cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tri-Band Reconfigurable Antenna for RFID Applications

Summary form only given. With the tremendous advancement in communication technology followed by ever growing consumer demands, the need for multifunctional wireless communication devices is more than ever felt. In recent years, this has also been the case for RFID applications where different frequency bands are required for different contents of the scanned package and detection range. In particular, studies have been carried out to demonstrate electronic tunability using loading effects of capacitive elements such as PIN diodes or varactor diodes. In this research, we have used a similar approach to design a compact, versatile slot antenna with enhanced tunability operating in three frequency ranges in the UHF band
Hydrophobicity: an ancient damage-associated molecular pattern that initiates innate immune responses

It is currently thought that immune responses are initiated by pathogen-associated molecular patterns or by tissue-derived danger/alarm signals. Here, we propose that these two groups of molecules might not be mutually exclusive. Many of them might be part of an evolutionarily ancient alert system in which the hydrophobic portions of biological molecules act, when exposed, as universal damage-associated molecular patterns to initiate repair, remodelling and immunity.
Optimal Payload Ascent Trajectories of Winged Vehicles

A trajectory analysis is presented which shows the advantage of lifting ascent and the penalties associated with increased wing mass due to increases in aerodynamic loading. The vehicle analyzed is made up of an orbiter, an expendable liquid fuel tank, and two solid rocket motors. Results of the tradeoff are illustrated in a graph of the total vehicle mass plotted against the trajectory constraint. Results indicate that even when structural mass penalties are considered lifting ascent provides a payload delivery.
Viruses and virus-like diseases affecting Betula spp

Seven virus-like agents have been recognized naturally infecting birches in Europe or North America. Of these, only two have been studied in detail. Apple mosaic virus (AMV) infects Betula papyrifera and B. alleghaniensis in North America, and is associated with golden-white ring/line patterns in leaves. There is no evidence that AMV spreads between birches and no natural means of dissemination is known. In Europe, B. verrucosa and B. pubescens are naturally infected with cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) which causes foliar mottle, pale yellow spots and bright green vein banding. In the United Kingdom, the prevalence of CLRV in unmanaged birch populations is less than in street trees. The virus is spread via birch seed and pollen which it infects and also contaminates. Sparse data suggest that the following viruses infect birch but their effects are unknown: yellow birch latent, tobacco rattle, tobacco necrosis, prunus necrotic ringspot and prune dwarf. There is a similar paucity of information concerning the cause of wood abnormalities that enhance the veneer value of affected timber: agents transmitted in soil or by grafting have been associated.
Direction-Adaptive Discrete Wavelet Transform for Image Compression

We propose a direction-adaptive DWT (DA-DWT) that locally adapts the filtering directions to image content based on directional lifting. With the adaptive transform, energy compaction is improved for sharp image features. A mathematical analysis based on an anisotropic statistical image model is presented to quantify the theoretical gain achieved by adapting the filtering directions. The analysis indicates that the proposed DA-DWT is more effective than other lifting-based approaches. Experimental results report a gain of up to 2.5 dB in PSNR over the conventional DWT for typical test images. Subjectively, the reconstruction from the DA-DWT better represents the structure in the image and is visually more pleasing
M17 human neuroblastoma cell as a cell model for investigation of Botulinum Neurotoxin A activity and evaluation of BoNT/A specific antibody

Since BoNTs are potential biothreat agents, efforts are being made to develop therapeutic countermeasures for which sensitive in vitro models are required to evaluate the efficacy of potential therapeutic agents. In this report, we tested human neuroblastoma cell lines for their susceptibility to BoNT toxicity and demonstrated the application of these cells to measure the neutralising activity of a BoNT-specific antibody. We demonstrated that SK-N-BE(2)M17 cells are highly sensitive to BoNT/A and /C intoxication and can be used as a cell-based assay to investigate the molecular mechanism of BoNT/A intoxication and to quantitate the neutralising activity of antibodies. [Received 26 October 2007; Accepted 12 December 2007]
Caring for a Spouse after Prostate Surgery: The Preparedness Needs of Wives

This study describes wives' self-reports of preparedness to care for their husbands' physical and emotional needs during the first 6 months after surgery for prostate cancer. The research questions addressed in this article are part of a larger study designed to test the effects of a standardized nursing intervention protocol (SNIP) on quality-of-life outcomes in men postprostatectomy. The Preparedness for Caregiving Scale (PCGS) was administered to wives, and an open-ended questionnaire solicited wives' descriptions of how they felt unprepared. The results suggest that nursing services are needed after hospital discharge to support patients and family caregivers to manage the physical and emotional effects related to the cancer diagnosis and treatment. The information gained can be used to refine a home-based nursing intervention to facilitate caregivers' preparedness to enhance patients' physical function and psychosocial adaptation, and ultimately the couple's quality of life.
Teaching ethics in the context of IT and globalization

