cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quasi-1D chains of dinickel lantern complexes and their magnetic properties.

Four new quasi-1D Ni2-lantern chain complexes of the form [Ni2(SOCR)4(L)]∞ (R = Ph, L = DABCO (1); R = Ph, L = pyz (2); R = CH3, L = DABCO (3); R = CH3, L = pyz (4)) were prepared from the reaction of [Ni2(SOCR)4(EtOH)], R = CH3 or Ph, with the N,N'-donor bridging ligands pyrazine (pyz) or 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO). Reaction of [Ni2(tba)4(EtOH)], (tba = thiobenzoate) with the mono-N donor ligand quinuclidine (quin) gave the discrete Ni2-lantern complex [Ni2(tba)4(quin)] (5), whereas reaction with pyridine led to fragmentation of the lantern and formation of the known [Ni(tba)2(py)2] (6). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals 2-4 to be 1D chain complexes comprising DABCO or pyz ligands which bridge the Ni2-lantern units. Complex 5 forms dimers through two equivalent NiS interactions. The Ni-Ni distances within the Ni2-lanterns are 2.5316(18)-2.595(2) A for the 1D chain complexes 2-4, and 2.5746(4) A in the dimeric complex 5, respectively. Comparing the solid state magnetism of 5 to precursor [Ni2(tba)4(EtOH)] demonstrates a change in coupling upon change of capping ligand. Meanwhile, chains 1-4 exhibit magnetic properties consistent with an S = 1 system, due to a mixed valent system where the two Ni centers differ in spin state, while 5 possesses two S = 1 Ni(ii) centers. DFT calculations confirm low-spin S = 0 {NiS4} and high-spin S = 1 {NiO4} centers in each lantern. Fits to the magnetic susceptibility data of the chains suggest a weak antiferromagnetic mean field interaction is present that is largely 1-D in nature, though neither pyrazine nor DABCO promote significant magnetic interaction between neighboring Ni2-lanterns.
Application of DRIFTS, 13C NMR, and py-MBMS to Characterize the Effects of Soil Science Oxidation Assays on Soil Organic Matter Composition in a Mollic Xerofluvent.

Chemical oxidations are routinely employed in soil science to study soil organic matter (SOM), and their interpretation could be improved by characterizing oxidation effects on SOM composition with spectroscopy. We investigated the effects of routinely employed oxidants on SOM composition in a Mollic Xerofluvent representative of intensively managed agricultural soils in the California Central Valley. Soil samples were subjected to oxidation by potassium permanganate (KMnO4), sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Additionally, non-oxidized and oxidized soils were treated with hydrofluoric acid (HF) to evaluate reduction of the mineral component to improve spectroscopy of oxidation effects. Oxidized non-HF and HF-treated soils were characterized by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), 13C cross polarization magic angle spinning (CP-MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and pyrolysis molecular beam mass spectrometry (py-MBMS), and for particle size distribution (PSD) using laser diffractometry (LD). Across the range of soil organic carbon (OC) removed by oxidations (14-72%), aliphatic C-H stretch at 3000-2800 cm-1 (DRIFTS) decreased with OC removal, and this trend was enhanced by HF treatment due to significant demineralization in this soil (70%). Analysis by NMR spectroscopy was feasible only after HF treatment, and did not reveal trends between OC removal and C functional groups. Pyrolysis-MBMS did not detect differences among oxidations, even after HF treatment of soils. Hydrofluoric acid entailed OC loss (13-39%), and for H2O2 oxidized soils increased C:N and substantially decreased mean particle size. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using HF to improve characterizations of SOM composition following oxidations as practiced in soil science, in particular for DRIFTS. Since OC removal by oxidants, mineral removal by HF, and the interaction of oxidants and HF observed for this soil may differ for soils with different mineralogies, future work should examine additional soil and land use types to optimize characterizations of oxidation effects on SOM composition.
A collective UTD ray analysis for the radiation from conformal linear phased array antennas on large cylindrical surfaces

A collective Uniform Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (UTD) solution is developed for describing, in a simple fashion, the radiation from a periodic, finite but long, linear array of elemental antennas mounted conformally on a larger canonical circular cylinder geometry which is assumed to be a perfect electric conductor (PEC). This work is relevant to the prediction of the performance of large and conformal electronically scanned phased arrays in modern applications. The array elements can be placed along either the axial or the circumferential directions, respectively, on this canonical cylindrical platform. The elements are excited with constant magnitude and linear phase delay along the elements for scanning a beam within a conical region about the linear array distribution. The collective UTD radiation field of the entire array in the presence of the cylinder, when observed at any point which is not too close to the array, is vividly described here in terms of just three propagating rays; one such ray arrives to an external observation point from an appropriate point within the array interior, while the remaining arrive from each of the two ends of the linear array, respectively. The latter “collective” UTD ray description is in stark contrast to the conventional, inefficient, array “element by element” UTD field summation approach which lacks physical insight into the array radiation mechanisms. The future extensions of this work to treat quasi periodic arrays with realistic antenna elements having typical tapered array excitations, and also more general convex surfaces, will be briefly discussed in this paper.
Pulmonary vein gas analysis for assessing donor lung function: Invited commentary

