cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enzymatic harvesting of adult human saphenous vein endothelial cells: Use of a chemically defined combination of two purified enzymes to attain viable cell yields equal to those attained by crude bacterial collagenase preparations

Abstract Seeding vascular prostheses with enzymatically harvested endothelial cells can create endothelial linings that improve small-caliber prosthetic patency. But crude bacterial collagenases used for endothelial harvest contain cytotoxic nonspecific proteases and clostridial cell wall debris which might limit their clinical usefulness. We therefore compared the endothelial cell harvest efficiency of crude bacterial collagenase with that of purified bacterial collagenase alone, purified trypsin alone, and combinations of purified bacterial collagenase and trypsin using concentrations of pure collagenase equal in collagenolytic activity to the crude bacterial collagenase material. The efficiency of harvest from human saphenous vein segments was measured by a microtiter well-growth curve assay of the number of living endothelial cells capable of attachment to fibronectin and subsequent growth obtained per unit area of saphenous vein lumen. Whereas pure collagenase and purified trypsin alone both harvested less than 5% of the baseline endothelial cell density on the veins, a combination of purified collagenase and 0.01% w/v purified trypsin was found to harvest 22% ± 10% (SD) ( n = 8 veins) of the approximately 1.3 × 10 5 endothelial cells/cm 2 available on normal saphenous veins. This figure was not statistically different from the harvest efficiency of 19% ± 10% ( N = 4 veins) ( p > 0.05) obtained by use of 0.1% w/v crude collagenase alone. This result suggests that endothelial harvesting can be done with a defined mixture of pure enzymes which would be clinically preferable to presently used crude extracts of clostridial cultures as a standardized preparation for graft seeding. (J Vasc Surg 1992;15:205–13.)
A dynamic model of power system operation incorporating load control

Load management, which involves tailoring electric energy use to match electric energy supply, has been frequently suggested as an alternative for increasing the efficiency of the electric energy system. However, traditional utility analysis tools are frequently inadequate for assessing the costs and benefits of alternative load management options. One such problem is the consideration of active utility load control in the unit commitment/ economic dispatch problem. A model has been developed to determine how a power system with an active load control system should be operated to make the best use of its available resources. The model uses a dynamic programming successive approximation technique called gradient dynamic programming developed during the project to solve this control problem for realistically sized systems. The development of the model and its computer implementation are presented. The use of the model is demonstrated on several case studies of current interest. The case study results indicate that the production cost savings that can be achieved through the use of direct load control are highly dependent on utility characteristics, load characteristics, storage capacity, and penetration.
Failure of treatment with Linomide or oral myelin tolerization to ameliorate demyelination in a viral model of multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Both Linomide (quinoline-3-carboxamide) and tolerization with self-antigens have been demonstrated to successfully ameliorate demyelinating disease in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Based on the autoimmune hypothesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), both agents have been tested in clinical trials but have been found to be toxic or not efficacious. We investigated the efficacy of these immunomodulators in an alternative experimental model of MS, a virus-induced demyelinating disease. Oral administration of Linomide to Theiler's virus-infected mice beginning either at time of infection or at day 15 post-infection (p.i.) resulted in an increased percentage of spinal cord quadrants with demyelination. Administration of Linomide beginning at day 15 p.i. increased lesion size as compared to infected control-treated mice. Treatment with 80 mg kg−1 day−1 of Linomide beginning at the time of infection significantly increased the number of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV)-positive cells mm−2 of spinal cord white matter. There were no differences in the amount of remyelination between mice treated with Linomide or water. However, chronically infected mice treated with Linomide had severely reduced spontaneous vertical activity as measured using a activity wheel. Oral tolerization of mice with mouse or bovine myelin had no effect on virus-induced demyelination or virus antigen expression. The contrasting results obtained between the TMEV model and the autoimmune model of demyelination do not support recent reports suggesting that the underlying mechanism of demyelination in the Theiler's model is autoimmune.
Anesthetic Considerations in Orthopedic Emergencies

HERE IS PERHAPS no other area or subspecialty of anesthesia that requires facility with a greater variety of techniques than orthopedic anesthesia. In the setting of urgent or emergent surgery, the demands for versatility on the part of the anesthesiologist may be extreme. Additionally, the orthopedic emergency is no respecter of age: the anesthesiologist may be expected to provide care for the infant with a greenstick fracture, as well as for the geriatric patient with a pathologic fracture. Besides the requirement for familiarity with a variety of regional anesthetic procedures, the orthopedic anesthesiologist is expected to demonstrate competence with other anesthetic techniques, such as fiberoptic bronchoscopy and intubation, hypotensive anesthesia, cell-saver and hemodilution methods, and invasive monitoring devices. All in all, this is quite a tall order. This review of anesthetic management for orthopedic emergencies will cover a diverse selection of topics of special concern to the practitioner caring for the patient who requires urgent or emergent surgery. Orthopedic injuries are among the most common requiring operative intervention during the immediate postadmission period. Furthermore, it is increasingly thought that orthopedic injuries are responsible for much of the morbidity and mortality seen in follow-up trauma care (ie, beyond the first few days).
Retroactivity attenuation through signal transduction cascades

