cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comprehensive atlas of immunological differences between humans, mice and non-human primates

Animal models are an integral part of the drug development and evaluation process. However, they are unsurprisingly imperfect reflections of humans, and the extent and nature of many immunological differences are unknown. With the rise of targeted and biological therapeutics, it is increasingly important that we understand the molecular differences in immunological behavior of humans and model organisms. Thus, we profiled a large number of healthy humans, along with three of the model organisms most similar to humans: rhesus and cynomolgus macaques and African green monkeys; and the most widely used mammalian model: mice. Using cross-species, universal phenotyping and signaling panels, we measured immune cell signaling responses to an array of 15 stimuli using CyTOF mass cytometry. We found numerous instances of different cellular phenotypes and immune signaling events occurring within and between species with likely effects on evaluation of therapeutics, and detail three examples (double-positive T cell frequency and signaling; granulocyte response to Bacillus anthracis antigen; and B cell subsets). We also explore the correlation of herpes simian B virus serostatus on the immune profile. The full dataset is available online at https://flowrepository.org (accession FR-FCM-Z2ZY) and https://immuneatlas.org.
Predictive Evapotranspiration Equations in Rain Gardens

AbstractCurrent stormwater control measure (SCM) design often does not include the dynamic process of evapotranspiration (ET) for vegetated systems. This study compared two reference ET equations w...
Backward-Wave Oscillator with Distributed Power Extraction Based on Exceptional Point of Degeneracy and Gain and Radiation-Loss Balance

We propose a new design paradigm for power efficient backward-wave oscillators (BWOs). Conventional BWOs exhibit small starting current and limited power efficiency. We introduce the concept of distributed radiation loss in a hot slow wave structure (SWS) working at an exceptional point of degeneracy (EPD) to achieve high power extraction from the electron beam aiming at high power efficiency. We show how the simultaneous presence of distributed radiation loss and distributed gain arising from the electron beam can be exploited to realize an EPD. In principle this new condition guarantees full synchronization between the electromagnetic (EM) guide mode and the charge wave for any amount of beam current and power extracted. We show how radiating EM modes (via distributed apertures) with backward propagation in the SWS and interacting with the charge wave are engineered to exhibit a second order EPD. We also show that including distributed radiation-losses in the design results in having high threshold current which implies higher power generation.
The thermal decomposition of ethane

Abstract Ethane pyrolysis chemistry plays a critical role in the combustion behavior of natural gas and gives insight into the decomposition patterns of larger alkanes. In this work, ethane pyrolysis was studied behind reflected shock waves with a convex optimization-based laser absorption speciation technique. Species time-histories of ethane, ethylene, methane, and acetylene were quantified in the decomposition of 1% and 2% ethane in argon at conditions between 1178 and 1527 K and 3.1–4.2 atm. Six laser wavelengths, simultaneously probing sensitive regions of each species’ spectra, enabled the sensitive detection of all major pyrolysis products and confirmed the negligible formation of other species. The time-history data presented in this work paint a coherent picture of ethane decomposition that motivates specific refinements to state-of-the-art detailed kinetic models.
Imag(e)ing the Urban Water Commons

The necessity and desire to control water, a vital resource for life, have generated deep, irreversible territorial transformations. Resting on the banks of the Sabarmati River, the Indian city of ...
An Interior-Point Algorithm for Linear Programming with Optimal Selection of Centering Parameter and Step Size

For interior-point algorithms in linear programming, it is well known that the selection of the centering parameter is crucial for proving polynomiality in theory and for efficiency in practice. However, the selection of the centering parameter is usually by heuristics and separated from the selection of the line-search step size. The heuristics are quite different while developing practically efficient algorithms, such as Mehrotra’s predictor–corrector (MPC) algorithm, and theoretically efficient algorithms, such as short-step path-following algorithm. This introduces a dilemma that some algorithms with the best-known polynomial bound are least efficient in practice, and some most efficient algorithms may not be convergent in polynomial time. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a systematic way to optimally select the centering parameter and line-search step size at the same time, and we show that the algorithm based on this strategy has the best-known polynomial bound and may be very efficient in computation for real problems.
My Blue Sky

My Blue Sky This Graphic Perspective tells the story of a pregnant nurse who goes into labor in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Wanting to minimize her inpatient time, her husband, an otolaryng...
Evaluation of ionization chamber stability checks using various sources.

