cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calculated hovering helicopter flight dynamics with a circulation-controlled rotor

The influence of the rotor blowing coefficient on the calculated roots of the longitudinal and lateral motion was examined for a range of values of the rotor lift and the blade flap frequency. The control characteristics of a helicopter with a circulation controlled rotor are discussed. The principal effect of the blowing is a reduction in the rotor speed stability derivative. Above a critical level of blowing coefficient, which depends on the flap frequency and rotor lift, negative speed stability is produced and the dynamic characteristics of the helicopter are radically altered.
Fourier Transform Analysis: (1) X-ray Diffraction Effects by Finite Montmorillonite and Mica Crystals

A computer program has been developed to generate the X-ray diffraction intensity distribution along any particular reciprocal lattice row, plane, or volume, for any arbitrary group of atoms within a crystal. The program, which maps the intensity in crystal reciprocal space in much the same way as a conventional Fourier series program maps the electron density in direct crystal space, has been used to calculate the expected X-ray diffraction line profiles for a number of montmorillonite and mica crystallites of varying thicknesses in the c* direction. The program evaluates the function $$G\left( {HKL} \right) = \sum\limits_{n = 1}^N {{f_n}\,\exp \,2\pi i\left( {H{x_n} + K{y_n} + L{z_n}} \right),}$$ where G(HKL) is the Fourier transform of an array of N-atoms at a particular H, K, L coordinate in reciprocal space, fn is the scattering factor of the nth atom, and x, y, z its coordinates in direct space. The function is evaluated for all N-atoms within the finite model crystal under study for non-integral as well as integral values of H, K, and L. In practice a complete line profile is made by calculating G(HKL) at intervals in the range of (100 A)−1 to (10,000 A)−1. The apparent d-spacings of the various clay mineral models, as given by the line profiles, approach asymptotically the true value as the number of layers increase. For example, the apparent d001 spacing for a mica of the composition $$K{\left( {Fe,\,Mg} \right)_3}S{i_3}Al{O_{10}}{\left( {OH} \right)_2}$$ is 12.91, 11.35, 10.79, 10.53, 10.38, 10.22, 10.14, 10.04 and 10.02 A for crystals 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 20, and 30 layers thick, respectively. For the infinitely thick crystal, d001=10.000 A. The apparent d001 spacing for a montmorillonite of the composition K0•33Al2(Si, Al)4O10(OH)2•4H2O (true d001=15.400 A) is 18.85, 16.80, 15.87, 15.52, and 15.41 A for crystals 2, 3, 5, 10, and 30 layers thick, respectively. These diffraction profiles and line shifts can be used in analyzing montmorillonites, micas, and mixed-layer montmorillonite-mica clays.
Structure and expression of the duck α-enolase/τ-crystallin-encoding gene

Abstract In the duck, the glycolytic enzyme, α-enolase (αENO), and the lens structural protein, τ-crystallin (τ-CRY), are products of the same gene, an example of protein multi-functionality. We report that duck αENO/τCRY mRNA levels are developmentally regulated; αENO/τCRY mRNA levels in the lens increase over those in the liver by embryonic day 14 and, within the lens, are higher in the lens epithelium than in fiber cells. We determined the structure of the duck αENO/τCRY-encoding gene (α ENO /τ CRY ), sequenced 1 kb of 5'-flanking region, and demonstrated that this region contains a functional promoter. The gene is 13 kb in size and is composed of twelve exons; the exon organization is identical to that of mammalian enolase-encoding genes. A fragment of 5'-flanking region (−803/ + 3) containing three CCAAT boxes and a TATA box was able to activate transcription of a heterologous reporter gene when transfected into cultured lens cells. However, in spite of greater quantities of αENO/τCRY mRNA and protein in the lens, the promoter was equally active in primary cultures of embryonic lens, liver and fibroblast cells. Since the cultured cells unexpectedly lost the restricted pattern of αENO/τCRY mRNA levels observed in vivo, evaluation of the promoter's tissue specificity was precluded.
Virus-specific MHC-restricted T lymphocytes may initiate allograft rejection

The principal function of the immune system is to protect the host from infection. Thus, therapeutic manipulations of the immune system in the treatment of non-infectious diseases are associated with significant changes in the ability to deal with infection. This is clearly illustrated by allograft recipients who require substantial immunosuppression to prevent allograft rejection and in whom infection is a major source of mortality and morbidity. In addition, a further relationship between infection and immune responses has long been commented on in these patients, namely an association between episodes of infection and aUograft rejection 1-3. Although early reports documenting such an association mentioned various infections (e.g., influenza 2, upper respiratory tract infectionsa), subsequently most attention has centred on the possible role ofcytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the initiation of rejection 4-7. Clearly infection in an immunosuppressed allograft recipient is a complex situation leading to many non-specific immunological changes each of which might be postulated to lead to rejection4'6; however, we are led by recent experimental evidence to suggest that the initiation of rejection may be directly linked to the specific immune response mounted against a particular infectious agent. Thus, we propose that allograft rejection is initiated by effector T lymphocytes whose primary specificity is for foreign antigens (those of the infecting agent) which they see in the context of self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens [' self + X']: such effectors can mediate rejection because of their crossreactive recognition of allogenic MHC antigens ['non-self]. Thus, the effector T cells generated by an allograft recipient in response to a given infection may initiate graft rejection when the particular alloantigens which they also recognize are present on the allograft. Alloreactivity and immune responses to other antigens can be mediated by the same lymphocytes For twenty years, immunologists have puzzled over the ability of alloantigens to elicit powerful immune responses given the apparent biological irrelevance of such responses. Experiments
Supercompactness and level by level equivalence are compatible with indestructibility for strong compactness

