cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ICAM-1 and iNOS Expression Increased in the Skin of Mice after Vaccination with γ-Irradiated Cercariae ofSchistosoma mansoni

Abstract Host responses to migrating schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni were compared in the skin of naive, multiply infected, or vaccinated (with γ-irradiated cercariae) mice during the first 72 hr after cercarial penetration. Cellular response to the migrating parasite was minimal in the skin of naive mice for up to 72 hr after infection. In sharp contrast, the multiply infected or vaccinated animals exhibited a marked inflammatory response in the skin as early as 8 hr after cutaneous penetration of the challenge cercariae. This early inflammatory response in the skin of sensitized animals was characterized by a significant increase in the number of infiltrating cells, predominantly mononuclear cells and neutrophils. Increased exudation of serum proteins was also present in the skin of sensitized animals in areas of cercarial challenge. A time course of analyses revealed that mononuclear cell numbers increased significantly in the skin of vaccinated animals as early as 60 min after a challenge infection and continued to be present at a significantly higher level up to 72 hr after challenge. Peak neutrophil responses occurred in the skin at 24 hr (in multiply infected animals) and at 48 hr (in vaccinated animals) after a challenge infection. Along with the massive cellular infiltration there was an increased tissue expression of ICAM-1 and mRNA for iNOS in the skin of sensitized animals. Further analysis showed that in sensitized animals increased ICAM-1 expression was predominantly found on endothelial cells lining dermal capillaries, especially in areas around schistosomular migration and on cells that surrounded schistosomula in the dermis. In naive animals, however, a similar infection did not induce any ICAM-1 expression or iNOS production in the skin. Thus, an ICAM-1-mediated early accumulation of mononuclear cells in the skin and local production of nitric oxide may be important for the initial cutaneous inflammatory/immune responses to migrating schistosomula of S. mansoni in vaccinated animals. On the contrary, in naive animals a potential parasite-induced suppression of ICAM-1 may play an important role in reducing cellular reaction in the skin and consequently help the parasite evade immune responses in the skin.
Growth, behavior, and brain catecholamines in lead-exposed neonatal rats: a reappraisal

Daily oral administration of lead to newborn rats has no adverse effect on their body growth. Lead-treated rats were more active than age-matched controls. Endogenous levels of brain dopamine were unchanged, whereas norepinephrine was increased, suggesting a possible relationship between lead exposure during earliest developmental periods, increased motor activity, and brain norepinephrine, and not brain dopamine as previously postulated.
Solvation dynamics in methanol: Solute and perturbation dependence

We present the results of a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study of solvation dynamics in response to instantaneous changes in the charge distribution of neutral diatomic solutes in methanol at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Our simulations are designed to model the time dependent Stokes shift in the fluorescence spectrum of probe molecules in this solvent and focus on the solute and perturbation dependence of CΔE(t), the response function of ΔE the difference in the solute-solvent interaction energy between the excited and ground state solutes. The solute dependence is investigated by comparing the solvation dynamics for a given change in the charge distribution of solutes with different Lennard-Jones site diameters and the perturbation dependence by comparing the responses to dipole creation and reversal in each of these solutes. We find that CΔE(t) is strongly dependent on both the solute and the perturbation, especially in the early (< 200 fs) portions of its time-evolution. By examining the time-evolution of the structure around the solutes and the effects of deuteration of the hydroxyl hydrogen, we show that early solvation dynamics is determined by the proximity of the OH groups to the solute and by the ability of the hydroxyl hydrogens in the solute vicinity to rotate freely about the CO bonds. We also demonstrate that changes in the first few solvation shells occur on all the time scales relevant to CΔE(t) relaxation, with the slowest step corresponding to the most sharply-defined structural feature, the solute-solvent hydrogen bond. Comparison of CΔE(t), obtained by nonequilibrium MD simulation of dipole reversal, to the time correlation of equilibrium fluctuations in ΔE confirms our earlier finding, based on the results for dipole creation, that the linear response approximation has a very limited range of validity for solvation dynamics in methanol.
Adaptive Actuator Failure and Structural Damage Compensation of NASA Generic Transport Model

This paper studies design and evaluation of a multivariable model reference adaptive control (MRAC) scheme for aircraft systems under simultaneous actuator failures and structural damage. A key design condition–system infinite zero structure is investigated for nominal and posthazard aircraft systems and the invariance of this essential condition is concluded under realistic failure and damage conditions. The multivariable model reference adaptive control scheme is developed to ensure stability and asymptotic output tracking for the aircraft in the presence of uncertain actuator failures and structural damage. The developed fault-tolerant control design is evaluated by a high-fidelity nonlinear aircraft model–the NASA generic transport model. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4026162]
Epidemiology of Breast Cancer

This article outlines the current incidence, prevalence, and mortality of breast cancer and reviews the epidemiology of the disease. Major risk factors for the development of breast cancer are covered, including reproductive, genetic, and environmental variables. Understanding the epidemiology of breast cancer will help clinicians identify high-risk patients for appropriate screening and informed disease management decisions.
A Mössbauer Effect Powder Diffractometer