Abstract Purpose It is important to check stability of ionization chambers in between regular calibration cycles. Stability checks can include individual 60Co irradiations, use of a beta-emitting check source, or redundant measurements in megavoltage photon beams. While 60Co irradiators are considered stable, they are rarely found in the clinical setting. Thus, this study seeks to compare the precision and efficiency in monitoring chamber stability using 90Sr check sources and linear accelerator beams which are both commonly found in the clinical setting, and compare these sources to 60Co. Methods Measurements were made with a 90Sr beta-emitting check source and a 6 MV photon beam using a Constancy Check Phantom with three custom inserts to hold the ionization chambers. A comparison of both methods was performed with an Exradin A28 scanning chamber, Wellhofer IC69 Farmer-type chamber, and Exradin A12 Farmer-type chamber. Chamber stability was evaluated with individual charge readings and charge ratios among the three chambers. Results were compared to measurements taken in 60Co with three Farmer-type chambers: the NEL 2571, PTW N30001G, and Exradin A12. Results Stability of individual charge reading was found to be within ±1.0% for 90Sr source measurements and ±0.5% for external beam measurements, including the 60Co comparison. Additionally, the standard deviation of the mean charge ratios ranged from 0.15% to 0.40% for 90Sr measurements and from 0.10% to 0.30% for the external beam measurements. Conclusions This work provides a comparison of techniques used to assess stability of ionization chambers in order to better inform the clinical physicist.
Validation of standing cone beam computed tomography for diagnosing subchondral fetlock pathology in the Thoroughbred racehorse.

BACKGROUND Subchondral bone pathology is common in Thoroughbred racehorses and believed to precede more serious injury. Early identification of pathology is critical to allow for intervention. OBJECTIVES To determine interobserver variability of fetlock subchondral bone lesions using cone beam and fan beam computed tomography (CBCT, FBCT) and to validate a robotics-controlled CBCT to identify fetlock subchondral bone pathology in the Thoroughbred racehorse. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort study. METHODS FBCT and CBCT images were acquired of 25 metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joints of Thoroughbred racehorses. Images were analysed for subchondral bone lesions commonly identified in Thoroughbred fetlocks by an imaging specialist and surgery specialist. Interobserver and intermodality equivalence were determined with a Pearson correlation analysis and Bland-Altman equivalence test. RESULTS Interobserver FBCT correlation was significant (P < .05) for 19 of 25 variables (Pearson R mean 0.77). Concordance was significant for all 25 variables (Bland Altman average difference 0.28 ± 0.21 mm). Interobserver CBCT correlation was significant for 21 of 25 variables (Pearson R mean 0.73). Concordance was significant for all variables (Bland Altman average difference 0.07 ± 1.90 mm). Intermodality (FBCT vs CBCT) correlation and concordance was significant for all variables as interpreted by the radiologist (Pearson R mean of 0.72, Bland Altman average difference 0.21 ± 0.47 mm). Intermodality correlation was significant for 19 of 25 variables as interpreted by the surgeon (Pearson R mean of 0.72). Concordance was significant for all variables (Bland Altman average difference 0.49 ± 0.52 mm). MAIN LIMITATIONS Neither FBCT nor CBCT images were compared with other imaging modalities/histopathology; limited number of cases included; inconsistent agreement of small lesions in specific categories. CONCLUSIONS Standing CBCT is a valid diagnostic modality to identify subchondral bone lesions in Thoroughbred fetlocks. This technology may provide valuable information regarding the development and progression of fetlock pathology and yield insight into predisposing factors leading to more severe pathology.
Significance of SARS-CoV-2 Specific Antibody Testing during COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the value of using SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody testing to prioritize the vaccination of susceptible individuals as part of a COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan when vaccine supply is limited. Methods A compartmental model was used to simulate COVID-19 spread when considering diagnosis, isolation, and vaccination of a cohort of 1 million individuals. The scenarios modeled represented 4 pandemic severity scenarios and various times when the vaccine becomes available during the pandemic. Eligible individuals have a probability p of receiving antibody testing prior to vaccination (p = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1). The value of serology testing was evaluated by comparing the infection attack rate, peak infections, peak day, and deaths. Results The use of antibody testing to prioritize the allocation of limited vaccines reduces infection attack rates and deaths. The size of the reduction depends on when the vaccine becomes available relative to the infection peak day. The largest reduction in cases and deaths occurs when the vaccine is deployed before and close to the infection peak day. The reduction in the number of cases and deaths diminishes as vaccine deployment is delayed and moves closer to the peak day. Conclusions Antibody testing as part of the vaccination plan is an effective method to maximize the benefit of a COVID-19 vaccine. Decision-makers need to consider relative timing between the infection peak day and when the vaccine becomes available.
Mapping evoked fields in primary motor and sensory areas via magnetoencephalography in tetraplegia

1AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWDevices interfacing with the brain through implantation in cortical or subcortical structures have great potential for restoration and rehabilitation in patients with sensory or motor dysfunction. Typical implantation surgeries are planned based on maps of brain activity generated from intact function. However, mapping brain activity for planning implantation surgeries is challenging in the target population due to abnormal residual function and, increasingly often, existing MRI-incompatible implanted hardware. Here, we present methods and results for mapping impaired somatosensory and motor function in an individual with paralysis and an existing brain-computer interface (BCI) device. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to directly map the neural activity evoked during transcutaneous electrical stimulation and attempted movement of the impaired hand. Evoked fields were found to align with the expected anatomy and somatotopic organization. This approach may be valuable for guiding implants in other applications, such as cortical stimulation for pain and to improve implant targeting to help reduce the craniotomy size.
Bridging the Telemedicine Gap Among Seniors During the COVID-19 Pandemic

