reputation and remanufacturer identity), we find that stronger warranties are not significantly associated with higher prices paid for remanufactured products. Our work contributes to the closed-loop supply chain research stream in operations management by empirically examining market factors that have not been studied before.
Screening for congenital hypothyroidism: A worldwide view of strategies

Detection by newborn screening (NBS) and treatment of babies with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) has largely eliminated the intellectual disability caused by this disorder. Lowering of the screening TSH cutoff and changes in birth demographics have been associated with an approximate doubling of the incidence of CH, from 1:3500 to 1:1714. The additional cases detected by lowering of the TSH cutoff tend to have milder hypothyroidism, with imaging often demonstrating a eutopic, "gland in-situ", and some cases turn out to have transient CH. Based on our search for current screening programs, approximately 71 percent of babies worldwide are not born in an area with an established NBS program, despite the existence of screening for over five decades in developed countries. Thus, the majority of babies with CH worldwide are not detected and treated early, such that the economic burden of retardation owing to CH remains a significant public health challenge.