cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Peripheral tolerance induced in lymph nodes by syngenic spleen cells inhibits generation of CTLs to hapten-altered self antigens but not to alloantigens

Abstract The immunological tolerance that is induced in lymph nodes that have been exposed to syngeneic spleen cells has been examined. Development of cytotoxic T lymphocytes was used to assess the immunological status of the lymph node cells. The tolerance was studied from the viewpoint of its induction, its activation, and its specificity. We had already reported that injecting either T or B cells of splenic origin into a regional lymph node environment a week prior to immunization for CTL to hapten-altered self antigens prevents development of the CTL. Here, we confirm that syngeneic splenic cells but not lymph node cells will induce the suppression provided that spleen cells are not coupled with hapten. We now report that splenic cells that cannot replicate or synthesize and secrete protein are capable of inducing the suppression. The data suggest a preformed surface marker peculiar to spleen cells and perhaps on cells that traverse the thymus induces local tolerance that is mediated by suppressor cells. Triggering the induced suppressor T cells (previously identified as CD8 + ) was achieved by syngeneic spleen cells as well as by H-2-compatible, Mls-disparate spleen cells but not by syngeneic lymph node cells or apparently by allogeneic spleen cells. Furthermore, triggering suppression was achieved by hapten-coupled syngeneic spleen cells whereas such cells would not induce the suppression. Thus, activating the suppressor cells requires reexposure to splenic cells of the proper MHC haplotype, unaltered or coupled with either TNP or FITC. Once triggered, the suppression was manifested toward CTL generation against hapten-coupled syngeneic antigens on either spleen or lymph node cells but not against allogeneic antigens. Thus, the specificity of the tolerance was directed to altered self antigens despite its induction by unaltered spleen antigen. Furthermore, for suppression to be seen the spleen antigen was not required to be on the hapten-coupled syngeneic cells used for the CTL immunization. The relationship of the splenic cell “antigen” to hapten-altered self antigens and to other surface markers and its site of acquisition within the body and its significance for cell homing have become intriguing questions of importance. This information has been discussed from the viewpoint of its applicability to autoimmune diseases as well as to cessation of inflammatory reactions that may be mediated by lymph node cells.
Long-term neuropsychological outcomes in children and adolescents after cardiac arrest.

Purpose Research into neuropsychological functioning of survivors of cardiac arrest (CA) in childhood is scarce. We sought to assess long-term neuropsychological functioning in children and adolescents surviving CA.
Semi-regular plane polygons of integral type

A polygon is called semi-regular if its interior angles are equal to one another. The paper deals mainly with semi-regular polygons whose sides have integral lengths.
Conformational flexibility of transmembrane helix VII of the human serotonin transporter impacts ion dependence and transport

The serotonin transporter (SERT) regulates the serotonin concentration in the synapse and is a target of several antidepressant and psychostimulant drugs. Previous work suggested that the middle transmembrane helices (TMHs) of the biogenic amine transporters (TMHs) play a role in substrate and ion recognition. We focused our present studies on exploring the role of TMH VII in transporter function and ion recognition. Residues divergent between human SERT and Drosophila SERT (hSERT and dSERT, respectively) were identified and mutated in hSERT to the corresponding identity in dSERT. hSERT mutants V366S, M370L, S375A, and T381S exhibited a decrease in transport capacity. To further explore the role of these residues in the transport process, we generated cysteine mutants at multiple positions. Pretreatment with [2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl] methanethiosulfonate (MTSET) caused a decrease in transport of [3H]5-HT in the V366C and M370C mutants. The hSERT V366S, M370L, and M370C mutations also altered the sodium and chloride dependence for substrate transport. Interpretation of our results in the context of a homology model of SERT based on the crystal structure of the Aquifex aeolicus leucine transporter suggests flexibility in the conformation of TMH VII that impacts ion dependence and substrate transport.
BENIGN NEOPLASMS OF THE SKIN

Virtually all human beings have a number of benign cutaneous neoplasms. Many of these never come to medical attention. Patients who do show such lesions to a physician typically are concerned about the possibility that their growths may be skin cancer. With proper training and experience, the physician should be able to triage most such lesions with a clinical examination. In a medical setting increasingly influenced by managed care and dominated by cost consciousness, the primary care physician is expected to make these clinical judgments without recourse to consultation or histopathologic examination. Familiarity with these common cutaneous tumors, and in particular with their range of variability, is therefore required. This article reviews the clinical aspects of some of the common benign cutaneous neoplasms. Common clinical scenarios related to these growths are emphasized.
It's all in the data – consistent operational risk measurement and regulation

Purpose – Amid increased size and complexity of the banking industry, operational risk has a greater potential to occur in more harmful ways than many other sources of risk. This paper seeks to provide a succinct overview of the current regulatory framework of operational risk under the New Basel Accord with a view to inform a critical debate about the influence of data collection, loss reporting, and model specification on the consistency of risk‐sensitive capital rules.Design/methodology/approach – The paper's approach is to investigate the regulatory implications of varying characteristics of operational risk and different methods to identify operational risk exposure.Findings – The findings reveal that effective operational risk measurement hinges on how the reporting of operational risk losses and the model sensitivity of quantitative methods affect the generation of consistent risk estimates.Originality/value – The presented findings offer tractable recommendations for a more coherent and consistent...
The Irish republican army: An assessment of sectarianism

