cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin II Receptor: Molecular Cloning, Functions, and Regulation

Angiotensin II receptors are diverse and mediate complex signaling mechanisms. Their isoforms AT1 and AT2 have been cloned. AT1 consists of two closely related subtypes, AT1A and AT1B, in rodents. AT1A is expressed preferentially in the kidney, liver and cardiovascular tissues, whereas, AT1B is found mainly in endocrine tissues like the adrenal and pituitary glands. In higher mammals only a single isoform of AT1 has been reported. AT1 accounts for the majority of actions traditionally ascribed to angiotensin II that include the Gq-protein coupled activation of phospholipase C, Gi-coupled opening of an L-type calcium channel. AT2 was cloned recently from rat tissues and cell lines. It has a structure compatible with a seven transmembrane domain receptor in spite of the lack of internalization or shift to the low affinity state by stable GTP analogs. AT2 was found to inhibit certain phosphotyrosine phosphatase(s) by a pertussis toxin-sensitive mechanism. These cloned cDNAs and their mutated cDNAs have been expressed in mammalian cells to identify various functional domains such as ligand binding sites, domains for interaction with various G-proteins, and for desensitization. Both AT1 and AT2 genes consist of 3-5 exons. Their coding regions are contained in a single exon. Angiotensin II down-regulates the expression of the AT1 gene by two different mechanisms, whereas, glucocorticoids up-regulates it. (Hypertens Res 1994; 17:87-97)
Performance of a Vacuum Formed Chopped Ceramic Fiber Filter in a Reducing Environment

A laboratory-scale apparatus has been used for unattended, long duration, continuous flow through testing of a vacuum formed chopped ceramic fiber filter under reducing conditions at atmospheric pressure. Four candle specimens were exposed from 150 to 3550 h to 600°C gas containing 4% CO, 11% H 2 , 12% CO 2 , 14% H 2 O, 59% N 2 , 1 ppmv NaCl, 50 ppmv H 2 S, and 1000-2000 ppmw ash from a transport reactor operated in gasification mode. A database was established on pressure drop of the as-received and exposed filter as a function of face velocity and temperature. Tests were conducted to investigate the effects of back-pulse parameters on filter regenerability. Results are reported on the critical reservoir pressure and pulse duration for maintaining a stable saw-tooth profile of pressure drop across the filter element. Data are obtained to characterize the effect of chemical and thermal aging on the apparent bulk density of the filter, pore size distribution, fast fracture strength, and microstructure. It is suggested that the compliant filter undergoes a slow process of rigidization upon exposure to the test environment.
Adaptive microstrip antenna arrays for wireless security systems

The paper presents an adaptive technique to create multiple nulls to suppress multiple jammers. It is demonstrated to be effective and efficient. Computer simulations for a linear array of 32 elements have shown that the optimization technique can create wide as well as deep nulls, which correspond well to jammer widths and strengths. The paper also discusses several microstrip arrays with different feed systems that have been successfully employed in wireless security systems. By applying the optimization technique to the microstrip arrays of 8 elements, it is shown that deep nulls are created in the difference pattern as well as the sum pattern. In all cases the SIR improves substantially and converges quickly, requiring not more than four iterations.
Sensitivity of the spores of Blastocladiella emersonii and related fungi to antibiotics and some other drugs.

The MIC of 48 antibiotics and other antifungal agents was established for the wild type and six mutants of Blastocladiella emersonii, as well as B. britannica, B. simplex, B. cystogena, and the related Allomyces macrogynus. Meiospores and mitospores of A. macrogynus differed from RS and OG spores of B. entersonii primarily in their responses to tetracycline, trichomycin, mitomycin C, antimycin A, and actinomycin, as well as bis(dimethylthiocarbamoyl) disulfate (T-l) and acrinavin (T-13). The four wild type species of Blastocladiella differed from one another primarily in their responses to mitomycin C, actinomycin S, chloramphenicol, endomycin, chlortetracycline, and trichomycin, as well as pentachloronitrobenzene (T-7), 2, 4-dichloro-6-(2-chloranylyno)-S-triazine (T-8), 2, 2/-methylene bis(3, 4, 6 trichlorophenol) (T-9), 3, 4, 4'-trichlorocarbanilide (T-4), malachite green (T-12), and T-13. The wildtype B. emersonii differed from its albino mutants primarily in its response to antimycin A, T-4, and (T-8). The Blastocladiaceae were also compared with two yeasts and Staphylococcus aureus in their response to various toxicants.
The retention of calcium-45 in the stable bone fraction during dietary calcium restriction☆

