cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of an emergency department based transient ischemic attack clinical pathway: a pilot study in knowledge translation.

Abstract Objectives: To assess the feasibility of implementing an emergency department (ED)–based transientischemic attack (TIA) clinical pathway that uses computer-based clinical support, and to evaluate measuresof quality, safety, and efﬁciency.Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of adult patients presenting to a community ED withsymptoms consistent with acute TIA. Adherence to the clinical pathway served as a test of feasibility.Compliance with guideline recommendations for antithrombotic therapy and vascular imaging wereused as process measures of quality. The 90-day risk of recurrent TIA, stroke, or death provided estimatesof safety. Efﬁciency was assessed by measuring the rate of uneventful hospitalization, deﬁned as a hospitaladmission that did not result in any major medical event or vascular intervention such as endarterectomyor stent placement.Results: Of the 75 subjects enrolled, physician adherence to the clinical pathway was 85.3%, and 35 patients(46.7%) were discharged home from the ED. Antithrombotic agents were prescribed to 68 (90.7%), andvascular imaging was performed in 70 (93.3%). The 90-day risk of recurrent TIA was seven out of 75(9.3%; 95% conﬁdence interval [CI] = 4.6% to 18.0%), one patient experienced stroke (1.3%; 95% CI =0.2% to 7.2%), and three patients died (4.0%; 95% CI = 1.4% to 11.1%). Uneventful hospitalization occurredin 38 of 40 patients (95.0%).Conclusions: Implementation of a clinical pathway for the evaluation and management of TIA usingcomputer-based clinical support is feasible in a community ED setting. This pilot study in knowledgetranslation provides a design framework for further studies to assess the safety and efﬁciency of astructured ED-based TIA clinical pathway.ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2007; 14:1114–1119 a 2007 by the Society for Academic EmergencyMedicineKeywords: TIA, transient ischemic attack, emergency department, clinical pathway
A unified, global model for the pyrolysis of cellulose

Abstract Complex interactions occur between the many competing and sequential chemical reactions during the pyrolysis of cellulose, making the prediction of the pyrolysis products relatively difficult. The purpose of this paper is to present cellulose pyrolysis as a comprehensible interaction of time, temperature and pressure. Appropriate kinetic data for seven first-order global reactions for the pyrolysis of cellulose were found in the literature. A mathematical model was developed, in which the seven reactions occurred simultaneously so long as the feedstock for the particular reaction existed. The seven differential equations representing the reaction rates were numerically integrated simultaneously to obtain the products of pyrolysis as a function of time, temperature, heating rate and pressure. This program was used to predict many results and trends observed in both slow and fast pyrolysis: very high yields of condensible vapors (primary oils) were predicted under high heating rates to modest final temperatures; high char yields were predicted for slow heating rates at low temperatures; high gas yields were predicted for fast pyrolysis at high temperatures.
The effect of organizational size and program status on information systems managers' perceptions of telecommuting

This study documents responses relating to advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting from a national survey mailed to information systems (IS) managers. These managers were selected because of both the explicit and implicit roles they play in technology decisions, including those related to telecommuting. Two variables thought to be associated with IS managers beliefs about telecommuting are isolated for measurement and testing. The two variables are firm size and whether the organization currently has a telecommuting program in place. Results indicate that neither firm size nor the existence of a telecommuting program affect beliefs of IS managers concerning the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting. These results lend credence to the hypothesis that a consensus is forming regarding the benefits and drawbacks associated with this innovative and alternate work arrangement.
Effect of oral contrast for abdominal computed tomography on emergency department length of stay

Computed tomography of the abdomen and/or pelvis (CTAP) is frequently used in the emergency department (ED) allowing diagnosis of a variety of conditions, but requiring a prolonged period of preparation. To determine whether not requiring oral contrast for CTAP reduces ED length of stay (LOS). Retrospective cohort of adult patients visiting an academic ED over 13 weeks around a radiology protocol change. Before the change, many CTAPs required oral contrast; thereafter, oral contrast was not required. LOS was compared before and after the change among all adult ED patients. Among patients undergoing CTAP, adjusted LOS and time to CTAP were compared using multivariate linear regression. 20,464 adult ED visits occurred over the study period, including 1,806 where a CTAP was performed. Oral contrast usage decreased from 42.5% of CTAP to 12.2% (difference 30.3%, 95% confidence interval 38.7% to 46.3%). There was no change in LOS among all ED visits. Among ED visits where a CTAP was performed, median time to CTAP decreased by 27 min and median LOS decreased by 30 min. Adjusted LOS decreased from 324 min (312–337) to 297 min (285–309). Not routinely requiring oral contrast for CTAP in the ED is associated with a half-hour reduction in LOS among all patients undergoing CTAP.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath TuImor with Glandular and Rhabdomyoblastic Differentiation A Case Report

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor with glandular and rhabdomyoblastic differentiation is a rare neoplasm: only six cases have previously been documented. The clinical evolution and immunohistochemical profile with use of a large battery of immunohistochemical markers of a case occurring in the right lumbar paraspinal region in a 28-year-old man is reported.
Vitamin D dependence and aboral gradient of in vivo intestinal calcium transport in the rat.