As the global economy continues to evolve, there will be an increasing number of opportunities for IT professionals in transnational enterprises. The international arena demands appreciation for the impact of IT on developing countries, an understanding of global markets and international law, as well as the technical knowledge necessary to solve problems posed by international communications and information systems. A course designed on these principles is an ideal framework within which to teach ethics. The impact of IT on culture, the changing nature of work, privacy concerns, international law and policy, are all topics that fit well in such a course. Current political events and real world situations can be used to explore ethical decision making processes, codes of ethics, and the role of the IT professional in a changing world. The Global Information Technology Readiness Reports and United Nations Millennium Development Goals, as well as selected other readings, provide students with the context they need to examine relevant social issues. Furthermore, several studies have pointed to the fact that women students are more likely to be engaged by courses that offer the opportunity to make the world a better place. Therefore, a class of this nature should serve to attract women students to the field. Such a course may also be useful for students in other fields such as international studies, political science, and economics. This paper will offer ideas as to how to structure a course on IT and globalization and present the results of a pilot course taught during the Summer of 2004 at George Mason University.
Microbial metal-ion reduction and Mars: extraterrestrial expectations?

Abstract Dissimilatory metal-ion-reducing bacteria (DMRB) can couple the reduction of a variety of different metal ions to cellular respiration and growth. The excitement of this metabolic group lies not only in the elucidation of a new type of metabolism, but also in the potential use of these abilities for the removal of toxic organics, and in their ability to reduce (and thus, detoxify) other toxic metals, such as U(VI) and Cr(VI). This review focuses on recent advances in the study of DMRB, including the use of external electron shuttles to enhance rates of metal reduction; genome sequencing and consequent genomic and proteomic analyses; new imaging approaches for high resolution analysis of both cells and chemical components; the demonstration of fractionation of stable isotopes of iron during iron reduction; and the elucidation of the types and patterns of secondary mineral formation during metal reduction. One of the secondary minerals is magnetite, the subject of intense controversy regarding the possibility of evidence for life from the Martian meteorite ALH84001. This review thus ends with a short consideration of the evidence for magnetic ‘proof’ of the existence of past life on Mars.
New clues suggest distinct functional roles for M1 and M2 intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells.

Organisms adapt to the external world by anticipating environmental changes associated with a 24 h day. Light is the main synchronizer of mammalian circadian clocks. However, the photoreceptor types involved in the process remained the subject of debate until recently. Although rods and cones had
Does the averaged evoked response encode subliminal perception? Yes. A reply to Schwartz and Rem.

An attempt by Schwartz and Rem (1975) to replicate a series of studies by Shevrin and coworkers purporting to show that the average evoked response encodes subliminal perception is found to be limited as a replication in a number of ways. Despite substantial departures in method and procedures Schwartz and Rem report a potentially confirmatory finding: AER cross correlations between different stimuli are significantly lower than for similar stimuli in an exposure level (3 msec) in which subjects fail to make an above chance verbal discrimination. In view of the important theoretical issues involved concerning the nature of subliminal perception and unconscious cognitive processes this cross correlation finding should be further investigated. Suggestions are made as to how this might be done.
Genetics and Alzheimer's disease: promises and caveats

Abstract As research continues to clarify the genetic role in Alzheimer's Disease, advances in genetic research can be expected, including the emergence of a field of specialty-geriatric genetics. This, in turn, will present additional ethical problems to the medical profession.
On The Determination Of Optical Constants Of Films In Multilayers

On the determination of optical constants of films in multilayersJ.A. DobrowolskiDivision of Physics, National Research Council of Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A OR6AbstractDifferent strategies are illustrated that can be used with the inverse synthesis method for the determination of the optical constants of coating materials.There exist dozens of methods for the determination of the optical constants of coating materials, and hundreds of articles describing them. The method of inverse synthesis to be described here uses the programs developed at the NRCC (and described elsewhere in these proceedings) to derive n and k from spectrophotometric measurements. During the calculations the thicknesses of the individual layers and the constants of dispersion equations are varied until a good fit is obtained between the experimental E and calculated C data. These calculations are controlled by means of a merit function M.The accuracy of transmittance and reflectance measurements performed on commercial equipment is rarely better than 0.5 to 1% . To overcome random measurement errors, as many readings as possible are incorporated in the merit function. The sensitivity of the method can be greatly enhanced by incorporating layers of the multilayers. Particularly powerful is the use of asimultaneous calculations on several systems consisting of m-^ , incorporating films of the unknown material:unknown material in suitable merit function which permitsm layers each, andM = + «m .
Asymptotic models for the discrete optimal control of the deformation of an elastic membrane