Abstract The right arms of rats were amputated 67 days after the animals had received radiocalcium, at which time, according to evidence, the radioisotope was situated only in the stable calcium compartment of the bones. Groups of animals were then fed either ( a ) a high calcium diet, ( b ) a low calcium diet without vitamin D, or ( c ) a low calcium diet with vitamin D and sacrificed at periods of time up to 80 days after the operation. The identity of radiocalcium contents of the forearm bones of the left and right arms showed that the experimental dietary regimens employed did not accelerate the turnover of the fixed bone calcium fraction. Radioautographs of the humeri of the same animals also were not demonstrably different. The influence of skeletal accretion on bone calcium specific activity and the cautions necessary in interpretation of skeletal mineral specific activities in the rat are discussed.
Hepatitis Delta Antigen Requires a Minimum Length of the Hepatitis Delta Virus Unbranched Rod RNA Structure for Binding

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a subviral pathogen that increases the severity of liver disease caused by hepatitis B virus. Both the small circular RNA genome and its complement, the antigenome, form a characteristic unbranched rod structure in which approximately 70% of the nucleotides are base paired. These RNAs are associated with the sole virally encoded protein, hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg), in infected cells; however, the nature of the ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) is not well understood. Previous analyses of binding in vitro using native, bacterially expressed HDAg have been hampered by a lack of specificity for HDV RNA. Here, we show that removal of the C-terminal 35 amino acids of HDAg yields a native, bacterially expressed protein, HDAg-160, that specifically binds HDV unbranched rod RNA with high affinity. In an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, this protein produced a discrete, micrococcal nuclease-resistant complex with an ∼400-nucleotide (nt) segment of HDV unbranched rod RNA. Binding occurred with several segments of HDV RNA, although with various affinities and efficiencies. Analysis of the effects of deleting segments of the unbranched rod indicated that binding did not require one or two specific binding sites within these RNA segments. Rather, a minimum-length HDV RNA unbranched rod approximately 311 nt was essential for RNP formation. The results are consistent with a model in which HDAg binds HDV unbranched rod RNA as multimers of fixed size rather than as individual subunits.
Can Classical Acupuncture Points and Trigger Points Be Compared in the Treatment of Pain Disorders? Birch's Analysis Revisited

ABSTRACT Background: A 1977 study by Melzack et al. reported 100% anatomic and 71% clinical pain correspondences of myofascial trigger points and classical acupuncture points in the treatment of pain disorders. A reanalysis of this study's data using different acupuncture resources by Birch a quarter century later concluded that correlating trigger points to classical acupuncture points was not conceptually possible and that the only class of acupuncture points that could were the a shi points. Moreover, Birch concluded that no more than 40% of the acupuncture points examined by Melzack et al. correlated clinically for the treatment of pain (correlation was more like 18%–19%). Objective: To examine Birch's claims that myofascial trigger points cannot conceptually be compared to classical acupuncture points and that most (at least 60%) of the classical acupuncture points examined by the study of Melzack et al. are not recommended for treating pain conditions, negating their findings of a 71% clinical pain ...
PREHOSPITAL PEARLS, PITFALLS, AND UPDATES

Over the past 20 years, emergency medical services (EMS) have proliferated across the United States at a rapid rate. Because of the relative youth of prehospital medical care, there are many unanswered questions regarding interventions and therapeutics. Although prehospital interventions, such as airway management and defibrillation, are beneficial, most interventions performed in the prehospital setting have little data to indicate that patient outcome is positively influenced. Fortunately, over the past few years, the body of rigorous literature devoted to prehospital care has been expanding. In this section we present pearls, pitfalls, and recent innovations in EMS and prehospital care.
Cardiac Arrest due to Hyperkalemia following Intravenous Penicillin Administration

Two episodes of cardiopulmonary arrest occurred after the rapid intravenous administration of potassium penicillin G in a 60-year-old black woman with streptococcal endocarditis and sepsis. Asystole, ventricular fibrillation, and atrioventricular block suggested a positive relationship of these abnormalities to the rapid change in concentration of serum potassium produced by the injections. The fact that 1 x 106 units of potassium penicillin G contain 1.7 mEq K+ suggests that caution should be employed in the rapid intravenous administration of this antibiotic even in patients with normal serum electrolytes and a normal electrocardiogram.
Postnasal Drip Causes Cough and Is Associated with Reversible Upper Airway Obstruction

We prospectively evaluated nine patients with cough from postnasal drip for evidence of extrathoracic upper airway obstruction. Patients compared before treatment to normal control subjects had physiologic evidence of extrathoracic upper airway obstruction; their mean FIF 50% /FEF 50% and FlF 25-75% /FEF 25-75% ratios of 0.88 and 0.98 were significantly less than the values in control subjects of 1.28 and 1.37 (p
Effect of 5-benzylacyclouridine, a Potent Inhibitor of Uridine Phosphorylase, on the Metabolism of Circulating Uridine by the Isolated Rat Liver

