cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Controlled oxygen incorporation in indium gallium arsenide and indium phosphide grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

The defect engineering in metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy InxGa1-xAs and InP by controlled oxygen doping using diethyl aluminum ethoxide (DEALO) was developed in this study. DEALO doping has led to the incorporation of Al and O, and the compensation of shallow Si donors in InxGa1−xAs: Si with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25. With the same DEALO mole fraction during growth, the incorporation of Al and O was found to be independent of x, but the compensation of Si donors decreases with increasing In content. Deep level transient spectroscopy analysis on a series of InxGa1-xAs: Si. samples with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.18 revealed that oxygen incorporation led to a set of deep levels, similar to those found in DEALO doped GaAs. As the In composition was increased, one or more of these deep levels became resonant with the conduction band and led to a high electron concentration in oxygen doped In0.53Ga0.47As. Low temperature photoluminescence emission measurements at 12K on the same set of samples revealed the quenching of the near-band edge peak, and the appearance of new oxygen-induced emission features. DEALO doping in InP has also led to the incorporation of Al and O, and the compensation of Si donors due to oxygen-induced multiple deep levels.
Kinetics of transfer of α-tocopherol between model and native plasma lipoproteins

The rate of spontaneous transfer of alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol and beta-carotene between model and native lipoproteins was measured to determine the mechanism and kinetics of equilibration of these lipids in plasma. Cholesterol and alpha-tocopherol transfer from apolipoprotein A-I/1-palmityl-2- oleoylphosphatidylcholine ( POPC ) recombinants to bovine brain ganglioside/ POPC single bilage vesicles with half-times of approximately 20 min and 70 min, respectively. Under identical conditions, there is no significant transfer of beta-carotene even after an 18-h incubation period. alpha-Tocopherol transfers from apolipoprotein A-II/dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine recombinants with a half-time of 40 min and an activation energy of 17.2 kcal/mol. Incubation of high-density lipoproteins containing alpha-[3H]tocopherol with low-density lipoproteins or very-low-density lipoproteins results in the equilibration of the labelled lipid between the lipoprotein classes in 1 h. A comparison of the rates of transfer indicates that alpha-tocopherol equilibrates 2-3-times more slowly than cholesterol but on a time scale much shorter than the lifetime of lipoproteins in the circulation. Thus, the distribution of alpha-tocopherol is not kinetically controlled but determined thermodynamically by the partitioning between the total amount of lipid in each compartment. The spontaneous transfer of beta-carotene is too slow for this equilibration to occur.
Neutrophils from renal cell carcinoma patients show increased expression of immunosuppressive and angiogenic gene profile

Myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are detected at elevated levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients and have been shown to mediate tumor growth by promoting angiogenesis and immune suppression (Zea et al., 2005, Ko et al., 2009). Granulocytic-MDSCs (G-MDSCs), the dominant population in RCC patients, have been shown to suppress T-cell function in RCC patients (Rodriguez et al., 2009; Schmeilau and Finn, 2001; Zea et al., 2005). However, less is known regarding the role of neutrophils in promoting tumor growth in RCC patients and their relationship to G-MDSC. In this study we compared the suppressive and angiogenic profile of neutrophils from RCC patients to those of normal donors and the impact that RCC conditioned media has in altering neutrophils normal function. We showed that IFNγ production of T-cells stimulated with anti-CD3/antiCD28 antibodies (n=4) was suppressed by neutrophils pretreated with SK-RC-26b tumor supernatant (TCM) when compared to neutrophils not exposed to TCM. Further experiments showed that neutrophils from RCC patients had increased expression compared to normal healthy donor neutrophils of genes Vegfa (15.28 fold increase), Vegfb (10.84 fold increase), Tgfb1 (3.31 fold increase), IL10 (23.45 fold increase), IDO1 (4.60 fold increase), Nox1 (9.33 fold increase), and Prokr2 (4.14 fold increase) utilizing custom pro-angiogenic and immunosuppressive RT-PCR arrays (n=4). Furthermore, human angiogenesis Proteome Profile Arrays (n=2) were performed comparing RCC patient and normal healthy donor neutrophils and exhibited an increased level of Activin A (94.5% increase), Angiogenin (70% increase), Angiostatin/ plasminogen (56% increase), IGFBP-1 (188% increase), IGFBP-2 (263% increase),TGF-B1 (157.5% increase), Pentraxin 3 (140% increase), PD-ECGF (184.5% increase), Serpin E1 (196% increase), and Serpin F1 (114.5% increase) in RCC patient neutrophils. Normal neutrophils cultured with ACHN tumor supernatant for 18 hours (n=2) had up-regulation of proteins CXCL16 (111% increase), FDF-7 (82% increase), Serpin E1 (470.5% increase), and uPA (198.5% increase) when compared to normal healthy donor’s neutrophils cultured 18 hours in media. In summary, we observed up-regulation of several pro-angiogenic/ immunosuppressive genes in RCC patient neutrophils, suggesting RCC patient neutrophils may promote tumor escape. In addition, the normal healthy donor neutrophils cultured with ACHN tumor supernatant produces several angiogenic proteins suggesting the tumor microenvironment could be providing factors to mediate these angiogenic functions in RCC patient’s neutrophils.
Language and literacy development in bilingual settings