Background. Radial artery oxygenation (PaO 2 ) is the standard method for assessing potential lung donors. This study was proposed to assess the use of pulmonary vein gases (PvO 2 ) in selection of donor lung for transplantation. Methods. We studied 170 lungs from 85 consecutive donors. Lungs were classified into group A, PaO 2 and PvO 2 > 300 mm Hg; group B, PaO 2 300 mm Hg; and group C, PvO 2 < 300 mm Hg. Results. Lungs retrieved from group A and group B were used for transplantation. Allograft function, assessed by the arterial and alveolar oxygen tension ratio, was similar at 12 hours and at 24 hours after operation (0.69, 0.73, vs 0.70, 0.71, for groups A and B, respectively (p = 0.8, 0.7, respectively). Similar radiologic appearance was seen in both groups (p = 0.2). Median duration of intubation was also similar (p = 0.6). The 30-day mortality rate was 12% versus 11.3% (p = 0.8), and 1-year survival rate was 80% versus 82% (p = 0.8) for recipient received lungs from group A and B donors, respectively. Conclusions. Selective pulmonary veins analysis gives an accurate assessment of individual gas exchange in comparison with arterial PaO 2 , identifying more potential donor lungs for transplantation.
Fabrication and Testing of a Modular Micro-Pocket Fission Detector Instrumentation System for Test Nuclear Reactors

Advancements in nuclear reactor core modeling and computational capability have encouraged further development of in-core neutron sensors. Measurement of the neutron-flux distribution within the reactor core provides a more complete understanding of the operating conditions in the reactor than typical ex-core sensors. Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors have been developed and tested previously but have been limited to single-node operation and have utilized highly specialized designs. The development of a widely deployable, multi-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector assembly will enhance nuclear research capabilities. A modular, four-node Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was designed, fabricated, and tested at Kansas State University. The array was constructed from materials that do not significantly perturb the neutron flux in the reactor core. All four sensor nodes were equally spaced axially in the array to span the fuel-region of the reactor core. The array was filled with neon gas, serving as an ionization medium in the small cavities of the Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors. The modular design of the instrument facilitates the testing and deployment of numerous sensor arrays. The unified design drastically improved device ruggedness and simplified construction from previous designs. Five 8-mm penetrations in the upper grid plate of the Kansas State University TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor were utilized to deploy the array between fuel elements in the core. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array was coupled to an electronic support system which has been specially developed to support pulse-mode operation. The Micro-Pocket Fission Detector array composed of four sensors was used to monitor local neutron flux at a constant reactor power of 100 kWth at different axial locations simultaneously. The array was positioned at five different radial locations within the core to emulate the deployment of multiple arrays and develop a 2-dimensional measurement of neutron flux in the reactor core.
Metaanálisis: Efectividad del tratamiento a largo y corto plazo con albendazol para la neurocisticercosis intraparenquimatosa

Objetivo: Determinar la efectividad del tratamiento con Albendazol de larga y corta duracion en adultos y ninos con neurocisticercosis parenquimatosa cistica o transicional, verificado por neuroimagen. Materiales y metodos: Un metaanalisis fue realizado analizando los ensayos clinicos de Medline y LILACS con un puntaje de Jadad > 2. Estudios adicionales no fueron identificados en Clinicaltrials.gov y Researchgate. La variable principal fue la persistencia de las lesiones radiologicas y la secundaria los efectos adversos. El RR acumulado y un intervalo de confianza del 95 % fueron calculados para las dos variables usando el modelo de efectos fijos de Mantel-Haenszel. El analisis fue realizado en el programa Stata 11. La heterogeneidad fue evaluada con el prueba chi cuadrado, una p < 0,10 fue considerada estadisticamente significativa. El sesgo de publicacion fue evaluado por el analisis de sensibilidad y la prueba de Egger. Resultados: Cuatro estudios fueron incluidos. No hay diferencia entre la terapia de larga y corta duracion para la neurocisticercosis. El RR acumulado de la persistencia de lesiones radiologicas despues del tratamiento a corto plazo en comparacion al de largo plazo fue 1,05 (IC 95 % 0,72-1,54). La prueba de Mantel-Haenszel demostro un valor de p de 0,789. Ademas, ambos, el analisis de sensibilidad y la prueba de Egger apoyaron la ausencia de sesgo de publicacion. No hubo diferencia significativa respecto a los efectos adversos. Conclusiones: La evidencia sugiere que no hay diferencia entre el tratamiento de corto y largo plazo para las lesiones parenquimatosas transicionales unicas, por lo que el tratamiento de corto plazo puede ser usado efectivamente.
Amygdalohippocampal and amygdalocortical projections in the primate brain.