An automated, high-sensitivity Mossbauer powder diffractometer is described, and its performance demonstrated with a bcc 57Fe foil sample. Useful diffraction patterns are acquired in about 10 hours. The incoherent and coherent parts of the scattering are readily identified. Both are affected by thickness distortion, but the incoherent part is affected more strongly.
Cloning and characterization of a 22 kDa protein from rat adipocytes: a new member of the reticulon family

In the course of our examination of proteins associated with the GLUT4-containing vesicles of rat adipocytes we have identified a new 22 kDa member of the family of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins known as reticulons. The protein, which we refer to as vp20, was purified from a preparation of GLUT4-containing vesicles of rat adipocytes, and tryptic peptides were micro-sequenced. From this information a cDNA encoding a single open reading frame for a protein of 22 kDa was cloned. This protein is homologous to known members of the reticulon protein family. vp20 has two hydrophobic stretches of about 35 amino acids that could be membrane spanning domains and an ER retention motif at its carboxy-terminus. vp20 was most abundant in the high density microsome fraction of adipocytes, which is the fraction most enriched in ER. Only a small fraction of vp20 was present in the GLUT4 vesicle population, and that fraction appears to be due to ER vesicles that were non-specifically bound to the adsorbent. Analysis of tissue distribution of vp20 in rats revealed that it is concentrated in muscle, fat and the brain.
Saccade initiation and accuracy in gaze shifts are affected by visual stimulus significance.

The effect of visual stimulus significance on saccade latency and accuracy in gaze shifts was investigated. Stimulus significance refers to the temporal proximity of an imperative stimulus. It was hypothesized that stimulus significance serves as a cue that influences the observer's expectancy for a forthcoming event. Twenty-one undergraduate students participated in two experiments involving monitoring of visual events. Stimuli were a sequence of 1,000 single-digit integers presented one at a time at 9 degrees of visual angle to the left or right of a fixation point in random order. The subject was required to make a manual response after the presentation of a sequence of two odd integers. The probability of the subsequent integer being odd, a "target," after the presentation of an odd integer was 0.75. The integer after a target was always an even integer. When stimulus location was unpredictable (Experiment 1), latency of visually guided saccades to the target was shorter (p < .01) than to the nontarget stimuli. Under the condition of predictable stimulus location (Experiment 2), anticipatory saccades to the target occurred earlier (p < .01), more frequently (p < .01), and more accurately (p < .05). Our results suggest that both timing and accuracy of gaze shift are affected by the observer's expectation of future events.
Dynamic and static lung volumes of school children with cerebral palsy

Summary The dynamic and static lung volumes were measured in 22 subjects with cerebral palsy. There were no signs of airway obstruction. The total lung capacity was significantly reduced, averaging 85 per cent of the predicted normal values. In the 14 subjects with spasticity, the functional residual capacity was significantly reduced to 75 per cent of the predicted value, whereas the eight subjects with dyskinesia showed a marked and significant increase in the residual volume (156 per cent of the predicted value). This difference in the distribution of the lung volumes resulted in a 50 per cent decrease in the vital capacity for subjects with dyskinesia compared with a 67 per cent decrease for subjects with spasticity. These deviations in lung volumes from the predicted normal values and the differences between the two groups can be explained by the reduced ability of voluntary muscular control.
Criteria for interpretation of the oral glucose tolerance tests in children and insulin responses with normal and abnormal tolerance.

Abstract Venous plasma glucose levels during glucose tolerance testing in 54 normal children were used to develop criteria for interpretation of the test: fasting, 110; 1 hr, 160; 2 hr, 140; 3 hr, 130; and 4 hr, 115 mg 100 ml . Chemical diabetes is considered to be two values greater than criteria, or one value above 200 mg 0 100 ml . Borderline tests are those with one value above criteria but less than 200 mg 100 ml . Insulin responses in terms of magnitude and timing were too variable for the establishment of criteria. However, mean responses of nine borderline and eight chemical diabetic subjects were significantly greater than normal.
Bioactive bromophycolides R-U from the Fijian Red Alga Callophycus serratus.

Four new bromophycolides, R−U (1−4), were isolated from the Fijian red alga Callophycus serratus and were identified by 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopic analyses. These compounds expand the known structural variety of diterpene-benzoate macrolides and exhibited modest cytotoxicity toward selected human cancer cell lines. Bromophycolide S (2) also showed submicromolar activity against the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
The multifaceted role of distress tolerance in dysregulated eating behaviors.

