cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of right ventricular output estimated by Doppler echocardiography in the sheep fetus

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to determine whether Doppler ultrasonographic estimation of fetal right ventricular output was accurate enough to evaluate fetal cardiac performance before the technique can be applied with confidence to the human fetus. The accuracy of this method has not been validated experimentally. STUDY DESIGN: We compared the right ventricular output measured by Doppler echocardiography with that determined from a transit-time ultrasonic flowmeter placed around the fetal pulmonary trunk and to that determined by microsphere technique. We obtained 72 Doppler flow measurements and 16 microsphere flow measurements in six fetuses. RESULTS: There was a fair correlation between cardiac output estimated by Doppler echocardiography performed transabdominally and that determined by a transit-time flowmeter ( r = 0.76). The correlation was excellent when Doppler echocardiography was performed by the transuterine approach ( r = 0.94). There was also an excellent correlation between right ventricular output determined by a transit-time flowmeter and that by microsphere technique ( r = 0.94). CONCLUSION: Doppler echocardiographic estimation of fetal right ventricular cardiac output is thus feasible and accurate.
Plasma Confinement Studies in the ISX-A Tokamak

Gross-energy-confinement times (${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{E}$) in the ISX-$A$ (Impurity Study Experiment) tokamak exceeded predictions of the usual empirical scaling relations. We attribute this performance to reductions of impurity radiation and magnetohydrodynamically driven loss channels. The value of ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{E}$ reached a limit as a function of plasma density. We suggest that this limit is due to a transition from electron- to ion-dominated loss regimes. Maximum attainable values of ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{E}$ increased with discharge current, in agreement with this interpretation.
Biological consequences of hydrographic and atmospheric advection within the Gulf Loop Intrusion

Abstract Dramatic changes in plankton productivity, abundance, vertical distribution, and relative sensitivity to added copper occurred during an 8-day station within the Gulf Loop Intrusion in February 1981. Passage of an atmospheric front associated with a continental high temporarily deepened the mixed layer from 20–40 m to 110–120 m but did not measurably increase inorganic nutrients within it. Primary productivity increased from 14 to 62 mg C m −2 h −1 and bacterioplanktoon increased from 4.3 × 10 13 to 6.1 × 10 13 cells m −2 . Vertical redistribution of biomass may have decoupled zooplankton grazing from primary production contributing to increases in phytoplankton and bacterioplankton standing stocks. Satellite thermal imagery indicated that the position was well removed from the active field of the Loop Current, but detailed analysis of hydrographic data revealed that wind-induced mixing had been superimposed upon an advective event—the passage of a warm, low-salinity lens. Phytoplankton in the low-salinity lens were remarkably insensitive to added copper (4 × 10 −8 M) due to unusually high sequestering of added copper by qualitatively distinct marine humus. The observations were in marked contrast to previous ones at the same general location.
Optimization of PCR for quantification of simian immunodeficiency virus genomic RNA in plasma of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) using armored RNA.

Introduction Quantification of plasma viral load (PVL) is used to monitor disease progression in SIV-infected macaques. This study was aimed at optimizing of performance characteristics of the quantitative PCR (qPCR) PVL assay. Methods The PVL quantification procedure was optimized by inclusion of an exogenous control hepatitis C virus armored RNA (aRNA), a plasma concentration step, extended digestion with proteinase K, and a second RNA elution step. Efficiency of viral RNA (vRNA) extraction was compared using several commercial vRNA extraction kits. Various parameters of qPCR targeting the gag region of SIVmac239, SIVsmE660, and the LTR region of SIVagmSAB were also optimized. Results Modifications of the SIV PVL qPCR procedure increased vRNA recovery, reduced inhibition and improved analytical sensitivity. The PVL values determined by this SIV PVL qPCR correlated with quantification results of SIV RNA in the same samples using the ‘industry standard’ method of branched-DNA (bDNA) signal amplification. Conclusions Quantification of SIV genomic RNA in plasma of rhesus macaques using this optimized SIV PVL qPCR is equivalent to the bDNA signal amplification method, less costly and more versatile. Use of heterologous aRNA as an internal control is useful for optimizing performance characteristics of PVL qPCRs.
Size and reliability of frequency-difference thresholds determined with operant tracking procedure.