This paper considers the singularly perturbed static problem of the optimal control of the deformation of an elastic membrane by means of external loads (control without constraints) applied to several small areas distant from each other. The objective functional is equal to the sum of the square of the root-mean-square approximation error and the square of the norm of the external load. Asymptotic models are constructed using the method of matched asymptotic expansions.
MindMiner: Quantifying Entity Similarity via Interactive Distance Metric Learning

We present MindMiner, a mixed-initiative interface for capturing subjective similarity measurements via a combination of new interaction techniques and machine learning algorithms. MindMiner collects qualitative, hard to express similarity measurements from users via active polling with uncertainty and example based visual constraint creation. MindMiner also formulates human prior knowledge into a set of inequalities and learns a quantitative similarity distance metric via convex optimization. In a 12-participant peer-review understanding task, we found MindMiner was easy to learn and use, and could capture users' implicit knowledge about writing performance and cluster target entities into groups that match subjects' mental models.
An immunochemical study of avian pancreatic polypeptide: the nature of the principal epitope.

Abstract Structural features contributing to the antigenic recognition of the small globular hormone avian pancreatic polypeptide (APP) by a polyclonal antiserum have been defined using a solution phase radioimmunoassay technique. Cross-reactivity studies with PP homologues suggest that the surface residues within the α-helix of the peptide may be antigenic, whereas hydrophilicity and atomic mobility predictive methods implicate the molecules β-turn region. Immunochemical data and circular dichroism measurements on a timed trypsin digest of APP indicate that the secondary structure of the α-helix is vital for the molecule's immunological competence. Immunoreactivities of iodinated derivatives of APP, as well as that of peptide fragments of APP and its homologues, support the importance of tertiary structure involving the interaction of the polyproline and alpha helices. The highly mobile C-terminal residues 34–36 (His-Arg-Tyr-NH 2 ) have been found by immunological analysis to be unimportant. Arginine residue 33, which has been conserved through vertebrate evolution, is a major antigenic contributor, since a large decrease in immunoreactivity, not accompanied by a significant change in conformation, was observed upon specific removal of this residue by carboxypeptidase B. These results are consistent with a “discontinuous” epitopic model for APP in which Arg-33 and exposed residues in the α-helix are principal components of an epitope or epitopes mediated by the secondary and tertiary structures of the molecule.
Superconductivity and spin-density waves in multiband metals

We present a detailed description of two-band quasi-two-dimensional metals with $s$-wave superconducting (SC) and antiferromagnetic spin-density-wave (SDW) correlations. We present a general approach and use it to investigate the influence of the difference between the shapes and the areas of the two Fermi surfaces on the phase diagram. In particular, we determine the conditions for the coexistence of SC and SDW orders at different temperatures and dopings. We argue that a conventional $s$-wave SC order coexists with SDW order only at very low $T$ and in a very tiny range of parameters. An extended $s$-wave superconductivity, for which SC gap changes sign between the two bands, coexists with antiferromagnetic SDW over a much wider range of parameters and temperatures but even for this SC order the regions of SDW and SC can still be separated by a first-order transition. We show that the coexistence range becomes larger if SDW order is incommensurate. We apply our results to iron-based pnictide materials, in some of which coexistence of SDW and SC orders has been detected.
Do These Co-Twins Really Live Together? An Assessment of the Validity of the Home Index as a Measure of Family Socio-Economic Status1

In a study of 400 pairs of same-sex twins, ages 10-16, in the Philadelphia area, the Home Index was used as a measure of SES. Because there were numerous disagreements between co-twins, analyses were done of each item. The Home Index was then rescored using only the 10 items that reached a criterion level of 75% twin agreement. Two scoring methods were used on the 10-item Home Index: one treating "don't know" as equivalent to a blank (yes = 2, no = 1, don't know = 0) and the other being a variation on that scoring method by giving additional weight to "don't know" responses (yes = 2, no = 0, don't know = 1). By correlating the three scorings (the original scoring of 24 items and the two scorings of 10 items) of the Home Index with each other, with census tract data, and with five cognitive measures used in the study (Raven Standard Progressive Matrices, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Columbia Mental Maturity Scale, Benton Revised Visual Retention Test, and a Paired-Associate Test), it was determined tha...
7Li(3He, p)9Be Reaction and primordial nucleosynthesis

Abstract The differential cross section for the 7 Li( 3 He, p) 9 Be reaction has been measured in 50 keV intervals at 8 angles (15°–160°) in the energy range from E c.m. = 0.5 to 2.0 MeV, and total cross sections were determined from these data. Since this reaction has been noted as being of possible importance in primordial nucleosynthesis, its astrophysical S -factor was calculated from the data. In addition, the S -factor for the 7 Li( 3 H, n) 9 Be reaction, also of importance in primordial nucleo-synthesis, was estimated from the 7 Li( 3 He, p) 9 Be data and its thermonuclear reaction rate was calculated.
Adaptive RF Front-end Design via Self-discovery: Using Real-time Data to Optimize Adaptation Control

