cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accelerated Environmental Testing of Composites

A procedure is presented for accelerated environmental testing of composites, which yields the test conditions required to achieve a desired moisture content in the shortest time. Charts are presented from which the appropriate test conditions can readily be deter mined. The use of the charts is illustrated by an example. Tests were also performed to assess the validity and accuracy of the proposed procedure. Data, obtained with Fiberite T300/976 fabric, show that the moisture contents and the mechanical properties of the material are nearly the same after "regular" and "accelerated" environmental conditioning.
Lead concentrations in tissues of marsh birds: relationship of feeding habits and grit preference to spent shot ingestion

The toxic effects of lead shot ingestion on waterfowl are well documented. During the summer of 1982, a random sample of marsh birds from the upper Texas coast indicated a relatively high incidence of shot ingestion in several species. In addition, lead and arsenic levels in bones of these species were correlated with the presence of ingested shot. This paper addresses possible reasons why some species are affected and others are not, in particular the relationship between feeding habits and size of grit which is found in the gizzards of each species.
Conservatism under Napoleon: The political writings of Joseph Fiévée

(1984). Conservatism under Napoleon: The political writings of Joseph Fievee. History of European Ideas: Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 385-400.
MALDI Matrices for Biomolecular Analysis Based on Functionalized Carbon Nanomaterials

When used in small molar ratios of matrix to analyte, derivatized fullerenes and single wall nanotubes are shown to be efficient matrices for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. The mixing of an acidic functionalized fullerene with a solution of bioanalyte, depositing a dried droplet, and irradiating with a pulsed nitrogen laser yields protonated or cationized molecular ions. Derivatized fullerenes could offer several advantages over conventional MALDI matrices: a high analyte ionization efficiency, a small molar ratios (less than 1) of matrix/analyte, and a broader optical absorption spectrum, which should obviate specific wavelength lasers for MALDI acquisitions. The major disadvantage to the use of fullerenes is the isobaric interference between matrix and analyte ions; however, it is overcome by using MALDI-ion mobility time-of-flight (IM-oTOF) mass spectrometry to preseparate carbon cluster ions from bioanalyte ions prior to TOF mass analysis. However, an alternati...
Infants’ means-end search for hidden objects in the absence of visual feedback

Abstract Infants beyond 8 months of age typically succeed in search tasks that require them to sequence multiple-stage, means-end actions. However, it is unclear whether infants depend upon visual feedback of limb movements and their consequences during search. We examined whether means-end search is dependent upon visual feedback by testing 8.5-month-olds’ ability to uncover and retrieve objects in the dark. Sound was used to direct infants’ initial responses toward a covered object, but was terminated as soon as they opened the cover, forcing them to execute the second stage of the search behavior with no further feedback. An additional manipulation involved presenting ‘no-toy’ trials in the dark or ‘surprise’ trials, on which the toy was surreptitiously removed after the lights had been extinguished. Infants successfully retrieved the toy on dark trials, albeit less frequently than in the light. The organization of their means-ends behavior in the dark was highly similar to that in the light, in terms of the number of reaches made on each trial, the accuracy of their reaches, and the latency to respond before and after opening the cover. Infants were just as likely to search on dark trials with and without a toy, suggesting that infants failed to notice or did not consider the implications of no toy put under the cover. The ability of infants to perform the relatively complicated, means-end search in the dark suggests that this sequential behavior can be carried out on the basis of the infant’s memory of the covered object and the actions necessary to achieve the goal.
Naturally occurring strains of the potato leaf roll virus

Results of these studies of isolates of the potato leaf roll virus from 56 various seed potato areas of the United States and Canada, covering a wide geographical range, substantiate the existence of distinct strains of the virus. In addition to the 3 strains from Wisconsin previously reported, one additional very severe strain, designated as strain 4, exists in at least one area in South Dakota. The strains are distinguished most readily by the initial symptom type and relative disease severity onP. floridana. The response ofP. floridana infected with strain 4 at 24° and 28° C, is directly opposite to that of the other 3 strains at the same temperatures. The four strains produced a wide range of symptoms onP. floridana, varying from severe defoliation and death of plants with strain 4, to moderate initial symptoms and subsequently rapid recovery with strain 1. A temperature of 24° C. was found to be optimum for symptom expression and development. Distinct strain differences, however, are shown at 16° and 28° C. Strains 1, 2 and 3 seem to be coexistent in most potato growing areas of the United States and Canada. Further experiments are being conducted to study the 4 leaf roll strains under controlled conditions on a number of potato varieties.
The tectorial membrane of the lizard ear: types of structure.

