cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Algorithms for Real-Time FastHARP Cardiac Function Analysis

FastHARP is a magnetic resonance pulse sequence that can acquire tagged cardiac images at 40 ms per frame. Data from just two heartbeats can be used to compute in-plane quantities using the harmonic phase (HARP) method for describing myocardial deformation, such as circumferential and radial strain. Although HARP computations have previously been coded to keep pace with the FastHARP pulse sequence, further computational speed improvements are necessary in order to achieve either smoother strain images using view-sharing concepts or more tracked points for more detailed strain analysis. In this work, we present faster processing routines that allow improved temporal resolution and more detailed real-time tracking and analysis. With this code, HARP strain computations can now be computed and displayed in real-time after a one heartbeat delay with a temporal interval of 20 ms.
Towards testable neuromechanical control architectures for running.

Our objective is to provide experimentalists with neuromechanical control hypotheses that can be tested with kinematic data sets. To illustrate the approach, we select legged animals responding to perturbations during running. In the following sections, we briefly outline our dynamical systems approach, state our over-arching hypotheses, define four neuromechanical control architectures (NCAs) and conclude by proposing a series of perturbation experiments that can begin to identify the simplest architecture that best represents an animal's controller. Disciplines Engineering Comments @INBOOK{Revzen-TestArch07, chapter = {Towards Testable Neuromechanical Control Architectures for Running}, pages = {25-56}, title = {Progress in Motor Control A Multidisciplinary Perspective}, publisher = {Springer Science+Business Media, LLC NY}, year = {2008}, editor = {D Sternad}, author = {S Revzen and D E Koditschek and R J Full}, doi = {10.1007/978-0-387-77064-2} This working paper is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/ese_papers/507 Towards Testable Neuromechanical Control Architectures for
VACUUM PUMPING FOR CONTROLLED THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS

Thermonuclear reactors impose unique vacuum pumping problems involving very high pumping speeds, the handling of hazardous materials (tritium), extreme cleanliness requirements, and quantitative recovery of pumped materials. Two principal pumping systems are required for a fusion reactor, a main vacuum system for evacuating the torus and a vacuum system for removing unaccelerated deuterium from neutral beam injectors. The first system must pump hydrogen isotopes and helium while the neutral beam system can operate by pumping only hydrogen isotopes (perhaps only deuterium). The most promising pumping techniques for both systems appear to be cryopumps, but different cryopumping techniques can be considered for each system. The main vacuum system will have to include cryosorption pumps cooled to 4.2°K to pump helium, but the unburned deuterium-tritium and other impurities could be pumped with cryocondensation panels (4. 2°K) or cryosorption panels at higher temperatures. Since pumping speeds will be limited by conductance through the ducts and thermal shields, the pumping performance for both systems will be similar, and other factors such as refrigeration costs are likely to determine the choice. The vacuum pumping system for neutral beam injectors probably will not need to pump helium, and either condensation or higher-temperature sorption pumps can be used.
Supplemental Microbial Phytase Improves Bioavailability of Dietary Zinc to Weanling Pigs

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of supplemental microbial phytase on utilization of dietary zinc by weanling pigs. Experiment 1 was a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 24 pigs for 4 wk. Two levels of phytase activity (0 and 1350 units/g) and three levels of zinc (0, 30 and 60 mg/kg as ZnSO4.7H2O) were added to a corn-soybean meal basal diet. Weekly measures included growth performance, plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and plasma mineral concentrations. In Experiment 2, mineral balances were determined in 12 pigs fed the basal diet or the diet with added zinc (30 mg/kg) or phytase (1350 units/g). The results indicated that either supplemental phytase or supplemental zinc increased plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and plasma zinc concentrations, but these increases were not additive. Supplemental phytase decreased plasma alkaline phosphatase activity in pigs supplemented with zinc. Supplemental phytase also significantly enhanced weight gain, feed intake, gain:feed ratio, plasma concentrations of inorganic phosphorus, and retention of phosphorus and calcium. Neither supplemental phytase nor zinc affected zinc retention. Supplementing corn-soybean meal diets with microbial phytase at 1350 units/g feed improves bioavailability of zinc as well as of phytate phosphorus to weanling pigs.
Evaluation of historical and future simulations of precipitation and temperature in central Africa from CMIP5 climate models