Rates of small-and large-intestinal calcium transport and their dependence on low doses of vitamin D were compared. Young rats were depleted of vitamin D by feeding a rachitogenic diet for 8–9 weeks; 48 and 24 hr prior to study, half were repleted with 200 IU vitamin D2. Duodenum and ileum, or cecum and colon, were perfused separately in situ with 1.6 mM calcium and tracer45Ca in saline. There was an aboral gradient for net calcium transport and lumen-to-plasma flux with higher values in proximal than distal segments. Vitamin D repletion increased net calcium flux and lumen-to-plasma flux in duodenum and ileum, but not cecum and colon. Plasma-to-lumen flux (calculated as the difference between lumen-to-plasma flux and net flux) tended to be higher in colon than other segments and was not altered by vitamin D repletion.
Kinetics and EEG Effects of Midazolam during and after 1-Minute, 1-Hour, and 3-Hour Intravenous Infusions

The objective of this study was to evaluate the kinetics and dynamics of midazolam when administered by three different infusion schemes, using electroencephalography to measure pharmacodynamic effects. In a three-way crossover study, 8 volunteers received midazolam (0.1 mg/kg) by constant-rate intravenous infusion. The durations of midazolam infusions for the three trials were 1 minute, 1 hour, and 3 hours. Plasma midazolam concentrations and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in the 13- to 30-Hz range were monitored for 24 hours. Based on separate analysis of each subject-trial, mean values for volume of distribution and distribution or elimination half-life did not significantly vary. Central compartment volume and clearance differed among the three midazolam infusion trials; however, the magnitude of change was small. EEG activity in the 13- to 30-Hz range significantly increased for all three midazolam infusion trials. Plots of midazolam plasma concentration versus pharmacodynamic EEG effect for the 1-hour and 3-hour infusion trials did not reveal evidence of either counterclockwise or clockwise hysteresis. Plots from the 1-minute infusion trial demonstrated counterclockwise hysteresis, consistent with an equilibration effect-site delay. This was incorporated into a kinetic-dynamic model in which hypothetical effect-site concentration was related to pharmacodynamic EEG effect via the sigmoid E(max) model. Analysis of all three infusion trials together yielded the following mean estimates: maximum EEG effect, 16.3% over baseline; 50% maximum effective concentration, 31 ng/mL; and an apparent rate constant for drug disappearance from the effect compartment which approached infinity. Despite the delay in effect onset during the 1-minute midazolam infusion, midazolam infusions in duration of up to 3 hours produce CNS sedation without evidence of tolerance.
Three-dimensional polymeric systems for cancer cell studies

Three-dimensional (3-D) culture of cancer cells and of normal mammalian cells in a polymeric matrix is generally a better alternate model for understanding the regulation of cancer cell proliferation and for evaluation of different anticancer drugs. A substantial amount of evidence demonstrates important differences in the behavior of cells grown in monolayer, i.e., two-dimensional (2-D), and in 3-D cultures. Cancer cells grown in 3-D culture are more resistant to cytotoxic agents than cells in 2-D culture; growth of cells in vitro in 3-D requires a suitable polymer that provides a structural scaffold for cell adhesion and growth. Many naturally derived polymers as well as synthetic polymers have been investigated as scaffolds. The aim of this review is to overview the polymeric materials of natural and synthetic origin that are of specific interest to 3-D cell cultures, and discuss the development of new polymers that should be specifically designed for 3-D culture applications.
Qualitative behavior of heavy-ion elastic scattering angular distributions

To study the qualitative features of elastic scattering in the presence of strong absorption, the scattering amplitude is decomposed into what the semiclassical approach calls positive- and negative-deflection-angle contributions. For an amplitude obtained from partial-wave summation this is done without approximation by considering the two amplitudes corresponding to the decomposition of each Legendre polynomial into its two traveling-wave components. It is necessary to separately consider the amplitude arising from the infinite-range Coulomb interaction which does not admit a partial-wave expansion. To decompose this amplitude we follow an approach which leads to increased understanding of the "diverging lens" effect of the Coulomb field and the related Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction structure of angular distributions. In addition, the absence or presence of oscillation at back angles is shown to be related to the dominance of reflective or "encirclement" scattering. By examining the phase of the positive-deflection-angle contribution to the scattering amplitude, we are able to conclude, in agreement with Frahn, that the smooth fall in tandem heavy-ion elastic angular distributions arises from a diffractive shadow and not a refractive or Coulomb-rainbow shadow.NUCLEAR REACTIONS HI elastic angular distributions interpreted.
A Model to Predict Contact Resistance During Contact Solidification in Ribbon Growth on Substrate Process