5-Benzylacyclouridine (BAU) is a specific inhibitor of uridine phosphorylase, the first enzyme in the catabolism of uridine. It was found that 20 and 100 microM BAU dramatically reduced the rapid clearance of trace amounts of either [14C]uridine or hyperphysiologic concentrations of non-labeled uridine by the isolated rat liver perfused with an artificial oxygen carrier. In the absence of exogenously added uridine, non-treated livers maintained circulating concentrations of 1-2 microM uridine. In the presence of 20 microM BAU, these concentrations were increased 2- to 3-fold higher than physiologic levels (1.4 +/- 0.6 microM) and remained elevated for the duration of the experiment (120-160 min). In the presence of 100 microM BAU, uridine concentrations rose continuously at rates of between 80 and 150 nmoles per hr per g of liver, and the clearance of a single radioactive spike of uridine was reduced extensively. The half-life of a uridine spike was extended 2-fold in the presence of 20 microM BAU and 5- to 6-fold in the presence of 100 microM BAU. Exogenously added uridine (15 and 40 microM) was cleared rapidly by nontreated livers, with a half-life of approximately 10 min. However, BAU at a concentration of 20 microM increased the half-life of 15 or 40 microM uridine added to the perfusate by approximately 10-fold. A 100 microM concentration of BAU inhibited the removal of 40 microM circulating uridine, but with 15 microM uridine there was a continuous increase in the circulating concentration similar to that seen in the absence of added uridine. We conclude that extensive inhibition of uridine phosphorylase occurs at 100 microM BAU and partial inhibition at 20 microM BAU. These data indicate independent catabolic and excretory functions of the rat liver with respect to uridine.
Surface chemistry of methyl nitrite on Ag(111) : thermal and non-thermal processes

The thermal, electron and photon activation of methyl nitrite, CH3ONO, adsorbed on Ag(111) has been examined. Thermally there is no dissociation, and monolayers, which are weakly held, desorb at 131 K. Dissociation occurs readily when adsorbed CH3ONO is irradiated with either 50 eV electrons or photons with energies higher than 3.4 eV (λ < 365 nm). X-ray irradiation initiates dissociation and loss of N 1s and O 1s intensity that is consistent with ejection of NO. The only product ejected during irradiation with ultraviolet photons is NO. The cross-section for disappearance of the CH3ONO, as measured by its post-irradiation TPD peak area, is wavelength-dependent, generally rising with photon energy between 3.4 eV and the highest energy used here, 4.9 eV (λ = 254 nm). The cross-section is 0.26 ± 0.04 × 10−18cm2 at 3.4 eV and 1.15 ± 0.1 × 10−18cm2 at 4.9 eV. For 50 eV electrons, NO is also dominant but is accompanied by small amounts of CH3, CH2O and CH3OH. The initial cross-section for loss of CH3ONO is 5 ± 1 × 10−16cm2. Heating to 500 K after irradiation with electrons, X-rays or UV photons, leaves a clean Ag(111) surface. Among the products desorbed after photon or electron irradiation, methane and formaldehyde have been identified.
Circadian temperature and wake rhythms of rats exposed to prolonged continuous illumination

The purpose of this study was to simultaneously measure temperature and sleep in the rat under continuous illumination in an attempt to reveal properties of the underlying circadian oscillators. At first, the circadian rhythms of temperature and wake free-ran in parallel. Within weeks or months, circadian arrhythmicity developed in most animals. Both circadian rhythms eventually damped out, even at fairly low light intensities. The circadian rhythm of wake was weaker and disintegrated sooner than the circadian rhythm of temperature. Although the data did not rule out control by separate circadian oscillators, one for temperature and one for wake, a single oscillator model was sufficient to explain this phenomenon. Ultradian variations with a period of about 2-5 hr were superimposed upon the circadian rhythms. When the circadian rhythms damped out, the ultradian variations remained. The ultradian bursts of wake preceded the ultradian bursts of temperature, suggesting a causal relationship. On the other hand, the circadian rhythm of temperature could not be dependent on the circadian rhythm of wakefulness, because the temperature rhythm could persist while the wake rhythm was absent.
Smell and taste on a high: Symposium on Chemical Senses: From Genes to Perception

The first Keystone Symposium on Chemical Senses: From Genes to Perception took place between 21 and 25 January 2007, in Snowbird, Utah, USA, and was organized by P.Mombaerts and L.B. Vosshall. ![][1] Since the origin of life in the primordial soup, the survival of all organisms has depended on their ability to detect and respond to chemicals in their environment. Today, animal chemosensation—smell and taste—relies on sensory circuits that recognize diverse external chemical cues and transform them into precise patterns of neuronal activity to evoke the appropriate response (Ache & Young, 2005; Hildebrand & Shepherd, 1997). In contrast to the visual or auditory systems, determining how chemosensory stimuli are processed in the brain has relied heavily on molecular approaches (Julius & Katz, 2004). The identification of chemosensory receptor genes in vertebrates and invertebrates, pioneered by the Nobel Prize‐winning discovery of the mammalian odorant receptors (ORs) in 1991 (Buck & Axel, 1991), has provided the foundation for a genetic dissection of the organization and function of these sensory circuits. This Keystone Symposium brought 148 scientists to Snowbird, Utah, USA, to discuss the latest advances in the field. The four‐day meeting, framed by keynote lectures from L. Buck (Seattle, WA, USA) and R. Axel (New York, NY, USA), integrated a broad spectrum of topics, including receptor genomics and genetics, the developmental biology and physiology of chemosensory circuits, and chemosensory‐driven behaviours. The chemosensory receptors of an animal determine which molecules it can smell and taste; however, receptor repertoires must constantly adapt to the changing chemical stimuli that organisms face throughout evolution. For example, animals might encounter new food sources or predators, and might develop—or lose—social interactions based on chemical communication (Bargmann, 2006). S. Firestein (New York, NY, USA) and B. Trask (Seattle, WA, USA) presented cross‐mammal comparisons of both the ORs and the … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Commentary upon ‘should collective bargaining and labor relations be less adversarial?’

