cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alchemy in the political arithmetic of Sir William Petty (1623–1687)

Abstract Historians have long seen Sir William Petty’s (1623–1687) ‘political arithmetic’ as an important contribution to the early social sciences, applying mathematics to the analysis of political and especially economic questions. A closer look at Petty’s political arithmetic manuscripts reveals, however, his political preoccupation with ‘transmuting the Irish into English’ by state manipulation of demography. Large-scale, coerced ‘counter-transplantations’ of ‘exchanges of women’ between England and Ireland would facilitate the ‘proportionable mixture’ and ultimately the ‘union’ of the two populations, stabilizing the turbulent politics of late Stuart Ireland and securing English colonial government there. This paper explores Petty’s use of alchemical concepts in his transmutative political arithmetic, and argues that the idiom of alchemy was essential to Petty’s conception of politics and his solution to the problem of governing culturally distinct colonial populations. It makes a preliminary attempt to identify some of Petty’s likely sources among seventeenth-century proponents of corpuscularian, mechanical accounts of chemical change. Finally, it suggests that the influence of alchemy on the shape of early social-scientific thought may have been more significant than was previously realized.
Detection of Flavobacterium psychrophilum in Eggs and Sexual Fluids of Pacific Salmonids by a Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay: Implications for Vertical Transmission of Bacterial Coldwater Disease

Abstract Ovarian fluid and eggs were collected from returning salmonid species during normal spawning operations and examined for the presence of Flavobacterium psychrophilum, the causative agent of bacterial coldwater disease (BCWD). A nested polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR) that targets the 16S rRNA gene of F. psychrophilum was used for detection of the pathogen. Samples from coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, chum salmon O. keta, Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha, and steelhead O. mykiss were taken from four fish culture facilities in the Pacific Northwest. Ovarian fluids were pelleted by centrifugation, and yolk material from within the eggs was aseptically removed and prepared for testing by PCR. Flavobacterium psychrophilum was detected in ovarian fluids and unfertilized eggs from species sampled at all facilities. This confirmed the use of PCR as a valid assay for the detection of F. psychrophilum in returning salmonid broodstock of all species tested. More importantly, PCR confirmed the presence o...
The rational method in stormwater management modelling of peak flow flood control systems, I: Theoretical development

Abstract The well-known rational method, where the subject criterion variable of peak flow rate is evaluated by using a synthetic storm pattern composed of identical return frequencies of storm pattern input, is shown to be an effective approximation to a considerably more complex probabilistic model. The rational method is shown to be of equivalence to a model of a highly discretized catchment with linear routing for channel flow approximation, and effective rainfalls in subareas which are linear with respect to a selected “loss” function's effective rainfall output. The use of a simple “loss” function which directly equates to the distribution of rainfall depth-duration statistics (such as a constant fraction of rainfall) is shown to provide a higher level of statistical significance in estimating T-year outputs for a hydrologic criterion variable than use of an arbitrary “loss” function. When peak flow rates are the criterion variable of interest, the unit hydrograph method can be simplified to the well-known rational method. This simpler procedure is used to develop computerized master plans of drainage for urbanized regions.
Mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species is enhanced at the Qo site of the complex III in the myocardium of Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice: Beneficial effects of an antioxidant

In this study, we have characterized the cellular source and mechanism for the enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the myocardium during Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Cardiac mitochondria of infected mice, as compared to normal controls, exhibited 63.3% and 30.8% increase in ROS-specific fluorescence of dihydroethidium (detects O2•−) and amplex red (detects H2O2), respectively. This increase in ROS level in cardiac mitochondria of infected mice was associated with a 59% and 114% increase in the rate of glutamate/malate- (complex I substrates) and succinate- (complex II substrate) supported ROS release, respectively, and up to a 74.9% increase in the rate of electron leakage from the respiratory chain when compared to normal controls. Inhibition studies with normal cardiac mitochondria showed that rotenone induced ROS generation at the QNf-ubisemiquinone site in complex I. In complex III, myxothiazol induced ROS generation from a site located at the Qo center that was different from the Qi center of O2•− generation by antimycin. In cardiac mitochondria of infected mice, the rate of electron leakage at complex I during forward (complex I-to-complex III) and reverse (complex II-to-complex I) electron flow was not enhanced, and complex I was not the main site of increased ROS production in infected myocardium. Instead, defects of complex III proximal to the Qo site resulted in enhanced electron leakage and ROS formation in cardiac mitochondria of infected mice. Treatment of infected mice with phenyl-α-tert-butyl-nitrone (PBN) improved the respiratory chain function, and, subsequently, decreased the extent of electron leakage and ROS release. In conclusion, we show that impairment of the Qo site of complex III resulted in increased electron leakage and O2•− formation in infected myocardium, and was controlled by PBN.
In vitro evaluation of nucleoside transport inhibition in vivo.