Several lines of evidence have supported the view that the amygdaloid complex plays a major role in the initiation and maintenance of temporal lobe or ‘psychomotor’ seizures. Chronic stereotaxic depth recordings in intractable epileptics, for example, have demonstrated striking correlations between amygdaloid epileptic discharges and the behavioral changes associated with seizures (Wieser, 1983). Electrical stimulation of the amygdaloid complex can also elicit experiences, such as illusions of perception or memory and emotions, such as fear, which are common manifestations of temporal lobe epilepsy (Gloor et al., 1982). Recent experimental models of temporal lobe epilepsy, such as the kindling paradigm (Le Gal La Salle, 1982) and the use of excitatory neurotoxins (Tremblay and Ben-Ari, 1984) have provided additional evidence that the amygdaloid complex and the closely associated hippocampal formation are particularly vulnerable to seizure-producing conditions. In fact, the amygdala and hippocampus are among the most commonly damaged structures in epileptic encephalopathy (Ounsted et al., 1966; Corsellis and Bruton, 1983). Given this context,it would be of obvious importance to determine the extent and organization of the interconnectivity of these two structures as well as their connections with cortical regions which are likely to subserve the perceptual and cognitive functions that are disrupted during seizures. It is only in the last several years, however, that these connections have been systematically studied.
Angle-Resolved SIMS—A New Technique for the Determination of Surface Structure

One of the central problems in surface science is the experimental determination of surface structure. Recently we have theoretically predicted that the angular distributions of the particles that eject during ion bombardment are sensitive to the original site of the adsorbate [1]. Furthermore, we found that by analyzing only the higher energy particles (kinetic energy ≳ 10 eV) strong enhancement of the angular anisotropies occurs. Although the molecular dynamics calculations employed to predict this effect were for neutral ejected species, the ejected ions should exhibit similar angular distributions. For example, the polar deflection of a 20 eV particle due to the image force will be less than 2° [1]. Hence we feel that SIMS would be a viable technique with which to measure the angular distributions of ejected particles.
Nuclear characterization of a general-purpose instrumentation and materials testing location in TREAT

Abstract The Transient Reactor Test facility (TREAT) was constructed in the late 1950s, provided thousands of transient irradiations before being placed in standby in 1994, and resumed operations in 2017 in order to reclaim its crucial role in nuclear-heated safety research. The latter half of TREAT’s historic operation was best known for integral-scale testing of fuel specimens under postulated reactor plant accident conditions, while TREAT’s earlier history included extensive simpler phenomena identification tests that elucidated fundamental behaviors and paved the way for these integral-scale tests. Advances in modern computational capabilities and a resurgence of interest in novel reactor technology have created an opportunity for emphasizing modernized science-based and separate effects test capabilities once again at TREAT. An innovative approach to this type of testing has been developed to leverage minor radioactivity built-in during brief TREAT irradiations in low activation hardware to facilitate handling for materials and instrumentation testing. This capability, termed the Minimal Activation Retrievable Capsule Holder (MARCH) irradiation vehicle system, will be used for inaugural fueled experiments in TREAT’s modern era as well as novel approaches to study materials undergoing neutron irradiation and instrumentation development and qualifications. This paper describes a comprehensive nuclear characterization, obtained via computational modeling, for the Materials and Instrumentation Modular Irradiation Capability (MIMIC) module in the Broad Use Specimen Transient Experiment Rig (BUSTER) test position of the MARCH system. Though results are directly applicable to MIMIC and BUSTER, they also provide general quantification of the nuclear performance of the reactor and potential test materials, crucial for evaluating potential experiment design and response in TREAT. The neutron and photon flux environments were calculated via MCNP with ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear data. Wire heating rates and atomic displacement calculations were also performed; sample calculations using historic TREAT operational data were provided to demonstrate example conditions. These calculations were performed to provide steady-state baseline reference values typical in both half- and full-slotted TREAT core configurations, enabling design scoping analysis prior to development of more specific design testing needs and transient testing experimentation. Due to the limited availability of historic data to validate current calculations, validation experiments are planned once the BUSTER test vehicle has been constructed.
Preclinical development and first-in-human imaging of the integrin αvβ6 with [18F]αvβ6-Binding Peptide in metastatic carcinoma.