This study is concerned with the forms of the tectorial membrane in the lizard ear and its manner of attachment to the ciliary tufts of the hair cells. These structures and their variations were observed in 20 species representing eight families of lizards. Three forms of tectorial membrane were found, a continuous form that extends throughout the length of the auditory papilla, an abbreviated form that reaches the papilla only in one region, and a dendritic form that is particularly narrow at first and then branches extensively to supply all the hair cells. Occasionally the lower edge of the tectorial membrane makes direct connections with the hair tufts. More often there are special connecting structures between the membrane and the hair tufts. Seven types of these structures were identified, as follows: (1) simple fibers, (2) open network, (3) heavy network, (4) fiber plate, (5) finger processes, (6) sallets, and (7) remote connections. These types of tectorial connections are described and illustrated.
Maternally-controlled ovule abortion results from cosuppression of dihydroflavonol-4-reductase or flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase genes in Petunia hybrida.

Transgenes designed to overexpress anthocyanin genes An6 (encoding dihydroflavonol-4-reductase) or Hf1 (encoding flavonoid-3',5'-hydroxylase) in Petunia hybrida L. produced flower colour phenotypes similar to those caused by sense cosuppression of chalcone synthase (Chs) genes. However, unlike Chs, sense cosuppression of An6 and Hf1 resulted in female infertility in transgenotes exhibiting complete phenotypic suppression of anthocyanins. Female sterility appeared to be due to embryo abortion, with discolouration of ovules first appearing about 4 d post-fertilization, followed by gradual collapse of the ovule. Pollen from cosuppressed, female-sterile transgenotes placed on wild-type stigmas produced normal seed set, indicating that sterility of cosuppressed plants was maternally controlled. We suggest an hypothesis that cosuppression of An6 and Hf1 leads to accumulation of dihydroflavonols in the seed coat, a maternal tissue, and that this accumulation inhibits embryo growth, either directly or indirectly. In this hypothesis, direct inhibition of embryo growth would require that dihydroflavonols diffuse from the seed coat into the embryo and act there, whereas indirect inhibition would require that dihydroflavonols interfere with some capacity of the seed coat to promote embryo growth.
Metal Oxide Nanoparticles as Bactericidal Agents

Reactive magnesium oxide nanoparticles and halogen (Cl2, Br2) adducts of these MgO particles were allowed to contact certain bacteria and spore cells. Bacteriological test data, atomic force microscopy (AFM) images, and electron microscopy (TEM) images are provided, which yield insight into the biocidal action of these nanoscale materials. The tests show that these materials are very effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as spores. ζ-Potential measurements show an attractive interaction between the MgO nanoparticles and bacteria and spore cells, which is confirmed by confocal microscopy images. The AFM studies illustrate considerable changes in the cell membranes upon treatment, resulting in the death of the cells. TEM micrographs confirm these results and supply additional information about the processes inside the cells. Overall, the results presented illustrate that dry powder nanoparticulate formulations as well as water slurries are effective. It is proposed that abrasive...
Religious texts, moral prescriptions and economy: the case of interest

Outlines the attitudes of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to usury, discusses the application of religious principles to economic transactions and argues that Islamic practices with regard to charging interest are not actually inconsistent with Christian Scholastic thinking in the late medieval period. Considers ideas about money and interest from Aristotle onward and uses Scholastic arguments against interest to illuminate the Islamic moral position. Recognizes that in subsistence economies interest causes injustice, but believes that in wealth‐producing economies religious texts should be applied differently to serve “the common good”.
Dynamic models of production with multiple operations and general processing times

Traditional integer programming model formulations for job-shops and flow-shops do not easily account for characteristics common to high-technology manufacturing such as high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. These characteristics are: (1) products (wafers) are processed by the same machine type more than once during the operation sequence, (2) many lots of similar type are run, and (3) there can be multiple machines of the same type. In this paper, we present two new integer programming formulations which easily account for these characteristics. The approach is based on restricting the allowed domain of events for the start of lot processing. The first model restricts production starts to the beginning of a planning time period. The second model uses a special time grid at each operation with width equal to the processing time, and allows starts to be scheduled at the grid points. In an example problem replicating a high-volume wafer fabrication process, it is shown that it is computationally practical to obtain solutions for the restricted start models where it is not computationally possible for the traditional integer programming model formulations.
Porosity distributions in a fluidized bed with an immersed obstacle

Erosion in bubbling fluidized-bed combustors is a serious issue that may affect their reliability and economics. Available evidence suggests that the key to understanding this erosion is detailed knowledge of the coupled and complex phenomena of solids circulation and bubble motion. A thin transparent “two-dimensional” rectangular fluidized bed with an obstacle served as a rough model for a fluidized-bed combustor. This model was studied experimentally and computationally using two hydrodynamic equation sets. The computed hydrodynamic results agree reasonably well with experimental data. Bubble frequencies and sizes compare well with those obtained from analyzing a high-speed motion picture frame-by-frame. Time-averaged porosities computed from both models agree with time-averaged porosity distributions measured with a gamma-ray densitometer. The principal diferences between the data and the computations in this paper are due to asymmetries present in the experiment and to the simplified solids rheology used in the hydrodynamic models.
Longitudinal Analysis of Adiponectin through 20-Year Type 1 Diabetes Duration