Abstract A method is described which permits rapid evaluation of the effects of nucleoside transport inhibitors on [3H]thymidine uptake into mouse whole blood cells. The uptake is measured after 15–20 sec by withdrawing 100 μl of blood from the orbital sinus into microcapillary pipets that have been prelabeled with [3H]thymidine. Blood cells are rapidly separated from plasma by centrifugation through a layer of dibutyl phthalate using an Eppendorf microcentrifuge. The acid-soluble radioactivity associated with the cell pellet is then determined. Treatment of mice with the nucleoside transport inhibitors dipyridamole or p-nitrobenzylthioinosine 5'-monophosphate reduces uptake of the radioisotope into the cells. The assay allows for estimation of the dose- and time-effect relationships for inhibition of nucleoside transport by these agents. Advantages of the method are its simplicity, its speed, and the fact that the biological sample and drug are not diluted before measurement of the drug effect.
Direct Delivery of Functional Proteins and Enzymes to the Cytosol Using Nanoparticle-Stabilized Nanocapsules

Intracellular protein delivery is an important tool for both therapeutic and fundamental applications. Effective protein delivery faces two major challenges: efficient cellular uptake and avoiding endosomal sequestration. We report here a general strategy for direct delivery of functional proteins to the cytosol using nanoparticle-stabilized capsules (NPSCs). These NPSCs are formed and stabilized through supramolecular interactions between the nanoparticle, the protein cargo, and the fatty acid capsule interior. The NPSCs are ∼130 nm in diameter and feature low toxicity and excellent stability in serum. The effectiveness of these NPSCs as therapeutic protein carriers was demonstrated through the delivery of fully functional caspase-3 to HeLa cells with concomitant apoptosis. Analogous delivery of green fluorescent protein (GFP) confirmed cytosolic delivery as well as intracellular targeting of the delivered protein, demonstrating the utility of the system for both therapeutic and imaging applications.
Major chorion proteins and their crosslinking during chorion hardening in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

The chorion of Aedes aegypti eggs undergoes a hardening process following oviposition and individual chorion proteins become insoluble thereafter. Our previous studies determined that peroxidase-catalyzed chorion protein crosslinking and phenoloxidase-mediated chorion melanization are primarily responsible for the formation of a hardened, desiccation resistant chorion in A. aegypti eggs. To gain further understanding of peroxidase- and phenoloxidase-catalyzed biochemical processes during chorion hardening, we analyzed chorion proteins, identified three low molecular weight major endochorion proteins that together constituted more than 70% of the total amount of endochorion proteins, and assessed their insolubilization in relation to phenoloxidase- and peroxidase-catalyzed reactions under different conditions. Our data suggest that the three low molecular weight endochorion proteins undergo disulfide bond crosslinking prior to oviposition in A. aegypti eggs, and that they undergo further crosslinking through dityrosine or trityrosine formation by peroxidase-catalyzed reactions. Our data suggest that chorion peroxidase is primarily responsible for the irreversible insolubilization of the three major endochorion proteins after oviposition. The molecular mechanisms of chorion hardening are also discussed.
Electron-spin polarization in high-energy storage rings. I. Derivation of the equilibrium polarization.

A detailed exposition on the origin and buildup of polarization in high-energy electron storage rings is presented. Fundamental, but not clearly understood, theoretical results are rederived and clarified (Ya. S. Derbenev and A. M. Kondratenko, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 64, 1918 (1973) [Sov. Phys.---JETP 37, 968 (1973)]). It is explained how to diagonalize the Hamiltonian of a storage ring, in particular the spin-dependent terms, to the first order in Planck's constant. Relevant perturbations, their time scales, and the various ensemble averages, are elucidated: the use of statistical concepts is shown to be essential to the calculation. Semiclassical techniques are used to derive, and extend to first order in g-2, the equilibrium degree of polarization (the Derbenev-Kondratenko formula). In so doing, some aspects of the polarization mechanism not previously recognized are uncovered. Because Derbenev and Kondratenko use a different mathematical approach, a proof is given of the equivalence between their formalism and the one used here.
Robotic assisted laparoscopic bladder diverticulectomy.

Purpose: Surgical management for bladder diverticuli includes open, endoscopic and standard laparoscopic techniques. To our knowledge we report the first series of robotic assisted laparoscopic bladder diverticulectomies.Materials and Methods: Five patients underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic bladder diverticulectomy between December 2004 and December 2006, as performed by a single surgeon using the da Vinci® robotic system for symptomatic diverticuli. The records were reviewed, the surgical technique is described and a review of the literature was performed.Results: All patients underwent cystoscopy, ureteral stent placement and placement of an angiographic catheter to distend the diverticulum. The diverticulum was approached transperitoneally, mobilized and transected at its neck, and the bladder was closed in 2 layers. One patient underwent ureteral reimplantation for a Hutch diverticulum. Median total operative time was 178 minutes (range 163 to 235) and robotic operative time was 83 minutes (rang...
Volumetric influence on the mechanical behavior of organic solids: The case of aspirin and paracetamol addressed via dispersion corrected DFT

