cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implicating Gene and Cell Networks Responsible for Differential COVID-19 Host Responses via an Interactive Single Cell Web Portal

Numerous studies have provided single-cell transcriptome profiles of host responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Critically lacking however is a reusable datamine to allow users to compare and explore these data for insight, inference, and hypothesis generation. To accomplish this, we harmonized datasets from blood, bronchoalveolar lavage and tissue samples from COVID-19 and other control conditions and derived a compendium of gene signature modules per cell type, subtype, clinical condition and compartment. We demonstrate approaches for exploring and evaluating their significance via a new interactive web portal (ToppCell). As examples, we develop three hypotheses: (1) a multicellular signaling cascade among alternatively differentiated monocyte-derived macrophages whose tasks include T cell recruitment and activation; (2) novel platelet subtypes with drastically modulated expression of genes responsible for adhesion, coagulation and thrombosis; (3) a multilineage cell activator network able to drive extrafollicular B maturation via an ensemble of genes extensively associated with risk for developing autoimmunity Funding Information: Funding for this study was provided by LungMap (U24 and HL148865), Digestive Health Center (P30, DK078392) and Harold C. Schott Foundation funding of the Harold C. Schott Endowed Chair, UC College of Medicine. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interest.
Gas Condensation Phenomena in Inertial Confinement Fusion Reaction Chambers

The vaporization and recondensation of material in the reaction chamber of an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) facility can have far reaching consequences on the facility design. If one is designing a plant that produces commercial electrical power, the condensation of vaporized material should be considered because it may put an upper limit on the rate at which targets may be exploded and may have a strong effect on the economic viability of the plant. Both in power plants and in near term devices where target explosions may be very infrequent one must consider the effects of condensation on things such as optical components, whose performance or survival may be compromised by the deposition of a layer of material. There may be beneficial aspects of the recondensation as well, such as redeposition of vaporized material back onto the first wall of the reaction chamber. The complexities of these issues may be avoided by designing facilities that have low target yields and large chamber radii and thus have no vaporization of wall material, but this increases the costs and lowers target gain. For these and other reasons, understanding the vaporization and condensation of material in reaction chambers is a critical part of technology research for ICF.
The influence of hexose and insulin on glycogen synthetase in HeLa cells.

Abstract 1. d-Glucose or d-galactose in low concentration promptly rendered the glycogen synthetase of growing HeLa cells more dependent on d-glucose 6-phosphate. 2. An essentially inverse relationship obtained between the glucose-6-phosphate-independent fraction of the enzyme and the cellular concentration of glycogen. Some exceptions noted to this general case may have been due to unequal rates of glycogenolysis during the detachment of growing cells. 3. Insulin lowered the glucose 6-phosphate dependence of the enzyme and counteracted the effects observed with hexose. However, the locus of insulin action was distinct from that of hexose or glycogen. Insulin permitted a higher independence of the enzyme at a given glycogen concentration. 4. The control of phosphorylase kinase and of glycogen synthetase by hexose is interpreted as a "negative feedback" system, which prevents the overaccumulation of glycogen when substrate is abundant and the depletion of limited glycogen reserves when substrate is deficient. The unique suitability of the effectors glucose 6-phosphate and 5'-adenylate is discussed.
Xa receptor EPR-1.

Cellular inflammatory responses and early mechanisms of vascular injury are invariably associated with activation of blood coagulation and deposition of insoluble fibrin. This process occurs on vascular cell surfaces through the ability of the coagulation protease factor Xa to generate thrombin. However, experimental evidence accumulated during the past decade underscores how prothrombin activation is only one of the biological consequences of factor Xa assembly on vascular cells. Instead, binding of factor Xa to leukocytes, endothelium, and smooth muscle cells triggers complex pathways of intracellular signal transduction that participate, directly or indirectly, in the regulation of cellular growth. One of the cellular binding sites for factor Xa, designated effector cell protease receptor-1 (EPR-1), has recently emerged as a novel potential regulator of factor Xa-mediated mitogenic signaling. For its activation-dependent phenotype on leukocyte subsets, its ability to costimulate lymphocyte proliferatio...
Screening for Prostate Cancer: Current Status and Future Directions

Population-based prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer has become a heated health policy issue in recent years, and a thorough understanding of this complex narrative is essential to ensure progress and innovation as we move forward. In this issue of European Urology Focus, van den Bergh and coauthors [1] present an insightful review of the impact of early diagnosis of prostate cancer via PSA-based screening, and provide both a broader overview of population-based trends in disease characteristics and a nuanced analysis of the two landmark screening trials, the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) cancer screening trial [2] and the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) [3]. As the authors describe, data support both a significant stage migration and a mortality reduction since the introduction of PSA screening in the 1990s. For instance, the proportion of men presenting with metastatic disease has decreased from approximately 1 in 3 in the 1980s to 4% from 2004 to 2010 [1,4] and prostate cancer mortality has decreased, with an estimated 45–70% of the decline attributed to screening [5]. Yet despite promising trends in population-based data, the two randomized screening trials have, at first glance, failed to demonstrate the anticipated mortality reduction: PLCO noted no benefit of screening and ERSPC revealed a mortality reduction of 21% over 13-yr follow-up. However, ‘‘absence of evidence is not evidence of absence,’’ and an accurate interpretation of these studies requires a more nuanced analysis. As the authors emphasize, the two studies had significant rates of contamination and noncompliance, both of which would mitigate any screening benefits. As an example, the estimated mortality reduction in ERSPC would increase to as high as 51% after
Sensitivity of the Entomogenous Fungus Beauveria bassiana to Selected Plant Growth Regulators and Spray Additives