Little information exists on the trajectory and determinants of adiponectin, a possible insulin sensitizer and marker for inflammation and endothelial function, across the duration of type 1 diabetes. The Wisconsin Diabetes Registry Study followed an incident cohort ≤ 30 years of age when diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during 1987-1992 up to 20-year duration. Adiponectin was concurrently and retrospectively (from samples frozen at -80 °C) measured for those participating in a 20-year exam (n = 304), during 2007-2011. Adiponectin levels were higher in females, declined through adolescence, and increased with age thereafter. Lower levels were associated with greater body weight and waist circumference and with higher insulin dose, especially at longer diabetes durations. Higher levels were associated with higher HbA1c and, at longer durations, with higher albumin-creatinine ratio. Adiponectin levels showed consistency within individuals that was not explained by these factors. We conclude that markers for insulin resistance are associated with lower adiponectin, and markers for potential microvascular complications are associated with higher adiponectin. The previously reported relationship with HbA1c remains largely unexplained. Additional individual specific factors likely also influence adiponectin level. The relationship between adiponectin and urinary protein excretion may enable identification of those predisposed to kidney disease earlier in type 1 diabetes.
The Postmodern Self and The Politics of Liberal Education

Richard Rorty is one of the principal architects of a new way of thinking about liberalism. He calls his way “liberal ironism”: it is a postmodern liberalism, without Enlightenment rationalism, without the hopeless and finally enervating aspiration to discover an a historical philosophical foundation (“natural rights”) for liberal principles and practices. The postmodern liberal ironist, unlike the classical liberal rationalist, “faces up to the contingency of his or her own most central beliefs and desires,” says Rorty, including the characteristic liberal belief that “cruelty is the worst thing we do.” Such postmodern liberals frankly admit the apparently unhappy consequence of that essential “contingency,” that “there is no neutral , noncircular way to defend” liberal ways, no good argument to deploy against “Nazi and Marxist enemies of liberalism”; but no such argument is needed, says Rorty, since loyalty to one's own community is morality enough, even where that loyalty is without foundation. Here, I begin with a few words about Rorty's postmodern liberalism, as preface to a discussion of the effects of postmodern doctrines on liberal moral psychology.
Role of glutamine in cerebral nitrogen metabolism and ammonia neurotoxicity

Ammonia enters the brain by diffusion from the blood or cerebrospinal fluid, or is formed in situ from the metabolism of endogenous nitrogen-containing substances. Despite its central importance in nitrogen homeostasis, excess ammonia is toxic to the central nervous system and its concentration in the brain must be kept low. This is accomplished by the high activity of glutamine synthetase, which is localized in astrocytes and which permits efficient detoxification of incoming or endogenously generated ammonia. The location also permits the operation of an intercellular glutamine cycle. In this cycle, glutamate released from nerve terminals is taken up by astrocytes where it is converted to glutamine. Glutamine is released to the extracellular fluid to be taken up into the nerve cells, where it is converted back to glutamate by the action of glutaminase. Most extrahepatic organs lack a complete urea cycle, and for many organs, including the brain, glutamine represents a temporary storage form of waste nitrogen. As such, glutamine was long thought to be harmless to the brain. However, recent evidence suggests that excess glutamine is neurotoxic. Hyperammonemic syndromes (e.g., liver disease, inborn errors of the urea cycle, Reye's disease) consistently cause astrocyte pathology. Evidence has been presented that hyperammonemia results in increased formation of glutamine directly in astrocytes, thereby generating an osmotic stress to these cells. This osmotic stress results in impaired astrocyte function, which in turn leads to neuronal dysfunction. In this review a brief overview is presented of the role of glutamine in normal brain metabolism and in the pathogenesis of hyperammonemic syndromes. MRDD Research Reviews 2001;7:280–286. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Minimized dual-band coupled line meander antenna for system-in-a-package applications

A novel low-profile planar coupled line meander antenna for dual-band operation is presented. The design is based on the meandered line principle, with a coupled line to achieve two different radiation modes for GSM and DCS applications. Because of the effect of the coupled line, the total dimension of the proposed antenna is greatly reduced. With a compact size of 14/spl times/17 mm/sup 2/, this prototype is suitable for system-in-a-package (SIP) applications. The antenna is fabricated on a Rogers Corp. TMM4 substrate with a relative permittivity of 4.50. The experimental results have good agreement with the simulated data.
From prey to hunter: transforming legacy embedded devices into exploitation sensor grids