Auditory frequency discrimination thresholds have been determined by a “tracking procedure” at five frequencies and two intensity levels for a group of four cats. Intra-animal thresholds were found to be quite stable, and there was good inter-animal agreement among three of the four cats. Although quite stable, the tracking thresholds were larger than those which had been obtained using an avoidance procedure. However, because of the several differences between the tracking procedure and avoidance conditioning procedure, no conclusions can be drawn concerning the efficacy of the different types of reinforcement in determining the ultimate limit of the animals' discrimination ability.
A Typology of Librarian Status at Land Grant Universities

Data were gathered on librarian status at fifty land grant universities. The findings reveal four status types: Professorial, Other ranks with tenure, Other ranks without tenure, and Academic or Professional Staff. Eighty percent of institutions have librarians who are faculty and 85 percent of those are tenure-track.
Primary liver cancer. A review of the clinical features, blood groups, serum enzymes, therapy, and survival of 65 cases

A review of 65 patients with primary liver cancer was made. Of these, 53 had hepatocarcinoma. Primary cancer of the liver was most frequently found in patients aged 50 to 80 years, and was observed in three times as many males as females. There was an increased incidence of hepatocarcinoma in Negroes, especially those with blood group B. The most common symptoms with primary liver cancer were upper abdominal pain, weakness, and weight loss, while the most commonly found signs were hepatomegaly or an abdominal mass. Jaundice and ascites were also commonly found. Serum alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, SGPT, and LDH were elevated in most of these patients. In patients with hepatocarcinoma, 66% had histologically confirmed liver cirrhosis at autopsy. Serial alphafetoprotein tests were performed on 19 patients with hepatoma, in 14 of whom (73.6%) AFP was detectable. No Australia antigen was detected in 12 patients with hepatoma. In this study, 9 out of 16 patients (56%) had subjective and objective tumor responses with continuous 5-FUdR hepatic artery infusion. None of 18 patients treated with systemic cytotoxic agents responded. The difference in response between hepatic artery infusion and systemic therapy is statistically significant (P < .0002). There was a statistically significant lengthening in survival of patients who responded to intra-hepatic artery infusion as compared to non-responders and patients who received systemic chemotherapy. In reviewing the autopsy findings on 30 patients with hepatocarcinoma and 9 with cholangiocarcinoma, there were differences in the incidence of metastases to the lungs or bones between these two types of primary liver cancer.
Atomization modeling in a multiphase flow environment and comparison with experiments

An atomization model based on Reitz's instability wave analysis has been implemented into the ARICC3D multiphase CFD combustion code. Preliminary test runs with cold non-evaporating liquid jet and coaxial gas-liquid atomization cases appeared to have verified basic performance of the model, generating realistic-looking sprays. Furthermore, the extended liquid jet is explicitly resolved, and predicted jet lengths agree well with classical correlations. Fair agreement with test data is obtained for predicted spray tip penetrations and liquid mass flux radial distributions, with obvious room for improvement. Some numerical problems also appear to have resulted with the current implementation when low gas Mach number and high liquid velocities are involved.
Infectious mononucleosis and risk of breast cancer in a prospective study of women

Purpose The association between infectious mononucleosis (IM) and risk of breast cancer is unclear; no prospective studies have examined this relationship. We examined self-reported history and age at IM in relation to risk of invasive breast cancer.
On the relationship between emission color and Ce3+ concentration in garnet phosphors

Abstract It is known that the emission color of Ce3+ doped garnets is strongly redshifted at higher Ce3+ concentrations. In this report, we study the cause of this redshift in Lu3Al5O12:Ce3+ (LuAG:Ce) phosphors. These changes in emission color with Ce3+ concentration are mainly attributed to a combination of inhomogenous broadening for Ce3+ in LuAG and energy transfer from high energy Ce3+ ions to low energy Ce3+ ions. Evidence for inhomogenous broadening and energy transfer is given through time resolved measurements. Potential reasons for inhomogenous broadening of Ce3+ in these phosphors are also discussed.
Unintended Consequences of US Immigration Policy: Explaining the Post-1965 Surge from Latin America

Immigration reforms in the United States initiated in the 1960s are widely thought to have opened the door to mass immigration from Asia and Latin America by eliminating past discriminatory policies. While this may be true for Asians, it is not the case for Latin Americans, who faced more restrictions to legal migration after 1965 than before. The boom in Latin American migration occurred in spite of rather than because of changes in US immigration law. In this article we describe how restrictions placed on the legal entry of Latin Americans, and especially Mexicans, set off a chain of events that in the ensuing decades had the paradoxical effect of producing more rather than fewer Latino immigrants. We offer an explanation for how and why Latinos in the United States, in just 40 years, increased from 9.6 million people and 5 percent of the population to 51 million people and 16 percent of the population, and why so many are now present without authorization.
Adenovirus-mediated angiopoietin-1 gene therapy enhances skin flap survival

This experimental study investigates the feasibility of pretreating the abdominal skin of a rat with subdermal injections of adenovirus encoding angiopoietin-1 in order to improve postoperative survival of the skin flap. An epigastric skin flap was used as the model in this study. Rats received subdermal injections of adenovirus encoding either angiopoietin-1 (treatment group) or green fluorescent protein (treatment control), or they received no treatment (control group). Subdermal injections were made 2 days prior to surgery, and skin flap survival was assessed 7 days afterwards as a percentage of necrotic area over total skin flap area. The treatment group which received adenovirus-mediated angiopoietin-1 had a median percent necrotic area of 11.01%, a significant decrease from the control group, which had a median percent necrotic area of 32.24% (P < 0.001). The results of this study suggest the possibility of using adenovirus-mediated angiopoietin-1 gene therapy to promote therapeutic angiogenesis in patients who undergo reconstructive procedures. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:374–380 2003
Systems Approach to Identifying Relevant Pathways from Phenotype Information in Dose-Dependent Time Series Microarray Data