It has been established in prior research that significant power can be saved by dynamically trading off the performance of individual RF modules for power consumption across changing channel conditions. It has also been shown that the control law that reconfigures the RF front end must take into account the process corners from which the RF devices are selected in order to trade off performance for power in an optimal manner (minimum energy/bit at prescribed data throughput). Design of such an optimal control law is virtually intractable due to the complexity of simulating the RF front end across all possible channel and device process conditions. Hence, existing control algorithms are based on a coarse sampling of the channel-process space, suffer from modeling inaccuracies and are inherently sub-optimal from a performance vs. power perspective. In contrast, in this paper, we propose a RF front end control methodology that is optimized during real-time operation, does not require upfront simulation across all channel process conditions and is not susceptible to simulation inaccuracies. This results in far more robust/optimal control as opposed to current practice. A simulated annealing (SA) based framework for process optimization is proposed along with the use of built-in sensors for monitoring of performance and power. Simulation results and hardware data are presented to show the feasibility of the proposed approach.
A Benchmark for the Comparison of 3-D Motion Segmentation Algorithms

Over the past few years, several methods for segmenting a scene containing multiple rigidly moving objects have been proposed. However, most existing methods have been tested on a handful of sequences only, and each method has been often tested on a different set of sequences. Therefore, the comparison of different methods has been fairly limited. In this paper, we compare four 3D motion segmentation algorithms for affine cameras on a benchmark of 155 motion sequences of checkerboard, traffic, and articulated scenes.
The separation of rabbit anti-dinitrophenyl IgG antibodies on the basis of combining site depth.

Abstract Warner and Schumaker (1970) previously showed that rabbit antibodies to dinitrophenyl (DNP) determinants can be divided into two groups: those that only form monomeric complexes with a bivalent DNP ligand and those which form dimeric or higher polymeric complexes. We now show that the properties of these different populations are mimicked by their Fab fragments. These results and other experiments indicate that the antibodies differ in the depths to which the ligand can penetrate the combining sites and is not due to differences in the orientation of the sites in the intact molecules.
gp110—A major sialoglycoprotein of human cells: Isolation and partial characterization from a malignant melanoma cell line

Abstract A major sialoglycoprotein (gp110) was isolated from NP-40 extracts of the human melanoma cell line SK-MEL-37 by concanavalin A-Sepharose and wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose affinity chromatography, and preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A rabbit antiserum was prepared to this concanavalin A- and wheat germ agglutinin-binding glycoprotein and used to study the biochemical properties and distribution of gp110 in human cells. gp110 is highly acidic (p I ~ 3.8–4.0) and located on the cell surface in melanoma cells. It contains sialylated, N -linked complex chains as well as sialylated, O -linked carbohydrate chains. gp110 was detected as a major glycoprotein on all human cell lines tested (except erythrocytes), although its apparent molecular weight varied from cell line to cell line. The p I of gp110 from normal and malignant human kidney epithelial cells was identical, indicating that gp110's from two cell types do not substantially differ in their sialylated carbohydrate moieties.
New treatments for tic disorders

Tics vary in severity from infrequent and barely noticeable to nearly continuous and highly disruptive. Treatment of tic disorders depends on the severity of the tics, the distress they cause, and the effects they have on school, work, or daily activities. Many tics do not interfere with school or everyday life and do not require specific treatment. Comorbid disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder occur in more than 50% of patients. The associated comorbidity can be more bothersome than the tics themselves. Treatment should be aimed at the most troubling symptom. Education and reassurance are often sufficient for mild and occasional tics. For tics of moderate severity, clonidine and guanfacine have a reasonable safety profile. They are considered as first-line medications. With clonidine, start with 0.05 mg at bedtime. Increase as needed and as tolerated by 0.05 mg every 4 to 7 days to a maximum dosage of 0.3 to 0.4 mg/day divided three or four times a day. With guanfacine, start with 0.5 mg at bedtime. The dosage may be increased as needed and as tolerated by 0.5 mg every week to a maximum dosage of 3 to 4 mg/day, divided twice a day. There are emerging data that behavioral therapy is effective for treatment of tics in some individuals. Dopamine receptor blockers are the most potent medications for treating severe tics. The efficacy appears to be proportionate to the affinity for dopamine D2 receptors. Thus, standard antipsychotic medications such as haloperidol, pimozide, or fluphenazine are the most potent. However, these medications commonly cause bothersome side effects. Therefore, we recommend use of atypical neuroleptics before standard neuroleptics in most patients. Risperidone is usually the first choice and may have efficacy for behavior problems that often accompany tics. Start with 0.01 mg/kg/dose once a day; dosage may be increased by 0.02 mg/kg/day at weekly intervals, up to 0.06 mg/kg/dose once a day. Ziprasidone and olanzapine are reasonable alternatives.
FACE facility CO2 concentration control and CO2 use in 1990 and 1991