My commentary calls attention to what makes Mr. Bowie's paper well worth intensive consideration. In my brief evaluation, however, I only lay out three incoherent elements of his proposed family model of labor-management relations. I argue that complete job security is not compatible with complete freedom to change firms; that, in practice, such security for all employees is not compatible with the shifting demand of our economic system, and that the model includes two kinds of spouse relationships — one affectional and another competitive — that are incoherent with one another. My point is not that Mr. Bowie's model is fatally flawed, but that it needs to be improved.
Robust 3D visual tracking using particle filtering on the special Euclidean group: A combined approach of keypoint and edge features

We present a 3D model-based visual tracking approach using edge and keypoint features in a particle filtering framework. Recently, particle-filtering-based approaches have been proposed to integrate multiple pose hypotheses and have shown good performance, but most of the work has made an assumption that an initial pose is given. To ameliorate this limitation, we employ keypoint features for initialization of the filter. Given 2D-3D keypoint correspondences, we randomly choose a set of minimum correspondences to calculate a set of possible pose hypotheses. Based on the inlier ratio of correspondences, the set of poses are drawn to initialize particles. After the initialization, edge points are employed to estimate inter-frame motions. While we follow a standard edge-based tracking, we perform a refinement process to improve the edge correspondences between sampled model edge points and image edge points. For better tracking performance, we employ a first-order autoregressive state dynamics, which propagates particles more effectively than Gaussian random walk models. The proposed system re-initializes particles by itself when the tracked object goes out of the field of view or is occluded. The robustness and accuracy of our approach is demonstrated using comparative experiments on synthetic and real image sequences.
The effects of high concentrations of sodium or calcium ions on the lipid composition and properties of Tetrahymena membranes

Tetrahymena pyriformis cells have been grown in media varying in NaCl concentration from 3.7 mM (normal medium) to 0.3 M and varying in CaCl2 from 0.2 mM (normal medium) to 0.1 M. Tetrahymena grown in 0.3 M NaCl showed relatively few alterations in phospholipid composition, with significant changes being found only in the cell surface membranes (pellicle), which incrased in phosphatidylethanolamine content from 39% (low Na+) to 48% (high Na+) of the total phospholipids. The small decrease in fatty acid unsaturation and increase in shorter chain fatty acids in pellicle phospholipids were not statistically significant. No significant changes in phospholipid head group composition or fatty acid distribution were observed in high Ca2+-grown cells. Complementary studies of membrane fluidity, as inferred from freeze-fracture electron microscopy analysis, indicated that membranes of high Na+-acclimated cells were similar to those of control cells, when each was measured in its respective medium. However, the outer alveolar membrane of the pellicle and the food vacuolar membrane were considerably less fluid in high-Ca2+ cells. The lower fluidity in vacuolar membranes may have been responsible for alterations in the cells' capacity to form food vacuoles.
Transformed dissipation in superconducting quantum circuits

Superconducting quantum circuits must be designed carefully to avoid dissipation from coupling to external control circuitry. We describe a reformulation of dissipation theory based on a current-to-current transformer model. We test this theory with an experimentally determined impedance transformation of $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{5}$ and find quantitative agreement better than a factor of 2 between this transformation and the reduced lifetime of a phase qubit coupled to a tunable transformer. Higher-order corrections from quantum fluctuations are also calculated with this theory, but found not to limit the qubit lifetime. We also illustrate how this simple connection between current and impedance transformation can be used to rule out dissipation sources in experimental qubit systems.
Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution - 1863-1877

This "masterful treatment of one of the most complex periods of American history" (New Republic) made history when it was originally published in 1988. It redefined how Reconstruction was viewed by historians and people everywhere in its chronicling of how Americans -- black and white -- responded to the unprecedented changes unleashed by the war and the end of slavery. This "smart book of enormous strengths" (Boston Globe) has since gone on to become the classic work on the wrenching post-Civil War period -- an era whose legacy reverberates still today in the United States.
Functional brain imaging to identify affected subjects genetically at risk for Alzheimer's disease

In vivo brain imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) has helped to quantify and localize functional brain deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and to understand disease mechanisms, in relation to dementia severity and cognitive profile. In their PNAS article, Small et al. (1) now conclude that such imaging done twice within a 2-year period can identify pathologically affected but not demented subjects “at risk” for AD, who have memory complaints and an apolipoprotein E4 (APOE-4) allele. Although Small et al. (1) speculate that serial imaging “will assist in response monitoring during experimental treatments,” its potential for success remains to be demonstrated.
HEAT AND GROWTH-INHIBITING ACTION OF SERUM

The inhibiting action of homologous serum on the proliferation of fibroblasts in vitro was increased after the serum had been heated at 56° and 70°C. This action decreased after the serum had been heated at 100°C.
Multiplexed flow cytometric immunoassay for influenza virus detection and differentiation.

