cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost-Benefit Quantification of ISHM in Aerospace Systems

Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) is an evolving technology used to detect, assess, and isolate faults in complex aerospace systems to improve safety. At the conceptual design level, system-level engineers must make decisions regarding the inclusion of ISHM and the extent and type of the sensing technologies used in various subsystems. In this paper, we propose a Cost-Benefit Analysis approach to initiate the ISHM design process. The key to this analysis is the formulation of an objective function that explicitly quantifies the cost-benefit factors involved with using ISHM technology in various subsystems. Ultimately, to determine the best ISHM system configuration, an objective is formulated, referred to as Profit, which is expressed as the product of system Availability (A) and Revenue per unit Availability (R), minus the sum of Cost of Detection (CD ) and Cost of Risk (CR ). Cost of Detection includes the cost of periodic inspection/maintenance and the cost of ISHM; Cost of Risk quantifies risk in financial terms as a function of the consequential cost of a fault and the probabilities of occurrence and detection. Increasing the ISHM footprint will generally lower Cost of Risk while raising Cost of Detection, while Availability will increase or decrease based upon the balance of the reliability and detectability of the sensors added, versus their ability to reduce total maintenance time. The analysis is conducted at the system functional level, with ISHM allocated to functional blocks in the optimization analysis. The proposed method is demonstrated using a simplified aerospace system design problem resulting in a configuration of sensors which optimizes the cost-benefit of the ISHM system for the given input parameters. In this problem, profit was increased by 11%, inspection interval increased by a factor of 1.5, and cost of risk reduced by a factor of 2.4 over a system with no ISHM.© 2007 ASME
Empirical Research on Inter-organizational Relations within a National Disaster Management Network in the Caribbean

This research examines the member dynamics of an inter-organizational national disaster management network in the Caribbean. Investigating the structure, functions, and member roles of a collaboration provides a foundation for comprehending better network relations. This analysis contributes to the public administration, disaster management, and network literatures by clarifying, to some degree, factors affecting member relationships in practice. This is important since the present environment surrounding disaster management is such that both governments and scholars are encouraging collaborative efforts among those responding to and impacted by catastrophic events.
Determination of the Absolute Numbers of Leukocyte Cell Types in Chickens

Abstract The absolute numbers of various leukocytic cell types in chicken blood were determined by the use of a modified Giemsa method which permitted one to distinguish between thrombocytes and large lymphocytes. It was not possible to distinguish between the polymerphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes and eosinophils with any accuracy as observed previously with the use of conventional procedures. The absolute distribution of granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes in conventionally raised White Leghorn chickens, 28–73 days of age, was determined. A large variation in the absolute numbers of leukocyte cell types was observed within each group, thus making the differences between each group insignificant. The accumulated absolute mean (28–73 days) of various cell types revealed the following percent distribution: Granulocytes, 24%; Monocytes, 11%; Lymphocytes, 65%.
Searching For Universals: Preliminary Evidence For The Validity Of Substance Abuse Subtypes In A Sample Of Mexican American Youths

Recent studies of substance abuse typologies indicate that multivariate models originally developed for identifying subtypes of alcoholics are valid among users of other substances, including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Little is known regarding the generalizability of these subtypes across culturally different subgroups. If substance abuse typologies are universal, then controlling for subtype may prove to be an effective research strategy in studies attempting to distinguish the separate and specific contribution of culturally related factors to risk for substance use and to treatment response. In this article, we present data that replicate the Type A-Type B distinction, developed by Babor et al., in a sample of Hispanic youths with substance involved problems.
Liver and mammary arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase and epoxide hydratase in lactating rats fed polybrominated biphenyls.

Abstract Female rats were fed polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) (50 ppm) from day 8 of gestation through day 14 postpartum. Hepatic and mammary liver to body weight ratios, microsomal protein, arylhydrocarbon (benzo(a)pyrene) hydroxylase (AHH) activity and epoxide hydratase (EH) activities were measured. Exposure to PBBs significantly increased liver to body weight ratio, hepatic microsomal protein and hepatic AHH and EH activities. Mammary AHH activity was increased and EH activity was decreased after PBBs. These data demonstrate that AHH and EH are present in mammary tissue and can be altered by exposure to PBBs.
Response of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Uveitis to Zidovudine

A patient with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 infection developed chronic iridocyclitis and anterior vitritis that were poorly responsive to topical and systemic corticosteroid therapy. Anterior chamber paracentesis was performed and HIV was isolated from culture of aqueous humor. Subsequent treatment with oral zidovudine resulted in resolution of the iridocyclitis and vitritis and full functional recovery of the eye. This case suggests that HIV may be a cause of uveitis responsive to systemic zidovudine therapy.
Thoracoscopic Thoracic Duct Ligation