This paper considers the problem of attenuating retroactivity, that is, the effect of loads in biological networks and demonstrates that signal transduction cascades incorporating phosphotransfer modules have remarkable retroactivity attenuation ability. Uncovering the biological mechanisms for retroactivity attenuation is relevant in synthetic biology to enable bottom-up modular composition of complex circuits. It is also important in systems biology for deepening our current understanding of natural principles of modular organization. In this paper, we perform a combined theoretical and computational study of a cascade system comprising two phosphotransfer modules, ubiquitous in eukaryotic signal transduction, when subject to load from downstream targets. Employing singular perturbation on the finite time interval, we demonstrate that this system implements retroactivity attenuation when the input signal is sufficiently slow. Employing trajectory sensitivity analysis about nominal parameters that we have identified from in vivo data, we further demonstrate that the key parameters for retroactivity attenuation are those controlling the timescale of the system.
Characterization of a Novel Human Herpesvirus 8-Encoded Protein, vIRF-3, That Shows Homology to Viral and Cellular Interferon Regulatory Factors

The genome of the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) contains a cluster of open reading frames (ORFs) encoding proteins with homology to the cellular transcription factors of the interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family. Two of these homologues, vIRF-1 and vIRF-2, were previously identified and functionally analyzed. In this study, we have characterized a novel gene, designated vIRF-3, encoded within the previously predicted ORF K10.5 and our newly identified ORF K10. 6. Northern blotting of RNA extracted from BCBL-1 cells with a vIRF-3-specific probe and reverse transcription-PCR analyses revealed a single transcript of 2.2 kb with a splice present in the coding region. The vIRF-3 mRNA levels in BCBL-1 cells were increased upon 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatment, with kinetics of expression similar to those of the early immediate genes. The vIRF-3 ORF encodes a 73-kDa protein with homology to cellular IRF-4 and HHV-8-encoded vIRF-2 and K11. In transient transfection assays with the IFNACAT reporter, vIRF-3 functioned as a dominant-negative mutant of both IRF-3 and IRF-7 and inhibited virus-mediated transcriptional activity of the IFNA promoter. Similarly, the overexpression of vIRF-3 in mouse L929 cells resulted in inhibition of virus-mediated synthesis of biologically active interferons. These results suggest that by targeting IRF-3 and IRF-7, which play a critical role in the activation of alpha/beta interferon (IFN) genes, HHV-8 has evolved a mechanism by which it directly subverts the functions of IRFs and down-regulates the induction of the IFN genes that are important components of the innate immunity.
A numerical algorithm for hydrodynamic free boundary problems

A generalized formulation of inviscid incompressible hydrodynamics as a system of conservation laws subject to a one-sided density constraint is used as the basis of a numerical algorithm for a variety of hydrodynamic free surface problems. Benchmark calculations for colliding masses of fluid and for the motion of a spherically symmetric bubble are compared with theoretical predictions. Also shown are profiles calculated for an evolving underwater bubble near a wall. Energy dissipation is introduced as a measure of turbulence and is used in analyzing the numerical results. Convergence behavior of the numerical algorithm is discussed.
Skeletal Muscle Vascular Function: A Counterbalance of Insulin Action

Insulin is a vasoactive hormone that regulates vascular homeostasis by maintaining balance of endothelial-derived NO and ET-1. Although there is general agreement that insulin resistance and the associated hyperinsulinemia disturb this balance, the vascular consequences for hyperinsulinemia in isolation from insulin resistance are still unclear. Presently, there is no simple answer for this question, especially in a background of mixed reports examining the effects of experimental hyperinsulinemia on endothelial-mediated vasodilation. Understanding the mechanisms by which hyperinsulinemia induces vascular dysfunction is essential in advancing treatment and prevention of insulin resistance-related vascular complications. Thus, we review literature addressing the effects of hyperinsulinemia on vascular function. Furthermore, we give special attention to the vasoregulatory effects of hyperinsulinemia on skeletal muscle, the largest insulin-dependent organ in the body. This review also characterizes the differential vascular effects of hyperinsulinemia on large conduit vessels versus small resistance microvessels and the effects of metabolic variables in an effort to unravel potential sources of discrepancies in the literature. At the cellular level, we provide an overview of insulin signaling events governing vascular tone. Finally, we hypothesize a role for hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in the development of CVD.
Intraoperative diagnosis of rate-dependent bundle branch block