Although the Irish Republican Army (IRA) has been active for more than 25 years, interpretations of the motivation of the IRA are varied. For some, it is a sectarian organization engaged in a tit‐for‐tat campaign with Protestant paramilitaries in Northern Ireland. For others, it is a guerrilla army waging a military campaign against the British presence in Northern Ireland. This article assesses the degree to which the IRA was or was not engaged in sectarian activity between July 1969 and December 1993. Although the Irish Republican Army killed more than 340 Protestant civilians in this time period, this examination suggests that the IRA, in general, was not a sectarian organization.
Conditions and Limitations of Using Low-Temperature Photoluminescence to Determine Residual Nitrogen Levels in Semi-Insulating SiC Substrates

We have employed low-temperature photoluminescence to estimate the total residual N concentration in semi-insulating (SI) SiC substrates where all N shallow donors are compensated in the dark. The ratio of the nitrogen-bound exciton line (Qo) to the free excitonic emission (I77) as a function of excitation power density (Pexc) was tracked for several SI 4H-SiC samples with varying residual N concentration (~ 7x1014 – 5.2x1016 cm-3). Most notably, a linear relationship was found between Qo/I77 and [N] for [N]
Singlet Oxygen Involvement in the Photochemical Reaction of C60 and Amines. Synthesis of an Alkyne-Containing Fullerene

Photochemical addition of 3-diethylamino-1-propyne (DEAP) to C60 leads to a novel fullerene adduct (1). The addition of DEAP to C60 did not occur in the expected [2+2] fashion. Instead, addition to...
Radiation therapy for pilocytic astrocytomas of childhood.

Purpose Though radiation therapy is generally considered the most effective treatment for unresectable pilocytic astrocytomas in children, there are few data to support this claim. To examine the efficacy of radiation therapy for pediatric pilocytic astrocytomas, we retrospectively reviewed the experience at our institution. Methods and Materials Thirty-five patients 18 years old or younger with unresectable tumors and without evidence of neurofibromatosis have been treated since 1982. Patients were treated with local radiation fields to a median dose of 54 Gy. Six patients were treated with radiosurgery to a median dose of 15.5 Gy. Five patients were treated with initial chemotherapy and irradiated after progression. Results All patients were alive after a median follow-up of 5.0 years. However, progression-free survival was 68.7%. None of 11 infratentorial tumors progressed compared with 6 of 20 supratentorial tumors. A trend toward improved progression-free survival was seen with radiosurgery (80%) compared with external beam alone (66%), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Eight of the 9 patients progressing after therapy did so within the irradiated volume. Conclusions Although the survival of these children is excellent, almost one third of patients have progressive disease after definitive radiotherapy. Improvements in tumor control are needed in this patient population, and the optimal therapy has not been fully defined. Prospective trials comparing initial chemotherapy to radiation therapy are warranted.
Developing of an ontological interface agent with template-based linguistic processing technique for FAQ services

This paper proposes an ontological Interface agent which works as an assistant between the users and FAQ systems. We integrated several interesting techniques including domain ontology, user modeling, and template-based linguistic processing to effectively tackle the problems associated with traditional FAQ retrieval systems. Specifically, we address the following issues. Firstly, how can an interface agent learn a user's specialty in order to build a proper user model for him/her? Secondly, how can domain ontology help in establishing user models, analyzing user query, and assisting and guiding interface usage? Finally, how can the intention and focus of a user be correctly extracted? Our work features an template-based linguistic processing technique for developing ontological interface agents; a nature language query mode, along with an improved keyword-based query mode; and an assistance and guidance for human-machine interaction. Our preliminary experimentation demonstrates that user intention and focus of up to eighty percent of the user queries can be correctly understood by the system, and accordingly provides the query solutions with higher user satisfaction.
Primary oral squamous cell carcinoma: A review of 92 cases

Abstract Purpose This is a retrospective review of 92 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma treated by one department of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Patients and Methods The medical records of 92 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were reviewed, and standard epidemiologic data were obtained. In addition, cases were identified as to site, stage, risk behavior, histologic classification, primary and secondary surgical treatment, adjunctive therapy, and survival rates. Results The results indicate a higher-than-predicted 2-year survival rate. The association between alcohol and tobacco consumption and incidence of disease is supported. There was a correlation between tumor size and survival rate, but no correlation between histologic classification and prognosis. Conclusion Mortality increases in relation to the stage at which the diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma is made. Patients with stage III or IV lesions have a much poorer prognosis than those with stage I or II lesions. However, histologic classification and prognosis were not correlated.
Crystal structure studies of thermally aged LiCoO2 and LiMn2O4 cathodes