Mefluidide was the only one of four plant growth regulators that caused little to no significant inhibition of in vitro germination and growth of the entomogenous fungus Beauveria bassiana. Silaid, paclobutrazol, and flurprimidol significantly inhibited germination and growth. Mortality of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, resulting from B. bassiana was significantly reduced when larvae were exposed to conidia plus soil treated with paclobutrazol. Larval mortality resulting from conidia plus soil treated with mefluidide did not differ significantly from mortality resulting from untreated conidia. Triton CS-7 was the only one of eight spray adjuvants that significantly inhibited germination of B. bassiana conidia.
School gardening: improving environmental attitudes of children through hands-on learning

Abstract Project GREEN (Garden Resources for Environmental Education Now), a school garden program, was integrated into the curriculum of seven elementary and junior high schools in Kansas and Texas. The objective of the study was to evaluate whether students participating in garden activities were gaining more positive attitudes about environmental issues. Students' environmental attitudes were significantly more positive after participating in the school garden program with post-test mean scores 0.26 points higher than the pre-test mean scores. Demographic comparisons indicated that female and Caucasian students, as well as students from rural areas, had more positive environmental attitudes after participating in the garden program compared to other students within each respective group.
Gender Differences in the Self-Regulation of Hypertension

The theory of planned behavior was adapted and revised to explain efforts made by patients to regulate their hypertension. A test of this theory of self-regulation revealed significant differences between men (N = 105) and women (N = 102) in their decision making and goal pursuit activities. For men, attitude toward success had both direct and indirect (through desire and intentions) effects on efforts to regulate hypertension. Attitudes had no influence on effort for women. Perceived behavioral control had both direct and indirect (through desire and intentions) effects on effort for men but no effects for women. Intentions influenced effort for men but not women. In contrast, perceived subjective norms had direct effects on effort for women but not for men. Effort was found also to be a function of past efforts at trying to regulate hypertension for both men and women. The study results confirm the existence of differences in the manner in which men and women perceive health maintenance. Additionally, the theory of self-regulation was found to serve as a useful framework in understanding the role of goal-setting and goal-striving in the management of chronic conditions.
Nonlinear Control [Bookshelf]

This book is not a revised edition of the author's previous book ["Nonlinear Systems, 3rd ed., 2001) but rather a new book organized and focused on the material most pertinent to developing an understanding of nonlinear control. The first half of the book provides a solid foundation for understanding and analyzing nonlinear systems, but many of the more abstract concepts, such as the comparison lemma, receive much less attention. The second half of the book presents nonlinear control in an entirely new format that is better organized and more logical, building upon concepts successively, such that students can better understand and master nonlinear control. In fact, many aspects of nonlinear control are better generalized, such as backstepping, while others are given deeper consideration, such as observers, tracking control, and output feedback control.
M&M: multi-level Markov model for wireless link simulations

802.15.4 links experience different level of dynamics at short and long time scales. This makes the design of a suitable model that combines the different dynamics at different timescales a non-trivial problem. In this paper, we propose a novel multilevel approach involving Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) and Mixtures of Multivariate Bernoullis (MMBs) for modeling the long and short time scale behavior of wireless links using experimental data traces collected from multiple 802.15.4 testbeds. We characterize the synthetic traces generated from the model of the wireless link in terms of statistical characteristics as compared to an empirical trace with similar PRR characteristics, such as the mean and variance of the packet reception rates from the data traces, comparison of distributions of run lengths and conditional packet delivery functions of successive packet receptions (1's) and losses (0's). We modified TOSSIM to utilize data traces created using our modeling approach and compare them against the existing radio model in TOSSIM, which uses the Closest-fit Pattern Matching model for modeling variations in noise which affect the link quality. The results show that our proposed modeling approach is able to mimic the behavior of the data traces quite closely, with difference in packet reception rates of the empirical and simulated traces of less than 2.5% on average and 9% in the worst case. Moreover, the simulated links from our proposed approach were able to account for long runs of 1's and 0's as observed in empirical data traces.
Glaucomatocyclitic crisis in a child

Abstract Purpose: To report a case of glaucomatocyclitic crisis (Posner-Schlossman syndrome) in a child. Method: Case report. A 13-year-old boy presented with decreased vision, photophobia, halos, and pain in the right eye. Result: Findings in this child were consistent with a diagnosis of Posner-Schlossman syndrome. Conclusion: Glaucomatocyclitic crisis can occur in a child and must be included in the differential diagnosis of uveitis and glaucoma in pediatric patients.
Insulation requirements for Voyager mission.