It is known that if \(\kappa < \lambda\) are such that κ is indestructibly supercompact and λ is 2λ supercompact, then level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness fails. We prove a theorem which points towards this result being best possible. Specifically, we show that relative to the existence of a supercompact cardinal, there is a model for level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness containing a supercompact cardinal κ in which κ’s strong compactness is indestructible under κ-directed closed forcing.
WORKS HAVING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE UNITED STATES

As a broad‐based educational movement with an inherent promise of social mobility as expressed through its open door, the development of the comprehensive community college in the United States has produced a large volume of literature. Moreover, the development of the community college movement has been influenced by a group of leaders identified in several previous studies. While the volume of literature on the community college is massive, is there a select body of literature to which the scholar and educational practitioner can turn for an understanding of the movement? If there is a significant body of literature on which college presidents and professors of higher education agree, were the significant works written by those persons previously identified as leaders of the movement? The above questions are answered in this analysis of works having a significant impact on the development of the community college in the U.S. The answers are provided by a survey of college presidents and professors who a...
Lightning Protection for Oil Storage Tanks and Reservoirs

This paper outlines work done in connection with planning a protection scheme for the oil storage tank farms of the General Petroleum Corporation of California. The work shows that the average annual number of storms at a given location is a constant. The dielectric property of oil has no influence in causing lightning or inducing it to strike oil in storage. Tests show that excellent protection can be obtained by towers properly installed, but they do not indicate absolute immunity against hits. The work done also shows that an extensive field program, supplemented by such laboratory work as required for understanding and assisting the field program, should be carried out to extend our knowledge of lightning phenomena and protection.
Novel N-isopropylacrylamide based polymer architecture for faster LCST transition kinetics

Abstract Temperature-responsive p(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (p(NIPAAm-co-EGDMA) films, graded in composition to provide a NIPAAm-rich surface, were synthesized successfully via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). Their dynamic response to temperature changes as monitored using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) was clearly distinguishable from the response of control iCVD-prepared films of homogeneous composition. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the homogeneous copolymer (15 °C) was less than that reported for pure NIPAAM (32 °C) due to the hydrophobicity of the comonomer, EGDMA. The graded films displayed a broader transition over the range from 16 to 28 °C. The time constants associated with the response to small step changes in temperature around the LCST transition were significantly smaller in the graded (
SenseNet: A Knowledge Representation Model for Computational Semantics

Knowledge representation is essential for semantics modeling and intelligent information processing. For decades researchers have proposed many knowledge representation techniques. However, it is a daunting problem how to capture deep semantic information effectively and support the construction of a large-scale knowledge base efficiently. This paper describes a new knowledge representation model, SenseNet, which provides semantic support for commonsense reasoning and natural language processing. SenseNet is formalized with a Hidden Markov Model. An inference algorithm is proposed to simulate human-like text analysis procedure. A new measurement, confidence, is introduced to facilitate the text analysis. We present a detailed case study of applying SenseNet to retrieving compensation information from company proxy filings.
The Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin Phagosome Proteome

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) alter the maturation of their phagosomes and reside within a compartment that resists acidification and fusion with lysosomes. To define the molecular composition of this compartment, we developed a novel method for obtaining highly purified phagosomes from BCG-infected human macrophages and analyzed the phagosomes by Western immunoblotting and mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Our purification procedure revealed that BCG grown on artificial medium becomes less dense after growth in macrophages. By Western immunoblotting, LAMP-2, Niemann-Pick protein C1, and syntaxin 3 were readily detectable on the BCG phagosome but at levels that were lower than on the latex bead phagosome; flotillin-1 and the vacuolar ATPase were barely detectable on the BCG phagosome but highly enriched on the latex bead phagosome. Immunofluorescence studies confirmed the scarcity of flotillin on BCG phagosomes and demonstrated an inverse correlation between bacterial metabolic activity and flotillin on M. tuberculosis phagosomes. By mass spectrometry, 447 human host proteins were identified on BCG phagosomes, and a partially overlapping set of 289 human proteins on latex bead phagosomes was identified. Interestingly, the majority of the proteins identified consistently on BCG phagosome preparations were also identified on latex bead phagosomes, indicating a high degree of overlap in protein composition of these two compartments. It is likely that many differences in protein composition are quantitative rather than qualitative in nature. Despite the remarkable overlap in protein composition, we consistently identified a number of proteins on the BCG phagosomes that were not identified in any of our latex bead phagosome preparations, including proteins involved in membrane trafficking and signal transduction, such as Ras GTPase-activating-like protein IQGAP1, and proteins of unknown function, such as FAM3C. Our phagosome purification procedure and initial proteomics analyses set the stage for a quantitative comparative analysis of mycobacterial and latex bead phagosome proteomes.
Effect of vascular puncture on blood gases in the newborn

