cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytoskeletal Modulation of Lipid Interactions Regulates Lck Kinase Activity

The actin cytoskeleton promotes clustering of proteins associated with cholesterol-dependent rafts, but its effect on lipid interactions that form and maintain rafts is not understood. We addressed this question by determining the effect of disrupting the cytoskeleton on co-clustering of dihexadecyl-(C16)-anchored DiO and DiI, which co-enrich in ordered lipid environments such as rafts. Co-clustering was assayed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) in labeled T cells, where rafts function in the phosphoregulation of the Src family kinase Lck. Our results show that probe co-clustering was sensitive to depolymerization of actin filaments with latrunculin B (Lat B), inhibition of myosin II with blebbistatin, and treatment with neomycin to sequester phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Cytoskeletal effects on lipid interactions were not restricted to order-preferring label because co-clustering of C16-anchored DiO with didodecyl (C12)-anchored DiI, which favors disordered lipids, was also reduced by Lat B and blebbistatin. Furthermore, conditions that disrupted probe co-clustering resulted in activation of Lck. These data show that the cytoskeleton globally modulates lipid interactions in the plasma membrane, and this property maintains rafts that function in Lck regulation. Background: Rafts are important for phosphoregulation of Lck, but how they are formed and maintained in cell membranes is poorly understood. Results: Disrupting the actomyosin cytoskeleton declusters raft lipophilic reporters and deregulates Lck. Conclusion: The actomyosin cytoskeleton maintains lipid interactions that sustain rafts for Lck regulation. Significance: These data provide new information regarding how rafts are maintained for Lck regulation.
Ethics and economic realities. Goals and strategies for care toward the end of life

At the beginning of the 20th century, the American population was primarily made up of children and young adults, and medical care was cheap, generally ineffective, and focused on acute illness. Health care, resource allocation, and priority setting were not issues. In the 1990s and beyond, most medical care will be provided to a growing population of elderly patients with chronic diseases. Neither health care professionals nor health care planners nor economists appear to be able to deal with the now-dominant issue in health policy, ie, the rising costs of, and seemingly insatiable demand for, medical care. At the same time, complex ethical, medical, and economic subplots arise that are forcing a rethinking of the very goals of medicine. Is there provision of too much care, the wrong kind of care (eg, crises-based acute care vs long-term care vs prevention), or care for the wrong patients (ie, the irretrievably ill
Peristaltic flow of a second-order fluid in tubes

Abstract We have analyzed the mechanics of peristaltic pumping of a non-Newtonian fluid through an axisymmetric conduit. The material was represented by the constitutive equation for a second-order fluid. A perturbation series (to second order) in dimensionless wavenumber of an infinite harmonic traveling wave was used to obtain explicit forms for the velocity field and a relation between the flow rate and the pressure gradient, in terms of the Reynolds number, the dimensionless non-Newtonian parameters, and the occlusion. Results were compared with other studies, in both Newtonian and non-Newtonian cases. Also, we have shown that the flow of a Newtonian fluid through a rigid, axisymmetric tube with an axial, sinusoidal variation of radius is a special case of this analysis.
Association analysis techniques for analyzing complex biological data sets

Association analysis is one of the most popular analysis paradigms in data mining. In this paper, we present different types of association patterns and discuss some of their applications in bioinformatics. We present a case study showing the usefulness of association analysis-based techniques for pre-processing protein interaction networks. Finally, we discuss some of the challenges that need to be addressed to make association analysis-based techniques more applicable for bioinformatics.
Protecting children and supporting families: An essay review

Abstract In Britain, The Children Act 1989 has been lauded as landmark legislation which shifted the focus of child welfare from protecting children to preserving families, and made previous children's law more child-centered, flexible and easier to understand. This essay reviews three volumes published after the passage of the Act: The Art and Science of Child Care , co-edited by Matthew Colton, Walter Hellincks, Pol Ghesquiere and Margaret Williams, and Staying Together and Children in Need , both by Matthew Colton, Charlotte Drury and Margaret Williams. The central premise of the first volume is that research-based knowledge and the experience of practitioners are both required for the creation of a unified and coherent social policy. The second two books report on key provisions of the Act. Children in Need is written primarily for academics; the intended audience for Staying Together is social work practitioners and students.
Optical elements for mixing colored LEDs to create white light

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the possible use of light guides as mixing elements for mixed color white LED systems. In this study two types of light guides, one with a square cross section and the other with a circular cross section, were systematically analyzed for color mixing. Past literature suggested that square shaped light guides are better color mixers than circular light guides. This study was comprised of two parts: a computer simulation using a commercial ray tracing software package; and an experimental study verifying the results obtained from the simulation. Beam uniformity, in terms of illuminance and color, did not improve significantly with the light guides. System efficiency dropped as a function of length. The measured results matched the simulation results well. Circular and square light guide geometries showed similar performance, contrary to what was suggested in previous literature. Significant improvement of the illuminance and color uniformity was noted when the output ends of the light guides were diffused. This introduced only a small additional loss (6%) in system efficiency.
A new fringe carrier method for the determination of displacement derivatives in hologram interferometry

