cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cumulative Operative Experience Is Decreasing During General Surgery Residency: A Worrisome Trend for Surgical Trainees?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to quantify the changes over time in general surgical residents' operative experience as surgeon, first assistant, and teaching assistant. The introduction of work hour restrictions in July 2003 raised concern that residents' operative experience might decline. Early studies evaluating the mean number of operations performed as surgeon reported no major change. The experiences of residents as first assistant and teaching assistant have not been closely examined. STUDY DESIGN: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Resident Statistics Summary reports from academic year 1992 to 1993 through the present were reviewed. The mean number of cases reported as total surgeon, surgeon chief, and surgeon junior for academic year 2001 to 2002 through 2005 to 2006 were analyzed for total major operations. The median number of cases reported as total surgeon, first assistant, and teaching assistant for academic year 1992 to 1993 through 2005 to 2006 were analyzed for total major operations. RESULTS: Since the implementation of the 80-hour work duty restrictions, the number of total major operations reported by residents as surgeon decreased from 930 to 909 (2.3% decrease, p < 0.0001), surgeon chief operations decreased from 252 to 231 (8.3% decrease, p <0.0001), and surgeon junior operations remained essentially unchanged, from 677 to 678. From academic year 1992 to 1993 through 2005 to 2006, the median number of first assistant and teaching assistant cases declined from 231 to 49 (79% decrease) and from 67 to 23 (66% decrease), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Since duty hour restrictions were introduced, there have been small but notable declines in the number of total surgeon and surgeon chief operative cases reported by graduating residents. Over a longer time period, operative cases reported by graduating residents in the roles of first assistant and teaching assistant declined dramatically. Although some of these declines were gradual, recent declines may have been accelerated by the 80-hour duty hour restrictions. These trends must be considered as we plan the education of present and future surgical residents.
Properties of Extrusion-Expanded Whey Protein Products Containing Fiber

Three insoluble dietary fibers (cellulose, wheat, and oat) were incorporated into an extruded-expanded product containing 32% whey protein at three concentrations (18, 36, and 48%) to determine the influence of fiber on extrudate properties. As the concentration of fiber in the extrudates increased, there was a significant decrease in expansion ratio, air cell size, water soluble carbohydrate, and water solubility index, and a significant increase in extrudate density, breaking force, moisture content, and water absorption index. The main effects observed were attributed primarily to a decrease in the amount of normal cornstarch.
Clinical Manifestations of Kingella kingae Infections: Case Report and Review

A patient with antecedent coccidioidal pulmonary cavitary disease who developed an empyema due to Kingella kingae prompted our analysis of the literature regarding this unusual bacterial pathogen. Formerly classified among other genera and considered a nonpathogen, K. kingae has been increasingly recognized as a cause of human infection. While the most commonly diagnosed infections due to this organism are endocarditis and septic arthritis, there have also been isolated reports of bacteremia, diskitis, abscesses, meningitis, and oropharyngeal infections. The treatment of choice is penicillin, to which K. kingae strains are uniformly susceptible. Recognition of the potential pathogenicity of this microorganism in appropriate clinical settings will probably result in more prompt and specific therapy.
Use of Lipid-Lowering Drugs With Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients: An Examination of Physician Prescribing Behaviors:

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials have shown that the use of lipid-lowering agents in postmyocardial infarction (MI) patients reduces rates of subsequent coronary events, reduces coronary artery bypass surgery rates, and improves survival. Physician decisions to prescribe lipid-lowering drugs is influenced by a number of patient factors, including age, medical history, and serum cholesterol levels. The purpose of this study was to examine physician behaviors in prescribing lipid-lowering therapy in patients after acute MI. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective study was conducted at a local community-based hospital. A total of 129 patients with validated acute MI, hospitalized between January 1996 and December 1996, was included in the study sample. Variables abstracted included patient age, sex, race, primary diagnosis, medical history, lipid-lowering interventions of the discharge plan, and other discharge instructions regarding smoking cessation, activity, and dietary modification. Descriptive analysis was performed. The study showed that only 7 subjects (8.8%) were discharged on lipid-lowering drugs. Several patients who did not undergo therapy had either a low-density lipoprotein concentration of 50 (n = 6), or were on hormone replacement therapy (n = 3). Dietary modification was advised in 100% of subjects (n = 54) for whom the data were included in the charts. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this descriptive study suggests that lipid-lowering drugs are being utilized at low rates in the secondary prevention of acute MI. However, additional risk-lowering factors may play a role in the decision to discharge without drugs. Because of potential side effects associated with their use, a prudent path appears to be the norm in prescription of lipid-lowering drug therapy for MI patients.
Control Design Amenable Model of Needle Position for a Direct Acting Piezoelectric Fuel Injector