Language and literacy development in bilingual settings, edited by Aydin Yucesan Durgunoglu and Claude Goldenberg, New York, Guilford Press, 2011, xix + 363 pp., US$60.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-1-606...
Access to European Online Databases

Describes access to European online databases and their capabilities. Databases covered include FRANCIS, a French database covering the humanities, the European Communities Databases, and the German national bibliography as an example of the humanities and social science databases offered by STN. The authors conclude that these databases have potentials for providing new information possibilities to students in European studies but that their utilization presents implementation problems that are unlike those found in other online databases.
Neoliberal schooling and subjectivity: Learning to desire lack

This study maps out neoliberal processes of subjectification that are instantiated through discourses that depict non-privatized public schools and individuals as impoverished, deficient, disastrous and lacking. My study investigates neoliberal discourses of lack, disease and disaster as technologies of power, which facilitate privatized interventions into processes that shape subjectivity and neoliberal governmentality. My research examines the processes of subjectification that motivate individuals to learn a perpetual existence of lack; conditioning, namely, the homo aegrotus (the sick human) subject. To exemplify, I forefront education as a primary site in which these neoliberal discourses occur. I investigate the impact of education initiative Value-Added Education on educational processes of subjectification that administer individuals in such a way that they learn to desire a particular type of socio-economic optimization; one that is driven by a constant lack and lifelong desire to overcome poverty and disease.
Delivering NEC Through the Application of Information Fusion and Multi-Agent Systems

The contribution of the military communications network is a critical success factor in a Network Enabled Capability (NEC) centric world. These networks (or network of networks) will carry everything from positional update data from front-line units, to logistic requests, to point-to-point routed voice traffic, and everything in between. Success will depend on timely fusion of data and information that is not fusible on current systems, either because the data is carried on separate, incompatible, networks, or that the data is not available from current systems, to provide decision support at all levels of command throughout a mission. This paper explains how selected problems associated with current military radio communications networks could be addressed in future networks. We propose techniques using multi-agent systems (employing data and information fusion techniques) and illustrate benefits to the military customer within the context of deploying solutions providing NEC.
A Case of a Laryngeal MALT Lymphoma in a Patient with a History of Gastric MALT.

We are reporting a case of a 62-year-old African American woman with a history of gastric MALT lymphoma successfully treated with radiation who presented with a laryngeal MALT lymphoma 4 years after her original diagnosis. She received definitive radiation with a complete response. The case presented is unique for the rare presentation of a MALT lymphoma in the larynx, especially in light of the patient’s previously treated gastric MALT lymphoma years ago.
Dopamine-Based Copper-Free Click Kit for Efficient Surface Functionalization

Strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition reactions are combined with a dopamine functional species to generate a highly efficient method for surface modification. The resulting conjugate containing 4-dibenzocyclooctynol (DIBO) and dopamine results in a versatile surface labeling technology that can replicate patterns generated from photolithography and microcontact printing techniques.
Surface Raman scattering of an azo dye in acidic solutions

The Raman scattering of azo dye adsorbed on silver sols in acidic solution was investigated and its surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra and excitation behavior are reported. It was found that different tautomeric species of the azo dye show different SERS enhancements when excited with laser on- and off-resonance frequencies. These observations can be explained by a charge-transfer model rather than an electromagnetic model
Geologic Cycle of Mars: A Comparsion with the Earth and Moon