Objective: Few empirical studies have examined the potential role of affect in dysregulated eating. The authors hypothesized that distress tolerance would predict EDI-Bulimia, even when controlling for several covariates, including depressive and anxiety symptoms, and all four subscales of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Additionally, the authors predicted low levels of distress tolerance would interact with high levels of urgency to predict EDI-Bulimia. Finally, the authors predicted that distress tolerance would mediate the previously reported relationship between anxiety sensitivity and EDI-Bulimia. Method: A sample of undergraduates (N = 200) filled out a series of questionnaires pertaining to the variables of interest, including the Eating Disorder Inventory, UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale, Distress Tolerance Scale, and Anxiety Sensitivity Index. Results: All three hypotheses were supported by the data. Conclusion: Authors suggest that deficits in distress tolerance might play a significant role in the etiology and maintenance of bulimic symptoms. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2007
W-band IQ sub-harmonic mixers with low LO power for cryogenic operation in large arrays

This paper presents the design and characterization of W-band IQ sub-harmonic MMIC mixers based on the UMS BES Schottky diode process. The mixers were characterized at 300 K and 20 K physical temperature. They are a key component for the compact heterodyne multi-chip modules to be used in the 16-element Argus focal plane array, which will be deployed at the Green Bank Telescope in late 2014. The RF signal is split in quadrature using a Lange coupler, LO is split in-phase using a Wilkinson divider, and an antiparallel diode pair is used for the design of two sub-harmonically pumped mixer cells. The resulting IF outputs from the two cells are I and Q, which can be combined using an off-chip 90 degree hybrid to obtain LSB and USB. Three mixer designs are fabricated using this topology. A conversion loss between 12 to 18 dB is obtained over 80 to 120 GHz of RF for a fixed IF frequency, and over 10 GHz of IF for a fixed LO frequency. These mixers are designed to operate with low LO power without a significant loss in performance.
Distinguishing between self-incompatibility and other reproductive barriers in plants using male (MCC) and female (FCC) coefficient of crossability

It is difficult to assess self-incompatibility (SI) as a phenomenon or to distinguish it from other reproductive barriers. Our objective was to demonstrate a method of separating reproductive barriers and other factors affecting SI expression. The analysis consists of four parts: (1) calculating male (MCC) and female (FCC) coefficients of crossability using seed set from a diallel crossing design; (2) determining significant male and female differences using a 1∶1 paired Chi-square test; (3) constructing scatter diagrams of FCC versus MCC; (4) performing linear regression analysis between FCC and MCC. Diallel data from eight genera with various reproductive barriers were used to illustrate and validate the usefulness of this method. SI can be distinguished from other reproductive barriers (incongruity, inbreeding depression, post-fertilization phenomena) using 1∶1 Chisquare and regression analysis. In addition, the incorporation of ovule counts is crucial for demarcating the SI phenomenon in species where ovule numbers vary between self- and outcross pollinations. Male and female steriles can be identified with the MCC/FCC equations and subsequently removed from further analysis.
CLINICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION IN COMPARISON TO HYPERTENSION WITHOUT HEART FAILURE, ELDERLY WITH RISK FACTORS, AND HEALTHY AGING IN POPULATION DWELLING INDIVIDUALS = 65 YEARS OF AGE

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) – common in elderly – is considered to be more common in women, associated more with hypertension (HTN) than with atherosclerosis (ATHERO), and to have high prevalence of LV hypertrophy (H). However, studies of HFPEF have sometimes
Effects of varying inpatient attending physician rotation length on medical students' and attending physicians' perceptions of teaching quality.

Background: Patient care needs and work hour restrictions have altered inpatient internal medicine educational experiences. Purpose: The goal is to compare different attending physician rotation lengths on medical students’ and attending physicians’ experiences. Methods: We studied clerkship students’ evaluations ( N= 86) and internal medicine attending surveys ( N= 21). We divided attending experiences into 2-week and 4-week rotations. We assessed exam scores and evaluations with 5-point Likert questions (5 = strongly agree). Means were compared with t tests, Wilcoxon Ranked Sums, and logistic regression. Results: More than 90% of students and attending physicians responded. Students and attending physicians generally evaluated their 2- and 4-week experiences similarly. Attending physicians favored 4 weeks for evaluating students’ performance (3.30 vs. 4.36, p< .01). Exam scores were similar in the 2- and 4-week student groups (M = 78.2, SD = 5.0 vs. 76.5, SD = 8.5, p= .43). Conclusions: Shorter rotation...
Evaluation of AMSA in children with acute leukemia. A pediatric oncology group study