This study presents a novel computational approach to find relevant pathways from dose-dependent time series gene expression data which are significantly associated with a phenotype pattern pathological patterns in the comprehensive evaluation of a database of pathways. Our system uses four steps: 1) identify a set of genes which change significantly in dose or time, 2) find phenotype patterns and gene coefficients for the genes found in step 1; 3) expand to genome-wide coefficients, and 4) identify pathways which are significantly relevant to a phenotype pattern. Our technique finds biologically relevant pathways with and without phenotype constraints. Our system has been used on genome-wide expression profiles of mouse lungs (n=160) following aspiration of well dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), in order to detect MWCNT-induced lung inflammation and related pathways. The identified significant pathways are supported by evidence in the literature and biological validation.
Shell crossing in generalized Tolman-Bondi spacetimes

We study the occurrence of shell crossing in spherical weakly charged dust collapse in the presence of a nonvanishing cosmological constant. We find that shell crossing always occurs from generic time-symmetric regular initial data, near the center of the matter configuration. For non-time-symmetric initial data, the occurrence{emdash}or lack thereof{emdash}of shell crossing is determined by the initial velocity profile, for a given mass and charge distribution. Physically reasonable initial data inevitably leads to shell crossing (near the center) before the minimum bounce radius is reached.
Rat liver alcohol dehydrogenase isozymes: Influence of infection with Trypanosoma

A study has been made of changes in alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozymes in livers of rats infected with the following trypanosomes: Trypanosoma cruzi, T. rhodesiense, T. congolense, and six geographical isolates of T. lewisi. A control group of the same age was injected with saline, and another left uninjected. Liver homogenates were electrophoresed in noble agar gels followed by formazan staining according to the method of Ursprung and Leone (1965). Of a total of 25 replicates, 15 showed that the level of rat liver ADH isozymes was similar in the uninjected and saline injected animals; 6 replicates showed a slightly higher level of ADH isozymes in uninjected than saline injected contol rat livers, and 4 replicates had a higher level in saline injected than in the uninjected. With either 1-octanol or ethanol as substrate, a marked elevation of ADH activity was observed beginning with day 7 post inoculation in rat livers infected with T. cruzi, T. lewisi, and T. congolense, or as early as day 4 post inoculation with T. rhodesiense. The elevation persisted 59 days or more in rat livers infected with T. lewisi, but rats infected with the pathogenic species usually died 5 to 14 days after infection. The elevation of ADH isozymes has also been demonstrated spectrophotometrically for the first 5 minutes of reaction time, using acetaldehyde as substrate. Also observed in livers infected with pathogenic species and certain strains of T. lewisi were: (1) ADH isozyme pattern changes involving an elevated level of certain isozymes only, and (2) abnormal isozyme mobilities.
Speech applications created by a microcomputer: Discover the advantages of newly developed single-chip microcomputers for digital signal processing in speech applications

The authors discuss the use of the TMS32010 general purpose digital signal processing microcomputer, which has the flexibility to be programmed as a speech synthesizer, an analyzer, or a recognizer. They cover vocoding, speech recognition, a text-to-speech system, and a general-purpose speech system.
Mechanism of Gonadotropin Gene Expression IDENTIFICATION OF A NOVEL NEGATIVE REGULATORY ELEMENT AT THE TRANSCRIPTION START SITE OF THE GLYCOPROTEIN HORMONE α-SUBUNIT GENE

Regulation of the glycoprotein hormone α-subunit (GPHα) gene has been studied extensively in pituitary and placental cell lines, but little is known of the transcriptional regulators important for its ectopic expression. To investigate the molecular basis for ectopic expression, it was critical to define cis-regulatory elements and their cognatetrans-acting factors that modulate promoter activity in epithelial cell types that do not normally express GPH. DNA-mediated transient expression of promoter-reporter constructs was used to identify a novel negative regulatory element located at the GPHα gene transcription start site. Truncation or site-directed mutagenesis of this element produced up to a 10-fold increase in promoter activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis detected a protein that binds specifically to a DNA motif encompassing the cap site. Based on competitive DNA binding studies with mutated oligonucleotides, it was determined that bases from −5 to −2 and +4 to +11 are critical for protein binding. The DNA sequence flanking the transcription start site from −9 to +11 is an imperfect palindrome; consequently, this motif is referred to as the cap site diad element (CSDE) and the cognate factor as the cap site-binding protein (CSBP). CSBP activity was present at different levels in nuclear extracts prepared from a variety of cell types. Significantly, the ratio of activities exhibited by the GPHα promoter with a mutated CSDE compared with the promoter with a wild-type CSDE was dependent on the transfected cell line and its content of CSBP. These results indicate that a negative regulatory element centered at the GPHα gene cap site and its cognate DNA-binding protein make a significant contribution to the production of α-subunit in a variety of tumor tissues. A detailed understanding of this cis/trans pair may further suggest a mechanism to explain, at least in part, how this gene becomes activated in nonendocrine tumors.
A Nodule on the Lip