The geologic cycle of a planet depicts the effects of energy from various internal and external sources interacting on the planetary surface and subsurface and thus provides an important tool in comparative planetology. The geologic cycle allows one not only to list and categorize the geologic processes acting on planets but also to suggest inferences about their history and current stage of development. The Earth presently has a closed-loop geologic cycle in which source rocks are eroded and continuously recycled. In contrast, the Moon apparently has an open-loop geologic cycle in which the crystalline primitive crust is irreversibly destroyed. Preliminary interpretations of the geologic cycle of Mars suggest an intermediate stage of development between a “primitive,” static planet (the Moon) and a “mature,” active planet (the Earth). A preliminary “geologic cycle map” shows that Mars is almost equally divided between primitive cratered terrains and modified smooth terrains, suggesting that Mars may be part-way through an episode of crustal modification. Indeed, Mars apparently is entering a stage of Earth-like tectonic activity. If so, the study of the structural features of Mars offers an exciting opportunity to learn a great deal about the early tectonic development of the Earth.
Treatment with neuropeptides attenuates c-fos expression in a mouse model of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most common nongenetic cause of mental retardation and is characterized by neurodevelopmental anomalies. C-FOS is a cellular marker of transcriptional activity in the stress-signal pathway. Previously, we showed the treatment with NAP (NAPVSIPQ) + SAL (SALLRSIPA) reversed the learning deficit after prenatal alcohol exposure in FAS. Our objective was to evaluate if the mechanism of actions of NAP + SAL involves the stress-signal pathway differentiating C-FOS expression in mouse brains after prenatal alcohol exposure. C57Bl6/J mice were treated with alcohol (0.03 mL/g) or placebo on gestational day 8. On postnatal day 40, in utero alcohol-exposed males were treated via gavage with 40 μg D-NAP and 40 μg D-SAL ( N = 6) or placebo ( N = 4); controls were gavaged with placebo daily ( N = 12). After learning evaluation, hippocampus, cerebellum, and cortex were isolated. Calibrator-normalized relative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis were performed. Statistics included analysis of variance and post hoc Fisher analysis. Adult treatment with NAP + SAL restored the down-regulation of C-FOS in the hippocampus after prenatal alcohol exposure ( P < 0.05), but not in the cerebellum. There was no difference in C-FOS expression in the cortex. Adult treatment with NAP + SAL restored the down-regulation of C-FOS expression in hippocampus attenuating the alcohol-induced alteration of the stress-signal pathway.
Uncertainty and the inflation bias of monetary policy

Abstract The dynamic inconsistency model predicts that monetary policy will produce a positive inflation rate. The introduction of multiplicative uncertainty into the model suggests that this bias towards inflation will be lower the more uncertain the effects of monetary policy.
Spine segments in small world networks

Investigations of small world contact networks, defined as networks with a short characteristic path length and a substantial local clustering of contacts in the neighborhood of each node, have emphasized the process performance of such networks. The argument that large-scale, small world, contact networks are structures with startlingly efficient process performance is premised on the existence of shortcuts, without which the characteristic path lengths of the networks would be substantially larger. No doubt, given a high probability of transmission in each contact of a network, such shortcuts are a potential structural basis of reliable flows of information, influence, material and disease. However, interpersonal contacts are often markedly unreliable transmission conduits, and the average shortcut contact may be a more unreliable, episodic, transmission conduit than the average contact of cliques. With markedly unreliable contacts, fundamental helix substructures, that are parallel-transmission subsystems of the contact network, importantly enter into the analysis of network performance. These substructures of disjoint path redundancies are based on the local clustering of contacts in the neighborhoods of each node. Drawing on network reliability theory, this article presents an approach in which intersecting cliques of contact networks are a theoretically important construct in the specification of the transmission implications of observed contact networks. Clique intersections are a structural basis of path redundancies that enable reliable transmission among the nodes of contact networks consisting of contacts that may or may not be active conduits of transmissions during some period of time. The strong contacts that occur among clique members further enhance the contributions of these path redundancies.
Cell-mediated immunity to HIV in the female reproductive tract

The majority of HIV infections occur via sexual transmission across a mucosal barrier. In the case of male-to-female transmission, HIV-susceptible target cells are abundant in the ectocervix and vagina but are also present in the upper reproductive tract (endocervix and uterus). While the mechanisms of HIV transmission in the female reproductive tract are an active area of investigation, cell-mediated immune responses in reproductive tissues have not been thoroughly characterized. HIV-specific CD8+ T cells are present in reproductive tissues, to some extent mirroring populations present in the blood and gastrointestinal mucosa. Innate natural killer (NK) cells and regulatory T cells are also present in the genital tract. Furthermore, there is mounting evidence that the female reproductive tract may be uniquely susceptible to infection at specific times during the menstrual cycle, due to hormonal regulation of both innate and adaptive immune responses. This review provides an overview of recent findings on cell-mediated immunity to HIV in the female reproductive tract.
Oregon coastal salt marsh upper limits and tidal datums

Three coastal salt marshes were surveyed independently by two teams of biologists to determine the upper limit of marsh. Distribution of species and species assemblages were related to surveyed elevations for South Beach marsh, Yaquina River estuary; Drift Creek marsh, Alsea River estuary; and Bandon marsh, Coquille River estuary. A transition zone between marsh and upland was identified by strong dominance ofPotentilla pacifica and the presence ofAchillea millefolium, Angelica lucida, Aster subspicatus, Oenanthe sarmentosa, Trifolium wormskjoldii, andVicia gigantea. Mean elevation of the lower boundary of the transition zone was 1.38 m above National Geodetic Vertical Datum (N.G.V.D.) and the upper boundary of the transition zone was 1.54 m above N. G. V. D. Relation of the upper limit of marsh to tidal datums varied with marsh. Mean elevation of the upper and lower limit of the transition zone was 0.58 m above MHW and 0.36 m above MHW, respectively. The two teams of biologists using the same biological criteria for defining the upper limit of marsh, independently agreed on the elevational position of the upper limit of marsh. Additional research and testing of the definition of the upper limit of marsh is warranted.
Electric dipole moment of the electron and CP nonconservation in muon decay