Continuous monitoring methods have shown changes of oxygenation in neonates during various procedures. However, actual changes in blood gases during vascular punctures have not been reported. We studied the effect of vascular puncture on arterial blood gases during routine venipuncture in 17 neonates who had indwelling arterial catheters. Arterial blood gases were analyzed before, during, and following recovery from venipuncture. Ventilator settings were not changed during the study, though oxygen concentration (FiO2) was adjusted as indicated by continuous PO2 or saturation monitors. During venipuncture, there was a significant fall in PaCO2 from 38 +/- 5 to 32 +/- 7 mmHg (P less than 0.0001) and in PaO2 from 75 +/- 21 to 58 +/- 23 mmHg (P less than 0.0001). Following venipuncture, both values returned to baseline. The results of this study imply that blood gases obtained by intermittent arterial sticks may provide data that do not accurately reflect the neonates' respiratory status.
Angular Distribution of Inelastically Scattered Deuterons

A particle selection technique developed in the MIT cyclotron laboratory has been applied to the study of the angular distributions of inelastically scattered deuterons at a bombarding energy of 15 Mev, the angular distributions of the ($d, {d}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) reactions from ${\mathrm{Li}}^{6}$ ($Q=\ensuremath{-}2.19$ Mev), ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$ ($Q=\ensuremath{-}4.61$ Mev), ${\mathrm{Be}}^{9}$ ($Q=\ensuremath{-}2.43$ Mev), ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$ ($Q=\ensuremath{-}4.43$ Mev), ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{24}$ ($Q=\ensuremath{-}1.37$ Mev), and ${\mathrm{Al}}^{27}$ ($Q=\ensuremath{-}2.23$ Mev, $Q=\ensuremath{-}2.75$ Mev) were obtained. These data were analyzed according to the nuclear interaction theory of Huby and Newns, the electric interaction theory of Mullin and Guth, and from the standpoint of compound nucleus formation. The behavior of the angular distributions indicates that for small angles (large impact parameters) electric interaction contributes appreciably. However, for large angles (small impact parameters) the nuclear interaction theory fits the data better. Consideration of the cross sections involved favors the nuclear interaction theory. Compound nucleus formation does not appear to play a major role in inelastic deuteron scattering. Improved theoretical treatments of the problem should make possible the determination of the spins and parities of nuclear states not easily reached by other reactions.
Low sidewall damage plasma etching using ICP-RIE with HBr chemistry of Si/SiGe resonant interband tunnel diodes

The effect and influence of dry plasma etching processes of Si/SiGe using HBr for the formation of diode mesa structures has been investigated to minimise sidewall leakage current. To characterise sidewall damage electrically, Si-based resonant interband tunnel diodes (RITD) were processed and the completed RITDs compared by their peak-to-valley current ratio (PVCR) and valley current density (VCD), which are sensitive to defect related currents. Dry processed RITDs were compared to reference RITDs fabricated by wet chemical etching (HNO/sub 3/:HF:H/sub 2/O=100:1:100). The combination of HBr process gas and very low substrate bias power (10 W) for inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching (ICP-RIE) yielded the better results. The resulting RITDs processed by ICP-RIE using HBr chemistry show high PVCR of 4.02 with VCD of 32 A/cm/sup 2/ while wet etched RITDs show a PVCR of only 2.81 with VCD of 40 A/cm/sup 2/. Hydrogen passivation during the HBr plasma process may play a role that overcomes the slightly higher surface roughness compared to wet etching.
Very large plant and root traces from the Early to Middle Devonian: Implications for early terrestrial ecosystems and atmospheric p(CO2)

Plant and root traces from the Fort Prevel Member of the Battery Point Formation (late Early Devonian, Emsian), Gaspe Bay, Quebec (Canada), are larger and more complex than previously postulated for land plants of this time. The traces are preserved as clay- and silt-lined casts in or near growth position and provide evidence that early vascular land plants achieved substantial stature (2–3 m) and were capable of deep rooting (to nearly 1 m). The root traces and alluvial deposits in which they occur suggest increased landscape stabilization and root system and paleosol morphologies that were influenced by a water-stressed, episodically energetic environment. Early Devonian plants of such large stature may have been partly responsible for initiation of a steep decline in atmospheric p (CO 2 ), through organic carbon burial and accelerated terrestrial weathering.
High-Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry for the Determination of Burnup in Spent Nuclear Fuel