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many senior patients in the USC-Keck Family Medicine clinics were limited or lacking in telemedicine participation. Three factors contributed: lack of video-enabled devices, technological literacy, and/or absence of Wi-Fi connectivity. We addressed the first 2 of these factors. Via phone contact, 9 patients agreed to receive donated Android or Apple devices and to trial instruction manuals for use. Donated equipment and instructions were prepared and delivered in accordance with pandemic guidelines. Follow-up calls indicated that 4 participants were able to set up their devices and 3 of whom had connected with their providers. The remaining 5 participants had not set up their devices by the end of the follow-up period, had difficulty with device setup, accessing applications necessary for telemedicine, or had limited access to Wi-Fi. This project highlights some telemedicine barriers that senior patients may overcome with the additional support of care providers.
Does Culture Matter? Young and Middle-Aged Iranian-American Adults' Perspectives Regarding End-of-Life Care Planning.

Background:An increase of cultural diversity and treatment options offer opportunities and challenges related to end-of-life (EOL) care for healthcare providers and policymakers. EOL care planning ...
Cognitive hyper-dissonance: Nuclear signaling through military exercises

Military Exercises provide practice in the art of war; they also send messages of political resolve. The Cold War record of signaling nuclear intent through military exercises reveals that most of ...
12 Learning Categories with and without Trying: Does it Make a Difference?

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the extent to which there are differences in the nature of what people learn and in the types of processes they use in acquiring categories intentionally and incidentally. There is intuitive appeal to the idea that, when individuals deliberately attempt to learn categories, they bring the full weight of their cognitive resources to bear on the task. They engage in sophisticated strategies, analyze the stimuli into their component features, and test hypotheses. This active mode of processing contrasts sharply with intuitions about individuals who interact with objects without the intent to learn about their category membership. These latter individuals are thought of as much less likely to use strategies, to analyze stimuli, or to test hypotheses. The link between the concepts of analytic and holistic processing and the tendency for category decision making is dominated by correlated attributes.
Protective effects of docosahexaenoic acid metabolites against homocysteine-induced podocyte injury by inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasomes (1134.8)

Our recent studies have provided substantial evidence that elevated levels of homocysteine (Hcys) induce podocyte injury through activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes, importantly contributing to the i...
Newton as philosopher

Preface Notes on text and translations 1. Newton as philosopher, the very idea 2. Physics and metaphysics: three interpretations 3. Do forces exist? Contesting the mechanical philosophy, I 4. Matter and mechanism: contesting the mechanical philosophy, II 5. Space in physics and metaphysics: contra Descartes 6. God and natural philosophy Bibliography index.
Structure-Activity Relationships of Retinoids in Developmental Toxicology

The teratogenic potency of congeners of all-trans-retinoic acid (all-trans-RA) containing modifications or substitution of the naturally occurring β-cyclogeranylidene ring was determined in Golden hamsters and compared to that of all-trans-RA. The following ring-modified retinoids were screened: phenyl (Ro 8-8717), furyl (Ro 8-9750), 4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl (Ro 21-6667), which also has a thiomethylene group in place of the trans-8,9 double bond of the etretin side chain, 4-hydroxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl (Ro 11-4768), 2-chloro-3,6-dimethyl-4-methoxyphenyl (Ro 12-0995), 2-(1-methoxyethyl)-5,5-dimethyl-1-cyclopentenyl (Ro 10-1770), 2-acetyl-5,5-dimethyl-1-cyclopentenyl (Ro 8-7699), and 10,11-epoxy-11,11-dimethyl (juvenile hormone III), which also has the bonds corresponding to the 7,8- and 11,12- double bond of the retinoid skeleton saturated. The retinoids Ro 12-4824, Ro 12-4825, and SRI 2712-24 had C4-keto, C18-hydroxyl, and C18-methyl substituents, respectively. Motretinid (Ro 11-1430) had both 4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl ring and ethyl amide polar group modifications. Single oral retinoid doses administered to pregnant dams at 10:00 am on Day 8 neither induced signs of hypervitaminosis A nor induced weight loss in any of the treated groups. Teratogenically active retinoids induced a malformation syndrome identical to that induced by all-trans-RA. At retinoid doses that were associated with malformations in all of the fetuses, embryolethality remained near that of vehicle-treated controls. The phenyl retinoid Ro 8-8717 was embryolethal but was not teratogenic. The ethyl amide derivative of the human and animal teratogen etretinate, motretinid, was teratogenic only at the highest dose administered, 350 mg/kg. The retinoids Ro 12-4824, Ro 12-4825, Ro 8-7699, and SRI 2712-24 were as potent as all-trans-RA. The chlorine substituted retinoid, Ro 12-0995, was sixfold more teratogenic than all-trans-RA, and the cyclopentene retinoid, Ro 10-1770, was 19 times more potent than all-trans-RA. The retinoids with furyl or epoxy group substitution for the cyclohexenyl ring were devoid of teratogenic activity up to equimolar doses of 75 mg/kg of all-trans-RA, and Ro 21-6667 was teratogenically inactive at a dose equivalent to 150 mg/kg of all-trans-RA. Major modifications of the β-cyclogeranylidene ring can be made without altering teratogenic activity. The ring need not be six-membered and can have decreased lipophilicity through the incorporation of polar groups compared to retinoic acid but must have sufficient lipophilic substituents to provide the necessary mass for interaction with the retinoid receptor. The present results indicate that those ring-modified retinoids having cell differentiating activity also show teratogenic activity.
Model-Driven Architecture