Voyager thermal insulation requirements noting tests of vapor deposited Au on Mylar and Kapton
Synthesis of zinc trisubstituted hydrazido complexes and ortho-metalation of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine.

The zinc hydrazide complexes [EtZn(N(SiMe3)NMe2)]2, [EtZn(N(Me)NMe2)]4, and Zn3Et4(N(Et)NMe2)2 were synthesized by allowing excess hydrazine, HN(R)NMe2, to react with diethyl zinc. The product of the reaction between ZnEt2 and HN(i-Pr)NMe2ortho-metalated 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) at room temperature, producing the complex Zn[(NC5H3-p-NMe2)ZnEt(N(i-Pr)NMe2)]2. At elevated temperatures, Zn3Et4(N(Et)NMe2)2 also ortho-metalated DMAP, but [EtZn(N(Me)NMe2)]4 did not. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the hydrazide ligands in [EtZn(N(SiMe3)NMe2)]2 act as bridging mono-hapto amide ligands, and in Zn3Et4(N(Et)NMe2)2 and Zn[(NC5H3-p-NMe2)ZnEt(N(i-Pr)NMe2)]2 the hydrazide ligands are di-hapto.
Inner model operators in L(R)

An inner model operator is a function M such that given a Turing degree d, M(d) is a countable set of reals, d⊆M(d), and M(d) has certain closure properties. The notion was introduced by Steel. In the context of AD, we study inner model operators M such that for a.e. d, there is a wellorder of M(d) in L(M(d)). This is related to the study of mice which are below the minimal inner model with ω Woodin cardinals. As a technical tool, we show that the alternative fine structure theory developed by Mitchell and Steel for mice with Woodin cardinals is equivalent (in some sense) to the traditional fine structure theory developed by Jensen for L.
An Evaluation of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum

This study examines to what extent a visit to the major Israeli Holocaust memorial/museum, Yad Vashem, affected the attitudes and knowledge of Israeli high school students. A total of 281 students completed questionnaires measuring general knowledge of the Holocaust, the impor tance of the Holocaust, views related to the Holocaust, and the connection between the Holocaust and attitudes about current issues. Results showed that the visit had little effect on attitudes and no effect on knowledge. Implications for museums as interventions and the use of formal evaluations in these settings are discussed.
Control of a photoreaction by electron spin resonance (II): The effect of radical pair lifetime on the control efficiency

The magnetic-field and the microwave effects on the photoreactions of anthraquinone-2-sulfonate and anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid with xanthene were observed in an SDS micellar solution. The reaction products were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. With increasing the magnetic-field strength from the residual value to 400 mT, the yield of dixanthenyl, which is an “escape product”, increased considerably. Upon irradiating the system with a microwave (9400 MHz, 1.0 kW), however, the yield decreased almost to the minimum value at around 334 mT, where the intermediate radical pair becomes resonant with the microwave field. Therefore, we can detect the ESR spectrum of the transient radical pair by the product yield (product-yield-detected ESR or PYESR). In the present study, we observed a clear reversed microwave effect at the center of the PYESR spectrum, whose cause was attributed to “spin locking” of the radical pair by an intense microwave field. The microwave effects for the two systems were, different from each other in several respects including the extent of this spin locking effect in the product yield. The PYESR spectra were calculated by using a quantum mechanical method to discuss the relation between the microwave effect and the radical pair dynamics, the latter of which was also observed in the present study by the “pulse-PYESR” method.
Amygdala-prefrontal disconnection in borderline personality disorder

Abnormal fronto-amygdala circuitry has been implicated in impulsive aggression, a core symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD). We examined relative glucose metabolic rate (rGMR) at rest and after m-CPP (meta-chloropiperazine) with (18)fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with positron emission tomography (PET) in 26 impulsive aggressive (IED)-BPD patients and 24 controls. Brain edges/amygdala were visually traced on MRI scans co-registered to PET scans; rGMR was obtained for ventral and dorsal regions of the amygdala and Brodmann areas within the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Correlation coefficients were calculated between rGMR for dorsal/ventral amygdala regions and PFC. Additionally, amygdala volumes and rGMR were examined in BPD and controls. Correlations PFC/amygdala Placebo: Controls showed significant positive correlations between right orbitofrontal (OFC) and ventral, but not dorsal, amygdala. Patients showed only weak correlations between amygdala and the anterior PFC, with no distinction between dorsal and ventral amygdala. Correlations PFC/amygdala: m-CPP response: Controls showed positive correlations between OFC and amygdala regions, whereas patients showed positive correlations between dorsolateral PFC and amygdala. Group differences between interregional correlational matrices were highly significant. Amygdala volume/metabolism: No group differences were found for amygdala volume, or metabolism in the placebo condition or in response to meta-chloropiperazine (m-CPP). We demonstrated a tight coupling of metabolic activity between right OFC and ventral amygdala in healthy subjects with dorsoventral differences in amygdala circuitry, not present in IED-BPD. We demonstrated no significant differences in amygdala volumes or metabolism between BPD patients and controls.
A model of work–life conflict and quality of employee–organization relationships (EORs): Transformational leadership, procedural justice, and family-supportive workplace initiatives