Chylothorax is the presence of chyle in the thoracic cavity due to a disruption of the thoracic duct. The cause of chylothorax includes congenital malformation, trauma, neoplasm, and inflammation. Complications of chylothorax are severe and include significant nutritional deficiency, immunocompromised status, and metabolic derangements. These complications are a result of the rich composition of chyle. Chyle contains dietary fats absorbed enterally, fat-soluble vitamins, protein, and T-cell lymphocytes. 1 The composition of chyle is similar to that of plasma in terms of electrolytes. Losingasignificantamountofchylecanleadtothedisastrous consequencespreviouslylisted.Thediagnosisofchylothorax is confirmed by sampling the pleural effusion with a triglyceride level 110 and by the presence of chylomicrons.1,2 Management of chylothorax begins with drainage of chyle from the pleural cavity by either tube thoracostomy or an image-guided percutaneous drain. Medical management involves diet modification through 2 modalities. The first is a low-fat diet, rich in medium-chain fatty acids, as this will bypass the thoracic duct via direct absorption in the portal vein. Strict nil per os and total parenteral nutrition are the other modalities used as bowel rest decreases the amount of chyle flowing through the thoracic duct. Somatostatin has been found to decrease the volume of chyle by decreasing absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. 3 This has been used primarily in the pediatric population with sparse case reports in the adult literature. 4 Surgical management includes several therapeutic options. Surgical management is indicated for 1 L or greater of chyle drainage over a 24-hour period or for patients who fail to stop leaking chyle with conservative therapy. Pleurodesis, via talc or fibrin glue, has been used with reported success. 5 The placement of a Denver pleuroperitoneal shunt has been used in patients who are nonoperative candidates; however, these shunts are fraught with complications such as tenderness from the catheter site, obstruction, and patient noncompliance. 6 Thoracic duct embolization via percutaneous catheterization and lymphography is another option. This technique is successful in approximately 70% of cases in which the thoracic duct can be cannulated. 7 Moredefinitively,thethoracicductcanbeligated,through either isolation or mass tissue ligation, as discussed later. 5,8,9
FcR-mediated crosslinking of Ta1 (CDw26) induces human T lymphocyte activation

Abstract Ta1 (CDw26) is a 105-kDa glycoprotein of unknown function whose expression on human T lymphocytes is strongly correlated with activation and proliferation. The subset of peripheral blood T cells expressing Ta1 includes the principal responsive population to proliferative stimulation by recall antigens as well as monoclonal antibodies directed to the CD3/T cell receptor complex and the CD2 (T11) molecule. We now show that the Ta1 molecule is itself an alternate mediator of human T lymphocyte activation. T cell clones were induced to proliferate and exert their cytolytic effector function by anti-Ta1 monoclonal antibodies in the presence of Fc-receptor-positive accessory or target cells. Resting T cells from peripheral blood were also activated to proliferate by anti-Ta1, but only if both Fc-receptor-positive accessory cells and exogenous IL-2 were present. Anti-Ta1 antibodies induced increased expression of IL-2 receptors on purified T cells under these conditions. Activation via Ta1 was shown to be functionally interconnected to CD3/T cell receptor activation mechanisms, because modulation of the CD3/ T cell receptor complex inhibited anti-Ta1-mediated cytolysis without affecting Ta1 surface expression. While demonstrating that the CDw26 antigen-mediated pathway of activation is not dependent on one unique epitope, our results suggest that the Ta1 glycoprotein can mediate T cell activation directly, suggesting that it may be associated with an important cellular component of the human T cell regulatory network.
Recessional velocities and Hubble’s law in Schwarzschild-de Sitter space

We consider a spacetime with empty Schwarzschild-de Sitter exterior and Schwarzschild-de Sitter interior metric for a spherical fluid with constant density. The fluid interior may be taken to represent a galaxy supercluster, for which the proper distance from the center of the supercluster to the cosmological horizon has the same order of magnitude as the Hubble radius derived from Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmologies. The fluid interior and surrounding vacuum may also be considered as a model of the Local Group of galaxies in the far future. Particle motion is subject both to the attractive gravity exerted by the fluid and the repelling cosmological constant. Using global Fermi coordinates for the central observer within the fluid, the Fermi velocity, the astrometric velocity, the kinematic velocity, and the spectroscopic velocity, relative to the central (Fermi) observer, of a radially receding test particle are calculated and compared. We find that the Fermi relative velocity can exceed the speed of light in this model, but the presence of a positive cosmological constant causes recessional speeds of distant high energy particles to decrease rather than increase. We derive a version of Hubble's law for this spacetime which might be applicable for the analysis of a receding mass within a great void adjacent to a supercluster, relatively isolated from gravitational sources other than the supercluster. We also compare some of our results to related behavior in Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmologies and consider implications to arguments regarding the expansion of space.
Excited state “photochromism” in bismuth germanate

Abstract We report first time observation of transient excited state absorption (ESA) whose magnitude increases with the intensity of the probe beam. The effect is observed in bismuth germanate (Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 ) and behaves as a sort of an excited state photochromism (ESP). In this material ESA increases from ≈ 20% up to ≈ 76% when the probe beam intensity increases from 1 to 16 W / cm 2 . It has been measured with two different methods and occurs even with a Xe flash lamp used as a probe beam source. Several possible mechanisms of the ESP effect are considered.
The effects of emotional content on reality-monitoring performance in young and older adults.