Piezo electric injectors provide a means to lower emissions, noise and fuel consumption in advanced IC engines, by providing the capability to allow for tightly spaced injections and rate shaping. With a focus on generating a control design amenable model capturing the injector needle dynamics, the effort described here includes a model simplification and reduction strategy of an experimentally validated, physics-based 13 state model of a direct acting piezo electric injector. The resulting reduced order model for needle dynamics is validated for both single and multi pulse conditions.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Fast Evaluation of Two-Dimensional Transient Wave Fields

This paper presents a novel scheme to efficiently evaluate transient linear wave fields that are generated by two-dimensional (2D) source configurations. The scheme, termed the plane wave time domain algorithm (PWTD), realizes a diagonal translation operator for 2D transient wave fields through their representation in terms of Hilbert transformed plane wave expansions. Numerical results are presented that validate the algorithm and demonstrate its convergence properties. The proposed PWTD algorithm can be coupled to classical 2D time domain integral equation solvers in a two-level and multilevel setting. It is shown that analysis of a 2D surface scattering phenomenon, in which sources are represented in terms of Ns spatial and Nt temporal samples, based on two-level and multilevel PWTD augmented integral equation solvers, requires O(N1.5sNt log Nt) and O(NsNt log Ns log Nt) computational resources, respectively (as opposed to O(N2sNt2) for a classical solver). Therefore, these PWTD schemes render feasible the rapid integral equation based analysis of 2D transient scattering phenomena involving large surfaces.
The neural mechanisms of gustation: a distributed processing code

Whenever food is placed in the mouth, taste receptors are stimulated. Simultaneously, different types of sensory fibre that monitor several food attributes such as texture, temperature and odour are activated. Here, we evaluate taste and oral somatosensory peripheral transduction mechanisms as well as the multi-sensory integrative functions of the central pathways that support the complex sensations that we usually associate with gustation. On the basis of recent experimental data, we argue that these brain circuits make use of distributed ensemble codes that represent the sensory and post-ingestive properties of tastants.
Crustal Dilatation Observed by GRACE After the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake

We report the detection of an earthquake by a space-based measurement. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites observed a +/-15-microgalileo gravity change induced by the great December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake. Coseismic deformation produces sudden changes in the gravity field by vertical displacement of Earth's layered density structure and by changing the densities of the crust and mantle. GRACE's sensitivity to the long spatial wavelength of gravity changes resulted in roughly equal contributions of vertical displacement and dilatation effects in the gravity measurements. The GRACE observations provide evidence of crustal dilatation resulting from an undersea earthquake.
Identification and characterization of a 66–68-kDa protein as a methotrexate-binding protein in murine leukemia L1210 cells

We previously observed an unidentified, tyrosine-phosphorylated, membrane-associated, 66–68-kDa protein which was present in the L1210 murine leukemia cells but not present, at least in the tyrosine-phosphorylated form, in cisplatin–methotrexate (CDDP–MTX) cross-resistant L1210/DDP cells. We purified and characterized this 66–68-kDa protein by affinity chromatography purification using its two identified properties, tyrosine phosphorylation and MTX-binding, and yielded a single band of 66–68 kDa. The purified protein was subjected to trypsin digestion and the isolated peptide fragments were sequenced and yielded two partial peptide sequences: VEIIANDQ and VTNAVVTVPAYFNDSQRQA. The two peptide sequences were used to search for the mouse genome at the national center for biotechnology information (NCBI) database for Open Reading Frame Sequence (ORFs) containing these peptides using the TBLASTN function. A single gene was identified containing both sequences, the HSPa8 gene, which codes for the heat shock family protein, HSC70. We further demonstrated that HSC70 is a MTX-binding protein using a binding assay with MTX-agarose beads followed by Western blotting. The HSC70 also existed in various cancer cell lines and showed binding to MTX. Additionally, the HSC70 protein, cloned from the L1210 murine leukemia cells, was expressed and purified from E. coli cells using a polyhistidine-tag purification system and it also showed the binding properties with MTX. DnaK, the HSC70 homologue in E. coli, also binds to MTX. By using the purified truncated HSC70 domains, we identified the adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) domain of HSC70 that can bind to MTX. Thus, we have tentatively characterized a new, novel property of HSC70 as a MTX-binding protein.
Spin-fluctuation-induced superconductivity and normal-state properties of YBa2Cu3O7.