Abstract This paper tested a new model of employee–organization relationships (EORs) by introducing types of work–life conflict as variables leading to EOR outcomes, and by investigating the possible effects of transformational leadership, procedural justice, and family-supportive workplace initiatives upon employees’ perceptions of work–life conflict and relationships with their employers. Data were collected from a survey of 396 U.S. employees. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) was adopted to address the multilevel structure of collected data. Time-based work–life conflict, individualized consideration, and procedural justice were found to be associated with quality of EORs significantly. Fair work–life policy-making procedures also significantly predicted perceived levels of work–life conflict.
Interactions in binary mixtures: Partial structure factors in mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles and colloidal silica

We have investigated the stability of a mixed colloidal system of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles and colloidal silica (Ludox TM). The colloidal silica is stably dispersed in water by virtue of its surface charge, but at SDS concentrations greater than 0.45 M the silica particles slowly aggregate. This transition is monitored with small angle neutron scattering (SANS) using a solvent contrast variation technique. Partial structure factors for the binary mixture are extracted from the SANS data using an optimization‐regularization procedure. Knowledge of the partial structure factors in this asymmetric mixture (the Ludox radius is five times that of the micelles) allows us to determine the three pair interaction potentials. Model calculations for a multicomponent sticky hard sphere fluid are fitted to the experimental partial structure factors, thereby quantifying all three pair interaction potentials (which are potentials of mean force). For a fixed silica vol‐ ume fraction of 0.063, attractive inte...
Controlling photonic structures using optical forces

The use of optical forces to manipulate small objects is well known. Applications include the manipulation of living cells by optical tweezers and optical cooling in atomic physics. The miniaturization of optical systems (to the micro and nanoscale) has resulted in very compliant systems with masses of the order of nanograms, rendering them susceptible to optical forces. Optical forces have been exploited to demonstrate chaotic quivering of microcavities, optical cooling of mechanical modes, actuation of a tapered-fibre waveguide and excitation of the mechanical modes of silicon nano-beams. Despite recent progress in this field, it is challenging to manipulate the optical response of photonic structures using optical forces; this is because of the large forces that are required to induce appreciable changes in the geometry of the structure. Here we implement a resonant structure whose optical response can be efficiently statically controlled using relatively weak attractive and repulsive optical forces. We demonstrate a static mechanical deformation of up to 20 nanometres in a silicon nitride structure, using three milliwatts of continuous optical power. Because of the sensitivity of the optical response to this deformation, such optically induced static displacement introduces resonance shifts spanning 80 times the intrinsic resonance linewidth.
A simple zeta method for sperm selection based on membrane charge

Objective The objectives were: [1] to develop a simple zeta potential method for sperm isolation; and [2] to analyze the sperm maturity, morphology, kinematic, and DNA parameters. Design The phenomenon of sticky sperm adhering to slide surfaces was adapted for collecting charged sperm. Setting Clinical and academic research environment. Patient(s) Discarded colloid-washed sperm from routine laboratory testing (n = 8). Intervention(s) Sperm were centrifuged in serum-free medium and collected for analyses. Main Outcome Measure(s) Kinematic parameters, DNA integrity, and maturity. Result(s) The percentages of mature (73.0% ± 0.5% vs. control 63.5% ± 0.5% SEM) and DNA intact sperm (85.0% ± 0.3% vs. 69.5% ± 0.5%) increased in the male factor subgroup. Strict normal morphology (19.3% ± 0.1% vs. 10.0% ± 0.1%), hyperactivation (7.0% ± 0.1% vs. 3.6% ± 0.1%), and progressive motility (29.1% ± 0.1% vs. 19.9% ± 0.1%) increased by twofold. Conclusion(s) The zeta method improved sperm parameters associated with increased fertilization and pregnancy after assisted reproduction procedures. Manipulation from the attaching–detaching process stimulated sperm metabolism without causing premature acrosome reactions. Total motility was unchanged suggesting a lack of association between total motility and zeta potential.
Ankle-brachial index performance among internal medicine residents

The ankle—brachial index (ABI) is the standard test used in clinical practice to detect peripheral artery disease (PAD) and is a powerful predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This study so...
Juvenile hormone prevents ecdysteroid-induced expression of broad complex RNAs in the epidermis of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta.