Our global communication infrastructures are powered by large numbers of legacy embedded devices. Recent advances in offensive technologies targeting embedded systems have shown that the stealthy exploitation of high-value embedded devices such as router and firewalls is indeed feasible. However, little to no host-based defensive technology is available to monitor and protect these devices, leaving large numbers of critical devices defenseless against exploitation. We devised a method of augmenting legacy embedded devices, like Cisco routers, with host-based defenses in order to create a stealthy, embedded sensor-grid capable of monitoring and capturing real-world attacks against the devices which constitute the bulk of the Internet substrate. Using a software mechanism which we call the Symbiote, a white-list based code modification detector is automatically injected in situ into Cisco IOS, producing a fully functional router firmware capable of detecting and capturing successful attacks against itself for analysis. Using the Symbiote-protected router as the main component, we designed a sensor system which requires no modification to existing hardware, fully preserves the functionality of the original firmware, and detects unauthorized modification of memory within 450 ms. We believe that it is feasible to use the techniques described in this paper to inject monitoring and defensive capability into existing routers to create an early attack warning system to protect the Internet substrate.
Accumulation of betanin in disks of Beta vulgaris leaves

Abstract Leaf disks of red beet plants ( Beta vulgaris ) accumulate betanin when cultured on agar media. Betanin accumulation is completely inhibited by cycloheximide. Pigment production is stimulated by light and sucrose. Kinetin and sucrose are ineffective in promoting pigment synthesis in the dark. It is suggested that the initial response triggering pigment production occurs at the gene level. The amino acids dihydroxyphenylalanine and tyrosine have no efrect on pigment production.
Effects of moderate increases in dietary polyunsaturated: saturated fat on plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels in man

1. The effects of two isoenergetic diets differing only in the values for polyunsaturated: saturated fat (P:S values of 0.2 v. 2.0) were studied in twenty adult human volunteers. 2. A period of 14 d on the high P:S diet failed to produce significant changes in fasting triglyceride levels, though there were individual variations. On the other hand, fasting cholesterol levels dropped by 10% (P less than 0.005). High-density-lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations were not influenced by changes in the P:S value. 3. Investigations into the mechanism by which changes in the P:S value might affect plasma triglyceride values revealed no consistent effects on very-low-density-lipoprotein kinetics, insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity or free fatty acid concentrations. 4. The results of this study suggest that the largest increase in dietary P:S values that is likely to be obtained on a long-term basis may have only a small effect on plasma triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations.
A darkling beetle population in West Texas during the 1997–1998 El Niño

Abstract We examined the abundance and distribution of Eleodes extricata (Tenebrionidae) in a semi-arid region of West Texas. During the 2-year study, climatic conditions were extreme but opposite, with 1997 being unusually wet and mild, and 1998 being unusually dry and hot. These conditions were associated with striking differences in the population structure of the beetles. Under identical pitfall-sampling efforts, we captured 1562 and 671 individuals in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Capture rates were lowest in grassland, and highest in sand shinnery oak, and within the latter, they were lowest in blowouts, intermediate along the edges of blowouts, and highest under vegetative cover. Sex ratios were consistently female-biased, and the degree of bias increased from spring through fall in both years. These increases were more pronounced in 1998, with the sex ratios of early and late sampling periods differing by over four-fold, from 1·15 to 5·00. Females were heavier than males, and the dry masses of both sexes increased from spring though fall in both years. As with sex ratios, these increases were more pronounced in 1998. Only the largest beetles survived the drought, illustrating how extreme conditions can exert especially strong directional selection, and affect sex ratios in populations with sexual size dimorphism.
Transitive behavior in hippocampal-lesioned pigeons.

The hippocampus of birds and mammals is critical for the learning of map-like memory representations of environmental space. It has been suggested that the hippocampus of rats also participates in non
Song copying and cultural transmission in indigo buntings

Abstract Abstract. First-year male indigo buntings, Passerina cyanea, copy the song of a neighbouring male during their first breeding season. To determine whether they assess their neighbours and copy selectively the songs of certain males, the following predictions were made from hypotheses of assessment and socially biased learning: (1) first-year males assess a neighbour and copy his song if he meets a minimum standard; (2) first-year males prospectively assess the breeding success and survival of several neighbours, then copy the song of one that has a high breeding success, and (3) first-year males sample their neighbourhood for a common song and conform to it. The 'song model' was identified and the male's breeding success determined in 580 cases of cultural transmission. More males than expected at random had either zero or more than two other males copy their song. One predictor of song transmission by potential 'models' was age (first-year or adult), a trait assessable by plumage colour. Adult males were more likely to transmit their song than were first-year males. In one population the bluer first-year males were more likely to be copied than were the browner first-year males. Also, a male that arrived early in the breeding season was more likely than a later arrival to be copied. The first-year males in a dense neighbourhood were more likely to copy a neighbour's song, but they did not generally conform to the most common song in their area. Although time of arrival and a minimal standard of plumage and behaviour may explain some variation between males in cultural success, much of the variation was unexplained. Many adults were not copied, because of the age structure of the population with more adults than first-year males. Also, many males that had a successful breeding season were not copied, perhaps because their success was unpredictable early in the season when most first-year males acquire a local song.
Theoretical Suction and Pressure Distribution Bounds for Flow Separation in Retarded Flow