One hundred four children with advanced leukemia in relapse (74 with acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL] and 30 with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia [ANLL]) received AMSA (4'-(9-Acridinylamino) methanesulfon -m-anisidide) at a dose of 120 mg/m2/day for 5 days (Regimen I) or 60 mg/m2/day for 10 days (Regimen II). Children with ALL were randomized between Regimens I and II (31 and 36 evaluable patients, respectively). All 29 evaluable patients with ANLL were treated on Regimen I. Eighty-eight percent of evaluable patients experienced severe or life-threatening toxicity, with no statistical differences between Regimens I and II. Bacterial or fungal infections (considered life-threatening or fatal) occurred in 17 children with ALL and in 7 with ANLL. Fatal cardiac toxicity occurred in one patient. Complete or partial response occurred in 25.0% (SE = 8.8%), 28.1% (SE = 8.0%), and 25.9% (SE = 8.4%) of evaluable patients on ALL Regimen I, ALL Regimen II, and ANLL, respectively. However, responses were of short duration (16-91 days). There was no significant difference in the duration of survival from treatment start for the two ALL regimens (P = 0.46). The median duration of survival for ANLL patients was significantly longer (P = 0.004) than that of ALL patients treated on Regimens I and II combined. Eighty-two percent of the complete or partial responses (18 of 22) occurred after the first course of AMSA. At the dose schedules investigated, and in a heavily pretreated patient population, AMSA had activity in childhood leukemia. However, the high incidence of severe, life-threatening, or fatal infections meant that the quality and quantity of responses and survival was not commensurate with the toxicity, and that it would be difficult to incorporate this drug into combination chemotherapy with other myelosuppressive agents.
The mobility of hot electrons in silicon

Abstract The mobility of avalanching electrons in silicons pn-junctions from 100 to 300°K is proportional to T-3/2. The measurement shows that the lattice mobility of electrons in silicon is determined by high energy acoustic phonons (zero point scattering) rather than by optical phonons.
A positive in vitro assay is required to diagnose heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Abstract A 57-YEAR-OLD WOMAN is admitted for coronary artery bypass graft. She has had a recent coronary angiogram (with heparin exposure), which revealed high-grade stenoses of the left anterior descending coronary artery, right coronary artery, and left circumflex artery. The preoperative platelet count is 300,000/μL. Heparin is administered during cardiopulmonary bypass. The platelet count on postoperative day 1 is 160,000/μL and on postoperative day 6 is 60,000/μL. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is suspected and HIT assays are ordered.
Kinetic theory of planar condensation and evaporation

Abstract The problem of planar condensation/evaporation of a monatomic vapor is solved based on the linearized Boltzmann equation. Accurate numerical results for the pressure and temperature jumps, and the macroscopic profiles for the density and temperature are reported for rigid sphere molecular interaction. Variational expressions for the jumps for several different molecular force laws are evaluated. For rigid spheres, these agree well with the numerical results but are otherwise found to be relatively insensitive to the intermolecular force laws.
Extremal Solutions of the Two-DimensionalL-Problem of Moments, II

The extremal solutions of the truncatedL-problem of moments in two real variables, with support included in a given compact set, are described as characteristic functions of semi-algebraic sets given by a single polynomial inequality. An exponential kernel, arising as the determinantal function of a naturally associated hyponormal operator with rank-one self-commutator, on the other hand provides a defining function for these semi-algebraic sets and, on the other hand, encodes in a closed form their moments. In order to understand the finite determination structure of the extremal sequences of moments we study analytic continuation properties of the corresponding exponential kernel and, separately, some cyclicity properties of the associated hyponormal operator. An intrinsic characterization of the exponential kernel is also discussed.
The Degree of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Bilaterally Oophorectomized Women

The degree of coronary atherosclerosis in 49 hearts obtained from bilaterally oophorectomized women was compared with the degree of sclerosis in 600 hearts from women and in 600 hearts from men of comparable ages. On the average the degree of coronary sclerosis in the bilaterally oophorectomized women was greater than in control women but less than in control men.
Electronic Data Processing System for Streamflow

Daily, monthly, and yearly summaries of streamflow and sediment transport are computed from continuous gage height records and discrete measurements of sediment concentration and discharge rate. The system includes computer computation of discharge measurement notes and an accuracy check of gage height and time input data. Maximum volumes of runoff for selected time intervals up to eight days and flow duration data can also be compiled. Electronic data processing equipment including a chart reader, card punch, computers, and card sorter are used. The system software includes 12 Fortran programs.
Managing the effects of aging and reliability improvement

Abstract Over recent years the electric power generating community has acknowledged the importance of the aging process on plant safety and availability. To cope with time-dependent degradation phenomena that can affect active as well as passive components and lead to unacceptable, unanticipated failures requires research into the mechanisms of the aging process, advances in predictive methods for assessing the aging impact on risk and availability, and a better understanding of power plant operations so that strategies for defending against this pervasive stress can be developed. This paper discusses current research advances and presents a framework to aid in the systematic integration of these three needs. It also discusses current research in the aging effect on electric components. As such it is anchored to research being conducted at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the areas of plant aging, life extension, reliability, performance indication, and risk assessment.
Perceptual Congruence and Systems Development Cost Estimation

Information systems cost estimating is an important concern for information resource management. Information systems cost estimators and non-estimators those IS professionals not responsible for cost estimating have different roles, responsibilities, and objectives. They might consequently be expected to have different perceptions of the estimating process. Previous research has shown that perceptual congruence-the degree to which individuals view matters similarly-is associated with favorable organizational consequences. A study of information systems cost estimators and non-estimators at 112 organizations compared and contrasted their perceptions of the cost estimating process and its success. Estimators and non-estimators did not differ substantially in their views of the uses of the estimate, the basis for estimating, the influences on the estimate, and management practices for estimating. They did differ in their perceptions of the importance of the estimate, their satisfaction with the estimating process, their estimating accuracy, and the causes of inaccurate estimates. The similarities and differences provide implications for researchers and information resource managers.
The intimate connection between Christ and Christians in Athanasius