Rate-dependent left bundle branch block (LBBB) occasionally occurs during anaesthesia when the heart rate exceeds a critical value. While it is usually a benign disorder, it may mask the electrocardiographic manifestations of myocardial ischaemia and the ST-T wave pattern associated with LBBB may be mistaken for those of ischaemia, This case report presents two cases in which rate-dependent LBBB was clearly documented during the perioperative period. It demonstrates the use of pharmacologic agents (e.g., atropine and neostigmine) and physiologic manipulations (e.g., carotid sinus massage) to alter the heart rate and confirm the diagnosis of benign rate-dependent LBBB in the operating room. These interventions should be used with caution in patients who have hypertension, angina, cerebrovascular, or AV node disease or in the setting of myocardial ischaemia or severe bundle branch disease.
A parallel join algorithm for SIMD architectures

Abstract This paper presents a parallel join algorithm for the data-parallel execution model used in SIMD architectures. This algorithm is hash-based i.e., the tuples in a relation are divided into different buckets based on the hash value of the join attribute. In this algorithm the buckets are maintained in a distributed fashion, i.e., the tuples in a bucket are stored in an array of processors. The join operation is performed in parallel over all the buckets. The algorithm presented here has been implemented and evaluated on the Connection Machine (CM-2). We present here the results of the experimental evaluation of this algorithm for different values of design parameters and work-load. Using experimental evaluations of the CM communication primitives we develop analytical models for the performance evaluation of this algorithm and demonstrate the effectiveness of these models.
Generalized, pruritic skin eruption in an immunocompromised patient.

A 50-year-old African-American female with a past medical history significant for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and non-adherence to HAART therapy, was admitted for failure to thrive and a generalized, pruritic skin eruption. The patient first noticed the eruption on her feet a few months prior to admission. Within days, it had spread to her torso, upper extremities, and scalp. On physical examination, she had well-demarcated, erythematous and scaly, confluent plaques involving the torso, upper and lower extremities (Figure 1). In addition, she had thick, hyperkeratotic plaques on the palms and soles as well as dystrophic fingernails (Figure 2). Skin scrapings were performed and histopathology evaluation was obtained (Figure 3). What is your diagnosis? Generalized, pruritic skin eruption in an immunocompromised patient
Investigation of Two Elemental Error Sources in Boat-Mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Measurements by Large Eddy Simulations

Measurements of water discharge and flow velocities in riverine and tidal environments are commonly made with acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) mounted on a moving boat. This paper presents results of high-resolution Large Eddy simulations (LES) conducted to investigate two elemental error sources in ADCP measurements from a moving boat. One of these errors is due to the flow disturbance induced by the boat-mounted ADCP. The other error is due to the lack of flow homogeneity in horizontal layers assumed by the ADCP algorithm to compute orthogonal velocities from the measured radial velocities along the acoustic beams. The first error is investigated by comparing LES results for an undisturbed flow field with LES results for a flow field disturbed by a boat-mounted ADCP. The second error is investigated by comparing the velocities beneath the ADCP simulated by LES with virtual ADCP velocities, which are obtained by applying the ADCP algorithm to LES velocities data mined along the path of the acoustic beams of the virtual profiler. The distribution of the Reynolds stresses beneath the ADCP estimated with the ADCP algorithm from the virtual ADCP velocity data are also compared with those obtained from the LES solutions for both the undisturbed and ADCP-disturbed flows. Results show that the boat significantly disturbs the flow field and that the disturbed flow field is qualitatively different from the flow fields observed around an isolated ADCP (no boat).
Picosecond acoustics in polythiophene thin films

The picosecond correlation technique has been used to study the generation and detection of ultrasonic strain waves in polythiophene thin films, in the range of 0.3--19 GHz. We show that the strain generation is mainly due to thermal expansion following energy relaxation associated with exciton formation and that the spectral dependence of the strain response is proportional to \ensuremath{\partial}\ensuremath{\alpha}(\ensuremath{\omega})/\ensuremath{\partial}\ensuremath{\omega}, the first partial derivative of \ensuremath{\alpha}(\ensuremath{\omega}). We found a linear dispersion relation for the LA-phonon branch in the measured frequency range, with a room-temperature sound velocity of 28 \AA{}/ps; it stiffens by 10% at 80 K.
THE TENASCIN-X GENE OVERLAPPING THE P450c21B GENE USES DIFFERENT PROMOTERS FOR ADRENAL, MUSCLE AND ADRENAL CARCINOMA EXPRESSION. • 583

THE TENASCIN-X GENE OVERLAPPING THE P450c21B GENE USES DIFFERENT PROMOTERS FOR ADRENAL, MUSCLE AND ADRENAL CARCINOMA EXPRESSION. • 583
Defensive interaction and the volunteer subject: an heuristic note.

