cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of serum markers for thrombophilia and autoimmune disease in reproductive age women with and without false positive rapid plasma reagin tests.

Problem The rapid plasma reagin test (RPR) is performed frequently in clinical practice, particularly among reproductive age women. The phenomenon of the biologic false positive RPR is well-recognized, but its clinical significance is poorly characterized. Our objective was to assess the relationship between the false positive RPR and several established clinical and biological markers for thrombophilia and/or autoimmune disease. Method of study We conducted a clinic-based, case–control study of 41 healthy, reproductive age women with history of a biologic false positive RPR and 30 control women with a negative RPR to assess the relationship between the false positive RPR and several established clinical and biological markers for thrombophilia and/or autoimmune disease. We used t-tests and constructed frequency tables for case–control comparisons. Results Cases were significantly more likely than controls to have lupus anticoagulant present in serum, have a positive ANA, and a positive ANA with a titer of 1:320 or greater. Cases were also more likely to be positive for anticardiolipin antibodies and have a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, but the CIs for those point estimates included the null value. Eight participants tested positive for both lupus anticoagulant and ANA. All eight were in the case group. Conclusion These results suggest that the RPR test might be used to identify a subset of women who warrant further testing for autoimmune and/or thromboembolic disease.
Analysis and Resonance Stabilization of Bifurcation Phenomena in Aircraft Flight

This paper addresses a theoretical framework for a unified methodology which allows analysis of nonlinear stability and efficient control of high-dimensional nonlinear plants modeling aircraft flight. It is shown that analysis of nonlinear transition phenomena (bifurcations) is central to revealing the limitation of robust control (i.e., an accurate estimate of the basin of stability). Omitting transition behavior causes over control and provides a very local stabilization. Analysis and control of bifurcations of aircraft flight are given in the spirit of the generalized normal forms method which provides one with the nonreduceable system preserving stability characteristics of the initial plant. Stabilization of a plants bifurcations is then given in terms of the resonance control methodology.
DNA structure-specific nuclease activities in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad50*Mre11 complex.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD50 and MRE11 genes are required for the nucleolytic processing of DNA double-strand breaks. We have overexpressed Rad50 and Mre11 in yeast cells and purified them to near homogeneity. Consistent with the genetic data, we show that the purified Rad50 and Mre11 proteins form a stable complex. In the Rad50·Mre11 complex, the protein components exist in equimolar amounts. Mre11 has a 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity that results in the release of mononucleotides. The addition of Rad50 does not significantly alter the exonucleolytic function of Mre11. Using homopolymeric oligonucleotide-based substrates, we show that the exonuclease activity of Mre11 and Rad50·Mre11 is enhanced for substrates with duplex DNA ends. We have examined the endonucleolytic function of Mre11 on defined, radiolabeled hairpin structures that also contain 3′ and 5′ single-stranded DNA overhangs. Mre11 is capable of cleaving hairpins and the 3′ single-stranded DNA tail. These endonuclease activities of Mre11 are enhanced markedly by Rad50 but only in the presence of ATP. Based on these results, we speculate that the Mre11 nuclease complex may mediate the nucleolytic digestion of the 5′ strand at secondary structures formed upon DNA strand separation.
A brief introduction to formal methods [hardware design]

As hardware designs grow in size and complexity, current design methods are proving less adequate. Current methods for specification, design, and test are typically empirical or informal, that is, they are based on experience and argument. Formal methods are solidly based on mathematical logic systems and precise rules of inference. Formal methods offer a discipline which complements current methods so designers can successfully meet the demand for high performance systems. Formal methods covers a broad and diverse set of techniques aimed at improving computer correctness. This paper explains the role of specifications and implementation models in formal methods, and different approaches to proving their correspondence. We refer to excellent overview papers and cite some recent successful examples of using formal methods in hardware design.
The Semantic Web and the BIBFRAME Initiative

The implementation of the semantic web based on linked data principles represents a movement toward transforming the World Wide Web into a database of linked resources, where data may be widely reused and shared. Web services can be enhanced by drawing on semantically aware data made available by a variety of providers. The Bibliographic Framework (BIBFRAME) Initiative seeks to expose rich library metadata to the semantic web, configured so that semantic data from other sources can be incorporated in meeting library user needs.
Heat transfer in laminar flow along circular rods in infinite square arrays

The need to understand heat transfer characteristics over rods or tube bundles often arises in the design of compact heat exchangers and safety analysis of nuclear reactors. In particular, the fuel bundles of typical light water nuclear reactors are composed of a large number of circular rods arranged in square array pattern. The purpose of the present study is to analyze heat transfer characteristics of flow in such a multirod geometric configuration. The analysis given here will follow as closely as possible the method of Sparrow et al. who analyzed a similar problem for circular cylinders arranged in an equilateral triangular array. The following major assumptions are made in the present analysis: (1) Flow is fully developed laminar flow paralleled to the axis of rods. (2) The axial profile of the surface heat flux to the fluid is uniform.(3) Thermodynamic properties are assumed constant.
A New Approach to Determine Lubrication Regimes of Piston-Ring Assemblies