Microsphere-based immunoassay by flow cytometry has gained popularity lately in protein detection and infectious disease diagnosis due to its capacity for multiplexed analysis and simple assay format. Here, we demonstrated the power of microsphere-based immunoassay for high-sensitivity detection and accurate differentiation of influenza viruses. The effects of sample volume and bead number on the assay sensitivity of viral antigen detection were studied. Compared to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, flow-based bead assays provided ∼10-fold lower detection limit for viral particle detection and performed similarly for recombinant viral hemagglutinin protein detection. A four-plexed assay for influenza virus typing and influenza B virus sublineage characterization was developed to demonstrate the potential for multiplexed viral antigen detection and differentiation.
The temperature and salinity fine structure of the Mediterranean water in the Western Atlantic

Abstract The temperature and salinity fine structure of the Mediterranean Water in the Sargasso Sea (28°N, 70°W) have been studied with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution/Brown CTD microprofiler. The features observed are shown to be due to the advection of water with different temperature and salinity characteristics along isopycnal surfaces. The vertical density gradient of the water column is unaffected by the presence of the temperature inversions.
Additional flavonoids from elicitor-treated cell cultures of Cephalocereus senilis

Abstract Five major flavonoids induced by chitin in Cephalocereus senilis cell suspension cultures have been reported previously. We describe here five minor induced flavonoids including two new and three known ones. The two new compounds are (2 S )-5,6,7-trihydroxyflavanone 7-glucoside and baicalein 7-(6″-malonylglucoside).
The Use of Consensus Scoring in Ligand-Based Virtual Screening

A new consensus approach has been developed for ligand-based virtual screening. It involves combining highly disparate properties in order to improve performance in virtual screening. The properties include structural, 2D pharmacophore and property-based fingerprints, scores derived using BCUT descriptors, and 3D pharmacophore approaches. Different approaches for the combination of all or some of these methods have been tested. Logistic regression and sum ranks were found to be the most advantageous in different pharmaceutical applications. The three major reasons consensus scoring appears to enrich data sets better than single scoring functions are (1) using multiple scoring functions is similar to repeated samplings, in which case the mean is closer to the true value than any single value, (2) due to the better clustering of actives, multiple sampling will recover more actives than inactives, and (3) different methods seem to agree more on the ranking of the actives than on the inactives. Furthermore, c...
An alternative limit expression of Drazin inverse and its application

Abstract We present an alternative limit expression of Drazin inverse of a square matrix, and a new proof for a finite algorithm for determining the Drazin inverse is given using our new limit expression.
New Model for Evaluation of Traffic Operations at Electronic Toll Collection Plazas

Traffic simulation models are used to enhance planning, design, operation, and management of transportation facilities. A discrete-event stochastic object-oriented microscopic simulation model is presented that was specifically developed to evaluate the operational performance of toll plazas. Traffic behavior is represented using a set of mathematical and logic algorithms that control the conflicts among vehicles within the toll plaza area. Modified versions of car-following and lane-changing algorithms and a new toll-lane selection algorithm are integrated into this new model to simulate traffic operation at toll plazas. The model output includes measures of effectiveness (MOEs) that can be used to evaluate the performance of existing and future individual toll lanes and the entire toll plaza system. Real-world data collected at the busiest toll plaza in the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority system were used to validate the developed model. Statistical tests indicate that there is no significant...
Somatic movement of the mariner transposable element and lifespan of Drosophila species.

Abstract The effect of somatic movement of the mariner transposable element on lifespan was measured in Drosophila simulans and Drosophila melanogaster males at 25°C. In D. simulans this movement significantly decreased lifespan, whereas in D. melanogaster no correlation between transposon movement and lifespan was found. The results in D. Simulans support the hypothesis that somatic genetic damage induced by DNA element movement can reduce lifespan.
Hydrocephalus induction in mice infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 after antiviral treatment