The development of a method for the estimation of burnup of nuclear fuels by the determination of236U by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma spectrometry has been demonstrated. Linear calibration curves are obtained and a limit of quantification of ~ 3 atom % burnup established. The precision, in terms of the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the determination, was 3.7% RSD for 1.58 atom % of 236U. These results were obtained by using a spectrometer with a resolving power of 2.3 X 105 and with the application of a spectral deconvolution using a nonlinear curve-fitting algorithm. A complementary method, the determination of 139La, was also investigated and proved to be accurate (recovery = 101.5%) and precise (RSD = 2.2%) with a limit of quantification of ~ 0.5 atom % burnup. These methods were developed with the use of model solutions which approximate digests of irradiated fuels but which contained no active fission product species.
Evaluation of Practical Feed Formulations and Dietary Supplements for Red Swamp Crayfish

Three 6 wk feeding trials were conducted with juvenile red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii in a flow-through culture system to evaluate practical feed formulations and specific dietary sup plements. Diets were formulated to contain 30% crude protein from various practical ingredients with or without supplemental cholesterol, lecithin, astaxanthin, vitamin premix and mineral premix. Peanut meal consistently provided inferior weight gain of crayfish compared to soybean, fish and shrimp meals, and a combination of soybean meal and fish meal supported the most rapid weight gain. Supplementation of 1.0% cholesterol did not enhance crayfish weight gain compared to a basal diet, whereas supplementation of 6% lecithin improved weight gain. Astaxanthin supplementation at 13 mg/kg diet marginally improved crayfish weight gain compared to a diet containing 1% beta-carotene. Deletion of a complete vitamin premix impaired crayfish weight gain while deletion of a trace mineral premix did not. Results from this study indicate that protein quality significantly influenced weight gain of crayfish in a flow-through culture system, and supplernentation of a complete vitamin premix was most critical.
Contrast effects with shifts in punishment level

The present experiment was designed to investigate the effects of shifts in punishment level using a successive shift procedure. Rats were given a constant reward (two pellets) throughout training but received varying intensities of brief electric shock (punishment) in the goalbox. During preshift, subjects ran for 40 trials to either.1,.4, or.8-mA shocks in the goalbox. All subjects were then shifted to.4 mA in the goalbox for 40 trials. The results showed that subjects shifted to a higher intensity shock ran slower than subjects originally trained on that higher intensity shock (negative contrast). There was no evidence of a corresponding positive contrast effect. The data were discussed with respect to their implications for theories that attempt to treat reward and punishment in comparable theoretical fashion.
Student Responses to Reading Strategies Instruction

Researchers have identified strategies used by successful readers and have developed approaches to impart this information to students. After determining the current reading practices used by Spanish learners, a fourth- and fifth-semester college Spanish class received instruction in recommended strategies using articles from contemporary Spanish language magazines. Students then ranked the strategies they found most helpful. No single strategy was chosen by an overwhelming majority of students; indeed, seven of the eleven strategies were ranked as most useful by some students. However, a mean ranking revealed that instruction in skimming and word guessing proved most useful to students.
Notch Effects on Fatigue Behavior of Thermoplastics

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate notch effects on fatigue behavior of a neat polymer (PP impact co-polymer) and a composite made of 30 wt% short glass fibers in polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). A plate-type specimen geometry with a central circular hole was used. The experiments were conducted at room temperature in uniaxial tension-tension (R = 0.1) and tension-compression (R = -1) loading conditions. Some analytical methods including Neubers rule and the method of critical distances were used in addition to FEA to predict fatigue life of notched specimens. Neubers rule commonly used for metallic materials proved to be an accurate method for predicting the notched fatigue life of the thermoplastics considered.
Entrepreneurial risk aversion, net worth effects and real fluctuations

Abstract This paper examines the combined effect of asymmetric information and private entrepreneurial risk aversion on investment decisions. The standard optimal debt contract becomes modified by the introduction of insurance and a risk premium that entrepreneurs demand due to the uncertainty of their investment returns: the private equity premium. In general equilibrium, the private equity premium may become a mechanism that magnifies the effects of shocks. A structural estimation of the model's parameters using Chilean and U.S. data shows that the entrepreneurial risk aversion assumption has more empirical relevance in an economy where smaller privately-held businesses are relatively more prevalent than where the corporate sector predominates, like the U.S.
Fracture Behavior of Functionally Graded Concrete Materials for Rigid Pavements

Currently, in concrete pavements, a single concrete mixture design and structural surface layer are selected to resist mechanical loading without an attempt to affect concrete pavement shrinkage, ride quality, or noise attenuation adversely. An alternative approach is to design sublayers within the concrete pavement surface that have specific functions and thus to achieve higher performance at a lower cost. The objective of this research was to address the structural benefits of functionally graded concrete materials (FGCMs) for rigid pavements by testing and modeling the fracture behavior of different combinations of layered plain concrete materials and concrete materials reinforced with synthetic fibers. The three-point bending-beam test was used to obtain the softening behavior and fracture parameters of each FGCM. The peak loads and initial fracture energy between the plain, fiber-reinforced, and FGCMs were similar; this signified similar crack initiation. The total fracture energy clearly indicated t...
MR imaging of chondral and osteochondral injuries of the knee