A new approach is developed to determine piston-ring assembly lubrication regimes from the instantaneous frictional torque measured for the whole engine. This is based on the variation of the friction coefficient with the duty parameter in the Stribeck diagram over the mixed and hydrodynamic lubrication regimes. The derived equation determines the lubrication regimes from the slope of the line in the Stribeck diagram. A single cylinder spark ignition engine was instrumented to determine the total instantaneous frictional torque of the engine. Experiments were conducted under different loads at a constant speed. Results show that the regime is mixed lubrication near the top dead center (TDC) and shifts to the hydrodynamic lubrication regime as the piston moves away from TDC. The extent of the mixed lubrication regime depends on engine load and speed.
The stimulatory effect of nickel chloride on DNA replication in human HeLa cells and Escherichia coli.

An investigation was undertaken to study DNA replication in cultured human HeLa cells and Escherichia coli in response to nickel chloride (NiCl2). Treatment with NiCl2 increased both the rate of DNA replication and total cell number in HeLa cells and E. coli in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The maximum stimulation of thymidine uptake into DNA was observed with 0.125-0.25 mM NiCl2 for both cell types. In studies of DNA replication using a crude HeLa cellular extract, NiCl2 at concentrations below 0.125 mM also induced a stimulation over the background of MgCl2-dependent [3H]dTMP incorporation into activated calf thymus DNA. However, a similar stimulatory effect from NiCl2 was not observed with either purified HeLa DNA polymerase alpha or E.coli DNA polymerase I Klenow fragment. In the absence of Mg2+, the low response of either DNA polymerase alpha or Klenow fragment to stimulation by Ni2+ was thought to be enhanced by the presence of Ni(2+)-binding proteins presented in the crude HeLa cell extract.
Herpes Simplex Virus-2 Glycoprotein Interaction with HVEM Influences Virus-Specific Recall Cellular Responses at the Mucosa

Infection of susceptible cells by herpes simplex virus (HSV) requires the interaction of the HSV gD glycoprotein with one of two principal entry receptors, herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) or nectins. HVEM naturally functions in immune signaling, and the gD-HVEM interaction alters innate signaling early after mucosal infection. We investigated whether the gD-HVEM interaction during priming changes lymphocyte recall responses in the murine intravaginal model. Mice were primed with attenuated HSV-2 expressing wild-type gD or mutant gD unable to engage HVEM and challenged 32 days later with virulent HSV-2 expressing wild-type gD. HSV-specific CD8+ T cells were decreased at the genital mucosa during the recall response after priming with virus unable to engage HVEM but did not differ in draining lymph nodes. CD4+ T cells, which are critical for entry of HSV-specific CD8+ T cells into mucosa in acute infection, did not differ between the two groups in either tissue. An inverse association between Foxp3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells and CD8+ infiltration into the mucosa was not statistically significant. CXCR3 surface expression was not significantly different among different lymphocyte subsets. We conclude that engagement of HVEM during the acute phase of HSV infection influences the antiviral CD8+ recall response by an unexplained mechanism.
How Socio-Economic Change Shapes Income Inequality in Post-Socialist Europe

Although income inequality in Central and Eastern Europe was considerably lower during socialism than in other countries at comparable levels of development, it increased significantly in all Central and East European states after the fall of communist regimes. However, some of these countries managed to maintain comparatively low inequality levels 10 years into the transition period while inequalities have skyrocketed in others. What explains this variation? This article presents one of the first longitudinal cross-national analyses of the factors that determine changes in income inequality in 10 Central and East European countries during the first decade after 1989. Results suggest that rising income inequality is principally related to (1. the expansion of the private sector, (2. retrenchment of the redistributive state, (3. the social exclusion of ethno-national minorities, and (4. penetration of foreign capital. Moreover, the analyses suggest that privatization strategies promoting foreign investment created more inequality than those promoting domestic investment. These findings reveal the social, political and cultural foundations of the income inequality dynamic during post-socialist transition in Central and Eastern Europe.
Positive roles of SAS2 in DNA replication and transcriptional silencing in yeast

Sas2p is a histone acetyltransferase implicated in the regulation of transcriptional silencing, and ORC is the six-subunit origin recognition complex involved in the initiation of DNA replication and the establishment of transcriptionally silent chromatin by silencers in yeast. We show here that SAS2 deletion (sas2Delta) exacerbates the temperature sensitivity of the ORC mutants orc2-1 and orc5-1. Moreover, sas2Delta and orc2-1 have a synthetic effect on cell cycle progression through S phase and initiation of DNA replication. These results suggest that SAS2 plays a positive role in DNA replication and cell cycle progression. We also show that sas2Delta and orc5-1 have a synthetic effect on transcriptional silencing at the HMR locus. Moreover, we demonstrate that sas2Delta reduces the silencing activities of silencers regardless of their locations and contexts, indicating that SAS2 plays a positive role in silencer function. In addition, we show that SAS2 is required for maintaining the structure of transcriptionally silent chromatin.
Defects in cadmium zinc telluride crystals revealed by etch-pit distributions