Ribbon Growth on Substrate (RGS) has emerged as a promising method for growing multicrystalline silicon wafer directly on a substrate for photovoltaic applications. In this method, the wafer forms as a substrate contacts molten silicon for a controlled period of time. Due to the surface roughness, a thin layer of air is trapped at the interface of the substrate and molten silicon, leading to a contact resistance to heat transfer. The interfacial heat transfer plays an important role in determining the subcooling rate and nucleation, which defines the structural characteristics of the wafer. The contact resistance has been identified as an important phenomenon that affects solidification at the interface. It is dependent on many factors such as the roughness and wetting of the substrate as well as the substrate pre-heating temperature. Quantitative knowledge of the interfacial heat transfer resistance is essential for control of the solidification process. A mathematical model is presented for quantification of the interfacial heat transfer resistance during the initial stage of the solidification for RGS process. A three dimensional unit cell is constructed to represent the contact geometry and interface characteristics. The surface roughness, the mean trapped air layer between the substrate and the liquid, the parameters of area density and the radius of contact spots will be included in the geometry of the unit cell. A microscale heat transfer model is developed to describe conduction and radiation across the interface to quantify the contact heat transfer resistance as a function of surface roughness, morphology and preheating temperatures of the substrate. The contact resistance is incorporated into a heat transfer model and predicts the temperature variation with time in the substrate during the initial stage of contact. The presented model provides a valuable tool to predict the effect of various process parameters and substrate surface roughness on wafer growth during the RGS process.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Site-specific mutations in the traI relaxase and upstream region of plasmid RP4.

Abstract The relaxase of RP4 nicks the double-stranded plasmid at the oriT site and binds covalently to DNA at the 5′ end of the nick. The 80-kDa relaxase (TraI) is encoded on an operon with several overlapping open reading frames (ORFs). The importance in conjugation of a short ORF (traX) with a start site overlapping the 5′ terminus of traI was investigated, as well as the effects of specific mutations in the relaxase. Elimination of TraX reduced the transfer efficiency by approximately 50% in several intergeneric matings, especially when Escherichia coli was the donor. While TraI was essential for transfer to occur, deletion of the C-terminus of TraI decreased, but did not eliminate plasmid transfer. Mutation of the active site tyrosine resulted in residual transfer associated with amino acid misincorporation.
Use of a homopolar generator in hydrogen production from water

Abstract This paper examines the direct induction of a low voltage in a rotating electrode by outside magnets in hydrogen production. Possible gains include the absence of a generator, transformer and rectifier. Two configurations were experimentally examined. In the first (A), a disc was rotated at 2000–3000 rpm in a field around 0.9 T. The hydrogen-oxygen production was measured as a function of rotation speed. In a second (B), a permanent magnet was placed at each end of a propeller, which was made to rotate. The poles of the magnet passed over a series of conductors, themselves separated into groups. The pulsed potential induced in each group was applied directly to a conventional electrochemical cell, to produce H2 and O2. An economic gain in electrolysis by the use of homopolar generators seem difficult to realize using permanent high-strength magnets, but reduction in cost of equipment by around 50% appear likely using electromagnets.
Heat Transport in Graphene Interconnect Networks With Graphene Lateral Heat Spreaders

We simulated heat propagation in the integrated graphene heat spreaders within the interconnect hierarchy. In the considered design, the graphene layers perform the dual functions of interconnects and heat spreaders. We investigated Joule heating effects within the chip with graphene interconnect networks and heat spreaders. Numerical solutions for direct current and heat propagation equations were found using the finite-element method. The simulation results showed that the use of graphene as interconnects as well as heat spreaders lowers the maximum temperature of the chip. The maximum temperature of the chip was studied as a function of the interconnect current and thickness of few-layer graphene. Our results are important for design of graphene-based thermal and electrical interconnect networks in the next generations of integrated circuits and 3-D electronics.
The Effect of Fatty Acid Composition on the Acrylation Kinetics of Epoxidized Triacylglycerols

Epoxidized oils, epoxidized triacylglycerols, and epoxidized fatty acid methyl esters were made by reaction with performic acid formed in situ. The extent of epoxidation was ca. 95% for all of the epoxidized samples, as determined by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. The epoxidized samples were reacted with an excess of acrylic acid for different reaction times. The acrylation reaction was found to have a first-order dependence on the epoxide concentration for all oils, pure triacylglycerols, and fatty acid methyl esters. However, the rate constant of acrylation was found to depend on the composition of the epoxidized material. The acrylation rate constant for 9,10-epoxystearic acid was 96 L2/(mol2·min). The rate constant of acrylation for the epoxides on 9,10,12,13-diepoxystearic acid was 60 L2/(mol2·min). The acrylation rate constant for the epoxides on 9,10,12,13,15,16-triepoxystearic acid was 50 L2/(mol2·min). Thus, the rate constant of acrylation increased as the number of epoxides per fotty acid decreased. Multiple epoxides per fatty acid decrease the reactivity of the epoxides because of steric hindrance effects, and the oxonium ion, formed as an intermediate during the epoxyacrylic acid reaction, is stabilized by local epoxide groups. These results were used to derive an acrylation kinetic model that predicts rate constants from fatty acid distributions in the oil. The predictions of the model closely match the experimentally determined rate constants.
The fracture resistance of a binary TiAl alloy