Srbmmary.-Drawing on data collected during a prior study of characteristics of volunteers, this paper cxamines some of the factors related to volunteering and offers speculation on thc interpersonal processes affecting participation in research. In particular, modes of interpersonal interaction and their relationship to the experimental situation are analyzed. The defensive components of ap proval motivation and their relevance to interactive modes are discussed. In a prior study of vol~inteer characteristics (Edwards, 1968) 37 student nurses were administered a series of objective tests while on psychiatric affiliation. These tests included the Edwards ( 1959) Personality Preference Schedule (EPPS) , the Consulting Psychologist Press ( 1961) D-48 Intelligence Test, the Barton (1953) Ego-strength scale, and Crowne and Marlowe's (1964) need approval scale (M-C S.D.) . Ss also completed sociometric ratings in which they indicated the three students (from their own school or other schools on the affiliation) whom chey considered to be best friends, and chey rated the relative influence of their faculty and themselves on their own future plans. All Ss were also asked to volunteer for a sleep and hypnotic experiment. The 28 Ss volunteering for the experiment were found to be lower in autonomy and dominance as measured by the EPPS, and, although showing no differences in their own M-C S.D. scoTes, they did tend to indicate as best friends students scoring high in need approval. In addition to the above, students were also administered the Sinlation Preference Inventory (SPI), a scale designed to measure interpersonal role orientations. The SPI booklec" contains 22 sets of statements. Each set contains three statements, each representing a different role orientation: instrumental, analytic, or cooperational. Ss are asked which of the three statements they agree with most and which they agree with least. Instnimental statements reflect a preference for dealing with siniations by structuring them and through close reliance lipon lines of authority, similarity of interests, and adherence to tradition and custom. Analytic statements are characterized by a tendency to deal with
Increased arterial inflow in extremities with chronic venous insufficiency: an important and unappreciated hemodynamic parameter.

Background. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze arterial inflow (AI) in lower extremities of patients with symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and of members of a healthy control group. Methods. Foot mercury-in-silicone strain-gauge plethysmography was used to measure AI, venous reflux, and muscle pump efficiency in 388 extremities of 194 patients with symptoms of CVI. Severe stage III symptoms (Society for Vascular Surgery/International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery classification) were present in 84 extremities, moderate stage II symptoms were present in 81 extremities, and mild stage I symptoms were present in 158 extremities. No symptoms, stage 0, were found in 65 contralateral extremities of patients with unilateral symptoms. Identical parameters were measured in 70 extremities of 35 healthy subjects in a control group. AI in each staged group was compared with that of the control group and with that of the other groups with symptoms with the use of Kruskall-Wallis analysis of multiple variances. Results. The mean AI (±SD) in milliliters per 100 ml of foot tissue per minute in the extremities in the control group was 0.82±0.48. In the extremities without symptoms, contralateral to those with symptoms in patients with unilateral disease, the AI was 1.24±0.88. In extremities with mild symptoms the AI was 1.54±1.20, in extremities with moderate symptoms it was 2.88±1.70, and in extremities with severe symptoms it was 6.25±4.91. The AI was significantly increased in all extremities of patients with CVI (stages 0 to III) when compared with that of patients in the control group. Extremities with stage II and III disease had significantly higher AI than did extremities with stage 0 and stage I disease. The difference in AI between extremities with stage 0 and I disease was not statistically significant, and no significant difference in AI was seen between extremities with stage II and III disease. Conclusions. When plethysmographic methods are used to evaluate extremities with CVI, high AI, if not considered, can overrepresent the true magnitude of reflux. High AI may indicate presence of primary anatomic arterioventricular fistulas, or it may be the consequence of inflammatory changes and secondary functional arterioventricular shunting. Increased AI in contralateral extremities with no symptoms may point to the role of high flow in the pathogenesis of CVI. Clarification of this question requires further investigation.
Activation of pea leaf chloroplast sedoheptulose 1,7-di-phosphate phosphatase by light and dithiothreitol

Light activates a Mg++ dependent enzyme in pea ( Pisum sativum ) seedlings which liberates phosphate from sedoheptulose 1,7-diphosphate. This enzyme, which is located exclusively in the chloroplast, appears to be the sedoheptulose diphosphatase involved in the reductive pentose phosphate cycle in green plants.
Interaction between management and R & D: chemical industry in Europe

The paper summarizes the results of interviews, primarily with the R & D manager, in 43 chemical companies in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.K. covering questions concerned with the background and attitude of various levels of management and their interaction with R & D. The results are presented in quantitative and qualitative terms, and differences between various categories of chemical industry and between various national practices are discussed.
The potential of mean force of nitrous oxide in a 1,2-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine lipid bilayer