One problem lurking at the back of the ICDE development team’s mind is related to capacity planning for new ICDE installations. When an ICDE installation supports multiple users, the request load will become high, and the hardware that the platform runs on needs to be powerful enough to support this request load. If the hardware becomes saturated, it will not be able to process all user generated events, and important data may be lost. The situation is exacerbated by the following issues : Different application domains and different individual installations within each domain will use ICDE in different ways, and hence generate different request loads per user. Different installations will deploy ICDE on different hardware platforms, each capable of supporting a different number of users. The ICDE platform will be ported to different JEE application servers, and each of these has different performance characteristics.
Language and the Cognitive Construal of the World.

Language and the Cognitive Construal of the World. John. Taylor and Robert E. MacLawy. eds. Trends in Linguistics Studies and Monographs, 82. Berlin/NewYork: Mouton de Gruyter, 1995. 406 pp.
Microtubules in the Heliozoan Axopodium: III. Degradation and Reformation after Dilute Urea Treatment

The precise microtubule array present in the heliozoan axopodium has been studied by experimental degradation by using the protein denaturing agent urea. Since concentrations used in typical applications were found to destroy the whole organism immediately, very dilute solutions, usually 0.15 M, were used to study axopodial retraction, which was shown to occur in 2 stages: the distal half reacts immediately and is lost in very few minutes, largely by release of segments, while retraction of the proximal half may extend over an hour. Recovery of axopodial length by removal of organisms to distilled water is possible if treatment is not carried to full axopodium loss, though organisms must be treated with solutions more dilute than 0.1 M to avoid lysis. Electron-microscopic study of retracting axopodia showed degradation of microtubules at innumerable points even in the proximal regions. Similar studies of untreated organisms showed that the typical microtubule array is found throughout the proximal portion but is progressively imprecise in the distal portion as the tip is approached. High lability to urea is therefore correlated with reduced order and reduced numbers of long linkage elements in the microtubule array. An intra-microtubule metastability is proposed and is discussed with regard to the formation of axonemes, the use of dilute urea to test microtubule stability differences, and the gradion hypothesis presented in previous work.
Myogenic Determination Factor Expression in the Developing Avian Limb Bud: An RT–PCR Analysis

This study examines the time of appearance of myogenic determination factor (MDF) transcripts in developing chick limbs and other embryonic tissues using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In this assay, PCR amplification profiles of cDNA samples from stage 15-26 limb buds are compared to those of E11 heart, a tissue operationally defined as containing background levels of MDF transcripts which are thought to be nonfunctional. Myf 5 and MRF 4 transcripts are detected in stage 15 forelimbs, which is the earliest stage limb in which myogenic precursors have been detected following their migration from the somite. In contrast, MyoD and myogenin transcripts do not appear until about 1.5 days later, closer to the time of cytological muscle differentiation. A survey of MyoD, myf 5, and MRF 4 transcripts in other embryonic tissues reveals that MyoD transcripts are distributed in a highly skeletal muscle-specific pattern. In contrast, myf 5 and MRF 4 mRNAs are detected at significant levels in embryonic tissues that do not contain muscle or muscle precursor cells such as stage 9-15 neural tubes and stage 9- 12 lateral plates, while these transcripts are found at very low levels in E11 heart and liver. The RT-PCR results are compared to those from in situ hybridization experiments as well as from cell culture assays of the myogenic potential of early limb cells.
Therapy for macular degeneration: insights from acne.

Individuals with Stargardt's disease can navigate a crowd by using peripheral vision, but reading and recognizing faces can be onerous and shapes and contours may appear distorted. This progressive and devastating visual impairment reflects the loss of light-absorbing photoreceptor cells in the central area of the retina (macula), which is typical of this juvenile form of macular degeneration (1). Yet to understand the cause of photoreceptor cell degeneration in Stargardt's macular degeneration it is necessary to take into account the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a cell layer lying adjacent to the photoreceptor cells. Because the RPE is vital to the integrity of the photoreceptor cells, the demise of RPE cells brings about the loss of photoreceptors (2).
Healthy high-hostiles: reduced parasympathetic activity and decreased sympathovagal flexibility during negative emotional processing