Abstract The elastic and mechanical properties of the most stable polymorphs of aspirin and paracetamol are obtained at B3LYP-D2* level of theory to show how effects arising from volumetric expansions related to thermal variations influence the behavior of these materials. Results are in fair agreement with experimental values reported at temperatures far from 0 K, showing that the proposed approach can describe the elastic response of molecular crystals as rationalized in terms of inter-molecular forces. The computational approach, despite its semi-empirical nature, allows achieving a qualitative chemical understanding of the macroscopic mechanical properties of molecular crystals with respect to changes in temperature.
Physical activity, menopause, and quality of life: the role of affect and self-worth across time.

Objective Physical activity has been shown to enhance quality of life, however, few investigations of these effects exist in women undergoing the menopausal transition. The present study examined the long-term effects of physical activity on menopause-related quality of life (QOL) and tested the mediating effects of physical self-worth and positive affect in this relationship.
A time projection chamber data acquisition system

Abstract A data acquisition system is described which is used to digitize the trajectory information obtained in a time projection chamber. The time projection chamber is part of a spectrometer used to study the momentum spectrum of positrons emitted in muon decay. It has 315 sense wires which induce signals on 5355 pads and creates approximately 402 000 bits of data for each event. Most of the data are zeros which are handled using a hardware-aided compaction scheme. The meaningful data are extracted by a modular system consisting of three basic building blocks. These are flash encoders with associated storage, wire hit memory boards, and bit-slice data preprocessors described herein.
Social distance, spatial relations, and agricultural production among the Kofyar of Namu district, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract Physical distance and social distance may be competing factors in movement, but they can be partially reconciled by residing near those who are socially close. The locations of Kofyar frontier settlements are shaped by shared characteristics of kinship and community in their homeland; farmers' village and warfare alliance in the homeland affect choice of area and immediate neighbors on the frontier. Where neighbors are not socially close, settlement encystment occurs. These patterns have economic underpinnings: the complexities of agricultural collaboration strongly favor having socially close neighbors, as reflected in trips among farmsteads for agricultural work.
Adaptive Kalman filtering used to compensate for model errors in multicomponent methods

Abstract An adaptive Kalman filtering technique is developed and evaluated as a tool for compensation of model errors that commonly occur in multicomponent problems. Results presented demonstrate that the adaptive Kalman filter should be of considerable value for obtaining accurate concentrations and spectral information from multicomponent responses. The restrictions of the technique are that the model must be correct for a portion of the response, and the errors must be attributable to a single component. Concentration estimates are accurate for those components which are modeled correctly, but the concentration estimate obtained for the component not included in the model may not always be reliable. The technique is evaluated for multicomponent problems in spectroscopy and voltammetry.
A correction to Maekawa's curve for the insertion loss behind barriers.

Maekawa’s curve is one of the most established methods for predicting the insertion loss (IL) behind barriers. For the simple case of a barrier modeled as a half plane, the IL is given versus a single parameter, the Fresnel number (N1). Predictions obtained by Maekawa’s curve deviate largely from experimental data and predictions obtained by analytical solutions when the receiver is either close to the barrier or at the boundary separating the illuminated from the shadow zone. It is shown that if a second Fresnel number (N2) is appropriately defined, the IL obtained by the rigorous analytical solutions can be expressed versus N1 and N2 for several types of incident radiation (plane, cylindrical, and spherical). Accordingly, the single curve in Maekawa’s chart can be replaced by a family of curves. Each curve corresponds to a different N2 and provides the IL vs N1. The Kurze–Anderson formula (a mathematical expression of Maekawa’s curve) is also modified to describe this set of curves. The new chart gives predictions that agree well with analytical solutions and experimental data for all receiver locations. Moreover, unlike Maekawa’s, this chart can be used for line, point, and plane wave sources. [Work supported by ATP.]
NBS materials science beamlines at NSLS

Abstract Synchrotron radiation beamlines for topography, spectroscopy and small angle scattering at energies from 5 to 20 keV, are described.
A conserved heptamer upstream of the IgH promoter region octamer can be the site of a coordinate protein-DNA interaction

Abstract Immunoglobulin genes contain a conserved eight base sequence element 5' to the site of transcription initiation. This octamer can serve as a site for the binding of nuclear proteins which are presumably involved in the cell type specific expression of this family of genes. In studying the binding of nuclear proteins to this conserved sequence element, we have detected a protein interaction that involves, in addition to the octamer, nucleotides which are immediately upstream. We have characterized this additional contact as a sequence specific interaction with a heptameric sequence element (CTCATGA) that is conserved among Ig heavy chain promoters. Protein binding to the heptamer is unique in that it is dependent upon the proximity and orientation of, as well as protein interaction with, the conserved octamer.
Mechanical integrity—Stationary equipment reliability

