cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 and Beyond: Exploring Public Health Benefits from Non-Specific Effects of BCG Vaccination.

Bacille Calmette–Guerin (BCG) vaccination, widely used throughout the world to protect against infant tuberculous meningitis and miliary tuberculosis (TB), can provide broad non-specific protection against infectious respiratory diseases in certain groups. Interest in BCG has seen a resurgence within the scientific community as the mechanisms for non-specific protection have begun to be elucidated. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nearly every aspect of society has profoundly illustrated the pressure that respiratory infections can place on a national healthcare system, further renewing interest in BCG vaccination as a public health policy to reduce the burden of those illnesses. However, the United States does not recommend BCG vaccination due to its variable effectiveness against adult TB, the relatively low risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in most of the United States, and the vaccine’s interference with tuberculin skin test reactivity that complicates TB screening. In this review, we explore the broad immune training effects of BCG vaccination and literature on the effects of BCG vaccination on COVID-19 spread, disease severity, and mortality. We further discuss barriers to scheduled BCG vaccination in the United States and how those barriers could potentially be overcome.
Minimax control over unreliable communication channels

In this paper, we consider a minimax control problem for linear time-invariant (LTI) systems over unreliable communication channels. This can be viewed as an extension of the H ∞ optimal control problem, where the transmission from the plant output sensors to the controller, and from the controller to the plant are over sporadically failing channels. We consider two different scenarios for unreliable communication. The first one is where the communication channel provides perfect acknowledgments of successful transmissions of control packets through a clean reverse channel, that is the TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). Under this setting, we obtain a class of output feedback minimax controllers; we identify a set of explicit threshold-type existence conditions in terms of the H ∞ disturbance attenuation parameter and the packet loss rates that guarantee stability and performance of the closed-loop system. The second scenario is one where there is no acknowledgment of successful transmissions of control packets, that is the UDP (User Datagram Protocol). We consider a special case of this problem where there is no measurement noise in the transmission from the sensors. For this problem, we obtain a class of corresponding minimax controllers by characterizing a set of (different) existence conditions. We also discuss stability and performance of the closed-loop system. We provide simulations to illustrate the results in all cases.
Generalized Manning Condensation Model Captures the RNA Ion Atmosphere.

RNA is highly sensitive to the ionic environment and typically requires ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{2+}$ to form compact structures. There is a need for models capable of describing the ion atmosphere surrounding RNA with quantitative accuracy. We present a model of RNA electrostatics and apply it within coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation. The model treats ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{2+}$ ions explicitly to account for ion-ion correlations neglected by mean-field theories. Since mean-field theories capture KCl well, it is treated implicitly by a generalized Manning counterion condensation model. The model extends Manning condensation to deal with arbitrary RNA conformations, nonlimiting KCl concentrations, and the ion inaccessible volume of RNA. The model is tested against experimental measurements of the excess ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{2+}$ associated with the RNA, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{2+}$, because ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}}_{2+}$ is directly related to the ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{2+}$-RNA interaction free energy. The excellent agreement with experiment demonstrates that the model captures the ionic dependence of the RNA free energy landscape.
Biochemistry of Deoxyribonucleic Acid-defective Amber Mutants of Bacteriophage T4 III. NUCLEOTIDE POOLS

Abstract Nucleotide pools were analyzed under different conditions of infection by bacteriophage T4, for three reasons: (a) as an approach to identifying the defective functions associated with conditional lethal phage mutants bearing uncharacterized lesions in DNA replication; (b) to gain information about the control of nucleotide synthesis in phage-infected Escherichia coli; and (c) as an aid to interpretation of earlier data (Mathews, C. K. (1968) J. Biol. Chem. 243, 5610) which suggested that the rate of total RNA synthesis decreases when DNA replication is blocked. In infection by wild type T4D there are no significant changes in ribo- or deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pool sizes, except for replacement of dCTP by 5-hydroxymethyl-dCTP. By contrast, infection by DNA-negative mutants causes up to 30-fold pool expansions of dATP and dTTP, with hydroxymethyl-dCTP accumulating to similar extents. The dGTP pool, however, does not expand significantly, suggesting that the synthesis of this nucleotide is regulated more closely than those of the others. Ribonucleoside triphosphate pools do not expand dramatically in infection by mutants in genes 42, 44, or 62, but up to 5-fold pool expansion is seen in infection by mutants in genes 41 and 45. These studies indicate that the products of genes 41, 44, 45, and 62 do not directly affect the synthesis of DNA precursors. Moreover, comparative studies on the rates of labeling of RNA precursors late in infection support the earlier reported conclusion that the rate of RNA synthesis decreases considerably when DNA synthesis is blocked. Finally, the data allow calculation of the adenylate energy charge and of approximate concentrations of nucleotides in exponentially growing E. coli. The energy charge is about 0.9, in agreement with published work, and this value does not change significantly under the conditions of infection examined. The intracellular concentrations of nucleoside triphosphates range from 0.1 mm for dGTP to 2.7 mm for ATP. These values allow one to ask which of various enzyme feedback effects observed in vitro might reasonably be assumed to be operating in vivo.
Intake and Food Sources of Dietary Fat Among Schoolchildren in The Woodlands, Texas