Global and regional climate change assessments rely heavily on the general circulation model (GCM) outputs such as provided by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5). Here we evaluate the ability of 25 CMIP5 GCMs to simulate historical precipitation and temperature over central Africa and assess their future projections in the context of historical performance and intermodel and future emission scenario uncertainties. We then apply a statistical bias correction technique to the monthly climate fields and develop monthly downscaled fields for the period of 1948–2099. The bias-corrected and downscaled data set is constructed by combining a suite of global observation and reanalysis-based data sets, with the monthly GCM outputs for the 20th century, and 21st century projections for the medium mitigation (representative concentration pathway (RCP)45) and high emission (RCP85) scenarios. Overall, the CMIP5 models simulate temperature better than precipitation, but substantial spatial heterogeneity exists. Many models show limited skill in simulating the seasonality, spatial patterns, and magnitude of precipitation. Temperature projections by the end of the 21st century (2070–2099) show a robust warming between 2 and 4°C across models, whereas precipitation projections vary across models in the sign and magnitude of change (−9% to 27%). Projected increase in precipitation for a subset of models (single model ensemble (SME)) identified based on performance metrics and causal mechanisms are slightly higher compared to the full multimodel ensemble (MME) mean; however, temperature projections are similar between the two ensemble means. For the near-term (2021–2050), neither the historical performance nor choice of models is related to the precipitation projections, indicating that natural variability dominated any signal. With fewer models, the “blind” MME approach will have larger uncertainties in future precipitation projections compared to projections by the SME models. We propose the latter a better approach in regions that lack quality climate observations. Our analyses also show that the choice of model and emission scenario dominate the uncertainty in precipitation projections, whereas the emission scenario dominates the temperature projections. Although our analyses are done for central Africa, the final Bias-Corrected Spatially Downscaled data set is available for global land areas. The framework for climate change assessment and the data will be useful for a variety of climate assessment, impact, and adaptation studies.
A Procedure for Differential Staining of Cartilage and Bone in Whole Formalin-Fixed Vertebrates

This paper describes a modification of the Simons and Van Horn (1971) procedure for rendering cartilage blue, bone red, and soft tissue translucent or transparent in whole vertebrate specimens. Alcian blue and alizarin red S are used to stain cartilage and bone respectively. In our procedure formalin is used as a fixative. This is a significant modification because formalin is the common fixative for museum specimens. This clearing and staining procedure is thus readily applicable to comparative studies in anatomy, embryology and systematic zoology.
The evolution of interfacial topology during coarsening

Quantitative characterization of coarsening is achieved through topological measurements such as the genus, the number of handles, and the number of independent bodies (liquid droplets). Topological analysis was performed on experimentally derived, three-dimensional reconstructions of dendritic microstructures. Measured topological quantities were reported on a per volume basis and scaled by the length scale of the system to remove effects of the changing length scale during coarsening. The scaled genus decreased with coarsening time due to the simplification of the topology of the microstructure, while the number of liquid droplets increased with coarsening time. These results were supplemented with calculations of the interfacial velocity determined using phase-field simulations that employ the experimental three-dimensional reconstructions as the initial condition. Through these calculations it is shown that liquid droplets form through capillary-driven instabilities of interconnected liquid channels, while liquid tubes are created through topological singularities occurring on large planar-like walls of liquid.
Semantic similarities between a keyword database and a controlled vocabulary database: an investigation in the antibiotic resistance literature

The KeyWords Plus in the Science Citation Index database represents an approach to combining citation and semantic indexing in describing the document content. This paper explores the similarities or dissimilarities between citation-semantic and analytic indexing. The dataset consisted of over 400 matching records in the SCI and MEDLINE databases on antibiotic resistance in pneumonia. The degree of similarity in indexing terms was found to vary on a scale from completely different to completely identical with various levels in between. The within-document similarity in the two databases was measured by a variation on the Jaccard Coefficient—the Inclusion Index. The average inclusion coefficient was 0.4134 for SCI and 0.3371 for MEDLINE. The 20 terms occurring most frequently in each database were identified. The two groups of terms shared the same terms that consist of the “intellectual base” for the subject. Conceptual similarity was analyzed through scatterplots of matching and nonmatching terms vs. partially identical and broader/narrower terms. The study also found that both databases differed in assigning terms in various semantic categories. Implications of this research and further studies are suggested.
Protein metabolism and liver disease

In health, the liver orchestrates the metabolism of proteins and amino acids. When the liver is diseased, the regulation of protein metabolism is frequently disturbed. The manifestations of disturbed protein metabolism in liver disease are varied and change with disease aetiology and severity. The hallmarks of protein and amino acid metabolism in liver disease are lowered concentrations of circulating branched-chain and increased concentrations of circulating aromatic amino acids with concomitantly altered amino acid kinetics. The changes in amino acid kinetics in liver disease are characterized by increased endogenous leucine flux, an indicator of protein breakdown, and leucine oxidation in the post-absorptive state (when calculated using a reciprocal-pool model and normalized for body cell mass). In addition, the increase in whole-body protein synthesis in response to an amino acid infusion may be attenuated in patients with cirrhosis. These changes are often accompanied by clinically apparent muscle wasting, manifest as protein-calorie malnutrition, and associated low levels of hepatically synthesized plasma proteins. While the pathogenesis of these changes in protein and amino acid metabolism has not been elucidated, altered levels of circulating hormones, known to affect protein metabolism, are probably important. Lowered levels of micronutrients and trace metals and elevated levels of cytokines may also play a role.
Fullerene molecules and tubules polarizabilities, vibrational modes and nanocapillarity

Abstract Recent algorithmic and computational advances for density-functional-based investigations of clusters now allow for the calculation of a multitude of low-energy phenomena in complex clusters and molecules. Here we discuss methods for the first-principles calculation of linear and non-linear electronic polarizabilities and for vibrational modes. Results from recent calculations on the C60 molecule show that the local-density-approximation (LDA) is capable of a very accurate quantitative description of such phenomena. As an example of how the high polarizability of caged carbon compounds might be beneficially exploited for new technological applications, we review recent simulations which predicted that fullerene tubules behave as molecular straws.
Using Current Literature Selections to Nurture the Development of Kindness in Young Children.