We demonstrated the distribution of defects in cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors by revealing etch pits on the surfaces with a chemical-etching method and Te inclusions in the bulk of the crystals. The dislocation networks observed from etch pits on the crystals' surfaces were traced down within the bulk by removing the material layer by layer, followed by sequential Nakagawa etching. We also identified the etch pits corresponding to Te inclusions, and correlated them with grain boundaries and dislocation lines.
Pulmonary embolism: an unsuspected killer

The presentation of PE is often subtle and may mimic other diseases. Many pulmonary emboli invariably preclude diagnosis by their occult nature or by leading to rapid death from cardiopulmonary arrest. In patients who do manifest symptoms from PE, accurate diagnosis is essential. Often it is difficult to distinguish the vague symptoms of PE from other diagnoses, such as acute coronary syndrome, pneumonia, COPD, CHF,aortic dissection, myocarditis or pericarditis, pneumothorax, and musculo-skeletal or gastrointestinal causes. Regardless of the presentation, the most fundamental step in making the diagnosis of PE is first to consider it. Historical clues and risk factors should raise the clinician's suspicion.PE is an unsuspected killer with a nebulous presentation and high mortality. In all likelihood, PE will remain an elusive diagnosis despite advances in technology and a wealth of research. A high index of suspicion is required, but no amount of suspicion would eliminate all missed cases. Patients with significant underlying cardiopulmonary disease seem to be the most challenging. Patients with significant comorbidity have poor reserve and are likely to have poor outcomes, especially if the diagnosis is not made and anticoagulation is not initiated early. Controversy exists over the best diagnostic approach to PE. A battery of diagnostic studies is available, with few providing definitive answers. Studies such as CT may be helpful at some institutions but offer poor predictive value at others. Other diagnostic tests are not universally available. It is hoped that further research and improvements in current diagnostic modalities will clear some of the current confusion and controversy of this ubiquitous and deadly disease.
Accelerating large-scale data mining using in-database analytics

In more and more industries, competitive advantage hinges on exploiting the largest quantity of data in the shortest possible time - and doing so cost-effectively. Data volumes are growing exponentially, while businesses are striving to deploy sophisticated and computationally intensive predictive analytics. Often, massive data is stored in a data warehouse running on dedicated parallel hardware, but advanced analytics is performed on a separate compute platform. Moving data from the data warehouse to the compute environment can constitute a significant bottleneck. Organizations resort to considering only a fraction of their data or refreshing their analyses infrequently. To address the data movement bottleneck and take full advantage of parallel data warehouse platforms, vendors are offering new in-database analytics capabilities. They are opening up their platforms, allowing users to run their own user-defined functions and statistical models as well as vendor- and partner-supplied advanced analytics on the database platform, close to the data, in parallel, without transporting the data through a host node or corporate network. In this talk, we will present the need for in-database analytics and discuss a number of the new solutions available, highlighting case studies where solution times have been reduced from hours to minutes or seconds.
Abrikosov vortices in long Josephson junctions

Consistently with the results of the one vortex analysis of Ref. 10 we show that in the presence of a finite concentration of trapped Abrikosov vortices the critical current of the junction can actually be larger than that of a vortex free junction. The present paper is organized as follows: In Sec. II the model and the theory of the coupling between the junction and the perturbing vortices are introduced. There three common geometrical configurations for the AV’s with respect to the junction plane are also discussed. In Sec. III we present the theory for the case in which the AV’s are well separated ~as compared to the range of their interaction with the junction!. In Sec. IV we tackle the opposite case of a high concentration of AV’s, a regime which requires a rather different approach. Finally Sec. V provides a discussion of our results and the conclusions.
Endoscopic Management of Recurrent and Chronic Pancreatitis

Endoscopic therapy is now being utilized in the setting of recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis. This review analyzes the current state of the art of these new applications of endoscopy. Selection of appropriate candidates for the various treatment modalities appears important for optimal results of therapy. Patients with gallstone pancreatitis, pancreas divisum, obstructing main pancreatic duct stones, and bulging pseudocysts appear to be the best candidates for endoscopic therapy.
Ordered Mesoporous Polymers of Tunable Pore Size from Colloidal Silica Templates

Ordered mesoporous polymers have been prepared by replication of colloidal crystals made from silica spheres 35 nanometers in diameter. The pores in the colloidal crystals were filled with divinylbenzene (DVB), ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EDMA), or a mixture of the two. Polymerization and subsequent dissolution of the silica template leaves a polycrystalline network of interconnected pores. When mixtures of DVB and EDMA are used, the pore size of the polymer replicas can be varied continuously between 35 and 15 nanometers because the polymer shrinks when the silica template is removed.
Resolution enhanced top anti reflective coating materials for ArF immersion lithography