This article describes the elements of a successful stationary equipment reliability program in a petrochemical facility. The paper addresses management systems, engineering practices, preventive/predictive maintenance/inspection systems, performance metrics, and resources. The paper shares the stationary equipment reliability program at Lyondell Chemical Company and a number of best practices developed as part of the reliability program. Also, some success stories and lessons learned are shared. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2008
Octrees: Construction, Representation, And Manipulation

The octree representation of three-dimensional objects is a generalization of the two-dimensional quadtree. It is a hierarchical representation based on the principle of recursive subdivision. The major features of the octree representation are that it is a hierarchical data structure, objects are kept in a spatially pre-sorted order at all time, and it has spatial addressability. Many operations performed on octrees can be easily implemented as tree traversals. These special features make octree representation very attractive in many applications such as solid modeling, computer graphics, computer-aided design/manufacturing, computer vision, robotics, space planning, and medical imaging. This paper surveys the recent advances made in the construction, representation, and manipulation of the octree representation.
Psoriatic epidermal cells demonstrate increased numbers and function of non-Langerhans antigen-presenting cells.

Abstract The recent findings that the immunosuppressant cyclosporine A (CsA) improves psoriasis raises the possibility that cellular immune processes play a major role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. We therefore investigated the phenotype and function of cells within psoriatic epidermis that can play a role in cellular immunologic reactivity. Double fluorescence microscopic studies with monoclonal antibodies of epidermal cells in suspension (EC) and of histologic sections demonstrated that involved psoriatic skin contained a significantly increased number of non-Langerhans cell T6 − DR + EC (4.9 + 2.1%) relative to uninvolved (0.3 ±0.1%), p + monocytes, DR + activated T lymphocytes, a few DR + RFD1 + antigen-presenting cells (APC), and DR + ke ratinocytes. Langerhans cell (LC) levels in EC suspension were not different between involved and uninvolved psoriatic epidermis. Functional studies demonstrated that involved psoriatic epidermal cells had an increased capacity to induce T-cell activation and proliferation relative to uninvolved EC (p − DR + HLe1 + APC population and not to DR + keratinocytes. These results demonstrate that involved psoriatic epidermal cells contain both an increased number and function of antigen-presenting cells. The pathogenetic mechanisms in psoriasis may be related to ongoing cellular immune responses in the skin, and the effect of CsA may be mediated through a suppressive effect on the enhanced antigen-presenting cell activity.
Phonetic ability in stuttering.

A group of 25 male stutterers was found to be inferior to a matched control group on two tests of phonetic manipulation. The results are consistent with findings reported previously by the author, ...
A rationale for coastal wetland restoration through spoil bank management in Louisiana, USA

The rationale and outline of an implementation plan for restoring coastal wetlands in Louisiana is presented. The rationale for the plan is based on reversing the consequences of documented cause-and-effect relationships between wetland loss and hydrologic change. The main feature is to modify the extensive interlocking network of dredged spoil deposits, or spoil banks, by reestablishing a more natural water flow at moderate flow velocity (<5 cm/sec). Guidelines for site selection from thousands of potential sites are proposed. Examples of suitable sites are given for intermediate marshes. These sites exhibit rapid deterioration following partial or complete hydrologic impoundment, implying a strong hydrologic, rather than sedimentological, cause of wetland deterioration.
Geometric and electronic effects in the chemisorption and reaction of acetylene, ethylene and benzene on the normal and reconstructed iridium (100) surface☆

Abstract The electron structure of acetylene, ethylene and benzene chemisorbed on the normal (1 × 1) and reconstructed (5 × 1) clean surfaces of Ir(100) has been studied as a function of surface coverage and adsorption temperature using UPS-photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger spectroscopy and low-energy electron-diffraction. Important interpretations with reference to a variety of geometrical modifications and molecular fragmentations associated with chemical bonding are made depending on the temperature, coverage and the adsorbent. It is proposed that acetylene stretches and bends upon adsorption at room temperature whereas chemisorbed ethylene fragments on the reconstructed surface and dehydrogenates on the normal surface. Carbon bond rupture is postulated for acetylene when chemisorbed on a preadsorbed hydrogen (5 × 1)Ir(100) surface. Relatively little distortion is observed for chemisorbed benzene. Bonding appears to occur via the π-like orbitals for all three adsorbates on the Ir(100) surface at room temperature. Some useful comparisons to molecular structural distortion of hydrocarbons in organo-metallic compounds are made.
Manipulation of Cell Physiology Enables Gene Silencing in Well-differentiated Airway Epithelia