REPORT OF A CASE A 25-year-old woman 150 presented with a 2-month history of an enlarging lesion on the left side of her upper lip. The lesion was moderately tender. She also reported developing a nodule on the left side of her neck and influenzalike symptoms several days earlier. Examination showed a 1.5-cm-diameter erythematous crusted nodule near the vermillion border on the left side of her upper lip ( Figure 1 ) and a mildly tender, mobile 2-cm-diameter enlarged left submandibular lymph node. The findings of the rest of the examination were normal. A skin biopsy was performed. Microscopic features of the specimen are shown in Figure 2 . DIAGNOSIS: Nodular secondary syphilis. HISTOPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS AND CLINICAL COURSE The biopsy specimen showed papillomatous and acanthosis of the epidermis and a dense lymphoplasmocytic infiltrate filling up the dermis. A Steiner stain for spirochettes was done, and it showed multiple organisms, particularly in the areas of the epidermis involved by neutrophils ( Figure 3 ). Additional history from the patient
The impact of the residential built environment on work at home adoption and frequency: An example from Northern California

Working at home is widely viewed as a useful travel-reduction strategy, and it is partly for that reason that considerable research related to telecommuting and home-based work has been conducted in the last two decades. This study examines the effect of residential neighborhood built environment (BE) factors on working at home. After systematically presenting and categorizing various relevant elements of the BE and reviewing related studies, we develop a multinomial logit (MNL) model of work-at-home (WAH) frequency using data from a survey of eight neighborhoods in Northern California. Potential explanatory variables include sociodemographic traits, neighborhood preferences and perceptions, objective neighborhood characteristics, and travel attitudes and behavior. The results clearly demonstrate the contribution of built environment variables to WAH choices, in addition to previously-identified influences such as sociodemographic predictors and commute time. BE factors associated with (neo)traditional neighborhoods were associated both positively and negatively with working at home. The findings suggest that land use and transportation strategies that are desirable from some perspectives will tend to weaken the motivation to work at home, and conversely, some factors that seem to increase the motivation to work at home are widely viewed as less sustainable. Accordingly, this research points to the complexity of trying to find the right balance among demand management strategies that sometimes act in competition rather than in synergy.
Length of hospital stay for cerebrovascular disease in the United States: Professional Activity Study, 1963-1991.

Abstract To assess the temporal and spatial variation in length of hospital stay for cerebrovascular disease in the United States over three decades. Design: Age-, region-, and stroke type-specific length-of-hospital-stay data for nearly 4 million patients admitted with cerebrovascular disease were obtained for the Professional Activity Study of the Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities for the period 1963–1991. Main outcome measure: Weighted averages and standard errors of length of stay were calculated for aggregate diagnosis groups within the category of cerebrovascular disease. Averages were age-adjusted by the direct method. Results: Average length of hospital stay declined from a peak of 18 days in 1967 to 8 days in 1991. The decline accelerated sharply from 1982 to 1986 coincident with implementation of the Medicare prospective payment system. Similar declines were observed within each age group, each cerebrovascular disease diagnosis group, and each census region. There were marked and persistent differences in average length of stay between regions, with longer stays in the Northeast and shorter stays in the West. The large interregional variation was not explained by differences in age or cerebrovascular disease diagnoses. Conclusions: Implementation of the Medicare prospective payment system produced a marked decline in length of hospital stay for cerebrovascular disease, which was superimposed on a preexisting, but slower, decline. Much of the marked persistent interregional variation probably results from persistent widespread variation in patient management.
Effect of restraints on diagnostic approaches to abdominal pain and weight loss.