LiCoO_2 and LiMn_2O_4 cathodes were studied by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and electron diffraction after ageing in the charged state at elevated temperature. Some cathodes were stopped at different times during ageing and XRD measurements were taken to monitor changes in the crystal structure over ageing time. The results indicate that Li-ions intercalate into the cathodes lattice during ageing thus decreasing the available discharge capacity. Analysis of electron diffraction patterns of LiCoO_2 and LiMn_2O_4 retrieved from the cathodes after ageing shows that irreversible crystallographic transformations have taken place in both electrodes. Dark field imaging illustrates that LiCoO_2 forms a layer of spinel phase on its surface. In LiMn_2O_4 a tetragonal distorted spinel is observed when the cathode has been in the 3 V regime for considerable length of time.
Acute Care Functional Assessment Begins at the Bedside

Patient functional ability is a determining factor in successful discharge and self-care. A model for improving the use of functional assessment in the acute care setting gives the bedside registered nurse a tool to manage care.
BC high-/spl kappa//metal gate Ge/C alloy pMOSFETs fabricated directly on Si (100) substrates

Buried-channel (BC) high-/spl kappa//metal gate pMOSFETs were fabricated on Ge/sub 1-x/C/sub x/ layers for the first time. Ge/sub 1-x/C/sub x/ was grown directly on Si (100) by ultrahigh-vacuum chemical vapor deposition using methylgermane (CH/sub 3/GeH/sub 3/) and germane (GeH/sub 4/) precursors at 450/spl deg/C and 5 mtorr. High-quality films were achieved with a very low root-mean-square roughness of 3 /spl Aring/ measured by atomic force microscopy. The carbon (C) content in the Ge/sub 1-x/C/sub x/ layer was approximately 1 at.% as measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Ge/sub 1-x/C/sub x/ BC pMOSFETs with an effective oxide thickness of 1.9 nm and a gate length of 10 /spl mu/m exhibited high saturation drain current of 10.8 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m for a gate voltage overdrive of -1.0 V. Compared to Si control devices, the BC pMOSFETs showed 2/spl times/ enhancement in the saturation drain current and 1.6/spl times/ enhancement in the transconductance. The I/sub on//I/sub off/ ratio was greater than 5/spl times/10/sup 4/. The improved drain current represented an effective hole mobility enhancement of 1.5/spl times/ over the universal mobility curve for Si.
Validity of Attachment Theory

In recent years, attachment theory has been used more frequently for understanding abuse and violence. Yet, conceptualizations of these problems presuppose that attachment theory is valid. By reviewing the empirical literature on attachment theory to determine whether its key hypotheses are supported, this article addresses this important assumption. Hypotheses of attachment theory that are addressed are that attachment (a) has a biological or physiological base, (b) is universal, (c) is intergenerationally transmitted, (d) is transmitted from caregiver to infant, and (e) is predictive and dynamic but largely stable across time. Although all the hypotheses have some empirical support, and meta-analyses of certain of these hypotheses are encouraging, there are contradictory findings. At this time, support for attachment theory remains equivocal, and the limits of the theory are not clearly defined. Although these limitations do not preclude its use in trauma literature, professionals must remain aware of t...
A game-theoretic modeling of concurrency

A model is introduced for asynchronous concurrent communication, where each agent's perception of the system is represented by a game of interaction. The model combines strict fair merge with full recursion, and the main mathematical results provide evidence for the robustness and naturalness of his interpretation of recursive definitions of nondeterministic processes. The approach is closest to D. Park's (1980, 1983) whose ideas are starting points for this work. >
SEC-BED-DED Codes for Error Control in Byte-Organized Memory Systems

SEC-ED-DED codes are single error correcting and double error detecting while simultaneously providing byte error detection. SEC-BED-DED codes are constructed for byte lengths of 5 and larger. For many byte lengths and code lengths, these codes require fewer check bits or have implementation advantages when compared to other SEC-BED-DED codes.
The Legacy of Child Development's 1990 Special Issue on Minority Children: An Editorial Retrospective

Sixteen years have passed since the publication of Child Development's Special Issue on Minority Children. It is suggested that the most critical legacy of the special issue is the conceptual and ideological zeitgeist it fostered. The issue set culture and ecological context in the foreground of analyses, advanced a cultural-variant perspective, and further discredited the deficit perspective that long dominated the study of ethnic minority children and families. The special issue is also significant for its role in shaping post-1990 research agenda. In addition, it underscored the need for more nuanced articulations of what cultural or ethnic characteristics are of special relevance for understanding specific domains of development and the need for well-crafted methodological tools with which to test these ideas.
Low bit-rate video streaming for face-to-face teleconference

Face-to-face video teleconferencing is very important for real time communication. Current teleconferencing applications use standard video codecs, such as MPEG 1/2/4, for the compression of face video. Either a high bandwidth is required for high quality video transmission, or the transmitted face video is blurred at low bitrates. We present a system for real-time coding of face video at low bit-rate. There are two main contributions. First, we improve the technique of long term memory prediction by selecting frames into the database in an optimal way. A new frame is selected into the database only when it is significantly different from those frames which are already in the database. In this way, the database can cover a wider range of images. Second, we incorporate prior knowledge about faces into the long term memory prediction framework. The prior knowledge includes: (1) facial motions are repetitive such that most of them can be reconstructed from multiple reference frames; (2) different components of the face and the background can tolerate different levels of error because of different perceptual importance. Experiments show that, at similar PSNR, the proposed system works much faster and achieves better visual quality than the standard H.264/JVT codec.
Carcinoma of the axillary breast