We have carried out strong-coupling calculations using the Eliashberg formalism for ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$. We consider the influence of potential impurity scattering on ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. We find that, as the strength of the impurity potential increases, the unitary limit is reached comparatively quickly. In this (unitary) limit, the influence of isotropic impurity scattering on ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ is relatively weak. We show, with the aid of a simple model to describe the disruption of the local magnetic order brought about by the substitution of Zn, that the latter has a strong influence on ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$. We consider the competition between antiferromagnetic and superconducting instabilities and find that, for our model parameters, the instability to a superconducting state always comes first. Next, we examine the sensitivity of our results for ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ to the details of the spin-fluctuation spectrum and hole concentration. When that spectrum is modified so that it is consistent with both NMR ${\mathit{T}}_{1}$ and ${\mathit{T}}_{2}$ measurements, a superconducting transition temperature of 90 K is obtained with a dimensionless coupling contant, \ensuremath{\lambda}1/2. Strong-coupling calculations of the normal state, using these latter parameters and including vertex corrections, yield an in-plane resistivity which varies linearly with temperature, with a magnitude at 100 K of 20 \ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\Omega} cm, and, with minor changes in parameters, a frequency dependence of the optical conductivity in quantitative agreement with experiment for energies 50 meV. With an interlayer hopping ${\mathit{t}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\perp}}}$ of 8 meV, the c-axis resistivity is found to be linear in temperature with a magnitude at 150 K of 2.5 m\ensuremath{\Omega} cm.
Imaging Devices for Use in Small Animals

Imaging devices for small animals have emerged in the past 10 years as extraordinarily useful tools in translational research and drug development. The Food and Drug Administration requires animal testing after in vitro drug discovery but before human application. Many small animal instruments have been developed in analogy to human scale devices, including positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound. Conversely, optical imaging with fluorescent and bioluminescent tracer technology, originating in single-cell in vitro studies, has been scaled up to whole-body animal imaging. Imaging that uses multiple devices permits a comparison of different aspects of function, anatomy, gene expression, and phenotype by the use of software algorithms or more recently with hybrid instruments. Animal imaging facilitates "bench-to-bedside" drug development in 2 ways. Longitudinal imaging improves the science of animal research through the benefit of paired statistics with the use of animals as their own controls while it simultaneously reduces animal sacrifice. In addition, imaging makes explicit the development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents on nearly identical molecular synthesis platforms, therefore linking drug discovery to the development of imaging tracers. This powerful paradigm, now known as diagnostic/therapeutic pairing or theranostics, is already familiar from the use of 123 I used for thyroid diagnosis and 131 I for therapy of benign and malignant thyroid conditions. Many newer examples exist, such as "cold" or "hot" octreotide and meta-iodobenzylguanidine in neuroendocrine tumors; and rituximab in pharmaceutical doses, or with beta emitter tags, for therapy of indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Theranostic agents are also rapidly emerging that use nanoparticles, aptamers, peptides, and antibodies for magnetic resonance imaging/positron emission tomography/single-photo emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging devices in animals with subsequent therapeutic drug development for translation to human use.
COMPETING THROUGH MANUFACTURING AND THE NEW MANUFACTURING PARADIGM: IS MANUFACTURING STRATEGY PASSE?

In light of the widespread adoption of advanced production concepts over the last decade, the traditional concern of manufacturing strategy–linking manufacturing structure and infrastructure to business strategy–has seemed less powerful in explaining competitive success or improving competitive performance. Companies that have introduced just-in-time, total quality management, continuous improvement, design for manufacturability, or concurrent engineering appear to have reaped the benefits of quality, dependability, flexibility, high variety, and low cost. This raises an important question: is manufacturing strategy in its traditional vintage passe? In this paper, I first explore the logic behind the traditional prescriptions in manufacturing strategy using a classic case on Searle's Medical Instruments Group. Then, using the term advanced manufacturing system (AMS) as shorthand for best practice in production, design and engineering, and logistics, I revisit the Searle case as taught in 1995 to illustrate the logic of the AMS. Finally, I offer a framework for synthesis, arguing that manufacturing's true competitive power lies in integrating the capabilities of an AMS with strategic management of manufacturing.
Archaeosome adjuvants: Immunological capabilities and mechanism(s) of action

