cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between proton pump inhibitors and periodontal disease severity.

Objectives Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly prescribed for the management of acid-related gastrointestinal disorders. PPIs modulate osteoclast function, reduce gastric acid secretion, and are associated with the establishment of a more diverse gastrointestinal microbiota. Periodontitis is characterized by microbe-associated host-mediated inflammation that results in loss of periodontal attachment. The aim of this study was to assess whether a relationship exists between PPIs and periodontal disease. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis was performed using patient records from a faculty periodontal practice. The proportion of elevated probing depths was used to measure periodontitis severity. Statistical analysis was performed using independent sample t-tests, and Chi-square tests of independence. Results Records from 1093 patients were initially assessed. Fourteen percent of teeth were associated with ≥6 mm probing depths among PPI users, in contrast to 24% for patients not using PPIs (P = 0.030). Similarly, 27% of teeth exhibited ≥5 mm probing depths among PPI users versus 40% for non-PPI users (P = 0.039). Conclusions The results suggest that PPIs are associated with a reduced proportion of elevated probing depths. Future prospective studies are indicated to elucidate possible mechanisms through which PPIs might affect, and potentially be used in the treatment of, periodontitis.
Ultrasonic NDT and Imaging of Centrifugally Cast Stainless Steel Samples

Centrifugally cast stainless steel (CCSS) components are currently being used in many critical industrial applications such as nuclear reactors, which have stringent inspection requirements. Non-destructive testing (NDT) of these components are governed by strict guidelines to insure safe operating conditions. Current literature indicates that ultrasonic NDT techniques provide potentially the most promising and reliable methods for the inspection of CCSS components. However, the received signal often has low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) due to ultrasonic attenuation caused by grain scattering. Furthermore, ultrasonic inspection of CCSS components is plagued by high attenuation, velocity variations, mode conversion, beam divergence and/or convergence, and skewing. Therefore, the signals arising from metallurgical discontinuities or defects caused by thermal fatigue and stress corrosion, can appear to a manual ultrasonic inspector as random, stationary-noise signals. The ability to detect such defects is at best limited with the conventional non-destructive evaluation techniques. In this paper, some spectral methods are presented to improve flaw visibility by reducing the background noise from the CCSS microstructure.
Delay-limited resource allocation algorithm suitable for V-BLAST type MIMO systems

Wireless channels provide an extremely challenging scenario to support quality data and multi-media services. In this paper, we consider the scenario of supporting vector delay-limited wireless multimedia services such as Constant Bit Rate (CBR) wireles video, where certain desired amount of data need to be transmitted through a vector channel within a given delay. We focus on the problem of energy minimization under target delay-limited rate and bit error rate constraints. We develop an adaptive modulation scheme for single user wireless systems for generic vector wireless communications systems model. In this paper we extend previous works on this problem to provide a recursive closed form solution that reduces memory requirements and make it suitable for real-time deployments. Through simulations we find improvements in average bit energy as we increase the delay.
Beacon: A Hierarchical Network Topology Monitoring System Based on IP Multicast

This paper presents Beacon, a technique that exploits the advantages of IP multicast to provide a low overhead system for network topology monitoring. Beacon is a self-organizing system which builds a self similar network topology that enables the system to converge very quickly even at a high degree of scalability. Another property of the Beacon system is that it does not require any interdomain routing protocol for IP multicast, making its deployment possible even in subnetworks which are interconnected by domains which do not support IP multicast routing or that deploy different routing protocols. One desirable side effect of the deployment of beacon is that it acts as a self configuring IP multicast tunneling facility which provides a distributed system with fault tolerant IP multicast reacheability. A comparison of Beacon with several other routing and gateway protocols is discussed.
Changes in the fatty acid composition of roasted and boiled Chinese (Castanea molissima) and Italian (C. sativa) chestnuts grown at the same location

Abstract The shells of freshly harvested Chinese and Italian chestnuts grown at the same location were manually slit with a sharp knife and the chestnuts either boiled at 92°C for 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes or baked at 182°C for 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, the lipid fraction was solvent extracted from each variable and their corresponding fatty acid composition determined gas chromatographically. The fatty acid composition of both types of raw chestnuts was also determined. The fatty acid composition for both types of raw chestnuts was virtually identical with the most predominate fatty acid being oleic acid (46.0%), while the most predominant saturated fatty acid was palmitic acid (8.5%). The ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid clearly decreased as boiling or roasting times increased for both types of chestnuts. This ratio changed more with boiling as compared to roasting for both chestnut types, but was more pronounced with the Chinese chestnut as compared to the Italian chestnut.
LPP-1 Infection of the Blue-Green Alga Plectonema boryanum I. Electron Microscopy