The fracture resistance of a binary Ti-47Al (in at. pct) alloy has been investigated. The binary alloy was cast, forged, and heat treated to a fully lamellar microstructure with a colony size of either 640 or 1425 µm. Fracture toughness tests were performed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with a loading stage. Direct observations of the fracture process indicated that crack extension commenced at a stress intensity level of 1.2 to 4 MPa√m. The crack path was primarily interlamellar and crack extension across an individual colony or across similarly oriented colonies was relatively easy. In contrast, crack arrest was prevalent when the crack encountered the boundaries of unfavorably oriented colonies. To extend into an unfavorably oriented neighboring colony, the K level of the approaching crack had to be increased significantly to renucleate a microcrack at a location away from the crack tip, resulting in the formation of an interconnecting ligament that must be fractured to further crack growth. This interaction between the crack and the microstructure led to a large variation in the slope of the K R curves. Comparison of the K R curves for the binary Ti-47Al alloy against published data for quinary Ti-47Al-xNb-yCr-zV alloys indicates that the initiation toughness of the quinary alloys is higher by a factor of 5 to 10, implying the existence of a significant beneficial effect of alloying additions on the initiation toughness.
Hypotension, Anemia, and Abnormal Partial Thromboplastin Time Accurately Predict the Need for Massive Transfusion in Trauma Patients

Multivariate (OR) CI p Value ISS 1.05 1.04-1.07 0.000 Factor II (% activity) 0.97 0.95-1.00 0.023 Factor V (% activity) 0.99 0.97-1.00 0.075 Factor VII (% activity) 1.01 1.00-1.02 0.011 Factor VIII (% activity) 1.00 1.00-1.00 0.946 Factor IX (% activity) 1.00 0.99-1.00 0.326 Factor X (% activity) 0.99 0.96-1.02 0.427 Protein C (% activity) 1.00 0.99-1.01 0.629 Vol. 219, No. 3S, September 2014 Surgical Forum Abstracts S45
Material-based design of the extrusion of bimetallic tubes

Abstract Using finite element and polycrystalline plasticity modeling, we explore the influence of die design and material behavior on the extrusion of bimetallic tubes. Three distinctly different extrusion designs are introduced and evaluated based on a range of macroscopic and microstructural criteria: die and punch stress, interface roughness, peak forming loads, and strain and crystallographic texture heterogeneities across the tube thickness. We find that an extrusion die design proposed here that differs from the conventional one is better for reduction of peak forming load satisfying objectives of the traditional design. However, when the design is more constrained and considerations of strain and microstructural heterogeneities and gradients are made part of the design criteria, we show that one die design promotes such gradients while the other minimizes them. In all three designs, large disparities in flow stress and hardening rate (>3 times) lead to larger interfacial strain gradients. These findings provide basic die designs that can be used to evaluate the degree and locations of strain and texture gradients across the tube thickness.
Release of a model protein from biodegradable self assembled films for surface delivery applications

Layer-by-layer (LbL) films have multiple features that make them attractive for drug delivery, including the potential to sequentially deliver growth factors from implantable medical devices or tissue engineering scaffolds. To date, however, characterization has been lacking for protein delivery from such films. Here, LbL polyelectrolyte films constructed with the model protein lysozyme and a hydrolytically degradable and biocompatible synthetic polycation are characterized. Milligram/cm(2) scale linear or power law release profiles can be achieved over 2 to 34 days, and control over loading and release are demonstrated through parameters such as tuning the degradability of the synthetic polycation, changing the number of layers used, or changing the polysaccharide polyanion. Functionality is maintained at nearly 100%, underscoring mild processing conditions apt to preserve fragile protein function. LbL films thus have promise as a tool for exploring protein modulation of the interaction between implanted surfaces and the cells they contact.
A phase II study of bevacizumab plus erlotinib for gemcitabine-refractory metastatic pancreatic cancer

Purpose No standard of care exists for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer following progression on first-line chemotherapy. Based on potential for additive or synergistic activity by concurrent inhibition of VEGF and EGFR, we conducted a phase II study evaluating the combination of bevacizumab plus erlotinib in this patient population.
Effects of weaning age and milk feeding frequency on dairy calf growth, health and rumen parameters

Abstract Various methods can be used to feed dairy calves that may influence calf performance and these include changing frequency of feeding or age at weaning. Two trials were conducted to determine effects of feeding frequency and weaning age on calf growth, health and rumen development, where 124 Holstein heifer and bull calves were weaned at 3, 4, 5 or 6 weeks of age. During Trial 1, milk replacer (12.5% DM; 22% CP, 15.6% fat) was fed at 10% BW twice per day until 1 week prior to weaning when intake was reduced to 5% BW. During Trial 2 calves were fed at 10% BW in two feedings until 14 days, then at 10% BW once daily until 1 week prior to weaning when milk replacer was reduced to 5% BW. Blood glucose and urea nitrogen, BW 4 h post-feeding, heart girth, hip height, and withers height 4 h post-feeding were obtained weekly. Growth and structural measurements were similar for all treatments up to 8 weeks of age in both trials. Blood constituents and health observations were not different between trials. Similar growth and performance between treatments in both trials through 8 weeks of age indicate that calf performance is not affected by weaning early and feeding once daily.
Regulation of Hepatic Lanosterol 14α-Demethylase Gene Expression by Dietary Cholesterol and Cholesterol-Lowering Agents