Learning to display kindness and compassion for others is a critical and ongoing developmental process and an important part of young children’s evolving social competence (Han and Kemple in Early Child Educ J 34(3):241–246, 2006; Moore in Early Child Educ Today 19(3):36–44, 2004). The capacity to care emanates from physical and psychological caregiving by nurturing others, develops into self-nurturing, and gradually supports the ability to nurture others (McNamee and Mercurio in Early Child Res Pract, http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v9n1/mcnamee.html , Spring 2007). Literature that highlights and supports secure attachment and positive interaction between young children and their significant adults and highlights kindness serves to build foundations of trust whereby prosocial behaviors such as sharing, helping, comforting, and caring are acknowledged and valued. A rationale, selection criteria, and teaching strategies for using picture books to encourage kindness are presented. Fourteen children’s books are reviewed and recommended.
Rapid recovery of non-hemolyzed serum and untraumatized cells by using a new method of blood defibrination in vitro.

Abstract Platelet-free cellular elements and non-hemolyzed, chemically unaltered serum are important research components of the cellular immunology laboratory. Both can be recovered from the same peripheral blood sample if it is properly defibrinated. The numbers of cells recovered from heparinized aliquots of blood from healthy donors were not significantly different from the numbers of mononuclear leukocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and erythrocytes recovered from blood samples which had been mechanically defibrinated in vitro with a stationary, cone-shaped ‘TP’-like device which we here describe. Compared with serums obtained from clotted blood, or from blood defibrinated by using glass beads, we found that serums from blood defibrinated with the ‘TP’-like device had the lowest detectable levels of hemoglobin, free DNA, or LDH. Serums from TP-defibrinated blood were not different from clotted serum samples with regard to the function of the classical complement pathway, the alternative complement pathway, C4 hemolytic activity, and most serum chemistries. Use of the TP-defibrinator in immunology laboratories is an ideal way to prepare blood for rapid isolation of cellular elements and non-hemolyzed serum from the same sample.
A release of nitrogen oxides in Bogalusa, Louisiana and similarities of causation to the Bhopal MIC release☆

Abstract The causes of a release of nitrogen oxides and nitric acid that occurred in Bogalusa, Louisiana in 1995 resembled those of the MIC release in Bhopal, India. The initiating event in both accidents was the entry of water into a storage vessel, which started a series of chemical reactions. An analysis of the underlying causes of these accidents shows some striking similarities (e.g. large quantities of a toxic chemical in storage, lack of instrumentation, inadequate mechanical systems, inadequate operating and maintenance procedures). Further, in both incidents a similar pattern of previous incidents, ignored warnings and ignored safety recommendations existed. Several layers of administrative and engineering options that could have prevented or mitigated these incidents are discussed. It is hoped that the identification of recurring root and contributing causes will help to prevent future accidents.
Landau theory of the nematic-smectic-A phase transition under shear flow

Shear flow distorts the microstructure of fluids if the Deborah number scrD becomes comparable to 1. In complex fluids, exotic hydrodynamics effects are often seen in this regime. We compute within Landau theory the structure factor S(q) of a sheared nematic liquid crystal close to the nematic to smectic-A (N--Sm-A) phase transition. As a function of increasing Deborah number, the pretransitional smectic-A fluctuation clusters become increasingly geometrically restricted, evolving from their usual three-dimensional ellipsoidal shape for scrD\ensuremath{\ll}1 to an extremely anisotropic one-dimensional shape for scrD\ensuremath{\gg}1. We discuss the predictions of Landau theory for x-ray diffraction experiments for various orientations of the nematic director. The suppression of pretransitional critical fluctuations by shear flow is found to raise the transition temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{N}--\mathrm{Sm}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$A, and peculiarly, ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{N}--\mathrm{Sm}\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$A is found to depend on the orientation of the director. The presence of the microscopic fluctuation clusters under the shear flow is also reflected on the macroscopic level. The classical theory of the hydrodynamics of nematic liquid crystals, due to Ericksen, Leslie, and Parodi (ELP), is found to be incomplete. We compute the new fluctuation-induced forces that must be added to ELP nematic hydrodynamics and we discuss their consequence, in particular for large scrD, the analog of shear-thinning for liquid crystals.
Abdominal arterial conduits for CABG and GI complications.