A review of the world literature regarding carcinoma of ectopic breast tissue along with the addition of one case is reported. A total of 90 cases of carcinoma of ectopic breast tissue were found, 64 of which occurred in the axilla. The combined survival beyond the 4-year post-treatment period was 9.4%. No survival advantage was found for radical or modified radical mastectomy over that of local excision combined with axillary dissection or radiation. The addition of radiation therapy to either type of mastectomy provided no additional benefit. The correct preoperative diagnosis was rarely made. Outcome was reported in 42 cases; 28 survived longer than 1 year, with 12 recurrences at the time of reporting, and 6 were alive with no evidence of disease at 4 years or longer. Improved prognosis requires diagnostic suspicion and early biopsy of unidentified lesions of the axilla or embryonic milk line.
Regulation of vif mRNA Splicing by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Requires 5′ Splice Site D2 and an Exonic Splicing Enhancer To Counteract Cellular Restriction Factor APOBEC3G

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) accessory protein Vif is encoded by an incompletely spliced mRNA resulting from splicing of the major splice donor in the HIV-1 genome, 5′ splice site (5′ss) D1, to the first splice acceptor, 3′ss A1. We have shown previously that splicing of HIV-1 vif mRNA is tightly regulated by suboptimal 5′ss D2, which is 50 nucleotides downstream of 3′ss A1; a GGGG silencer motif proximal to 5′ss D2; and an SRp75-dependent exonic splicing enhancer (ESEVif). In agreement with the exon definition hypothesis, mutations within 5′ss D2 that are predicted to increase or decrease U1 snRNP binding affinity increase or decrease the usage of 3′ss A1 (D2-up and D2-down mutants, respectively). In this report, the importance of 5′ss D2 and ESEVif for avoiding restriction of HIV-1 by APOBEC3G (A3G) was determined by testing the infectivities of a panel of mutant viruses expressing different levels of Vif. The replication of D2-down and ESEVif mutants in permissive CEM-SS cells was not significantly different from that of wild-type HIV-1. Mutants that expressed Vif in 293T cells at levels greater than 10% of that of the wild type replicated similarly to the wild type in H9 cells, and Vif levels as low as 4% were affected only modestly in H9 cells. This is in contrast to Vif-deleted HIV-1, whose replication in H9 cells was completely inhibited. To test whether elevated levels of A3G inhibit replication of D2-down and ESEVif mutants relative to wild-type virus replication, a Tet-off Jurkat T-cell line that expressed approximately 15-fold-higher levels of A3G than control Tet-off cells was generated. Under these conditions, the fitness of all D2-down mutant viruses was reduced relative to that of wild-type HIV-1, and the extent of inhibition was correlated with the level of Vif expression. The replication of an ESEVif mutant was also inhibited only at higher levels of A3G. Thus, wild-type 5′ss D2 and ESEVif are required for production of sufficient Vif to allow efficient HIV-1 replication in cells expressing relatively high levels of A3G.
Building a distributed robot garden

This paper describes the architecture and implementation of a distributed autonomous gardening system. The garden is a mesh network of robots and plants. The gardening robots are mobile manipulators with an eye-in-hand camera. They are capable of locating plants in the garden, watering them, and locating and grasping fruit. The plants are potted cherry tomatoes enhanced with sensors and computation to monitor their well-being (e.g. soil humidity, state of fruits) and with networking to communicate servicing requests to the robots. Task allocation, sensing and manipulation are distributed in the system and de-centrally coordinated. We describe the architecture of this system and present experimental results for navigation, object recognition and manipulation.
A Nonaqueous Titration Assay for Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose

Sodium carboxymethylcellulose may be assayed for its content of sodium by titration, following preliminary heating with glacial acetic acid, with 0.1 N perchloric acid.
Short-term plasticity regulates the excitation/inhibition ratio and the temporal window for spike integration in CA1 pyramidal cells.

Many neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders involve an imbalance between excitation and inhibition caused by synaptic alterations. The proper excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance is especially critical in CA1 pyramidal cells, because they control hippocampal output. Activation of Schaffer collateral axons causes direct excitation of CA1 pyramidal cells, quickly followed by disynaptic feedforward inhibition, stemming from synaptically induced firing of GABAergic interneurons. Both excitatory and inhibitory synapses are modulated by short-term plasticity, potentially causing dynamic tuning of the E/I ratio. However, the effects of short-term plasticity on the E/I ratio in CA1 pyramidal cells are not yet known. To determine this, we recorded disynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic currents and the E/I ratio in CA1 pyramidal cells in acute hippocampal slices from juvenile mice. We found that, whereas inhibitory synapses had paired-pulse depression, disynaptic inhibition instead had paired-pulse facilitation (≤ 200-ms intervals), caused by increased recruitment of feedforward interneurons. Although enhanced disynaptic inhibition helped to constrain paired-pulse facilitation of excitation, the E/I ratio was still larger on the second pulse, increasing pyramidal cell spiking. Surprisingly, this occurred without compromising the precision of spike timing. The E/I balance regulates the temporal spike integration window from multiple inputs; here, we showed that paired-pulse stimulation can broaden the spike integration window. Together, our findings show that the combined effects of short-term plasticity of disynaptic inhibition and monosynaptic excitation alter the E/I balance in CA1 pyramidal cells, leading to dynamic modulation of spike probability and the spike integration window. Short-term plasticity is therefore an important mechanism for modulating signal processing of hippocampal output.
In Vivo Ligand Specificity of E-selectin Binding to Multivalent Sialyl Lewisx N-linked Oligosaccharides