To investigate the nutrient intake and food use patterns among schoolchildren, diet was assessed among 138 children and adolescents in grades 5 through 12 using three random, nonconsecutive, 1-day food records. Mean intake of total fat, saturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat as percent of calories was 35.6%, 13.4%, and 6.6%, respectively. Among all subjects, 17% consumed diets containing less than 30% of calories from fat, 34% consumed greater than or equal to 38% of calories from fat, 7% consumed less than 10% of calories from saturated fatty acids, and greater than 97% ate less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. While intake of calories, sodium, and beta-carotene per 1000 kcal was higher in subjects consuming higher fat diets, intake of other micronutrients was either higher among those eating low-fat diets or did not differ by level of fat intake. Differences were seen in the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol that individual food sources contributed to the diets of subjects eating high and low fat diets. These cross-sectional data show that a substantial proportion of children and adolescents in this population are consuming diets low in fat and cholesterol without systematic differences in intake of other nutrients, suggesting that current dietary guidelines regarding fat intake are attainable within the current food use pattern of healthy, school-aged children and adolescents.
Brownfields Uncertainty: A Proposal To Reform Superfund

For decades Americans have been trying to reverse the momentum of urban decline. In an effort to ensure that abandoned, contaminated properties were cleaned up, Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, or CERCLA, also known as the Superfund Act. With the creation of the Superfund program, a liability scheme was put in place to make sure that brownfields would be cleaned up so they could be put into productive reuse. Unfortunately, the uncertainties associated with this liability framework have been declared by some to be the primary impediment to brownfield redevelopment. Private developers, who might otherwise provide the resources needed for redeveloping brownfields into vital com munity assets, are driven away from purchasing or investing in brownfield sites by the potential for catastrophic federal and state regulatory and tort liability. As a result, many brownfields continue to sit vacant or underutilized. This article offers a solution to the risk and uncertainty resulting from federal and state cleanup and third-party tort liability often associated with brownfield sites, while preserving the current liability scheme as it pertains to parties actually responsible for the contamination. To mitigate the liability and tort concerns of potential brownfield re developers, this article proposes the creation of an absolute waiver of federal and state cleanup and third-party tort liability for truly innocent private parties that undertake to redevelop brownfield sites. Our proposed federal legislative reforms, coupled with in centives for states’ participation, should serve as a catalyst for private-party brownfield redevelopment while strengthening the fiscal vitality of the Superfund program without reliance on taxpayer dollars.
A Visual Language for Browsing, Undoing, and Redoing Graphical Interface Commands

We present the concept of an editable graphical history that allows the user to review and modify the actions performed with a graphical user interface. Using a pictorial metaphor borrowed from comic strips, an editable graphical history consists of a series of panels that depict in chronological order the important events in the history of a user’s session. We discuss the visual language used in editable graphical histories, and describe Chimera, a graphical editor that generates these histories automatically. The user may scroll through the sequence of panels, reviewing actions at different levels of detail, and selectively undoing, modifying, and redoing previous actions. Chimera’s editable graphical histories are constructed from parts of the editor window, the editor control panel, and the editor’s pop up menus. Panels indicate both the objects that are modified and the actions performed on them. We describe the heuristics used to determine the objects depicted in each panel, the style in which they are drawn, and how actions are distributed among panels.
Language, Meaning, and Culture: Research in the Humanities

Human beings are story-telling animals. We play out our lives in complex and interactive narratives that constitute our individual and collective lives; taken altogether, such narratives constitute the self-understanding of a people and time. It should be acknowledged that this remains relative and a relational matter; that there exists no master-narrative in the sense that there is a final way that the world is. There is no one way that things or people must be; this is so of the physical world of objects no less than the life-world of human beings. Even so, as Physics aspires to a full account of the relations of things in a systematic and formal theory, Humanistic studies can aspire to a full account of the relations of human beings in an informal and unsystematic narrative. Even if not aspiring to a closed theoretical system, a narrative of cultural life can be assimilated into a coherent conceptual frame and historical account.
The Good Behavior Game for Latino English Language Learners in a small-group setting

The Good Behavior Game (GBG) is a group contingency intervention that has effectively reduced disruptive behavior and improved classroom management in many replications, for various settings and populations. The student composition of American public schools is changing, leading to culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms with unique psychoeducational needs. The present study used a single-subject, delayed multiple baseline design across two students to evaluate the GBG as a targeted intervention for third-grade Latino English Language Learners (L-ELLs) who participated in a small group for behavior support. Results suggested that the intervention had a moderate effect on the interrupting behavior of the target students, although outcomes for out-of-seat behavior were found to be negligible. Overall, the results continue to provide further support for the use of the GBG with culturally and linguistically diverse students, suggesting a potentially positive impact for the individual student in a sma...
Understanding the puzzling chemistry of bicyclo[2.1.0]pentane.