One-step growth and intracellular growth experiments were performed at high multiplicities of the virus LPP-1 during the infection of the blue-green alga Plectonema boryanum. The eclipse period lasts until 4 hr after infection, the latent period terminates at 6 hr, and the rise period continues until 14 to 16 hr after infection. The burst size was independent of multiplicity of infection over the ranges from 1 to 50. The burst size was 3,000 to 5,000 plaque-forming units (PFU) per infectious center or about 200 PFU per cell. Samples for electron microscopy were taken at characteristic times during the lytic cycle. The first sign of viral infection was the invagination of the photosynthetic lamellae at 3 hr after infection. Mature virions were visible at 4 hr. By 6 to 7 hr, many mature intracellular viral particles could be seen, with lysis beginning at 7 hr. By 10 hr after infection, all infected cells contained mature virions. No evidence for mass migration of performed viral precursors was obtained. The invagination of the lamellae could be prevented by the early addition of chloramphenicol, which implies that this process requires protein synthesis.
A Review of “The Conservative Foundations of the Liberal Order: Defending Democracy Against Its Modern Enemies and Immoderate Friends”

Written in a lean style without jargon, The Conservative Foundations of Liberal Order is a fine place to start for anyone who wonders what the elements of an appealing contemporary conservatism are...
Spatial mapping of focused surface acoustic waves in the investigation of high frequency strain induced changes

The field of straintronics, in which strain is used to drive phase transitions, ordering and structural changes, has conventionally been limited to dc or low frequency strain. High frequency large strains, which have the potential to serve as a high frequency trigger of strain sensitive physical phenomena, can be generated using focused surface acoustic waves, which produce two dimensional standing strain waves with very high strain at the elliptical focus. Here, the strain standing wave pattern generated by a focused surface acoustic wave is mapped and quantified as a function of voltage and frequency with high spatial resolution. A knife-edge optical reflection method is used to map the strain standing wave pattern generated by a 87.95 MHz annular interdigital transducer on 128° Y-Cut LiNbO3. Subsequent to strain mapping, ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayers nanostructures are lithographically patterned within the high strain region for preliminary measurements of magnetization changes arising from high frequency fast strain. The knife edge technique is simple, results in excellent spatial resolution and is fully compatible with other optical measurements, such as focused magneto-optic Kerr measurements, while maintaining spatial information. This ability to accurately and reproducibly determine the position of maximum strain and to lock onto a specific strain region is an important step in the investigation of the effects of high frequency strain on thin film materials, which range from magnetic reorientations to strain induced phase transitions.
FIRST-PRINCIPLES CALCULATIONS OF QUASIPARTICLE ENERGIES AT SURFACES AND INTERFACES: SEMICONDUCTOR SURFACE-STATE SPECTRA AND BAND OFFSETS

A first-principles theory for calculating surface-state energies and semiconductor band offsets is described. Within a quasiparticle interpretation of excitation spectra, the approach provides well-founded energies which can be compared directly with spectroscopic measurements. Results for the As-capped Si(111) and Ge(111) surfaces and for the GaAs-AlAs(001) heterojunction are discussed and compared with experiment.
The transmission of meperidine across the human placenta.

Much of Apgar's research during the early 1950s focused on the effects of maternal anesthesia on the newborn child; she and other investigators asked whether anesthetic agents crossed the placenta from mother to fetus, and if so, whether the drugs endangered the baby. In this case, they found that meperidine (Demerol) did cross the placental barrier, but did not depress the respiration of the newborn.
A theoretical framework for a class of frequency estimation algorithms

This paper discusses a general class of algorithms for estimating the frequencies of a set of complex exponentials, and presents a corrected proof of the validity of the algorithms when applied to either real or complex data. The linear-prediction least-squares algorithms, involve the formulation of the estimation problem in terms of finding the roots of a polynomial in C(x) (the vector space of polynomials over the complex numbers C) that has minimum norm with respect to some inner product defined over C(x). >
Solvent extraction of phenol from aqueous solution in a hollow fiber device

The extraction of phenol from aqueous solution was studied in a novel type of device—a hollow fiber “shell and tube bundle” unit. The need for coalescence and settling of the two phases involved is avoided with this type of contacting scheme. Various solvents (n-hexanol, n-octanol, ii-decanol, methyl isobutyl ketone, and n-butyl acetate) were used on the shell-side; the phenol solution was pumped through the tube-side. In other runs, powdered activated carbon was packed into the shell-side. The effects of solvent type, powdered carbon use, feed stream flow rate, and the addition of acid or base to the feed were studied. A successful mathematical model for the system was developed.
Signal transduction in cytotoxic lymphocytes: decreased calcium influx in NK cell inactivated with sensitive target cells.