Abstract To examine the effects of restraint on the diagnostic process, 25 physicians were urged to be as economical as possible when requesting diagnostic tests for case report simulations of nine patients who had previously been hospitalized with abdominal pain and weight loss. The results of the tests correctly changed the physicians' initial diagnoses, increased their diagnostic confidence, and led to appropriate management decisions. When restrained, individual physicians needed only 3.0 (1.7 to 4.1) diagnostic procedures per patient to reach management decisions, whereas 6.1 (3.0 to 11) diagnostic procedures had actually been performed. Diagnostic approaches were so diverse, however, that the number of procedures collectively requested by randomly assembled "teams" consisting of four to five "economical" physicians equaled the number of procedures actually performed. Moreover, 20 percent of the procedures requested by "economical" physicians were invasive compared with only 7 percent of those actually performed. These findings suggest that, without uniform diagnostic approaches, "team" management may increase testing despite restraint by individual physicians. Moreover, quests for economy may increase invasive diagnostic testing.
Non-solvable groups of Morley rank 3

Abstract We prove the following theorem: Let G be a connected centerless non-solvable group of Morley rank 3 whose proper definable subgroups have rank ⩽1. Then G has no involutions and for all x ϵ G, CG(x) is connected. Our method permits us to deduce that SOn(R) is not stable for n ⩾ 3.
Understanding heat dissipation of a remote phosphor layer in an LED system

This study investigated how passive and active cooling methods dissipated the heat from a remote phosphor layer in an LED system. The focus was on quantifying the amount of cooling contributed by each heat dissipation mechanism, namely, conduction, convection, and radiation. The conductive heatsink surrounding the phosphor layer acted as an extended surface for dissipating the heat. In this study, the effect of increasing the heat extraction area between the phosphor layer volume, changes in convection coefficients, and changes in surface emissivity of the heatsink on phosphor layer temperature were investigated. The surface temperature of the remote phosphor layer was measured using an infrared imaging camera. At the first stage the metal heatsink removed the heat from the phosphor layer by conduction, then the heat from the metal heatsink was dissipated to the ambient via convection and radiation. The results indicated a significant reduction in phosphor layer temperature. Additionally, active cooling further reduced the phosphor layer temperature. The results also showed that the temperature distribution on the phosphor layer improved with the metal heatsink configuration.
Injection‐induced seismicity: Poroelastic and earthquake nucleation effects

The standard model of injection-induced seismicity considers changes in Coulomb strength due solely to changes in pore pressure. We consider two additional effects: full poroelastic coupling of stress and pore pressure, and time-dependent earthquake nucleation. We model stress and pore pressure due to specified injection rate in a homogeneous, poroelastic medium. Stress and pore pressure are used to compute seismicity rate through the Dieterich (1994) model. For constant injection rate, the time to reach a critical seismicity rate scales with t ∼ r2/(cfc), where r is distance from the injector, c is hydraulic diffusivity, and fc is a factor that depends on mechanical properties, and weakly on r. The seismicity rate decays following a peak, consistent with some observations. During injection poroelastic coupling may increase or decrease the seismicity rate, depending on the orientation of the faults relative to the injector. If injection-induced stresses inhibit slip, abrupt shut-in can lead to locally sharp increases in seismicity rate; tapering the flux mitigates this effect. The maximum magnitude event has been observed to occur postinjection. We suggest the seismicity rate at a given magnitude depends on the nucleation rate, the size distribution of fault segments, and if the background shear stress is low, the time-varying volume of perturbed crust. This leads to a rollover in frequency-magnitude distribution for larger events, with a “corner” that increases with time. Larger events are absent at short times, but approach the background frequency with time; larger events occurring post shut-in are thus not unexpected.
A Strategic Approach to Nuclear Proliferation

Authors’ Note: We are grateful for generous financial support from the Department of Political Science at the University of California at San Diego, the Government Department at Georgetown University, the University of California’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, and the Project on Managing the Atom and the International Security Program both at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University. Journal of Conflict Resolution Volume 53 Number 2 April 2009 151-160 © 2009 SAGe Publications 10.1177/0022002708330039 http://jcr.sagepub.com hosted at http://online.sagepub.com A Strategic Approach to Nuclear Proliferation
Exploring Gender Differences in the Relationship between HIV/STD Testing and Condom Use among Undergraduate College Students

Abstract Background: Rates of HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are increasing among university students. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in the relationship between condom use and (1) HIV/STD testing behaviors, (2) STD treatment behaviors and, (3) alcohol use behaviors. Methods: A survey was administered to 1,500 undergraduate students in a university system in the Northeast. Frequency tests and the Fisher Exact test for associations were conducted. Results: Analysis was conducted on 1,410 surveys. Rates of sexual behavior were high, while condom use was reportedly low. Females reported higher rates of sexual activity and lower rates of condom use. Females who had been tested for HIV and STDs reported significantly lower rates of condom use than those not tested. Even more significant, females who had been treated for an STD reported low rates of condom use. Discussion: College students are reportedly continuing to practice unsafe sexual behavi...
Spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) perform poorly on and disperse from plants exposed to methyl jasmonate