Three thermal reactions of bicyclo[2.1.0]pentane have been studied by CASPT2–g3 and CASSCF electronic structure calculations. They are isomerization to cyclopentene, isomerization to 1,4-pentadiene, and cycloaddition to fumaronitrile. All three of these reactions exhibit unusual features that have prompted mechanistic debate. The present computational results provide a basis for understanding the experimental observations.
The influence of adolescent eating disorders or disordered eating behaviors on socioeconomic achievement in early adulthood.

Objective Much research documents the etiology and health consequences of adolescent eating disorders (ED), but very little is known about the long-term effects of EDs on the transition to adulthood. This study explores gender differences in the influence of EDs or disordered eating behaviors (DEB) on measures of socioeconomic independence in early adulthood. Method Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), this study compares individuals who self-identified as have been diagnosed with an ED or engaged in DEBs in late adolescence to those without ED or DEB on three measures of socioeconomic independence during early adulthood, including educational attainment, income, and likelihood of owning a home. This study uses multiple regression techniques and attempts to account for early-life conditions and health outcomes associated with EDs and DEBs. Results For females, ED or DEB in late adolescence had a statistically significant, negative association with educational attainment (coefficient = −0.20, p = .05), personal income (coefficient = −0.12, p < .05) and odds of owning a home (odds ratio = 0.73, p < .02) in early adulthood. For males, ED or DEB was not associated with socioeconomic attainment. Discussion Our findings suggest that EDs and DEBs are negatively associated with socioeconomic achievement during early adulthood for females, but not for males. EDs or DEBs during adolescence may set individuals on a different trajectory whereby they do not have the same life chances or opportunities for success in adulthood. These results confirm the public health message that EDs or DEBs have lasting negative consequences for women. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:622–632)
QCD corrections to flavor-changing-neutral-current single top production at the DESY HERA collider

We calculate first-order QCD corrections to the cross section for single top-quark production mediated by flavor-changing neutral currents (FCNC's) in $\mathrm{ep}$ collisions at the DESY HERA collider. We find that the uncertainty due to the choice of the QCD scale is significantly reduced. This study is motivated by the current experimental work for limits on the FCNC single top cross section.
The low cost carrier worldwide

The emergence and growth of low-cost carriers (LCCs) have changed the dynamics of air transportation markets and airline competition in virtually every region of the world. Just as airline deregula...
Immunogenicity of aggregates of recombinant human growth hormone in mouse models

Aggregation of recombinant therapeutic protein products is a concern due to their potential to induce immune responses. We examined the immunogenicity of protein aggregates in commercial formulations of recombinant human growth hormone produced by freeze-thawing or agitation, two stresses commonly encountered during manufacturing, shipping and handling of therapeutic protein products. In addition, we subjected each preparation to high-pressure treatment to reduce the size and concentration of aggregates present in the samples. Aggregates existing in a commercial formulation, as well as aggregates induced by freeze-thawing and agitation stresses enhanced immunogenicity in one or more mouse models. The use of high-pressure treatment to reduce size and concentrations of aggregates within recombinant human growth hormone formulations reduced their overall immunogenicity in agreement with the "immunon" hypothesis.
Study of trabecular bone microstructure using spatial autocorrelation analysis

ABSTRACT The spatial autocorrelation analysis method represents a powerful, new approach to quantitative characterization of structurally quasi-periodic anisotropic materials such as trabecular bone (TB). The method is applicable to grayscale images and thus does not require any preprocessing, such as segmentation which is difficult to achieve in the limited resolution regime of in vivo imaging. The 3D autocorrelation function (ACF) can be efficiently calculated using the Fourier transform. The resulting trabecular thickness and spaci ng measurements are robust to the presence of noise and produce values within the expected range as determined by other methods from µ CT and µ MRI datasets. TB features found from the ACF are shown to correlate well with those determined by the Fuzzy Distance transform (FDT) in the transverse plane, i.e. the plane orthogonal to bones major ax is. The method is further shown to be applicable to in-vivo µMRI data. Using the ACF, we examine data acquired in a previous study aimed at evaluating the structural implications of male hypogonadism characterized by testoste rone deficiency and reduced bone mass. Specifically, we consider the hypothesis that eugonadal and hypogonadal men di ffer in the anisotropy of their trabecular networks. The analysis indicates a significant difference in trabecular bone thickness and longitudinal spacing between the control group and the testosterone deficient group. We conclude that spatial autocorrelation analysis is able to characterize the 3D structure and anisotropy of trabecular bone and provides new insight into the structural changes associated with osteoporotic trabecular bone loss.
Hot Ductility of Fe-18Cr-12Mn-0.55N High Nitrogen Austenitic Stainless Steel