Purpose: The study was undertaken to develop and evaluate the potential of an integrin αvβ6-binding peptide (αvβ6-BP) for noninvasive imaging of a diverse range of malignancies with PET. Experimental Design: The peptide αvβ6-BP was prepared on solid phase and radiolabeled with 4-[18F]fluorobenzoic acid. In vitro testing included ELISA, serum stability, and cell binding studies using paired αvβ6-expressing and αvβ6-null cell lines. In vivo evaluation (PET/CT, biodistribution, and autoradiography) was performed in a mouse model bearing the same paired αvβ6-expressing and αvβ6-null cell xenografts. A first-in-human PET/CT imaging study was performed in patients with metastatic lung, colon, breast, or pancreatic cancer. Results: [18F]αvβ6-BP displayed excellent affinity and selectivity for the integrin αvβ6in vitro [IC50(αvβ6) = 1.2 nmol/L vs IC50(αvβ3) >10 μmol/L] in addition to rapid target-specific cell binding and internalization (72.5% ± 0.9% binding and 52.5% ± 1.8%, respectively). Favorable tumor affinity and selectivity were retained in the mouse model and excretion of unbound [18F]αvβ6-BP was rapid, primarily via the kidneys. In patients, [18F]αvβ6-BP was well tolerated without noticeable adverse side effects. PET images showed significant uptake of [18F]αvβ6-BP in both the primary lesion and metastases, including metastasis to brain, bone, liver, and lung. Conclusions: The clinical impact of [18F]αvβ6-BP PET imaging demonstrated in this first-in-human study is immediate for a broad spectrum of malignancies.
Bengali Intellectuals Oral History Project (BIOHP) List of Interviewees

West Bengal, India1.Amiya Bagchi (b. 1936)Economist2.Pranab Bardhan (b. 1939)Economist3.Andre Beteille (b. 1934)Sociologist4.Gautam Bhadra (b. 1948)Historian5.Krishna Bose (b. 1930)Politician6.Dipe...
Occupational Lung Disease

Occupational exposures are a major cause of lung disease and disability worldwide. This article reviews the broad range of types of occupational lung diseases, including airways disease, pneumoconioses, and cancer. Common causes of occupational lung disease are reviewed with specific examples and clinical features. Emphasis on the importance of a detailed history to make an accurate diagnosis of an occupational lung disease is discussed.
Comment on "An ultrathin and broadband metamaterial absorber using multi-layer structures" [J. Appl. Phys. 114, 064109 (2013)]

In a recent publication by Xiong et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 114, 064109 (2013)], a linear cross-polarizer is erroneously interpreted as a broadband absorber with a claimed absorptivity above 90% over a frequency range of 8.3721 GHz. In this article, the authors have presented an investigative study demonstrating that the structure proposed by Xiong et al. is actually an efficient cross-polarizer rather than a perfect absorber. If we consider both co- and cross-polarized components of the reflected electromagnetic wave, the subject absorber provides less than 20% absorption in the claimed band. In addition, the polarization conversion ratio of the structure is above 85% within the operating band, this makes the subject metasurface a potential candidate for applications where high-efficiency cross-polarization is desired.
Large {delta}I =(3/2) Contribution to {epsilon}{sup '}/{epsilon} in Supersymmetry

We show that in supersymmetric extensions of the standard model gluino box diagrams can yield a large CP -violating {delta}I=(3/ 2) contribution to s{yields}dq(bar sign)q flavor-changing neutral current processes, which feeds into the I=2 isospin amplitude in K{yields}{pi}{pi} decays. This contribution requires only moderate mass splitting between the right-handed squarks u(tilde sign){sub R} and d(tilde sign){sub R} , and persists for squark masses of order 1 TeV. Taking into account current bounds from K-K(bar sign) mixing, the resulting contribution to {epsilon}{sup '}/{epsilon} could naturally be an order of magnitude larger than the measured value. (c) 1999 The American Physical Society.
Closed testing of each group versus the others combined in a multiple group analysis.

Background:Many studies, such as a study of comparative effectiveness, entail a comparison of the beneficial and adverse effects of multiple K> 2 competing therapies. Often, the analysis consists o...
Analysis of stochastic fluctuations in responsiveness is a critical step toward personalized anesthesia.

Every year, millions of patients undergo general anesthesia for complex or life-saving surgeries. In the vast majority of cases, the drugs work as intended. But a minority of patients take longer than expected to regain consciousness after anesthetic, and a few wake up during the surgery itself. It is unclear what causes these unintended events. When choosing an anesthetic dose for each patient, physicians rely on data from large clinical studies. These studies expose many patients to different doses of an anesthetic drug. At higher doses, fewer and fewer patients remain conscious. This enables physicians to identify the dose at which an average person will lose consciousness. But this approach ignores the difference between the response of an individual and that of the population as a whole. At the population level, the likelihood of a patient being awake decreases smoothly as the concentration of anesthetic increases. But within that population, each individual patient can only ever show a binary response: awake or not awake. To compare anesthetic effects on individuals versus populations, McKinstry-Wu, Wasilczuk et al. exposed mice to a commonly used anesthetic called isoflurane. During prolonged exposure to a constant dose of the drug, each mouse was sometimes unconscious and sometimes awake. These fluctuations in responsiveness seemed to occur at random. Exposing zebrafish to propofol, an anesthetic that works via a different mechanism, had a similar effect. Notably, the responses of both species to anesthesia showed a phenomenon known as inertia. If an individual was unresponsive at one point in time, they were likely to still be unresponsive when assessed again after three minutes. The amount of inertia was similar in mice and zebrafish. This suggests that the mechanism responsible for inertia has remained unchanged over more than 400 million years of evolution. The results reveal similarities between how individuals respond to anesthetics and how individual anesthetic molecules act on cells. When a molecule binds to its receptor protein on a cell, the receptor fluctuates spontaneously between active and inactive states. Studying how individuals respond to drugs could thus provide clues to how the drugs themselves work. Future studies should explore the biological basis of fluctuations in anesthetic responses. Understanding how these arise will help us tailor anesthetics to individual patients.
POST OPERATIVE INHALED NITRIC OXIDE USE AND EARLY OUTCOMES AFTER FONTAN SURGERY COMPLETION