Archaeosomes (liposomes comprised of glycerolipids of Archaea) constitute potent adjuvants for the induction of Th1, Th2 and CD8(+) T cell responses to the entrapped soluble antigen. Archaeal lipids are uniquely constituted of ether-linked isoprenoid phytanyl cores conferring stability to the membranes. Additionally, varied head groups displayed on the glycerol-lipid cores facilitate unique immunostimulating interactions with mammalian antigen-presenting cells (APCs). The polar lipid from the archaeon, Methanobrevibacter smithii has been well characterized for its adjuvant potential, and is abundant in archaetidyl serine, promoting interaction with a phosphatidylserine receptor on APCs. These archaeosomes mediate MHC class I cross-priming via the phagosome-to-cytosol TAP-dependent classical processing pathway, and also upregulate costimulation by APCs without overt inflammatory cytokine production. Furthermore, they facilitate potent CD8(+) T cell memory to co-delivered antigen, comparable in magnitude and quality to live bacterial vaccine vectors. Archaeosome vaccines provide profound protection in murine models of infection and cancer. This technology is being developed for clinical application and offers a novel prospect for rational design and development of safe and potent subunit vaccines capable of eliciting T cell immunity against intracellular infections and cancers.
Nonlinear plasma waves with steady-state d.c. current

Using a low-frequency, low-β model of a magnetized plasma, several nonlinear waves are studied. All the waves share the property that they have a self-consistent time-averaged current in the steady state. The first wave is a onedimensional solitary wave that propagates obliquely to a static magnetic field. The wave magnetic field has a kink structure, which results in the production of the time-averaged current. A two-dimensional wave that propagates parallel to the background magnetic field is also discussed. This is a forced wave, requiring an antenna structure to support it in the steady state. The characteristics of the two-dimensional wave are dependent upon the wave speed, which in turn is determined by the speed of the travelling wave on the external antenna
Measurement of Methane Hyperfine Structure Using Laser Saturated Absorption

With optical resolution above ${10}^{10}$, we study hyperfine structure in the methane vibration-rotation line at 3.39 \ensuremath{\mu}m. Doppler-generated crossing resonances were observed in addition to the resolved $\ensuremath{\Delta}F=0$ and - 1 lines. Splittings in both ground and excited states were determined. Differential saturation of such hyperfine structure will lead to an intensity-dependent shift in many molecularly stabilized lasers.
Efficacy of an extracorporeal flat-plate bioartificial liver in treating fulminant hepatic failure.

Background. Fulminant hepatic failure is associated with a high mortality rate. Orthotopic liver transplantation is the only established treatment for patients who do not respond to medical management. A major limitation of this treatment is a shortage of donor organs, resulting in many patients dying while waiting for a transplant. An extracorporeal bioartificial liver (BAL) has the potential to provide temporary support for patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and for patients awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation. We developed a flat-plate BAL with an internal membrane oxygenator in which porcine hepatocytes were cultured as a monolayer. Materials and methods. Twenty-four hours after cannulation of the left carotid artery and right jugular vein, FHF was induced in rats by administering 2 intraperitoneal injections of D-galactosamine (GalN) (1.2 g/kg) at a 12-h interval. The rats were connected to a BAL device 24 h after the first GalN injection and underwent extracorporeal perfusion for a duration of 10 h. Liver histology, liver-specific markers, and animal survival up to 168 h (7 days) were examined. Results. Histologically, liver damage was reduced in the animal group treated with the hepatocyte-based BAL device. Significant reductions occurred in the plasma ammonia levels and prothrombin times in the group treated with the seeded BAL device. Animal survival in the group treated with the seeded BAL device was significantly higher (50.0%) than in the control animal group treated with an unseeded BAL device (11.1%). Conclusions. This flat-plate BAL with an internal membrane oxygenator and cultured porcine hepatocytes has yielded encouraging results in the treatment of rats with GalN-induced FHF.
Alternative Configurations for Trap Detectors

A brief history of the development of quantum-efficient detectors and their incorporation into light-trapping configurations is presented. Various light-trapping schemes are surveyed. A new refractive configuration is described which yields the largest field-of-view reported to date.
The history and survival of traditional heirloom vegetable varieties in the southern Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina

Southern Appalachia is unique among agroecological regions of the American South because of the diverse environmental conditions caused by its mountain ecology, the geographic and commercial isolation of the region, and the relative cultural autonomy of the people that live there. Those three criteria, combined with a rich agricultural history and the continuance of the homegardening tradition, make southern Appalachia an area of relatively high crop biodiversity in America. This study investigated the history and survival of traditional heirloom vegetable crops in western North Carolina and documented 134 heirloom varieties that were still being grown. I conducted interviews with 26 individuals from 12 counties in western North Carolina. I used a snowball sampling method to identify individuals or communities that maintained heirloom vegetable varieties, and used the “memory banking” of farmers’ knowledge as a strategy to complement the gathering of seed specimens. Most of the varieties were grown and saved by homegardeners; beans were the most numerous. Results indicate that usually only one or two individuals in a community maintained significant numbers of heirloom varieties and that many communities have lost their heirloom vegetable heritage altogether. The decline of the farming population combined with a lack of cultural continuance in family seed-saving traditions threatens the ability of communities to maintain crop biodiversity. Some of the cultivars may represent the last (small) populations of endangered varieties.
Prevalence of Pulmonary Hypertension in Limited and Diffuse Scleroderma