Abstract Holographic carrier fringes are produced by rotation of the object beam prior to the second exposure when the object is deformed. It is shown that the local pitch of the carrier is a linear function of displacement derivatives. The local pitch may be directly measured with a microscope or a digitized TV system. The theoretical foundation as well as an experimental demonstration are given in this paper.
Low-cost continuous thermal sensing

In order to optimize building energy performance, we need to understand how building envelope components operate in terms of heating, cooling, thermal distribution and storage. In this paper, we develop a low-cost thermal scanning sensor that can be used to continuously measure heat radiation from surfaces in a building over extended periods of time (entire climate cycles). The sensor is battery operated and communicates wirelessly allowing it to be installed in each room of a building. We show how provided a CAD model of the building, multiple scanners can stitch together a thermal mapping of each surface providing a high fidelity model of heat transfer within the structure. When analyzed over time, these models can provide a wide range of insight into properties ranging from HVAC efficiency, insulation performance and solar gain to occupancy estimation, comfort-level and material durability. The contribution of this paper is the design and evaluation of a scanning thermography sensor as well as the process of mapping the raw sensor values onto standard CAD models that can be used by energy simulation packages.
Perceived barriers to mental health services: a mixed-method study with Ukrainian college students

We examined perceived barriers to professional help among Ukrainian college students, psychologists and psychiatrists. Students from eight universities and psychologists participated in qualitative stage. A survey of barriers to mental health treatment was developed based on qualitative data and used with psychiatrists to validate understanding of help-seeking strategies gained in qualitative stage. Qualitative stage revealed two major sets of barriers. Some barriers were perceived as being caused by the structure in which services are rendered (e.g., availability of services, inconvenient location and hours), and other barriers were thought to be attitudinal (e.g., stigma, acceptance and trust). Psychiatrists supported categories that were found in the qualitative stage, still, they mostly believed that fear of hospitalization, anonymity concerns and hope to manage on one's own were three major barriers to seeking professional help. These results raise significant concerns of trust and ethics of the care...
Two methyl anhydro-d-fructopyranosides prepared from d-mannitol

Abstract d -Mannitol ( 1 ) was converted into 1,5-anhydro- d -mannitol, which was treated consecutively with p -toluenesulfonyl chloride (1 mol. equiv.) and benzoyl chloride (3 mol. equiv.), to produce 1,5-anhydro-2,3,4-tri- O -benzoyl-6- O - p -tolylsulfonyl- d -mannitol. 1,5-Anhydro-2,3,4-tri- O -benzoyl-6-deoxy-6-iodo- d -mannitol ( 4 ) was prepared by displacing the p -tolylsulfonyl group by reaction with sodium iodide. 1,5-Diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-5-ene eliminated hydrogen iodide from 4 , to yield 1,5-anhydro-2,3,4-tri- O -benzoyl-6-deoxy- d - lyxo -hex-5-enitol ( 5 ). Addition of bromine to a methanolic solution in 5 in the presence of potassium carbonate resulted in a separable mixture of methyl 1-bromo-1-deoxy-α- d -fructopyranoside ( 6 ) and methyl 1-bromo-1-deoxy-β- d -fructopyranoside ( 8 ). Dilute alkali converted 6 into methyl 1,3-anhydro-α- d -fructopyranoside, identified as its 4,5-diacetate. Dilute alkali converted 8 into methyl 1,4-anhydro-β- d -fructopyranoside.
Unionmelt voltage controls

WHEN THE submerged melt welding process was first introduced 15 years ago, one of its most attractive features was the extremely large welding currents that could be used for making heavy welds in one pass. At that time there were a number of automatic welding machines available for arc welding with bare-wire or coated electrode. None of these machines, however, had the capacity to handle the maximum welding currents and rod diameters usable with Unionmelt∗ welding. Consequently it was necessary to design new equipment which could handle currents up to 4,000 amperes and could feed coiled welding rod up to one-half inch in diameter.
Characteristics of adolescents presenting to a multidisciplinary clinic for polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Abstract Objective To characterize patients referred to the adolescent polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) clinic at the American Family Children's Hospital, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. Design Chart review of patients seen in the first 33 months for details of initial presentation, age, body mass index (BMI), menstrual pattern, clinical and laboratory features of androgen excess, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. Setting Multidisciplinary clinic for adolescents with PCOS at the American Family Children's Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin. Participants Adolescent girls with PCOS. Results Seventy patients (84% Caucasian) presented with an average age at referral of 16.2 years (range 11-22 y). Eighty four percent had a BMI > the 85th percentile and 70% had a BMI > 95th percentile. Menstrual pattern was quite varied, with some patients having primary amenorrhea, and over 50% experiencing hirsutism. There were 3 cases of type 2 diabetes, and over half of the patients had elevated fasting insulin levels and low HDL levels. Conclusion Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a complex and heterogeneous disorder that requires multidisciplinary expertise. Knowing the unique features of the adolescent with PCOS and metabolic risks should permit earlier intervention with intensive counseling and medical therapy to address current health concerns and prevent future co-morbidities.
Chemoattractant Receptor-induced Phosphorylation of L-selectin