Evaluation of articular cartilage has become an integral part of MR imaging of the knee. Detection and characterization of articular cartilage defects along with accompanying bone, meniscal, and ligament abnormalities is important in determining prognosis and treatment planning. This article describes the most commonly implemented MR imaging sequences for evaluation of chondral and osteochondral injuries, the findings that should be evaluated, and how these findings effect treatment options.
Design charts for hot liquid energy storage systems utilizing forced circulation

Dimensionless design charts are developed which may be used for designing and predicting the performance of an energy storage system that could have application to solar energy utilization. The charts are obtained from a combined theoretical and experimental study of a hot liquid energy storage system, which utilizes forced circulation to transport the liquid between the heat exchanger and the storage tank. The results are presented in the form of dimensionless plots, which are sufficiently general to aid in the dimensional design of similar thermal energy storage systems. Close agreement was obtained between the theoretical model and the experimental results. Though the work was done with solar energy utilization in mind, the results are in no way limited to that. Sufficient generality is maintained to assure applicability of the results in designing similar systems for other uses as well.
On optimal scheduling of integrity assertions in a transaction processing system

Semantic integrity of a database is guarded by a set of integrity assertions expressed as predicates on database values. The problem of efficient evaluation of integrity assertions in transaction processing systems is considered. Three methods of validation (compile-time, run-time, and post-execution validations) are analyzed in terms of database access costs. The results show that if transactions are executed independently of each other, the cost of compile-time validation is never higher than the cost of run-time validation; in turn the cost of the latter is never higher than the cost of post-execution validation.
Efficient Reformulation of Solid Phase Diffusion in Electrochemical-Mechanical Coupled Models for Lithium-Ion Batteries: Effect of Intercalation Induced Stresses

Lithium-ion batteries are typically modeled using porous electrode theory coupled with various transport and reaction mechanisms with an appropriate discretization or approximation for the solid phase diffusion within the electrode particle. One of the major difficulties insimulating Li-ionbatterymodels is theneedforsimulating solid-phase diffusioninthe secondradial dimensionrwithin the particle. It increases the complexity of the model as well as the computation time/cost to a great extent. This is particularly true for the inclusion of pressure induced diffusion inside particles experiencing volume change. A computationally efficient representation for solid-phase diffusion is discussed in this paper. The operating condition has a significant effect on the validity, accuracy, and efficiency of various approximations for the solid-phase transport governed by pressure induced diffusion. This paper introduces efficient methods for solid phase reformulation ‐ (1) parabolic profile approach and (2) a mixed order finite difference method for approximating/representing solid-phase concentration variations within the active materials of porous electrodes for macroscopic models for lithium-ion batteries.
Cancer systems biology: a network modeling perspective

Cancer is now appreciated as not only a highly heterogenous pathology with respect to cell type and tissue origin but also as a disease involving dysregulation of multiple pathways governing fundamental cell processes such as death, proliferation, differentiation and migration. Thus, the activities of molecular networks that execute metabolic or cytoskeletal processes, or regulate these by signal transduction, are altered in a complex manner by diverse genetic mutations in concert with the environmental context. A major challenge therefore is how to develop actionable understanding of this multivariate dysregulation, with respect both to how it arises from diverse genetic mutations and to how it may be ameliorated by prospective treatments. While high-throughput experimental platform technologies ranging from genomic sequencing to transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic profiling are now commonly used for molecular-level characterization of tumor cells and surrounding tissues, the resulting data sets defy straightforward intuitive interpretation with respect to potential therapeutic targets or the effects of perturbation. In this review article, we will discuss how significant advances can be obtained by applying computational modeling approaches to elucidate the pathways most critically involved in tumor formation and progression, impact of particular mutations on pathway operation, consequences of altered cell behavior in tissue environments and effects of molecular therapeutics.
Therapy for Helicobacter pylori in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia. A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled trials.

nonulcer dyspepsia with H. pylori eradication therapy compared with control therapy was 1.29 (95% CI, 0.89 to 1.89; P 5 0.18). However, significant heterogeneity (P 5 0.04) calls the validity of aggregating the data into question. Heterogeneity resolved with the exclusion of one study (OR, 1.07 [CI, 0.83 to 1.37]; P > 0.2). For predefined analysis of trials that used a specifically stated definition of dyspepsia (that is, upper abdominal pain or discomfort), the OR was 1.04 (CI, 0.80 to 1.35) without heterogeneity. For treatment that resulted in cure rather than persistent infection, the OR was 1.17 (CI, 0.87 to 1.59) without heterogeneity. Conclusion: This meta-analysis provides little support for the use of H. pylori eradication therapy in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia.
Genetic Dissection of Cardiac Growth Control Pathways