Equations (1) and (2) give the change in lift and rolling moment coefficients of the trailing aircraft wing from the undisturbed equilibrium flight condition (i.e., away from the influence of the leading aircraft trailing vortices). C(L)o is the lift coefficient of the leading aircraft. The coordinates z and y correspond to the distance of the centerline of the trailing wing below and to the right of the midpoint between the leading aircraft's two trailing vortices. The coordinate x is the longitudinal distance between the leading and trailing aircraft. The primes refer to the local position on the trailing wing with respect to its centerline. ARt and ARi are the trailing and leading wing as-
Contributions of Aromatic Residues to the Folding and Stability of Human γd-Crystallin

Human γD-crystallin (HγD-Crys), one of the most abundant proteins in the eye lens, exhibits two crystallin domains, each containing two Greek key motifs. HγD-Crys must remain folded and soluble throughout the human lifetime. Aggregation of crystallins leads to cataract.14 tyrosines and 6 phenylalanines reside in the 173-amino-acids HγD-Crys. 16 out of these 20 residues have aromatic partners within ∼4 A. “Tyrosine corner” is a structural element that bridges β-strands by hydrogen bonding the tyrosine hydroxyl group and a backbone carboxyl group. Also found are interacting tyrosine/phenylalanine pairs located at the β-hairpins. These aromatic structural elements may be important in the stability and/or the folding pathways.Site-specific mutants of the all the tyrosines and phenylalanines to alanines were constructed. Equilibrium and kinetic experiments were performed to assess stability and unfolding/refolding rates.For stability, all the N-terminal domain (N-td) mutants had the N-td destabilized, but C-td unaffected, with increased population of the single-domain-folded intermediate, although the extents of destabilization were different. All the C-td mutants had both the N-td and C-td destabilized, showing a more cooperative folding process that was best fit to a two-state model, and similarly, the degrees of destabilization varied. Selected tyrosines were mutated to phenylalanines with very little effect on the N-td or the C-td stabilities. For kinetics, C-td mutants had accelerated unfolding rates, while N-td mutants had no effect. Y45A, Y50A Y133A, Y138A had slower refolding rates, while other mutants had no effects.The results were consistent with a sequential unfolding pathway, in which the N-td of HγD-Crys unfolds first, followed by the C-td. The aromatic residues were almost all important in the mature stability of HγD-Crys, while a subset of these aromatic residues were important determinants of unfolding/refolding rate.
Interobserver variability of cervical smears with squamous‐cell abnormalities: A philadelphia study

The reproducibility of reporting squamous lesions by the Bethesda System (TBS) was evaluated by distributing 20 slides to be classified among 5 panelists considered experts in the field of cytopathology. Four cases were chosen for their classic morphology and the remainder were foreseen to produce possible discrepancies within one diagnostic category. For 7/20 (35%) cases there was unanimous agreement. Participants disagreed within one category of magnitude for seven (35%) cases. In six (30%) cases there was a range of more than one category disagreement. However, additional written comments modifying TBS diagnoses often diminished the clinical significance of these discrepancies. We conclude that despite the important role of TBS in standardization of Pap smear reports, a great degree of subjectivity exists in classifying squamous abnormalities without “classic” morphology. The lack of reproducibility should be taken into account in cytology proficiency testing. Diagn Cytopathol 1994;11:352–357. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Future directions of acute ischaemic stroke therapy

For several years, the only therapy with proven efficacy for acute ischaemic stroke was alteplase, which is approved for use within 4·5 h after stroke onset in many countries, but only within 3 h in the USA. However, the recanalisation rate with alteplase is modest. Several trials have shown substantial clinical benefit of neurothrombectomy within 6 h of ischaemic stroke onset, which has initiated a new era of acute stroke therapy. As neurothrombectomy becomes part of standard practice, additional trials will be needed to determine the best way to organise delivery of this care. Continuing clinical trials with several types of advanced MRI and CT imaging to enhance patient selection are investigating alteplase, other thrombolytic drugs, and novel endovascular devices, for use in later time periods from stroke onset. Consequently, the organisation and implementation of future clinical trials will need to adapt to what has been learned from the present generation of trials. The delivery of care to patients with acute stroke will also need to incorporate newly proven therapies, and much additional work is needed to maximise outcomes in as many patients as possible.
Investigational Vaccine for Escherichia coli O157: Phase 1 Study of O157 O-Specific Polysaccharide-Pseudomonas aeruginosa Recombinant Exoprotein A Conjugates in Adults

Escherichia coli O157 causes severe enteritis and the extraintestinal complication hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Serum IgG against the surface polysaccharide antigen, the O-specific polysaccharide of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), may confer protective immunity by lysing the inocula. In a phase 1 clinical study, three investigational vaccines were studied in 87 healthy adults. The vaccines were prepared by covalently binding E. coli O157 O-specific polysaccharide with Pseudomonas aeruginosa recombinant exoprotein A. No significant reactions were reported. Most volunteers (81%) responded with a > 4-fold increase in IgG LPS antibodies 1 week after vaccination; all volunteers responded with a > 4-fold rise at 4 weeks and this level was sustained for 26 weeks after injection. All three vaccines elicited high titers of serum bactericidal activity that roughly correlated with the serum IgG and IgM LPS antibody levels. A phase 2 study in young children is planned.
Dendritic cells drive memory CD8 T-cell homeostasis via IL-15 transpresentation