A cDNA homolog of theDrosophila melanogaster Broad Complex (BRC)gene was isolated from the tobacco hornworm,Manduca sexta,which shows a predicted 88% amino acid identity withDrosophilaBRC in the N-terminal BTB domain. Three zinc finger domains encoding homologs of theDrosophilaZ2, Z3, and Z4 domains (93, 100, and 85% identity, respectively) were obtained by RT–PCR. InManducadorsal abdominal epidermis, BRC RNAs were not observed during the larval molt. Three BRC transcripts—6.0, 7.0, and 9.0 kb—first appeared at the end of the feeding stage of the fifth (final) instar when the epidermis is exposed to ecdysteroids in the absence of juvenile hormone (JH) and becomes committed to pupal differentiation. These RNAs were induced in day 2 fifth larval epidermisin vitroby 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in the absence of JH with dose–response and time courses similar to the induction of pupal commitment. This induction by 20Ein vitrowas prevented by the presence of JH I at levels seenin vivoduring the larval molt. In the wing discs, the BRC RNAs appeared shortly after ecdysis to the fifth instar and coincided with the onset of metamorphic competence of these discs. Application of a JH analogue pyriproxifen during the fourth instar molt delayed and reduced the levels of BRC mRNAs seen in the wing discs in the early fifth instar, but did not completely prevent their appearance in this tissue that first differentiates at metamorphosis. The expression of the BRC transcription factors thus appears to be one of the first molecular indications of the genetic reprogramming of the epidermis necessary for insect metamorphosis. How JH prevents BRC expression in this epidermis may provide the key to understanding how this hormone controls metamorphosis.
Disk models for cataclysmic variables

This paper presents disk models for cataclysmic variables in which convection in the central layers has been included. The calculation of the vertical structure at different points is presented. The models have a central mass of 1M⊙ and matter fluxes of 10−9, 10−8, and 10−7M⊙ yr−1. The corresponding luminosities are 1.86, 1.86×10 and 1.86×102L⊙.
Effects of Prepartum Consumption of Endophyte-Infested Tall Fescue on Serum Prolactin and Subsequent Milk Production of Holstein Cows

Abstract A pharmacologically induced reduction in prolactin secretion during the days preceding parturition diminishes the quantity and composition of milk produced during the succeeding lactation. To determine whether the impairment in prolactin secretion that accompanies the ingestion of fungus-infested fescue has a similar effect, primiparous (n=15) and multiparous (n=19) Holstein cows were divided by parity, previous production, age, and calving date and assigned to one of two treatments 28 d prior to expected parturition. Treatments in the replicated trial were ‘Kentucky 31' tall fescue hays of similar quality infested with Acremonium coenophialum or not infested. Cows were individually fed hay for ad libitum consumption supplemented with 1.8kg/d of concentrate until 10 d prior to parturition at which time concentrate was increased to 3.6kg/d. After parturition, all cows received a ration based on corn silage without fescue hay. No difference was detected in intake of hay (mean of 5.3kg/d) during the prepartum period. Prolactin secretion in the cows consuming infested fescue was reduced by approximately 30% in the 5 d preceding parturition and by 23% during the prolactin surge that began the day before and ended the day after parturition. The quantity of milk produced was not affected, but the concentration of milk constituents, especially fat, was numerically lower in milk from cows that consumed the fungus-infested fescue hay.
Wide temperature range blue phase liquid crystals for displays

We report wide temperature range blue phase liquid crystals for display applications. Systematical analysis of the relationship of dielectric anisotropy value (Δe) and the blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) temperature range shows that the BP temperature range increases as the Δe decrease. Additionally, we also find that as the chiral concentration of the blue phase increases, the BP temperature range decreases. The studied BPLCs also exhibit fast response time of 400 μs using IPS cells with a fixed cell gap and electrode line and space of 10 μm. These results can be explained based on the defect theory and would give effective guidance during the application of BPLC. Detailed physical, optical, dielectric and electro-optical study will be presented.
Integration of herbal medicine into modern medical practices: issues and prospects

The integration of herbal medicine into modern medical practices including cancer treatments must take into account the interrelated issues of quality, safety, and efficacy. Quality is the paramount issue because it can affect the efficacy and/or safety of the herbal products being used. Current product quality ranges from very high to very low due to intrinsic, extrinsic, and regulatory factors. Intrinsically, species differences, organ specificity, diurnal and seasonal variations can affect the qualitative and quantitative accumulation of active chemical constituents in the source medicinal plants. Extrinsically, environmental factors; field collection methods such as cultivation, harvest, post-harvest transport and storage; manufacturing practices; inadvertent contamination and substitution; and intentional adulteration are contributing factors to the quality of herbal medicinal products. Source plant materials that are contaminated with microbes, microbial toxins, environmental pollutants, or heavy metals; or finished products that are adulterated with foreign toxic plants or synthetic pharmaceutical agents can lead to adverse events. Substandard source materials or finished products will yield therapeutically less effective agents. Herbal medicine quality can also be attributed to regulatory practices. In a number of countries, herbal medicines are unregulated, which has led to product quality differences. Product quality improvement may be achieved by implementing control measures from the point of medicinal plant procurement under good agricultural practices (GAPs) and the manufacture of the finished botanical products under good manufacturing practices (GMPs), plus post-marketing quality assurance surveillance. The lack of pharmacological and clinical data on the majority of herbal medicinal products is a major impediment to the integration of herbal medicines into conventional medical practices. For valid integration, pharmacological and especially, clinical studies, must be conducted on those plants lacking such data. Adverse events, including drug-herb interaction must also be monitored to promote a safe integration of efficacious herbal medicine into conventional medical practices.
Assessment of diastolic function with echocardiography