Recently, a new technology called ArF immersion lithography is emerging as a main stream of next generation lithography. However, the first problem of this technology is contamination issues that come from the dissolution of contaminants from the photoresist to the immersion liquid. The second problem is defect issue that comes from interaction between immersion liquid and resist. To solve these two problems, we have developed top antireflective coating (TARC) material. This TARC material can be coated on resist without damage to the resist property. In addition, this TARC material is easily developable by conventional 2.38 wt% TMAH solution. The reflective index of this TARC is adjusted to 1.55, so it can act as an antireflective material. To this TARC material for immersion, quencher gradient resist process (QGRP) was applied also. As a result, we could improve resolution and process margin. However, some of resists showed defects that were generated by this TARC material and QGRP. To solve this defect problem, we introduced buffer function to the TARC material. Thanks to this buffer function, we could minimize defects of resist pattern in immersion lithography.
Characterization of the image resolution for the first-arriving-light method.

A theoretical model is established for finding the resolution of imaging through random media with the first-arriving-light method. With this model analytical mathematical forms of the point-spread function are derived for transillumination and confocal scanning imaging modes combined with the first-arriving-light method. Finally experiments were carried out with the holographic gating technique to demonstrate the validity of the theory. The experimental results show that the first-arriving-light method improves the image resolution by as much as a factor of 20 over the conventional transillumination mode.
Neutrino excitation of nucleon resonances in a quark model

A r ecen t re la t iv is t ic fo rmula t ion of t he s y m m e t r i c quark model (~) has been suceesfull in exp la in ing t h e ma in fea tu res in e l ee t rop rodue t ion of nucleon resonances (~). The same mode l also p rov ides us w i t h defini te ax ia l -cur ren t ma t r i x e lements which toge the r w i th the vec to r cu r r en t m a t r i x e lements can be used to p red ic t t he ou tcome of t he fu tu re N A L neu t r ino e x p e r i m e n t s in t he resonance region. Le t us consider t he proces
Goodness-of-Fit in Early Childhood Settings

Practitioners in early childhood settings meet diverse families and children on a regular basis. Their relationships with these families vary in strength and quality. This article reports a research study using the theoretical concept of goodness-of-fit to examine teacher–child and teacher–parent relationships and their impact on child outcomes within a Head Start population. The child's goodness-of-fit with his or her teacher on temperament characteristics was positively correlated with child cognitive and social outcomes. Also, teachers' and parents' goodness-of-fit on parenting and child characteristics was positively correlated with child social competence. The results and theoretical background are discussed within the context of early childhood education settings.
Properties of a partially-purified preparation of the prostaglandin-forming oxygenase from sheep vesicular gland.

Abstract The fatty acid oxygenase of sheep vesicular glands was solubilized with Tween-40 and purified 60-fold using ammonium sulfate precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Glycerol (50%) stabilized the activity at all stages of purification and allowed long-term storage at −60°. The partially purified enzyme contained less than 0.7 nmoles of iron per mg of protein and less than 0.1 nmole of copper per mg of protein. Although the KI values for aspirin, BL-2338, flurbiprofen and ibuprofen remained relatively unchanged during purification, the apparent KI value for inhibition by indomethacin decreased from 120 to 2.7 μ m .
CHEMOTHERAPY OF LOCALISED HISTIOCYTIC LYMPHOMA

22 patients with localised (stage I or II) diffuse lymphoma were treated with chemotherapy at the time of diagnosis. 14 patients received chemotherapy as the only treatment, and 8 received chemotherapy plus local irradiation. Doxorubicin-containing drug regimens were used in 20 patients. All 22 patients achieved a complete remission and remain alive with a median survival from the time of diagnosis of 27+ months. 21 patients (95%) have remained continuously free of disease with a median disease-free survival from the completion of chemotherapy of 23+ months. These findings provide a strong rationale for further clinical trials of chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy followed by regional radiotherapy for localised stages of diffuse lymphoma.
Some measurements of fading at a wavelength of 8 mm over a very short sea path

The results of a pilot experiment designed to investigate the magnitude of atmospheric refraction effects in the 8-mm wavelength band are described. Records of signal fading on a 1-mile over-sea path with a low transmitter and a high receiver indicate that these effects are very large.
Solving optimal dispatch problem for a competitive wholesale power market by using PowerWorld

The transition to competitive wholesale and retail markets for electric utilities around the world has been a difficult and controversial process. One of the difficulties that hindered the development and growth of the competitive wholesale power market is the absence of efficient computational tools to assist the design, analysis and operation of competitive power markets. PowerWorld simulator is a software that has strong analytical and visualization functions suitable for extensive power flow study of an electric power system. However, PowerWorld is not designed in such a way that can be used for the analysis and evaluation of a competitive wholesale power market. This paper investigates mathematical models associated with a competitive wholesale power market and how these models can be converted and transformed in such a way that makes it possible to use the PowerWorld for the competitive power market study. To validate the effectiveness of proposed strategy, models of several small-scale competitive power markets are built by using Matlab. Results generated by both PowerWorld and Matlab are compared. Finally, the paper demonstrates how PowerWorld simulator is used to investigate an 8-bus competitive wholesale power system.
Orthotopic heart transplantation through minimally invasive approach