The hot ductility of Fe-18Cr-12Mn-0.55N high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel was investigated in Gleeble-2000 thermomechanical simulator. The experimental results show that the hot ductility curve of test steel is comprised of high-temperature brittlement region at the test temperatures higher than 1150°C, high-temperature ductility region at the test temperatures from 850°C to 1150°C and middle-temperature half brittlement region at the test temperatures lower than 850°C. High-temperature brittlement and middle-temperature half brittlement are caused by the appearances of δ ferrite and the precipitation of Cr2N phase at austenitic grain boundaries, respectively, and the excellent hot ductility at test temperatures between the two brittlement temperature regions results from the stable single phase austenitic microstructure.
Bioinspired Synthesis of Hirsutellones A, B, and C

The total synthesis of hirsutellones A (1), B (2), and C (3) has been achieved through a bioinspired late-stage sequence starting from advanced intermediate 6. The sequence proceeded via labile intermediate 17,1'-dehydrohirsutellone B (5) and delivered, in addition to the natural products (1-3), hirsutellone analogue 1',2',17-epi-hirsutellone C (1',2',17-epi-3).
Standard scores for Wechsler Memory Scale subtests.

Equations are provided for the calculation of age-corrected standard scores with a mean of 10 and a standard deviation of 3 for the Mental Control, Logical Memory, Visual Reproduction, and Associate Learning subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale. Use of the standard scores is expected to facilitate intersubtest comparisons.
The genetics of two homothallic species of the Mucoraceae

Auxotrophic strains of Mucor genevensis and Zygorhynchus exponens were crossed and the resulting zygospores germinated. The presence of a true sexual cycle in both species was demonstrated by the recovery of recombinant genotypes. Expected Mendelian ratios were not realized, however. The presence of selfed zygospores among those isolated makes this observation understandable. It was possible to demonstrate nutritional complementation when young mating mycelium was transferred to minimal medium and forced heterokaryons were recovered.
Interplay of electric field effects and vibrational polarization in ArnHF clusters

Abstract Model potential, rigorous dynamics calculations have been performed for argon atoms clustered about hydrogen fluoride under the influence of a static external electric field. The difference in a cluster's energy with ground and vibrationally excited hydrogen fluoride is the red-shift in the HF infrared fundamental frequency. As a probe of the response of the surroundings and the coupling to the field, this was followed as a function of external field strength. Mutual polarization effects are less than the small vibrational effects found; however, an important qualitative difference is found once the HF is surrounded by argon atoms in the Ar 12 HF cluster.
Anti-theta antibodies for detecting thymus-dependent lymphocytes in the immune response of mice to SRBC.

MOUSE thymus cells possess a high concentration of the theta (θ)1 and Ly2 antigens. Several approaches have demonstrated that the sensitivity of peripheral muriiie lymphocytes to the cytotoxic effect of θ and Ly antibodies is a thymus-dependent property. The population of cells sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of θ antibodies disappears from lymph nodes3 and spleen4 after neonatal thymectomy. Similarly, following neonatal thymectomy, the population of cells sensitive to Ly antibodies disappears from lymph nodes (unpublished results of M. S. and Yron). Following administration of heterologous anti-lymphocyte serum, a procedure resulting in elimination of thymus-dependent lymphocytes5,6, cells sensitive to θ antibodies disappear transiently from the lymph nodes7 and spleen4.
Preproenkephalin gene expression and [Met5]-enkephalin levels in the developing rat heart.

Abstract [Met 5 ]–enkephalin, encoded by the preproenkephalin (PPE) gene, serves as a growth factor (opioid growth factor, OGF) during cardiac development in addition to its role as a neuroregulator. This study examined the ontogeny and relationship of gene and peptide expression in the mammalian heart during late embryonic, preweaning, and postweaning periods. Values for PPE mRNA of hearts in rats from embryonic day 16 (E16) to postnatal day 1 were 33 to 50% of levels found in adults. Adult values for the mature heart were comparable to those in the caudate, an area of the rat brain rich in PPE mRNA. Message gradually decreased during the first postnatal week to 10% of adult values and remained so until weaning. PPE mRNA on days 35 and 50 were three- and sevenfold, respectively, higher than at 21 days, and in adults was more than 50% greater than at day 50. Message for PPE in neonatal heart was regulated rapidly and in a sustained fashion by excess opioid agonist (OGF) or blockade of opioid-receptor interaction. [Met 5 ]–enkephalin levels increased sevenfold between E18 and E20, and another 1.6-fold until birth. Having reached a zenith in the neonate, values for enkephalin-like peptide decreased gradually through the 2nd postnatal week, and were extremely low in adulthood. Indeed, a 43-fold difference in peptide levels was detected between neonatal and adult rat heart. These data provide evidence for the expression of a tightly regulated and distinct growth factor (OGF) during the crucial periods of cell proliferation and differentiation in the mammalian heart, and reveal that the source of OGF is autocrine and/or paracrine.
Static analysis of machine code for supply-chain risk management