Jasmonates are plant hormones involved in wound and defense responses against herbivorous arthropods. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is used experimentally to induce defense responses in plants. In experiments outlined here we utilized a novel preference assay with unwounded plants that allowed us to study the impact of a MeJA spray on subsequent Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) proliferation and preference. Spraying plants with 100 μ m MeJA 1 day before infestation caused mites to disperse within 2 days from treated impatiens [Impatiens wallerana Hook f., 'Super Elfin Pink' (Balsaminaceae)], pansy [Viola x wittrockiana Gams, 'Imperial Beaconsfield' (Violaceae)], and tomato [Solanum lycopersicum L., 'Big Boy' (Solanaceae)] plants. In addition, MeJA application reduced mite proliferation rate on impatiens and pansy by 60% (measured 22-34 days after infestation). Proteinase inhibitor (PI) assays suggested that MeJA-induced PIs alone were not responsible for the observed results in pansy and impatiens but may have been a factor in tomato. Implications of these results in the context of MeJA-induced resistance responses and possible directions for future research and application are discussed.
IgG4-related disease in the head and neck

Lymphoid infiltrates are relatively common in the ocular adnexa and the salivary glands. They are of a variety of types and include both reactive processes and lymphomas. Within the ocular adnexa in years past, lymphoid proliferations were classified as inflammatory pseudotumor, reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, atypical lymphoid hyperplasia, and lymphoma. With improvements in diagnostic techniques and with advances in lymphoma subclassification, it became clear that many of the dense lymphoid infiltrates, including cases classified as lymphoma and likely some classified as atypical lymphoid hyperplasia, represented low-grade B-cell lymphomas, the most common of which by far were extranodal marginal zone lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. Ocular adnexal inflammatory pseudotumor, reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, and chronic sclerosing sialadenitis were recognized, but the focus in diagnosis had been on avoiding misdiagnosis as a neoplastic process and in planning appropriate therapy. Recently, it has become clear that many cases of these reactive processes fall into the spectrum of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease, offering new insight into the pathogenesis of inflammatory lesions occurring in the ocular adnexa and the salivary glands. The majority of entities previously classified as chronic sclerosing sialadenitis, Mikulicz disease, orbital pseudolymphoma, and eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis are now considered a part of the IgG4-related disease spectrum. In this review, we discuss the histologic and immunohistochemical features of IgG4-related disease of the head and neck and provide guidance for distinguishing this disease from its many mimics.
Acceleration of tooth movement during orthodontic treatment - a frontier in Orthodontics

Nowadays, there is an increased tendency for researches to focus on accelerating methods for tooth movement due to the huge demand for adults for a shorter orthodontic treatment time. Unfortunately, long orthodontic treatment time poses several disadvantages like higher predisposition to caries, gingival recession, and root resorption. This increases the demand to find the best method to increase tooth movement with the least possible disadvantages. The purpose of this study is to view the successful approaches in tooth movement and to highlight the newest technique in tooth movement. A total of 74 articles were reviewed in tooth movement and related discipline from 1959 to 2013. There is a high amount of researches done on the biological method for tooth movement; unfortunately, the majority of them were done on animals. Cytokine, PTH, vitamin D, and RANKL/RANK/OPG show promising results; on the other hand, relaxin does not accelerate tooth movement, but increases the tooth mobility. Low-level laser therapy has shown positive outcome, but further investigation should be done for the best energy and duration to achieve the highest success rate. Surgical approach has the most predictable outcomes but with limited application due to its aggressiveness. Piezocision technique is considered one of the best surgical approaches because it poses good periodontal tissue response and excellent aesthetic outcome. Due to the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, further investigations should be done to determine the best method to accelerate tooth movement.
Neoplastic Transformation In Vitro after Exposure to Low Doses of Mammographic-Energy X Rays: Quantitative and Mechanistic Aspects

Abstract Ko, S. J., Liao, X-Y., Molloi, S., Elmore, E. and Redpath, J. L. Neoplastic Transformation In Vitro after Exposure to Low Doses of Mammographic-Energy X Rays: Quantitative and Mechanistic Aspects. Radiat. Res. 162, 646–654 (2004). The induction of neoplastic transformation in vitro after exposure of HeLa × skin fibroblast hybrid cells to low doses of mammography-energy (28 kVp) X rays has been studied. The data indicate no evidence of an increase in transformation frequency over the range 0.05 to 22 cGy, and doses in the range 0.05 to 1.1 cGy may result in suppression of transformation frequencies to levels below that seen spontaneously. This finding is not consistent with a linear, no-threshold dose– response curve. The dose range at which possible suppression is evident includes doses typically experienced in mammographic examination of the human breast. Experiments are described that attempt to elucidate any possible role of bystander effects in modulating this low-dose radiation response. Not...
The Transformation of Authorship in America