Minimal access approaches are a trend in cardiothoracic surgery. Gained experience in these minimally invasive techniques have allowed its application to more complicated procedures, such as heart transplantation. Both classic and bicaval techniques of cardiac transplant were performed through a partial lower sternotomy in 10 end-stage heart failure patients with no previous cardiac surgery. The procedure was considered safe with adequate exposure, minimal postoperative pain medication requirements, acceptable operative times, and good long-term outcome.
Hippocampal function in distractibility and generalization: A behavioral investigation

Abstract Different effects of hippocampal lesions in rats and monkeys that were reported in earlier studies of distractibility were examined in partial replications, with the goal of evaluating a possible species difference in hippocampal function. Both the reduced distractibility previously seen after hippocampal lesions in rats and the retarded habituation previously seen after hippocampal lesions in monkeys were reproduced in the rat by varying the testing conditions, pointing to a single underlying disorder rather than to species differences in the effects of hippocampal lesions. The results of the present experiments were interpreted as evidence that alterations in response to a distractor after hippocampal lesions are determined by an interaction between underlying effects of hippocampal lesions and the degree of novelty of a distracting stimulus.
Interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma of the parotid gland: case report and literature review

Interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS) is an exceedingly rare neoplasm arising from the antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. We report a case of IDCS occurring in a 69-year-old man who presented to an outside institution with a painless mass in his right parotid gland for several months. He presented to our institution after undergoing a superficial parotidectomy. A diagnosis of undifferentiated neoplasm, favoring poorly differentiated carcinoma, was made at that time. He underwent a total parotidectomy and neck dissection at our institution. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of atypical spindle cells involving the parotid gland and an ipsilateral level III lymph node. Immunophenotypic analysis demonstrated positive staining for S100, fascin, vimentin, and HLA-II. Follicular dendritic cell, lymphoid, epithelial, myoepithelial, and melanoma markers were negative. Taken together, the above features were consistent with IDCS. An IDCS of the parotid gland is extremely rare, with only 2 cases reported in the literature. The unusual location and morphological similarity to follicular dendritic sarcoma and other types of soft tissue sarcomas can be a diagnostic challenge. Awareness of this tumor and the use of appropriate markers are crucial in making the diagnosis. The patient did well postoperatively, and he underwent a complete course of postoperative irradiation to the right parotid and neck.
Robotic surveillance and Markov chains with minimal first passage time

We propose stochastic surveillance strategies for quickest detection of anomalies in discrete network environments. Our surveillance strategy is determined by optimizing the mean first passage time also known as the Kemeny constant of a Markov chain. We generalize the notion of the Kemeny constant to environments with heterogeneous travel and service times, denote this generalization as the weighted Kemeny constant, and characterize its properties. For reversible Markov chains, we show that both the Kemeny constant and its heterogeneous counterpart can be formulated as convex optimization problems and, moreover, can be expressed as semidefinite programs (SDPs). We numerically illustrate the proposed design: compared with other well-known Markov chains, the performance of our Kemeny-based strategies are always better and in many cases substantially so.
Dynamics of Interstate Labor Migration

The dynamics of U.S. interstate migration are considered in the light of conventional assumptions regarding regional growth and decline. In-and-out migration are modeled separately using Box-Jenkins techniques, focusing upon the underlying temporal processes (autoregressive, moving average, or some combination of both) and estimated parameters. Gross flows are cross correlated for a selected group of states to establish lead and lag relationships. Analysis indicates that gross migration is subject to distinct fluctuations over the short run, and each set of flows is closely synchronized in time. Differences in parameter estimates and identified processes do, however, exist between growing and declining states. Markovian models are shown to be susceptible to significant error if the labor migration processes are actually moving-average rather than autoregressive structures. Similarly, net migration estimates are shown to be very misleading and subject to significant errors in forecasting.
Effects of steam oxidation on a single In0.20Ga0.80As quantum well in a half wave microcavity VCSEL

Time resolved photoluminescence at 295 degrees K has been used to characterize carrier recombination in a single 80 angstrom In0.20Ga0.80As quantum well before and after wet thermal oxidation of a 300 angstrom Al0.96Ga0.04As layer which is separated from the quantum well by 100 angstrom GaAs and a 225 angstrom Al0.75Ga0.25As barrier layer. Both of these layers are repeated on the other side of the quantum well and all together are typical of a half wave cavity spacer section used in low threshold microcavity VCSELs. Before oxidation the radiative lifetime is 12 ns. After steam oxidation for 5 minutes at 420 degrees Celsius the lifetime and intensity of the photoluminescence remains unchanged. An oxidation time of 10 minutes at the same temperature reduces the radiative lifetime to less than 1 ns and decreases the photoluminescence intensity by a factor of five. In addition, the lifetime and intensity of the photoluminescence remain the same as in the unoxidized case when the Al0.96Ga0.04As layer is etched off in a 1:1 HCl solution, possibly indicating that surface recombination at the Al0.75Ga0.25As barrier is not responsible for the shorter lifetimes in the oxidized samples. Furthermore, secondary ion mass spectrometry data on steam oxidized and unoxidized samples shows the presence of a significant oxygen concentration in the quantum well for oxidized samples that had sub nanosecond lifetimes and no oxygen in the quantum wells for samples that were not steam oxidized and displayed 12 ns lifetimes.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The PaCO2 rate of rise in anesthetized patients with airway obstruction