Prolonged length of hospital stay (PLOS) is associated with higher mortality and complications after cardiac surgery. One of the risk factors of PLOS after Fontan is high mean pulmonary artery pressure. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a potent pulmonary vasodilator frequently used in the perioperative
Alcohol oxidation as alternative anode reactions paired with (photo)electrochemical fuel production reactions.

(Photo)electrochemical cells that produce fuels have often relied on water oxidation to complete the redox cycle. Here, the authors discuss alcohol oxidation as an alternative reaction and consider general mechanistic features of oxidation electrocatalysts.
Autonomous quantum absorption refrigerators

We propose a quantum absorption refrigerator using the quantum physics of resonant tunneling through quantum dots. The cold and hot reservoirs are fermionic leads, tunnel coupled via quantum dots to a central fermionic cavity, and we propose configurations in which the heat absorbed from the (very hot) central cavity is used as a resource to selectively transfer heat from the cold reservoir on the left to the hot reservoir on the right. Heat transport in the device is particle-hole symmetric; we find two regimes of cooling as a function of the dot energies---symmetric with respect to the Fermi energy of the reservoirs---and we associate them with heat transfer by electrons above the Fermi level and holes below the Fermi level. We also discuss optimizing the cooling effect by fine-tuning the energy of the dots as well as their linewidth and characterize regimes where the transport is thermodynamically reversible such that the Carnot coefficient of performance is achieved with zero cooling power delivered.
Evaluation of Continuous Walking Speed Determination Algorithms and Embedded Sensors for a Powered Knee & Ankle Prosthesis

Dynamically altering the parameters for assistance in a lower limb prosthesis is a challenge that depends directly on the ability to estimate gait parameters. Machine learning algorithms present an opportunity to develop methods for continuously determining walking speed in different conditions. Current state-of-the-art solutions involve using wearable sensors such as IMUs to estimate these parameters. These methods require an entire gait cycle to update the walking speed; this leads to delays when responding to changing speeds and ultimately renders these methods ineffective for adaptation into real-time prosthesis control. In this study, we developed subject dependent and independent machine learning models for rapidly determining walking speed and evaluated on data collected from 6 individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation walking on our robotic knee/ankle prosthesis. We evaluated the performance of these models across a variety of static walking speeds and dynamic speed trials. Our findings suggest that using machine learning models offers excellent accuracy for both subject dependent and subject independent algorithms (DEP RMSE: 0.014 $\pm$ 0.001 m/s, IND RMSE: 0.070 $\pm$ 0.007 m/s, (p < 0.05), with the advantage of real-time continuous determination at 50 Hz, which allows for good performance when rapidly changing walking speed. We also determine the most effective sensors to use for improving model performance. Our study provides valuable information for determining walking speed more reliably across different users and is robust to dynamic changes experienced in gait.
Insights Gained From the Study of Homogeneous Rabbit Antibodies

The immune system is characterized by a remarkable diversity of antibody specificities. The massive body of experimental data accumulated by Landsteiner (34) attests to the fact that nearly any complex organic molecule may act as an antigenic determinant and that antibodies may readily differentiate among structures which differ only slightly. Thp capacity to recognize a unique molecule within a complex mixture has been exploited extensively in recent years in the development of specific and, sensitive radioimmunoassays (59).
Self-Esteem and Future Orientation Predict Adolescents' Risk Engagement.

This study’s purpose was to examine the relations among future orientation, self-esteem, and later adolescent risk behaviors, and to compare two mediational models involving self-esteem versus future orientation as mediators. An ethnically diverse sample of 12- to 14-year-olds (N = 862, 54% female, 53% ethnic minority) was assessed longitudinally. Correlations supported the hypotheses that future orientation and self-esteem are (a) positively correlated with each other (r > .40) and (b) negatively related to various risky behaviors that were composited into a measure of risk orientation. Controlling for social desirability, self-esteem partially mediated the relation between future orientation and later risk orientation, and future orientation partially mediated the relation between self-esteem and risk orientation. The results shed light on how the concept of possible selves might factor into adolescents’ risk avoidance. In particular, both future orientation and healthy self-esteem may serve as protecti...
Acute upper gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease: clinical significance and response to immunosuppressive therapy