The application of RNA interference-based gene silencing to the airway surface epithelium holds great promise to manipulate host and pathogen gene expression for therapeutic purposes. However, well-differentiated airway epithelia display significant barriers to double-stranded small-interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery despite testing varied classes of nonviral reagents. In well-differentiated primary pig airway epithelia (PAE) or human airway epithelia (HAE) grown at the air–liquid interface (ALI), the delivery of a Dicer-substrate small-interfering RNA (DsiRNA) duplex against hypoxanthine–guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) with several nonviral reagents showed minimal uptake and no knockdown of the target. In contrast, poorly differentiated cells (2–5-day post-seeding) exhibited significant oligonucleotide internalization and target knockdown. This finding suggested that during differentiation, the barrier properties of the epithelium are modified to an extent that impedes oligonucleotide uptake. We used two methods to overcome this inefficiency. First, we tested the impact of epidermal growth factor (EGF), a known enhancer of macropinocytosis. Treatment of the cells with EGF improved oligonucleotide uptake resulting in significant but modest levels of target knockdown. Secondly, we used the connectivity map (Cmap) database to correlate gene expression changes during small molecule treatments on various cells types with genes that change upon mucociliary differentiation. Several different drug classes were identified from this correlative assessment. Well-differentiated epithelia treated with DsiRNAs and LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, significantly improved gene silencing and concomitantly reduced target protein levels. These novel findings reveal that well-differentiated airway epithelia, normally resistant to siRNA delivery, can be pretreated with small molecules to improve uptake of synthetic oligonucleotide and RNA interference (RNAi) responses.
Detailed characterization of a systematic set of quantum dot infrared photodetectors

The results of a detailed characterization study on a systematic set of InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dot infrared photodetectors are presented. A simple physical picture is also discussed to account for the main observed features. Photoresponse characteristics in a wide spectral region from the mid- to far-infrared are reported. Clear polarization behaviors with a dominant P-polarized response in the mid-infrared and a strong S-response in the far-infrared regions are shown. These behaviors can be qualitatively understood in view of the quantum dot shape of a large in-plane diameter and a small height in the growth direction. With a set of three samples, effects of the number of electrons per quantum dot on the spectra are investigated.
Sprouting responsiveness in the dentate gyrus is reduced by ethanol administered following but not preceding an entorhinal lesion.

Abstract We examined the effect of ethanol on lesion-induced sprouting in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. Adult rats were fed a liquid diet containing either ethanol or sucrose for 14 days before and 9 days following unilateral entorhinal cortex lesions. One group was provided the ethanol diet ad libitum during both the pre-and postlesion period. Three other groups were pair-fed to the latter group; one consumed ethanol prelesion, one postlesion, and one did not receive ethanol. Sections through the rostral hippocampus were stained for histochemical localization of acetylcholinesterase. Following the entorhinal lesion the pale-staining commissural/associational zone ipsilateral to the lesion typically expands and exhibits decreased acetylcholinesterase staining. When ethanol was administered after the lesion, expansion of the commissural/associational zone was significantly diminished compared with the two groups that received the control diet after the lesion. Ethanol administered for 2 weeks before the lesion had no measurable effect on commissural/associational zone expansion. These findings imply that, at least for short-term exposure, ethanol reduces the sprouting responsiveness of systems in the dentate gyrus only during the postlesion period when sprouting normally occurs.
Alterations in Individual Molecular Species of Human Platelet Phospholipids during Thrombin Stimulation: Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry-Facilitated Identification of the Boundary Conditions for the Magnitude and Selectivity of Thrombin-Induced Platelet Phospholipid Hydrolysis†

Although the rapid thrombin-induced release of arachidonic acid in human platelets has been known for over 20 years, the amount of arachidonic acid mass mobilized and the source of the released arachidonic acid has remained a subject of intense controversy. Herein, we exploit the analytic power and sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to identify plasmenylethanolamines as the largest source of arachidonic acid mass released during thrombin stimulation and to demonstrate the presence of multiple novel molecular species of plasmenylethanolamines in human platelets. Specifically, 90 s after thrombin stimulation a total of 60.1 nmol of arachidonic acid-containing phospholipids/10(9) platelets was hydrolyzed which included the loss of 31.8 nmol/10(9) platelets from ethanolamine glycerophospholipids (hydrolysis of plasmenylethanolamines represented 63% of the mass lost from the ethanolamine glycerophospholipid pool) but only 10.9 nmol/10(9) platelets from choline glycerophospholipids. Human platelet phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol pools contained similar amounts of arachidonic acid mass in resting platelets (approximately equal to 20 nmol/10(9) platelets), and each pool contributed 8.7 nmol/10(9) platelets after thrombin stimulation. From these results, a lower boundary for the rate of thrombin-induced arachidonic acid mobilization in human platelets can be set at > 60 nmol/10(9) platelets, thereby identifying specific kinetic characteristics and substrate selectivities of the phospholipase(s) activated during platelet stimulation. Collectively, these results underscore the importance of plasmenylethanolamines as the major storage depot of arachidonic acid in resting platelets and as the major source of arachidonic acid mobilized after thrombin stimulation of human platelets.
Comments on a Probabilistic Model of Social Choice