Reality monitoring refers to a person’s ability to distinguish between perceived and imagined events. Prior research has demonstrated that young adults show a reality-monitoring advantage for negative arousing information as compared with neutral information. The present research examined whether this reality-monitoring benefit extends to positive information in young adults and whether older adults show a reality-monitoring advantage for emotional information of either valence. Two studies revealed no evidence for a reality-monitoring advantage for positive information; in both age groups, the realitymonitoring advantage existed only for negative information. Older adults were, however, more likely to remember that a positive item had been included on a study list than they were to remember that a nonemotional item had been studied. Young adults did not show this mnemonic enhancement for positive information. These results indicate that although older adults may show some mnemonic benefits for positive information (i.e., an enhanced ability to remember that a positive item was studied), they do not always show enhanced memory for source-specifying details of a positive item’s presentation.
Atmospheric Metal Pollutants-Archives, Methods, and History

Pollution of the atmosphere with cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) is a consequence of human activities. Natural archives are necessary to reconstruct the long-term history of metal deposition because accurate measurement of atmospheric deposition is a recent accomplishment. Reconstructions require: (1) accurate determination of concentrations of elements and isotopes, (2) accurate chronology of archives, and (3) archives that faithfully record atmosphere deposition. The most useful long-term archives are accumulations of ice and snow, peat, and lake sediment. Quantification of Cd deposition is uncommon because of its low concentration and substantial chemical mobility. Nonetheless, trends in peat and lake sediment are similar to those of Hg and Pb since ca. 1800 a.d. Both Hg and Pb are relatively chemically immobile and thus the peat and lake archives are believed to record historic trends of atmospheric deposition. Isotopic and concentration studies of Pb indicate a history of northern hemisphere atmospheric pollution extending back prior to 0 a.d. Although measurements of Hg concentration are now routine, isotopic measurements are in their infancy. Some Hg pollution sources have unique isotopic ratios, thereby contributing unique signals to the total Hg. Maximum accumulation rates of Hg and Pb occur up to 10 years later than for Cd (1970s versus 1960s in eastern North America, perhaps slightly later in Europe). By 2004, deposition of Cd, Hg, and Pb had declined from peak values in eastern North America more than 75, 75, and 90%, respectively.
On the Pekar and Perlin Calculation of F-Center Lifetimes

In a recent paper PEKAR and PERLIN presented a calculation, based upon PEKAR's continuum theory of the F-center, of the radiative lifetime of the first excited level of the F-center. Their results are in order-of-magnitude agreement with the experimental results of SWANK and BROWN. In this paper we argue that such agreement is fortuitous and is the result of several invalid assumptions made by PEKAR and PERLIN: 1. as they mentioned, they have neglected to include an effective field correction in their calculation; 2. they have used the same electronic wave functions to calculate emission probabilities as one would use (in PEKAR's theory) to calculate absorption probabilities, a procedure which we have shown to be susceptible to suspicion; 3. these electronic wave functions are in fact not consistent with observed absorption oscillator strengths. In einer kurzlich erschienenen Arbeit berechneten PEKAR und PERLIN auf der Grundlage der PEKARschen Kontinuumstheorie die Lebensdauer des ersten angeregten Zustandes eines F-Zentrums fur strahlende Ubergange. Ihre Ergebnisse stimmen grosenordnungsmasig mit den experimentellen Resultaten von SWANK und BROWN uberein. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird gezeigt, das diese Ubereinstimmung zufallig ist und von einigen ungultigen Annahmen herruhrt, die von PEKAR und PERLIN benutzt wurden: (1) Es wurde keine Korrektur bezuglich des effektiven Feldes eingefuhrt. (2) Zur Berechnung der Emissionswahrscheinlichkeiten wurden dieselben elektronischen Eigenfunktionen benutzt, mit deren Hilfe man (in der PEKARschen Theorie) Absorptionswahrscheinlichkeiten berechnet. Wir haben gezeigt, das dieses Verfahren fragwurdig ist. (3) Diese Eigenfunktionen sind nicht konsistent mit Oszillatorenstarken, die aus Absorptionsmessungen bestimmt wurden.
5-Hydroxytryptamine correlates of isolation-induced aggression in mice.