The Middle Platonic concept of ‘participation’ in the Forms is important for understanding the connection that Athanasius finds between Christians and Christ. Yet, Athanasius adapts this concept to his Johannine view of the Word of God incarnate in Christ. He turns to the language of bodily creation and kinship rather than contemplation to express the relationship between Christ and Christians. For Athanasius, evil makes it impossible for humans to contemplate the divine Word by which they were created. Therefore, the Word embodied a new humanity in Christ. The Holy Spirit enables Christians to participate in Christ, becoming thereby part of a new humanity and children of God.
Anti-lipolytic action of tolbutamide on brown fat cells.

Tolbutamide blocked the lipolytic action of epinephrine, theophylline, and dibutyryl- 3′,5′-AMP on brown fat cells. There was no correlation between the cyclic AMP or ATP content of brown fat cells and the ability of tolbutamide to inhibit lipolysis. In the presence of epinephrine, tolbutamide enhanced cyclic accumulation but inhibited lipolysis. A concentration of epinephrine which produced maximal activation of lipolysis had only a small effect on cyclic AMP. Theophylline did not further enhance the lipolytic action of epinephrine, but markedly increased the accumulation of cyclic AMP. There was little effect of tolbutamide, even at a concentration of 1 mg/ml, on the activity of the soluble cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase of brown fat cell homogenates. The inhibition of the lipolytic action of dibutyryl-3′,5′- AMP by tolbutamide and the finding that tolbutamide can increase cyclic AMP accumulation under conditions where lipolysis is inhibited suggest that it affects the systems involved in the action rathe...
Special Section Guest Editorial: Optical Materials

New optical materials and processes for making novel materials is key to almost all scientific developments of optical systems and devices, including lasers, sensors, detectors, cameras, solar cells, and communication and space systems. For example, optical communication, which is the basis for internet, phone, and data systems, started with the advent of low-loss optical fibers in the early 1970s. Low-loss fibers became a reality because of the invention of a new vapor phase deposition process which enabled the manufacture of ultimate high-purity glass materials. The solar cell devices for much-needed energy harvesting also depend on new materials. Therefore, research in new materials, processes, characterization, and diagnostic techniques are always very important and essential.
A Longitudinal Study of Operant Responding in RatsIrradiated when 2 Months Old

Abstract Rabin, B. M., Joseph, J. A. and Shukitt-Hale, B. A Longitudinal Study of Operant Responding in Rats Irradiated when 2 Months Old. Radiat. Res. 164, 552–555 (2005). Two-month-old rats were exposed to 56Fe particles (1, 1. 5, 2 Gy; 1 GeV/nucleon). They were tested on the performance of an ascending fixed-ratio operant task (bar pressing for food reward) at 7, 11 and 15 months after irradiation. Previous research had shown that for the same rats tested at 3 months after exposure, only the rats exposed to 2 Gy of 56Fe particles showed a significant disruption of performance compared to control (0 Gy) rats. When these rats were tested 7, 11 and 15 months after exposure, all irradiated groups showed significantly poorer performance than the controls. These results suggest that there is an interaction between irradiation and age such that 56Fe-particle-induced performance deficits can develop several months after exposure.
Effect of 5-fluorouracil on the gibberellic acid-induced formation of thermolabile α-amylase molecules in barley aleurone cells

IN the aleurone cells of barley seed gibberellic acid (GA) stimulates de novo synthesis of α-amylase1,2. From a study of the effect of 5-fluorouracil (FU) on the GA-evoked formation of thermolabile α-amylase molecules, Carlson3 has concluded that GA regulates a post-transcriptional control point. According to my interpretation, which differs from Carlson's conclusion, his data (Fig. 1, ref. 3) suggest that mRNAs for α-amylase are formed in the presence of GA.
Serengeti micromammals and their implications for Olduvai Paleoenvironments

Fossil micromammals are widely used as paleoenvironmental indicators in Pliocene hominid fossil localities, and many such assemblages are believed to be accumulated by predators such as owls. This chapter examines modern owl-accumulated micromammal assemblages from Serengeti, Tanzania. The modern roost data are used to examine the fidelity of the taxonomic signal and its sensitivity to change across habitats within an ecosystem. The modern data show that the relative abundance of prey taxa in owl accumulated assemblages varies across habitats in a predictable fashion. This provides a basis for applying the analysis of fossil micromammal assemblages to intra-basin scales using relative abundance as well as biome or regional scales using presence/absence of taxa. Using the modern micromammal assemblages as analogs, the latter part of the chapter explores taphonomic and paleoenvironmental change through Bed I times at Olduvai Gorge.
Identification of intracellular bacteria in the basal plate of the human placenta in term and preterm gestations