Study objectives To characterize the prevalence of undiagnosed pulmonary hypertension in patients with limited and diffuse scleroderma. Design Prospective cross-sectional study. Setting University-based outpatient clinic. Patients Thirty-four consecutive patients with limited (n=29) or diffuse (n=5) scleroderma but without the clinical diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. Measurements and results All patients had 12-lead ECGs and two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiograms. The pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PA s ) was calculated as the sum of the Doppler transtricuspid pressure gradient and the right atrial pressure as estimated by the caval respiratory index. Thirty-three patients (97%) had adequate spectral signals of tricuspid regurgitation. The velocity of tricuspid regurgitation ranged from 1.6 to 4.5 m/s. The calculated PA s ranged from 15 to 95 (mean±SD=30±14 mm Hg). Twelve patients (35% of the total cohort) had pulmonary hypertension defined as PA s of 30 mm Hg or greater. Conclusions Undiagnosed elevation of PA S is common in patients with scleroderma. Noninvasive assessment of PA s can be performed accurately in most patients independent of clinical signs of pulmonary hypertension. If successful treatment strategies are identified, it may be possible to identify patients early in the development of pulmonary hypertension and intervene before significant end-organ damage occurs.
Comparison of arterial wall properties in young and old racing greyhounds

Arteries were obtained from several sites in young (YGH) and old racing greyhounds (OGH). Segments were used for the determination of arterial wall mechanics under conditions of active (norepinephrine) and passive (Ca2+ free and 2 mM EGTA) smooth muscle. Contiguous segments were used for the chemical analysis of connective tissue, water and electrolyte content. The passive stiffness of arteries from OGH was consistently greater than that of the YGH. Collagen content and the collagen-elastin ratio were larger at all sites in the OGH. However, the connective tissue changes were not considered to be of sufficient magnitude to explain the changes in passive mechanics. Maximum values of active stress development were generally lower in arteries from the OGH as was their relative cell content. Active stress development normalized to smooth muscle cell cross-section was not uniformly changed in arteries from OGH. In spite of the lower active stress development in some arteries, the ability of smooth muscle to constrict lumen diameter was not different between OGH and YGH at transmural pressures in the physiological range. While a number of changes occur in arteries of purebred greyhounds with aging, they appear to occur in such a fashion that normal function is not grossly altered.
Cast articulation accuracy using rigid cast stabilization

Purpose This study evaluated the positional accuracy of casts articulated on a semi-adjustable articulator, with and without rigid cast stabilization using either laboratory plaster or mounting plaster. Materials and Methods A reference articulation of melamine casts in maximum articulation was established and recorded in the horizontal and vertical dimensions using a verification device. The same casts were subsequently remounted 24 times using either laboratory plaster or mounting plaster. Half of the articulations from each group were stabilized using detachable mounting rods and sticky wax, and half were hand-articulated without stabilization, for a total of 6 articulations in each of 4 test groups. The resulting spatial positions established on the articulator were compared to the initial reference position on the verification device grid. Means and standard deviations of the absolute values of the horizontal and vertical displacement for each group were determined separately and compared using a one-way anaylsis of variance. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were identified using Tukey's honestly significant difference multiple comparison test. Results Mean vertical mandibular cast displacement ranged from 0.26 ±0.21mm for stabilized casts mounted with laboratory plaster to 1.58 ±0.32 mm for unstabilized casts mounted with mounting plaster. For each mounting material, significantly less vertical displacement (p < 0.001) was observed with the mandibular cast stabilized before mounting. The cast mounted with laboratory plaster exhibited horizontal displacement (0.87 ±0.29 mm) that was significantly greater than the remaining groups (p < 0.001), which did not differ from each other. Conclusions Rigid stabilization of the mandibular to maxillary cast during mounting with laboratory and mounting plaster improved articulation accuracy.
The influence of different light spectra on the suppression of pineal melatonin content in the syrian hamster