Abstract Drug regimens designed to enhance or impair serotonergic functioning were found to differentially affect isolation-induced fighting in mice. Male albino mice were isolated for at least 4 weeks. Number of fights, attack latencies, and average fight durations were recorded for 15 min every other day. On intervening days, the locomotor activity of each mouse was measured in stabilimeters. After the baseline for aggression and activity stabilized, drug procedures were instituted. While motility remained unaffected, mice injected with D,L-5-hydroxytryptophan in combination with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitors (seryltrihydroxybenzine) engaged in fewer fights of shorter average duration which were precede by longer attack latencies. Biochemical analyses indicated that although serotonin levels were increased, catecholamine levels were reduced. A putative inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase, p-chloro-N-methylamphetamine (PCMA), was found to increase fighting frequency; attack latencies, average fight durations, and motility measurements did not differe significantly from non-injection performance. At time periods in which fighting was increased, levels of brain serotonin were reduced while catecholamine levels remained unaltered. Although PCMA did not affect motility at time intervals when fighting was increased, locomotor activity was increased for the first 8 hr after administration. Notwithstanding contributions by other putative neurotransmitters, these results suggest that serotonergic mechanisms are involved in the control of isolation-induced aggression in mice.
Sinusoidal endothelial cells prevent rat stellate cell activation and promote reversion to quiescence.

Capillarization precedes hepatic fibrosis. We hypothesize that capillarization of sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC) is permissive for hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and therefore permissive for fibrosis. We examined whether freshly isolated SECs prevent activation of HSCs and promote reversion to quiescence, and whether this effect was lost in capillarization. HSCs were cultured alone or co-cultured with differentiated or capillarized SECs. Results: Co-culture with freshly isolated SECs markedly decreased HSC activation after 3 days in culture, but co-culture with capillarized SEC had no effect. Inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis abolished SEC suppression of HSC activation. Activated HSCs reverted to quiescence when co-cultured with SEC plus vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (that is, with SECs that maintained differentiation), but co-culture with capillarized SECs did not. Reversion of activated HSCs to quiescence in the presence of SECs plus VEGF was abolished by inhibition of NO synthesis. To establish whether there was indeed reversion, activated and quiescent HSCs were counted before and 3 days after adding freshly isolated SECs plus VEGF to activated HSCs, and proliferation was quantified in quiescent HSCs; the stoichiometry demonstrated reversion. Conclusion: Differentiated SECs prevent HSC activation and promote reversion of activated HSCs to quiescence through VEGF-stimulated NO production. Capillarized SECs do not promote HSC quiescence, because of loss of VEGF-stimulated NO production.
Light and electron microscopy of giant-cell glioblastoma

A giant-cell tumor of the brain is studied by light and electron microscopy. The latter reveals the presence of filaments measuring 80 A in diameter in the perikarya of giant cells as well as in smaller, better differentiated cells. These filaments also occur in bands in numerous cell processes, many of which are intimately associated with blood vessels. Thus the giant cells are interpreted as being anaplastic astrocytes. The narrow extracellular space, lack of well-developed desmosomes, and lack of collagen are evidence against a mesenchymal origin of the tumor. This concept is supported by light microscopy since PTAH-positive astrocytic fibers are present in large numbers of neoplastic cells, and transition from glioblastoma multiforme is encountered. Added to the reports of light microscopic observations and the few electron microscopic studies of other laboratories, it is concluded that this particular type of giant-cell tumor is a variant of glioblastoma multiforme (malignant astrocytoma).
Structural characterization of viral fusion proteins

Infection by enveloped viruses is initiated by the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. In many cases, the viral membrane proteins that mediate fusion must undergo conformational changes to become active. Influenza hemagglutinin, for example, is activated by a dramatic conformational rearrangement, triggered by the low pH of the intracellular compartment in which fusion occurs. Structural characterization of this rearrangement has led to a reconsideration of how hemagglutinin mediates membrane fusion.
Translation of Lifestyle Modification Programs Focused on Physical Activity and Dietary Habits Delivered in Community Settings

Lifestyle modification programs (LMPs) can provide individuals with behavioral skills to sustain long-term changes to their physical activity (PA) levels and dietary habits. Yet, there is much work to be done in the translation of these programs to community settings. This review identified LMPs that focused on changing both PA and dietary behaviors and examined common features and barriers faced in their translation to community settings. A search of multiple online databases was conducted to identify LMPs that included participants over the age of 18 who enrolled in LMPs, offered in community settings, and had the goal of improving both PA and dietary behaviors. Data were extracted on participant demographics, study design characteristics, and study outcome variables including changes in PA, dietary habits, body weight, and clinical outcomes. We identified 27 studies that met inclusion criteria. Despite high levels of retention and adherence to the interventions, varying levels of success were observed in increasing PA levels, improving dietary habits, reducing body weight, and improving clinic outcomes. LMPs addressing issues of PA and dietary habits can be successfully implemented in a community setting. However, inconsistent reporting of key components in the translation of these studies (participant recruitment, utilization of behavioral strategies) may limit their replication and advancement of future programs. Future efforts should better address issues such as identifying barriers to participation and program implementation, utilization of community resources, and evaluating changes across multiple health behaviors.
Effect of diuretics on renal iodide excretion by humans.