Objective Bacteria have been identified in different regions of the placenta. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the maternal basal plate of the placenta harbors microbes that may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Study Design We performed a cross-sectional study of pregnancies from a single tertiary care hospital. Maternal medical and obstetric characteristics were obtained and pregnancies followed up prospectively for outcomes and placental collection. After delivery, systematic random sampling of the placental basal plate was performed. Paraffin sections of basal plates were stained with 4 histologic stains and scored for morphological evidence of bacteria. Results Of 195 total patients in the study, Gram-positive and -negative intracellular bacteria of diverse morphologies were documented in the basal plates of 27% of all placentas. Of the patients, 35% delivered preterm. No difference was noted between placental basal plates from preterm or term gestations. Intracellular bacteria were found in the placental basal plates of 54% spontaneous preterm deliveries P = .02). Intracellular bacteria were also documented in placentas without clinical or pathologic chorioamnionitis. Conclusion A total of 27% of placentas demonstrated intracellular bacteria in the placental basal plate using morphological techniques. Thus, the maternal basal plate is a possible source of intrauterine colonization and placental pathological examination could include examination for bacteria in this important maternal–fetal interface.
Multiple Roles of RNase Y in Streptococcus pyogenes mRNA Processing and Degradation

ABSTRACT Control over mRNA stability is an essential part of gene regulation that involves both endo- and exoribonucleases. RNase Y is a recently identified endoribonuclease in Gram-positive bacteria, and an RNase Y ortholog has been identified in Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus [GAS]). In this study, we used microarray and Northern blot analyses to determine the S. pyogenes mRNA half-life of the transcriptome and to understand the role of RNase Y in global mRNA degradation and processing. We demonstrated that S. pyogenes has an unusually high mRNA turnover rate, with median and mean half-lives of 0.88 min and 1.26 min, respectively. A mutation of the RNase Y-encoding gene ( rny ) led to a 2-fold increase in overall mRNA stability. RNase Y was also found to play a significant role in the mRNA processing of virulence-associated genes as well as in the rapid degradation of rnpB read-through transcripts. From these results, we conclude that RNase Y is a pleiotropic regulator required for mRNA stability, mRNA processing, and removal of read-through transcripts in S. pyogenes.
Recognizing Influenza in Older Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Who Have Received Influenza Vaccine

A substudy analysis was conducted to determine the clinical characteristics associated with symptomatic, laboratory-documented influenza (LDI) among 2215 veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who participated in Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study 448 and who received trivalent inactivated influenza virus vaccine with or without intranasal live-attenuated, cold-adapted influenza vaccine. Of 585 evaluable first occurrences of acute respiratory illnesses, 94 (16%) were LDI. Respiratory symptoms of cough, sputum production, and dyspnea occurred in >90% of patients with LDI; 68% had documented or subjective fever, and 81% had myalgias. Stepwise logistic regression identified only fever and myalgia as being statistically associated with LDI. During the influenza outbreak period, the positive predictive value of fever and myalgia was 41%. Clinical criteria were poor predictors of LDI in these older, vaccinated patients with chronic lung disease. Additional studies are warranted to define optimal methods for the diagnosis of influenza among older persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Using video-based observation research methods in primary care health encounters to evaluate complex interactions

Objective The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of video-based observation research methods in primary care environment and highlight important methodological considerations and provide practical guidance for primary care and human factors researchers conducting video studies to understand patient–clinician interaction in primary care settings. Methods We reviewed studies in the literature which used video methods in health care research, and we also used our own experience based on the video studies we conducted in primary care settings. Results This paper highlighted the benefits of using video techniques, such as multi-channel recording and video coding, and compared “unmanned” video recording with the traditional observation method in primary care research. We proposed a list that can be followed step by step to conduct an effective video study in a primary care setting for a given problem. This paper also described obstacles, researchers should anticipate when using video recording methods in future studies. Conclusion With the new technological improvements, video-based observation research is becoming a promising method in primary care and HFE research. Video recording has been under-utilised as a data collection tool because of confidentiality and privacy issues. However, it has many benefits as opposed to traditional observations, and recent studies using video recording methods have introduced new research areas and approaches.
Preemptive rate-based operator scheduling in a data stream management system

Summary form only given. Data stream management systems are being developed to process continuous queries over multiple data streams. These continuous queries are typically used for monitoring purposes where the detection of an event might trigger a sequence of actions or the execution of a set of specified tasks. Such events are identified by tuples produced by a query and hence, it is important to produce the available portions of a query result as early as possible. A core element for improving the interactive performance of a continuous query is the operator scheduler. An operator scheduler is particularly important when the processing requirements and the productivity of different streams are highly skewed. The need for an operator scheduler becomes even more crucial when tuples from different streams arrive asynchronously. To meet these needs, we are proposing a preemptive rate-based scheduling policy that handles the asynchronous nature of tuple arrival and the heterogeneity in the query plan. Experimental results show the significant improvements provided by our proposed policy.
The Story of one: Narrative and Composition in Gertrude Stein's The Making of Americans