Recognized manifestations of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract include secretory diarrhea, abdominal pain, and, at times, hemorrhage. In a review of 469 patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from matched sibling donors at our institution, we have recognized a syndrome of upper GI GVHD. This syndrome, presenting clinically as anorexia, dyspepsia, food intolerance, nausea, and vomiting, was recognized and confirmed histologically in 62 patients (13% by Kaplan-Meier projection) at the initiation of systemic GVHD therapy, a subset of the 197 patients developing grade II through IV GVHD. These 62 patients with upper GI GVHD were significantly older than the overall BMT population and older than the cohort with grade II through IV GVHD, as well. Of the 62 patients, 25 had upper GI GVHD accompanied only by limited (stage 1 and 2) skin GVHD; 13 others with upper GI GVHD plus limited skin involvement at initial presentation later progressed to more extensive multiorgan involvement; 24 others presented with upper GI along with other organ GVHD. This upper GI GVHD syndrome, first recognized at our center in 1983, has been diagnosed with increasing frequency (22% +/- 5%) in the most recent 5-year interval. The upper GI GVHD syndrome is more responsive to immunosuppressive therapy than grade II GVHD defined by Seattle criteria, with complete and continuing responses to treatment observed in 71% +/- 17% (95% confidence interval) of those with the upper GI GVHD syndrome compared with only 37% +/- 10% complete responses in other patients with grade II GVHD (P = .002). Patients failing immunosuppressive therapy for upper GI GVHD often progress to symptomatic lower GI involvement, suggesting that this syndrome may be an earlier and perhaps more treatable manifestation of this unique intestinal immunopathology, which is followed by chronic GVHD in 74% of patients. While upper GI GVHD symptoms are nonspecific and require invasive histologic and microbiologic studies to confirm the diagnosis, we believe this syndrome has been underreported after allogeneic BMT and propose its recognition within the clinical GVHD scoring system.
Kinematics and Kinetics of Youth Baseball Catchers and Pitchers

The purpose of this study was to compare the throwing kinematics and kinetics of youth catchers and pitchers. It was hypothesized that catchers and pitchers would exhibit differences throughout the throwing motion. Descriptive statistics were used to investigate kinematics during the four events of throwing: foot contact (FC), maximum shoulder external rotation (MER), ball release (BR) and maximum shoulder internal rotation (MIR). Additionally, kinetics were investigated within phases of the events: Phase 1 (cocking; FC to MER), Phase 2 (acceleration; MER to BR) and Phase 3 (deceleration; BR to MIR). Results revealed significant difference in torso flexion, lateral flexion, pelvis lateral flexion and segment velocities between the catchers and pitchers. Based on data from the current study, it appears that the youth catchers execute their throw as they have been instructed. It is unclear if the throwing mechanics displayed by these youth are efficient for a catcher, thus further investigation is needed to determine long-term injury susceptibility.
An extension of McKelvey's one-flux method to energy space

McKelvey et al. (1961) introduced the one-flux method, based on left-going and right-going fluxes of particles, as an alternative to the drift-diffusion method in describing semiconductor devices. To study the limitations of the one-flux method, I propose an extension of the method to account for the energy of the particles. This extension, based on Bringuier's Fokker-Planck approach to the Boltzmann equation, reduces the Boltzmann equation from momentum space to energy space.
Improved genetic transformation methods for the model alkaliphile Bacillus halodurans C-125

Aims: Bacillus halodurans C-125 is a Gram-positive bacterium that was the first alkaliphilic species to have its genome completely sequenced. Despite its many years as a model for alkaliphily and source of industrially important enzymes, genetic manipulation of B. halodurans C-125 remains difficult, and therefore, we sought to develop a robust method to allow routine transformation of this organism. Methods and Results: A plasmid artificial modification system (PAM system, Yasui et al. 2008) for B. halodurans C-125 was created that increases transformation efficiency by 10- to 1000-fold. Also, recovering transformed protoplasts on succinate nutrient agar (SNA) yields faster, more robust colony recovery than on the traditional recovery medium. Combining these two techniques often allows recovery of transformants in as little as 48 h. Conclusions: Use of the B. halodurans C-125 PAM system and SNA greatly improves the efficiency and speed of protoplast transformation of B. halodurans C-125. Significance and Impact of the Study: These techniques allow routine genetic manipulation of B. halodurans C-125, a model alkaliphilic bacterium with important industrial properties.
Structure and function of cardiac sodium and potassium channels

The application of patch-clamp and molecular approaches has resulted in an increasingly refined understanding of the molecular entities underlying cardiac sodium and potassium currents. The sodium current results from expression of a single large alpha-subunit, whereas multiple potassium currents and potassium channel alpha-subunits have been identified. Recapitulation of some ion currents in heterologous expression systems requires not only expression of alpha-subunits but also ancillary (beta) subunits. Domains common to functions such as activation, inactivation, and drug block are now being identified in alpha- and beta-gene products. Variability in the expression or function of individual ion-channel genes is an increasingly recognized source of variability in the ion currents recorded in heart cells under physiological conditions (e.g. during development) as well as in disease.
Mutation of Kvβ2 active site attenuates cardiac injury: role of repolarization reserve (864.2)