A model of leptonic CP nonconservation is constructed. The electron may have a measurable electric dipole moment and a large triple-product correlation may be seen in exotic muon decays.
Lower limit on the half-life of the 113.8 level of 175Lu by the Mössbauer effect

Abstract The Mossbauer effect has been observed in the 113.8 keV transition in 175 Lu following Coulomb excitation with 3 MeV protons. A lower limit on the half-life was determined as 96±9 ps and the Debye temperature of Lu 2 O 3 was found to be 174±10° K.
Significance of an abnormal ankle-brachial index in patients with established coronary artery disease with and without associated diabetes mellitus.

An abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with higher risk for future cardiovascular (CV) events; however, it is unknown whether this association is true in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD) and associated diabetes mellitus (DM). We evaluated 679 patients with stable CAD enrolled in the Excellence in Peripheral Arterial Disease and Veterans Affairs North Texas Healthcare System peripheral arterial disease databases. ABI and 12-month major adverse CV events (MACEs, a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, need for repeat coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke) were assessed. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association of ABI and DM with subsequent CV events. An abnormal ABI ( 1.4) was present in 72% of patients with stable CAD and 68% had DM. Using patients without DM and normal ABI as reference, the adjusted hazard ratio for 12-month MACE was 1.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71 to 4.06) for patients with DM and normal ABI; 2.03 (95% CI 0.83 to 4.9) for patients without DM with abnormal ABI; and 4.85 (95% CI 2.22 to 10.61) for patients with DM and abnormal ABI. In conclusion, in patients with stable CAD, an abnormal ABI confers an incremental risk of MACE in addition to DM and traditional CV risk factors.
A Factor-Analytic Investigation of Students' Perceptions Regarding Purpose, Choice of Major, and Future Work

Students make choices about academic majors based on a limited number of factors and with little apparent consideration of what may be meaningful or purposeful to them. This study examines the perc...
Perceived persuasiveness as a function of response style: Multi‐issue consistency over time

This experiment studied the effect of an individual's response style on different issues over a long period of time. A hypothetical situation depicted the repeated responses given by one person on a target issue and on four other issues for one year. The 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design varied consistency of the stimulus person's position on the target issue during the year (consistent or variable); his consistency on other issues during the year (consistent or variable); and social context (alone or dissenting group). Subjects were 155 college students. Results showed an interaction between consistency on the target issue and consistency on other issues for the three dependent measures (p < .001). That is, significantly greater persuasiveness, confidence, and dis-positional causality were attributed to stimulus persons whose opinions were either completely consistent or completely variable on all issues during the year. Results suggest that the consistency of response style across issues—and not the constant advocacy of a specific position–is the crucial factor in the effectiveness of a long-term minority influence.
Photo Khipu: organizing a public record of social transaction

Traditional photo albums are important not only for storing and organizing photographs but also for their ability to display photos in an aesthetically pleasing manner. A beautiful photo album augments the browsing experience for individual recollection or sharing with others. We present a digital photo album that organizes and displays photos in a form based on an ancient accounting device, the Incan khipu. The khipu metaphor provides an overview of the photos in a collection and a historical record of individual albums. This interface is meant to be an evocative and functional interactive display in the home for visitors and occupants alike.
Optical fuzing technology

Advanced optical fuze (OF) technology based on high-performance optoelectronic sensor is developed for munitions applications. The compact and robust design of the OF employed high-power vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), the metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors, SiGe ASIC driver, miniature optics, and the corresponding electronic signal processors. Mounted on the front of the projectile, the laser transmitter sends out a highly collimated beam that is amplitude modulated with a chirped RF signal. The reflected optical signal from the target is picked up by the photoreceiver on the projectile which also has its electrical bias modulated at the same time-dependent operational frequency as the transmitted optical signal. The on-board signal processor heterodynes both transmitted and the delayed optical waveforms and generates an intermediate frequency corresponding to the time delay due to the travel time of the light. Further measurement of the mixed signals yields directly the range information of the target.
Efficient chromaticity-preserving sharpening of RGB images