Abstract Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity is protein kinase C (KC)-dependent and that PKC is translocated from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane during NK cell activation. Furthermore, exposuring NK cells to a sensitive target cell for 4-6 hr at 37°C rendered NK cells functionally inactive and these inactivated effector cells (i) do not turn over Pl in response to K562 stimulation and (ii) lose mRNA for perforin and granzyme A and B less than 30 min after contact with K562. In this study, we first confirmed earlier findings that the interaction of sensitive target cells with human NK cells triggers an influx of extracellular calcium into NK cells. In addition, using flow cytometry we demonstrated that there was a delayed maximum uptake of extracellular calcium into functionally inactive NK cells when these cells were reexposed to fresh K562. Finally, we demonstrated that exposuring NK cells to K562 for hr leads to a loss of NK cytotoxic activity and to the maximal expression of CD69.
Measuring queue capacities of IEEE 802.11 wireless access points

While queue capacities have a direct impact on loss and latency during congestion, and wireless networks continue to spread in university, corporate and home networks, little is publicly known about the queue capacities of wireless access points (APs). This paper presents and deploys the Access Point Queue (APQ) methodology for externally estimating the queue capacity for a wireless AP. APQ determines the AP saturation point, measures the baseline delay, induces the saturation rate to measure the delay with a full AP queue and computes the queue capacity. APQ is deployed to determine the queue capacities of three commercial class and four residential class APs. The wireless AP queue capacities are shown to be packet-based and to range from 50 packets to over 350 packets. The fact that queue capacities vary so much among devices targeted for the same network configuration suggests future work to determine the most appropriate queue capacity.
Pineal gland and ocular influences on turkey breeder hens. 1. Reproductive performance.

The influence of the pineal gland and the eyes on reproductive performance of turkey hens was examined. Photosensitive, yearling Large White turkey breeder hens underwent pinealectomy (PX) or bilateral ocular enucleation (EX) or both while held on 8 hr of light per day (8L:16D) and were then photoinduced into a typical 20-week egg laying period by exposing the birds to 16 hr of light per day (16L:8D). Data were obtained for the time to first egg (sexual maturation), rate of egg laying, percent fertility, percent hatchability, weight of poults at hatching, and plasma melatonin levels. A significant interaction between PX and EX treatments occurred in the sexual maturation data only. Pinealectomy significantly delayed (P less than .05) the onset of egg laying (by 4.1 to 7.4 days) compared with the other treatment groups. No other significant differences in onset of lay occurred. Pinealectomy significantly depressed egg production during weeks 11 to 20 of lay and this resulted in fewer eggs per PX hen over the 20-week study (85.4 vs. 93.3 eggs in the PX and pineal intact groups, respectively). Enucleation did not significantly affect egg production. Neither the PX nor the EX treatment significantly affected fertility or hatchability determined at 4-week intervals over the 20-week study. However, poult weights were significantly greater as a result of either PX (P less than .01) or EX (P less than .05) treatment. Nocturnal elevation of plasma melatonin was significantly reduced by PX but not by EX. It was concluded that an extraretinal, extrapineal photoreceptive mechanism is operative in turkey breeder hens but both the pineal gland and the eyes can influence certain reproductive parameters.
Intravesical interleukin-12 gene therapy in an orthotopic bladder cancer model.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the antitumor effect of intravesical cationic liposome-mediated interleukin-12 (IL-12) gene delivery in an orthotopic murine bladder cancer model, and to investigate the immunologic memory against tumors between IL-12 gene therapy and bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy. Methods Orthotopic murine bladder tumors were established by implanting 5 × 105 MBT-2 cells into the bladder of syngeneic female C3H mice. Intravesical IL-12 gene therapy was evaluated at varying doses: 0 μg (control) and 3, 5, and 10 μg (n = 8 for each group). Intravesical treatments were performed every 3 days and repeated six times beginning 5 days after tumor implantation. To compare the long-term, tumor-specific immunity between IL-12-treated mice (n = 18) and BCG-treated mice (n = 20), the animals surviving at day 60 and 10 new control mice were rechallenged with MBT-2 cells and received no additional treatment. On day 120, all surviving mice were killed and underwent necropsy. Results In the IL-12 groups at doses of 0, 3, 5, and 10 μg, 0, 2, 3, and 3 mice survived, respectively. Mice in the 5-μg and 10-μg IL-12 groups survived significantly longer than did the control group. All mice cured by IL-12 treatment successfully rejected the rechallenge with MBT-2 cells; however, mice cured by BCG and the new control mice died of the rechallenged bladder tumors. Conclusions Intravesical IL-12 gene therapy, which induced long-lasting tumor-specific immunologic memory compared with BCG therapy, improved survival in an orthotopic bladder cancer model.
Study of the diffusion of Te inclusions in CdZnTe nuclear detectors in post-growth annealing