Abstract The free-energy profile for N 2 O in a hydrated 1,2-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) phospholipid bilayer is calculated. The N 2 O molecule is preferentially concentrated in the tail region of the DMPC lipid and there is no free-energy barrier for the diffusion of N 2 O from an aqueous environment into the lipid. Although the dipole moment of N 2 O is rather small, our calculation indicates that the N 2 O partition coefficient is strongly influenced by electrostatic interactions. On the other hand, the van der Waals interaction overwhelms the steric effect and causes N 2 O concentration to be greatest at a location close to the β -carbon of the 1-myristoyl group.
Tooth development in sharks

Abstract The histogenesis of tooth development in five species of sharks was investigated by the use of light microscopy, microradiography and electron microscopy. The highly mineralized outer cap of tissue on shark teeth is not enamel but a form of modified dentine. The organic matrix of the entire crown is formed by odontoblasts and laid down on the pulpal side of the basement membrane. The sequence in which the organic matrix of the crown is formed and the sequence of mineralization in these tissues demonstrate that the highly mineralized outer layer of shark teeth is not homologous to ectodermal enamel. The function of the inner dental epithelium of shark tooth germs is apparently limited to induction, morphodifferentiation and protection of tooth germs during development.
Similarity of matrices under SL(n,K)

Take a similarity class of n × n matrices over a field K Let pi ,(λ) m(i) be the elementary divisors Li , = K [λ]/(pi ). Under conjugation by SL(n, K), the class splits into subclasses corresponding to the elements of K×/Π(NL i ×) m(i).
Complementary Feeding: Critical Considerations to Optimize Growth, Nutrition, and Feeding Behavior

This review focuses on complementary feeding (CF) in westernized settings where primary health concerns are risk of obesity and micronutrient inadequacy. The current evidence is reviewed for: (1) when CF should be introduced, (2) what foods (nutrients and food types) should be prioritized and avoided, and (3) how the infant should be fed. Special attention is paid to the underlying physiological differences between breast- and formula-fed infants that often result in distinctly different nutritional and health risks. This difference is particularly acute in the case of micronutrient inadequacy, specifically iron and zinc, but is also relevant to optimal energy and macronutrient intakes. Emphasis is placed on the complex interplay among infants’ early dietary exposures; relatively high energy and nutrient requirements; rapid physical, social and emotional development; and the feeding environment—all of which interact to impact health outcomes. This complexity needs to be considered at both individual and population levels and in both clinical and research settings.
Does Reflective Journal Writing Improve Course Performance

Abstract. This study investigated whether a reflective journal writing assignment would improve students' course performance. A total of 166 students from undergraduate sections of a course taught by the same instructor over three semesters completed the assignment as part of their requirements. Students (N = 317) from five previous semesters of the same course taught by the same instructor, who were not required to complete the assignment, served as a comparison group. Intervention and comparison groups were comparable on a variety of variables including all assignments, excepting the journal assignment. The findings are interpreted within the context of factors such as students' study habits and motivation.
Pain and emotion interactions in subregions of the cingulate gyrus

Acute pain and emotion are processed in two forebrain networks, and the cingulate cortex is involved in both. Although Brodmann's cingulate gyrus had two divisions and was not based on any functional criteria, functional imaging studies still use this model. However, recent cytoarchitectural studies of the cingulate gyrus support a four-region model, with subregions, that is based on connections and qualitatively unique functions. Although the activity evoked by pain and emotion has been widely reported, some view them as emergent products of the brain rather than of small aggregates of neurons. Here, we assess pain and emotion in each cingulate subregion, and assess whether pain is co-localized with negative affect. Amazingly, these activation patterns do not simply overlap.
Stimulation of Lipolytic Enzymes in Alzheimer’s Disease

Phospholipids constitute a biologically important group of molecules which form the backbone of all cellular membranes. In adult brain, they account for about 20–25% of the dry weight. They not only constitute the backbone of the biomembrane but also provide the membrane with a suitable environment, fluidity, and ion permeability. Different phospholipids turnover at different rates with respect to their structure and localization in different cells and membranes (Farooqui and Horrocks, 1985).
Scintillation counting of 14C-labeled soluble and insoluble compounds in plant tissue

Abstract A method is described for the liquid scintillation counting of 14 C in plant tissues. Samples are fixed, in the scintillation vial, in a solution of ethanol and acetic acid (3:1) and decolorized with commercial bleach before the addition of scintillation liquid. The method was compared to other techniques of tissue oxidation or digestion and found to be equally effective, at least with thin tissue samples. The technique is simple, rapid, and inexpensive and does not result in loss of 14 C.
X-ray structure of NS1 from a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus

The recent emergence of highly pathogenic avian (H5N1) influenza viruses, their epizootic and panzootic nature, and their association with lethal human infections have raised significant global health concerns. Several studies have underlined the importance of non-structural protein NS1 in the increased pathogenicity and virulence of these strains. NS1, which consists of two domains-a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) binding domain and the effector domain, separated through a linker-is an antagonist of antiviral type-I interferon response in the host. Here we report the X-ray structure of the full-length NS1 from an H5N1 strain (A/Vietnam/1203/2004) that was associated with 60% of human deaths in an outbreak in Vietnam. Compared to the individually determined structures of the RNA binding domain and the effector domain from non-H5N1 strains, the RNA binding domain within H5N1 NS1 exhibits modest structural changes, while the H5N1 effector domain shows significant alteration, particularly in the dimeric interface. Although both domains in the full-length NS1 individually participate in dimeric interactions, an unexpected finding is that these interactions result in the formation of a chain of NS1 molecules instead of distinct dimeric units. Three such chains in the crystal interact with one another extensively to form a tubular organization of similar dimensions to that observed in the cryo-electron microscopy images of NS1 in the presence of dsRNA. The tubular oligomeric organization of NS1, in which residues implicated in dsRNA binding face a 20-A-wide central tunnel, provides a plausible mechanism for how NS1 sequesters varying lengths of dsRNA, to counter cellular antiviral dsRNA response pathways, while simultaneously interacting with other cellular ligands during an infection.
Automating Linguistics-Based Cues for detecting deception in text-based asynchronous computer-mediated communication

The detection of deception is a promising but challenging task. A systematic discussion of automated Linguistics Based Cues (LBC) to deception has rarely been touched before. The experiment studied the effectiveness of automated LBC in the context of text-based asynchronous computer mediated communication (TA-CMC). Twentyseven cues either extracted from the prior research or created for this study were clustered into nine linguistics constructs: quantity, diversity, complexity, specificity, expressivity, informality, affect, uncertainty, and nonimmediacy. A test of the selected LBC in a simulated TA-CMC experiment showed that: (1) a systematic analysis of linguistic information could be useful in the detection of deception; (2) some existing LBC were effective as expected, while some others turned out in the opposite direction to the prediction of the prior research; and (3) some newly discovered linguistic constructs and their component LBC were helpful in differentiating deception from truth.
Effect of Increased Drive-train Stimulus Intensity on Dispersion of Ventricular Refractoriness

Background Most studies evaluating the effects of high-intensity drive-train (S1) stimulation on the measurement of the ventricular effective refractory period (VERP) demonstrated a shortening of the VERP. Because this effect may be due to the local release of catecholamines, VERP shortening would be expected to occur only near the site of stimulation. Local shortening in the VERP should then result in an increased dispersion of refractoriness during high-intensity drive-train stimulation. Thus, this study evaluated the spatial distribution of the VERP shortening resulting from high-intensity S1 stimulation and its effect on dispersion of refractoriness. Methods and Results Three groups of patients were studied. In group 1, 10 subjects without structural heart disease had VERP determinations performed at the right ventricular apex (RVA) and outflow tract (RVOT) while the S1 site was changed to evaluate the effects of low-intensity S1 stimulation on the measured VERP. In group 2, the effect of high-intensi...
Separation of metals in wastewater sludge by centrifugal classification

Municipal wastewater sludges frequently contain undesirably high concentrations of heavy metals and/or organic pollutants that interfere with beneficial use of sludge on farmland and with some disposal practices such as ocean disposal. Centrifugal classification is a low-cost procedure that has been demonstrated in the study to concentrate contaminants into the centrate stream, thus reducing the contaminants in the centrifuge cake and upgrading it for beneficial use. Experiments with a small solid-bowl continuous decanter centrifuge were conducted to show the effects of machine and process variables (e.g., centrifuge speed, flow rate) on separation of heavy metals. Recovery factors varied from day to day, no doubt as a result of changes in the sludge. Results from a full-scale installation at a Los Angeles County plant showed similar recovery factors, differing in some details. Examination of three years of Los Angeles' operational data showed consistent separation with no marked trends. Los Angeles data also showed substantial concentration of organic pollutants into the centrate solids.
Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between Theophylline and Other Medication (Part II)

Part I of this article, which appeared in the previous issue of the Journal, covered the effects or lack of effects on theophylline clearance of sympathomimetics, corticosteroids, antihistamines and other antiallergy drugs, antimicrobial agents, phenytoin, carbamazepine, barbiturates, antacids and activated charcoal. In Part II, this discussion is extended to the effects of other agents. Overall summaries, both textual and tabular, appear in Part I.
An opportunistic analysis of the interface crack