Summary Doppler interrogation across the mitral valve is a noninvasive method to evaluate diastolic function. In patients who have a disease process that alters diastolic filling, the Doppler pattern seen in Figure 1A implies an impairment in the rate of ventricular relaxation with relatively normal pressures. As cardiac function deteriorates and left atrial pressures rise, the inflow pattern may normalize. In the extreme, severely symptomatic patients will exhibit a restrictive pattern; this implies the presence of elevated filling pressures and often a poor prognosis. Left ventricular diastolic filling, however, is governed by a complex interaction of ventricular relaxation, compliance, nonuniformity, and loading conditions. These hemodynamic components may overlap temporally, further complicating the study of diastole. For example, relaxation and early filling occur together. Doppler interrogation of transmitral inflow velocity cannot “see” these two events separately, but rather the net effect. At best, this method offers some insight into the relative pressure changes between the LA and LV. There are also several pitfalls to keep in mind when interpreting these patterns: the influence of age on the E/A ratio and the dilemma of whether a normal appearing pattern actually represents pseudonormalization. Since the patterns generated by pulse-wave Doppler are not pathognomonic, the diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction cannot solely rest on these data. The clinical utility for routine evaluation of mitral inflow velocities is limited, in the absence of clinical context.
Overexpression of von Willebrand factor is an independent risk factor for pathogenesis of intimal hyperplasia: Preliminary studies

Abstract Objective: Deposition of von Willebrand factor (vWF) is increased in hyperplastic intima of grafts, vWF levels are elevated in patients with cardiovascular diseases, and there is resistance to progression of atherosclerosis in pigs with von Willebrand disease. We hypothesize that increased expression of endothelial vWF has mitogenic effects on smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. Methods: In an in vitro study, mouse aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) were exposed to vWF in various concentrations (0, 5, 20, 100, 500, and 1000 ng/mL). DNA synthesis of SMC was measured with 3 H-thymidine incorporation. In an in vivo study, 108 mice from inbred strains of C57BL/6J (control) and RIIIS/J (characteristic of low plasma vWF) underwent carotid artery ligation (flow cessation model) and were divided into three groups: C57BL/6J, RIIIS/J, and RIIIS/J treated with desmopressin (DDAVP; intraperitoneal injection at 3 μg/kg/d). At 2 and 4 weeks, carotid arteries were harvested for analysis with immunohistochemical analysis, morphometric studies, and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; plasma vWF was measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: In vitro SMC proliferation showed a positive dose-response curve with vWF stimulation. Intimal hyperplasia (IH) in carotid arteries was prominent in C57BL/6J mice, absent in RIIIS/J mice, and moderate in RIIIS/J treated with DDAVP (intima-media ratio, 71% ± 18%, 0, and 32% ± 12%, respectively; P P Conclusions: vWF directly stimulates SMC proliferation in vitro via a direct dose-response effect. In vivo low shear stress accelerates IH proportional to vWF expression. This could occur under intact endothelium without platelet activation and platelet-derived growth factor release. In effect, control of IH may entail modulation of vWF expression. (J Vasc Surg 2003;37:433-9.)
Picture of the month. Holt-Oram syndrome.

A TERM BABY WAS BORN BY SPONTANEOUS vaginal delivery to a gravida 5, para 5 mother. His Apgar score was 7 after 1 minute. At 5 minutes, the score was 8 because of the presence of acrocyanosis and low heart rate. He was appropriate for gestational age with a birth weight of 3417 g, length of 51.7 cm, and head circumference of 35.5 cm. On examination, there was a bifid thumb with duplication of the distal phalanx on the right hand (Figure 1). On auscultation, an ejection systolic murmur grade 2/6 on the left sternal border was heard. Electrocardiography showed bradycardia with a heart rate of 93 beats/min. Echocardiography revealed a secundum atrial septal defect measuring 1.33 cm (Figure 2). There was no family history of any limb or heart defects. Author Affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City.
Regulation of dopa decarboxylase gene expression in the larval epidermis of the tobacco hornworm by 20-hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone☆

Dopa decarboxylase (DDC) which converts dopa to dopamine is important for cuticular melanization and sclerotization in insects. An antibody to Drosophila DDC was found to precipitate both DDC activity and a 49-kDa polypeptide synthesized by the epidermis of molting Manduca larvae. Using the Drosophila DDC gene, we isolated the Manduca DDC gene which on hybrid selection produced a 49-kDa translation product precipitable by the Drosophila DDC antibody. The 3.1-kb DDC mRNA appeared 12 hr after head capsule slippage (HCS) and reached maximal levels 7 hr later. Peak expression was twofold higher in melanizing allatectomized larvae and could be depressed to normal levels by application of 0.1 micrograms juvenile hormone I at HCS. Infusion of 1 microgram/hr 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE) for 18 hr beginning 2 hr after HCS or addition of 1 microgram/ml 20-HE to the culture medium for 24 hr prevented the normal increase in DDC mRNA. When Day 2 fourth instar epidermis was explanted before the molting ecdysteroid rise and cultured with 1-3 micrograms/ml 20-HE for 17 hr and then for 24 hr in hormone-free medium, DDC expression was three- to fourfold higher than that in epidermis cultured in the absence of hormone. Twelve or more hours of incubation with 20-HE was required for an increase in DDC mRNA, but continuous exposure to 20-HE prevented the increase. In all cultures an initial rapid increase in DDC mRNA was observed which decayed with time in vitro and apparently was associated with the wound response. Thus, ecdysteroid during a larval molt is necessary to program the later expression of DDC, but the subsequent decline of the ecdysteroid is required for this expression to occur.
Detection of dichloromethane with a bioluminescent (lux) bacterial bioreporter