Diuretic studies were carried out on 18 young male subjects (23–27 years old) after acute administration of hydrochlorothiazide (HCZ, 150 mg po, 9 subjects) and acetazolamide (AZ, 500 mg po, 9 subjects). Urine was collected for 60 min prior to, and at 120, 240 and 300 min after, drug administration. Urinary flow and output of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride and iodide were measured. When the response of each subject during the treatment period was expressed as difference from predrug control values, HCZ increased significantly the difference in urinary flow, chloride, sodium, potassium, iodide and magnesium excretion rates. AZ increased significantly the difference in urinary flow, sodium, potassium and bicarbonate excretion rates while significantly decreasing the difference in chloride and iodide excretion rates. Significant positive correlations were noted between sodium and calcium excretion rates as well as between the logarithms of rates of chloride and iodide excretion by HCZ- but not AZ-treated groups. The results suggest that humans increase urinary iodide excretion with increasing chloride excretion, as shown previously for dog and rat. The diuretic carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, AZ, which does not increase urinary chloride excretion, failed to increase urinary iodide excretion.
The impact of the market portfolio on the valuation, incentives and optimality of executive stock options

This paper examines the effect on valuation and incentives of allowing executives receiving options to trade on the market portfolio. We propose a continuous time utility maximization model to value stock and option compensation from the executive's perspective. The executive may invest non-option wealth in the market and riskless asset but not in the company stock itself, leaving them subject to firm-specific risk for incentive purposes. Since the executive is risk averse, this unhedgeable firm risk leads them to place less value on the options than their cost to the company. Hay Group Study 2002 cited in Skapinker (2003). By distinguishing between these two types of risks, we are able to examine the effect of stock volatility, firm-specific risk and market risk on the value to the executive. In particular, options do not give incentive to increase total risk, but rather to increase the proportion of market relative to firm-specific risk, so executives prefer high beta companies. The paper also examines ...
State constraints and pathwise decomposition of programs

A state constraint is a programming construct designed to restrict a program's domain of definition. It can be used to decompose a program pathwise, i.e. dividing the program into subprograms along the control flow, as opposed to dividing the program across the control flow when the program is decomposed into functions and procedures. As a result, a program consisting of one or more execution paths of another program can be constructed and manipulated. The author describes the idea involved, examines the properties of state constraints, establishes a formal basis for pathwise decomposition and discusses their uses in program simplification, testing and verification. >
Conformational Preference and Donor Atom Interaction Leading to Hexacoordination vs Pentacoordination in Bicyclic Tetraoxyphosphoranes1

New bicyclic tetraoxyphosphoranes all containing a six-membered oxaphosphorinane ring, C6H8(CH2O)2P(OC12H8)(OXyl) (1), (C6H4O)2P(OC12H8)(OXyl) (2), CH2[(t-Bu)2C6H2O]2P(OC12H8)(OXyl) (3), O2S[(t-Bu)MeC6H2O]2P(OC12H8)(OXyl) (4), and S[(t-Bu)MeC6H2O]2P(OC12H8)(OXyl) (5), were synthesized by the oxidative addition reaction of the cyclic phosphine P(OC12H8)(OXyl) (6) with an appropriate diol in the presence of N-chlorodiisopropylamine. X-ray analysis revealed trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) geometries for 1−4 where the dioxa ring varied in size from six- to eight-membered. With a sulfur donor atom as part of an eight-membered ring in place of a potential oxygen donor atom of a sulfone group as in 4, the X-ray study of 5 showed the formation of a hexacoordinated structure via a P−S interaction. Ring constraints are evaluated to give an order of conformational flexibility associated with the (TBP) tetraoxyphosphoranes 4 > 3 ∼ 1 > 2 which parallels the degree of shielding from 31P NMR chemical shifts: 4 > 3 > 1 > 2. ...
HabilisDraw DT: a bimanual tool-based direct manipulation drawing environment

In this paper, we present a two-handed tool-based drawing environment based on the principles originally incorporated into the HabilisDraw interactive drawing system. These principles include persistent tools that embody intuitive aspects of their physical counterparts and an approach to interface learnability that capitalizes on the user's inherent ability to use tools both separately and in conjunction with other tools. In addition to these principles, the DiamondTouch variation of HabilisDraw (HabilisDraw DT) extends the physical-virtual tool correlation with bimanual input via the MERL DiamondTouch input device and a close adherence to the direct manipulation interaction model. This paper presents the HabilisDraw interface, explores the benefits of a desktop metaphor that closely mimics the behavior of two-dimensional tools and objects in a drawing environment, and argues for the applicability of the system's fundamental principles for improving interface usability in the future.
Sympathetic nerve fibers in rat orofacial and cerebral tissues as revealed by the HRP-WGA tracing technique: a light and electron microscopic study.