Abstract Binding of sterol response element binding protein 1a to sterol response element-1 (SRE-1) in the promoter region of lanosterol 14α-demethylase (14DM) has been demonstrated previously. Decreased 14DM activity has been shown to result in accumulation of the intermediate, 3β-hydroxy-lanost-8-en-32-al, a known translational downregulator of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. Since it has also been demonstrated that feedback regulation of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase occurs primarily at the level of translation, the effects of dietary cholesterol and cholesterol lowering agents on levels of hepatic 14DM mRNA and immunoreactive protein were investigated. Addition of 1% cholesterol to a chow diet markedly decreased hepatic 14DM mRNA and protein levels in Sprague-Dawley rats. The extent and time course of this decrease in 14DM immunoreactive protein closely paralleled that of HMG-CoA reductase. Supplementation of the diet with the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, Lovastatin, to a level of 0.02%, raised 14DM mRNA and protein levels 2- to 3-fold. Addition of 2% Colestipol, a bile acid binding resin, to the chow diet caused smaller increases. The highest level of 14DM protein expression was observed in liver, the major site of feedback regulation of HMG-CoA reductase by cholesterol. Taken together, these observations suggest a critical role for 14DM in the feedback regulation of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase.
An Experimental Test of Negotiation Strategy Effects on Knowledge Sharing Intentions in Buyer–Supplier Relationships

Negotiations are an essential element of buyer–supplier relationships that form the foundation of modern supply chains. Research has identified two common types of negotiation strategies that are used in buyer–supplier negotiations. A win–win negotiation strategy attempts to maximize mutual gain while a win–lose strategy focuses on obtaining a disproportionate share of benefits. This study investigates the relational costs of adopting a negotiation strategy in terms of adverse effects on knowledge sharing intentions in interdependent buyer–supplier relationships. A between-subjects scenario-based experiment is used to test hypotheses developed from applicable literature and social exchange theory. Results of the experiment indicate that employing a win–lose negotiation strategy may decrease future intentions toward information exchange, communication quality and operational knowledge transfer between buyers and suppliers. The findings inform managerial aspects of supply chain relationship management, extend the negotiation literature to consider longer-term effects of common negotiation strategies and provide insights into social exchange theory.
Moment Equations and Dynamics of a Household SIS Epidemiological Model

An SIS epidemiological model of individuals partitioned into households is studied, where infections take place either within or between households, the latter generally happening much less frequently. The model is explored using stochastic spatial simulations, as well as mathematical models which consist of an infinite system of ordinary differential equations for the moments of the distribution describing the proportions of individuals who are infectious among households. Various moment-closure approximations are used to truncate the system of ODEs to finite systems of equations. These approximations can sometimes lead to a system of ill-behaved ODEs which predict moments which become negative or unbounded. A reparametrization of the ODEs is then developed, which forces all moments to satisfy necessary constraints. Changing the proportion of contacts within and between households does not change the endemic equilibrium, but does affect the amount of time it takes to approach the fixed point; increasing the proportion of contacts within households slows the spread of the infection toward endemic equilibrium. The system of moment equations does describe this phenomenon, although less accurately in the limit as the proportion of between-household contacts approaches zero. The results indicate that although controlling the movement of individuals does not affect the long-term frequency of an infection with SIS dynamics, it can have a large effect on the time-scale of the dynamics, which may provide an opportunity for other controls such as immunizations to be applied.
THE CLONING OF A RAT PEPTIDOGLYCAN RECOGNITION PROTEIN (PGRP) AND ITS INDUCTION IN BRAIN BY SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Peptidoglycan recognition protein (PGRP) binds to peptidoglycan (PG) or live bacteria and is upregulated by PG. PGRP is a ubiquitous protein involved in innate immunity. Tag7, a novel cytokine, is also induced by bacterial products; tag7 is apoptotic to murine L929 cells in a NF-kappaB-independent manner. Both of these genes are expressed in brain, lymphatic and haematopoietic tissues. We provide evidence that murine PGRP and tag7 encode identical transcripts and have structural relationships to lysozymes. Further, we have cloned the cDNA of rat PGRP and analyzed its expression in brains of sleep-deprived and control rats. The mRNA levels of PGRP/tag7 were measured by RT-PCR and compared to the housekeeping gene porphobilinogen deaminase (PBD). PGRP was constitutively expressed in rat brain. PGRP mRNA was increased by 43% and 17% in the brainstem and hypothalamus, respectively, in sleep-deprived rats compared to controls. The upregulation of PGRP expression by sleep deprivation suggests a role for PGRP in a homeostatic regulation of sleep.
Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in elderly patients following myocardial infarction - Are all HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors alike?