The conventional method of performing spatial filtering of RGB images is to subject each plane to the same processing, usually convolution with a filter kernel. Filtering is commonly used in the processing of photographic or photo-realistic images to sharpen or blur images, and to produce aesthetically-pleasing effects. For image sharpening, the technique of subjecting each plane to the same processing produces objectionable color errors in some circumstances, and that techniques which convert the image to a color space that separates luminance from chrominance and performing the filtering only on the luminance component can produce better results. The problem with this approach has been the computational cost of making the transformation, first to the luminance- chrominance space, and back to RGB. This paper presents an algorithm which operates on an RGB image and provides results which are free from chromaticity changes. It achieves these results with fewer computations than filtering the luminance component in a luminance-chrominance color space. In fact, the computations required are usually simpler than processing each RGB plane.
A 98%-effective lot-sizing rule for a multi-product, multi-stage production/inventory system

We study a multi-product, multi-stage production inventory system in continuous time. In-process and finished goods are referred to as products and inventories of a single item held at different locations are treated as different products. External demand can occur for any or all of the products at a constant, product-dependent rate. When an order is placed for a product it is instantly delivered. The set-up cost is a function of the set of products being ordered at that point in time. The goal is to schedule orders for each of the products over an infinite horizon so as to minimize the long-run average cost. We define a new class of policies in which each product uses a stationary interval of time between successive orders, and the ratio of the order intervals of any two products is an integer power of two. We show that there is always a policy in this class that is within 2% of optimal. This extends a similar result for the one-warehouse, multi-retailer system. For assembly systems we show how to compute such a policy in 0N log N time. For general systems a sequence of max-flow, min-cut computations is required. The algorithm is efficient for very large systems.
Polarized and unpolarized neutron-scattering study of the dynamical spin susceptibility of YBa2Cu3O7.

We report an extensive study of magnetic excitations in fully oxygenated Y${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$, using neutron scattering with and without spin polarization analysis. By calibrating the measured magnetic intensity against calculated structure factors of optical phonons and against antiferromagnetic spin waves measured in the same crystal after deoxygenation to Y${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{6.2}$, we establish an absolute intensity scale for the dynamical spin susceptibility, ${\ensuremath{\chi}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}(\mathrm{q}, \ensuremath{\omega})$. The integrated spectral weight of the sharp magnetic resonance at $\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}=40$ meV and ${\mathrm{q}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=(\frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{a}, \frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{a})$ in the superconducting state is $\ensuremath{\int}d(\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}){\ensuremath{\chi}}_{\mathrm{res}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}(\mathrm{q}, \ensuremath{\omega})=(0.52\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1)$ at low temperatures. The energy and spectral weight of the resonance are measured up to $T=0.8{T}_{c}$. The resonance disappears in the normal state, and a conservative upper limit of 30 states/eV is established for the normal state dynamical susceptibility at ${\mathrm{q}}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=(\frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{a}, \frac{\ensuremath{\pi}}{a})$ and $10 \mathrm{meV}l~\ensuremath{\hbar}\ensuremath{\omega}l~40 \mathrm{meV}$. Our results are compared to previous neutron-scattering data on Y${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$, theoretical interpretations of NMR data and current models of the 40 meV resonance.
Unconventional Sisterhood: Feminist Catholic Nuns in the Philippines

Unconventional Sisterhood: Feminist Catholic Nuns in the Philippines. Heather L. Claussen. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2001. ix. 235 pp., notes, references, index.
The Determination of Carry Propagation Length for Binary Addition

It is well known that the expected maximum length of nonzero carry propagation in the addition of two uniformly distributed binary numbers of n-digits each is less than log2 n. The propagation of both zero and nonzero carry is required in the employment of asynchronous self-timing addition. For the addition of two n-digit binary numbers which are uniformly distributed, a simple recursive algorithm is readily derived for the exact determination of the expected maximum length of zero or nonzero carry propagation.
Limits of fine-mapping a quantitative trait.

Once a significant linkage is found, an important goal is reducing the error in the estimated location of the linked locus. A common approach to reducing location error, called fine-mapping, is the genotyping of additional markers in the linked region to increase the genetic information. The utility of fine-mapping for quantitative trait linkage analysis is largely unknown. To explore this issue, we performed a fine-mapping simulation in which the region containing a significant linkage at a 10-centiMorgan (cM) resolution was fine-mapped at 2, 1, and 0.5 cM. We simulated six quantitative trait models in which the proportion of variation due to the quantitative trait locus (QTL) ranged from 0.20-0.90. We used four sampling designs that were all combinations of 100 and 200 families of sizes 5 and 7. Variance components linkage analysis (Genehunter) was performed until 1,000 replicates were found with a maximum lodscore greater than 3.0. For each of these 1,000 replications, we repeated the linkage analysis three times: once for each of the fine-map resolutions. For the most realistic model, reduction in the average location error ranged from 3-15% for 2-cM fine-mapping and from 3-18% for 1-cM fine-mapping, depending on the number of families and family size. Fine-mapping at 0.5 cM did not differ from the 1-cM results. Thus, if the QTL accounts for a small proportion of the variation, as is the case for realistic traits, fine-mapping has little value.
S-nitrosylation therapy to improve oxygen delivery of banked blood