Abstract Horseradish peroxidase-wheat germ agglutinin injected into the superior cerical ganglion is taken up by the neuronal perikarya and transported anterogradely in large quantities into peripheral fibers and axonal terminals in a variety of orofacial and cerebral tissues, including the iris, cornea, pineal gland, facial skin and the adventia of cerebral and facial blood vessels. Subsequent histochemical processing according to the tetramethylbenzidine procedure produces a unique, highly visible intraaxonal marker that makes the identification and 3-dimensional tracing of the sympathetic nerve fibers clear and unambiguous at both the light and electron microscopic levels.
Sodium-Calcium Exchange in Intracellular Calcium Handling of Human Airway Smooth Muscle

Enhanced airway contractility following inflammation by cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) or interleukin-13 (IL-13) involves increased intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) levels in airway smooth muscle (ASM). In ASM, plasma membrane Ca2+ fluxes form a key component of [Ca2+]i regulation. There is now growing evidence that the bidirectional plasma membrane Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) contributes to ASM [Ca2+]i regulation. In the present study, we examined NCX expression and function in human ASM cells under normal conditions, and following exposure to TNFα or IL-13. Western blot analysis showed significant expression of the NCX1 isoform, with increased NCX1 levels by both cytokines, effects blunted by inhibitors of nuclear factor NF-κB or mitogen-activated protein kinase. Cytokine-mediated increase in NCX1 involved enhanced transcription followed by protein synthesis. NCX2 and NCX3 remained undetectable even in cytokine-stimulated ASM. In fura-2 loaded human ASM cells, NCX-mediated inward Ca2+ exchange as well as outward exchange (measured as rates of change in [Ca2+]i) was elicited by altering extracellular Na+ and Ca2+ levels. Contribution of NCX was verified by measuring [Na+]i using the fluorescent Na+ indicator SBFI. NCX-mediated inward exchange was verified by demonstrating prevention of rising [Ca2+]i or falling [Na+]i in the presence of the NCX inhibitor KBR7943. Inward exchange-mode NCX was increased by both TNFα and IL-13 to a greater extent than outward exchange. NCX siRNA transfection substantially blunted outward exchange and inward exchange modes. Finally, inhibition of NCX expression or function blunted peak [Ca2+]i and rate of fall of [Ca2+]i following histamine stimulation. These data suggest that NCX-mediated Ca2+ fluxes normally exist in human ASM (potentially contributing to rapid Ca2+ fluxes), and contribute to enhanced [Ca2+]i regulation in airway inflammation.
Effects of Ice Storms, Southern Pine Beetle Infestation, and Fire on Table Mountain Pine Forests of Southwestern Virginia

Forests dominated by Table Mountain pine (Pinus pungens) cloak xeric sites in the Appalachian Mountains. Frequent fire and other disturbances probably maintained open pine stands in the past, but fire-exclusion promoted increased stand density and hardwood invasion. In stands we sampled, most Table Mountain pines belonged to a cohort that originated in the early 1900s, probably following a severe burn. Recent disturbances changed the stands considerably. Ice storms reduced the basal area of one stand by about 23%, lowering the abundance of pines more than hardwoods. Subsequently, a southern pine beetle infestation removed 30% of the remaining pine basal area. These disturbances stimulated little pine regeneration. In a neighboring stand disturbed by wildfire as well as the ice storms and pine beetles, the abundance of both hardwoods and pines declined dramatically. Basal area loss in the stand was 45%. The burn top-killed many of the hardwood trees and shrubs, which comprised a dense understory, and stimu...
Measurements of concentration-dependent spin-lattice relaxation times in phosphorus-doped silicon at low temperatures☆

Abstract Relaxation times associated with ‘concentration-dependent’ spin-lattice interactions in n -type silicon are measured at temperatures between 1.8°K and 0.33°K. The resulting field, temperature and concentration dependences are determined.
Energy-Efficient Scheduling for Parallel Applications Running on Heterogeneous Clusters

High performance clusters have been widely used to provide amazing computing capability for both commercial and scientific applications. However, huge power consumption has prevented the further application of large-scale clusters. Designing energy-efficient scheduling algorithms for parallel applications running on clusters, especially on the high performance heterogeneous clusters, is highly desirable. In this regard, we propose a novel scheduling strategy called energy efficient task duplication schedule (EETDS for short), which can significantly conserve power by judiciously shrinking communication energy cost when allocating parallel tasks to heterogeneous computing nodes. We present the preliminary simulation results for Gaussian and FFT parallel task models to prove the efficiency of our algorithm.
Electromechanical phase transition in dielectric elastomers

Subject to forces and voltage, a dielectric elastomer may undergo electromechanical phase transition. A phase diagram is constructed for an ideal dielectric elastomer membrane under uniaxial force and voltage, reminiscent of the phase diagram for liquid–vapour transition of a pure substance. We identify a critical point for the electromechanical phase transition. Two states of deformation (thick and thin) may coexist during the phase transition, with the mismatch in lateral stretch accommodated by wrinkling of the membrane in the thin state. The processes of electromechanical phase transition under various conditions are discussed. A reversible cycle is suggested for electromechanical energy conversion using the dielectric elastomer membrane, analogous to the classical Carnot cycle for a heat engine. The amount of energy conversion, however, is limited by failure of the dielectric elastomer owing to electrical breakdown. With a particular combination of material properties, the electromechanical energy conversion can be significantly extended by taking advantage of the phase transition without electrical breakdown.
Secessionism in multicultural states: Does sharing power prevent or encourage it?