Despite immense endeavor invested in optimizing the crystal growth parameters and the post growth improvement methodologies proposed by numerous studies, there are still unresolved shortcomings of CdZnTe crystals to produce commercial-grade CdZnTe detectors. Post-growth thermal annealing under Zn, Te, or Cd vapor overpressure at various temperature have been the approach attempted to improve the crystallinity of CdZnTe crystals. This paper presents results of post growth annealing of CdZnTe detectors that shows both reduction in the sizes of Te inclusions and the migration of the inclusions towards the high-temperature side of the crystal. Two set of annealing experiments were made. The first is annealing under Cd vapor overpressure in vacuum at 600 °C for 45 minutes at a temperature gradient of 10 °C/cm. The second set of CdZnTe post-growth annealing experiments was carried out at 700 °C CdZnTe annealing temperature with the Cadmium temperature at 650 °C, 30 minutes annealing time, and temperature gradient of 10 °C/cm. The reduction in the sizes of Te inclusions ranges from 8% to 38%.
Magnetic Dissipation and Fluctuations in Individual Nanomagnets Measured by Ultrasensitive Cantilever Magnetometry

Cantilever magnetometry with moment resolution better than 10(4)micro(B) was used to study individual nanomagnets. By using the fluctuation-dissipation theorem to interpret measurements of field-induced cantilever damping, the low frequency spectral density of magnetic fluctuations could be determined with resolution better than 1micro(B) Hz-1/2. Cobalt nanowires exhibited significant magnetic dissipation and the associated magnetic fluctuations were found to have 1/f frequency dependence. In individual submicron rare-earth alloy magnets, the dissipation/fluctuation was very small and not distinguishable from that of a bare silicon cantilever.
Gender-specific statistical models of pathological coronary arteries for generating simulated angiograms

Cardiovascular disease is considered the leading cause of death in the US, accounting for 38% of all deaths. There are gender differences in the size of coronary arteries and in the character and location of atherosclerotic lesions that affect the detection of coronary artery disease with the medical imaging modalities currently used (e.g. angiography, computed tomography). These differences also affect the safety and effectiveness of image-guided interventions using therapeutic devices. For the optimization of the medical imaging modalities used for this specific task we require the generation of clinically-realistic, gender-specific images of healthy and pathological coronary angiograms. For this purpose we have created a gender-specific statistical model of a pathological coronary artery tree. Starting from "healthy" heart-phantoms created from high resolution CT scans of cadaver hearts of both genders, the model uses prevalence data obtained from clinical studies of patients with significant (>50% stenosis) coronary artery disease (CAD). The model determines the plaque deposit locations and character (length, percent stenosis) for each case, based on a flow model. These data are then used to generate artificially diseased artery trees, embedded in a gender-specific torso model. Using an x-ray and optical photon Monte-Carlo simulation program, we then generate simulated angiograms exhibiting realistic disease patterns. The severity of each angiogram is determined from a set of rules that combines the geometrically increasing severity of lesions, the cumulative effects of multiple obstructions, the significance of their locations, the modifying influence of the collaterals, and the size and quality of the distal vessels. The simulated angiograms will consequently be read by model and human observers. The probability of detection derived in combination with the severity score will be used as a figure of merit for the patient- and gender-specific optimization of the imaging modality under investigation.
Thyroid carcinoma-associated genetic mutations also occur in thyroid lymphomas

Molecular testing for mutations activating the mitogen-associated protein kinase signaling pathway is being used to help diagnose thyroid carcinomas. However, the prevalence of these mutations in thyroid lymphomas has not been reported. Therefore, we studied the prevalence of BRAF, NRAS, HRAS, and KRAS mutations in 33 thyroid lymphomas and correlated the mutational status with the clinical, pathological, cytogenetic, and immunophenotypic findings. Eleven cases were also tested for PAX8/PPARγ translocations. The lymphomas included 25 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, 6 extranodal marginal-zone lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type, and 2 follicular lymphomas. Seventeen diffuse large B-cell lymphomas were germinal center type, six non-germinal center type, and two unclassifiable (Hans algorithm). None of the cases had an associated thyroid carcinoma. Mutations of the BRAF gene were identified in six (24%) diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (D594G in three germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, K601N in two germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, and V600E in one non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) and of the NRAS gene in two (8%) non-germinal center diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (Q61K and Q61H). BRAF and NRAS mutations were not found in any extranodal marginal-zone lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type or follicular lymphomas. HRAS and KRAS mutations were not identified in any of the cases, nor were PAX8/PPARγ translocations found. Thus, interpretation of finding a BRAF or NRAS mutation in the thyroid, particularly in preoperative thyroid aspirates, must take into account the differential diagnosis of a lymphoma. In addition to the diagnostic importance, our data also demonstrate that alteration in the mitogen-associated protein kinase pathway may have a role in the pathogenesis of some large B-cell lymphomas of the thyroid with potential therapeutic implications.
Root growth, and microorganisms associated with the rhizoplane and root zone soil of a native C4 grass on burned and unburned sand prairies