Abstract CO2 treatment level control and CO2 use are reported for free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) facility operations at the University of Arizona's Maricopa Agricultural Center in 1990 and 1991. These are required for evaluation of the validity of biological experiments conducted in four replicates of paired experimental and control plots in a large cotton field and the cost-effectiveness of the plant fumigation facility. Gas concentration was controlled to 550 γmol mol-1 at the center of each experimental plot, just above the canopy. In both years, season-long (April–September) average CO2 levels during treatment hours (05:00–19:00 h Mountain Standard Time) were 550 γmol mol−1 measured at treatment plot centers when the facility was operating. Including downtime, the season average was 548 γmol mol−1 in 1991. In 1990, the season averages for the four elevated CO2 treatments varied from 522 to 544 γmol mol−1, owing to extended periods of downtime after lightning damage. Ambient CO2 concentration during treatment was 370 γmol mol−1. Instantaneous measurements of CO2 concentration were within 10% of the target concentration of 550 γmol mol−1 more than 65% of the time when the facility was operating, and 1 min averages were within 10% of the target concentration for 90% of the time. The long-term average of CO2 concentration measured over the 20 m diameter experimental area of one array at the height of the canopy was in the range 550–580 γmol mol−1 during July 1991, with the higher values near the edges. In 1991, CO2 demand averaged 1250 kg per array per 14 h treatment day, or 4 kg m−2 of fumigated plant canopy. The FACE facility provided good temporal and spatial control of CO2 concentration and was a cost-effective method for large-scale field evaluations of the biological effects of CO2.
Post‐fire recovery of desert bryophyte communities: effects of fires and propagule soil banks

Questions As changing wildfire regimes modify North American deserts, can fires of greater severity and frequency negatively impact the recovery of native bryophyte communities, which are not adapted to such disturbances? Does post-fire recovery result from the survival of existing surface plants, dormant propagules in sub-surface soil banks (dispersal in time) or aerial immigration into burned sites (dispersal in space)? Do wildfires negatively affect the survival of propagules in bryophyte soil banks? Location Continental arid shrublands, Mojave Desert, southwestern US. Methods We characterized bryophyte communities along a post-fire chronosequence spanning three decades across sites where fires had different severities, ages and potential fuels. Three community profiles (surface, soil and aerial) were surveyed with a combination of on-site surveys and emergence germination techniques. We tested for differences in beta diversity, species composition and richness with PERMDISP, PERMANOVA and linear mixed models, respectively. Results Burn severity was associated with differences in beta diversity, species composition and richness, while burn age was associated only with different composition and richness. No effect of potential fuel availability was found. More variation in composition was explained by significant differences among profiles than by other fire attributes. Species richness (but not beta diversity) was higher in soil profiles than in aerial spore rain or existing surface communities. Soils from the oldest and least severe burns had a greater number of species than soils from recent and more severe burns. Conclusions Bryophyte soil banks are common elements of desert soils that facilitate post-disturbance recovery of communities, but soil banks are themselves threatened by the intensifying frequency and severity of wildfires in North American deserts. Recovery of desert bryophyte communities seems to begin (but not necessarily conclude) within 30 yr after wildfires. In the near future, communities may become perturbed from historical patterns as contemporary fire regimes undergo extensive changes.
Depression, cognition, and functional ability in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: To investigate the relationship of depression to functional and cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Design: Clinic-based study comparing AD patients with and without depression. Setting: Geriatric outpatient clinic at the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Participants: Ninety-one AD patients, 46 with major depression and 45 without. Measurements: The relationship of the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (mDRS), DSM-III-R diagnosis of depression, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) to daily functioning as measured by the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Independent Activities of Daily Living (IADL), and Communication subscales of the Record of Independent Living (RIL) was examined. Main Results: Both depression and mDRS related significantly to functional impairment, but the amount of variance contributed differed by level of cognitive impairment and functional area investigated. In mildly cognitively impaired subjects, diagnosis and severity of depression (combined) was significantly related to IADL and Communication subscales, after controlling for age and mDRS. No predictor was significantly related to ADL functioning. In contrast, for moderately cognitively impaired subjects, depression diagnosis was significantly related to ADL and Communication performance, but not to IADL functioning. mDRS also significantly predicted ADL, IADL, and Communication subscales. Severity of depression was not significant. Conclusions: These findings, that the presence (diagnosis) and severity (HDRS score) of depression significantly predicted functional status, but that the degree of association varied by level of cognitive severity, has important diagnostic and treatment implications. In particular, the importance of examining whether functional impairment in depressed AD patients can be modified by depression treatment is discussed.
A calmodulin dependent protein kinase in parietal cells.