In a world of states and dominated by states it is unsurprising that the maintenance of state boundaries would appear as a vital problem and that “state contraction,” “secession,” or “partition” would be figured, by most scholars and politicians, as evidence of public policy failure or as desperately exercised options of last resort. To be sure, in the 1990s some scholars revived interest in territorial self-determination via partition of existing states as a sometimes useful policy option for individual states and for the international community. Against a background of severe political instability in the Balkans, central Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union, it has been suggested that some political conflicts might be managed best by
Evaluation of the potential role of chelation therapy in treatment of low to moderate lead exposures

In the overall long-term management of lead poisoning, chelation therapy can have short-term benefits; however, these benefits must be accompanied by drastic reduction in environmental exposure to lead if therapy is to have any long-term benefit. This discussion is limited to calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (CaNa2EDTA), the chelating agent that has been the mainstay of treatment of lead poisoning for the past 38 years, and to meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), a new and promising oral chelating agent, which is an orphan drug and is currently classified as an investigational new drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With both drugs, multiple courses of treatment will be needed if any substantial reduction in body lead burden is to be achieved. A major limitation of CaNa2EDTA is the enormous diuresis of zinc that it produces. DMSA produces a comparable diuresis of lead, a greater decrease in blood lead, and has negligible influence on the urinary losses of zinc, copper, iron, and calcium. Limited experience to date in man has revealed no significant adverse side effects of DMSA. In animals, DMSA will promptly reduce the concentration of lead in brain and kidney, in particular. By contrast, similar 5-day courses of CaNa2EDTA do not produce any net reduction in brain lead. This is important, as the brain is the critical organ of the adverse effects of lead in children. If the efficacy of DMSA is to be comprehensively evaluated ethically in children, new and more sensitive neurochemical, electrophysiologic, or other markers must be developed.
Comment on "On the use of the Hilbert transform for processing measured CW data

The commenter suggests that P.M. Tesche, in the above-titled paper (ibid., vol.34, no.3, p.259-66, Aug. 1992), conveys the impression that the Cauchy residue theorem, when applied to a function of a complex variable, leads to a Hilbert transformation relationship between the real and imaginary parts. The commenter clarifies this relationship. >
Value of ANCA measurements during remission to predict a relapse of ANCA-associated vasculitis—a meta-analysis

Objective. The value of repeated ANCA measurements among patients with an established diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to explore whether either of the two distinct patterns of ANCA values during remission, a rise in ANCA or persistently positive ANCA, predicted future relapse. Methods. MEDLINE and EMBASE searches were performed. Studies with at least 10 subjects with AAV from which both sensitivity and specificity of a rise in ANCA and/or persistent ANCA for future disease relapse could be calculated were included. Likelihood ratios were calculated for each study and pooled to arrive at summary estimates. I2-values were calculated as a measure of heterogeneity and meta-regression was used to explore sources of heterogeneity. Results. Nine articles on a rise in ANCA and nine articles on persistent ANCA were included. The summary estimates for positive likelihood ratio (LR+) and negative likelihood ratio (LR−) of a rise in ANCA during remission on subsequent relapse of disease were 2.84 (95% CI 1.65, 4.90) and 0.49 (95% CI 0.27, 0.87), respectively. The summary estimates for LR+ and LR− of persistent ANCA during remission for subsequent disease relapse were 1.97 (95% CI 1.43, 2.70) and 0.73 (95% CI 0.50, 1.06), respectively. There was substantial between-study heterogeneity, which was partially explained by the frequency of ANCA measurements. Conclusion. Among patients with AAV, a rise in or persistence of ANCA during remission is only modestly predictive of future disease relapse. There is limited use to serial ANCA measurements during disease remission to guide treatment decisions for individual patients with AAV.
Homicide–Suicides in the United States: A Review of the Literature

Homicide–suicides are phenomena where the perpetrator kills one or more victims and subsequently kills himself/herself. The typical classification includes intimate partner homicide–suicides, familial, and extrafamilial homicide–suicides. This review examines research beginning with a 1992 seminal article by Peter Marzuk, Kenneth Tardiff, and Charles Hirsch in the Journal of the American Medical Association in which they suggested that homicide–suicides constituted a distinct domain different from homicides to suicides. This review uses the JAMA article to frame the issues and discuss homicide–suicide research in the United States from the date of that publication. In addition to discussing characteristics of homicide–suicides, this review focuses on homicide–suicides involving intimate partners and compares both to homicides without subsequent suicides and suicides without prior homicides. Suggestions for further research are given as well as research problems available to Sociology.
Vaccine-Induced Serum Immunoglobin Contributes to Protection from Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Genital Infection in the Presence of Immune T Cells