We investigated the root growth of native Schizachyrium scoparium, little bluestem grass, and the seasonal abundance of rhizoplane and root zone soil microorganisms on burned and unburned sand prairies. Root growth and abundances of rhizoplane and root zone microorganisms were greater in burned than unburned sites. Microbe populations were nearly always higher on the rhizoplane than in the root zone soils, although they were not always significantly different. The seasonal dynamics of total bacteria, total fungi, fluorescent pseudomonads, and microorganisms that decompose chitin, cellulose, and protein varied between burned and unburned sites. Some microbial populations showed significant, though weak, relationships with root growth. Populations of most microorganisms were usually highest from June through August, when roots were being shed following the peak standing crop of root mass in May. The production of fine roots on burned sites early in the growing season and the consequent shedding of fine roots probably have an important effect on microbe population dynamics.
Distributed STBC With Soft Information Relay Based on Gaussian Approximation

We consider a system where the source transmits signals to the destination via two-relays where distributed space time block codes (STBC) are used. It is assumed that the signals are coded at the source and decoded at the relays. In the general case, the decoding at relays might not be perfect and hence the soft information is forwarded. Considering the independent Rayleigh channels and using the Gaussian approximation of the soft information, we theoretically derive the system Bit Error Rate (BER) performance at the destination with the space-time decoding. This result permits the numerical performance evaluation and may have other potential applications such as the power allocation between the relays.
HIV-1 Vpu: Putting a Channel to the TASK

Vpu is an HIV-encoded protein that enhances virus release. Previously, this activity was correlated with an intrinsic ion channel activity of Vpu. In this issue of Molecular Cell, Hsu et al. (2004) propose an alternative mechanism: they suggest that Vpu functions by inhibiting another ion channel, TASK-1.
Comparison of Several Aggression Models in Long-Evans (Hooded) Rats: Effects of Sex and Isolation:

Several experiments were conducted in which “free-cage” aggression, “shock-elicited” aggression, and “mouse-attack” were examined in Long-Evans hooded rats. It was found that the pattern of agonistic postures differed for different models of aggression. In the free-cage situation females exhibited more defensive posturing than did males, whereas males showed more biting and attack behavior than did females; both males and females exhibited mouse attack. In the shock-aggression situation males showed higher frequencies of all aggressive behaviors than did females. Animals which lived in pairs tended to show less agonistic posturing in all three models than did animals which lived alone. These findings suggest that different aggression models assess different aspects of agonistic behavior, and moreover that “attack” vs “defense” can be reliably differentiated in the laboratory rat.
Mechanistic implications of proton transfer coupled to electron transfer.

The kinetics of electron transfer for the reactions cis-[RuIV(bpy)2(py)(O)]2+ + H+ + [OsII(bpy)3]2+ ⇌ cis-[RuIII(bpy)2(py)(OH)]2+ + [OsIII(bpy)3]3+ and cis-[RuIII(bpy)2(py)(OH)]2+ + H+ + [OsII(bpy)3]2+ ⇌ cis-[RuII(bpy)2(py)(H2O)]2+ + [OsIII(bpy)3]3+ have been studied in both directions by varying the pH from 1 to 8. The kinetics are complex but can be fit to a double “square scheme” involving stepwise electron and proton transfer by including the disproportionation equilibrium, 2cis-[RuIII(bpy)2(py)(OH)]2+ ⇌ (3 × 103 M-1 s-1 forward, 2.1 × 105 M-1 s-1 reverse) cis-[RuIV(bpy)2(py)(O)]2+ + cis-[RuII(bpy)2(py)(H2O)]2+. Electron transfer is outer-sphere and uncoupled from proton transfer. The kinetic study has revealed (1) pH-dependent reactions where the pH dependence arises from the distribution between acid and base forms and not from variations in the driving force; (2) competing pathways involving initial electron transfer or initial proton transfer whose relative importance depends on pH; (3) a signific...
Convective Heat Transfer and Fluid Dynamic Characteristics of SiO2-Ethylene Glycol/Water Nanofluid

Nanofluids comprised of silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles suspended in a 60:40 (% by weight) ethylene glycol and water (EG/water) mixture were investigated for their heat transfer and fluid dynamic performance. First, the rheological properties of different volume percents of SiO2 nanofluids were investigated at varying temperatures. The effect of particle diameter (20 nm, 50 nm, 100 nm) on the viscosity of the fluid was investigated. Subsequent experiments were performed to investigate the convective heat transfer enhancement of nanofluids in the turbulent regime by using the viscosity values measured. The experimental system was first tested with EG/water mixture to establish agreement with the Dittus-Boelter equation for Nusselt number and with Blasius equation for friction factor. The increase in heat transfer coefficient due to nanofluids for various volume concentrations has been presented. Pressure loss was observed to increase with nanoparticle volume concentration. It was observed that an incr...
New Strategies in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Shifting Treatment Paradigms