The most common readings of The Making of Americans: Being a History of a Family’s Progress (first published in Paris, 1925) contend that Gertrude Stein’s 900-page novel deconstructs the role narrative plays in constituting identity by employing an indeterminacy that challenges readerly subjectivity. Whether taking up issues of race, gender and sex, class, or the very complexity with which all these factors combine in constructing identity, critical readings usually focus on the iterative repetition Stein uses in the text as a means for deconstructing narrative and confusing the reader’s experience (Taylor 27; Doyle 250; Wald 295). Whether arguing that its repetitive structures function on a micro level—like frames in a movie reel in which “each picture is just infinitesimally different from the one before” (Wald 295)—or on the macro level, where dizzying narrative shifts invoke a kind of tilting-windmill stupor (Ngai), critics agree that the reader’s usual processes of making meaning through narrative are rendered useless while reading The Making of Americans. From this perspective, a reader’s sense of frustrated agency in the meaning-making process becomes an important aspect of the text’s overall project of deconstructing identity formation. On the other hand, seeing this complicated text as highly constructed enables a new reading that is based on the manner in which expectations are stabilized by the novel’s structure. From a perspective afforded by digital tools, and in contrast to critical readings in which The Making of Americans is a postmodernist and chaotic text, I posit that it is a mimetic, modernist text that has been misread as indeterminate. I. Background: Theory and Method Most postmodernist readings of The Making of Americans rely on a central premise: readers experience a tension created by frustrated expectations that result from the text’s progressive disbandment of the story and, ulti
Singing your troubles away: The experience of singing from a psychological standpoint—Contributions from a heuristic research.

Singing is a complex, multifaceted activity and a multidisciplinary area of research. Although it is a ubiquitous human phenomenon, its psychological aspects are yet to be fully understood. This article presents a brief overview of the latest psychological studies on singing, with the aims of contributing to describing the subjective experience of singing, based on first-person accounts and on the researcher's self-discovery process. Results are presented of a qualitative research study where 6 in-depth interviews were conducted by the authors in Brazil. The research steps followed Clark Moustakas' heuristic method. The experience of singing is presented in the form of a composite depiction and in two categories: what singing means to us and the impact singing has on us. Singing was revealed as an activity filled with healthy aspects, like promoting integration, enabling self-awareness, serving as an impetus for personal growth, and being an important expression of creativity, a vehicle of identity, and a...
A Gay-Themed Lesson in an Ethnic Literature Curriculum: Tenth Graders' Responses to "Dear Anita"

In this article, Steven Athanases describes the responses of a multiethnic class of tenth graders to a lesson dealing with gay and lesbian experiences. The teacher of a course entitled "The Ethnic Experience in Literature" chose to introduce her class to Brian McNaught's essay "Dear Anita: Late Night Thoughts of an Irish Catholic Homosexual." Athanases describes the teacher's goals for the course, her curriculum, and student activities to support her goals. He then describes how the lesson itself unfolded, analyzing the essay that introduced the issue and the students' responses to it. Athanases shows how a careful selection of text, a classroom climate that welcomes thoughtful discussion of diversity, and sensitive treatment of gay and lesbian concerns can deepen students' understanding about identities and oppression, which, in the context of an ethnic literature curriculum, can help students develop a deeper understanding of the common ground that oppressed groups divided by difference share.
Comparison of the Inhibitory Actions of Angiotensin AT1 Receptor Antagonists in the Peripheral Vascular Bed

The effects of nonpeptide angiotensin AT1 and AT2 receptor antagonists on pressor responses to the angiotensin peptides were investigated in the cat and the rat. Under constant flow conditions, injections of angiotensin (Ang) I, Ang II, Ang III, Ang I-(3-10), (Pro11,D-Ala12) Ang I and Ang IV into the hindlimb perfusion circuit caused dose-dependent increases in perfusion pressure, while Ang I-(4-8) was without effect. The order of potency was Ang I = Ang II = Ang III > (Pro11,D-Ala12) Ang I > Ang I-(3-10) = Ang IV. Losartan, EXP 3174, and candesartan decreased vasoconstrictor responses to Ang II in a selective manner. EXP 3174 (1 mg/kg iv) and candesartan (1 mg/kg iv) shifted the dose-response curve to Ang II to the right in a nonparallel manner, whereas losartan shifted the curve to the right in a parallel manner. The AT2 receptor antagonist PD 123,319 had no significant effect on vasoconstrictor responses to the angiotensin peptides in the regional vascular bed of the cat. In the rat, candesartan decreased pressor responses to Ang II, whereas PD 123,319 had no effect on the response to the peptide. These results indicate that vasoconstrictor responses to Ang peptides in the regional vascular bed of the cat and pressor responses to Ang II in the systemic vascular bed of the rat are mediated by the activation of AT1 receptors, whereas AT2 receptors play little, if any, role in the mediation or modulation of responses to Ang II in the cat or the rat.
Reines Jewelers: Ashley Gibson