The selectin adhesion molecules and chemoattractant receptors synergistically regulate leukocyte migration into lymphoid tissues and sites of inflammation, but little is known about how these families of receptors modulate each other's function. In this study, L-selectin was found to be phosphorylated in lymphoblastoid cell lines, and phosphorylation was enhanced by phorbol ester (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)) treatment. Interactions between L-selectin and chemoattractant receptors were therefore examined using transfected rat basophilic leukemia cell lines (RBL-2H3) that expressed human L-selectin along with human leukocyte chemoattractant receptors. L-selectin was rapidly phosphorylated in cells treated with chemoattractants, thrombin, IgE receptor agonists, or PMA. Pertussis toxin or the protein kinase C inhibitor, staurosporine, completely blocked chemoattractant receptor-induced phosphorylation of L-selectin. PMA-induced phosphorylation was on serine residues within the cytoplasmic tail of L-selectin that have been well conserved during recent evolution. Although L-selectin phosphorylation was not essential for basal levels of adhesion through L-selectin in transformed cell lines, the rapid increase in ligand binding activity of L-selectin that occurs following leukocyte activation was blocked by staurosporine. These results demonstrate that L-selectin can be phosphorylated following engagement of chemoattractant receptors and suggest that this may be a physiologically relevant mechanism for the synergistic regulation of these receptors during leukocyte migration.
Angiotensin-II acts via the type 1 receptor to inhibit 17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 expression in ovine adrenocortical cells.

In this study we have investigated the effect of angiotensin-II (A-II) on cortisol production and 17 alpha-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 (P450(17 alpha)) expression in primary cultures of ovine adrenocortical cells and the A-II receptor subtypes that mediate these responses. While A-II alone had no stimulatory effect on cortisol secretion, it inhibited the cortisol response to ACTH (10(-8) M) in a dose-dependent manner (Ki, less than 0.1 nM; maximum inhibition, 60-80%). While prolonged treatment with ACTH (10(-8) M) increased the expression of P450(17 alpha), cotreatment with A-II (10(-8) M) also inhibited ACTH-stimulated expression, as determined by changes in mRNA, immunoreactive P450(17 alpha), and 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity. A study of the effects of the AT1 and AT2 receptor antagonists, DuP 753 and PD 123319, on binding of [125I]A-II to ovine adrenocortical cells showed that the A-II receptor population was predominantly of the AT1 subtype. The effects of A-II on inhibition of cortisol secretion in ...
Periodic response and stability of oscillators with symmetric trilinear restoring force

Abstract An exact solution is presented for the periodic, symmetric, double-crossing response of a single-degree-of-freedom strongly non-linear oscillator, subjected to harmonic excitation. The non-linearity of the system appears in the restoring force, which is a symmetric trilinear function of the system displacement. The stability analysis of the periodic solutions is also developed and presented. Both period-one and subharmonic motions are analyzed and investigated. For some combinations of the system parameters, no stable periodic motion is found to exist and the system exhibits chaotic behavior.
Several consequences of the reflection principle in signal processing

A simple principle from the Theory of Complex Variables rules out intervals of zero power spectrum for causal signals. The principle also explains why the familiar filters shift phase. A large class of stable filters is introduced: the Schwarz-Christoffel filters with polygonal Nyquist plot. The Reflection Principle, of the Theory of Complex Variables, is the observation that a function F(s) analytic on a domain D gives rise to a second function F-(s-) analytic on the domain D-, the reflection of D through the real axis. [1] (Here the over-bar denotes complex conjugation.) It follows that if F(s) is real and continuous on an open subinterval of the real axis contained as part of the boundary of the domain D, then F-(s-) is an analytic continuation of F(s) to D-. With a change of variables this simple principle can yield results usually obtained with much deeper Payley-Weinerlike [2] gap theorems.
Model Selection Indices for Polytomous Items

This study examines the utility of four indices for use in model selection with nested and nonnested polytomous item response theory (IRT) models: a cross-validation index and three information-based indices. Four commonly used polytomous IRT models are considered: the graded response model, the generalized partial credit model, the partial credit model, and the rating scale model. In a simulation study, comparisons among the four indices suggest that model selection is dependent to some extent on the particular conditions simulated. Overall, the Bayesian information criterion index appears to be most accurate in selecting the correct polytomous IRT model. Results are presented from analysis of a real data set to illustrate the use of the four indices for selecting an appropriate model.
Tension-tension fatigue of a cross-woven C/SiC composite