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality in elderly patients. While coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality have decreased over the last 25 years, the percentage reduction in elderly patients is nearly 50% lower than that for the general adult population. Therefore, aggressive primary and secondary prevention of CHD is imperative for our society, and hyperlipidaemia remains the major modifiable risk factor in the elderly population. However, there appears to be a reluctance among practitioners to treat hyperlipidaemia in elderly patients, a bias that is particularly important given the absolute benefits of treating such patients. While many of the major clinical trials involving HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) in patients with CHD focused on younger individuals, subsequent subgroup analyses of elderly patients have shown consistent reductions in all-cause mortality, major CHD events and numbers of revascularization procedures. Intensive statin therapy in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (MI) has also been shown to reduce the risk of death, MI, unstable angina, revascularization and stroke in elderly patients. Furthermore, three recent articles that have evaluated intensive lipid-lowering in the elderly population have extended the known benefits of such therapy to elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome and stable CHD. Elderly patients often take multiple medications and are at significant risk of drug-drug interactions. Several available statin medications are metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and can therefore interact with commonly used medications such as amiodarone, macrolide antibacterials, calcium channel antagonists, fibric acid derivatives and ciclosporin. These interactions can result in an increased frequency of statin-related hepatotoxicity and myopathy. There are currently six commercially available statin medications on the US market, three of which, lovastatin, simvastatin and pravastatin, are available in generic formulations, and are thus less expensive. Of the commercially available statins, rosuvastatin, atorvastatin and simvastatin have the highest potency. While rosuvastatin currently lacks clinical event data, atorvastatin has the most clinical event data for CHD and even stroke prevention. Although pravastatin has lower potency than other described statins, it also has the lowest risk of drug-drug interactions involving CYP.
Neuronal and synaptic organization of the outer plexiform layer of the pigeon retina.

The organization of the outer plexi-form layer (OPL) of the pigeon retina is described by electron microscopy and Golgi impregnation. Six types of photoreceptor, four types of horizontal cell, eight types of bipolar cell, and an interplexiform cell type were found by Golgi impregnation. The OPL was tri-stratified due to the endings of the photoreceptors at three different levels. This stratification was reflected in the laminar arrangement of the dendrites of the horizontal and bipolar cells. Electron microscopy showed that the synaptic endings of the photoreceptors made ribbon synapses, both triads and dyads, and basal junctions with the process of second-order neurons. Horizontal cells formed conventional chemical synapses, while horizontal cell axon terminals were extensively linked by gap junctions.
Protease inhibitors influence the direction of neurite outgrowth.

Abstract Addition of protease inhibitors to the culture medium has been shown to enhance neurite outgrowth by cultured mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Those results are now extended to show that a diffusible source of soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) or zones of immobilized STI can orient the direction of outgrowth towards the region of STI. However, a high concentration of diffusible STI promotes outgrowth in the opposite direction from the STI source. Immobilized leupeptin, l -lysine, or d -Phe-Pro-Arg-chloromethyl ketone can also direct outgrowth towards their immobilized areas, as do zones of laminin or fibronectin. However, derivatized zones containing urokinase or thrombin preferentially direct outgrowth away from those zones. These data support the hypothesis that a balance between extracellular protease and inhibitor is important in mediating interactions between neurite growth cone and extracellular matrix.
Inosine and lactate: factors critical during growth for development of competence in Haemophilus influenzae.

Abstract Competence in bacteria is the capacity of the cells to take up extracellular DNA from the medium. The development of competence in H. influenzae takes place in two phases. In phase one the organisms are grown and in phase two competence is developed (Goodgal & Herriott, 1961) . High levels of competence develop when the medium for both phases is Difco brain heart infusion broth (B-H) supplemented with hemin and nicotinamide adeninedinucleotide (NAD). It was observed that when cells were grown in a chemically defined medium they failed to yield comparable high levels of competence even though the second phase medium was B-H (Talmadge & Herriott, 1960) . This suggested that B-H contained unrecognized competence promoting activity that was essential during growth. The present report describes evidence that inosine and L(+) lactate together, have such activity.
Adaptive Disturbance Rejection for the Rapidly Deployable Stable Platform when Transferring Cargo in Seas

In this paper, we will consider an adaptive output feedback control law with direct adaptive disturbance rejection for the Rapidly Deployable Stable Platform (RDSP). The RDSP is a combined spar and catamaran where the spar lifts the catamaran completely out of the water when transferring cargo, creating a much more stable platform than traditional craneships. This vessel is under development for potential sea cargo transfer applications. The controller, developed to minimize the pitch of the platform when transferring cargo at sea, requires only pitch measurements in near real time. The results in this paper show that the adaptive control and disturbance rejection technique can effectively reduce roll in seas when cargo is being lifted or when waves are producing the primary external forces on the vessel.
School Ownership—The Essential Foundation of Restructuring