As executor for her mother-in-laws estate, Ashley Gibson was attempting to sell a 2.5-carat diamond ring whose lineage could be traced back to the Eastern European branch of the family. An estate liquidator had offered $18,000 for the ring, but Gibson felt that this was la ow-ball offer because her Internet search suggested numbers in the $30,000 to $35,000 range. She had dropped off the ring for jeweler Peter Reines to examine prior to their meeting the next morning.
Algebraically closed and existentially closed Abelian lattice-ordered groups

If \({\mathcal{G}}\) is an Abelian lattice-ordered (l-) group, then \({\mathcal{G}}\) is algebraically (existentially) closed just in case every finite system of l-group equations (equations and inequations), involving elements of \({\mathcal{G}}\), that is solvable in some Abelian l-group extending \({\mathcal{G}}\) is solvable already in \({\mathcal{G}}\). This paper establishes two systems of axioms for algebraically (existentially) closed Abelian l-groups, one more convenient for modeltheoretic applications and the other, discovered by Weispfenning, more convenient for algebraic applications. Among the model-theoretic applications are quantifierelimination results for various kinds of existential formulas, a new proof of the amalgamation property for Abelian l-groups, Nullstellensatze in Abelian l-groups, and the display of continuum-many elementary-equivalence classes of existentially closed Archimedean l-groups. The algebraic applications include demonstrations that the class of algebraically closed Abelian l-groups is a torsion class closed under arbitrary products, that the class of l-ideals of existentially closed Abelian l-groups is a radical class closed under binary products, and that various classes of existentially closed Abelian l-groups are closed under bounded Boolean products.
A model for increasing senior dental student production using private practice principles.

Previous dental graduates have reported a lack of confidence in their ability to implement business practices upon graduation. The purpose of the new model was to enable senior students to gain experience using sound business principles in their senior year. This model involves setting and meeting production goals, teamwork, personnel evaluation, and performance incentives. This article reports the findings after implementing this model in the academic year 2003–04. Each student averaged 226 more charged visits than in 2002–03. Total dollars produced increased $7,526 per student, which represented a 63 percent increase in production over the previous year. Total dollars produced by the senior class increased from $713,740 to $1,066,139 over the previous year. A survey of the students’ attitudes toward the model showed an increase in acceptance from the beginning of the senior year to the end of the year. The model was successful in achieving most of the desired outcomes but failed to increase seniors’ chairtime utilization.
Micromechanical Simulation of Cyclic Plasticity at Inclusion Particles with Pre-Over-Straining

Understanding and quantifying correctly the effects of overload on the cyclic damage accumulation at a microscale discontinuity is essential for the development of a multstage fatigue model under variable loading. Micromechanical simulations were conducted on a 7075-T651 Al alloy to quantify the cyclic microplasticity induced by constant amplitude cyclic loads following a pre -overload. The initial overstraining amplitudes were selected in the region of limited macroscopic plastic deformation to account for both macroscopic and microscopi c plastic overloading effects. The nonlocal equivalent plastic strain at the micrometer-scale discontinuity showed the overload effects primarily in two forms: 1) the cyclic plastic dissipation is greater in the cycles following a pre -overstraining than that without a pre -overstraining; 2) the overtraining causes the nonlocal equivalent plastic strain to increase two times in a tensile loading step and three times in the compression loading steps, as compared to those without a pre -overstraining. The cyclic plastic zone at the microdiscontinuity corresponds to the maximum load in o verstraining. The micromechanical simulation results support a cyclic damage accumulation rule that captures the cyclic microplasticity accumulation induced by an overstraining for a high fidelity fatigue incubation model under variable amplitude loading.
Nanosilica formation at lipid membranes induced by silaffin peptides

Diatoms are unicellular eukaryotic algae found in fresh and marine water. Each cell is surrounded by an outer shell called a frustule that is composed of highly structured amorphous silica. Diatoms are able to transform silicic acid into these sturdy intricate structures at ambient temperatures and pressures, whereas the chemical synthesis of silica-based materials typically requires extremes of temperature and pH. Cationic polypeptides, termed silica affinity proteins (or silaffins) recently identified from dissolved frustules of specific species of diatoms are clearly involved and have been shown to initiate the formation of silica in solution. The relationship between the local environment of catalytic sites on these peptides, which can be influenced by the amino acid sequence and the extent of aggregation, and the observed structure of the silica is not understood. Moreover, the activity of these peptides in promoting silicification at lipid membranes has not yet been clarified. In this work we developed a model system to address some of these questions. We studied peptide adsorption to Langmuir monolayers and subsequent silicification using X-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. The results demonstrate the lipid affinity of the parent sequences of several silaffin peptides. Further, the results show that the membrane-bound peptides promote the formation of interfacial nanoscale layers of amorphous silica at the lipid-water interface that vary in structure according to the peptide sequence.