Abstract The tension-tension fatigue behavior of a cross woven C/SiC composite was studied in terms of damage modes and damage development. The fatigue stress versus life diagram (S-N) curve and an endurance limit of 320–340 MPa (about 80% tensile UTS) for 10 6 cycles were obtained for the C/SiC composite. Different fatigue behaviors were found for samples that failed during fatigue and for samples that survived 10 6 cycles. Seven fatigue damage modes were observed, the development of which were used to explain the different fatigue behaviors. For the fatigue-failed samples, the degrees of damage of the seven modes increased with increase of cycles, leading to an increase in elapsed strain and a decrease in composite modulus. For fatigue-survived samples, the development of all the damage modes except for fiber breaking caused an initial increase of elapsed strain and decrease of composite modulus, but at high cycles, fiber bundle realignment and straightening in these samples led to partial recovery of the modulus and cessation of the damage development.
Regular polyhedra of index two, I

A polyhedron in Euclidean 3-space \({{\mathbb{E}^3}}\) is called a regular polyhedron of index 2 if it is combinatorially regular but “fails geometric regularity by a factor of 2”; its combinatorial automorphism group is flag-transitive but its geometric symmetry group has two flag orbits. The present paper, and its successor by the first author, describe a complete classification of regular polyhedra of index 2 in \({{\mathbb{E}^3}}\). In particular, the present paper enumerates the regular polyhedra of index 2 with vertices on two orbits under the symmetry group. The subsequent paper will enumerate the regular polyhedra of index 2 with vertices on one orbit under the symmetry group.
Asynchronous convex hull consensus in the presence of crash faults

This paper defines a new consensus problem, convex hull consensus. The input at each process is a d-dimensional vector of reals (or, equivalently, a point in the d-dimensional Euclidean space), and the output at each process is a convex polytope contained within the convex hull of the inputs at the fault-free processes. We explore the convex hull consensus problem under crash faults with incorrect inputs, and present an asynchronous approximate convex hull consensus algorithm with optimal fault tolerance that reaches consensus on an optimal output polytope.Convex hull consensus can be used to solve other related problems. For instance, a solution for convex hull consensus trivially yields a solution for vector (multidimensional) consensus. More importantly, convex hull consensus can potentially be used to solve other more interesting problems, such as function optimization.
Left atrial thrombus after appendage closure using LARIAT.

The left atrial appendage (LAA) is the source of thromboembolism in the vast majority of patients with atrial fibrillation and stroke.1 As a consequence, a newer paradigm of targeting the LAA has evolved, including the use of several percutaneous techniques, including the LARIAT snare device (SentreHEART).2 This minimally invasive strategy involves pericardial suture ligation of the LAA base using a combined percutaneous endocardial and epicardial approach. A 75-year-old male with atrial fibrillation, …
On equalization of channels with ZP precoders

In communication systems which used filter bank precoders with zero padding (ZP) at the transmitter, the effect of an FIR channel can be equalized without the use of IIR equalizers. In this paper a number of observations are made with regard to the noise gain created by the equalizer at the receiver. If the number of received samples per block actually utilized in equalization is reduced to the number of transmitted samples per block, then the noise gain can be very large for channels with zeros outside the unit circle. As the number of utilized received samples increases the situation improves. Most importantly, it is shown that when all the redundant samples in each block are utilized for estimation of transmitted symbols then the noise gain is not sensitive to whether the channel zeros are inside, on, or outside the unit circle, and depends only on the FIR channel autocorrelation
Globally Optimal Surface Mapping for Surfaces with Arbitrary Topology

Computing smooth and optimal one-to-one maps between surfaces of same topology is a fundamental problem in graphics and such a method provides us a ubiquitous tool for geometric modeling and data visualization. Its vast variety of applications includes shape registration/matching, shape blending, material/data transfer, data fusion, information reuse, etc. The mapping quality is typically measured in terms of angular distortions among different shapes. This paper proposes and develops a novel quasi-conformal surface mapping framework to globally minimize the stretching energy inevitably introduced between two different shapes. The existing state-of-the-art intersurface mapping techniques only afford local optimization either on surface patches via boundary cutting or on the simplified base domain, lacking rigorous mathematical foundation and analysis. We design and articulate an automatic variational algorithm that can reach the global distortion minimum for surface mapping between shapes of arbitrary topology, and our algorithm is solely founded upon the intrinsic geometry structure of surfaces. To our best knowledge, this is the first attempt toward rigorously and numerically computing globally optimal maps. Consequently, we demonstrate our mapping framework, offers a powerful computational tool for graphics and visualization tasks such as data and texture transfer, shape morphing, and shape matching.
Hydraulic constraints on plant gas exchange

Stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration (E) are often positively correlated with the hydraulic conductance of the soil‐leaf continuum (ks‐l). Interaction between gs and ks‐l helps regulate water potential (9) of leaves. When soil and plant 9 decreases during water stress, ks‐l decreases. A well-documented cause of the decrease in ks‐l is xylem cavitation. The interaction between k and 9 in xylem creates physical limits on the range of 9 and E over which gas exchange can occur. Differences in drought tolerance between species correlate with hydraulic limits. Safety margins from complete hydraulic failure are often small enough to require stomatal regulation of 9 and E. While stomatal regulation avoids complete hydraulic failure, controlled decreases in plant k can be substantial during drought. Decreasing plant k amplifies the effect of water stress on the leaves and effectively increases the sensitivity of the stomatal response to drought. Increased stomatal sensitivity may promote drought survival. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The Practice of Exposure Therapy: Relevance of Cognitive-Behavioral Theory and Extinction Theory

Exposure therapy is the most effective psychological intervention for people with anxiety disorders. While many therapists learn how to implement exposure techniques through clinical training programs or instructional workshops, not all of these educational efforts include a focus on the theory underlying this treatment. The availability of treatment manuals providing step-by-step instructions for how to implement exposure makes it easier for clinicians to use these techniques with less training than they might otherwise receive. This raises questions regarding whether it is necessary to understand the theory behind the use of exposure. This article argues that knowledge of the relevant theory is crucial to being able to implement exposure therapy in ways that optimize both short- and long-term outcome. Specific ways in which theory is relevant to using exposure techniques are discussed.
Leveraging EO-1 to Evaluate Capability of New Generation of Landsat Sensors for Coastal/Inland Water Studies

Monitoring coastal and inland waters, recognized as case II waters, using the existing Landsat technology is somewhat restricted because of its low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and its relatively poor radiometric resolution. The new generation of Landsat, Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) carrying the Operational Land Imager (OLI), has enhanced features allowing for a more lucid characterization of water constituents in either coastal or inland waters with respect to Landsat-7 (ETM+). This paper applies a physics-based approach to fully examine the potential of OLI in terms of its enhanced features in a water constituent retrieval framework. An EO-1 dataset, including Hyperion and the Advanced Land Imager (ALI), together with nearly coincident ETM+ imagery were atmospherically corrected using a data-driven approach. An in-water radiative transfer model, i.e., Hydrolight, was applied to generate a Look-Up-Table (LUT) of simulated surface reflectances for various combinations of water constituents. Using the Hyperion-derived concentration maps as validation sources, it was found that the simulated OLI imagery is superior to ETM+ on the order of 40%, 20%, and 28% when retrieving the concentrations of chlorophyll-a and total suspended solids (TSS), as well as the absorption of the colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), respectively. It was also demonstrated that the simulated OLI imagery outperforms the simulated ALI and the recorded ALI datasets in the retrieval of chlorophyll-a and CDOM absorption. It is concluded that the new generation of Landsat enables mapping and monitoring of case II waters with accuracies not achieved with the previous Landsat satellite series.
GEN03-6: Investigation of Error Floors of Structured Low-Density Parity-Check Codes by Hardware Emulation

Several high performance LDPC codes have parity-check matrices composed of permutation submatrices. We design a parallel-serial architecture to map the decoder of any structured LDPC code in this large family to a hardware emulation platform. A peak throughput of 240 Mb/s is achieved in decoding the (2048,1723) Reed-Solomon based LDPC (RS-LDPC) code. Experiments in the low bit error rate (BER) region provide statistics of the error traces, which are used to investigate the causes of the error floor. In a low precision implementation, the error floors are dominated by the fixed-point decoding effects, whereas in a higher precision implementation the errors are attributed to special configurations within the code, whose effect is exacerbated in a fixed-point decoder. This new characterization leads to an improved decoding strategy and higher performance.
ATP acting through P2Y receptors causes activation of podocyte TRPC6 channels: role of podocin and reactive oxygen species.

Extracellular ATP may contribute to Ca2+ signaling in podocytes during tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) and possibly as a result of local tissue damage. TRPC6 channels are Ca2+-permeable cationic ch...
RF power absorption and electric and magnetic field enhancements due to surface roughness

In this work, we analytically compute the power absorption due to a hemispherical protrusion on a resonant cavity's surface. The permittivity, conductivity, and permeability of the protrusion may assume arbitrary values. The local field enhancement factors of both electric field and magnetic field on the protrusion are also calculated analytically. These calculations have been spot-checked against the Maxwell-3D code.
Design considerations and human-machine performance of moving virtual fixtures

Haptic virtual fixtures have been shown to improve user performance and increase the safety of robot-assisted tasks, particularly for surgical applications. However, little research has studied virtual fixtures that provide moving force constraints based on motion of the environment, e.g., organ movement due to heartbeat or respiration. This work discusses design considerations of moving forbidden-region virtual fixtures and presents two methods of implementation: predicted-position and current-position virtual fixtures. Human subject experiments were performed to determine the effectiveness of moving virtual fixtures when interacting with an object in motion using a teleoperator. Results show that moving virtual fixtures can help improve user precision and decrease the amount of force applied.
In vitro performance of two common valved holding chambers with a chlorofluorocarbon-free beclomethasone metered-dose inhaler.