An enriched population of isolated rabbit gastric parietal cells, from the fundic mucosa of New Zealand White rabbit, contained an active cytosolic calmodulin-dependant protein kinase activity with a prominent 100 kDa substrate (pp100). The latter focused as a doublet with isoelectric point of 6.8 – 7.0. The pp100 protein was phosphorylated only on threonine residues on a single tryptic peptide. Trifluoperazine inhibited the pp100 kinase activity with a K I of 10 – 15 μM. Addition of exogenous calmodulin was able to restore activity to uninhibited levels. A protein band with a molecular weight and phosphopeptide map identical to pp100, phosphorylated by calcium-dependent kinase, was also observed in rabbit pancreatic cytosol. The data suggest that a type III calmodulin-dependent kinase is present in parietal cell cytosol.
RADIOAUTOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF THE STEM CELL IN THE THYMUS OF THE IRRADIATED RAT

Radioautographic evidence is presented which characterizes the marrow derived stem cell which promotes thymic recovery following irradiation in the rat. These immigrant cells are similar in morphology to blood monocytes and have been called monocytoid, meaning monocyte-like in appearance. The typical cell had abundant pale staining cytoplasm and a nucleus with many invaginations and folds and a fine chromatin structure. There was no prominent nucleolus. The majority of these cells entered the thymus of the irradiated rat via the blood vessels into the septa and made their way through the connective tissue to the outer cortex. Three distinct morphological cell types appeared to be derived from the immigrant cells. These were fibrocyte-like cells which were located within the septa, macrophages located mainly within the medulla and septa, and large blast cells within the cortex, which proliferated giving rise to large thymocytes. The blast cells were characterized as having abundant moderately basophilic (and pyroninophilic) cytoplasm with a distinct cytoplasmic boundary, a large nucleus which still had invaginations and folds, a loose chromatin structure and one or more very prominent nucleoli. They were located in groups primarily within the outer cortex and often adjacent to blood vessels. They were found to be highly susceptible to damage in smear preparations. In contrast, their progeny, the large thymocytes were not highly susceptible to damage in smear preparations but teased out as large round cells with a highly basophilic rim of cytoplasm. The large thymocytes were precursors to medium and small cells. A radioautographic technique for 1 μ tissue sections is also described.
Anaesthetic considerations for paediatric ambulatory surgery

Abstract Successful anaesthetic management of children undergoing ambulatory surgery requires that the anaesthesiologist be actively involved in all aspects of management. Guidelines should be established in consultation with the surgeons, nurses, and administrators to ensure proper selection and preoperative preparation of patients. The psychological evaluation and preparation of the child, and the use of pharmacologic premedication when indicated, will ensure a pleasant experience for all involved. The anaesthesiologist should choose a specific anaesthetic agent and a technique that is appropriate for each individual child. Early ambulation and discharge are very desirable in ambulatory patients. Long-acting drugs and techniques that are associated with excessive drowsiness or nausea and vomiting should not be used. Special attention must be paid to the analgesic requirements of the child. Regional blocks should be used whenever possible to supplement general anaesthesia and to limit the need for narcotics during recovery. Postoperative vomiting should be anticipated and managed appropriately. Specific criteria for discharge ensure the safety and protection of the child and staff.
Oral ulcerations are associated with the loss of response to infliximab in Crohn's disease

We describe a 25-year-old Caucasian man with a 13-year history of inflammatory Crohn's disease (CD) who was suffering recurrent severe oral and esophageal ulcerations for the past 3 years. His CD had been treated with infliximab infusions among other medications. The loss of efficacy was confirmed by antibodies to infliximab (ATI) and serum infliximab tests that showed high levels of ATIs and undetectable levels of infliximab respectively. These findings were consistent with significant immunogenic response to infliximab leading to loss of effect. Infliximab infusions and prednisone were discontinued and treatment of the CD was instituted with adalimumab, a human anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha biologic agent, to control the inflammatory small intestinal disease and dapsone for the oral and esophageal CD ulcerations. The patient's oral and esophageal lesions as well as the enteric CD are under control after 5 months of therapy.
Persistent hypercoagulation associated with heterotopic ossification in patients with spinal cord injury long after injury has occurred