Apneic, anesthetized patients frequently develop airway obstruction or may be disconnected from ventilatory support. The rate of PaCO2 rise is usually assumed to be equal to that of anesthetized humans who are receiving apneic oxygenation. Apneic oxygenation may eliminate CO2 because it requires a continuous O2 flow. The CO2 rate of rise in anesthetized humans with airway obstruction was measured. Fourteen consenting healthy adults were monitored continuously with pulse oximetry and EKG. Enflurane--O2 anesthesia was established for at least 10 minutes with normal PaCO2 without neuromuscular blockade so that anesthesia was deep enough to prevent spontaneous ventilation. Then, patients' tracheal tubes were clamped. Arterial blood samples were obtained before and after 0, 20, 40, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 seconds after clamping, provided that oxyhemoglobin saturation exceeded 0.92. The equation that best described the PaCO2 rise was a logarithmic function. Piecewise linear approximation yielded a PaCO2 increase of 12 mmHg during the first minute of apnea, and 3.4 mmHg/minute thereafter. These values should be employed when estimating the duration of apnea from PaCO2 change for anesthetized patients who lack ventilatory support. In addition, it appears that the flows of O2 that most earlier investigators used when delivering apneic oxygenation probably did not eliminate significant CO2 quantities.
Effects of Diet and Environmental Salinity on the Growth, Mortality, and Tissue Structure of Juvenile Striped Bass

Abstract Juvenile striped bass Morone saxatilis (approximately 60 d old) were fed either a commercial trout feed or an open-formula salmon feed for 16 weeks and reared in 24°C fresh water or saline water prepared from sodium chloride or synthetic sea salt. Fish that were fed salmon feed were larger, contained higher levels of body lipid, and had livers with uniform glycogen vacuolation. Fish that were fed trout feed were smaller, contained less body lipid, and had necrotic liver tissue. More than 95% of the fish fed the trout feed and reared in water containing sodium chloride at 10‰ salinity died within the first 2 weeks. Mortality of fish fed the salmon feed under the same rearing conditions was 3% in 2 weeks. An osmoregulatory dysfunction from an imbalance of environmental calcium and sodium is suggested as the cause of the mortality. Although no definitive cause was established for the diet-related histological changes in the livers of fish that were fed the trout feed, type and level of dietary essen...
Later-Onset Fabry Disease: An Adult Variant Presenting With the Cramp-Fasciculation Syndrome

Background Classic Fabry disease, an X-linked recessive lysosomal storage disease due to the deficient activity of α-galactosidase A, typically presents in early childhood with acroparesthesias, angiokeratomas, hypohidrosis, and corneal dystrophy. The neuropathic pain presumably results from glycosphingolipid accumulation in the vascular endothelium and in small-caliber nerve fibers, and is treatable by enzyme replacement therapy. Later-onset variants with residual α-galactosidase A activity lack vascular endothelial involvement and classic symptoms, which lead to the development of cardiac and/or renal disease after the fourth decade of life. Objective To expand the later-onset Fabry phenotype to include cramp-fasciculation syndrome without small-fiber neuropathy. Methods A 34-year-old man who presented with chronic exercise-induced pain, fasciculations, and cramps of the feet and legs, and his similarly affected mother, were evaluated. Clinical, biochemical, and molecular studies were performed. Results Clinical evaluation suggested the diagnosis of Fabry disease, which was confirmed by reduced plasma and leukocyte α-galactosidase A activities (8.8% and 13.4% of normal, respectively) due to a missense A143T mutation. His mother was heterozygous for the A143T mutation. Conclusion The presentation of cramps and fasciculations without apparent small-fiber neuropathy expands the phenotype of later-onset Fabry disease.
Interleukin-1 is a mucus secretagogue☆

Abstract Explant cultures of mouse duodenum were used to show that interleukin-1 (IL-1) causes release of mucus from epithelial goblet cells. Our experiments made use of a newly described enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA) which employs enzyme-conjugated soybean agglutinin to detect mucus glycoproteins secreted from explant cultures of mouse duodenum. Supernatants from cultures of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peritoneal macrophages as well as partially purified rabbit alveolar macrophage-derived IL-1 and human rIL-1β all induced mucus release in a rapid and dose-dependent fashion. This observation may be important for investigating a link between the immune response and mucus hypersecretion from inflamed intestinal mucosa.
Memory generalization is selectively altered in the psychosis dimension