I commend A.T. Yilmaz et al. [1] for excellent reporting on a somewhat infrequent but significantly distressing complication following open heart surgery. Though GI complications occur 0.3%–3% of cardiac surgery with CPB and a subsequent alarming mortality rates of 11–67% [1], it would be of interest for readers to know the authors current incidence following the increased use of the gastro-epiploic artery and the inferior epigastric artery as preferred arterial conduits in routine CABG surgery. Also, the dissection technique of these arterial conduits may also play a role in increasing GI morbidity.
Climatic and historical factors controlling horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of two sympatric beech species, Fagus crenata Blume and Fagus japonica Maxim., in eastern Japan

Abstract The Japanese Archipelago is unique when viewed in terms of beech flora, since two native species, Fagus crenata Blume and Fagus japonica Maxim., occur sympatrically there. In order to examine the most important environmental or historical factors restricting the geographical ranges of these beech species in eastern Japan (34–44°N and 137–143°E), horizontal and vertical distributions were comparatively examined in detail. The study used two kinds of data sets: (1) DS1, constructed by assembling data from literature, herbarium specimens, etc., and (2) DS2, based on a mesh vegetation database. The upper range limit was expected to be in equilibrium with the current climatic conditions for both species (correlated with temperature factors for F. crenata and with snow depth for F. japonica ). The lower range limit was also expected to be in equilibrium with the present climatic condition for both species, but the importance of competition with evergreen trees was also suggested. Dispersal limitation and a topo-geological barrier (for F. japonica ) were expected to strongly restrict the northern range limit. Under contrasting climatic conditions in winter (between the Pacific and the Sea of Japan sides in eastern Japan) the geographic ranges of the two beech species are differentiated because of a difference in tolerance to heavy snowfall. A range shift model that assumes a migration lag along a horizontal direction because of dispersal limitation can explain the observed distribution patterns of these beech species in relation to climatic change in the Quaternary.
Oral Analgesia with Topical Capsaicin in Cancer Patients

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME : To determine if topical capsaicin could be a medical nutrition therapy intervention for patients with the oral pain of cancer-related therapies. Many cancer patients experience oral pain as a side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Controlling this pain can increase the ability of these patients to maintain adequate food intake and continue with cancer therapies. Capsaicin, responsible for the burn of chili peppers, desensitizes pain receptors. The desensitization is more rapid in the mouth than skin because receptors are closer to the surface. The desensitization requires capsaicin exposure followed by removal of the capsaicin which allows the burn to fade. Capsaicin was delivered to the mucosa via a taffy vehicle (1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper per pound of taffy) to 5 cancer patients (4 head/neck cancer, 1 bone marrow transplant) receiving radiation alone or with chemotherapy. Patients were recruited if they experienced between a "moderate" and "strong" level of oral pain on a labeled magnitude scale ranging from "barely detectable" (0mm) to "strongest imaginable" (122mm). After rating their pre-therapy pain, patients placed the taffy in their mouth and rated the pain (clinical pain plus capsaicin burn) every 2minutes for 20minutes. Patients were instructed to allow the candy to dissolve completely (between 6 to 10minutes). Average pain rating went from between "moderate" and "strong" (33mm) prior to the treatment, peaked slightly at 6minutes (36mm), and fell to between "barely detectable" and "weak" (5mm) at 20minutes. This was a statistically significant change in reported pain (Friedman Analysis of Variance, p=.0001). The peak pain (clinical pain plus capsaicin burn) showed large variability across subjects. This variability may be related to factors that are known to influence the perceived capsaicin burn (e.g., sex, genetic taste status). In summary, those patients experiencing moderate to strong oral pain may benefit from the capsaicin candy therapy. The dietitian could increase acceptance of this therapy by contacting patients when their initial pain is not too severe to prohibit them trying a therapy that may temporarily increase pain before relieving pain. As well, individualizing the level of capsaicin based patient characteristics may decrease the burn from the capsaicin candy therapy. (Supported in Part by NIH Grant Number M01RR00125.)
Computational modeling for honeycomb-stator gas annular seal

Abstract Gas annular seals are commonly adopted for leakage control in turbomachinery applications. Honeycomb seals are attractive from the viewpoints of leakage control as well as rotordynamic stability. To improve our understanding of thermo-fluid-physics in such seals, a computational capability is developed for low Mach number, compressible, turbulent flows. The emphases of the present study include (i) development of an original numerical scheme with periodic boundary conditions for flows around repeated geometries, (ii) evaluation of a low Reynolds number version of the k – e turbulence model suitable for the operating conditions of honeycomb seals, and (iii) 3-D computations to assess the implications of the numerical predictions for practical configurations including velocity, pressure, temperature characteristics and loss mechanisms.
Secret sharing in fast fading channels based on reliability-based hybrid ARQ