This study was designed to assess the physiological impact of processing neutral, positive, and negative emotional stimuli among a group of low- and high-hostile individuals. Advances were made by (1) measuring both reactivity and recovery to mood induction and (2) using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to more specifically quantify sympathovagal (Low Frequency divided by High Frequency power, or LF/HF, within the HRV power spectrum) and parasympathetic arousal (Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia; RSA) at the myocardium. In the present study, men and women were equally divided into low- (N=30) and high-hostile (N=30) groups based on their scores on the Cook–Medley Hostility Scale. Electrocardiogram data were collected before, during, and after being given the negative, positive, or neutral version of the Affective Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AAVL). Results indicate that high-hostiles had reduced parasympathetic activity relative to low-hostiles, as measured by RSA. Moreover, relative to low-hostiles, high-hostile participants evidenced reduced sympathovagal reactivity and recovery to the negative AAVL. Results are discussed in terms of their potential value in understanding risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Design, engineering, and characterization of zinc finger nucleases

Zinc finger nuclease (ZFN)-mediated gene targeting is rapidly becoming a powerful tool for "gene editing" and "directed mutagenesis" of plant and mammalian genomes including the human genome. ZFN-mediated gene targeting provides molecular biologists with the ability to site-specifically manipulate and permanently modify plant and mammalian genomes. Facile production of ZFNs and rapid characterization of their in vitro sequence-specific cleavage properties are a pre-requisite before ZFN-mediated gene targeting can become an efficient and effective practical tool for widespread use in biotechnology. Here, we report the design, engineering, and rapid in vitro characterization of ZFNs that target specific endogenous sequences within two mouse genes (mTYR and mCFTR), and two human genes (hCCR5 and hDMPK), respectively. These engineered ZFNs recognize their respective cognate DNA sites encoded in a plasmid substrate in a sequence-specific manner and, as expected, they induce a double-strand break at the chosen target site.
Face to Face': Rediscovering the Right to Confront Prosecution Witnesses

The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of an accused ‘to confront the witnesses against him’. The United States Supreme Court has treated this Confrontation Clause...
Aerodynamic heating and surface temperatures on vehicles for computer-aided design studies

A computer subprogram has been developed to calculate aerodynamic and radiative heating rates and to determine surface temperatures by integrating the heating rates along the trajectory of a vehicle. Convective heating rates are calculated by applying the axisymmetric analogue to inviscid surface streamlines and using relatively simple techniques to calculate laminar, transitional, or turbulent heating rates. Options are provided for the selection of gas model, transition criterion, turbulent heating method, Reynolds Analogy factor, and entropy-layer swallowing effects. Heating rates are compared to experimental data, and the time history of surface temperatures are given for a high-speed trajectory. The computer subprogram is developed for preliminary design and mission analysis where parametric studies are needed at all speeds.
Spin Polarization and Atomic Geometry of the Si(111) Surface

Based on pseudopotential local spin-density calculations, it is proposed that the minimum-energy Si(111) nonbuckled surface is stable against 2 x 1 buckling distortions. A 2 x 1 antiferromagnetic spin-density wave, localized on the surface, enhances the stability of this structure.
Revenue management with aircraft reassignment flexibility

A well-studied problem in airline revenue management is the optimal allocation of seat inventory among different fare-classes, given a capacity for the flight and a demand distribution for each class. In practice, capacity on a flight does not have to be fixed; airlines can exercise some flexibility on the supply side by swapping aircraft of different capacities between flights as partial booking information is gathered. This provides the airline with the capability to more effectively match their supply and demand. In this paper, we study the seat inventory control problem considering the aircraft swapping option. For theoretical and practical purposes, we restrict our attention to the class of booking limit policies. Our analytical results demonstrate that booking limits considering the swapping option can be considerably different from those under fixed capacity. We also show that principles on the relationship between the optimal booking limits and demand characteristics (size and risk) developed for the fixed-capacity problem no longer hold when swapping is an option. We develop new principles and insights on how demand characteristics affect the optimal booking limits under the swapping possibility. We also develop an easy to implement heuristic for determining the booking limits under the swapping option and show, through a numerical study, that the heuristic generates revenues close to those under the optimal booking limits. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2011
Simplified characterization of pseudorabies viruses using monoclonal antibody and selective cell culture analyses.