In [1], Intriligator proposes a probabilistic model of social choice, stating axioms which imply the existence of a unique probabilistic social choice function. Unfortunately, there are some problems with the mathematics which affect the interpretation of the model. We investigate these problems and propose another set of axioms which imply the existence of his function. Given alternatives A1, ..., A,, individual i is assumed to have a probability vector (qil, . qin) which describes his preferences: he would cast a vote for Ai with probability qij. Thus E q = 1 and qij > 0, all i, j. A social probability vector is a vector P = (p ..., P), pj > 0 all j, Ejpj = 1,
Studies of chitosan/organic acid/Eudragit® RS/RL-coated system for colonic delivery

Abstract Prednisolone (PDS) beads were coated sequentially with (i) innermost hydrophobic layer of Eudragit ® RS/RL, (ii) middle drug release-triggering layer of chitosan, organic acid and Eudragit ® RS/RL, and (iii) outermost enteric coating layer. Continuous dissolution studies were carried out in artificial gastric fluid (pH 1.2), followed by intestinal fluid (pH 6.8), and finally in colonic fluid (pH 4 and 6) with and without β-glucosidase. While drug release was prevented in the gastric and small-intestinal fluids, a continuous release was observed in the colonic fluid. Succinic acid provided the fastest rate of release in the colonic fluid compared to citric, tartaric or malic acid. A combined mechanism of drug release is proposed, which considers the swelling of chitosan and Eudragit ® RS/RL in the presence of succinic acid possibly via electrostatic interaction between the amine groups of chitosan/quaternary ammonium groups of Eudragit ® RS/RL and the carboxyl groups of succinic acid in aqueous medium. The results of plasma pharmacokinetic studies in Sprague–Dawley rats showed that the developed system provided a significant delay ( T max 9.3 h) in the absorption profile of PDS compared with simple enteric-coated ( T max 4 h) or powder ( T max 1 h) formulation that was taken as proof for the colon-targeted delivery.
Potentiostatic pulse technique to determine the efficiency of hydrogen absorption by alloys

A potentiostatic pulse technique was used to determine the efficiency of hydrogen entry and trapping in two precipitation-hardened (Inconel 718 and Incoloy 925) and two work-hardened (Inconel 625 and Hastelloy C-276) nickel-base alloys in an acetate buffer (1 M acetic acid/1 M sodium acetate) containing 15 p.p.m. As2O3. The data were examined as a function of charging time and overpotential. The trapping efficiency increases with charging time (f c) and is linearly dependent on (t c)1/2 for sufficiently short times. The range of linearity is determined by the apparent trapping constant for the alloy. The entry efficiency is independent of charging time but it can vary with overpotential depending on the value of the charge transfer coefficient (α) for the hydrogen evolution reaction. In the case of Inconel 718 and Hastelloy C-276, the value of α was 1.4, which is consistent with a mechanism for hydrogen evolution involving fast discharge followed by slow electrochemical desorption.
Structural analysis of human papillomavirus type 6c isolates from condyloma acuminatum and juvenile-onset and adult-onset laryngeal papillomata

The human papillomavirus type 6c (HPV-6c) genome was molecularly cloned from biopsy specimens of a juvenile-onset and an adult-onset respiratory-tract papillomata and a condyloma acuminatum of the cervix. To determine if the genital-tract isolate and respiratory-tract isolates contain divergent sequences that may account for a difference in tissue trophism or for a difference in the age of onset of the disease, fine-structure mapping, heteroduplex analysis by electron microscopy, and nucleotide sequencing were used to examine the sequence relationship among these HPV-6c isolates. No differences were found in the digestion among these HPV-6c isolates. No differences were found in the digestion patterns with 23 restriction enzymes. Heteroduplex analysis among the three genomes demonstrated that they were colinear without apparent deletions or rearrangements and had greater than 90% sequence identity. In heteroduplex analyses with a different subtype (HPV-6e) that was molecularly cloned from a genital wart, the genomes were colinear with greater than 90% sequence identity over 90% of their length. The most divergent region had 75–80% sequence identity and was localized to the part of the genome containing the E5a and E5b open reading frames (ORFs). Comparison of the sequence of 1430 nucleotides in this region for two of the HPV-6c isolates did not identify any differences between them. Comparison with the published sequences of HPV-6b identified deletions/insertions and base changes with approximately 75% sequence identity, and comparison with HPV-11 identified only six base changes. Conservation of sequences in the E4-E5 region and similarity in the restriction enzyme maps demonstrated that HPV-6c and HPV-11 are independent isolates of the same HPV-6 subtype.
Multidimensionality of Teachers’ Graded Responses for Preschoolers’ Stylistic Learning Behavior: The Learning-to-Learn Scales

Assessment of preschool learning behavior has become very popular as a mechanism to inform cognitive development and promote successful interventions. The most widely used measures offer sound pred...
Clinically significant concentrations of local anesthetics inhibit Staphylococcus aureus in vitro.