This paper discusses the product-oriented approach to software supply-chain risk management: a determination of the trustworthiness of software applications, or the relative trustworthiness among a set of software applications, based on automated analysis and inspection of their actual binary machine codes. The system, named CodeSonar™ for binaries, is a static-analysis tool that can find security vulnerabilities in stripped and optimized executables. It is built as an extension to a successful product for analyzing source code, so it is also capable of analyzing source and machine code simultaneously. It can find defects such as buffer overruns, null pointer dereferences, resource leaks, and uninitialized variables.
Development of a highly sensitiveimmunochemiluminometric assay for prostate-specific antigen

Abstract Objectives. An assay is described for measuring very low concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) which could be used to reliably monitor patients with radical prostatectornies potentially to detect early recurrence of prostate cancer. Methods. A combination of immobilized and acridinium ester-labeled monoclonal antibodies was used to develop a two-step, 90-minute chemiluminometric assay. The reference standards for the serum assays were prepared by adding patient sera with a high concentration of PSA to base pools of female sera, which were selected because of low background counts and good recovery of added PSA. The assay was standardized to match the Abbott IMx PSA Assay. Results. The serum-based analytic detection limit (calculated as response 2.5 standard deviations [SD] above the zero standard) is 0.004 ng/mL, whereas the “biologic detection limit” (calculated as 2.0 SD above the analytic detection limit) is 0.008 ng/mL. The assay is highly reproducible with interassay coefficients of variation (CV) under 12% down to 0.02 ng/mL, qualifying this as a “second generation” assay (eg, CV Conclusions. This assay can measure very low concentrations of PSA in plasma and a wide range of PSA concentrations in urine. This assay will provide a valuable analytic tool for the future evaluation of the clinical utility of “ultrasensitive” PSA measurements for the management of prostate cancer.
Effects of hypothermia on the human brainstem auditory response

Latency measurements between three potentials (waves I, III, and IV/V) of the human brainstem auditory response can allow early detection of certain posterior fossa lesions. The diagnostic use of these interwave latencies requires knowledge of what factors may prolong them in the absence of disease. Hypothermia appears to be one such factor--in 5 neurologically and audiometrically normal patients, mean esophageal temperatures as high as 34.5 degrees C resulted in prolongations of central auditory conduction time. Interwave latency prolongations that were abnormal relative to an age-matched normal population were seen at 32.1 degrees +/- 0.3 degrees C in patients with both spontaneous and induced hypothermia, and these abnormalities disappeared after rewarming to normothermia. Hypothermia often accompanies intoxication and coma and should therefore be considered when brainstem auditory response abnormalities are being interpreted in these two clinical conditions.
COMBINING NONCONTINGENT REINFORCEMENT AND DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES AS TREATMENT FOR ABERRANT BEHAVIOR

Research has shown that noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) can be an effective behavior-reduction procedure when based on a functional analysis. The effects of NCR may be a result of elimination of the contingency between aberrant behavior and reinforcing consequences (extinction) or frequent and free access to reinforcers that may reduce the participant's motivation to engage in aberrant behaviors or mands. If motivation is momentarily reduced, behavior such as mands may not be sensitive to positive reinforcement. In this study, for 3 children with aberrant behavior maintained by tangible positive reinforcement, differential-reinforcement-of-alternative-behavior schedules were superimposed on NCR schedules to determine if mands could be strengthened. Results for the participants indicated that NCR did not preclude reinforcement of mands.
STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTION : III. THE EFFECT OF TISSUE NECROSIS AND ANTITOXIC IMMUNITY.

Necrosis of rabbit skin produced by thermal injury was found to result in a striking increase in local infectivity of staphylococci that were coagulase-positive and hemolytic, but no local increase in the infectivity of non-pathogenic staphylococci. Infection produced in necrotic burns extended beyond the area of burn and was characterized by hemorrhage, edema, and necrosis of contiguous normal skin. Such infections, however, never resulted in bacteriemia or metastatic abscesses, and there was no effect of the necrotic burn upon the infectivity of staphylococci injected into normal skin of the burned animal. Recovery of rabbits from severe burn infections was associated with the development of high titers of serum antibody to the alpha hemolysin or dermonecrotoxin of the staphylococcus. Thirty to 100 days after the initial burn infection, it was found that rabbits could no longer be infected in a necrotic burn, although infection induced in normal skin of these resistant animals was no different from that in normal rabbits. Immunity to infection by pathogenic staphylococci in necrotic burns could be induced by vaccination with potent alpha hemolysin toxoid, and this immunity was passively transferable with rabbit antiserum. No strain specificity was detected for this immunity in that immunization with toxoid prepared from bacteriophage type 52/42B/80/81 staphylococci protected animals against infection in a necrotic burn by other typable and non-typable staphylococci. Histopathological study of infected necrotic burns in normal rabbits showed extensive necrosis, hemorrhage, edema, and many masses of bacteria but leucocytic infiltration was observed only at the margin of the infection. In contrast, the infected necrotic burns in animals immunized with alpha hemolysin toxoid showed few bacteria and marked leucocytic infiltration throughout the burn. These experiments have, therefore, demonstrated a significant immunity to infection by pathogenic staphylococci in necrotic tissue but not in normal skin, associated with serum antibody to the alpha hemolysin or dermonecrotoxin of the bacteria. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Melatonin relieves the neural oxidative burden that contributes to dementias