The in vivo specificity for E-selectin binding to a panel of N-linked oligosaccharides containing a clustered array of one to four sialyl Lewisx (SLex; NeuAcalpha2-3Gal[Fucalpha1-3]beta1-4GlcNAc) determinants was studied in mice. Following intraperitoneal dosing with lipopolysaccharide, radioiodinated tyrosinamide N-linked oligosaccharides were dosed i.v. and analyzed for their pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. Specific targeting was determined from the degree of SLex oligosaccharide targeting relative to a sialyl oligosaccharide control. Oligosaccharides targeted the kidney with the greatest selectivity after a 4-h induction period following lipopolysaccharide dosing. Unique pharmacokinetic profiles were identified for SLex biantennary and triantennary oligosaccharides but not for monovalent and tetraantennary SLex oligosaccharides or sialyl oligosaccharide controls. Biodistribution studies established that both SLex biantennary and triantennary oligosaccharides distributed to the kidney with 2-3-fold selectivity over sialyl oligosaccharide controls, whereas monovalent and tetraantennary SLex oligosaccharides failed to mediate specific kidney targeting. Simultaneous dosing of SLex biantennary or triantennary oligosaccharide with a mouse anti-E-selectin monoclonal antibody blocked kidney targeting, whereas co-administration with anti-P-selectin monoclonal antibody did not significantly block kidney targeting. The results suggest that SLex biantennary and triantennary are N-linked oligosaccharide ligands for E-selectin and implicate E-selectin as a bivalent receptor in the murine kidney endothelium.
1,8,15,22,30,34-hexaoxa-29,35-dioxo[8.8.7](1,4,2)cyclopha-3,5,17,19-tetrayne and 1,8,15,22,30,34-hexaoxa-29,35-dioxo[8.8.7](1,4,2)cyclophane, models for conformationally-defined hosts

Abstract The title molecules exhibit minimum barriers of 24-26 kcal mol -1 to ring inversion; an X-ray crystal structure of the saturated phane shows the aromatic rings to lie in contact and stacked.
Carbocyclic Analogs of 6-substituted Purine Ribonucleosides And of Adenosine Ribonucleotides

New analogs of 6-substituted purine ribonucleosides in which the furanose ring is replaced by a cyclopentane ring were synthesized. The cyclopentane (carbocyclic) analog of 6-chloropurine ribonucleoside was obtained in pure form and was used to prepare analogs having a methylamino, dimethylamino, hydroxylamino, or methoxy group at position 6 of the purine ring. The availability of the pure 6-chloropurine derivative also permitted improved syntheses of the adenosine and 6-(methylthio)purine ribonucleoside analogs, which had been prepared previously. The ribonucleoside analogs having the chloro, methylamino, hydroxylamino, or methoxy group at position 6 were cytotoxic to neoplastic cells (human epidermoid carcinoma No. 2) in culture, but these compounds were less active than the adenosine analog. In tests against leukemia L-1210 in mice, all of the new and the previously synthesized 6-substituted purine ribonucleoside analogs were administered in a single dose (Day 1 or 2), and most were also administered daily (q.d. 1-9) at several dose levels. There was no evidence of activity in these tests. The racemic carbocyclic analogs of adenylic acid and of 3′,5′ -adenosine monophosphate (cyclic) were prepared from the adenosine analog. These nucleotide analogs were also cytotoxic.
The Effects of Academic Instruction in Psychology on Student Nurses' Attitudes toward Mental Illness

Attitude differences before and after a practicum suggests that previous course work influences attribution to experiential sources.
Mobile Data Gathering with Multiuser MIMO Technique in Wireless Sensor Networks

Recent years have witnessed a surge of the interest in efficient data gathering schemes in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, we address this essential issue in WSNs by introducing the mobility and MIMO capability to the data sink in order to optimize the system performance. Specifically, the mobile sink moves along a pre-determined path and collects data packets at some polling stations. With a proper planning on the moving path, we can reduce the data relaying to the minimum, which effectively improves the energy efficiency and also circumvents the non-uniformity of energy consumption among sensor nodes. We also apply MIMO technique to the mobile sink by mounting multiple antennas on it, which provides a radical way to improve the system capacity. With the support of MIMO technique, the mobile sink can simultaneously collect data from multiple compatible sensors. Finally, we theoretically analyze the performance of mobile data gathering in a WSN enhanced by MIMO support, and also investigate its efficiency by simulation experiments. The results demonstrate that the proposed mechanism can greatly improve the system throughput and energy efficiency with minimum additional overhead.
Contribution of central ANG II to acute stress-induced changes in baroreflex function in young rats