Global deficits in declarative memory are commonly reported in individuals with schizophrenia and psychotic bipolar disorder, and in their biological relatives. However, it remains unclear whether there are specific components within the global declarative memory dysfunction that are unique to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, or whether these impairments overlap the two psychoses. This study sought to characterize differential components of learning and memory in individuals within the psychosis dimension: probands with schizophrenia (SZP, n=33), probands with psychotic bipolar I disorder (BDP, n=20), and biological relatives of SZP (SZR, n=21), contrasted with healthy controls (HC, n=26). A computerized cognitive paradigm, the Acquired Equivalence test, with probes for associative learning, memory for learned associations, and memory generalization was administered, along with standardized neuropsychological measures of declarative memory. All study groups were able to learn and remember the associations, although SZP were slower than HC in the initial learning stages. Both SZP (significantly) and BDP (at a trend level) showed altered memory generalization compared to HC (SZP vs. HC, p=.038, d=.8; BDP vs. HC, p=.069, d=.95). SZR showed memory generalization intermediate between SZP and HC, although their performance did not differ significantly from either group. These findings indicate that probands with schizophrenia and bipolar psychoses have similar alteration in the ability to flexibly generalize learned knowledge when probed with novel stimuli, despite overall sufficient associative learning and memory for what they learned. These results suggest that the two disorders present a clinical continuum with overlapping hippocampus-mediated memory generalization dysfunction underlying the psychosis phenotype.
The School as an Ethical And Democratic Community

The school must choose to be an ethical community, says this writer, who believe that the very existence of America as a democratic nation rests on its success.
Ultrasonic characterization of elastomers and elastometric composites

Understanding the elastic properties of the various types of rubber is important for many commercial and academic applications. A sample set consisting of generic elastomeric compounds was studied using non-destructive non-contact ultrasonic techniques. The longitudinal sound wave velocities in the sample and wave amplitude attenuation in the sample were measured using the Second Wave Inc. Non-Contact Analyzer 1000 (NCA1000). The Contact method was then used to corroborate the results obtained. The preliminary results suggest that the differences in attenuation are driven by polymer type and also to a lesser extent by the loading level of carbon black fillers.
Substrate and Inhibitor Specificity of Interleukin-1β-converting Enzyme and Related Caspases

Abstract Interleukin-1β-converting enzyme (ICE) is a novel cysteine protease responsible for the cleavage of pre-interleukin-1β (pre-IL-1β) to the mature cytokine and a member of a family of related proteases (the caspases) that includes the Caenorhabditis elegans cell death gene product, CED-3. In addition to their sequence homology, these cysteine proteases display an unusual substrate specificity for peptidyl sequences with a P1 aspartate residue. We have examined the kinetics of processing pre-IL-1β to the mature form by ICE and three of its homologs, TX, CPP-32, and CMH-1. Of the ICE homologs, only TX processes pre-IL-1β, albeit with a catalytic efficiency 250-fold less than ICE itself. We also investigated the ability of these four proteases to process poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a DNA repair enzyme that is cleaved within minutes of the onset of apoptosis. Every caspase examined cleaves PARP, with catalytic efficiencies ranging from 2.3 × 106 M−1 s−1 for CPP32 to 1.0 × 103 M−1 s−1 for TX. In addition, we report kinetic constants for several reversible inhibitors and irreversible inactivators, which have been used to implicate one or more caspases in the apoptotic proteolysis cascade. Ac-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp aldehyde (DEVD-CHO) is a potent inhibitor of CPP-32 with a Ki value of 0.5 nM, but is also potent as inhibitor of CMH-1 (Ki = 35 nM) and ICE (Ki = 15 nM). The x-ray crystal structure of DEVD-CHO complexed to ICE presented here reveals electrostatic interactions not present in the Ac-YVAD-CHO co-complex structure (Wilson, K. P., Black, J.-A. F., Thomson, J. A., Kim, E. E., Griffith, J. P., Navia, M. A., Murcko, M. A., Chambers, S. P., Aldape, R. A., Raybuck, S. A., and Livingston, D. J. (1994) Nature 370, 270-275), accounting for the surprising potency of this inhibitor against ICE.
Experimental acceleration and slowing of REM sleep ultradian rhythm by cholinergic agonist and antagonist.

MAMMALIAN sleep is characterised by the cyclical occurrence of rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. In humans, REM sleep (consisting of a desyncronised electroencephalogram (EEG), rapid eye movements, atonic electromyogram (EMG), and usually accompanied by dreaming), occurs every 90–110 min1 and is presumed to be under the control of an underlying ultradian oscillatory mechanism2. The biological basis of the above ultradian rhythm is unknown. Although in humans the amount of REM sleep itself can be experimentally increased3–6 or decreased7–9 by pharmacological and physiological means, none of these manipulations has been shown to alter the frequency of its presumed oscillator. We demonstrate here that a normal 104-min REM sleep ultradian rhythm can be experimentally shortened to a 56-min rhythm by repeated infusions of arecholine, a cholinergic muscarinic agonist10. Conversely, scopolamine, a cholinergic muscarinic antagonist11, prolonged the interval between successive REM periods. We speculate that acetylcholine may have a specific role in the timing of the ultradian oscillatory mechanism controlling REM sleep.
Infrared transient-liquid-phase joining of SCS-6/β21S titanium matrix composite