This report summarizes some of the many publications that document the beneficial actions of melatonin within the central nervous system. Of particular interest are the multiple functions of melatonin and its metabolites as ubiquitously acting direct free radical scavengers and indirect antioxidants. The fact that melatonin and the metabolic progeny that are formed when it scavenges toxic reactants are all effective in neutralizing destructive molecules greatly increases the efficacy of melatonin as a protection against by-products of oxygen and nitrogen that normally mutilate essential molecules. Of the large number of situations in which oxidative stress may be the cause of disease processes or debilitating conditions, the current review examines melatonin's protection within the central nervous system, particularly in experimental ischemia/reperfusion (stroke) injury, Alzheimer's disease, and parkinsonism. In each of these conditions, melatonin has been found to provide significant neural protection against both the morphophysiological damage and the biobehavioral consequences of these infirmities. The report concludes with the suggestion that melatonin, alone or in combination with other antioxidants, be considered for routine usage to potentially combat some of the neural ravages of aging.
Endogeneous interferon α/β produced by murine Kupffer cells augments liver-associated natural killing activity

Nonparenchymal liver cells from untreated C3HeB/FeJ mice, when incubated in medium containing-10% fetal bovine serum or portal serum, produced significant amounts of interferon alpha/beta (IFNα/β). In contrast, other cell populations (spleen, mononuclear blood cells and peritoneal cells) from C3HeB/FeJ mice or nonparenchymal liver cells from other strains of mice (C3H/HeJ, germ-free C3H/HeN and C57Bl/6J) produced little or no detectable IFN in fetal bovine serum under the same culture conditions. The cells in the nonparenchymal liver cell population responsible for IFNα/β production were adherent, phagocytic, silica-sensitive, carbonyl-iron-sensitive, and Thy1.2−, presumably Kupffer cells or resident liver macrophages. IFNα/β production by cultured Kupffer cells was not observed if medium containing fetal bovine serum or portal serum was treated with polymyxin B or if Kupffer cells were cultured in serum-free medium. This suggested that small amounts of endotoxin in fetal bovine or portal serum stimulated Kupffer cells to produce IFNα/β. Possibly, Kupffer cells are in a different state of activation/maturation than peritoneal and splenic macrophages since the sensitivity of resident Kupffer cells from C3HeB/FeJ mice to the stimulatory effects of endotoxin. The endogenous production of IFNα/β by Kupffer cells from C3HeB/FeJ mice can augment liver-associated natural killer (NK) activity against YAC-1 cells (4 h) and induce liver-associated cytotoxic activity, not restricted by the major histocompatibility complex, against NK resistant P815 mastocytoma cells (18 h).
Synthesis of polymeric ladders by topochemical polymerization

Two polymeric ladders were synthesized by topochemical polymerization. The critical assemblies with multiple reactive centers were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Approximately 64% and 70% of the mass of the two polymeric ladders can be derived from biomass, respectively.
Human sensitivity to dynamic rotation gains in head-mounted displays

Head-mounted display (HMD) systems make it possible to introduce discrepancies between physical and virtual world rotations. Small and hopefully unnoticed discrepancies can be useful for redirected walking algorithms which seek to allow a user to explore a large virtual space while confined to a small real space. Previous work has examined if people can detect discrepancies which are fixed (such as when the virtual world rotation rate is amplified by a fixed value). In this work, we conducted an experiment where participants turn 360 degrees in the real world and indicate if the virtual world rotation rate increased or decreased over the course of the turn. Our results show no difference between rotational gains which instantaneously jump from one value to another compared to gains which slowly change over the course of a 360 degree turn. We also found that the starting gain influenced the point of subjective equality. Finally, our work indicates that the range of reliably detectable gain changes is consistent for starting gains at 1 and starting gains at 2.
Cygnus X-1 revisited

The X- and gamma-ray observations of Cygnus X-1 and their theoretical interpretations are reviewed, with emphasis on new developments since the mid-1970s. The overall data base at present is most consistent with the inverse Compton model by hot thermal electrons of T(e) of about 10 billion K, for the hard X-ray luminosity (10-200 keV). However, the origin of the soft X-rays (not greater than 10 keV) in high states and gamma rays (greater than 200 keV) remain unsettled.
The Effect of Dispersion Media on Photoluminescence of Colloidal CdSe Nanocrystals Synthesized from TOP