Cardiac Kvβ2 subunit alters gating and expression of potassium channels. However, the physiological significance remains unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the role of Kvβ2 in cardiac injury. We used 14 week male wild type (Wt) or mutant Kvβ2:PM (active site mutant; Y90F) mice, infused with saline or isoproterenol (Iso, 30mg/kg; bw/day) for 14 days. Iso treatment resulted in cardiac hypertrophy in both mice as noted by histomorphological analysis. Echocardiographic assessment revealed significant decrease (p <0.05) in EF% and FS% upon Iso stress in both Wt (71.1±1.7 vs. 55.9±1.7; 40±1.4 vs. 29.0±1.2) and PM (66.3±2.7 vs. 57 ± 2.8; 36.2 ± 2.0 vs. 30.0 ± 1.9), mice. Ex vivo recording of action potential durations (APD) showed repolarization depletion in Wt saline vs. Iso infused mouse hearts at APD60 (11.9±0.7 vs. 31.6±1.1) and APD80, 43.1 ± 1.9 vs. 51.9 ± 1.9), respectively. However, in PM mice Iso did not induce APD prolongation (APD60, 19.7±1.1 vs. 24.2±1.8 or APD80, 49.8±1.8 vs. 49.3±2.0) suggesting prote...
Scintigraphic detection of metastatic melanoma using indium 111/DTPA conjugated anti-gp240 antibody (ZME-018).

We evaluated the toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and localization of a monoclonal IgG2 alpha murine anti-human melanoma (gp240) antibody (ZME-018) that recognizes a tumor-associated cell surface glycoprotein of 240,000 molecular weight present in most melanomas. The antibody was conjugated with DTPA (diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid) and labeled by chelation of 111In. One mg of antibody labeled with 5 mCi of 111In was infused, together with 0 to 40 mg of "cold" carrier ZME-018. The blood clearance, urinary excretion, and in vivo localization were determined in 26 patients. Scintigraphic images were obtained at 24 hours and 72 hours in all patients. Mild toxicity occurred in one patient. The half-time clearance of labeled monoclonal murine antibody (MoAb) from the blood increased from 16.1 hours at an antibody dose of 1 mg to 35.9 hours at 40 mg. Males showed faster clearance from the blood than did females or a single castrated male, perhaps due to selective concentration of antibody in the testes. Nonspec...
Parasite diversity declines with host evolutionary distinctiveness: A global analysis of carnivores

Evolutionarily distinctive host lineages might harbor fewer parasite species because they have fewer opportunities for parasite sharing than hosts having extant close relatives, or because diverse parasite assemblages promote host diversification. We evaluate these hypotheses using data from 930 species of parasites reported to infect free-living carnivores. We applied nonparametric richness estimators to estimate parasite diversity among well-sampled carnivore species and assessed how well host evolutionary distinctiveness, relative to other biological and environmental factors, explained variation in estimated parasite diversity. Species richness estimates indicate that the current published literature captures less than 50% of the true parasite diversity for most carnivores. Parasite species richness declined with evolutionary distinctiveness of carnivore hosts (i.e., length of terminal ranches of the phylogeny) and increased with host species body mass and geographic range area. We found no support for the hypothesis that hosts from more diverse lineages support a higher number of generalist parasites, but we did find evidence that parasite assemblages might have driven host lineage diversification through mechanisms linked to sexual selection. Collectively, this work provides strong support for host evolutionary history being an essential predictor of parasite diversity, and offers a simple model for predicting parasite diversity in understudied carnivore species.
Numerical Simulation of TOBI Flow: Analysis of the Cavity Between a Seal-Plate and HPT Disc With Pumping Vanes

HP turbine cooling systems utilize a TOBI (tangential on-board injector) nozzle and seal-plate to deliver cooling air to the airfoils with minimal loss in pressure and a benefit in relative total temperature. It was necessary to have a low TOBI exit pressure to control excess leakage across adjacent labyrinth seals with a trade-off of maintaining adequate pressure to supply blade cooling. Consequently, pumping vanes were needed on the seal-plate to restore pressure, which adds parasitic work to the turbine and a corresponding loss of engine efficiency. Engine testing revealed recirculation zones attached to the radial pumping vanes. Subsequent numerical simulation corroborated the recirculation and resulting circumferential asymmetry in flow distribution to the cooled airfoils. As a consequence, excess cooling air is supplied to the HP rotor with some airfoils receiving the minimum amount of cooling air. This study seeks to improve the flow distribution and pumping effectiveness by means of contouring the pumping vanes, increasing pumping vane solidity and/or controlling diffusion by re-contouring the seal-plate surface. Design features that increase total through flow when overall pressure ratio is fixed are also explored.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Some correlations of communication roles in organizations.