Most critics and historians consider that the emergence of a free press liberated 18th century American authors. In this study, the author seeks to overturn this view, arguing that the emergence of economic liberalism transformed American authorship into a market-oriented profession. Rice argues that the lapse of Puritan censorship, the consolidation of copyright law, and the explosion of a commercial print culture confronted writers in the United State with a striking predicament - the depoliticization and commodification of public expression. He seeks to show that the rigorous censorship practised by Puritan authorities conferred an implicit prestige on texts as civic interventions, helping to foster an indigenous tradition of sociopolitical criticism. With special attention to the sudden emergence of the novel in post-revolutionary America, Rice reveals how the emergence of economic liberalism undermined the earlier tradition of political writing by transforming American authorship from an expression of individual civic conscience to a market-oriented profession. The text includes discussions of the writings of Benjamin Franklin, Michel-Guillaume-Jean de Crevecoeur and Hugh Henry Brackenridge.
Avalonian Igneous Activity in the Manhattan Prong, Southeastern New York

The Manhattan Prong in southeastern New York consists primarily of a Cambrian-Ordovician sequence (Lowerre Quartzite, Inwood Marble, Manhattan Schist) that unconformably overlies the Fordham Gneiss of uncertain age. Rb-Sr whole-rock analyses of the Pound Ridge Granite Gneiss, a rock unit within the Fordham Gneiss, indicate that the granite gneiss formed 596 ± 19 m.y. ago, with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.7287 ± 0.0130. Field relations suggest that the Pound Ridge Granite Gneiss was an Avalonian volcanic rock or accumulation of migmatitic fluids. As such, this Rb-Sr age determination is a minimum age for the Fordham Gneiss.
Comparing pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae) density in alfalfa stands to assess management and conservation goals in northern California

Pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae) affect alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) production in Yolo County, California, as well as the distribution of special status, rare species that either prey on gophers or use their burrows as habitat. Farming practices, as well as attributes of the landscape and of alfalfa fields, were compared to 134 estimates of gopher density among 35 alfalfa stands scattered throughout the County during 1992–1994. Gophers in alfalfa fields averaged only one-fourth the average density among published reports, and the range from low to high density was much smaller in alfalfa fields. Gopher density was greater at the field edge, especially during the first 2 years of stand production. Preference for the edge decreased by the third year of alfalfa production as gophers used the available space in the field interior. A stepwise multiple regression model could explain 73% of the variation in the 134 estimates of gopher density. This variation was explained by years since sowing of the alfalfa (standardized slope coefficient, β ≈ 0.52), annual frequency of flood irrigation (β ≈− 0.43), habitat area as a percentage of the landscape within a 500 m buffer around the field (β ≈ 0.31), season of the year (β ≈ 0.25), field size (β ≈− 0.20) and percentage of sand within the top soil layer (β ≈ 0.16). This model can be used to predict the distribution of special status species that depend on gophers, and can be used to guide conservation efforts by increasing the spatial extent of non-cultivated gopher habitat on suitable areas intervening alfalfa fields. Non-cultivated gopher habitat is currently rare in the valley portion of Yolo County. Gopher control failed to influence density to the magnitude sought by the alfalfa growers, and cessation of control would benefit both production and conservation goals in some alfalfa growing regions. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
A compositional formalization of connector wrappers

Increasingly systems are composed of parts: software components, and the interaction mechanisms (connectors) that enable them to communicate. When assembling systems front independently developed and potentially mismatched parts, wrappers may be used to overcome mismatch as well as to remedy extra-functional deficiencies. Unfortunately the current practice of wrapper creation and use is ad hoc, resulting in artifacts that are often hard to reuse or compose, and whose impact is difficult to analyze. What is needed is a more principled basis for creating, understanding, and applying wrappers. Focusing on the class of connector wrappers (wrappers that address issues related to communication and compatibility), we present a means of characterizing connector wrappers as protocol transformations, modularizing them, and reasoning about their properties. Examples are drawn from commonly practiced dependability enhancing techniques.
The Role of grain boundary misorientation in intergranular cracking of Ni-16Cr-9Fe in 360 °C argon and high-Purity water

The effect of grain boundary misorientation on the intergranular cracking behavior of pure Ni-16Cr-9Fe was assessed by determining if low-angle boundaries (LABs) or coincident site lattice boundaries (CSLBs) are more crack resistant than general high-angle boundaries (GHABs) in argon and high-purity water. Cracking susceptibility of boundary types was determined using constant extension rate tensile tests (CERTs) in 360 °C argon and in deaerated, high-purity water. Annealed samples contained 12 to 20 pct CSLBs, while CSLB-enhanced samples contained 27 to 44 pct CSLBs; GHAB proportions varied accordingly. Cracked boundary fractions for CSLB-enhanced samples tested in either environment ranged from 0.01 to 0.08, while those for annealed samples ranged from 0.07 to 0.10, indicating that samples with increased proportions of CSLBs are more crack resistant. No LABs cracked in either environment. In annealed samples, the proportion of CSLBs that cracked in water was 6.7 pct compared to 1.5 pct in argon; the proportion of GHABs that cracked in water was 9.3 pct compared to 6.6 pct for argon. Thus, CSLBs are more crack resistant than GHABs in either environment, and both are more crack resistant in argon than in water. The higher amounts of cracking and the higher CSLB cracking susceptibility in high-purity water indicate the presence of an environmental effect on cracking behavior. The beneficial effect of LABs and CSLBs is likely due to the ability of these boundaries to induce slip in neighboring grains by either transmitting or absorbing and re-emitting lattice dislocations, thereby reducing grain boundary stresses and the propensity for crack initiation. The results indicate that control of grain boundary proportions can improve the intergranular stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of pure Ni-16Cr-9Fe.
Structure of CD40 ligand in complex with the Fab fragment of a neutralizing humanized antibody.