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is crucial for the development of naive and memory CD8 T cells and is delivered through a mechanism called transpresentation. Previous studies showed that memory CD8 T cells require IL-15 transpresentation by an as yet unknown cell of hematopoietic origin. We hypothesized that dendritic cells (DCs) transpresent IL-15 to CD8 T cells, and we examined this by developing a transgenic model that limits IL-15 transpresentation to DCs. In this study, IL-15 transpresentation by DCs had little effect on restoring naive CD8 T cells but contributed to the development of memory-phenotype CD8 T cells. The generation of virus-specific, memory CD8 T cells was partially supported by IL-15Rα+ DCs through the preferential enhancement of a subset of KLRG-1+CD27− CD8 T cells. In contrast, these DCs were largely sufficient in driving normal homeostatic proliferation of established memory CD8 T cells, suggesting that memory CD8 T cells grow more dependent on IL-15 transpresentation by DCs. Overall, our study clearly supports a role for DCs in memory CD8 T-cell homeostasis but also provides evidence that other hematopoietic cells are involved in this function. The identification of DCs fulfilling this role will enable future studies to better focus on mechanisms regulating T-cell homeostasis.
Voltage-Dependent Calcium Currents Are Enhanced in Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Neurons Isolated From Renal Wrap Hypertensive Rats

The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) is the central site of termination of baroreceptor afferents. We hypothesize that changes occur in voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) within NTS neurons as a consequence of hypertension. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained from adult normotensive (109+/-2 mm Hg; n=6 from 6 sham-operated and 31 nonsurgically treated) and hypertensive (158+/-6 mm Hg; n=24) rats. In some experiments, 4-(4-[dihexadecylamino]styryl)-N-methylpyridinium iodide was applied to the aortic nerve to visualize NTS neurons receiving baroreceptor synaptic contacts. Ba(2+) currents (500 ms; -80 mV prepotential; 500 ms voltage steps in 5-mV increments to +15mV) peaked between -20 and -10 mV and were blocked by 100 mum of Cd(2+). Peak VGCCs were not different comparing non-4-(4-[dihexadecylamino]styryl)-N-methylpyridinium iodide-labeled and 4-(4- [dihexadecylamino]styryl)-N-methylpyridinium iodide-labeled NTS neurons in hypertensive and normotensive rats. The peak VGCC was significantly greater in cells from hypertensive compared with normotensive rats for both non-DiA-labeled (P=0.02) and DiA-labeled (P=0.04) neurons. To separate high-voltage activated (HVA) and low-voltage activated (LVA) components of VGCCs, voltage ramps (-110 mV to +30 mV over 50 ms) were applied from a holding potential of -60 mV (LVA channels inactivated) and a holding potential of -100 mV (both LVA and HVA currents activated). HVA currents were subtracted from HVA+LVA currents to yield the LVA current. Peak LVA currents were not different between hypertensive (8.9+/-0.8 pA/pF) and normotensive (7.8+/-0.6 pA/pF) groups of NTS neurons (P=0.27). These results demonstrate that 4 weeks of renal wrap hypertension induce an increase in Ca(2+) influx through HVA VGCCs in NTS neurons receiving arterial baroreceptor inputs.
HPLC Separation with Solvent Elimination FTIR Detection of Polymer Additives

A mobile phase elimination interface (e.g., LC-Transform) is used in conjunction with Fourier transform infrared spectrometry to assay standard mixtures of polymer additives. Methanol and water mixtures are used as the mobile phase, along with an analytical scale octadecylsilica packed column. Infrared, ultraviolet, and light-scattering detection are applied to the nine-additive mix. Although there is a loss in resolution when the LC-Transform interface is used, each of the nine peaks can be easily discerned in order to generate clean infrared spectra. It is shown that changes in nebulizer flow have little effect on the intensity of the deposited peak. The data indicate that detection limits for these polymer additives fall in the low- to mid-nanogram range.
The global education network for retinopathy of prematurity (Gen-rop): Development, implementation, and evaluation of a novel tele-education system (an American ophthalmological society thesis)

To describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of a tele-education system developed to improve diagnostic competency in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) by ophthalmology residents.A secure Web-based tele-education system was developed utilizing a repository of over 2,500 unique image sets of ROP. For each image set used in the system, a reference standard ROP diagnosis was established. Performance by ophthalmology residents (postgraduate years 2 to 4) from the United States and Canada in taking the ROP tele-education program was prospectively evaluated. Residents were presented with image-based clinical cases of ROP during a pretest, posttest, and training chapters. Accuracy and reliability of ROP diagnosis (eg, plus disease, zone, stage, category) were determined using sensitivity, specificity, and the kappa statistic calculations of the results from the pretest and posttest.Fifty-five ophthalmology residents were provided access to the ROP tele-education program. Thirty-one ophthalmology residents completed the program. When all training levels were analyzed together, a statistically significant increase was observed in sensitivity for the diagnosis of plus disease, zone, stage, category, and aggressive posterior ROP (P<.05). Statistically significant changes in specificity for identification of stage 2 or worse (P=.027) and pre-plus (P=.028) were observed.A tele-education system for ROP education is effective in improving diagnostic accuracy of ROP by ophthalmology residents. This system may have utility in the setting of both healthcare and medical education reform by creating a validated method to certify telemedicine providers and educate the next generation of ophthalmologists.
Calorie restriction and rapamycin inhibit MMTV-Wnt-1 mammary tumor growth in a mouse model of postmenopausal obesity

Obesity is an established risk and progression factor for postmenopausal breast cancer. Interventions to decrease caloric intake and/or increase energy expenditure beneficially impact tumor progression in normoweight humans and animal models. However, despite the increasingly high global prevalence of obesity, the effects and underlying mechanisms of these energy balance modulating interventions are poorly characterized in obese individuals. The goal of this study was to better characterize the mechanism(s) responsible for the link between energy balance and breast cancer progression in the postmenopausal obesity context. We compared the effects of calorie restriction (CR), treadmill exercise (EX), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) treatment on body composition, serum biomarkers, cellular signaling, and mammary tumor growth in obese mice. Ovariectomized C57BL/6 mice were administered a diet-induced obesity regimen for 8 weeks, then randomized into three treatment groups: control (semipurified diet fed ad libitum, maintained the obese state); 30% CR (isonutrient relative to control except 30% reduction in carbohydrate calories); and EX (control diet fed ad libitum plus treadmill exercise). Mice were implanted with syngeneic MMTV-Wnt-1 mammary tumor cells at week 12. Rapamycin treatment (5 mg/kg every 48 h) started at week 14. Tumors were excised at week 18. CR and rapamycin (but not EX) significantly reduced final tumor weight compared to control. In follow-up analysis, constitutive activation of mTOR ablated the inhibitory effects of CR on Wnt-1 mammary tumor growth. We conclude that mTOR inhibition may be a pharmacologic strategy to mimic the anticancer effects of CR and break the obesity-breast cancer progression link.
Basal lamina : the scaffold for orderly cell replacement. Observations on regeneration of injured skeletal muscle fibers and capillaries

To explore in detail the relationships between basal lamina (BL) and regenerating cells, we have studied the reconstruction of skeletal muscle fibers and their associated capillaries in portions of rat and rabbit skeletal muscles after injury with either freezing, ischemia, or in situ autografting. Each type of injury produces complete necrosis of cells. The BL, however, remains intact in the area of injury and maintains a "map" of the outline of the spatial relationships between muscle fibers and capillaries. Repopulation of the defect with new cells occurs primarily along the old BL. The spatial relationship between cells, as it existed before injury, is thus reestablished. This process appears to be aided by the ability of each category of regenerating cells to grow along the cell-supporting surface of its own BL. The regenerating cells of muscle fibers and capillaries frequently form a new layer of BL. It is of the usual thickness and is deposited primarily along the outer surfaces of plasma membranes in locations in which the new cells are separated from the old BL. Where an old layer of BL is present overlying a newly formed layer, the old layer may be retained or it may be removed. Removal of redundant BL is probably mediated by interstitial cells which embrace the outside surfaces of BL of regenerated skeletal muscle fibers and capillaries.
Prescribing physical activity to prevent and manage gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most prevalent metabolic disorder during pregnancy. Women diagnosed with GDM have a substantially greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes within 5-10 years after delivery, and the risk is increased by excess body weight. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia during pregnancy is potentially harmful to both mother and fetus, resulting in a greater need for Caesarian-section deliveries, delivery of larger infants with more excess body fat, a greater risk of infant death and stillbirth, and an elevated risk of infant hypoglycemia immediately after birth. Fortunately, engaging in physical activity prior to and during pregnancy may lower the risk of developing GDM. Pregnant women should also be advised how to safely increase their physical activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period. An initial approach to becoming more physically active can simply be to encourage women to incorporate more unstructured physical activity into daily living, both before and during pregnancy. Giving women an appropriate exercise prescription can encourage them to participate in physical activity safely and effectively throughout pregnancy to prevent and/or manage GDM. Engaging in 30 min of moderate intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week has been adopted as a recommendation for all pregnant women.
How should we treat air leaks