The aim of the present investigation was to characterize the baroreflex in weaned 23- to 25-day-old rats when maternal influences were no longer present. The relationship between mean arterial pres...
Enterococcus faecalis Virulence Regulator FsrA Binding to Target Promoters

The FsrABDC signal transduction system is a major virulence regulator in Enterococcus faecalis. The FsrC sensor histidine kinase, upon activation by the gelatinase biosynthesis-activating pheromone (GBAP) peptide encoded by the fsrBD genes, phosphorylates the FsrA response regulator required for the transcription of the fsrBDC and the gelE-sprE genes from the fsrB promoter and the gelE promoter, respectively. FsrA belongs to the LytTR family of proteins, which includes other virulence regulators, such as AgrA of Staphylococcus aureus, AlgR of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and VirR of Clostridium perfringens. The LytTR DNA-binding domain that characterizes these proteins generally binds to two imperfect direct repeats separated by a number of bases that place the repeats on the same face of the DNA helix. In this study, we demonstrated that FsrA also binds to two imperfect direct repeats separated by 13 bp, based on the consensus sequence of FsrA, T/AT/CAA/GGGAA/G, which is consistent with the binding characteristics of LytTR domains.
13C-NMR relation study of heparin-disaccharide interactions with tripeptides GRG and GKG.

Heparin is a polydisperse sulphated copolymer consisting mostly of 1-->4 linked glucosamine and uronic acid residues, i.e. 2-deoxy-2-sulphamido-D-glucopyranose 6-sulphate and L-idopyranosyluronic acid 2-sulphate. 13C NMR has been used to study the interactions of heparinase-derived and purified heparin disaccharide with N- and C-terminally-blocked tripeptides GRG and GKG. Titration of the disaccharide with peptide indicates that GRG binds the disaccharide more strongly than does GKG, with interactions in either case being stronger at uronate ring positions. In the presence of GRG, a carboxylate pKa depression suggests electrostatic interactions between the arginine guanidinium group and the uronate carboxylate group. 13C relaxation data have been acquired for all disaccharide and peptide carbons in the presence and absence of GRG and GKG. 13C relaxation rates for the disaccharide are significantly faster in the presence of peptide, especially with GRG. Analysis of these relaxation data has been done in terms of molecular diffusion constants, D [symbol: see text] and D parallel, and an angle alpha between D parallel and a molecular frame defined by the moment of inertia tensor calculated for an internally rigid disaccharide. Disaccharide conformational space in these calculations has been sampled for both uronate half-chair forms (2H1 and 1H2) and over a range of glycosidic bond angles defined by motional order parameters and inter-residue nuclear Overhauser effects (+/- 30 degree from the average). In the absence of peptide, the ratio D [symbol: see text] /D parallel falls between 0.4 and 0.7; therefore molecular diffusion occurs preferentially about D parallel, which runs through both disaccharide rings. In the presence of peptide, D [symbol: see text] /D parallel is decreased, indicating that GRG is oriented along D parallel and proximal to the uronic acid ring. A model for this is shown.
A monolithic diode array millimeter-wave beam transmittance controller

Amplitude control of transmitted millimeter-wave beams by monolithic Schottky diode arrays is demonstrated. An array containing 4800 diodes has demonstrated control over the range of 20-50% beam transmittance at 99 GHz and 20-70% beam transmittance at 165 GHz. Modulation testing on a second array (8640 diodes) with similar transmission characteristics has shown array control to 50 MHz with negligible loss of output response. An extensive evaluation performed for the 8640-diode array shows good agreement between array impedance parameters determined from quasi-optical measurements, theoretical calculations, and low-frequency C-V measurements. The results have extended the range of quasi-optical functions demonstrated by solid-state power-combining arrays for application to millimeter-wave systems. >
Drinking after osmotic challenge depends on circadian phase in rats with free-running rhythms

Rhythmic phase-dependent modulation of the amount of water intake of rats occurs after several types of dipsogenic treatments. Previous studies conducted on rats in light-dark cycles confound direct effects of the light-dark cycle with the effects of circadian rhythmicity entrained to the light-dark cycle. The present study isolates the effect of circadian phase on the amount of drinking induced by injection of hypertonic saline. Free-running rhythms were induced in rats, and then water intake was measured after injections of both hypertonic and isotonic saline at different phases of the rats' circadian cycle. After injections of hypertonic saline, rats drank more water in their active phase than in their inactive phase. No difference in the amount of intake was found in rats that received isotonic saline at different phases of their circadian rhythms. The results indicate a circadian modulation of the drinking induced by cellular dehydration.
Real-Time Earthqauke Wave Front NotificationUsing GIS,Satellite and In-Vehcile Wireless Telecomminucations