Abstract This study explores which concentrations of local anesthetics might be expected to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus . Serial dilutions were made of 0.5% and 0.75% bupivacaine, 2% and 5% lidocaine, 2% and 3% chloroprocaine, and 0.2% and 1% ropivacaine. To each concentration of local anesthetic solution, Mueller Hinton broth medium and Staphylococcus aureus were added. The resulting solutions were incubated and then observed for growth 24 and 48 h later. The minimum concentrations of the local anesthetics that could inhibit growth of Staphylococcus aureus were 0.25% bupivacaine, 1.25% lidocaine and 0.75% chloroprocaine. The inhibitory concentration of ropivacaine could not be determined because the more concentrated solutions precipitated in the Mueller Hinton broth. Local anesthetics may help protect against epidural abscess formation if they are used in sufficiently high concentrations. This effect may help explain the very low reported incidence of epidural abscess.
Frequency-wavenumber spectrum for GATE phase I rainfields

The oceanic rainfall frequency-wavenumber spectrum and its associated space-time correlation have been evaluated from subsets of GATE phase I data. The records, of a duration of four days, were sampled at 15 minutes intervals in 4 x 4 km grid boxes over a 400 km diameter hexagon. In the low frequencies-low wavenumber region the results coincide with those obtained by using the stochastic model proposed by North and Nakomoto (1989). From the derived spectrum the inherent time and space scales of the stochastic model were determined to be approximately 13 hours and 36 km. The formalism proposed by North and Nakamoto was taken together with the derived spectrum to compute the mean square sampling error due to intermittent visits of a spaceborne sensor.
Infrared diode laser and laser-induced fluorescence diagnostics of an electron cyclotron resonance plasma etching tool

Two separate laser spectroscopic approaches have been used to investigate plasmas in the downstream region of a diverging field ECR etcher driven by a standard 1 kW ASTeX 2450 MHz source. Infrared absorption spectroscopy with a diode laser source and a multipass optical system has been used to monitor concentrations of CF2, CF3, and CF4 in pure CF4 or CHF3 or in mixtures of these with each other or with O2. These species concentrations, which in the cases of CF2 and CF4 are absolute, have been obtained as functions of both pressure and power. In the same tool details of the ion dynamics were studied using laser induced fluorescence (LIF) with a pulsed, etalon narrowed dye laser source, pumped by a nitrogen laser. Doppler limited line profiles of several rotational transitions of the (0-0) band of the B 2£+ — X 2E+ system of Nj were used to extract axial and transverse ion velocity distributions. Both pure nitrogen and nitrogen-helium mixtures were studied, and the transverse distributions were also obtained as a function of radial position. In the pressure region studied (0.5-4 mTorr) ion energies are generally much smaller than had been anticipated, a result we attribute to the major role played by collisions. We have also measured the translational temperature of neutral helium (by LIF) and the rotational temperature of Nj (by LIF and optical emission) for comparison purposes.
Positive outcomes of adolescents' experience with grief.

This study explored positive outcomes of adolescents'experiences of grief Ninety-three late adolescents (mean age of 19.4 years) responded to the question: "What positive outcomes, if any, do you f...
Scavenger receptors clear the air

Inhaled environmental oxidants, such as ozone and particulates, have been variably linked to epithelial injury, inflammation, and perturbations in lung development, growth, and function. Reactions between ozone and lung surface lipids likely account for exposure-related pathophysiologic sequelae. In this issue of the JCI, Dahl et al. document a previously unrecognized pulmonary defense against inhaled oxidants in mice: macrophage scavenger receptors (SRs) bind proinflammatory oxidized lipids, thereby decreasing pulmonary inflammation (see the related article beginning on page 757). The study adds to our knowledge of diverse lung oxidative processes and identifies a potential regulatory mechanism governing pulmonary inflammation. Further investigations to elucidate more precise mechanisms and to determine the influence of SRs on airway epithelial injury, repair, and remodeling are warranted.
Repeated measures analysis of geometrically constructed and directly determined cephalometric points

Cephalometric landmarks were directly determined visually from bony anatomy on lateral cephalometric radiographs and compared with geometrically constructed cephalometric landmarks for repeated measures reliability of identification. Three groups of four orthodontists, grouped by level of experience, identified 18 landmarks on each of four cephalometric radiographs. This measurement procedure was repeated four times in 1-week intervals. The variability, main associations and interactions among the variables of tracer experience, quality of radiograph traced, and the anatomic landmarks traced were assessed by means of the repeated measures analysis of variance and follow-up Tukey HSD test. The coefficient of variation was used to compare the relative variability of replicate identification of the 18 cephalometric landmarks. Rank order and statistically significant groupings by variability are listed. The level of observer experience and quality of radiograph were statistically unrelated to landmark variability on replicate examination. The geometrically constructed landmarks tested were not statistically different from the reliability of the directly determined bony-based landmarks. This finding would lend support to the techniques of geometric construction used in the Ricketts cephalometric analysis.
Integrating the history of systems software in the computing curriculum