When the loading of an interface crack involves also some shear, one of the contact zones is much larger than the other. Moreover, the small contact zone is extremely short in comparison to the length of the crack. It is possible to take advantage of this fact by neglecting the small contact zone altogether, because the resulting integral equation that pertains to the large contact zone and the conditions at the corresponding crack tip can then be solved in closed form. The paper derives the solution and shows that the results achieved are extremely accurate, provided the large contact zone is long in comparison to the small contact zone, and that it is not necessary for the large contact zone to be of the order of the crack length.
Amniotic fluid prolactin and fetal lung maturation

Concentrations of prolactin in amniotic fluid, fetal plasma, and maternal plasma were determined in 34 rhesus monkeys delivered by hysterotomy under general anesthesia at gestational ages of 110 to 160 days (term, 165 days). Included were 15 cases (gestational ages 110 to 143 days) in which the mothers received 2 mg of betamethasone intramuscularly daily for 3 days prior to delivery. Fetal lung maximum volumes were determined in addition to the following indices of fetal lung surfactant: lung alveolar stability, lung phosphatidylcholine concentrations, lung extract surface tensions, and amniotic fluid lecithin to sphingomyelin ratios. Amniotic fluid prolactin was found to correlate significantly with lung alveolar stability (r = 0.51; p less than 0.01), lung phosphatidylcholine (r = 0.51; p less than 0.01), lung extract surface tension (r = -0.39, p less than 0.05) and amniotic fluid lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (r = 0.50; p less than 0.01). These correlations remained statistically significant even when the effects of gestational age were taken into account. These findings suggest that amniotic fluid may modulate fetal production of surfactant via its prolactin content.
Observational Learning in Birds: the Establishment of Behavioral Modes

In the greenfinch, Chloris chloris, single birds can learn a food discrimination task more rapidly than pairs of birds, though fewer of the latter are fearful of approaching the discriminanda. This behaviour can fail to be maladaptive only in species with relatively conservative food habits, or of a solitary nature. In the more inquisitive and exploitative great tit, on the other hand, the birds suffered no disadvantage when trained in pairs. Thus, additional evidence is provided to support the view that species characteristic behaviour may be determined by imitative processes and the establishment of traditions, as well as by innate differences in structure and behaviour.
Multiringed impact craters on Venus: An overview from Arecibo and Venera images and initial Magellan data

Fifteen peak-ring craters, defined by a distinct outer rim and an inner ring of concentrically-arranged peaks, have been revealed by the examination of Arecibo and Venera 15/16 radar images of Venus. The overall morphology of these craters is similar to that of peak-ring craters on the other terrestrial planets, but the craters are of much smaller diameters. Nevertheless, the effective viscosities are low enough at depth to allow inward asthenospheric flow.
Katrina: lessons from the aftermath.

The crisis that was Hurricane Katrina caused several ethical and managerial dilemmas, which will provide further guidance as we begin to plan for the avian flu pandemic that the experts tell us is (to use a theater metaphor with a double entendre) waiting in the wings. The huge natural disaster resulting from Katrina and its aftermath engulfed nursing homes and hospitals, which faced the daunting prospect of caring for severely ill patients as a cascade of events interfered with their ability to provide even the most rudimentary care. Caregivers faced a widening catastrophe that included failed public electrical and water service, failure of emergency electrical generators, and, with rising flood waters, the critical need to move patients who were too ill to transport. This resulted in nursing home residents abandoned to rising flood waters, allegations of euthanizing of hospital patients who could not be moved, and troubling questions of whether those who should have known better failed to plan for the e...
Regularized estimation of mixture models for robust pseudo-relevance feedback

Pseudo-relevance feedback has proven to be an effective strategy for improving retrieval accuracy in all retrieval models. However the performance of existing pseudo feedback methods is often affected significantly by some parameters, such as the number of feedback documents to use and the relative weight of original query terms; these parameters generally have to be set by trial-and-error without any guidance. In this paper, we present a more robust method for pseudo feedback based on statistical language models. Our main idea is to integrate the original query with feedback documents in a single probabilistic mixture model and regularize the estimation of the language model parameters in the model so that the information in the feedback documents can be gradually added to the original query. Unlike most existing feedback methods, our new method has no parameter to tune. Experiment results on two representative data sets show that the new method is significantly more robust than a state-of-the-art baseline language modeling approach for feedback with comparable or better retrieval accuracy.
Mutagenesis assays of human amniotic fluid.