Cardiac muscle cells exhibit two related but distinct modes of growth that are highly regulated during development and disease. Cardiac myocytes rapidly proliferate during fetal life but exit the cell cycle irreversibly soon after birth, following which the predominant form of growth shifts from hyperplastic to hypertrophic. Much research has focused on identifying the candidate mitogens, hypertrophic agonists, and signaling pathways that mediate these processes in isolated cells. What drives the proliferative growth of embryonic myocardium in vivo and the mechanisms by which adult cardiac myocytes hypertrophy in vivo are less clear. Efforts to answer these questions have benefited from rapid progress made in techniques to manipulate the murine genome. Complementary technologies for gain- and loss-of-function now permit a mutational analysis of these growth control pathways in vivo in the intact heart. These studies have confirmed the importance of suspected pathways, have implicated unexpected pathways as well, and have led to new paradigms for the control of cardiac growth.
Modeling a microbial community and biodiversity assay with OBO Foundry ontologies: the interoperability gains of a modular approach.

The advent of affordable sequencing technology provides for a new generation of explorers who probe the world’s microbial diversity. Projects such as Tara Oceans, Moorea Biocode Project and Gut Microbiome rely on sequencing technologies to probe community diversity. Either targeted gene surveys (also known as community surveys) or complete metagenomes are evaluated. The former, being the less costly of the two methods, relies on the identification of specific genomic regions, which can be used as a proxy to estimate genetic distance between related species in a Phylum. For instance, 16 S ribosomal RNA gene surveys are used to probe bacterial communities while internal transcribed spacer surveys, for example, can be used for probing fungal communities. With the explosion of projects and frenzy to explore new domains of life, scientists in the field have issued guidelines to report minimal information (following a checklist), ensuring that information is contextualized in a meaningful way. Yet the semantics of a checklist are not explicit. We demonstrate here how a tabular template can be used to collect information on microbial diversity using an explicit representation in the Resource Description Framework that is consistent with community agreed-upon knowledge representation patterns found in the Ontology for Biomedical Investigations.
A REFUTATION OF PEIRCEAN IDEALISM

Some years ago I arrived at Otago University as a freshman, intending to study law and to become a lawyer. My Hall of Residence thoughtfully assigned me a roommate whose intention it also was to study law and become a lawyer. My roommate had already spent a year working in a lawyer’s office, and so he was better informed than I was about the daily practice of the law. The evening before registration he told me all about the Fencing Act—not the laws governing duelling, which might have been interesting, but the laws governing the boundaries between suburban neighbours. The idea of spending my life thinking about such matters didn’t thrill me, and I resolved to withdraw from law and sign up as a philosophy major the following day. To make the change I had to visit the Head of the majoring department and ask him to sign the necessary papers. That is when I first met the young Alan Musgrave, Professor of Philosophy. I have to confess that at that meeting Professor Musgrave did not inspire me, or even encourage me to pursue philosophy. He intimated I was doing something a bit foolish—passing up the chance for a degree (and a lucrative career) in law, for a degree (and almost certain unemployment) in philosophy. Professor Musgrave’s reaction must have given me pause for thought—why else would I remember it more than thirty years later? But my next encounter with the Professor was in the first lecture of his Introduction to Philosophy course—and that was a very different experience. I can still see him striding up and down at the front of the lecture hall, talking loudly without lecture notes in his accent from Manchester, punctuating sundry claims with a belligerent ‘Yes?’ that more or less demanded agreement. Alan’s excellent lectures were highly entertaining, enormously informative, amazingly clear, totally lacking in obfuscation, and bracingly partisan. Unlike many of his contemporaries in the profession, he was adamant that the discipline of philosophy had made real progress, that philosophical conjectures could be, and often were, refuted. It was obvious when Alan thought a philosophical conjecture had been successfully refuted. It was also obvious that he was a passionate advocate
Self-Assembly of Oriented Metal Bisphosphonate Multilayers with Potential Nonlinear Optical Properties

We are investigating a method for synthesizing oriented layered thin film structures that exhibit nonlinear optical properties. This method involves self-assembly of metal bisphosphonate multilayers on gold and silicon substrates. Multilayers are characterized via optical ellipsometry, diffuse reflectance and attenuated total reflectance FTIR, and grazing angle X-ray diffraction. To incorporate nonlinear optical activity into self-assembled films, we use a,w -bisphosphonates containing aromatic π systems sandwiched between donor and acceptor groups. In order to maximize the overall polarizability of the film, the polarizable bisphosphonate molecules must preferentially bind in only one orientation. To accomplish this, one of the terminal phosphonate groups of the molecule is protected (in ester form). After binding the free phosphonic acid end, the terminal ester is converted to a phosphonic acid group by hydrolysis with bromotrimethylsilane (BTMS). Layering is continued by binding a metal layer and repeating the cycle. Films prepared via this route do exhibit second harmonic generation, but apparently incomplete deprotection of each layer leads to increasing disorder with increasing number of layers.
The discovery of a novel prototype small molecule TLR7 agonist for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection

A series of heterocycle analogues of an adenine template were explored for TLR7 agonist potency and pharmacokinetics. One compound was identified with an excellent pharmacokinetic, in vitro potency and in vivo interferon induction profile in a mouse model, and was selected for further pre-clinical evaluation as a potential treatment for hepatitis C viral infection.
Assessing the Learning Curve for Prostate Cancer Surgery

The idea that surgeon’s results improve with experience – a surgical learning curve – is commonly accepted. However, there have been very few studies empirically demonstrating a learning curve. We studied more than 10,000 prostate cancer patients from nine institutions who were treated by either open or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. For open surgeries, increasing surgeon experience was associated with a dramatic decrease in the risk of recurrence up to about 250 operations. The learning curve was similar in magnitude for laparoscopic surgery, although it was somewhat slower, with 750 operations required for a comparable improvement in outcome. Fellowship training and prior open experience in laparoscopic surgeons both proved to be significant modifiers of the surgical learning curve: Only surgeons with fellowship training experienced an improvement in outcome with increasing experience; surgeons with open surgery experience conducting laparoscopic operations had poorer outcomes than those whose first operation was laparoscopic. The learning curve was seen for patients with both organ-confined and locally advanced tumors; excellent rates of cancer control for patients with organ-confined disease treated by the most experienced surgeons suggest that the primary reason such patients recur is inadequate surgical technique. Our experience with learning curves has taught us several key methodologic considerations for future learning curve research. The existence of the surgical learning curve poses a number of challenges to the surgical community, including questions of research, education, and clinical practice.
Development of a model system for preliminary evaluation of tissue-engineered vascular conduits

Abstract Background/Purpose The ability to construct tissue-engineered neovessels for use as arterial or venous grafts holds great promise for the advancement of pediatric surgical disciplines. Although the feasibility of tissue engineering vascular grafts has been demonstrated, the long-term function, safety, and efficacy of these grafts as well as their capacity to grow and adapt remain largely unknown. In an attempt to further characterize and develop this technology, we used severe combined immunodeficiency beige (SCID/bg) mouse recipients, chosen because such animals accept xenogenic human cells, to create a small animal model that would allow a rapid and cost-effective preliminary evaluation of the function of tissue-engineered vascular grafts. Methods Eight CB-17 SCID/bg female mice underwent vascular graft placement. Four of these mice received aortic interposition grafts, 1 mouse received an inferior vena cava interposition graft, and 3 mice underwent aortocaval graft insertion. All grafts were fashioned from decellularized ovine arteriole tissue engineering scaffolds. Grafts were evaluated for patency using clinical examination, ultrasound interrogation, and micro–computed tomography. Animals were killed at various time points after implantation, and grafts were harvested and analyzed histologically using standard hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results All grafts were patent based on clinical examination for up to 35 days. Patency was confirmed in 5 grafts using ultrasound interrogation. Patency was confirmed in 4 grafts using micro–computed tomography. One animal that underwent arteriovenous grafting had to be euthanized secondary to high-output cardiac failure on postoperative day 2. The remaining animals were killed between postoperative days 12 and 35. Histologic evaluation of the specimens demonstrated patent grafts with cellular ingrowth into the tissue engineering scaffold. Conclusions From these results, we conclude that the use of the SCID/bg mouse model for preliminary evaluation of new tissue engineering methodologies for construction of vascular conduits is feasible. Use of this model has the added advantage of evaluating nonautologous and even xenograft tissues, including human cells.
Second Thoughts versus Second Looks: An Age-Related Deficit in Reflectively Refreshing Just-Activated Information

Age-related deficits in memory are greater as encoding and retrieval tasks require more reflective (self-generated or executive) processing. One problem in developing more specific models of age-related changes in cognition is that the tasks studied tend to be complex and vary in the combinations of component cognitive processes they recruit. Here we report an age-related deficit in one of the most elementary, but critical, components of reflection: refreshing a just-activated representation. Impairment in such a process potentially has a wide-ranging impact on all higher-order cognition.
Borel measurable selections of Paretian utility functions

Abstract We show that there is a Borel measurable selection of Paretian utilities in ‘markets with a continuum of traders’. Theorem : Let T and X be Polish spaces, R a Borel subset of T × X × X , and B ={ t , x ):( t , x , x )∈ R }. Suppose that for each R t ={( x , y ):( t , x , y )∈ R }is a preference order on B t ={ x :( t , x )∈ B }. Then there is a Borel measurable function f : B →[0,1] such that for all t ∈ T , f t : B t →[0,1] is a Paretian utility or continuous representation of R t . This improves earlier results showing that there are universally measurable f .
Posterolateral Interspinal Fusion with Pedicle Screws