Three patients are presented with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) complicated by acute heterotopic ossification (HO), and concurrent deep vein thrombosis 15 months, 18 months and 22 years after SCI, accompanied by persistent hypercoagulation. The diagnosis of HO preceded deep vein thrombosis in all three patients. All were treated with etidronate disodium and therapeutic heparin followed by oral anticoagulation. As these patients were not acutely injured, the questions arose as to what predisposed them to deep vein thrombosis and when was the appropriate time to discontinue anticoagulation. Over a course of 3 years following deep vein thrombosis, these patients were monitored for evidence of hypercoagulation by D-dimer assay, plasma fibrinogen estimation, and rate of whole blood clotting by Sonoclot coagulation analyzer. The activity of acute HO was assessed by three-phase bone scan. A steady state of hypercoagulation, reflected by an increase in all three parameters, ran parallel to the extent of acute HO for the entire observation period. Moreover, hypercoagulation was persistently greater during increased acute HO activity even when the warfarin-induced prothrombin time ratio was 1.2-1.5. In addition, as acute heterotopic ossification activity decreased, the test values returned to near normal during warfarin therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Genic Determination of a Protein in the Immunoglobulin Region in the Chicken

Abstract HARRIS and Sweeney (1969) have presented the most recent in a series of studies of the serum proteins of the chicken as analyzed by electrophoresis. A series of earlier reports, Braun (1969), Glick (1968), Amin (1961a, b), Vanstone et al. (1955), have attempted to lay out procedures and to examine relationships between serum protein components and various other measures of the chicken. Lush (1961) and Ogden et al. (1962) were able to demonstrate inherited differences in albumens and transferrins in the chicken. In Braun’s (1969) report there was a suggestion of discrete variation of a small protein fraction in the immunoglobulin region, near the origin in his system. We report here on an investigation of the variation noted by Braun. MATERIALS AND METHODS The animals used in this study were White Leghorn chickens, all from one inbred line, composed of two subgroups. The birds were made available by Dr. W.…
A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF CELLULAR EVENTS IN THE SHOOT APICAL MERISTEM OF BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS (CRUCIFERAE) DURING TRANSITION FROM VEGETATIVE TO REPRODUCTIVE CONDITION

Vegetative plants were induced to flower by 16-hr-long days. Apical buds were collected at intervals during several developmental phases up to 63 hr. A stereologic analysis and mitotic index study was conducted on median longitudinal sections of shoot apical meristems. A rise in the mitotic index occurred between 12 and 24 hr within central, peripheral and pithrib meristem zones. Preceding the floral stage a second increase in the mitotic index was observed in peripheral and central zones, but not in the pith-rib meristem zone. A significant rise in apical volume, cell number, height, and width began in the transitional stage and continued to the floral stage. Significant correlation coefficients were observed between these apical parameters. Relative volume and cell population of each zone remained constant from the vegetative to the reproductive stage. Volume fraction occupied by the nucleus and nucleolus remained constant within each zone during the same time period. In each zone the volume of the nucleus was significantly correlated to volume of the nucleolus. It appears a pre-inflorescence apex, while larger, is structurally similar to a vegetative apex.
International cooperation of Brazilian research engineers: Patterns of collaboration based on a survey of the literature

In recent years, engineering research has become global and collaborative. In this paper we analyzed the engineering research productivity of Brazil, one of the countries showing significant economic growth in the first decade of the twenty-first century. We have used the Science Citation Index of Web of Science to find out the patterns of research between Brazil and seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela); and between Brazil and countries of the major industrial democracies or G8 group: France, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada. This survey of the literature of engineering clearly demonstrates the utility of well-designed bibliographic databases like the Web of Science; they can be very effective tools for identifying interesting research trends. Finally, conducting research jointly also presumes a place in a strategic network of nations, institutions or organizations able to take a regional or inter-regional role under common interests. Therefore, it is important to understand the geography of scientific and technical cooperations.
Contractile properties of the pigeon supracoracoideus during different modes of flight

The supracoracoideus (SUPRA) is the primary upstroke muscle for avian flight and is the antagonist to the downstroke muscle, the pectoralis (PECT). We studied in vivo contractile properties and mechanical power output of both muscles during take-off, level and landing flight. We measured muscle length change and activation using sonomicrometry and electromyography, and muscle force development using strain recordings on the humerus. Our results support a hypothesis that the primary role of the SUPRA is to supinate the humerus. Antagonistic forces exerted by the SUPRA and PECT overlap during portions of the wingbeat cycle, thereby offering a potential mechanism for enhancing control of the wing. Among flight modes, muscle strain was approximately the same in the SUPRA (33-40%) and the PECT (35-42%), whereas peak muscle stress was higher in the SUPRA (85-126 N m(-2)) than in the PECT (50-58 N m(-2)). The SUPRA mainly shortened relative to resting length and the PECT mainly lengthened. We estimated that elastic energy storage in the tendon of the SUPRA contributed between 28 and 60% of the net work of the SUPRA and 6-10% of the total net mechanical work of both muscles. Mechanical power output in the SUPRA was congruent with the estimated inertial power required for upstroke, but power output from the PECT was only 42-46% of the estimated aerodynamic power requirements for flight. There was a significant effect of flight mode upon aspects of the contractile behavior of both muscles including strain, strain rate, peak stress, work and power.
Social Patriotism and the British Working Class: Appearance and Disappearance of a Tradition