References the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 3rd ed., pp. 203, 224. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. 6. Wells GAH, Hancock RD, Cooley WA, et al.: 1989, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy: diagnostic significance of vacuolar changes in selected nuclei of the medulla oblongata. Vet Rec 125:521-524. 7. Wells GAH, Scott AC, Johnson CT, et al.: 1987, A novel progressive spongiform encephalopathy in cattle. Vet Rec 121:419420. 1. Barwick KW: 1990, Other intermediate filaments. In: Atlas of diagnostic immunohistopathology, ed. True LD, pp. 4.10-4.15. Gower Medical Publishing, New York, NY. 2. Davis AJ, Jenny AL, Miller LD: 1991, Diagnostic characteristics of bovine spongiform encephalopathy. J Vet Diagn Invest 3:266-271. 3. Hartsough GR, Burger D: 1965, Encephalopathy of mink. I. Epizootiologic and clinical observations. J Infect Dis 115:387392. 4. Horrigan JL: 1964, Scrapie in the United States and the scrapie eradication program. In: Report of scrapie seminar, pp. 340360, USDA, ARS, Washington, DC, January 27-30. 5. Luna L, ed.: 1968, Manual of histologic staining methods of 8. Wilesmith JW: 1991, Fall in BSE cases forecast. Vet Rec 129: 300-301. 9. Wilesmith JW, Ryan JBM, Atkinson MJ: 1991, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy: epidemiological studies on the origin. Vet Rec 128:199-203. 10. Wilesmith JW, Wells GAH, Cranwell MP, et al.: 1988, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy: epidemiologic studies. Vet Rec 123: 638-644. 11. Williams ES, Young S: 1980, Chronic wasting disease of captive mule deer: a spongiform encephalopathy. J Wild1 Dis 16:8998. 12. Williams ES, Young S: 1982, Spongiform encephalopathy of Rocky Mountain elk. J Wild1 Dis 18:465-471.
Synthesis and structural characterization of acetatobis(triphenylphosphine)dicarbonylmanganese(I), (CH3CO2)Mn(CO)2[P(C6H5)3]2: An organometallic complex containing a chelating acetate ligand

The accidental but intriguing synthesis of acetatobis(triphenylphosphine)dicarbonylmanganese(I), (CH 3 CO 2 )Mn(CO) 2 [P(C 6 H 5 ) 3 ] 2 , has been accomplished by the reaction of NaMn(CO) 5 with (CH 3 ) 3 SiCl followed by the addition of triphenylphosphine and acetic acid. A three-dimensional single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis has shown an octahedral-like molecule containing a symmetrically oxygen-chelating acetate group, the first such group to be reported in a metal carbonyl complex. The two triphenylphosphine ligands occupy mutually trans positions with the two carbonyl ligands possessing the remaining cis sites in the octahedral complex. The compound crystallizes with four molecules in a monoclinic unit cell of space group symmetry and of dimensions a = 17.744(2) A, b = 9.692(1) A, c = 20.004(2) A, and β = 106.195(4)°. The relatively long MnO(acetate) bond lengths [2.066(6) and 2.069(7) A] and the relatively short MnCO bond lengths [1.701(12) and 1.760(13) A] and the relatively short MnP(C 6 H 5 ) 3 bond lengths [2.260(3) and 2.275(3) A], compared to the corresponding MnCO and MnP(C 6 H 5 ) 3 bond lengths in other manganese carbonyl triphenylphosphine complexes, are rationalized on the basis that the acetate ligand in this molecule functions primarily as a σ-donor.
Meaningful Practice on the Computer: Is It Possible?.

This study investigated the effectiveness of structural and semantic computer practice across two levels of verbal aptitude. The experiment was conducted at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado with students enrolled in beginning college German who had had no previous high school language training. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) Structural Practice, (2) Semantic Practice, and (3) No Practice (Control). Groups 1 and 2 practiced a specific grammatical concept on the computer utilizing structural and semantic exercises, respectively. A structural exercise could be accomplished based on knowledge of structure alone, while a semantic exercise could be successfully completed only through understanding the meaning of the item/problem. The control group had no practice. All three groups were administered a 40-item posttest consisting of both a structural and a semantic measure. The results of the study support previous research on the importance of meaningful (semantic) practice in the second language learning process. This study further suggests that the advantages of meaningful language practice are evidently independent of interpersonal interactions. In short, it seems that what goes on directly between student and material is an extremely important factor.
High Potential Test Voltages of High Voltage Synchronous Machines - Proposed Changes to Ansi C50 Standard

This paper presents the report of the Joint Working Group for Review of High Potential Test Voltage of High Voltage Synchronous Machines, together with a short resumd of how it came into being.
Pervasive and Persistent Redundancy among Duplicated Genes in Yeast

The loss of functional redundancy is the key process in the evolution of duplicated genes. Here we systematically assess the extent of functional redundancy among a large set of duplicated genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We quantify growth rate in rich medium for a large number of S. cerevisiae strains that carry single and double deletions of duplicated and singleton genes. We demonstrate that duplicated genes can maintain substantial redundancy for extensive periods of time following duplication ( approximately 100 million years). We find high levels of redundancy among genes duplicated both via the whole genome duplication and via smaller scale duplications. Further, we see no evidence that two duplicated genes together contribute to fitness in rich medium substantially beyond that of their ancestral progenitor gene. We argue that duplicate genes do not often evolve to behave like singleton genes even after very long periods of time.
The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper – Vincent E. Bacote

Book reviewed: The Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the Legacy of Abraham Kuyper, Vincent E. Bacote, Baker Academic 2005 (0-8010-2740-3), 172 pp., pb $18.99
The relation of quinidine-induced elevation of serum digoxin concentration to the conversion of atrial fibrillation-flutter: a pilot study.