From the perspectives of disease transmission and sterility maintenance, the world’s blood supplies are generally safe. However, in multiple clinical settings, red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are associated with adverse cardiovascular events and multiorgan injury. Because ∼85 million units of blood are administered worldwide each year, transfusion-related morbidity and mortality is a major public health concern. Blood undergoes multiple biochemical changes during storage, but the relevance of these changes to unfavorable outcomes is unclear. Banked blood shows reduced levels of S-nitrosohemoglobin (SNO-Hb), which in turn impairs the ability of stored RBCs to effect hypoxic vasodilation. We therefore reasoned that transfusion of SNO-Hb–deficient blood may exacerbate, rather than correct, impairments in tissue oxygenation, and that restoration of SNO-Hb levels would improve transfusion efficacy. Notably in mice, administration of banked RBCs decreased skeletal muscle pO2, but infusion of renitrosylated cells maintained tissue oxygenation. In rats, hemorrhage-induced reductions in muscle pO2 were corrected by SNO-Hb–repleted RBCs, but not by control, stored RBCs. In anemic awake sheep, stored renitrosylated, but not control RBCs, produced sustained improvements in O2 delivery; in anesthetized sheep, decrements in hemodynamic status, renal blood flow, and kidney function incurred following transfusion of banked blood were also prevented by renitrosylation. Collectively, our findings lend support to the idea that transfusions may be causally linked to ischemic events and suggest a simple approach to prevention (i.e., SNO-Hb repletion). If these data are replicated in clinical trials, renitrosylation therapy could have significant therapeutic impact on the care of millions of patients.
Human herpesvirus 6 involvement in paediatric drug hypersensitivity syndrome

Background HHV6-positivity in context of drug hypersensitivity syndrome (DHS) may influence disease severity. Systemic corticosteroid treatment of those with DHS, testing positive for HHV6, has been speculated to prolong the duration of disease.
HIV Pathogenesis: The Host

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pathogenesis has proven to be quite complex and dynamic with most of the critical events (e.g., transmission, CD4(+) T-cell destruction) occurring in mucosal tissues. In addition, although the resulting disease can progress over years, it is clear that many critical events happen within the first few weeks of infection when most patients are unaware that they are infected. These events occur predominantly in tissues other than the peripheral blood, particularly the gastrointestinal tract, where massive depletion of CD4(+) T cells occurs long before adverse consequences of HIV infection are otherwise apparent. Profound insights into these early events have been gained through the use of nonhuman primate models, which offer the opportunity to examine the early stages of infection with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a close relative of HIV that induces an indistinguishable clinical picture from AIDS in Asian primate species, but importantly, fails to cause disease in its natural African hosts, such as sooty mangabeys and African green monkeys. This article draws from data derived from both human and nonhuman primate studies.
A Positive Association found between Autism Prevalence and Childhood Vaccination uptake across the U.S. Population

The reason for the rapid rise of autism in the United States that began in the 1990s is a mystery. Although individuals probably have a genetic predisposition to develop autism, researchers suspect that one or more environmental triggers are also needed. One of those triggers might be the battery of vaccinations that young children receive. Using regression analysis and controlling for family income and ethnicity, the relationship between the proportion of children who received the recommended vaccines by age 2 years and the prevalence of autism (AUT) or speech or language impairment (SLI) in each U.S. state from 2001 and 2007 was determined. A positive and statistically significant relationship was found: The higher the proportion of children receiving recommended vaccinations, the higher was the prevalence of AUT or SLI. A 1% increase in vaccination was associated with an additional 680 children having AUT or SLI. Neither parental behavior nor access to care affected the results, since vaccination proportions were not significantly related (statistically) to any other disability or to the number of pediatricians in a U.S. state. The results suggest that although mercury has been removed from many vaccines, other culprits may link vaccines to autism. Further study into the relationship between vaccines and autism is warranted.
High resolution bispectral estimation of radar signals

The bispectral signatures of backscattered radar signals are examined. An interpretation of these signatures in terms of multiple scattering interactions is presented. A high resolution bispectral estimation technique is used to resolve nearly located target scattering centers. >
Attitudes of Older Adults' on Being Told the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