The purpose of this study was to test the capacity of different visible wavelengths of light to suppress nocturnal levels of pineal melatonin in hamsters. It was found that the visible wavelengths vary in their ability to perturb pineal melatonin. During the period of peak pineal melatonin production, animals were exposed to fluorescent light sources having half-peak bandwidths of 339-371 nm (near-ultraviolet), 435-500 nm (blue), 510-550 nm (green), 558-636 nm (yellow) and 653-668 nm (red). In each experiment, animals were exposed to equal irradiances of each light source. The different irradiances used were 0.928, 0.200, 0.186, 0.074 and 0.019 microW/cm2. The resultant data demonstrated that blue fluorescent light was the most efficient in suppressing pineal melatonin. Green fluorescent light was found to be the next most efficient light for inhibiting pineal melatonin followed by yellow fluorescent light. Near-ultraviolet and red light were the least capable of suppressing pineal melatonin. These observations suggest that the retinal photopigment responsible for mediating the pineal gland's response to light in the hamster may be either rhodopsin or another blue-sensitive chromophore.
RELT, a new member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, is selectively expressed in hematopoietic tissues and activates transcription factor NF-κB

The members of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily have been designated as the "guardians of the immune system" due to their roles in immune cell proliferation, differentiation, activation, and death (apoptosis). This study reports the cloning of a new member of the TNFR superfamily, RELT (Receptor Expressed in Lymphoid Tissues). RELT is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein with a cysteine-rich extracellular domain, possessing significant homology to other members of the TNFR superfamily, especially TNFRSF19, DR3, OX40, and LTbeta receptor. The messenger RNA of RELT is especially abundant in hematologic tissues such as spleen, lymph node, and peripheral blood leukocytes as well as in leukemias and lymphomas. RELT is able to activate the NF-kappaB pathway and selectively binds tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 1. Although the soluble form of RELT fusion protein does not inhibit the one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction, immobilized RELT is capable of costimulating T-cell proliferation in the presence of CD3 signaling. These results define a new member of the TNFR superfamily that may be a potential regulator of immune responses.
Thinking of the Planning and Construction of Intelligent City

With the rapid development of space technology, the global strategic model towns, intelligent city as an important way of new-type urbanization plays in the urbanization wave of a new round of the role. The article first defines the concept and characteristics of Intelligent City, and expounds the planning strategy of intelligent city from the point of view of city planning.
Mn2+-dependent incorporation of adenosine 5′-phosphate into ribonucleic acid by an enzyme from rat liver

Abstract In the presence of Mn 2+ and ribosomal RNA a rat-liver enzyme incorporated AMP into polyadenylate chains attached to the primer. Synthetic polynucleotides also primed AMP incorporation, and the incorporation into polyuridylate was stimulated by polyadenylate.
ARTICULAR REMODELING IN THE ADULT HUMAN TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT.

Articular cartilage can proliferate sufficiently to alter the contours of joints, allowing them to adapt morphologically to various mechanical stresses. This remodeling has been classified into three types based on histologic criteria which were then applied to the temporomandibular joint. This joint has a fibrous type of articular tissue which is converted postnatally into fibrocartilage in the loaded areas. The thickness and cell population of this tissue, and the amount of internal reconstruction in the subchondral bone vary from one part of the joint to another. These changes appear related to the distribution of mechanical stresses in the joint. Conclusions drawn are: The temporomandibular joint shows the following remodeling trends: progressive remodeling on the anterior part of the condyle, medial part of the tubercle, and roof of the mandibular fossa; regressive remodeling on the posterior part of the condyle and on the lateral part of the tubercle. A perforation in the disc causes progressive remodeling on the condyle and regressive remodeling on the tubercle at the perforation site. Articular remodeling merges gradually into osteoarthritis as the articular tissue breaks down. The net effect of remodeling that has become uncompensated or pathologic is: condyle flattened and enlarged, tubercle resorbed, disc perforated, and articular surfaces uneven. If the dentition is not restored or replaced, a high rate of temporomandibular remodeling occurs which will probably continue into osteoarthritis.
Dental sequelae to the binge-purge syndrome (bulimia): report of cases.

In this report of cases, the various behaviors associated with bulimia and their effects on the dentition are discussed. Dentists can help people who have bulimia to control the damage to their dentitions. By understanding the symptoms of this disease, the practitioner can assist these people in their return to normal habits.
Distribution of dispersed oil phase in hydrocarbon fermentations

Recent experimental results show that the spreading coefficient frequently becomes positive when Candida lipolytica is cultivated on n-hexadecane. The effects of oil spreading at the surface of air bubbles in an airlift fermentor are examined using a mathematical model. The distribution of the oil phase with position and among the phases is determined using computer simulation. The simulation results qualitatively explain some of the experimental observations which have been previously reported.
The French version of the General Oral Health Assessment Instrument (GOHAI) is valid and reliable in France

Original Article Tubert-Jeannin S, Riordan PJ, Morel-Papernot A, Porcheray S, Saby-Collet S. Validation of an oral health quality of life index (GOHAI) in France. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2003;31(4):275-84. Level of Evidence 2c Purpose To test the validity of a French version of the GOHAI, in France Source of Funding Information not available Type of Study/Design Cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of individuals using medical or dental services
The urban growth machine goes South: Conditions and capacities for more sustainable place-building