The role of digitalis in the conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm is still not clear, knowing whether serum digoxin concentration elevations accompagny the conversion of arrhythmias after quinidine administration in patients who have received digoxin would be of interest. The findings of a preliminary study undertaken to examine this question are presented
Teaching laboratory management.

To the Editor We read, with interest and appreciation, the recent editorial “Teaching Laboratory Management to Pathology Residents: What Skill Set Are We Trying to Impart?” by Laposata1 and agree with the 2 important questions that he posed: “What do we do with these answers?” and “What are we trying to achieve by teaching laboratory management to pathology residents?” Although there is no widely accepted definition of laboratory management, the consensus curriculum (see http://www.lab-management.info) developed through a collaboration among the Association of Pathology Chairs Program Directors Section (PRODS), the American Pathology Foundation (APF), and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) is based on the following conceptual framework: “Laboratory Management is the integration and coordination of organizational resources ( people, equipment, procedures, supplies ) to provide quality laboratory services as efficiently ( financially, operationally ) and effectively ( patient outcomes-oriented, safely ) as possible. Success requires a vast array …
Effects of intravenous ethanol and of 4-methylpyrazole on alcohol drinking in alcohol-preferring rats

Studies were undertaken to determine if elevated blood alcohol concentrations (BAC), produced by intravenous (IV) infusion of ethanol or by intraperitoneal (IP) administration of 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), could reduce the free-choice oral alcohol consumption of adult male alcohol-preferring rats (P-rats). The IV infusion of ethanol either on a 24 or 12 (dark) hourly dose schedule reduced the amount of ethanol voluntarily ingested. There was a significant (p less than 0.05) inverse correlation between the amount of ethanol consumed orally and the amount of ethanol infused. Daily fluid and caloric intakes were not compromised. When the amount of ethanol infused was 85% or more of the control oral intake, there was a significant correlation between ethanol intake and tail-blood alcohol levels, taken at 5 min (r = 0.98; p less than 0.05) and 55 min (r = 0.93, p less than 0.05) after the last dark cycle infusion. Below the preinfusion level of 85%, the BAC were variable and did not correlate well with total ethanol intake. After a single IP injection of 4-MP, 90 mg/kg body wt, BAC increased from 10 mg% to 50-65 mg% for 2-3 days. Concomitant with the rise in BAC, these animals decreased their drinking of 10% ethanol and proportionately increased their water intake. The present studies suggest that pharmacological factors, distinct from orosensory cues, are important in regulating voluntary ethanol drinking behavior in the P-rats.
Receptors for IgG complexes activate synthesis of monocyte chemoattractant peptide 1 and colony-stimulating factor 1.

Abstract The chemotactic factors responsible for complement-independent macrophage accumulation in immune-complex diseases such as glomerulonephritis remain unknown. Fc receptors for IgG complexes are found on mesangial cells of the kidney, which produce the macrophage growth factor colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1). We therefore investigated the possible stimulation of mesangial-cell expression of CSF-1 and the recently identified monocyte-specific chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) by IgG complexes. IgG complexes, but not monomeric IgG or F(ab')2 fragments of IgG, rapidly (2-8 h) increased mRNA for both CSF-1 (10-fold) and MCP-1 (20-fold) in cultured mouse mesangial cells. The increase of mRNA for CSF-1 and MCP-1 was not reduced by either cytochalasin B or D, indicating that Fc receptor occupancy is sufficient for signaling and that phagocytosis is not required to elicit this response. IgG complexes also caused a 10-fold increase in the secretion of CSF-1 and a 3- to 5-fold increase in secretion of MCP-1 into the cell culture medium. The synthesis and release of CSF-1 and MCP-1 by mesangial cells as a consequence of Fc receptor occupancy may be responsible for macrophage recruitment and activation at sites of immune-complex deposition.
Naltrexone and the tail flick reflex

Rats who received a tail flick test following repeated injections of 5 mg/kg of morphine were significantly more tolerant than rats who were not tested after each injection. Administration of 0.5 mg/kg of naltrexone hydrochloride, prior to the morphine injections, prevented the development of tolerance, increased analgesic latencies and abolished the difference between tested and nontested animals.
ON THE UTILITY OF THE MOON IN SPACE TRANSPORTATION- THE LUNATRON CONCEPT

Limitations of non-jet-reaction device for vehicle velocity augmentation, called the lunar-surface- based electromagnetically powered rail-launch concept /lunatron/
Nonadiabatic effects in C-Br bond scission in the photodissociation of bromoacetyl chloride

Bromoacetyl chloride photodissociation has been interpreted as a paradigmatic example of a process in which nonadiabatic effects play a major role. In molecular beam experiments by Butler and co-workers [J. Chem. Phys. 95, 3848 (1991); J. Chem. Phys. 97, 355 (1992)], BrCH2C(O)Cl was prepared in its ground electronic state (S0) and excited with a laser at 248nm to its first excited singlet state (S1). The two main ensuing photoreactions are the ruptures of the C–Cl bond and of the C–Br bond. A nonadiabatic model was proposed in which the C–Br scission is strongly suppressed due to nonadiabatic recrossing at the barrier formed by the avoided crossing between the S1 and S2 states. Recent reduced-dimensional dynamical studies lend support to this model. However, another interpretation that has been given for the experimental results is that the reduced probability of C–Br scission is a consequence of incomplete intramolecular energy redistribution. To provide further insight into this problem, we have studied...
Neuropilin-1 Mediates Divergent R-Smad Signaling and the Myofibroblast Phenotype