The advancement of GIS,Satellite and wireless communication technologies has made possible the consideration of inter-vehicle communication as a foundation for effective emergency response of natural disasters and unexpected events.In this paper,we discuss a GIS-based earthquake warning software package called QuakeView for Southern California Edison(SCE).QuakeView is the core module of the SCE emergency preparedness system.It estimates wave fronts of earthquakes and inform different groups of people(including people driving on roads) of incoming earthquakes through satellite and/or in-vehicle wireless communication technologies.Quake view consists of two primary components: the earthquake simulation and the application environment.The earthquake simulation compiles recorded earthquake data and streams the data,in real time,into the application environment through TCP/IP connections.The application environment contains the earthquake data processing server,the real-time event-tracking server,and an ArcView client application.It displays real-time wave fronts that move outwards from the epicenter of an earthquake.
Seroprevalence and correlates of HBs Ag and HCVAb among HIV-negative men who have sex with men in Shanghai

Objectives To examine seroprevalence and correlates of hepatitis B virus( HBV) and hepatitis C virus( HCV) among HIV-negative MSM in Shanghai. Methods A serological study for HBV and HCV in HIV-negative MSM was performed in Shanghai. Participants were interviewed and screened for hepatitis B virus surface antigen( HBs Ag)and hepatitis C virus antibody( HCVAb). Results 983 HIV-negative MSM participated in the study. The seroprevalence of HBs Ag was 10. 8%( 95% CI: 9. 1%-12. 5%) and the seroprevalence of HCVAb was 0. 2%. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that HBV infection was more likely to occur among participants who were ethnic minorities( OR = 3. 04,95% CI: 1. 23-7. 52). Otherwise,HBV infection was less likely to occur among participants with a bachelor degree or above( OR = 0. 39,95% CI: 0. 22-0. 70). Conclusions HIV-negative MSM in Shanghai has a relatively high seroprevalence of HBs Ag but relatively low seroprevalence of HCVAb. More efforts are needed to strengthen HBV health education and immunization programs among this population,especially MSM with ethnic minority and low education.
Coronary sinus septal defect: Surgical considerations

The coronary sinus septal defect is an uncommon anomaly. If it is not suspected, found, and repaired at operation, a residual intracardiac shunt will result. The defect usually is associated with a left superior vena cava (LSVC), which necessitates special consideration in the conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass. Our recent treatment of three cases of coronary sinus septal defect stimulated us to review the embryology, anatomy, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of this malformation.
TU-B-201-00: TG180: Imaging Dose During RT

Radiotherapy is in the era of image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) in which imaging procedures are routinely performed for patient positioning, and target localization. The additional imaging dose delivered may increase risk to the patient and therefore needs to be managed. This lecture provides an overview of the AAPM TG-180 which is charged with: providing an overview on imaging dose including megavoltage electronic portal imaging (MV EPI), kilovoltage digital radiography (kV DR), Tomotherapy MV-CT, megavoltage cone-beam CT (MV-CBCT) and kilovoltage cone-beam CT (kV-CBCT) as well as providing general guidelines for commissioning and managing imaging dose calculations. The dose to radiotherapy (RT) patients resulting from different image guidance procedures is reviewed and recommendations for managing the imaging dose are provided. Different techniques for reducing the image guidance dose are summarized. A recommended threshold beyond which imaging dose should be considered in the treatment planning process is discussed. This lecture also discusses kilovoltage imaging dose determination by calculation and estimation, and inclusion in treatment planning as well as accounting for MV imaging dose and the future of MV imaging. Learning Objectives: 1. Learn the different image guidance modalities, typical organ doses resulting from different image procedures, and techniques to reduce the imaging dose; 2. Understand the imaging dose threshold and rationale for accounting for the imaging dose; 3. Learn how to account for kV imaging dose 4. Learn how to account for MV imaging dose and understand the future of MV imaging
Future Warfare in the Western Pacific: Chinese Antiaccess/Area Denial, U.S. AirSea Battle, and Command of the Commons in East Asia

Many analysts worry that improvements in Chinese missile, sensor, guidance, and other technologies will enable China to deny the U.S. military access to parts of the Western Pacific that the United States has long controlled. Although these “antiaccess, area denial” (A2/AD) capabilities are real, they are a geographically limited long-term threat. As both the United States and China deploy A2/AD capabilities, a new era will emerge in which the U.S. military no longer enjoys today's command of the global commons, but is still able to deny China military hegemony in the Western Pacific. In this new era, the United States will possess a sphere of influence around allied landmasses; China will maintain a sphere of influence over its own mainland; and a contested battlespace will cover much of the South and East China Seas wherein neither power enjoys wartime freedom of surface or air movement. This in turn suggests that the Chinese A2/AD threat to U.S. allies is real but more limited than often supposed. With...
Design of CMOS Scholtz's monocycle pulse generator