The focus of this research effort was to develop an autonomous, inducible, lux-based bioluminescent bioreporter for the real-time detection of dichloromethane. Dichloromethane (DCM), also known as methylene chloride, is a volatile organic compound and one of the most commonly used halogenated solvents in the U.S., with applications ranging from grease and paint stripping to aerosol propellants and pharmaceutical tablet coatings. Predictably, it is released into the environment where it contaminates air and water resources. Due to its classification as a probable human carcinogen, hepatic toxin, and central nervous system effector, DCM must be carefully monitored and controlled. Methods for DCM detection usually rely on analytical techniques such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and capillary gas chromatography or photoacoustic environmental monitors, all of which require trained personnel and/or expensive equipment. To complement conventional monitoring practices, we have created a bioreporter for the self-directed detection of DCM by taking advantage of the evolutionary adaptation of bacteria to recognize and metabolize chemical agents. This bioreporter, Methylobacterium extorquens DCM lux , was engineered to contain a bioluminescent luxCDABE gene cassette derived from Photorhabdus luminescens fused downstream to the dcm dehalogenase operon, which causes the organism to generate visible light when exposed to DCM. We have demonstrated detection limits down to 1.0 ppm under vapor phase exposures and 0.1 ppm under liquid phase exposures with response times of 2.3 and 1.3 h, respectively, and with specificity towards DCM under relevant industrial environmental monitoring conditions.
Newer agents for the treatment of malignant hypercalcemia.

ABSTRACT The treatment of malignant hypercalcemia has involved fluids, diuretics, and specific calcium-lowering therapy with mithra-mycin and calcitonin. However, newer agents have recently been approved for the treatment of hypercalcemia due to malignancy. This review will discuss three such agents, gallium, etidronate, and Pamidronate. This review will concentrate on the clinical pharmacologic characteristics and the clinical trials of these newer agents. Their use in the clinical practice will be suggested based on review of the published literature.
ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF CITIES INTO EQUAL SIZE CATEGORIES

ABSTRACT Acceptance of the notion that population is a measurable surrogate for city complexity is requisite for many central place studies. In doing this, however, the researcher is at once confronted with the problem of classifying settlements into equal size categories. The method proposed by Thomas to expand the central place model is discussed in detail and applied to those cities and towns in Michigan having populations greater than one hundred. After noting an inconsistency which arises from this approach, an alternate technique is suggested and demonstrated. Utilizing most of Thomas’ ideas, this second method relies on rank, rather than number of inhabitants, to delimit “equal size'’intervals which are unique for each population value.
Linear bending analysis of a pressurized multicell shell structure

An analysis of the stresses and deflections in the webs and partial cylinders of a uniformly pressurized multicell container of monocoque construction is presented. Linear bending theory of circular cylindrical shells serves as the basic mathematical model. Nondimensional closed-form solutions of the governing differential equations are presented, and by means of a parameter study, the over-all structural behavior of many tank geometries is evaluated numerically. Typical results reveal that 1) the discontinuity hoop bending stress is generally small compared to the hoop membrane stress, but tends to increase rapidly as the number of lobes increases; 2) it is possible to design a multicell tank such that the hoop bending stress will vanish identically; and 3) the radial web stress is large compared to the nominal hoop membrane stress and is consequently of considerable importance in design considerations.
137Cs inter-plant concentration ratios provide a predictive tool for coral atolls with distinct benefits over transfer factors

Abstract Inter-plant concentration ratios (IPCR) [Bq g −1 137 Cs in coral atoll tree food crops/Bq g −1 137 Cs in leaves of native plant species whose roots share a common soil volume] can replace transfer factors (TF) to predict 137 Cs concentration in tree food crops in a contaminated area with an aged source term. The IPCR strategy has significant benefits relative to TF strategy for such purposes in the atoll ecosystem. IPCR strategy applied to specific assessments takes advantage of the fact that tree roots naturally integrate 137 Cs over large volumes of soil. Root absorption of 137 Cs replaces large-scale, expensive soil sampling schemes to reduce variability in 137 Cs concentration due to inhomogeneous radionuclide distribution. IPCR [drinking-coconut meat (DCM)/ Scaevola (SCA) and Tournefortia (TOU) leaves (native trees growing on all atoll islands)] are log-normally distributed (LND) with geometric standard deviation (GSD) = 1.85. TF for DCM from Enewetak, Eneu, Rongelap and Bikini Atolls are LND with GSDs of 3.5, 3.0, 2.7, and 2.1, respectively. TF GSD for Rongelap copra coconut meat is 2.5. IPCR of Pandanus fruit to SCA and TOU leaves are LND with GSD = 1.7 while TF GSD is 2.1. Because IPCR variability is much lower than TF variability, relative sampling error of an IPCR field sample mean is up 6- to 10-fold lower than that of a TF sample mean if sample sizes are small (10–20). Other IPCR advantages are that plant leaf samples are collected and processed in far less time with much less effort and cost than soil samples.
Preventive Dental Behaviors and their Association with Oral Health Status in Older White Men