Consider a wireless transmission from Alice to Bob in the presence of an eavesdropper, Eve. We propose a technique to allow Alice to send a message such that Bob can decode it but Eve can get little information about the message. This scenario is a classic example of the wiretap channel, for which several researchers have begun to develop practical schemes. However, we consider a challenging version in which the channel from Alice to Eve may be as good or better than the channel from Alice to Bob. There have been no practical secrecy coding techniques that have been developed for this scenario. The key to allow secret communication in such a scenario is feedback from Bob to Alice (which Eve can also observe). The scheme we develop uses reliability-based hybrid automatic-repeat-request (RB-HARQ) over a fast fading channel to provide a decoding advantage at Bob. Bob requests information about received symbols that suffer from deep fades. The retransmitted symbols improve Bobpsilas ability to decode the message faster than at Eve, who sees retransmission of bits with random reliabilities. We evaluate the proposed scheme by performance measures such as the probability of successful decoding and the equivocation rate at Eve.
A Comparative View of the Law of Interrogation

Forty years ago, when the U.S. Supreme Court fashioned the Miranda procedure to safeguard the rights of suspects subject to police interrogation, the procedure and its exclusionary remedy were considered an American novelty. Few countries then required the police to issue preinterrogation warnings, and it was rare for courts to exclude confessions on the grounds of procedural violations. The past forty years have seen significant changes in the criminal justice landscape on the world scene. Today, the concept of preinterrogation warnings is widely accepted, and failure to issue the required warnings in many countries constitutes a ground for exclusion. This article explores the development in the law of interrogation in England, Canada, France, Germany, Russia, and China. The American Miranda procedure is used as a reference point to highlight the similarities and differences between American and other countries’ practices.
Expression of MXI1, a Myc antagonist, is regulated by Sp1 and AP2.

MXI1, a member of the MADfamily of Myc antagonists, encodes a transcription factor whose expression must be tightly regulated to maintain normal cell growth and differentiation. To more closely investigate the transcriptional regulation of the human MXI1 gene, we have cloned and characterized the MXI1 promoter. After clarification of the 5′- and 3′-untranslated regions of the cDNA (indicating that the true length of the MXI1 transcript is 2643 base pairs), we identified two transcription initiation sites. We subsequently isolated the MXI1 promoter, which is GC-rich and lacks a TATA box. Although it contains at least six potential initiator sequences, functional studies indicate the proximal two initiator sequences in combination with nearby Sp1 and MED-1 sites together account for virtually all promoter activity. We also demonstrate thatMXI1 promoter activity is repressed by high levels of AP2. These studies provide further insight into the complex regulatory mechanisms governing MXI1 gene expression and its role in cellular differentiation and tumor suppression.
Slow Degradation of Aggregates of the Alzheimer’s Disease Amyloid β-Protein by Microglial Cells

Microglia are immune system cells associated with senile plaques containing beta-amyloid (Abeta) in Alzheimer's disease. Although microglia are an integral part of senile plaques, their role in the development of Alzheimer's disease is not known. Because microglia are phagocytic cells, it has been suggested that microglia may function as plaque-attacking scavenger cells. Microglia bind and internalize microaggregates of Abeta that resemble those present in dense Alzheimer's disease plaques. In this study, we compared the degradation by microglia of Abeta microaggregates with the degradation of two other proteins, acetylated low density lipoprotein and alpha2-macroglobulin. We found that the majority of the internalized Abeta in microaggregates was undegraded 72 h after uptake, whereas 70-80% of internalized acetylated low density lipoprotein or alpha2-macroglobulin was degraded and released from cells in trichloroacetic acid-soluble form after 4 h. In the continued presence of fluorescent Abeta microaggregates for 4 days, microglia took up huge amounts of Abeta and became engorged with undigested material. These data suggest that microglia can slowly degrade limited amounts of Abeta plaque material, but the degradation mechanisms can be overwhelmed by larger amounts of Abeta.
Corticosteroid suppression of lipoxin A4 and leukotriene B4from alveolar macrophages in severe asthma

An imbalance in the generation of pro-inflammatory leukotrienes, and counter-regulatory lipoxins is present in severe asthma. We measured leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and lipoxin A4 (LXA4) production by alveolar macrophages (AMs) and studied the impact of corticosteroids. AMs obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy from 14 non-asthmatics, 12 non-severe and 11 severe asthmatics were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS,10 μg/ml) with or without dexamethasone (10-6M). LTB4 and LXA4 were measured by enzyme immunoassay. LXA4 biosynthesis was decreased from severe asthma AMs compared to non-severe (p < 0.05) and normal subjects (p < 0.001). LXA4 induced by LPS was highest in normal subjects and lowest in severe asthmatics (p < 0.01). Basal levels of LTB4 were decreased in severe asthmatics compared to normal subjects (p < 0.05), but not to non-severe asthma. LPS-induced LTB4 was increased in severe asthma compared to non-severe asthma (p < 0.05). Dexamethasone inhibited LPS-induced LTB4 and LXA4, with lesser suppression of LTB4 in severe asthma patients (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between LPS-induced LXA4 and FEV1 (% predicted) (rs = 0.60; p < 0.01). Decreased LXA4 and increased LTB4 generation plus impaired corticosteroid sensitivity of LPS-induced LTB4 but not of LXA4 support a role for AMs in establishing a pro-inflammatory balance in severe asthma.
Linear Magnetoresistance in Parabolic Semiconductors