In this paper, a new Scholtz's monocycle pulse generator is proposed and simulated on TSMC 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. Scholtz's monocycle pulse, which has more advantages than the others, is basically achieved from second derivative of Gaussian pulse. Gaussian pulse is roughly achieved on quadrant squarer circuit with hyperbolic tangent input, and then Scholtz's monocycle pulse is generated by second differential operations in passive components. It can be applied to pulse generator in UWB transmitter as well as the wavelet for a correlator in receiver.
The fatty spleen: Severe hypertriglyceridemia leading to splenomegaly in a child

Abstract This report describes a 3-year-old male with splenomegaly that presented as an infant with pancreatitis, a pancreatic pseudocyst, and a liver nodule. The patient underwent prophylactic splenectomy at age 3 years due to rapid enlargement and increasing risk for traumatic hemorrhage. Pathology revealed lipid-laden histiocytes rather than stigmata of the expected diagnosis of sinistral hypertension from splenic vein thrombosis.
Damage zone development in heterogeneous asphalt concrete

Abstract Measurements of the in-plane strain field around a notch tip were performed using digital image correlation (DIC) to provide an estimate of the Fracture Process Zone (FPZ) developing in a pre-notched asphalt concrete semi-circular bend sample under three-point bending. A magnification of 8 µm/pixel was used in the DIC optical set up in order to be able to resolve strains separately in the aggregate particles and in the asphalt matrix regions between particles. A highly inhomogeneous strain field resulting from the composite nature of the asphalt concrete was seen. Aggregate particles were observed to have almost no strain at all in any of the cases investigated herein (temperatures of −12 °C and 25 °C and loading rates between 0.07 mm/min and 50 mm/min), while significant strains developed in the viscous asphalt binder in the vicinity of the notch tip. Estimation of the FPZ size was done using two possible proposed methods: one involving a threshold strain value and one involving the change of correlation coefficient used in the DIC minimization process. Results from both approaches were used to rank the size of the estimated FPZ as influenced by a number of variables, namely, asphalt recycled content, temperature, and applied displacement rate. The results indicate that the damage zones develop primarily between the aggregates and an increase in loading rate or recycled content has a similar effect as a reduction in temperature: more localized strains/damage and a reduction in the apparent FPZ size. Finally, it was observed that the smaller the extent of the FPZ the less tortuous the crack path becomes.
Emotional intelligence and OCB: The moderating role of work locus of control

This study sought to identify linkages between Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso's (2008) four dimensions of emotional intelligence (EI) and organizational citizenship behavior, and the moderating influence of locus of control. Using a sample of 290 employed students, the present study examines the effects of the dimensions of EI on OCB directed at individuals (OCB-I) and OCB directed at the organization (OCB-O). Emotionally intelligent individuals were hypothesized to engage in more organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) than individuals with lower EI. Work locus of control was hypothesized to moderate the emotional intelligence-OCB linkage, with high internals having a stronger emotional intelligence to OCB linkage. Results indicate that the EI dimensions of perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions had positive effects on OCB-I and OCB-O. Using emotions was not linked to OCB. Locus of control strengthened the EI to OCB-I link, but had no effect on the OCB-O linkage.
The Fire is in the Fat

This is the publisher's version, which may also be viewed at: http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1309546
Transanal protrusion of subdural peritoneal shunt in the setting of appendicitis

Abstract Complications from shunts placed in the peritoneum, either ventriculoperitoneal or subdural, are varied. Perforation of hollow organs and subsequent natural orifice protrusion is a rare but well known complication. We report a case of a transanal protrusion of a subdural peritoneal shunt in the setting of previous abdominal pain possibly consistent with acute appendicitis. While a report of transanal protrusion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt via the appendix has been reported this is the first report where abdominal inflammation was also present. While patients with hollow organ perforation have been described as being managed conservatively after externalization of the proximal shunt and removal of the distal shunt, we managed our patient with an operation given our concern for appendicitis.
Modeling Human-Structure Interaction Using Control Models: External Excitation

Modeling the human-structure interaction (HSI) phenomenon on flexible structure when a person is performing an activity such as dancing remains a challenge. Human activity on a flexible structure can generate excessive vibrations that can cause serviceability problems. Traditional models for human-structure interaction considered the human as a mass-spring-damper system that do not allow the use of external excitation to the human (e.g. music). Recently, researchers have proposed the use of control systems to model the human that will allow the use of external excitation. However, the use of control laws for modeling human-structure interaction has only been performed when the human is standing. This paper focuses on expanding these models to model people in motion. The paper presents an experimental study describing testing on a cantilever structure. The uncertainty of the models is estimated using Bayesian inference.
Choroidal and Retinal Metastasis

Metastasis to the eye involves the choroid (88%), iris (9%), or ciliary body (2%), and rarely the retina (<1%). Intraocular metastases most commonly originate from primary cancers in the breast (47%), lung (21%), gastrointestinal tract (4%), kidney (2%), skin (melanoma) (2%), prostate gland (2%), and other sites (4%). Metastases are unilateral in 76% of cases and bilateral in 24%. Patient prognosis is poor, and those with metastatic skin melanoma or lung carcinoma typically show survival less than 1 year. Those with metastases from breast cancer show survival of 65% at 1 year, 34% at 3 years, and 24% at 5 years.