Over the past two decades, slow but deliberate progress has been made in understanding the genetics of CLL and how the surrounding microenvironment influences leukemia cell survival. The complexity of CLL with respect to different chromosomal aberrations, lack of a common aberrant signaling pathway activation, and associated immune suppression of the disease has been seen a major stumbling block for developing a single targeted therapy similar to imatinib used in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The upcoming therapeutic era we are entering with the B-cell receptor (BCR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors ibrutinib and idelalisib, appear to be overcoming this obstacle. Indeed, for the large majority of patients it appears that application of BCR kinase inhibitors can promote durable remissions without the need for chemotherapy. Where other very active targeted agents such as ABT-199, therapeutic antibodies, and chimeric antigen receptor-modified T-cells will be used in CLL also represents a major question that future clinical trials will answer.
Induction and patterning of the neural plate

Abstract The development of the vertebrate nervous system begins when ectoderm on the dorsal surface of the embryo is induced by the organizer to form the neural plate. During neural induction, the organizer appears to specify a region of ectoderm that forms neural tissue, to induce morphogenesis within a region of ectoderm called the notoplate, and to pattern the neural plate to form different parts of the nervous system along the dorsal-ventral (D- V) and anterior-posterior axis (A-P). Recent studies have shown that all of these events can proceed at least partially via signals that pass from the organizer into ectoderm by so-called planar induction. Recent studies have also addressed the molecular signals that potential underlie the generation of the neural A-P axis. Although there is good evidence that polypeptide growth factors can induce different mesodermal cell types, it is not clear as yet whether these molecules provide A-P positional information for dorsal tissues, including the nervous system. Retinoic acid has also been shown to have the properties of a patterning signal and may act via homeobox genes, but the role of endogenous retinoic acid has not been established. In addition, we discuss the induction of the most anterior end of the neural plate, which is perhaps the least understood aspect of neural induction. With the recent isolation of vertebrate forebrain specific markers, the induction of this part of the nervous system can be explored in future experiments.
Consequences of lexical stress on learning an artificial lexicon.

Four experiments examined effects of lexical stress on lexical access for recently learned words. Participants learned artificial lexicons (48 words) containing phonologically similar items and were tested on their knowledge in a 4-alternative forced-choice (4AFC) referent-selection task. Lexical stress differences did not reduce confusions between cohort items: KAdazu and kaDAzeI were confused with one another in a 4AFC task and in gaze fixations as often as BOsapeI and BOsapaI. However, lexical stress did affect the relative likelihood of stress-initial confusions when words were embedded in running nonsense speech. Words with medial stress, regardless of initial vowel quality, were more prone to confusions than words with initial stress. The authors concluded that noninitial stress, particularly when word segmentation is difficult, may serve as “noise” that alters lexical learning and lexical access.
Effects of dimethylsulfoxide on cyclic AMP accumulation, lipolysis and glucose metabolism of fat cells.

Abstract Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) decreased insulin-stimulated [l- 14 C]glucose oxidation and increased lipolysis. DMSO also potentiated the rise in lipolysis due to glucagon, norepinephrine or theophylline. The rise in cyclic AMP levels due to these lipolytic agents was increased by 1.10 M DMSO. This erfect was rapid in onset, since increases in cyclic AMP due to DMSO were detected as early as 40 sec after addition of lipolytic agents. The drop in cyclic AMP accumulation seen after addition of propranolol to fat cells incubated with norepinephrine was reduced by DMSO. DMSO inhibited both the soluble and particulatc cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity present in fat cells. The metabolites of DMSO. dimethylsulfonc and dimethylsulfide. did not cause any change in cyclic AMP accumulation due to norepinephrine. indicating that DMSO and not a metabolite was responsible for the observed effects. These data indicate that DMSO at high concentrations inhibited cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and is a stimulator of cyclic AMP accumulation and lipolysis in fat cells.
Litter decomposition in cut and uncut western juniper woodlands

The expansion of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis ssp. occidentalis Hook.) in the northern Great Basin has resulted in management efforts to reduce juniper by prescribed fire or tree cutting to restore shrub-grassland plant communities. Herbaceous succession following juniper cutting or prescribed fire has been well documented, however, impacts of these disturbances to litter and nutrient cycling is limited in these invasive semi-arid woodlands. This study evaluated the effects of cutting juniper trees on leaf litter decomposition and nitrogen (N) dynamics over a 2-year period in eastern Oregon, USA. Litter bags were used to measure juniper leaf litter decomposition and track litter carbon (C) and N fluxes in cut and uncut juniper woodland treatments. Litter mass loss was 37% greater in the cut treatment compared to the uncut treatment after 2 years. Greater litter inputs, higher litter fall quality, and micro-environmental differences were suggested to have been the main causes for the higher litter decomposition rate in the cut treatment. In both treatments, litter N was released by the second year of decomposition, though N release was greater in the uncut treatment. Retention of juniper debris on site permits storage and release of nutrients through decomposition processes which is likely important in maintaining site productivity.
Bioaerosol Concentration at an Outdoor Composting Center.