A density matrix approach is described to calculate the complete ohmic magnetoresist-ivity tensor for a non-degenerate and non-polar semiconductor with isotropic effective mass. The conventional methods using the Boltzmann transport equation cannot be used in a satisfactory way with magnetic fields of arbitrary strength. The presence of a magnetic field in a crystal introduces some non-diagonal elements of the velocity operator, which could be averaged properly by using the density matrix. The results obtained agree with those obtained from the Boltzmann transport equation in the limit of low magnetic field including the value of zero. Es wird eine Dichte-Matrix-Methode zur Berechnung des vollstandigen ohmschen Mag-netowiderstandstensors fur einen nichtentarteten und nichtpolaren Halbleiter mit isotro-per effektiver Masse beschrieben. Die ublichen Methoden, die die Boltzmanngleichung benutzen. lassen sich bei Magnetfeldern beliebiger Starke nicht mehr in befriedigender Weise anwenden. Die Anwesenheit eines Magnetfeldes im Kristall fuhrt zu einigen nicht-diagonalen Elementen des Geschwindigkeitsoperators, die nicht korrekt mit der Dichte-matrix gemittelt werden konnen. Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse stimmen mit denen aus der Boltzmannschen Transportgleichung im Grenzfall niedriger Felder, einschlieslich des ver-schwindenden Feldes, uberein.
Inhaled furosemide is not effective in acute asthma

As previous studies have suggested that inhaled furosemide may have a protective effect against certain types of provocative challenges in asthmatic subjects, we investigated the role of furosemide in treating acute asthma exacerbations. Twenty-four patients (n=24) with acute asthma were entered into the study on presenting to the emergency department. They were blindly randomized to receive one of three drug regimens: (1) inhaled furosemide (40 mg) (n=8); (2) inhaled metaproterenol (15 mg) (n=7); or (3) the combination of furosemide (40 mg) and metaproterenol (15 mg) (n=9). We measured FEV 1 at entry (time 0) and 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after inhalation of the individual drugs or the combination from a face mask nebulizer. At entry, the three groups did not differ significantly in age (mean ±SEM= 37.6 ± 3.6, 38.5 ± 3.6, and 41.0 years, respectively; p=0.770), baseline FEV 1 (1.01 ± 0.27, 1.04 ± 0.27, and 1.25 ± 0.14 L, respectively; p=0.620), or theophylline levels (2.87 ± 1.8,7.39 ± 2.8, and 5.29 ± 2.6 μg /ml, respectively; p=0.498). Pretreatment and posttreatment potassium levels were similar among the three groups. Inhalation of furosemide alone resulted in a 14.9 ± 10.5 percent change in FEV 1 percent from baseline, which was not statistically significant. In contrast, metaproterenol alone resulted in a 42.9 ± 15.2 percent increase in FEV 1 percent (F ratio=6.226; p=0.0028). The combination of furosemide and metaproterenol resulted in a change in FEV 1 percent that was not statistically different compared with metaproterenol alone (FEV 1 percent=41.9 ± 12 percent). No significant adverse effects occurred in any of the groups.
Autosomal genetic control of the activity of an esterase in rat hepatic microsomes

Differences in the electrophoretic pattern of hepatic microsomal esterases have been observed in the outbred Sprague-Dawley strain of albino rats. Two distinct phenotypes occurred which were characterized by either the presence or the near absence of one major band and one minor band of esterase activity in disc gel electrophoretograms. Matings between different combinations of the two phenotypes indicated that the presence of these esterase bands is under the control of an autosomal dominant gene. The estimation of α-naphthylacetate hydrolysis on the gels showed that animals with the extra bands have higher activities than those without them and that essentially all of the higher total activity could be accounted for by the presence of the two extra bands. However, animals with these bands were found to have lower esterase activity in assays utilizing indophenylacetate in vitro.
Information-processing markers of vulnerability to schizophrenia: performance of patients with schizotypal and nonschizotypal personality disorders

Abstract Deficits in performance on tests of information processing have been proposed to be markers of vulnerability to schizophrenia. Very few of the previous studies of these information-processing deficits, however, have examined subjects who have clinical diagnoses of schizotypal personality disorders; most studies instead have focused on schizophrenic patients and their relatives or subjects selected on the basis of psychometric evidence of schizotypal traits. In this study, patients with DSM-III schizotypal ( n = 29) and non-odd cluster ( n = 33) personality disorders were examined with the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and a backward masking test and compared with a group of normal volunteers ( n = 31). Patients with schizotypal personality disorder manifested a specific deficit in performance, making significantly more errors of omission in the degraded stimulus condition of the CPT compared with the nondegraded condition, whereas non-odd cluster patients and the normal volunteers performed the same in both conditions. No differences in performance between the groups were found for any of the backward-masking measures. These data suggest that specific deficits in CPT performance, possibly reflecting reduced processing capacity or load responsiveness of the vigilance system, are associated with schizotypal personality disorder and fail to replicate previous studies finding backward-masking deficits in various nonclinical schizotypal populations.
The Great Flood of 1993: Response and Recovery in Five Communities