OBJECTIVE: Controversy exists as to whether Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients should be told their diagnosis, yet no research has been done examining older patients' attitudes on this topic. This study examines patient's attitudes toward this topic. DESIGN: A prospective, community-based study. Participants read vignettes of two patients, one with AD and one with terminal cancer, and then answered questions regarding their attitudes toward these illnesses. SETTING: A community-based retirement community in Charlottesville, Virginia. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred fifty-six community-dwelling older persons (mean age 79.7 ± 6.9 years). MEASUREMENTS: A structured questionnaire disclosed demographic data (age, sex, race, religion, marital status), personal experience with cancer and AD, and opinions about being told the diagnosis of these diseases. RESULTS: Most participants (n = 124, 79.5%) responded that they would prefer to know if they had AD, but the number was significantly fewer (Fisher exact test, P < .001) than those who would want to know if they had terminal cancer (n = 143, 91.7%) Interestingly, significantly fewer married subjects would want their spouse to know if the spouse had either illness. Only 65.7% (n = 69) of subjects would want their spouse to know if the spouse had AD (Fisher exact test, P = .008), whereas for cancer, 80.2% (n = 77) would want their spouse to know if the spouse had cancer (Fisher exact test P < .001). No demographic variables distinguished subjects who did from those who did not want to know the diagnosis for themselves or their spouses for either AD or cancer. Among the reasons some subjects gave for wanting to know of the diagnosis of AD was being able to consider suicide. CONCLUSION: Although these results may support disclosure of diagnosis for most patients with AD, clinical and ethical issues remain in individual cases. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:400–403, 1996.
Controlling the Size and Distribution of Pd-Au Nanoparticles on TiO2(110)

Variation in the extent of annealing of a TiO2(110) surface was used to control the distribution of deposited Pd, Au, and Pd−Au clusters at room temperature. Programming with respect to the metal deposition and thermal sintering was used to optimize the size distribution and cluster density of Pd−Au mixed-metal clusters. The influence of varying the evaporation sequence on the cluster distribution is demonstrated, and the results explained using known sintering mechanisms.
The Role of Aluminum in the Pathogenesis of Anemia in an Outpatient Hemodialysis Population

Anemia is a well-defined complication of aluminum overload in chronic dialysis patients which may be present before other manifestations of aluminum toxicity are obvious. Causes of anemia in chronic renal failure are multiple, and at the present time there is no marker for aluminum-induced anemia. Deferoxamine (DFO) treatment can correct aluminum-related anemia and microcytosis, but may be associated with side effects. Because of the possible role of aluminum in red blood cells in causing the anemia associated with aluminum overload, we attempted to test red blood cell (RBC) aluminum as a marker for aluminum-associated anemia and to assess the prevalence of aluminum-associated anemia in an outpatient dialysis population. Both random plasma aluminum and RBC aluminum correlated well with the increase in plasma aluminum seen following DFO challenge. However, RBC aluminum was affected less by changes in oral aluminum intake than plasma aluminum. There were strong correlations of RBC and plasma aluminum to cor...
Evolution of potential vorticity in tropical cyclones

We explore the simultaneous use of potential radius and potential temperature coordinates in the Eliassen balanced vortex model of tropical cyclones. This results in a simple flux form for the equation governing the inverse potential vorticity. the fluxes are accomplished by R and θ, which are given in terms of the angular momentum and heat sources. If the sources are specified functions of R and θ, analytic solutions for the time evolution of the potential vorticity distribution can be obtained. the solutions illustrate how latent heat release generates potential vorticity at low levels, destroys it at upper levels, and through vertical advection causes a deepening of the low-level potential vorticity maximum and a pinching off of the upper-level potential vorticity minimum. to recover the tangential wind and mass fields from the known potential vorticity, one must solve a second-order nonlinear partial differential equation. Numerical solutions of this equation result in tangential wind fields which are similar in many ways to observed tropical cyclones.
Alterations of IgM, IgG, and IgA Synthesis and secretion by peripheral blood and intestinal mononuclear cells from patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

We examined during 12 days of in vitro culture synthesis and secretion of IgM, IgG, and IgA by isolated intestinal mononuclear cells from normal subjects, and from patients with ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease as well as by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus. In comparison with normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells, normal intestinal mononuclear cells exhibited moderately increased spontaneous secretion of IgG and IgM and markedly increased spontaneous secretion of IgA. In contrast (when compared with normal intestinal mononuclear cells), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis intestinal mononuclear cells exhibited decreased spontaneous antibody secretion. Pokeweed mitogen stimulation resulted in only moderate or no increase in antibody secretion. Investigation of tritiated thymidine incorporation revealed completely normal patterns with low spontaneous blast transformation by all intestinal mononuclear cell populations and a marked increase after pokeweed mitogen stimulation. Examination of antibody secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from active, untreated patients with ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus revealed that all exhibited similar patterns: moderately increased spontaneous synthesis and secretion of IgG and IgM, and markedly increased synthesis and secretion of IgA by unstimulated mononuclear cells over a 12-day period. Stimulation with pokeweed mitogen resulted in little or no increase and, in some instances, suppression of antibody secretion. In all instances, the predominant antibody produced was IgA, which was spontaneously secreted in greater amounts than either IgG or IgM. There are two possible explanations for these results. The first, is that IgA precursor cells are in a highly activated state in normal intestinal lamina propria and because of intestinal inflammation migrate from the intestine into the peripheral blood in increased numbers. The alternative explanation is that a primary mucosal immunodeficiency is present in the intestines of inflammatory bowel disease patients, thus allowing agents to penetrate the intestinal mucosa, and subsequently initiate both a local inflammation and a heightened systemic immune response. In either case, the present studies demonstrate that patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease exhibit major alterations of in vitro synthesis and secretion of immunoglobulins in general and IgA in particular.
Probabilistic pointing target prediction via inverse optimal control