Extracts of amniocentesis samples from 144 women were tested for the presence of mutagenic substances using tester strain TA 1538 in the Ames Salmonella/ mammalian-microsome mutagenicity test. Because the volume of amniotic fluid in these samples was limited (generally less than 10 ml), we investigated modifications of this mutagenesis assay that could increase its ability to detect effects from small quantities of test material. Using mutagenicity in samples of urine from smokers as a model, it appeared that improved ability to detect small amounts of mutagen could be obtained by reducing volumes of media and reagents while keeping the amount of test sample constant. This modification resulted in a test procedure capable of readily detecting mutagenicity in volumes of urine from smokers that were smaller than the volumes of amniotic fluid available. Tests of amniotic fluid extracts by this modified procedure showed small increases in revertants, about 50% above dimethylsulfoxide solvent control values. Results of procedures to control for technical factors possibly contributing to these increases suggested that the increased values could not be readily explained by contamination of test samples with mutagens during the extraction procedure. They also were not explained by alterations in spontaneous numbers of revertants associated with changes in the density of bacterial lawn growth. The increases suggest the presence of small amounts of mutagenic material in many of the amniotic fluid samples. At the doses employed, mutagenic activity in these samples was not associated with maternal smoking.
Social Persistence Following Failure in Boys and Girls with LD

The response of boys and girls with or without learning disabilities to social failure was examined. Children participated in two dyadic interactions with experimental confederates: an unfriendly interaction and a friendly one. The children's behavior was videotaped, and they answered questions following each interaction. The children with learning disabilities were found to be hyperresponsive to both interactions: They felt significantly worse following the unfriendly one and significantly better following the friendly interaction. Limited evidence was found to suggest that girls with learning disabilities were more adversely affected by the unfriendly interaction. Several of the findings were consistent with the hypothesis that children with learning disabilities show a learned helplessness response to social failure. The implications of these findings for understanding the social behavior of children with learning disabilities are discussed.
Optical Study of the Phase Transition in Phenanthrene Single Crystals

Abstract A definite change i birefringence has been shown to accompany the solid-solid phase transition in solution-grown single as phenanthrene. The birefringence versus temperature data indicate and onset of the transition at around 45°C and a maximum rate of change at around 70[ddot]C,in agreement with other studies. The presence of a birefringence change somewhat relaxes the constraints on possible models for this transition.
Damper circuits and rotor leakage in the transient performance of saturated synchronous machines

Abstract The sudden development of short-circuit currents, and of recovery voltages at interruption of currents, depends on the effects of stator and rotor leakages as well as of saturation in the generating synchronous machines.The non-linear problem of the interaction of these features with the performance of the main windings and auxiliary damper circuits is solved analytically. This leads to a simple graphical representation which is numerically determined by the well-known magnetic and electric characteristics of machine and network and by two time constants of very different magnitudes which are derived from the ordinary data of the machines. Hence the variation with time, of short-circuit currents and of recovery voltages, can easily and rigorously be computed for every given example. The deviations of actual damper circuits from the ideal form and the effects of eddy currents in solid steel parts of the rotor are discussed so far that numerical results can be derived readily. A new transient test for synchronous machines is suggested by which rotor and stator leakage voltages can be measured separately, avoiding the uncertainties of the usual steady state leakage tests.
Acute pancreatitis: molecular biology update

Molecular genetic studies provide critical information that points to trypsin as the central molecule in initiating acute pancreatitis. Susceptibility to acute pancreatitis appears to be related to the body’s ability to protect itself from trypsin activation. Once acute pancreatitis is initiated, the extent, severity, and complications are largely controlled by other factors, such as the immune response. Knowledge of these concepts will likely become more and more important as risk and pathways are better de.ned and early interventions developed.
Mutagenicity of cosmetic products containing Kathon

A variety of shampoos, conditioners, skin-care lotions, and other cosmetic products contain the biocide Kathon® CG, which is a mixture of two heterocyclic isothiazolinones: methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone. This mixture and the related biocide, Kathon® 886, have been shown to be potent sensitizers and bacterial mutagens. Five cosmetic products that list the components of Kathon® on their labels and two that do not were screened for mutagenicity with Salmonella typhimurium TA100 without S-9. Five of these products and Kathon® 886 were further evaluated in TA100 without and with S-9. Kathon® 886, a cosmetic product that contained Kathon®, and thin layer chromatography-separated components of Kathon® 886 were identified by GC/MS analysis. Three of the five products that listed Kathon® were direct acting mutagens with TA100. The remaining two products were considerably more toxic than the other products and could not be evaluated for mutagenicity. The addition of S-9 reduced toxicity but did not eliminate mutagenicity. The mutagenic evaluation of Kathon® 886 resulted in a dose response similar to that seen with some cosmetic products but at a 1,000-fold lower concentration, and activity was also reduced by the addition of S-9 mix. S-9 reduced activity both with and without cofactors present. Thin layer chromatography separation of the components and subsequent identification by GC/MS indicated that methylisothiazolinone was nonmutagenic while methylchloroisothiazolinone was mutagenic. Additionally, a dichlorinated compound was identified which was also mutagenic. In light of these findings and the reported skin sensitization by Kathon® CG in various cosmetics, we recommend that additional testing be done to assure the safety of products containing Kathon® CG. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.