By using antiviral chemotherapy to moderate the lethal effect of wild-type herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), a new mouse model for herpes simplex virus (HSV)-induced hydrocephalus was developed. Groups of BALB/c mice were infected either intracerebrally (i.c.) or intraperitoneally (i.p.) with a lethal dose of HSV-2. The antiviral agent 2'-fluoro-5-methylarabinosyluracil (FMAU) was administered i.p. 2 days after virus inoculation. By day 21, 80 and 71.4% of the mice infected i.c. or i.p., respectively, survived. The surviving animals were randomly subdivided into different groups and some were challenged i.c. or i.p. with a lethal or superlethal dose of homologous virus. The mice were sacrificed at 2 or 3 months after the initial virus infection. Neuropathological changes of the brains were assessed. Dilation of lateral and third ventricles was noted in the animals initially inoculated i.c., especially in all the animals inoculated i.c. and challenged i.c. with a superlethal virus inoculum, but not in those inoculated i.p. Microscopic examination of hydrocephalic brains revealed evidence of viral meningoencephalitis. Two different mechanisms of ventricular enlargement in this animal model are proposed. This model is relevant since HSV-induced cases of hydrocephalus have been reported to occur in humans and in particular neonates. Issues of virus persistence and expression, long-term evaluation for disease progression, and intervention strategies could be examined with this model.
Hypoxia differentially regulates the expression of neuroglobin and cytoglobin in rat brain.

Abstract Neuroglobin (Ngb) and Cytoglobin (Cygb) are new members of the globin family and display heterotopic expression patterns. To examine the effect of different hypoxia profiles on expression of Ngb and Cygb in rodent brain, rats were exposed to either sustained hypoxia (SH; 10% O 2 ) or intermittent hypoxia (IH; 10% and 21% O 2 alternating every 90 s) for 1, 3, 7 and 14 days, and mRNA and protein expression of Ngb and Cygb were assessed in brain cortex. SH increased Ngb mRNA and protein expression throughout the exposure, while IH only elicited slight increases in Ngb expression at day 1. Neither SH nor IH elicited increases in Cygb expression. Thus, hypoxic stimulus presentation is a major determinant of the regulation of hypoxic sensitive genes such as Ngb. Furthermore, disparities between Ngb and Cygb responses to hypoxia further suggest that these two globins may play divergent roles in brain.
The Icing of an Unheated, Nonrotating Cylinder. Part I: A Simulation Model

Abstract A model is described which simulates icing on an unheated, non-rotating cylinder. Both rime and glaze ice can be accounted for. The model computes the thermodynamic conditions and the initial icing rate as a function of angle around the upstream face of the cylinder. Although the model is not time-dependent, the initial icing rate can be used to compute local ice thickness after a specified time interval, and these in turn allow one to plot the ice accretion profile in either a single-step or multi-step fashion. Thus it is possible to predict total ice accretion cross-sectional area and mass for ice grown under varying conditions of airspeed, air temperature and pressure, cloud liquid water content, droplet size distribution, and cylinder size. Results are presented on the stagnation line growth rate as a function of liquid water content and airspeed, and examples of accretion profiles over a range of environmental conditions are provided. Although the model may be applied quite generally, the mo...
Laboratory Methods and Test Parameters

Over the 30 years during which these studies were done, the laboratory methods have changed greatly. At first, all were manual—eyeball techniques. Currently, most clotting—counting tests are automated. Despite these changes in technique, the reagents used and the results obtained have changed very little, and comparisons between old and new test values are quite valid. On the other hand, comparisons between species are fraught with technical difficulties. It has long been recognized that many protein lipid interactions are species-specific.
Architecting the Service Oriented Data Center

The adoption of SOA in business computing environments is growing due to the promise of significant cost reduction in the planning, deployment and operation of IT projects. However, the organic transformation from legacy enterprise applications to SOA applications only has been seen mostly in large enterprises datacenter where services are centralized. This paper discusses the effect of SOA, and specifically the effect of Outside-In SOA previously defined in the increasingly decentralized way in which data centers are deployed and managed. Patterns of adoption of SOA, in combination with emerging technologies lead us to believe that the traditional datacenter owned by a large organization, i.e., the traditional monolithic data center, will evolve into a more federated form, with horizontal specialization creating opportunities for smaller players and emerging economies. The decentralization of the physical datacenter will take place through federated services offered from distributed service providers. This new dynamic will affect large and small business alike.
Synthetic Coal Slag Infiltration into Varying Refractory Materials

The infiltrations of synthetic coal slag into 99%Al2O3, 85%Al2O3–15%SiO2, and 90%Cr2O3–10%Al2O3 refractories with a temperature gradient induced along the penetration direction were compared to one another. The infiltrating slag was synthesized with a composition that is representative of an average of the ash contents from U S coal feedstock. Experiments were conducted with a hot-face temperature of 1450°C in a CO/CO2 atmosphere. Minimal penetration was observed in the 90%Cr2O3–10%Al2O3 material because interactions between the refractory and the slag produced a protective layer of FeCr2O4, which impeded slag flow into the bulk of the refractory. After 5 h, the 99%Al2O3 sample exhibited an average penetration of 12.7 mm whereas the 85%Al2O3–15%SiO2 sample showed 3.8 mm. Slag infiltrated into the 99%Al2O3 and 85%Al2O3–15%SiO2 refractory systems by dissolving the respective refractories' matrix materials, which consist of fine Al2O3 particles and an amorphous alumino-silicate phase. Due to enrichment in SiO2, a network-former, infiltration into the 85%Al2O3–15%SiO2 system yielded a higher viscosity slag and hence, a shallower penetration depth. The results suggest that slag infiltration can be limited by interactions with the refractory through the formation of either a solid layer that physically impedes fluid flow or a more viscous slag that retards infiltration.
Blood pressure and stroke risk in left ventricular assist devices.

Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are among the most devastating outcomes arising from treatment of end-stage congestive heart failure with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). 1 Stroke after LVAD implantation is associated with increased risk of mortality and is a leading cause of not qualifying for transplantation. The risk of stroke is one of many factors limiting more widespread adoption of this technology for end-stage heart failure. The risk factors for stroke in patients with LVADs have been the subject of several studies, with recent infection 2 and changes in antithrombotics being commonly reported. 3 Despite a change in the technology of LVADs, the stroke rate has remained relatively constant for the last several years. A recent concern has been the increase in reported rates of pump thrombosis with the HeartMate II (Thoratec Corporation) device. 4 Pump thrombosis is a known risk factor for stroke, 5 although ischemic and hemorrhagic sub-types still seem to occur independently of thrombus in the LVAD. The role of typical cardiovascular disease comorbidities in stroke risk associated with LVAD use has not been as well established. In the general population without LVADs, hypertension is one of the strongest risk factors for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. 6 In this issue of the journal, investigators from Washington University report on the association between blood pressure during the inpatient stay for implantation with subsequent risk of stroke among 275 patients over 8 years of clinical experience. The authors defined the exposure as having greater than the median blood pressure over the final 48 hours before hospital discharge and showed a 12% absolute risk difference (hazard ratio 2.38) in stroke during the median follow-up with similar proportions of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. The authors also showed in multivariable models that this association remained independent of driveline infection, pump speed, or LVAD type and again demonstrated high post-stroke morbidity and mortality. The authors discuss blood pressure at the time of LVAD implantation as a novel risk factor for stroke, and their focus is in keeping with a recent report outlining a mean arterial pressure 490 mm Hg as a risk factor for pump thrombosis with the HeartWare HVAD 3 and experience from Pittsburgh showing patients not on antihypertensive medications experienced a higher risk of stroke. 7 However, several differences are worth noting with the latest report in this issue. Investigators from Washington University analyzed blood pressure at the time of device implantation, rather than near the time of stroke when blood pressure elevations are
The utility of nasopharyngeal culture in the management of chronic adenoiditis

Abstract Objectives To examine the utility of nasopharyngeal culture in the management of children with chronic adenoiditis to determine if it results in a change in antibiotic therapy. Methods Retrospective chart review of pediatric patients managed for chronic adenoiditis, being defined as cough, postnasal drip, and congestion for over three months with endoscopic evidence of nasopharyngeal purulence with normal anterior rhinoscopy and middle meati. Standard treatment was defined as amoxicillin clavulanate or amoxicillin clavulanate ES-600 in non-penicillin allergic patients, and cefuroxime or clarithromycin for penicillin allergic patients. Nasopharyngeal culture results and antibiotic prescriptions were reviewed to look for a change from the standard. Results Of 207 patients diagnosed with chronic adenoiditis, 198 had nasopharyngeal cultures (119 male, 79 female, mean age 3.7 years). The most common organisms isolated were Streptococcus pneumoniae sensitive to penicillin in 40 cultures (20.2%), S. pneumoniae intermediate or resistant to penicillin in 26 (13.1%), Moraxella catarrhalis in 27 (13.6%), Haemophilus influenzae in 57 (28.8%), and Staphylococcus aureus intermediate or resistant to penicillin in 26 (13.1%). 13.3% of S. aureus isolated was methicillin resistant. 103 (52.0%) children required different antibiotics from the standard, and 26 (13.1%) had no antibiotics prescribed based on a negative culture. Of the 87 children suspected to have upper airway reflux, 25 (28.7%) had negative cultures. Of the 135 patients with follow-up, 50 (37.0%) reported resolution and 50 (37.0%) reported improvement of their symptoms. Conclusion Nasopharyngeal culture has significant utility in the choice of antibiotics for children with chronic adenoiditis.
Equivalence of Hardware and Software: A case study for solving polynomial functions

Newton's Method for finding roots of polynomials is investigated as a case study in demonstrating the Principle of Equivalence of Hardware and Software. Implementations of this procedure in C++ code and in hardware on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) are presented. The similarities and differences in the two approaches are discussed.
Daily exercise training protects against albuminuria and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 shedding in db/db diabetic mice