The media used for dispersion have a significant effect on the photoluminescent (PL) efficiency of colloidal CdSe nanocrystals, in addition to synthetic parameters. The investigated dispersion media were water-insoluble hexanes (Hex), toluene (Tol), chloroform (CHCl3), and water-miscible tetrahydrofuran (THF); in addition, a water−THF mixture (25%, weight), a tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP)−Hex mixture (25%, weight), and a TOP−THF mixture (25%, weight) were also explored as dispersion media. Solvent-dependent equilibriums affect the number of surface-adsorbed molecules available for surface passivation and the removal of surface ligands, with both concentration and additives (such as TOP) and time playing a role, so that PL intensities can either be enhanced or diminished depending on the detailed conditions. Moreover, an enhancement is not possible at low concentrations of nanocrystals after days of storage, as dissociation of the surface ligands plays a major role and leads to the formation of the other fluo...
An analytic solution for interacting interface cracks in anisotropic dissimilar materials

Abstract An analytic study of possible interface failure by coalescence of an interface microcrack and a primary interface crack in anisotropic dissimilar materials is presented. The stress intensity factor of mode I at the tip of an interface macrocrack is shown to be always greater than that at the lip of a neighboring interface microcrack, suggesting that the primary crack is expected to grow into the microcrack.
Ecological implications of invasive tunicates associated with artificial structures in Puget Sound, Washington, USA.

The non-native tunicates Didemnum vexillum, Ciona savignyi, and Styela clava are of concern to resource managers of Puget Sound, Washington, USA because they have been shown to threaten native species diversity and shellfish aquaculture in other regions. Invasive tunicates in Puget Sound occur mainly on man-made structures such as floating docks and aquaculture facilities. We conducted studies of the three species of concern and a fourth introduced tunicate, Botrylloides violaceus, that occur on these structures to evaluate their effects on mussels and native invertebrate communities. Because most studies of community effects of tunicates have dealt with sessile fouling organisms, we focused instead on epibenthic organisms such as meiofaunal harpacticoid copepods and macrofaunal polychaetes and amphipods that are known to be important prey for juvenile salmon and other small fish. Similar studies have shown mixed results, with negative, positive, or no effects depending on the species. We also found few community-level effects. Abundances of several species were lower when tunicates were present, but only at some of the sites. Several other species, including a non-native isopod, were significantly more abundant in the presence of tunicates. However, in most cases results were not statistically significant and more intensive, controlled sampling or experiments may be needed to demonstrate any consistent tunicate effects. Although invasive tunicates cause problems for mussel growers elsewhere, we did not find negative effects on mussels at four sites in Puget Sound. Given the large impacts known to accompany tunicate invasions elsewhere and their relatively recent invasions into Puget Sound, monitoring of their populations and effects should continue in the region.
Hypohydration effects on thermoregulation during moderate exercise in the cold

Hyperosmotic hypovolemia impairs vasoconstriction during sedentary cold exposure. The purpose of this study was to determine whether hypohydration alters thermoregulation and cardiovascular responses to exercise in cold air. On four occasions, eight males [35.1 (2.7) years, 175.5 (3.1) cm, 73.3 (2.6) kg, 57.2 (2.6) ml kg(-1) min(-1) maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)), 19.6 (2.4)% fat] walked, in t-shirt, shorts, and shoes, at 50% VO(2max), for 60 min in either a 4 degrees C (Cold) or a 25 degrees C (Temperate) environment in both hypohydrated state (HYPO, -4% body mass) and euhydrated state (EU). During exercise-cold stress, rectal temperature ( T(re)), mean weighted skin temperature, heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and stroke volume (SV) were measured every 20 min. Mean weighted skin temperature values were not different between HYPO and EU but were lower ( P 0.05) between HYPO-Cold and EU-Cold. CO and SV were not different within hydration states and were not different between Cold and Temperate trials ( P<0.05). HR was not different between HYPO-Cold and EU-Cold. These data demonstrate that moderate intensity exercise in the cold while hypohydrated does not alter metabolic heat production, skin temperatures and heat loss, nor does it increase thermoregulatory and cardiovascular strain.
Microscopic Interface Between Two Immiscible Electrolytes: A Parallelism to an Ultramicroelectrode

Abstract Current-potential response of a small interface formed between two immiscible solutions of electrolytes is examined. The diameter of the contact area made in a thin glass wall separating two solvents is approximately 130 μm. Ion transport across the nitrobenzene-water interface is studied by addition of probe semi-hydrophobic ions such as tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, picrate, choline and dodecylsulfate to either aqueous or nonaqueous phase. The voltammetric behavior observed with the microinterface generally resembles that of a solid microelectrode of a similar radius. The contribution of ohmic drop becomes less significant with decrease of the interface area. This phenomenon permits voltammetric and amperometric measurements without using a potentiostat, and the solvent resistance is of a lesser problem.
Obstructive sleep apnea in epilepsy patients: the Sleep Apnea scale of the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (SA-SDQ) is a useful screening instrument for obstructive sleep apnea in a disease-specific population.