The patient was properly identified by anesthesia, brought to the operating room, and positioned supine on the cart. General anesthetic was delivered and he was intubated. He was log-rolled onto the Wilson frame. All pressure points were padded. Antibiotics were given. The back was prepped and draped in the usual fashion. A midline incision was made over what was thought to be the L4/L5 level. Once the lumbar fascia was identified, dissection was carried down onto the appropriate level spinous process. A hemostat was placed between the spinous processes of L4 and L5 and its position was confirmed on a lateral radiograph which included the sacrum. Dissection was then carried down the lamina of L4 and L5 bilaterally to the level of the facet joints.
Sustaining and enhancing local and organic agriculture: assessing consumer issues in New Hampshire

This article presents results of a study assessing consumers’ local and organic fresh produce purchasing habits in New Hampshire, including willingness to pay estimations, determining the consumers’ definition of local, consumers’ perceptions of local and organic fresh produce, and identifying demographic trends. This study aims to provide growers with consumer information that may help with crop selection, growing technique selection, and pricing. It will also provide awareness into the possible opportunity for agricultural growth in New Hampshire communities.
Effect of quinidine on the renal clearance of digoxin in the presence of low and high serum digoxin concentrations.

The effect of an infusion of quinidine, 180 micrograms/kg/Min (base) on the fractional clearance of digoxin (CDIG/Cin) was studied in saline volume-expanded dogs given a constant infusion of digoxin of either 0.0067 micrograms/kg/min (low dose) or 0.120 micrograms/kg/min (high dose). CDIG/CIN decreased 28% from 1.42 +/- 0.36 during control periods to 1.01 +/- 0.03 (P less than .05) with quinidine in dogs given the low dose. In dogs given the high dose of digoxin, CDIG/CIN decreased 22% from 0.76 +/- 0.17 to 0.59 +/- 0.05 (p less than .05) with quinidine. It is concluded that quinidine reduces CDIG/CIN. High doses of digoxin also reduce CDIG/CIN. Inasmuch as quinidine reduces CDIG/CIN to the same extent in the presence of low or high dose digoxin, the effect of quinidine would appear to be mediated through a mechanism different from that of digoxin.
Maternal and child mortality along the U.S.-Mexico border.

This paper examines the maternal mortality and the age-specific mortality rates for the under 25 year olds in six border regions on the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border and compares them with those of adjoining regions in Mexico. On the U.S. side of the border, the improvement in the general mortality status of maternal and child health from 1970 to 1980 was equal to or better than that of the nation as a whole. Despite this improvement, in 1980 five of the six border regions showed higher mortality rates due to external causes for the 1-4 age-group. On the Mexican side, maternal and child mortality was lower in the border region than in other parts of Mexico but much higher than in the United States. The 1-4 year olds in Mexico had the highest mortality rates among the three age-groups over 1 year of age.
Penetrant Diffusion in Triblock Polymer by Pulse-Field-Gradient NMR and Lattice Model Simulation

The three versions of poly-styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) triblock copolymers under investigation have different micro-scale morphologies: polystyrene (PS) spheres in poly-ethylene/butylene (EB) matrix, PS cylinders in EB matrix and EB cylinders in PS matrix. The diffusion phenomena of 2,2,4-trimethyl pentane (TMP) in SEBS probed with pulse field gradient NMR show distinct features related to the morphological characteristics. The micron scale size of grain boundaries may be obtained. In addition, the lattice model simulation was performed for the TMP diffusion in the membrane with spherical morphology.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide increases cAMP, tension, and rate in rat atria

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was studied in rat isolated atria to ascertain the role of cyclic nucleotides in the positive chronotropic and inotropic actions of this novel cardiac neuropeptide. In electrically driven left and right atria, CGRP (3-100 nM) caused concentration-dependent increases in contractile tension that developed slowly and persisted for greater than 30 min while CGRP remained in the bath. In spontaneously beating right atria, CGRP (3-100 nM) caused concentration-dependent prolonged increases in heart rate and small transient increases in contractile force. CGRP (100 nM, 2 min) elevated adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) content in left atria 2-fold and right atria 1.6-fold. Time courses and concentration-response relationships for cAMP elevation correlated well with chronotropic and inotropic responses. Guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) levels in both atria were not altered by CGRP. Compared with norepinephrine (NE), CGRP was 14-fold more potent at increasing rate [50% effective concentration (EC50) = 4.55 +/- 0.48 nM for CGRP and 64.8 +/- 10.5 nM for NE] and 60-fold more potent at increasing contractile force (EC50 = 3.31 +/- 0.57 nM for CGRP and 201 +/- 18 nM for NE). Preincubation with atenolol (3 microM) or indomethacin (3 microM) did not alter chronotropic, inotropic, and cAMP responses to CGRP in atria, indicating that these responses were not mediated by released catecholamines or prostaglandins. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that CGRP causes positive chronotropic and isotropic effects via activation of cAMP responses in rat atrial myocardium.