Study Objective. To compare in vitro aerosol deposition from a beclomethasone dipropionate metered-dose inhaler (MDI) containing hydrofluoroalkane propellant with that of the MDI in combination with two common valved holding chambers (VHCs) to evaluate how these VHCs affect the respirable dose of beclomethasone dipropionate. Design. In vitro aerosol deposition study. Setting. University research center. Devices. Beclomethasone dipropionate hydrofluoroalkane MDI alone, the MDI with OptiChamber VHC, and the MDI with AeroChamber-Plus VHC. Intervention. The respirable dose (1–5-um aerosol particles) of beclomethasone dipropionate was determined by sampling 10 80-ug actuations from five runs with each configuration (MDI alone, MDI with OptiChamber, and MDI with AeroChamber-Plus), using a well-established in vitro cascade impactor method. Measurements and Main Results. Beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol was washed from the impactor with 50% methanol and quantified by means of high-performance liquid chromatography. Differences among outcomes were determined by using analysis of variance. Mean beclomethasone dipropionate respirable dose from AeroChamber-Plus (27.2 ± 10.0 μg/actuation) was not significantly different (p>0.05) from that of the MDI alone (29.0 ± 7.0 μg/actuation). OptiChamber respirable dose (12.8 ± 6.0 μg/actuation) was less than half that produced by either the AeroChamber-Plus or the MDI alone (p=0.013). Conclusions. The OptiChamber and AeroChamber-Plus VHCs do not demonstrate equivalent in vitro performance when used with a beclomethasone dipropionate MDI that contains hydrofluoroalkane propellant. The respirable dose of beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol from the hydrofluoroalkane MDI was decreased by only 6% when the MDI was mated to an AeroChamber-Plus VHC and by 56% when used with an OptiChamber VHC.
GROUND BEEF EXPOSED TO RADIANT ENERGY: EFFECTS OF FAT AND BHA ON COLOR

Ground beef with approximately 15, 30 or 45% fat was used to study effects of fat level and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on color of beef exposed to 577 nm radiant energy. BHA was mixed dry with half the samples from each fat level. Samples were frozen and divided into exposure groups: initial exposure (2hr), re-exposure (2 + 2 hr), no exposure. Spectrophotometric scans of reflectance and visual color scores were recorded. The higher the percentage fat, the greater the reflectance and the lighter the meat appeared to the human eye. Effects of BHA or exposure on reflectance measurements or on visual scores were small.
XML parsing: a threat to database performance

XML parsing is generally known to have poor performance characteristics relative to transactional database processing. Yet, its potentially fatal impact on overall database performance is being underestimated. We report real-word database applications where XML parsing performance is a key obstacle to a successful XML deployment. There is a considerable share of XML database applications which are prone to fail at an early and simple road block: XML parsing. We analyze XML parsing performance and quantify the extra overhead of DTD and schema validation. Comparison with relational database performance shows that the desired response times and transaction rates over XML data can not be achieved without major improvements in XML parsing technology. Thus, we identify research topics which are most promising for XML parser performance in database systems.
Vascular Cell Locomotion: Osteopontin, NADPH Oxidase, and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9

See related article, pages 1479–1489 Since the discovery of osteopontin (OPN) in the vasculature, vascular biologists have been intrigued by its potential role in vascular arteriosclerosis and vessel calcification during the aging process.1 Osteopontin is a phosphorylated acidic glycoprotein adhesion molecule, originally cloned from bone; and as in bone, its cardiovascular functions include cellular migration, adhesion, and spreading.2 The most salient features of this intriguing calcium-regulating molecule are its ability to interact with αvβ3 and other integrins on the surface of cells. Because this ligand–receptor complex is known to be involved in cell migration, it is not surprising that an antibody to the β3 subunit of this receptor effectively reduced restenosis in patients.3 Interestingly, angiotensin II and other growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor-β, regulate OPN gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) cultures and fibroblasts.1,4 Cardiac fibroblasts have been extensively reported to produce OPN in response to these growth factors, resulting in fibroblast proliferation. On the one hand, OPN is thought to cause vascular dystrophy by altering extracellular matrix formation; on the other hand, cellular motogenesis is a hallmark of this emerging vascular cytokine. Its cellular expression includes a variety of inflammatory cells, such as T cells and macrophages, as well as mesenchymal cells of the vasculature including adventitial myofibroblasts. Moreover, OPN has both pro- and antiinflammatory properties. As a proinflammatory agent it can attract and modulate the function of the above mentioned cell types. Of seemingly major importance, OPN interacts with intracellular signaling agents to promote cell migration and matrix metalloproteinases, both of which are required for cell tunneling through dense and elastin-rich vascular tissue. In fibroblasts these agents appear to include cell surface CD44 and ERM proteins located just below the plasma membrane …
Center-surround vs. distance-independent lateral connectivity in the olfactory bulb.