Fiber-reinforced titanium matrix composites (TMCs) are among the advanced materials being considered for use in the aerospace industry due to their light weight, high strength, and high modulus. A rapid infrared joining process has been developed for the joining of composites and advanced materials. Rapid infrared joining has been shown not to have many of the problems associated with conventional joining methods. Two models were utilized to predict the joint evolution and fiber reaction zone growth. TMC, 16-ply SCS-6/{beta}21S, has been successfully joined with total processing times of under 2 min utilizing the rapid infrared joining technique. The process utilizes a 50 C/sec ramping rate, 17-{micro}m Ti-15Cu-15Ni wt % filler material between the faying surfaces; a joining temperature of 1,100 C; and 120 sec of time to join the composite material. Joint shear strength testing of the rapid infrared joints at temperatures as high as 800 C has revealed no joint failures. Also, due to the rapid cooling of the process, no poststabilization of the matrix material is necessary to prevent the formation of a brittle omega phase during subsequent use of the TMC at intermediate temperatures, 270 to 430 C, for up to 20 h.
Why new mathematics teachers do or don't use practices emphasized in their credential program.

A major research concern for teacher education is the impact of university credentialing programs on K-12 teaching and the disjuncture between university-promoted practices and what teachers actually do in their classrooms. In particular, mathematics-credential programs typically promote reform-oriented methods, while mathematics teaching in the US remains largely traditional. Proposed explanations for the limited uptake of university-promoted mathematics-teaching methods have included new teachers’ struggle to bridge the “two worlds” of the university and school, the relative difficulty of reform-oriented teaching, and the failure of the standard teacher-preparation model that teaches general pedagogical concepts prior to specific teaching tools and practices. In this study, interviews of 19 first- through 4th-year secondary-level mathematics teachers—graduates of a single credential program—investigated the factors, internal and external to the credential program, that these teachers perceived to support or impede their implementation of certain university-taught practices. The findings are used to examine previously proposed explanations for limited uptake, and recommendations are made for credential programs and employing schools.
Justice and the Assignment of the Intergenerational Costs of Climate Change

Matters of intergenerational justice are fundamental to discussions of justice and climate change. This is the case for several reasons. We are confident that our emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are having an effect on the global climate system. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) six different climate models in their Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) predict global mean temperature increases ranging from 1.8°C to 4.0°C during this century. This is projected to increase global mean sea levels by 0.18 to 0.59 meters. The attendant weather changes are less certain, as is how they will vary from region to region. But some of the effects that AR4 predicts as very likely include hotter high temperatures, more frequent heat waves, and greater precipitation in high latitudes. Effects that it estimates as likely include decreased precipitation in the subtropics and increased intensity of tropical cyclones. The Third Assessment Report (TAR) warns of a weakening of the thermohaline circulation and its possible abrupt shutdown after 2100. Unlike TAR, however, AR4 does not discuss the probabilities of severe or catastrophic adverse effects. But this absence is the subject of controversy among climate scientists, some of whom charge that politically motivated redactions to AR4 occurred.josp_1447 204..224
Pneumococcal Virulence Factors: Structure and Function

The overall goal for this review is to summarize the current body of knowledge about the structure and function of major known antigens of Streptococcus pneumoniae, a major gram-positive bacterial pathogen of humans. This information is then related to the role of these proteins in pneumococcal pathogenesis and in the development of new vaccines and/or other antimicrobial agents. S. pneumoniae is the most common cause of fatal community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly and is also one of the most common causes of middle ear infections and meningitis in children. The present vaccine for the pneumococcus consists of a mixture of 23 different capsular polysaccharides. While this vaccine is very effective in young adults, who are normally at low risk of serious disease, it is only about 60% effective in the elderly. In children younger than 2 years the vaccine is ineffective and is not recommended due to the inability of this age group to mount an antibody response to the pneumococcal polysaccharides. Antimicrobial drugs such as penicillin have diminished the risk from pneumococcal disease. Several pneumococcal proteins including pneumococcal surface proteins A and C, hyaluronate lyase, pneumolysin, autolysin, pneumococcal surface antigen A, choline binding protein A, and two neuraminidase enzymes are being investigated as potential vaccine or drug targets. Essentially all of these antigens have been or are being investigated on a structural level in addition to being characterized biochemically. Recently, three-dimensional structures for hyaluronate lyase and pneumococcal surface antigen A became available from X-ray crystallography determinations. Also, modeling studies based on biophysical measurements provided more information about the structures of pneumolysin and pneumococcal surface protein A. Structural and biochemical studies of these pneumococcal virulence factors have facilitated the development of novel antibiotics or protein antigen-based vaccines as an alternative to polysaccharide-based vaccines for the treatment of pneumococcal disease.