Abstract The prospects for global sustainable development are thoroughly tied to the future of cities. Our goal is to better understand how cities actually get built and with what substantive consequences. Beyond designing and implementing public policy tools, this requires a better understanding of the underlying political economy of urban place-building. Beginning with the ideal type of the urban growth machine, we outline frameworks for analysing both the ‘conditions for urban place-building’ and the ‘capacities for sustainable urban place-building’. We apply these in the Chilean context by examining general features of the urban political economy and then specific development exemplars from the urban region of Valparaiso. We outline frameworks for further comparative work.
Charge transport in arrays of semiconductor gamma-ray detectors.

We analyze the effects of electrode size on performance of arrays of semiconductor gamma-ray detectors, especially when there is significant charge trapping. With large electrodes, motions of holes and electrons are of equal importance, but when the positive electrode is segmented into an array of small elements the contributions of holes to the output, and hence the effects of hole trapping, are much less significant. The implications of this analysis for the design of practical detector arrays are discussed, and some preliminary experimental verification of the theory is presented.
A review of vertebrate community composition in seasonal forest pools of the northeastern United States

Seasonally-flooded wetlands occur throughout the world and provide important foraging, resting, and breeding habitat for a broad array of organisms. This review summarizes our current understanding of vertebrate community composition at seasonal forest pools in the northeastern United States. These wetlands typically have hydroperiods that range from temporarily flooded to intermittently exposed, which reduces densities of many potential predators (e.g., fish). Current research has shown that pool hydroperiod, canopy closure, vegetation structure within pools, presence of potential predators, and landscape structure surrounding pools are the key factors determining vertebrate diversity at seasonal forest pools. Of 25 species of amphibians in the region, frogs (10 of 12 species) are more likely to breed in seasonal forest pools than salamanders (6 of 13 species). Seven of 10 amphibian species that breed in seasonal forest pools are state-listed as threatened or endangered. Among 27 species of reptiles, 3 of 15 species of snakes, and 6 of 12 species of turtles utilize seasonal pools during at least one stage of their annual cycle. Seasonal forest pools are important foraging and basking habitat for three species of turtles listed as threatened or endangered. Compared to other vertebrate taxa, most species of mammals are habitat generalists, with 50 of 63 mammal species potentially foraging at seasonal pools during part of their annual cycle. Chiroptera (bats; all 9 species) are believed to actively forage at seasonal pools and some Insectivora, particularly Sorex palustris Richardson and S. fumeus (Miller) and Condylura cristata (L.), are detected regularly at seasonal pools. Breeding birds are less likely to utilize seasonal pools than other vertebrate taxa, although 92 of 233 species might forage or breed near seasonal pools. Several species of Anatidae, Rallidae, and some Passeriformes use seasonally flooded pools. All vertebrates that use seasonal forest pools use other habitats during some stage in their life cycle; thus gaining a clear understanding of their habitat requirements is critical to their long-term persistence.
Coordinated Induction of Nrf2 Target Genes Protects Against Iron Nitrilotriacetate (FeNTA)-Induced Nephrotoxicity

The iron chelate, ferric nitrilotriacetate (FeNTA), induces acute proximal tubular necrosis as a consequence of lipid peroxidation and oxidative tissue damage. Chronic exposure of FeNTA leads to a high incidence of renal adenocarcinomas in rodents. NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that is activated by oxidative stress and electrophiles, and regulates the basal and inducible expression of numerous detoxifying and antioxidant genes. To determine the roles of Nrf2 in regulating renal gene expression and protecting against oxidative stress-induced kidney damage, wild-type and Nrf2-null mice were administered FeNTA. Renal Nrf2 protein translocated to the nucleus at 6h after FeNTA treatment. FeNTA increased mRNA levels of Nrf2 target genes, including NQO1, GCLC, GSTpi1/2, Mrp1, 2, and 4 in kidneys from wild-type mice, but not Nrf2-null mice. Protein expression of NQO1, a prototypical Nrf2 target gene, was increased in wild-type mice, with no change in Nrf2-null mice. FeNTA produced more nephrotoxicity in Nrf2-null mice than wild-type mice as indicated by higher serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, as more urinary NAG, stronger 4-hydroxynonenal protein adduct staining, and more extensive proximal tubule damage. Furthermore, pretreatment with CDDO-Im, a potent small molecule Nrf2 activator, protected mice against FeNTA-induced renal toxicity. Collectively, these results suggest that activation of Nrf2 protects mouse kidneys from FeNTA-induced oxidative stress damage by coordinately up-regulating the expression of cytoprotective genes.
Atomic Theory of Electromagnetic Interactions in Dense Materials