Abstract In 1993, the Midwest endured a “one-hundred year flood.” Although aid was available from public and private sources, some communities were much less successful than others in obtaining assistance and resources. This study contrasts response and recovery from the flood in five communities. The study was initiated by 22 undergraduate students of social work community practice. Data sources include formal interviews with 58 flooded-out residents and 10 community leaders, as well as informal conversations and observations in the five communities. Immediate assistance in the response phase was available in all communities, but recovery varied considerably across the five. Findings focus on the importance of consensus on recovery goals, presence of local leaders and local organizations, socioeconomic resources, and political “voice.” The article discusses implications for community social work in post-disaster situations, including the importance of basic organization, advocacy skills, and understandin...
Van der Waals forces and molecular diffraction from metal surfaces, with application to Ag(111)

Abstract The van der Waals attraction of an exterior molecule to a metal surface is derived retaining the effects of lattice periodicity in the electric susceptibility of the metal. This periodicity causes first-order diffracted beam intensities which are compared with measured values for scattering from the (111) surface of Ag. In particular, the theory predicts diffracted intensifies of H 2 to be an order of magnitude larger than those for He, as observed in experimental work.
Kickstarting Foxp3 with c-Rel

In this issue of Immunity, reports by Long et al. (2009) and Ruan et al. (2009) suggest that the transcription factor NF-κB-c-Rel is an important molecular mechanism by which T cell receptor-specificity for self-antigens instructs the selection of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells.
Rapid identification and classification of Campylobacter spp. using laser optical scattering technology.

Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are the two important species responsible for most of the Campylobacter infections in humans. Reliable isolation and detection of Campylobacter spp. from food samples are challenging due to the interferences from complex food substances and the fastidious growth requirements of this organism. In this study, a novel biosensor-based detection called BARDOT (BActerial Rapid Detection using Optical scattering Technology) was developed for high-throughput screening of Campylobacter colonies grown on an agar plate without disrupting the intact colonies. Image pattern characterization and principal component analysis (PCA) of 6909 bacterial colonies showed that the light scatter patterns of C. jejuni and C. coli were strikingly different from those of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes. Examination of a mixed culture of these microorganisms revealed 85% (34/40) accuracy in differentiating Campylobacter from the other three major foodborne pathogens based on the similarity to the scatter patterns in an established library. The application of BARDOT in real food has been addressed through the analysis of Campylobacter spiked ground chicken and naturally contaminated fresh chicken pieces. Combined with real-time PCR verification, BARDOT was able to identify Campylobacter isolates from retail chicken. Moreover, applying passive filtration to food samples facilitated the isolation of pure Campylobacter colonies and therefore overcame the interference of the food matrix on BARDOT analysis.
SEPARATION OF AIRBORNE DUST IN ELECTROSTATICALLY ENHANCED FIBROUS FILTERS

The removal of small charged dust particles from a gas stream using an external electric field is common in many industrial applications. In the present paper, the feasibility of using electrostatically enhanced fibrous filters (EEFFs) to separate high concentration dusts from a contaminated gas stream is studied and models to predict both the pressure drop through the filter and the collection efficiency in the dust laden filter are proposed and these models are confirmed by experiments.
Prostanoid synthesis by aortic rings in human blood: selective increase of prostacyclin mediated by a serum factor.

Abstract Synthesis of vascular epoprostenol (PGI2) and platelet thromboxane (TX) A2 is influenced by the coagulation cascade in incompletely understood ways. To elucidate this, prostanoids were determined in human blood anticoagulated by different drugs and incubated with and without rat aortic rings. Control incubations were performed in Hanks balanced salt solution. PGI2 and TXA2 synthesis were assessed by radioimmunoassay of their stable hydrolysis products 6-oxo-prostaglandin (PG) F1 alpha and TXB2. Fresh aortic rings incubated in Hanks solution with a thrombin inhibitor (TCK) synthesized similar quantities of 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha in the presence or absence of sodium citrate. In contrast, the intracellular calcium antagonist TMB-8 inhibited 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha synthesis. In contrast to the finding in Hanks solution, sodium citrate inhibited 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha synthesis by fresh aortic rings incubated in blood anticoagulated with TCK. However, TXB2 synthesis was not affected by citrate. Blood incubated alone at 37 degrees C in plain glass tubes generated a small amount of immunoreactive 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha. A thromboxane synthase inhibitor, OKY1581, increased immunoreactive 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha. However, blood anticoagulated with TCK and incubated similarly, generated no detectable 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha either in the presence or absence of OKY1581, showing that 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha synthesis in the previous experiments was dependent on the vascular rings. OKY1581 had little or no effect on 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha synthesis in incubations of fresh aortic rings with blood anticoagulated with TCK, despite inhibition of TXB2 synthesis. However, OKY1581 increased 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha synthesis by rings pretreated with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) when incubated in blood, presumably by diversion of platelet endoperoxide to vascular PGI2 synthase. Sodium citrate did not influence the increase in 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha synthesis by ASA pretreated aortic rings caused by OKY1581 in whole blood. This implies that the PGI2 stimulating activity of whole blood in the absence of citrate exerts its effect proximal to PGI2 synthase. It is concluded that a low molecular weight serum factor formed during activation of the intrinsic coagulation pathway in blood, modulates PGI2/TXA2 balance by an action on vascular cyclo-oxygenase, possibly by an effect on intracellular calcium.
Purification and Initial Characterization of a Ferret Pneumocystis carinii Surface Antigen