Abstract Background: CD40 ligand (CD40L or CD154), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family, plays a critical role in both humoral and cellular immune responses and has been implicated in biological pathways involving epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and platelets. Such a pathway is T cell-mediated B cell activation, a process that occurs through the interaction of CD40L with CD40 receptor expressed on B cells. It results in various B cell responses, including immunoglobulin isotype switching and B cell differentiation and proliferation. These responses can be inhibited by the monoclonal antibody 5c8, which binds with high affinity to CD40L. Results: To understand the structural basis of the inhibition, we determined the crystal structure of the complex of the extracellular domain of CD40L and the Fab fragment of humanized 5c8 antibody. The structure shows that the complex has the shape of a three-bladed propeller with three Fab fragments bound symmetrically to a CD40L homotrimer. To further study the nature of the antibody-antigen interface, we assessed the ability of 23 site-directed mutants of CD40L to bind to 5c8 and CD40 and analyzed the results in the context of the crystal structure. Finally, we observed via confocal microscopy that 5c8 binding to CD40L on the cell surface results in the formation of patches of clustered complexes. Conclusions: The structure reveals that 5c8 neutralizes CD40L function by sterically blocking CD40 binding. The antigenic epitope is localized in a region of the surface that is likely to be structurally perturbed as a result of genetic mutations that cause hyper-IgM syndrome. The symmetric trimeric arrangement of the Fab fragments in the complex results in a geometry that facilitates the formation of large clusters of complexes on the cell surface.
A Report of Two Children with Helicobacter heilmannii Gastritis and Review of the Literature

An 11-year-old boy with epigastric abdominal pain and a 2 year-old girl with failure to thrive underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Endoscopic biopsies from the gastric antrum of both children revealed corkscrew-like spiral bacteria, consistent with the diagnosis of Helicobacter heilmannii infection. H. heilmannii is a rare finding in children and is thought to be present in approximately 0.3% of patients undergoing upper endoscopy. Clinical presentation, gross and histologic appearance, and treatment regimens are discussed. The clinical and histologic features of previously reported cases of H. heilmannii gastritis in children living in the United States are reviewed in table form.
CCK-A receptor activates RhoA through Gα12/13 in NIH3T3 cells

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a major regulator of pancreatic acinar cells and was shown previously to be capable of inducing cytoskeletal changes in these cells. In the present study, using NIH3T3 cell...
A Model of Feedback to the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

Simplified models of the lateral geniculate nucles (LGN) and striate cortex illustrate the possibility that feedback to the LGN may be used for robust, low-level pattern analysis. The information fed back to the LGN is rebroadcast to cortex using the LGN's full fan-out, so the cortex→LGN→cortex pathway mediates extensive cortico-cortical communication while keeping the number of necessary connections small.
The Paradox of a Marketing Planning Capability

Strategy scholars have long debated the value of formal planning, and research has offered inconsistent support for planning to enhance firm performance. Given these mixed empirical effects, we draw from the resource-based view of the firm to illustrate a paradox firms may face. In particular, a strong marketing planning capability may not only reduce the incidence of postplan improvisation but also contain inherent process rigidity. Since both of these can also increase performance, results illustrate a performance paradox in marketing planning.
Immunofluorescence of anti‐actin antibody in gingivai epithelium

The presence of actin in migrating oral epithelial cells during wound healing is being studied. Gingival biopsies of rat oral mucosae were taken at sequential postwounding times and primarily incubated in serum containing an anti-actin antibody from either actin-sensitized rabbits or from patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis. Sections were secondarily incubated in fluorescein conjugated goat IgG anti-rabbit or anti-human IgG respectively. Controls employed cryostat sectioned rat intestine incubated with anti-actin antibody as the positive control. The findings from these indirect irnmunofluorescent wound-healing studies demonstrate a sequential increase in detectable epithelial cell actin during migration and maturation.
An Efficient Approximate Markov Chain Method in Dynamic Fault Tree Analysis

Approximate Markov chain method for dynamic fault tree analysis is suggested for both reparable and non-reparable systems. The approximation is based on truncation, aggregation and elimination of Markov chain states during the process of dynamic fault tree transformation to corresponding Markov chain. The method is valid for small probabilities. For reparable systems, it is true if mean time to repair is much less than mean time to failure. Several examples are studied. Additional simplification is considered in case the system is in a steady state. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.