The study of patriotism and national identity, once left to the likes of Sir Arthur Bryant, has been rediscovered by the mainstream of British historians. One source of this change is the growing influence of anthropology and literary theory on the discipline, encouraging closer attention to ritual, myth, and language. Another is a renewed focus on the modern state and the mechanisms by which it “intervenes” in civil society.
Effects of Metabolic Syndrome on Atherosclerosis in Childhood

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease of the arterial wall that starts in childhood but does not usually manifest clinically until adulthood. Its progression depends on several risk factors, most of which are components of metabolic syndrome. In this chapter, we summarize the evidence of pediatric onset of atherosclerosis and discuss its pathogenesis. We also review the effects of various components of metabolic syndrome on the development of atherosclerosis and the strategies for stratifying and reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. A substantial amount of data confirms the early initiation of atherosclerosis. Therefore, earlier efforts to identify, prevent, and treat metabolic syndrome may improve the quality and length of life.
Wavelength-striped multicasting of optically-connected memory for large-scale computing systems

We demonstrate the broadband multicasting of optically-connected memory between multiple SDRAM nodes and an emulated microprocessor on an optical network test-bed. 4×2.5-Gb/s wavelength-striped memory messages are multicasted error-free (BER&#60;10−12).
Routers with Very Small Buffers

Internet routers require buffers to hold pack- ets during times of congestion. The buffers need to be fast, and so ideally they should be small enough to use fast memory technologies such as SRAM or all-optical buffering. Unfortunately, a widely used rule-of-thumb says we need a bandwidth-delay product of buffering at each router so as not to lose link utilization. This can be prohibitively large. In a recent paper, Appenzeller et al. challenged this rule-of-thumb and showed that for a backbone network, the buffer size can be divided by √ N without sacrificing throughput, where N is the number of flows sharing the bottleneck. In this paper, we explore how buffers in the backbone can be significantly reduced even more, to as little as a few dozen packets, if we are willing to sacrifice a small amount of link capacity. We argue that if the TCP sources are not overly bursty, then fewer than twenty packet buffers are sufficient for high throughput. Specifically, we argue that O(log W ) buffers are sufficient, where W is the window size of each flow. We support our claim with analysis and a variety of simulations. The change we need to make to TCP is minimal—each sender just needs to pace packet injections from its window. Moreover, there is some evidence that such small buffers are sufficient even if we don't modify the TCP sources so long as the access network is much slower than the backbone, which is true today and likely to remain true in the future. We conclude that buffers can be made small enough for all-optical routers with small integrated optical buffers.
Robot-assisted ureteroureterostomy in the adult: initial clinical series.

Objectives To report what we believe is the first series of robot-assisted ureteroureterostomy (RAUU) in adults with greater than 24-month follow-up because ureteral stricture disease can be difficult to manage. Methods During 2004-2006, a total of 3 patients were found to have complex ureteral pathology: 2 with refractory symptomatic ureteral strictures and 1 with a complete ureteral transection. After thorough discussion of all available treatment options, these patients agreed to undergo RAUU. Results All patients had successful primary reanastomosis of the ureter robotically. Average operating room time was 136.6 minutes. Mean hospital stay was 3 days. All patients had ureteral stents placed during the operation. All patients at last follow-up were noted to be pain free with stable T½ on nuclear renal scan. Conclusions RAUU is a potential treatment option for ureteral strictures in carefully selected patients. These cases may include failed endopyelotomy, refractory ureteral stricture, or cases of ureteral transection in which a ureteral reimplantation may be difficult. The robotic platform provides excellent reconstructive capabilities that may be difficult to obtain for surgeons who are not performing laparoscopic cases in high volume.
Plasma exchange in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

Abstract Plasma exchange has been reported to be efficacious in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. We performed a prospective double-blind trial in which patients with static or worsening disease were randomly assigned to plasma exchange (n = 15) or to sham exchange (n = 14) for three weeks. After three weeks, we observed statistically significant differences in combined measurements of nerve conduction (total, motor, proximal, velocity, and amplitude) favoring patients who had received plasma exchange. Improvement to a greater degree than for any patient receiving sham exchange was detected in the neurologic-disability score in five patients (P = 0.025) and in subset scores for weakness and reflex in four patients (P<0.057). We conclude that for some patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, plasma exchange has an ameliorating effect on neurologic dysfunction and nerve conduction, but in others no improvement is observed. Because plasma was replaced ...
Evaluation of gross hematuria

Gross hematuria in children is a common complaint that often leads patients to seek urgent care. The diagnostic evaluation can be chosen based on specific patient history and physical examination. When a patient is asymptomatic, hypercalciuria and mild forms of glomerulonephritis are common causes of gross hematuria. Although they are less common in children, special care should be taken to investigate for renal and bladder tumors.