Numerous interaction techniques have been developed that make "virtual" pointing at targets in graphical user interfaces easier than analogous physical pointing tasks by invoking target-based interface modifications. These pointing facilitation techniques crucially depend on methods for estimating the relevance of potential targets. Unfortunately, many of the simple methods employed to date are inaccurate in common settings with many selectable targets in close proximity. In this paper, we bring recent advances in statistical machine learning to bear on this underlying target relevance estimation problem. By framing past target-driven pointing trajectories as approximate solutions to well-studied control problems, we learn the probabilistic dynamics of pointing trajectories that enable more accurate predictions of intended targets.
Long-acting κ opioid antagonists nor-BNI, GNTI and JDTic: pharmacokinetics in mice and lipophilicity

Nor-BNI, GNTI and JDTic induce κ opioid antagonism that is delayed by hours and can persist for months. Other effects are transient. It has been proposed that these drugs may be slowly absorbed or distributed, and may dissolve in cell membranes, thus slowing elimination and prolonging their effects. Recent evidence suggests, instead, that they induce prolonged desensitization of the κ opioid receptor. To evaluate these hypotheses, we measured relevant physicochemical properties of nor-BNI, GNTI and JDTic, and the timecourse of brain and plasma concentrations in mice after intraperitoneal administration (using LC-MS-MS). In each case, plasma levels were maximal within 30 min and declined by >80% within four hours, correlating well with previously reported transient effects. A strong negative correlation was observed between plasma levels and the delayed, prolonged timecourse of κ antagonism. Brain levels of nor-BNI and JDTic peaked within 30 min, but while nor-BNI was largely eliminated within hours, JDTic declined gradually over a week. Brain uptake of GNTI was too low to measure accurately, and higher doses proved lethal. None of the drugs were highly lipophilic, showing high water solubility (> 45 mM) and low distribution into octanol (log D7.4 7% unbound). JDTic showed P-gp-mediated efflux; nor- BNI and GNTI did not, but their low unbound brain uptake suggests efflux by another mechanism. The negative plasma concentration-effect relationship we observed is difficult to reconcile with simple competitive antagonism, but is consistent with desensitization. The very slow elimination of JDTic from brain is surprising given that it undergoes active efflux, has modest affinity for homogenate, and has a shorter duration of action than nor-BNI under these conditions. We propose that this persistence may result from entrapment in cellular compartments such as lysosomes.
Economic Input-output Life-cycle Assessment of U.S. Residential Buildings

We estimate the building resource requirements, electricity and energy used, greenhouse gas releases, hazardous waste generated, and toxic air releases for the construction, usage, and demolition of typical U.S. residences in 1997. Within the three phases, usage (54% of economic activity) is the largest consumer of electricity (95%) and energy (93%) and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases (92%), while the construction phase (46% of economic activity) is the largest air toxics emitter (57%) and contributes 51% of hazardous waste. The disposal phase contribution is negligible in all of these categories. From the standpoint of the entire U.S. economy, residential buildings account for 5.3% of the Gross Domestic Product, 38% of electricity consumption, 26% of energy consumption, 24% of greenhouse gas emissions, 26% of hazardous waste, and 12% of toxic air emissions. We comment on possible remedial actions—including some current public policies—to address environmental impacts.
Codes for Half Duplex Relay Channels

In this paper, we study LDPC code constructions for the half-duplex relay channels. Our work is motivated by the observation that half-duplex relaying where the relay cannot simultaneously transmit and receive in the same band yields substantially higher rate than both direct and two-hop communication with the same average power constraint. The profile optimization technique and the resulting LDPC codes prove to be very effective in fading environments. The performance thresholds determined using Gaussian approximation are extremely close to theoretical limits
Induction Hedgehog pathway inhibition followed by combined-modality radiotherapy for basal cell carcinoma

Summary Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common cancer in the U.S.A., is treated primarily with local excision. In some cases, lesion size, location or extent prevent complete resection. Locally advanced BCC responds to systemic therapy with the Hedgehog pathway inhibitor vismodegib, but withdrawal of treatment may result in disease relapse. Here we present a case of locally advanced auricular BCC treated with induction vismodegib and radiation, resulting in durable local control and an acceptable level of acute toxicity.