If principals want to restructure their schools to achieve lasting improve ment, they must share their power and make teachers "co-owners," says this former principal.
Jovian VLF chorus and Io torus aurora

A test particle model of the cyclotron resonance interaction of waves and trapped radiation belt particles is used to estimate the energetic electron fluxes precipitated by Jovian VLF chorus waves observed on the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft near the Io torus. The precipitation fluxes induced by 1-s-long chorus wave packets at L = 7.6 and 8.6 are estimated to be bursts of 5s duration with a peak of 0.3-3 and 0.7-7 ergs/sq cm s that consist of electrons of 5-100 keV energy and that arrives at the ionosphere 15 s after the generation of the chorus wave at the equatorial plane. The effects in the Jovian ionosphere of the chorus-induced precipitation are estimated using existing ionospheric models. A possible experiment for measuring Jovian chorus-induced aurora is proposed and discussed.
Two-dimensional spectral interferometry, a versatile, linear method for real-time beam characterization

Two-dimensional spectral interferometry is a linear, real-time method for spatio-temporal beam characterization. It is used here to measure the spatio-temporal structures induced by a 2D pulse shaper and to enhance a time-resolved spatial phase measurement.
A formal CH insertion reaction of an aryl nitrene into an alkyl CH bond. Implications for photoaffinity labelling.

Abstract Triplet m-nitrophenyl nitrene reacts with frozen polycrystalline toluene at the benzylic position to give appreciable yields of a formal CH insertion adduct. This reaction does not occur on photolysis of m-nitrophenyl azide in toluene solution.
The pulse-thermal processing of NdFeB-based nanocomposite magnets

Pulse-thermal processing (PTP) based on high-density plasma arc lamp technology has been utilized to crystallize melt-spun NdFeB-based amorphous ribbons to form magnetic nanocomposites consisting of Nd2Fe14B and α-Fephases. After applying suitable pulses, the NdFeB-based ribbons were developed with hard magnetic properties. The highest coercivity can be obtained for ribbons with a thickness of 40 μm after PTP treatments consisting of a 400 A pulse for 0.25 s for ten times. The correlation between PTP parameters and magnetic properties indicates that PTP is an effective approach to control the structure and properties of nanostructured magnetic materials. Transmission-electorn microscopy analysis revealed that the observed decoupling between the hard and the soft phases is related to large grain size in the samples, which is in turn related to different heating conditions in different regions of samples.
Random Access Design for UMTS Air-Interface Evolution

Comprehensive long term evolution of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) specifications is currently ongoing to provide significant improvement over the current release. Important goals for the evolved system include significantly improved system capacity and coverage, low latency, reduced operating costs, multi-antenna support, flexible bandwidth operations and seamless integration with existing systems. To ensure low latency, users must be able to establish a connection to the network quickly. This paper provides a preliminary design and procedure for the random access channel used to establish a connection when the mobile is not yet time-synchronized to the network in the uplink.
Evidence for charge ordering at room temperature in Fe 3 O 4

A previously unknown form of charge ordering has been observed in magnetite, ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}_{4},$ a material that is currently studied for possible use in the emerging field of magnetic multilayer devices. In many crystalline materials, electrons are more or less localized on specific lattice sites. In some such cases, longer range fluctuations in electron density known as charge-density waves or charge ordering also occur. Charge ordering is usually associated with structures that have a well-defined two-dimensional layer structure, and the periodicity of the charge ordering is often irregularly related to the basic structural repeat unit. We report observations at room temperature and above of a new form of charge ordering in thin films of magnetite, which has a cubic, rather than a layered, structure. We show that this phenomenon of charge ordering on tetrahedral sites is unrelated to the well-known low-temperature ordering on octahedral sites that occurs below 120 K. From electron-diffraction patterns we deduce the magnitude and crystallographic orientation of the fluctuations, and find they are a regular multiple of the underlying structure. In addition, we present electron micrographs in which the charge ordering is visible, and which clearly show disorganized boundaries between regions of regularly arranged charge ordering. We believe that ordering of this type in magnetite may not have been observed previously because of insufficient purity and perfection of the materials studied. However, we suspect that similar charge ordering is likely in other metal oxides of high crystal quality where metal ions have mixed-valence states.
The “Ecological Motif” in the Theology of H. Richard Niebuhr