This paper is part of a large-scale research program concerned with organizational communication. The purpose here is to examine a set of variables possibly associated with the communication roles ...
Ventilation-perfusion relationships in preterm infants after surfactant treatment

Arterial-alveolar partial pressure differences for oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen were measured before and after surfactant replacement therapy on 15 occasions in 14 ventilator-dependent preterm infants with hyaline membrane disease (HMD). Eight treatments resulted in a significant improvement in arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) 2 hr after treatment; 7 did not. Neither group showed any significant change in arterial-alveolar partial pressure differences for oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. This observation suggests that if surfactant replacement therapy produces an improvement in PaO2 it does so by recruitment of atelectatic alveoli with a balanced ventilation/perfusion ratio rather than by redistribution of ventilation within already ventilated alveoli.
Relative crater production rates on planets

The relative numbers of impacts on different planets, estimated from the dynamical histories of planetesimals in specified orbits (Wetherill, 1975), are converted by a described procedure to crater production rates. Conversions are dependent on impact velocity and surface gravity. Crater retention ages can then be derived from the ratio of the crater density to the crater production rate. The data indicate that the terrestrial planets have crater production rates within a factor ten of each other. As an example, for the case of Mars, least-squares fits to crater-count data suggest an average age of 0.3 to 3 billion years for two types of channels. The age of Olympus Mons is discussed, and the effect of Tharsis volcanism on channel formation is considered.
Analytical evaluation of the Fourier components of wavelength-modulated Gaussian functions

Modulation techniques are often used in experiments where noise levels are significant, enabling weak signals to be detected. Gaussian lineshapes can be present in situations such as with tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy of low-pressure gases, requiring the evaluation of the Fourier components of Gaussian lineshapes. These Fourier components have been evaluated only numerically in the past. In the present research, we derive exact analytical expressions for the Fourier components of a modulated Gaussian signal. We also evaluate the dimensionless modulation amplitudes that maximize the even and odd harmonics.
VioCluster: Virtualization for Dynamic Computational Domains

A large organization, such as a university, commonly supplies computational power through multiple independently administered computational domains (e.g. clusters). Each computational domain faces the conflict between dynamic workload and static capacity. This is clearly inefficient at times when some clusters have idle nodes while others experience excessive workload. An opportunity arises to resolve this conflict by dynamically adapting the capacity of clusters by borrowing idle machines of peer domains. In this paper, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of VioCluster, a virtualization based computational resource sharing platform. Through machine and network virtualization, VioCluster enables virtual computational domains that safely "trade" machines between them without infringing on the autonomy of either domain. Our performance evaluation results show that dynamic machine trading between virtual domains increases their resource utilization and decreases their job wait times
Visual Accommodation in Human Infants

By the technique of dynamic retinoscopy, we found that the alert newborn infant can focus his eye on targets only at a particular distance (median, 19 centimeters). Images of targets nearer or farther away are proportionately blurred. However, during the first few postnatal months the range of flexible accommodation increases and approximates adult performance by the 4th month.
Tradition in fragments : Inherited forms and fractures in the ethics of south India

“Tradition” is a vital concept for anthropology, framing cultural and ethical life in the present as a field of inherited possibilities. The work of Alasdair MacIntyre yields useful means for understanding the concept, but certain of his postulates concerning the necessary coherence of moral traditions may be queried and loosened. I explicate this argument with evidence drawn from a fragmentary tradition of moral virtue in south India, one that persists through scattered forms of moral argumentation, rival narratives and images of a moral selfhood, and diverse domains of ethical practice through which such arguments and narratives find articulation. [tradition, ethics, selfhood, fragment, narrative, practice, India]
Interferon Regulatory Factor-1 and -2 Expression in Human Melanoma Specimens

Background: Interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-1 and IRF-2 are nuclear transcription factors that respond to interferon-γ. IRF-1 acts as the effector arm of the interferon-γresponse in tumor cells, whereas IRF-2 binds to the same DNA consensus sequence and opposes IRF-1 activity. This effect is intact in human and murine tumor models, including melanomas; previous work in our laboratory demonstrated the tumor-suppressing activity of IRF-1 expression in in vivo models and the opposing effect of IRF-2. The expression of IRF-1 and -2 in human solid tumors had not been previously investigated. Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, archival tissue specimens from 38 human melanomas were obtained and stained with polyclonal anti-IRF-1 and anti-IRF-2 antibodies, using an avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique with epitope retrieval. Results: Twenty-nine specimens showed granular cytoplasmic staining with the anti-IRF-1 or anti-IRF-2 antibodies. IRF-1 staining was correlated with less advanced disease. Superficial spreading and in situ lesions exhibited more frequent IRF-1 staining, compared with nodular or metastatic disease. Only more advanced lesions showed neither IRF-1 nor IRF-2 staining. Conclusions: Immunohistochemical staining of archival tissue identified IRF-1 and -2 in human melanomas; this had not been previously demonstrated. IRF-1 staining was correlated with the morphologic characteristics of less advanced disease. Tumor-suppressing effects of IRF-1 may account for the less aggressive biologic features of IRF-1-expressing melanomas, as we would predict from the experimental data.