Compost centers are one of many environments that produce airborne microorganisms. The objective of this study was to compare the bacterial, fungal, and acti-nomycete concentrations at the Norman, OK, compost center to background concentration of these same microorganisms. For this comparison, a modified Andersen Microbial Sampler was used. Sampling was performed at three sites at the outdoor compost center and at two background sites. The concentration of each microorganism was measured as total colony forming units per cubic meter (CFU/m3). The predominantly downwind compost center site had a 10-fold increase in all the microorganisms in comparison with the other sites (p < 0.05). The median concentrations (95% confidence interval) of total viable bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes at this site were 5059 (CI95= 4952-9600) CFU/m3, 2023 (CI95= 2586-6806) CFU/m3, 972 (CI95= 964-1943) CFU/m3, and 2159 (CI95= 1755-4190) CFU/m3, respectively.
Plausible Upper Bounds: Are Their Sums Plausible?1

Quantitative cancer risk assessments are typically expressed as plausible upper bounds rather than estimates of central tendency. In analyses involving several carcinogens, these upper bounds are often summed to estimate overall risk. This begs the question of whether a sum of upper bounds is itself a plausible estimate of overall risk. This question can be asked in two ways: whether the sum yields an improbable estimate of overall risk (that is, is it only remotely possible for the true sum of risks to match the sum of upper bounds), or whether the sum gives a misleading estimate (that is, is the true sum of risks likely to be very different from the sum of upper bounds). Analysis of four case studies shows that as the number of risk estimates increases, their sum becomes increasingly improbable, but not misleading. Though the overall risk depends on the independence, additivity, and number of risk estimates, as well as the shapes of the underlying risk distributions, sums of upper bounds provide useful information about the overall risk and can be adjusted downward to give a more plausible [perhaps probable] upper bound, or even a central estimate of overall risk.
Time Domain Resolution of Forward and Reflected Waves in the Aorta

A simple, fast time domain method for the resolution of aortic pressure and flow pulses into their forward and reflected components is presented. Accuracy of the method depends on the estimation of characteristic impedance and the frequency responses of the transducer systems.
A web application for cotton irrigation management on the U.S. Southern High Plains. Part II: Application design

A web-tool to estimate the profit effects of center pivot irrigated cotton.The tool's crop modeling and profit analysis component is demonstrated here.Average yield effect of increased irrigation per unit area is linear.Yield income and pumping costs determine irrigation's average profit effect per unit area.Center pivot profit is calculated via per acre profit, well flow, and pivot area. Irrigated cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) production is a central part of west Texas agriculture that depends on the essentially non-renewable water resource of the Ogallala aquifer. Web-based decision support tools that estimate the profit effects of irrigation for cotton under varying lint price, production cost, and well capacity conditions could help to optimize the agricultural value of the Ogallala's water. The crop modeling and profit analysis component of such a support tool is demonstrated here. This web application is based on a database of modeled yields generated from the meteorological records of four weather stations under un-irrigated (dryland) conditions and under center pivot irrigation with 12 total irrigation (TI) levels spanning deficit to full irrigation conditions. The application converts the database's dryland and irrigated yield outcomes into corresponding values of profit per hectare based on user-defined yield values and production costs. Given the resulting values of dryland and irrigated profit per unit area and the additional constraints of a user's well capacity and center pivot area, the application also calculates the profit effects of dividing center pivot area into dryland and irrigated production under the 12 irrigation levels.
Comparison of adhesive properties of water- and phosphate buffer-washed cottonseed meals with cottonseed protein isolate on maple and poplar veneers

Abstract Water- and phosphate buffer (35 mM Na 2 HPO 4 /NaH 2 PO 4 , pH 7.5)-washed cottonseed meals (abbreviated as WCM and BCM, respectively) could be low-cost and environmentally friendly protein-based adhesives as their preparation does not involve corrosive alkali and acid solutions that are needed for cottonseed protein isolate (CSPI). In this work, we comparatively tested the adhesive shear strength and water resistance properties of WCM, BCM and CSPI on two hard wood veneers, maple and poplar, at press temperatures of 80, 100, 110 and 130 °C and a press pressure of 2.8 MPa. The adhesive behaviors of the three adhesives on maple and poplar veneers were similar, although not always identical. Both the adhesive shear strength and water resistance properties of the three adhesives improved with the increase of press temperature from 80 °C to over 100 °C. However, raising the press temperature improved the water resistance properties of WCM and BCM more than that of CSPI. With a press temperature of 110 °C, the adhesive shear strength and water resistance properties of WCM on both maple and poplar veneers were comparable to those of CSPI. Thus, the low-cost preparation of WCM, in comparison to the CSPI preparation, is a strong candidate for substituting synthetic wood adhesives. FT-IR spectra showed higher contents of carbohydrate in WCM and BCM than in CSPI. Cross-linking reactions between carbohydrate and protein at higher press temperatures (≥100 °C) may have contributed to the improvement of the water resistance properties of WCM and BCM.
Stress considered as an etiological factor in Alzheimer's disease:

Stress has not been considered as an etiological factor in Alzheimer's disease. However, a synthesis of research data on both stress and A.D. suggests the validity of a role for stress itself as a significant causal factor or at least as a co-factor consistent with current research models for this disease.
Behavioral Influences on Preterm Birth: Integrated Analysis of the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study

Most previous studies of preterm birth have considered risk factors in isolation rather than examining the collective impact of multiple candidate determinants. In order to examine the combined impact of a set of behavioral risk factors on the risk of preterm birth, we analyzed data collected for the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Study on a range of sociodemographic, behavioral, and related factors. Women who received prenatal care at selected clinics in central North Carolina and gave birth in the period 1995–2005 were recruited into a prospective cohort study, with 4,251 women providing the required information on risk factors and pregnancy outcome. A number of demographic and behavioral attributes were modestly associated with preterm birth, with odds ratios of 1.3–1.5, including age >35, African-American ethnicity, height of 63 inches or less, parity 2+, and delivery at the academic medical center. Despite weak associations for individual risk factors, changes in a constellation of behaviors during pregnancy predict substantial shifts in the risk of preterm birth, suggesting a reduction from 8 to 3% preterm among those with a low-risk baseline profile, and a reduction from 18 to 7% preterm among those with a high-risk baseline profile. While inferences are limited by the incomplete range of available predictors, uncertainty regarding whether observed associations are causal, and substantial challenges in changing component behaviors, the possibility of substantial reduction in risk merits more serious consideration of whether behavioral interventions could markedly reduce the risk of preterm birth.
Spectral mapping theorems for subnormal operators

On etablit un calcul fonctionnel f→f(S) pour des operateurs sous normaux S. On etudie l'espace associe a ce calcul. On considere la caracterisation du spectre clos de f(S) en fonction de f
Immunoglobulin Class Heterogeneity of Platelet Alloantibodies

Abstract. The immunoglobulin classes of platelet alloantibodies were studied using monospecific antisera in a radiolabeled technique. 14 of 28 consecutively studied multiply transfused oncology patients demonstrated platelet antibodies. These 14 patients were also refractory to random donor platelets. The immunoglobulin classes of these platelet antibodies were found to be: IgG alone 4, IgM alone 4, IgG and IgM 5, IgM plus IgA 1. The results in this study suggest that using monospecific antisera other than anti-IgG alone, one can detect additional antibodies involved in the immune destruction of platelets.
The (dis)embodied self in anorexia nervosa

This paper deconstructs the debate that has been raging for over a decade between proponents of the feminist cultural model of eating disorders and supporters of the traditional medical model of illness and treatment, bringing the level of analysis one step deeper-to the question of the constructions of "the self" employed in these discourses and the implications of these constructions for the successful understanding and treatment of anorexia nervosa. The paper argues that while feminist theorizing has largely dislodged the current representations of anorexia nervosa from the clamps of myopic medical discourses devoid of detailed cultural analysis, it has in fact produced similar theoretical dichotomies and blind spots that preclude the successful theorizing of an embodied self and its particular articulation in anorexia nervosa. It is proposed here that Foucault's [(1986) The Care of the Self. The History of Sexuality, Vol. 3. Vintage, New York] notion of "technologies of the self" can provide us with a useful tool for bridging the split between the "inside" and "outside" produced and reified in both the medical model and the feminist cultural formulation of anorexia; a framework is suggested for the implementation of this interpretative position, based on a reconceptualization of the particular ritualistic behaviors associated in anorexia as articulating the core issues of the illness-a reconfiguration and repositioning of the "inside" and the "outside" as a means of tailoring the self along a particular line of "attitude". The essay is based on eight months of fieldwork counseling in an eating disorders treatment center.
Managing hyponatremia in patients with heart failure

Approximately 20% of heart failure patients have low levels of serum sodium, often at a time when they are hospitalized during a period of decompensation. The presence of hyponatremia adversely affects outcomes in heart failure and is associated with impaired cognitive and neuromuscular function. Current strategies for treating hyponatremia in heart failure patients have limited efficacy. Although the development of hyponatremia in heart failure patients is polyfactorial, the nonosmotic release of arginine vasopressin (AVP) from the posterior pituitary plays a dominant role in this process through its effects on regulating the absorption of free water in the distal portion of the nephron. Drugs which block the effects of AVP on the V2 receptor have been shown to increase serum sodium by promoting the excretion of free water from the kidney. In this review, the theoretical basis supporting the use of AVP blockers is discussed and results from clinical trials in which they were administered to euvolemic and hypervolemic patients are reviewed. Administration of AVP blockers to heart failure patients increases free water excretion, promotes weight loss, and increases serum sodium levels without significant major adverse effects. Clinical trial results demonstrate safety during long-term administration. These findings indicate that the use of AVP receptor antagonists should be considered in heart failure patients who have evidence of significant hyponatremia.