Lateral neuronal interactions are known to play important roles in sensory information processing. A center-on surround-off local circuit arrangement has been shown to play a role in mediating contrast enhancement in the visual, auditory, and somatosensory systems. The lateral connectivity and the influence of those connections have been less clear for the olfactory system. A critical question is whether the synaptic connections between the primary projection neurons, mitral and tufted (M/T) cells, and their main inhibitory interneurons, the granule cells (GCs), can support a center-surround motif. Here, we study this question by injecting a “center” in the glomerular layer of the olfactory bulb (OB) with a marker of synaptic connectivity, the pseudorabies virus (PRV), then examines the distribution of labeling in the “surround” of GCs. We use a novel method to score the degree to which the data fits a center-surround model vs. distance-independent connectivity. Data from 22 injections show that M/T cells generally form lateral connections with GCs in patterns that lie between the two extremes.
Reactions Involving Highly Reactive Electron-Deficient Intermediates

In this section, we will discuss reactions which involve carbocation intermediates. These include carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions and also rearrangements and fragmentation reactions. The discussion will also include processes which are closely related in reactivity pattern but which avoid “free” carbocation intermediates.
Healthy Lifestyle Factors and Risk of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Treatment-Resistant Hypertension The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study

Few data exist on whether healthy lifestyle factors are associated with better prognosis among individuals with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension, a high-risk phenotype of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of healthy lifestyle factors with cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality among individuals with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension. We studied participants (n=2043) from the population-based Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg despite the use of 3 antihypertensive medication classes or the use of ≥4 classes of antihypertensive medication regardless of blood pressure control). Six healthy lifestyle factors adapted from guidelines for the management of hypertension (normal waist circumference, physical activity ≥4 times/week, nonsmoking, moderate alcohol consumption, high Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet score, and low sodium-to-potassium intake ratio) were examined. A greater number of healthy lifestyle factors were associated with lower risk for cardiovascular events (n=360) during a mean follow-up of 4.5 years. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios [HR (95% confidence interval)] for cardiovascular events comparing individuals with 2, 3, and 4 to 6 versus 0 to 1 healthy lifestyle factors were 0.91 (0.68-1.21), 0.80 (0.57-1.14), and 0.63 (0.41-0.95), respectively (P-trend=0.020). Physical activity and nonsmoking were individual healthy lifestyle factors significantly associated with lower risk for cardiovascular events. Similar associations were observed between healthy lifestyle factors and risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. In conclusion, healthy lifestyle factors, particularly physical activity and nonsmoking, are associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular events and mortality among individuals with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension.
Potent T Cell Activation with Dimeric Peptide–Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Ligand: The Role of CD4 Coreceptor

The interaction of the T cell receptor (TCR) with its cognate peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on the surface of antigen presenting cells (APCs) is a primary event during T cell activation. Here we used a dimeric IEk-MCC molecule to study its capacity to activate antigen-specific T cells and to directly analyze the role of CD4 in physically stabilizing the TCR–MHC interaction. Dimeric IEk-MCC stably binds to specific T cells. In addition, immobilized dimeric IEk-MCC can induce TCR downregulation and activate antigen-specific T cells more efficiently than anti-CD3. The potency of the dimeric IEk-MCC is significantly enhanced in the presence of CD4. However, CD4 does not play any significant role in stabilizing peptide-MHC–TCR interactions as it fails to enhance binding of IEk-MCC to specific T cells or influence peptide-MHC–TCR dissociation rate or TCR downregulation. Moreover, these results indicate that dimerization of peptide-MHC class II using an IgG molecular scaffold significantly increases its binding avidity leading to an enhancement of its stimulatory capacity while maintaining the physiological properties of cognate peptide–MHC complex. These peptide-MHC–IgG chimeras may, therefore, provide a novel approach to modulate antigen-specific T cell responses both in vitro and in vivo.
Dissociative Electron Attachment in I 2 Vapor at 295° K

Two-body electron attachment frequencies have been determined for iodine in the presence of helium using microwave cavity techniques where initial ionization is produced by a single light pulse from a hydrogen lamp. The value for the electron attachment coefficient determined from the attachment frequency data is $k=1.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$ ${\mathrm{sec}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at 295\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The ambipolar diffusion of iodine ions in helium has also been examined at this temperature, and a value for ${\mathrm{D}}_{a}+p$ of 730 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/sec Torr was obtained. Electron-density decay rates observed using a repetitive-pulse technique were higher than those observed using the singlepulse technique for a given iodine vapor pressure. Possible effects on the electron diffusion rate as a result of the presence of negative ions are discussed.
Patti Smith: America’s Punk Rock Rhapsodist

One does not usually associate the punk genre of rock and roll with mainstream intellectual achievement and recognition such as the National Book Award. Similarly to academics and critics who argue...
Clostridium difficile infection: a common clinical problem for the general internist.