Abstract Objective To determine useful cutoffs on the Sleep Apnea scale of the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (SA-SDQ) in an epilepsy population. Background Epilepsy and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) frequently coexist, and treating OSA in epilepsy patients may reduce seizure frequency and improve daytime sleepiness. The SA-SDQ, a 12-item validated measure of sleep-related breathing disorders, may be a useful tool to screen epilepsy patients for OSA, although appropriate cutoff points have not been established in this population. Previously suggested SA-SDQ cutoff points for OSA in a non-epilepsy population were 32 for women and 36 for men. Patients and methods One hundred twenty-five subjects with epilepsy undergoing polysomnography completed a survey about their sleep, including the 12-item SA-SDQ scale. Receiver-operating characteristics curves were constructed to determine optimal sensitivity and specificity. Results Sixty-nine of the 125 subjects (45%) had apnea–hypopnea indices greater than five, indicating OSA. The area under the curve was 0.744 for men and 0.788 for women. For men, an SA-SDQ score of 29 provided a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 65%. For women, an SA-SDQ score of 26 provided a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 67%. Conclusions The SA-SDQ is a useful screening instrument for OSA in an epilepsy population. Our results indicate that the previously suggested cutoffs for OSA (36 for men and 32 for women) may be too high for this specific population. We suggest screening cutoffs of 29 for men and 26 for women.
Comparison of Turbulence Modeling Strategies for Indoor Flows

Turbulence modeling techniques are compared for the simulation of low speed indoor air flow in a simple room. The effect of inlet turbulence intensity on the flow field is investigated using the constant coefficient large eddy simulation (LES) model with uniform mean inlet conditions at several levels of inlet turbulence intensities. The results show significant differences between the simulations with laminar inflow conditions and those in which turbulence was introduced at the inlet. For simulations with turbulent inlet conditions, it is noticed that the jet transitions to a state of fully developed turbulence wherein the dynamics of the flow become nearly insensitive to any further increase in the level of inlet turbulence. For laminar flow conditions, it is seen that the jet slowly spreads and mixes with the quiescent room air. As a result, the jet reaches a fully developed turbulent state further away from the inlet relative to the simulations with inlet turbulence. The effect of using experimental inlet profiles is also investigated. It is seen that, close to the inlet, the flow is sensitive to the inflow details, whereas further away from the inlet, these effects become less pronounced. The results from the constant coefficient and the dynamic LES models are compared. The most noticeable differences in the flow occur at the locations where the subgrid-scale's contribution to the turbulent kinetic energy is highest. Finally, the results from the dynamic LES and the k-∈ models are compared. It is found that there are significant differences between the two models for the zero inlet turbulence limit where the flow is most probably transitional in nature and turbulence has not yet reached a fully developed state. It is seen that in the laminar inflow case the k-∈ model predicts a fully turbulent jet very close to the inlet and thus fails to capture the slow development of the jet found in LES. Accordingly, the k-∈ model results are nearly insensitive to the level of inlet turbulence especially far from the origin of the flow. It is also seen that for cases with nonzero inlet turbulence level, the k-∈ model predicts the general features of the mean flow reasonably well; however, the k-∈ model overpredicts the jet spreading rate and the turbulent kinetic energy close to the inlet. Furthermore, the k-∈ model under predicts the turbulence level near the corner of the ceiling as it fails to capture the complicated mean velocity and turbulent kinetic energy, most likely because of the highly intermittent flow pattern found there in LES.
Cytokine‐mediated regulation of activating and inhibitory Fcγ receptors in human monocytes

Fc gamma receptors (Fc gammaR) trigger inflammatory reactions in response to immunoglobulin-opsonized pathogens and antigen-antibody complexes. The coordinate expression of activating and inhibitory Fc gammaR ensures the homeostasis of immune complex-driven inflammatory responses. In this study, we used antibodies with preferential binding for activating Fc gammaRIIa and inhibitory Fc gammaRIIb receptors to investigate the expression and regulation of Fc gammaRII isoforms in human monocytes. Cross-linking of Fc gammaRIIa triggered phagocytosis and cytokine production. Cross-linking of Fc gammaRIIb was associated with phosphorylation of the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif and with a marked reduction in monocyte effector functions. Our study revealed that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-13 altered the transcriptional activity of the Fc gammaRIIB promoter in transfected cell lines and skewed the balance of activating versus inhibitory Fc gammaR in human monocytes. TNF-alpha decreased the expression of inhibitory Fc gammaRIIb. IL-10 up-regulated all classes of Fc gammaR and induced alternative activation in monocytes, an effect that was synergistic with that of TNF-alpha. In contrast, IL-4 and IL-13, in combination with TNF-alpha, decreased the expression of activating Fc gammaR and markedly down-regulated Fc gammaR-mediated function. Our findings suggest that the cytokine milieu can induce changes in the relative expression of Fc gammaR with opposing function and thus, may regulate the amplitude of Fc gammaR-mediated uptake and inflammation.