While prevention practices are widely encouraged, the link between the performance of preventive behaviors and oral health status has rarely been examined. This study investigates the association between preventive dental behaviors (recent and long-term) and oral health status and compares the strength of such associations. Longitudinal data over six time points on 649 dentate white men were obtained from the VA Dental Longitudinal Study (DLS). Participants' oral health was measured through dental examinations, and preventive dental behaviors--i.e., toothbrushing, flossing, using interdental devices, seeking dental prophylaxis, and undergoing dental treatment-were assessed by self-report. Oral health status was measured in terms of (1) functioning teeth, (2) sound-equivalent teeth, (3) decayed, missing, and filled teeth, and (4) decayed and filled root surfaces. Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis revealed significant positive associations between most preventive behaviors and measures of oral health status. Dental prophylaxis emerged as the strongest predictor of oral health status. Long-term preventive dental behavior measures explained more variance in oral health status than short-term preventive behaviors measured cross-sectionally.
Adsorption at a line of three-phase contact

Abstract The Gibbsian thermodynamics of adsorption at a line of three-phase contact is briefly recalled. The adsorptions are obtained as derivatives of the line tension with respect to the independent field variables in the system. The law with which the adsorptions diverge at a wetting transition is obtained and discussed. A possible application of the results is to three-phase equilibrium in a three-component fluid mixture, in particular, at the wetting transitions that could occur between the system’s two critical endpoints.
Variability in the stellar initial mass function at low and high mass: three‐component IMF models

Three-component models of the initial mass function (IMF) are made to consider possible origins for the observed relative variations in the numbers of brown dwarfs, solar-to-intermediate-mass stars and high-mass stars. The differences between the IMFs observed for clusters, field and remote field are also discussed. Three distinct physical processes that should dominate the three stellar mass regimes are noted. The characteristic mass for most star formation is identified with the thermal Jeans mass in the molecular cloud core, and this presumably leads to the middle mass range by the usual collapse and accretion processes. Pre-stellar condensations (PSCs) observed in millimetre-wave continuum studies presumably form at this mass. Significantly smaller self-gravitating masses require much larger pressures and may arise following dynamical processes inside these PSCs, including disc formation, tight-cluster ejection, and photoevaporation as studied elsewhere, but also gravitational collapse of shocked gas in colliding PSCs. Significantly larger stellar masses form in relatively low abundance by normal cloud processes, possibly leading to steep IMFs in low-pressure field regions, but this mass range can be significantly extended in high-pressure cloud cores by gravitationally focused gas accretion on to PSCs and by the coalescence of PSCs. These models suggest that the observed variations in brown dwarf, solar-to-intermediate-mass and high-mass populations are the result of dynamical effects that depend on environmental density and velocity dispersion. They accommodate observations ranging from shallow IMFs in cluster cores to Salpeter IMFs in average clusters and whole galaxies to steep and even steeper IMFs in field and remote field regions. They also suggest how the top-heavy IMFs in some starburst clusters may originate and they explain bottom-heavy IMFs in low surface brightness galaxies.
Pediatric surgical training: An historic perspective, a formula for change

Abstract Background/purpose American pediatric surgical education has more than a 65-year history of formalizing the organization and the curriculum of the training process. However, never before have so many simultaneous internal and external forces appeared on the horizon that have the collective potential of influencing the quality of future pediatric surgeons. It is the purpose of this study to identify and detail these opportunities, compare them with the historical past, and propose the beginnings of a strategy to control the destiny. The ultimate goal should be to continue to assure that pediatric surgeons are of the highest attainable quality that will optimize the surgical health of America's children. Methods and results Using a current literature review, 7 specific influencing forces have been identified: a declining applicant pool, the generation-X factor, medical economics, early specialization of training, restricted residency work hours, pediatric surgical manpower, and competency-based surgical education. An effective response to these forces is multifactorial, but a first need might be consideration of a new educational oversight organizational structure for pediatric surgery. Thereafter, specific curricular reform is needed to match the strengths of the candidates as well as the training programs. Finally, as a specialty field we must assert the leadership needed to define optimal educational outcomes. Conclusions This report defines the educational history and the contemporary influencing forces, and it proposes a strategy to assure that pediatric surgical education exceeds the needs of America's children into the future.