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is involved in induction and progression of renal damage in diabetes. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is highly expressed in the kidney and has been shown to be renoprotective by degrading Ang II to Ang-(1-7). A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17)-mediated shedding of renal ACE2 contribute to diabetic nephropathy pathogenesis. Lifestyle modification and metformin are recommended as initial therapies for most patients with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether exercise training and/or metformin improve glucose homeostasis and albuminuria and downregulate renal ADAM17 and ACE2 shedding in db/db mice. Seven-week-old normal and db/db mice were subjected either to a sedentary existence or exercise training with and without metformin (150 mg/kg per day) for 10 weeks. Exercise training significantly lowered blood glucose, urinary albumin and ACE2 excretion in db/db mice. ADAM17 and ACE2 proteins were co-localized in cortical tubules of the kidney, indicating a possible interaction. Metformin treatment was effective in lowering hyperglycemia only during the first 2 weeks of treatment. Increased renal ADAM17 in 17-week-old db/db mice was corrected by physical exercise but not metformin. In addition, exercise training reduced plasma triglycerides and enhanced insulin levels of db/db mice. In conclusion, exercise training alone and in combination with metformin prevented shedding of renal ACE2 by decreasing ADAM17 protein. Urinary ACE2 could serve as a prognostic tool for the progression of kidney damage and its attenuation by exercise may partially contribute to its renal protection.
Fine-grained, structured configuration management for web projects

Researchers in Web engineering have regularly noted that existing Web application development environments provide little support for managing the evolution of Web applications. Key limitations of Web development environments include line-oriented change models that inadequately represent Web document semantics and in ability to model changes to link structure or the set of objects making up the Webapplication. Developers may find it difficult to grasp how theoverall structure of the Web application has changed over time and may respond by using ad hoc solutions that lead to problems of maintain ability, quality and reliability. Web applications are software artifacts, and as such, can benefit from advanced version control and software configuration management (SCM)technologies from software engineering. We have modified an integrated development environment to manage the evolution and maintenance of Web applications. The resulting environment is distinguished by itsfine-grained version control framework, fine-grained Web contentchange management, and product versioning configuration management, in which a Web project can be organized at the logical level and itsstructure and components are versioned in a fine-grained manner aswell. This paper describes the motivation for this environment as well as its user interfaces, features, and implementation.
Stress analysis in machining with the use of sapphire tools

Stress birefringence in sapphire tools has been used to determine the stress boundary conditions in machining. Steel and brass specimens were machined orthogonally at speeds of up to 75 m min$^{-1}$ at a maximum feed rate of 0.381 mm per revolution to study the effect of speed and feed rate on stress distributions. The shear-difference method was used to calculate the normal and shear stresses from isochromatics and isoclinics obtained experimentally. The normal stress was found to peak at the cutting edge and decrease exponentially to zero at the end of the contact length. The shear stress was either zero or very small at the edge, increasing to a maximum in the middle of the contact length and reducing to zero at the end of the contact. The peak normal stress was found to be approximately 1.5-2 times the average normal stress.
Multicellular Tumor Spheroids as a Model for Assessing Delivery of Oligonucleotides in Three Dimensions

Oligonucleotides have shown promise in selectively manipulating gene expression in vitro, but that success has not translated to the clinic for cancer therapy. A potential reason for this is that cells behave differently in monolayer than in the three-dimensional tumor, resulting in limited penetration and distribution of oligonucleotides in the tumor. This may be especially true when oligonucleotides are associated with nanocarriers such as lipoplexes and polyplexes, commonly used delivery vehicles for oligonucleotides. The multicellular tumor spheroid (MCTS), a three-dimensional model that closely resembles small avascular tumors and micrometastases, has been utilized as an intermediate between monolayer culture and in vivo studies for the screening of small-molecule drugs. However, spheroids have been little used for the study of various oligonucleotide delivery formulations. Here, we have evaluated the uptake and efficacy of splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides using various delivery modalities in two- and three-dimensional culture models. We find that the size of the delivery agent dramatically influences penetration into the spheroid and thus the biological effect of the oligonucleotides. We hypothesize that the MCTS model will prove to be a useful tool in the future development of oligonucleotide delivery formulations.
A novel treatment for inferior mediastinal abscess via abdominal laparoscopy

Mediastinal abscess can be managed through a variety of both invasive and minimally invasive methods, as determined by location and spread of infection. Thoracotomy remains the gold standard in treatment and is often employed. In the present case, a 54-year-old female with chronic pancreatitis presented with a 1-week history of severe epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting. On CT scan, a large abscess was discovered in the anterior inferior mediastinum. She was taken to the operating room and underwent laparoscopic drainage of the abscess. Laparoscopy represents a novel approach in management of anterior inferior mediastinal abscess.
Computing aggregates for monitoring wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks involve very large numbers of small, low-power, wireless devices. Given their unattended nature, and their potential applications in harsh environments, we need a monitoring infrastructure that indicates system failures and resource depletion. We describe an architecture for sensor network monitoring, then focus on one aspect of this architecture: continuously computing aggregates (sum, average, count) of network properties (loss rates, energy-levels etc., packet counts). Our contributions are two-fold. First, we propose a novel tree construction algorithm that enables energy-efficient computation of some classes of aggregates. Second, we show through actual implementation and experiments that wireless communication artifacts in even relatively benign environments can significantly impact the computation of these aggregate properties. In some cases, without careful attention to detail, the relative error in the computed aggregates can be as much as 50%. However, by carefully discarding links with heavy packet loss and asymmetry, we can improve accuracy by an order of magnitude.