Considering the current wide use of antimicrobial agents, the general internist is commonly faced with the patient at risk for diarrhea due toC. difficile. The diagnosis should be considered for any patient with diarrhea who has received any type of antibiotic therapy in the preceding 4–6 weeks. Symptoms may range from a minor bout of diarrhea to fulminant and fatal colitis. Diagnosis usually requires demonstration of the toxin in stool; culture of the organism and fiberoptic endoscopy may play an adjunctive role in selected clinical settings. The ultimate goal in the treatment forC. difficile infection is to repopulate the normal colonic flora in the most efficacious manner. Minimally symptomatic patients may respond to discontinuing the offending antimicrobial agent or using nonspecific binding agents. Oral vancomycin continues to be the “gold standard” for specific treatment, while metronidazole therapy is considered the first-line agent for individuals with milder infection. Oral bacitracin shows promise, though large studies are lacking. Patients with multiple relapses ofC. difficile diarrhea can be treated with prolonged courses of vancomycin or a combination of vancomycin and rifampin. Intensive care unit patients who are NPO have few therapeutic options besides intravenous administration of metronidazole and oral administration of vancomycin via clamped nasogastric tube. Preventive efforts are directed at cautious use of antibiotics and the use of vinyl gloves when caring for patients with known infection.
EFFECT OF METOPROLOL VERSUS CARVEDILOL ON SURVIVAL AFTER MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Beta-blockers (BB) are uniformly utilized post-myocardial infarction (MI), but no specific BB is recommended and there are no direct comparisons of metoprolol (M) and carvedilol (C), two commonly prescribed BB. Of 7058 patients enrolled in the OBTAIN prospective multi-center registry of patients
On the Specification of Wake Vortex Encounter Gust-fields from Flight Data

12 , based upon induced wind-speed and axial length of the trailing vortices. Analyses used consisted of rise-and-fall analysis of turbulent gusts, continuous- turbulence power spectral analysis, and discrete gust analysis. Power spectral analysis indicated that the gust- field intensity did not exceed existing continuous turbulence design standards for a typical Medium Category transport mass and size. However, discrete gust size, shape and magnitude exceeded existing standards. Generally, discrete gust vortex-induced velocity profiles consisted of primary, secondary and tertiary vortex elements. Combinations of primary and secondary elements were prevalent, with peaks of 25 ms -1 and core radii of 2-6 m, and resulted in sharp-peaked velocity profiles, adequately described by the potential or Rankine vortex model. Occasionally, the profiles were rounded with no secondary or tertiary elements - such profiles were adequately described by the Burnham-Hallock model. Tertiary vortex elements were intense, up to 32 ms -1 at core radii 0.3 m. Nomenclature bV lateral separation of vortex-pair at roll-up generation, assumed to be πbGEN/4, where bGEN is the wake generator wingspan (m) d vortex-induced gust rise length (m) rC vortex core radius (m) s wake generator semi-span (m) VAT airflow velocity, (true airspeed vector), transformed through the Euler angles to earth axes (ms -1 )
Leadership and the Creation of Human Capital: Stewardship Theory at the Relational Level

I propose and test a stewardship model of leadership that puts the notion of purposeful leadership (Burns, 1978) back into the study of relational leadership. Where relational leadership is based o...
Interaction Energy Surfaces for Li(22S) and Li (22P) With H2.

Interaction energy surfaces for the interaction of Li(22S) and Li(22P) with H2 are calculated using approximate Hartree-Fock trial functions. The crossing of energy curves is observed for C2v conformations if the H2 internuclear distance is sufficiently large. No crossing is observed for colinear collissions for any H2 distance. The wave function of the strongly attractive state involved in the crossing is related to the metastable negative-ion states that are postulated to account for resonant electron-molecule scattering. Such a charge-transfer state can only be bound for C2v conformations for the H2 molecule. The likelihood and geometry of the crossing complexes for other molecules interacting with alkalis is discussed in terms of the formation of these resonance charge-transfer states.
Multiple Targets Tracking Algorithm based on Fuzzy Clustering

A novel multiple targets tracking algorithm based on fuzzy clustering is proposed.This algorithm is to obtain the number of targets and degrees of membership between the measurements and the predicted locations of the targets through an improved fuzzy clustering algorithm.It uses the degrees of membership between the measurements and the predicted locations of the targets which are obtained through fuzzy clustering as weight numbers of innovations to realize the update of targets' states.The simulation results demonstrate that the conventional algorithm needs to suppose the number of targets and easily to make a wrong association when targets are near to each other which may lead to the emanative tracking.However,the novel algorithm is to determine the number of targets objectively and to guarantee high quality of tracking through the weighted sum of innovations.