Herpes simplex type virus 2 (HSV-2) is a sexually transmitted pathogen that causes genital lesions and spreads to the nervous system to establish acute and latent infections. Systemic but not mucosal cellular and humoral immune responses are elicited by immunization of mice with a replication-defective mutant of HSV-2, yet the mice are protected against disease caused by subsequent challenge of the genital mucosa with virulent HSV-2. In this study, we investigated the role of immune serum antibody generated by immunization with a replication-defective HSV-2 vaccine prototype strain in protection of the genital mucosa and the nervous system from HSV-2 infection. Passive transfer of replication-defective virus-immune serum at physiologic concentrations to SCID or B-cell-deficient mice had no effect on replication of challenge virus in the genital mucosa but did significantly reduce the incidence and severity of genital and neurologic disease. In contrast, B-cell-deficient mice immunized with replication-defective HSV-2 were able to control replication of challenge virus in the genital mucosa, but not until 3 days postchallenge, and were not completely protected against genital and neurologic disease. Passive transfer of physiologic amounts of immune serum to immunized, B-cell-deficient mice completely restored their capacity to limit replication of challenge virus in the genital mucosa and prevented signs of genital and systemic disease. In addition, the numbers of viral genomes in the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia of immunized, B-cell-deficient mice were dramatically reduced by transfer of immune serum prior to challenge. These results suggest that there is an apparent synergism between immune serum antibody and immune T cells in achieving protection and that serum antibody induced by vaccination with replication-defective virus aids in reducing establishment of latent infection after genital infection with HSV-2.
A Review of the NASA Textile Composites Research

During the past 15 years NASA has taken the lead role in exploiting the benefits of textile reinforced composite materials for application to aircraft structures. The NASA Advanced Composites Technology (ACT) program was started in 1989 to develop composite primary structures for commercial transport airplanes with costs that are competitive with metal structures. As part of this program, several contractors investigated the cost, weight, and performance attributes of textile reinforced composites. Textile composites made using resin transfer molding type processes were evaluated for numerous applications. Methods were also developed to predict resin infiltration and flow in textile preforms and to predict and measure mechanical properties of the textile composites. This paper describes the salient results of that program.
A morphometric analysis of the infant calvarium and dura

Literature addressing the anatomic development of the dura and calvarium during childhood is limited. Nevertheless, histological features of a subdural neomembrane (NM), including its thickness and vascularity, developing in response to an acute subdural hematoma (SDH) have been compared to the dura of adults to estimate when an injury occurred. Therefore, we measured the morphometric growth of the calvarium and dura and the vascular density within the dura during infancy. The mean thicknesses of the calvarium and dura as a function of occipitofrontal circumference (OFC), as well as the mean number of vessels per 25× field, were determined from the right parasagittal midparietal bone lateral to the sagittal suture of 128 infants without a history of head trauma. Our results showed that as OFC increased, the mean thicknesses of the calvarium and dura increased while the vascular density within the dura decreased. Our morphometric data may assist in the interpretation of subdural NM occurring during infancy. We recommend future investigations to confirm and extend our present data, especially by evaluating cases during later infancy and beyond as well as by sampling other anatomic sites from the calvarium. We also recommend morphometric evaluation of subdural NM associated with SDH in infancy and childhood.
Location of the bacteriophage P22 coat protein C-terminus provides opportunities for the design of capsid-based materials.

Rational design of modifications to the interior and exterior surfaces of virus-like particles (VLPs) for future therapeutic and materials applications is based on structural information about the capsid. Existing cryo-electron microscopy-based models suggest that the C-terminus of the bacteriophage P22 coat protein (CP) extends toward the capsid exterior. Our biochemical analysis through genetic manipulations of the C-terminus supports the model where the CP C-terminus is exposed on the exterior of the P22 capsid. Capsids displaying a 6xHis tag appended to the CP C-terminus bind to a Ni affinity column, and the addition of positively or negatively charged coiled coil peptides to the capsid results in association of these capsids upon mixing. Additionally, a single cysteine appended to the CP C-terminus results in the formation of intercapsid disulfide bonds and can serve as a site for chemical modifications. Thus, the C-terminus is a powerful location for multivalent display of peptides that facilitate n...
Nature of Science

There is no debate regarding the importance of including NOS in the science curriculum, but some suggest that it would be best to call this domain Nature of Science Studies, History and Philosophy of Science (HPS), Ideas-about-Science, Nature of Sciences, Nature of Scientific Knowledge, or Views on the Nature of Science.
Directional beacon based positioning system using RF signals

We present the implementation of a directional beacon based positioning algorithm using radio frequency signals. This algorithm allows each mobile node to compute its position with respect to a set of reference nodes which are equipped with rotational directional antenna. The system implementation is based on the GNU Radio software platform with the Universal Software Radio Peripheral as the hardware component. Even though the technique needs some modification at the reference nodes in the form of a rotational directional antenna, we show that the mobile nodes do not need hardware modifications. We use maximum likelihood based amplitude estimation and least squares based line-of-sight time-delay estimation, to account for the presence of multipath components in the received signal. These techniques enable a more accurate estimation of the bearing of the mobile node with respect to each of the reference nodes. The proposed algorithm does not require any synchronization between the reference nodes and the mobile node. However, the reference nodes are assumed to be synchronized. We demonstrate the ability to obtain mobile node position estimates with sub-meter accuracy.