significant tradition in Western Christianity for at least the last several hundred years, a tradition which separates man from nature and invests him with a dominant position over it. Gradually we are coming to recognize that we will have to revise some of our thinking in this area. In particular, we need to come to grips with what many consider to be a deep-seated anthropocentricism in Christianity. A harbinger of this recognition is a paper which Lynn White, Professor of History at the University of California, presented to the American Academy of Science in December, 1966.1 Entitled "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis," it poses the issue in a particularly forceful and compelling way. Our difficulties with the environment, he argues, are at base theological rather than technological. They derive from a domineering attitude we have toward nature, which in turn is rooted in the Christian belief system with its "dogma of man's transcendence of, and rightful mastery over, nature." In the words of the first chapter of Genesis, man is made in the "image of God" and given "dominion" over all creatures of the earth. Add to that the Christian's rejection of primitive animism, with its sense of a divine presence in natural objects such as waterfalls, trees, and animals, and "the old inhibitions to the exploitation of nature" fall away. We are left with the feeling that man can do with nature about as he pleases. As a corrective to this "anthropocentric" outlook, White proposes that we give renewed attention to a neglected tradition in Christian thought represented by St. Francis of Assisi. This "spiritual revolutionary," known primarily for his sermons to members of the animal kingdom, "tried to depose man from his monarchy over creation and set up a democracy of all God's creatures." Though he did not succeed at the time, his thought could have special relevance for the
Identification of CD4+T-Cell-Stimulating Antigens by Expression Cloning

Abstract The antigens recognized by CD4 + T cells are key to rational vaccine design, but have been difficult to identify due to limitations of conventional methods. A novel strategy for identifying CD4 + T-cell-stimulating antigen genes is described here. Using antigen-specific, lacZ-expressing T cells as single-cell probes, a DNA library was screened as recombinant Escherichia coli. An antigen gene was isolated from the E. coli clone that, when ingested by the macrophages, allowed generation of the appropriate peptide/MHC class II complex and T-cell activation. This strategy was successfully applied to the identification of a previously unknown listeria gene product with characteristics of a membrane-bound lipoprotein.
Sodium and potassium permeability of membrane vesicles in a sarcolemma-enriched preparation from canine ventricle

Vesicles in a highly enriched sarcolemma preparation from canine ventricle were found to develop membrane potentials in response to outwardly directed potassium and inwardly directed sodium concentration gradients. The magnitude of the potential measured by the fluorescent dye diS−C3-(5) suggested a sodium-to-potassium permeability ratio between 0.2 and 1.0 which is one to two orders of magnitude greater than values obtained for the myocardial cell. Radiotracer techniques were employed to evaluate the permeability coefficients of the isolated cardiac sarcolemma membrane for sodium and potassium under equilibrium conditions (i.e., equal salt concentrations in the intravesicular and extravesicular spaces). The uptake of sodium and potassium was best described by two exponential processes which followed an increment of uptake that occurred prior to the earliest assay time (i.e., 17 sec). The compartment sizes were linear, nonsaturable functions of the cation activity. Evaluation of the rate coefficients of cation uptake by the two exponential processes versus cation activity revealed that sodium influx via the slow process and potassium influx via the fast process varied linearly with cation activity, suggesting that the permeability coefficients were concentration independent for these compartments. Conversely, sodium influx via the fast process exhibited a nonlinear increase with increasing sodium activity, and potassium influx via the slow process appeared to saturate with increasing potassium activity. In general, the permeabilities of the sarcolemma-enriched preparation for sodium and potassium were of equal magnitude. The permeability coefficients were lower than that for the potassium coefficient reported for cardiac cells but are in the range of that reported for sodium.
Varieties of Multiple Antecedent Cause

A great deal has been written over the past decade defending ‘higher-level’ causes by arguing that overdetermination is more complex than many philosophers initially thought. Although two shooters overdetermine the death of a firing squad victim, a baseball and its parts do not overdetermine the breaking of a window. But while these analyses of overdetermination have no doubt been fruitful, the focus on overdetermination—while ignoring other varieties of causal relation—has limited the discussion. Many of the cases of interest resemble joint causes or a cause necessitating a simultaneous epiphenomenon as much as they resemble overdeterminers. If we are to fully understand higher-level causation, we need to distinguish it from these causal relations as well. This paper is dedicated to the task, focusing especially on the ‘threat’ that higher-level causes are epiphenomena necessitated by lower-level causes.
Verifying safety of interconnected passive systems using SOS programming

We consider a network of interconnected dynamical subsystems with a state-space safety constraint and propose a verification technique that constructs a (robustly) invariant set verifying safety. The invariant set is a sublevel set of a Lyapunov function constructed from local storage functions for each subsystem. Our approach requires only knowledge of a local passivity property for each subsystem and the static interconnection matrix for the network, and we pose the safety verification as a sum-of-squares (SOS) feasibility problem. We consider first the case when, in the absence of disturbance, the unique equilibrium of the network is known. We then extend these results to the case when the equilibrium of the networked system is unknown.
Determination of the current density distribution in Josephson tunnel junctions

The magnetic field dependence of the maximum Josephson current ${I}_{m}({H}_{y})$ in tunnel junctions is a function of the integral of the Josephson current density distribution in the direction of the magnetic field: ${j}_{1}(x)=\ensuremath{\int}{j}_{1}(x,y) \mathrm{dy}$. It is shown that a determination of ${j}_{1}(x)$ from ${I}_{m}(H)$ is often ambiguous. Cases of different ${j}_{1}(x)$ with the same ${I}_{m}(H)$ are given. Experimental results of a study of the growth of microshorts in Josephson junctions are presented. Experimental configurations with which ${j}_{1}(x)$ can be determined are discussed.