Air leak is a common and occasionally challenging problem for thoracic surgeons after pulmonary resection. Many different treatment options have been attempted, more recently including resorbable hydrogels and endobronchial valve placement. In their study in this issue of the Journal, Tsubokawa and colleagues analyze a canine model in which TachoSil (Nycomed GmbH, Linz, Austria), a fibrin sealant patch, is placed over an area of the canine lung that was injured so as to create an air leak. The lung parenchyma in these animals was normal, however, in contrast to the emphysematous lung parenchyma in most patients with lung cancer. A model that induced emphysematous changes in the animal model would more closely mimic clinical challenges faced by thoracic surgeons and thus yield a more relevant study. Clearly, patients with more advanced emphysematous changes are more likely to have air leaks develop after surgery and are more likely to have a persistent air leak. It is expected that a patient with significant emphysematous changes (Figure 1, A) would be more likely to have a persistent air leak than would a patient with minimal emphysematous changes (Figure 1, B). TachoSil application might have different efficacies in these patients
Linoleic acid and linolenic acid: effect on permeability properties of cultured endothelial cell monolayers.

High circulating plasma levels offree fatty acids may injure endothelial cells, resulting in decreased barrier function ofthe vascularendotheium. The effect ofmedia supple- mentation with varying concentrations ofeither linoleic (C18:2w6) orlinolenic acid (Cl8:3w3) on albumin transfer across cultured endothelial monolayers was studied. A 24-h cell exposure to linoleic but not linolenic acid resulted in a concentration dependent and largely reversible increase in albumin transfer. Both fatty acids and in particular linolenic acid incorporated into cellular phospholipids. In contrast, only supplementation with linoleic but not linolenic acid resulted in an increased incorporation ofthis fatty acid into cell triglycerides. Similarly, only total cell triglyceride content increased after incubation with linoleic- but not with linolenic- enriched media. These results indicate that cellular enrichment with linoleic but not linolenic acid causes cellular perturbations that may be implicated in atherosclerosis. Am J Clin Nutrl989;49:30l-5.
Cooperative Joint Synchronization and Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, cooperative sensor localization using asynchronous time-of-arrival measurements is investigated. It is well known that localization performance in wireless networks using time-based ranging or pseudo-ranging methods is greatly affected by the accuracy of the timing synchronization between the nodes involved in the estimation. Commonly, the original estimation problem is broken down into two subproblems, the synchronization problem and the localization problem, in what is known as a two-step approach. However, in this paper, the joint synchronization and localization problem is considered and examined for use in cooperative networks. It is discussed that the cooperation between the source nodes eliminates the need for high anchor node densities and improves localization performance significantly. Furthermore, the Cramer-Rao lower bounds (CRLB) and the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator are derived. It is shown that the ML estimator is highly nonlinear and nonconvex and must, therefore, be solved by using computationally complex algorithms. In order to reduce the complexity of the estimation, a novel semidefinite programming (SDP) relaxation method is developed by relaxing the original nonconvex ML problem, in such a way as to reformulate the estimation problem as a convex problem. The performance of the proposed SDP method is shown through computer simulations to nearly equal that of the ML estimator. The approach is also applied to the noncooperative case where it is found to be superior in performance than the previously proposed suboptimal estimators. Finally, complexity analyses are included for the estimators under consideration.
Rethinking the New Deal court : the structure of a constitutional revolution

Rethinking the New Deal Court challenges the prevailing account of the New Deal era Supreme Court, which holds that in the spring of 1937 the Court suddenly abandoned jurisprudential positions it had staked out in such areas as substantive due process and commerce clause doctrine. In this view, the impetus for such a dramatic reversal was provided by external political pressures manifested in FDR's landslide victory in the 1936 election, and by the subsequent Court-packing crisis. Author Barry Cushman, by contrast, discounts the role that political pressure played in securing this "constitutional revolution." Instead, he reorients study of the New Deal Court by focusing attention on the internal dynamics of doctrinal development and the role of New Dealers in seizing opportunities presented by doctrinal change. Recasting this central story in American constitutional development as a chapter in the history of ideas rather than simply an episode in the history of politics, Cushman offers a thoroughly researched and carefully argued study that recharacterizes the mechanics by which laissez-faire constitutionalism unraveled and finally collapsed during FDR's reign. Identifying previously unseen connections between various lines of doctrine, Cushman charts the manner in which Nebbia v. New York's abandonment of the distinction between public and private enterprise hastened the demise of the doctrinal structure in which that distinction had played a central role.
Measuring flexion in knee arthroplasty patients.

Abstract Flexion following total knee arthroplasty can be visually estimated, measured with a goniometer placed against the patient’s leg, or measured from a lateral radiograph of the flexed knee. Three examiners, in a blinded fashion, estimated the degree of maximal knee flexion and measured the flexion with a goniometer for 27 knees in 16 patients. A lateral knee radiograph then was taken and the flexion angle was measured from the radiograph by 2 different methods. Although interobserver and intraobserver correlation coefficients were high (0.79 and 0.92), 45% of the visual estimates and 22% of the goniometer measurements differed by 5° or greater from the radiographic measurements. These differences increased as the flexion angle increased. Body mass index did not affect the accuracy of the estimates or goniometer measurements.