The purification and initial characterization of a ferret Pneumocystis carinii surface glycoprotein is described. Previous studies have demonstrated that passive administration of monoclonal antibody recognizing this glycoprotein reduces the severity of P. carinii pneumonitis in animal models of infection. This acidic glycoprotein (approximate isoelectric point, 5.0-5.7) contains both mannose (and/or glucose) and 7V-acetyl-glucosamine residues. The cross-reactive surface antigen on P. carinii of human origin is also a mannose(and/or glucose-) containing glycoprotein. Initial biochemical characterization of these surface molecules should aid in understanding the immunobiology of this organism and in developing reliable diagnostic assays for P carinii pneumonitis. To better understand the pathogenesis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis (PCP) it is important to understand the causative organism. P. carinii is neither easily cultured in vitro nor purified from natural sources, characteristics making it difficult to study by using traditional microbiological techniques. Recently we produced a monoclonal antibody, M5E12, that recognizes P. carinii obtained
Muscle growth in selected lines of muscular dystrophic chickens.

Growth of four muscles was studied in four lines of homozygous dystrophic chickens selected for high or low fat content of pectoralis muscles, or for early or late onset of disability. The light (“white”) pectoralis, supracoracoideus and biceps brachii and the dark (“red”) adductor muscles were studied. Growth characteristics were compared to a randomly mated dystrophic line and to normal chickens. Significant differences in muscle size occurred between lines but all dystrophic lines underwent the same sequence of events: gross hypertrophy of the white muscles during the first few weeks of life, followed enventually by gross atrophy. The dark adductor muscles did not differ consistently from normal. Hypertrophy was accompanied by increased protein (or fat-free dry matter) and water content. Atrophy was accompanied by increased fat content. Selected lines exhibited greater uniformity and greater extremes of hypertrophy or atrophy than occurred in the random line.
Estimates of technically available woody biomass feedstock from natural forests and willow biomass crops for two locations in New York State

Abstract A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to estimate the technically available woody biomass from forests and willow biomass crops within a 40 km radius of Syracuse and Tupper Lake, NY. Land cover and land use data were used to identify the available land base and restrictions were applied for slope, parcel size and designated wetlands. Approximately 222,984 oven-dry tonnes (odt) of forest biomass are technically available annually around Syracuse, from 165,848 hectares (ha) of timberland. There are 67,880 ha of agricultural land technically available for growing willow biomass crops, which could produce 38,181 odt yr −1 if 5% of this land was used and yields were 11.25 odt ha −1 yr −1 . There are approximately 215,300 odt of forest biomass technically available annually around Tupper Lake from 211,500 ha of timberland. There are 781 ha of technically available agricultural land in this area so willow biomass production would be minimal. While these two areas have different land cover and land use characteristics, both have the potential to produce significant amounts of woody biomass.
What does O(n) mean

In "Crusade for Better Notation" [1], Gilles Brassard calls one-way equations involving big omicron, big omega, etc. "bad, irrational and confusing notation". He promotes the following alternative that seems to him better and more natural: define O(t(n)), Ω (t(n)), etc. as sets and "use them as such, in accordance with set theory". However, the new notation calls for extending arithmetic operations (and, in due course, some other operations) from functions to sets of functions, and gives rise, as Gilles Brassard honestly and immediately acknowledges, to a new type of ambiguous expressions like [O(n)] or 2. This does not seem very convenient to me, and I will try to defend the traditional notation here.
Coexistence of bronchial atresia and bronchogenic cyst: diagnostic criteria and embryologic considerations.

We report a case in a neonate of concurrent bronchial atresia and bronchogenic cyst. An accurate, noninvasive, preoperative diagnosis of this unusual combination of anomalies was made by ultrafast computed tomography (UFCT). This case supports the hypothesis that bronchial atresia results from an event occurring in the 5th–6th week of embryological development, rather than after the 16th week as previously believed.