The study of the history of computing system software has begun to receive some attention lately. Areas involving operating systems and programming languages have recently attained greater scholarly awareness and have developed into new areas of research. The scope of system software is rather broad and can lead to detailed studies in very specialized areas.The separation between system software and application software was not precise in the early days of computing. As educators and scholars, we should be careful not to examine that early history only through our current point of view. Time allows us to observe such events with different perspectives. Successes and failures in the systems area require balance. Indeed, it is important to consider failures because they may have contributed many ideas and concepts to software development even though companies did not incorporate them in their final products. The study of early system software also requires that we look at the practices of the businesses as well as the technology at that time and the dynamic forces that determined the outcome of a product.
A taxonomy for and analysis of tangible interfaces

There have been many research efforts devoted to tangible user interfaces (TUIs), but it has proven difficult to create a definition or taxonomy that allows us to compare and contrast disparate research efforts, integrate TUIs with conventional interfaces, or suggest design principles for future efforts. To address this problem, we present a taxonomy, which uses metaphor and embodiment as its two axes. This 2D space treats tangibility as a spectrum rather than a binary quantity. The further from the origin, the more “tangible” a system is. We show that this spectrum-based taxonomy offers multiple advantages. It unifies previous categorizations and definitions, integrates the notion of “calm computing,” reveals a previously un-noticed trend in the field, and suggests design principles appropriate for different areas of the spectrum.
Succinct Review of the New VTE Prevention and Management Guidelines

Venous thromboembolism is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The American College of Chest Physicians Antithrombotic Guidelines, 9th edition, includes a large number of clinical practice recommendations regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of venous thromboembolism. This succinct clinical review of these guidelines specifically focuses on the evaluation, treatment, and prevention of venous thromboembolic disease. a 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research n Mayo Clin Proc. 2014;89(3):394-408
Modeling Drug- and Chemical-Induced Hepatotoxicity with Systems Biology Approaches

We provide an overview of computational systems biology approaches as applied to the study of chemical- and drug-induced toxicity. The concept of “toxicity pathways” is described in the context of the 2007 US National Academies of Science report, “Toxicity testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and A Strategy.” Pathway mapping and modeling based on network biology concepts are a key component of the vision laid out in this report for a more biologically based analysis of dose-response behavior and the safety of chemicals and drugs. We focus on toxicity of the liver (hepatotoxicity) – a complex phenotypic response with contributions from a number of different cell types and biological processes. We describe three case studies of complementary multi-scale computational modeling approaches to understand perturbation of toxicity pathways in the human liver as a result of exposure to environmental contaminants and specific drugs. One approach involves development of a spatial, multicellular “virtual tissue” model of the liver lobule that combines molecular circuits in individual hepatocytes with cell–cell interactions and blood-mediated transport of toxicants through hepatic sinusoids, to enable quantitative, mechanistic prediction of hepatic dose-response for activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor toxicity pathway. Simultaneously, methods are being developing to extract quantitative maps of intracellular signaling and transcriptional regulatory networks perturbed by environmental contaminants, using a combination of gene expression and genome-wide protein-DNA interaction data. A predictive physiological model (DILIsym™) to understand drug-induced liver injury (DILI), the most common adverse event leading to termination of clinical development programs and regulatory actions on drugs, is also described. The model initially focuses on reactive metabolite-induced DILI in response to administration of acetaminophen, and spans multiple biological scales.
Laboratory Methods for the Diagnosis of Hereditary Amyloidoses

As described elsewhere in this book, amyloids consist of fibrils composed of stacked proteins which have adopted a beta-pleated sheet conformation. The mechanism by which a protein, which has substantial alpha-helical character, refolds into a configuration with a primarily beta-pleated sheet structure is unclear and is the subject of much ongoing research. It is clear, however, that specific amino acid substitutions in a small number of circulating proteins can accelerate or facilitate this process.
Antibody response following smallpox vaccination and revaccination.

Three groups of post-vaccination sera were studied for vaccinial antibody by precipitation, haemagglutinin-inhibition, complement-fixation and neutralization tests. All sera were negative by precipitation and many by haemagglutinin-inhibition and complement-fixation tests, but most showed neutralizing activity at serum dilutions of 1/10 or higher. The differences in antibody titres between the three groups of sera were most probably related to the past history of revaccination. This investigation was supported in part by Public Health Service Grant AI–1632–16 VR from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, by the World Health Organization and by the Marcus T. Reynolds III Fund.