The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily is one of the most diversified cell signaling pathways and regulates many physiological and pathological processes. Recently, neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) was reported to bind and activate the latent form of TGF-β1 (LAP-TGF-β1). We investigated the role of NRP-1 on Smad signaling in stromal fibroblasts upon TGF-β stimulation. Elimination of NRP-1 in stromal fibroblast cell lines increases Smad1/5 phosphorylation and downstream responses as evidenced by up-regulation of inhibitor of differentiation (Id-1). Conversely, NRP-1 loss decreases Smad2/3 phosphorylation and its responses as shown by down-regulation of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and also cells exhibit more quiescent phenotypes and growth arrest. Moreover, we also observed that NRP-1 expression is increased during the culture activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), a liver resident fibroblast. Taken together, our data suggest that NRP-1 functions as a key determinant of the diverse responses downstream of TGF-β1 that are mediated by distinct Smad proteins and promotes myofibroblast phenotype.
Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Clinical Practice: A Five-Year Experience

We conducted a five-year review of our use of TBNA during bronchoscopy in our clinical practice. Out of 1,630 bronchoscopic procedures, 633 patients (39 percent) bad TBNA performed as part of the initial examination. Mediastinal nodes were sampled in 86 percent of the patients who had TBNA performed, and 127 (23 percent) of 547 of these aspirates were positive. Other areas of mucosal abnormality of the tracheobronchial tree were also sampled by TBNA under direct vision and showed malignant cells in 44 (25 percent) of 176 aspirates. Of 363 patients first diagnosed as having carcinoma of the lung who had TBNA of N2 nodes, 41 (59 percent) of 70 with small-cell tumors were positive, as were 83 (28 percent) of 293 with non-small-cell malignant neoplasms. Comparison of cytologic results obtained by TBNA with histologic material in 109 cases showed an excellent correlation. In 31 cases (4 percent of all TBNA), the aspirate provided the sole means of establishing the diagnosis of cancer. Two patients were thought to have false-positive aspirates. No complications of therapeutic significance were encountered. We believe that TBNA is a safe and effective way to assess mediastinal lymphatic involvement in the staging of lung cancer and that TBNA can be safely performed as part of the initial bronchoscopic examination in patients suspected of having malignant neoplasms of the chest.
Evidence for differential intracellular localization of the Acanthamoeba myosin isoenzymes.

The three myosin isoenzymes of Acanthamoeba castellanii coexist within a single cell and the native molecules probably have the same unusual polypeptide composition as the isolated enzymes. The two myosin I isoenzymes seem to be preferentially localized near the plasma membrane while myosin II seems to be much less concentrated near the plasma membrane than elsewhere in the cytoplasm.
Developmental dyslexia and animal studies: at the interface between cognition and neurology

Recent findings in autopsy studies, neuroimaging, and neurophysiology indicate that dyslexia is accompanied by fundamental changes in brain anatomy and physiology, involving several anatomical and physiological stages in the processing stream, which can be attributed to anomalous prenatal and immediately postnatal brain development. Epidemiological evidence in dyslexic families led to the discovery of animal models with immune disease, comparable anatomical changes and learning disorders, which have added needed detail about mechanisms of injury and plasticity to indicate that substantial changes in neural networks concerned with perception and cognition are present. It is suggested that the disorder of language, which is the cardinal finding in dyslexic subjects, results from early perceptual anomalies that interfere with the establishment of normal cognitive-linguistic structures, coupled with primarily disordered cognitive processing associated with developmental anomalies of cortical structure and brain asymmetry. This notion is supported by electrophysiological data and by findings of anatomical involvement in subcortical structures close to the input as well as cortical structures involved in language and other cognitive functions. It is not possible at present to determine where the initial insult lies, whether near the input or in high-order cortex, or at both sites simultaneously.
Engraftment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome patient donors into BALB-RAG-2-/- IL-2Rγ-/- mice: a promising model for studying human disease.

Purpose To construct a humanized SLE mouse that resembles the human disease to define pathophysiology and targeted for treatments.
Shear buckling response of tailored composite plates

This Note evaluates the piecewise-uniform approach to tailoring as a mean of improving the shear buckling loads of composite plates. This design approach is referred to herein as stiffness tailoring or, more simply, as tailoring. The primary objectives are to determine the tailoring patterns and the degree of concentration of the material used to achieve the tailoring in each pattern that maximize the shear buckling load and to quantify the maximum relative improvement that can be achieved in the buckling load compared to uniform plates.