This theory develops a quantum analog of the classical electron oscillator model. It argues first that the Hamiltonian of long-wave excitations of matter is equivalent to that of an assembly of oscillators under very general assumptions. Next, these oscillators are coupled with the electromagnetic field oscillators and the normal modes of the coupled system are analyzed. The normal modes of longitudinal and transverse excitation have different spectra; the transverse frequencies depend strongly on the wavelength but the longitudinal ones do not. If the "longitudinal photons" are eliminated after the transformation to normal modes, the resulting Coulomb law has the dielectric constant in the denominator. The dielectric response law is expressed as a series of oscillations and also in terms of Van Hove's correlation function. Born-approximation theory of the collisions of fast charged particles with the assembly of normal mode (longitudinal and transverse) oscillators yields the same total cross section as Fermi's macroscopic theory. The transverse excitations include the \ifmmode \check{C}\else \v{C}\fi{}erenkov radiation.
Theory of Andreev reflection in a junction with a strongly disordered semiconductor.

We study the conduction of a normal-metal-semiconductor-superconductor junction, where the semiconductor is strongly disordered. The differential conductance $\frac{\mathrm{dI}}{\mathrm{dV}}$ of this structure is predicted to have a sharp peak at $V=0$. Unlike the case of a weakly disordered system, this feature persists even in the absence of an additional (Schottky) barrier on the boundary. The zero-bias conductance of such a junction is smaller only by a numerical factor than the conductance in the normal state ${G}_{N}$. Implications for experiments on gated heterostructures with superconducting leads are discussed.
Temperature variation in stored maize and its effect on capture of beetles in grain probe traps

Abstract Seasonal and spatial distribution of Typhaea stercorea (L.) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) infesting farm-stored maize in South Carolina were studied by trapping with grain probe traps. Trap catch (numbers captured per week) and weekly mean grain temperature for each trap site were plotted against time and fitted to cubic polynomials, which adequately described seasonal trends. Spatial distribution of trap catch was examined by calculating the coefficient of variation, or dispersion ( s 2 /m ) and by constructing a contour map of trap catch values for each week. Seasonal trends in trap catch varied with species, farm, and storage season, and tended to parallel temperature trends, so that trap catch and temperature were positively correlated. Trap catch was highly aggregated except for weeks when few insects were captured. Residuals (observed–predicted values), calculated from the fitted trend curves, represent the spatial component of variation. When residuals were analyzed, the positive correlation between temperature and trap catch was usually reduced or abolished, indicating that spatial variability within any given week reflected the distribution of the population itself, rather than spatial variability in activity produced by temperature gradients. The number of insects captured by a trap is determined mainly by insect activity and the numbers present, but there are no rigorous methods for separating the immediate effect of temperature on activity from the delayed effect on population growth. However, by comparing trends in trap catch with those in temperature, it is sometimes possible to make inferences about changes in population density.
Effect of acute oral administration of captopril and MK-421 on vascular angiotensis converting enzyme activity in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Abstract Vascular angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) may be important as a potential site of action for the antihypertensive effect of ACE inhibitors. ACE activity, estimated by hydrolysis of [ 3 H] HipGlyGly, was similar in the aorta, mesenteric and carotid arteries of SHR. ACE activity in veins was not as consistent and was significantly lower in the jugular veins and vena cava of SHR than in the arteries. Nevertheless, ACE activity in all the blood vessels examined, although less than lung ACE activity, was higher than ACE activity found in other tissues such as brain, heart and kidney. Equieffective antihypertensive doses of captopril (10 mg/kg p.o.) and MK-421 (1.0 mg/kg p.o.) dramatically inhibited ACE activity in all the arteries and veins examined. Maximal ACE inhibition occured within 15 minutes after the oral administration of captopril. In contrast, maximal ACE inhibition was slower in onset and of longer duration after MK-421 than after captopril for all the vessels. Thus, relatively high ACE activity can be measured in both arteries and veins from the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and ACE was dramatically inhibited after antihypertensive oral doses of captopril or MK-421. Furthermore, vascular ACE inhibition can be used to compare the onset and duration of activity of ACE inhibitors; MK-421 has a longer onset and duration in SHR than captopril based on inhibition of ACE in blood vessels.
Development of a Biorational Mycoinsecticide: Beauveria bassiana Conidial Formulation and Its Application Against Boll Weevil Populations (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

A fonnulation of a feeding substrate containing cotton products (Konsume), grandlure (boll weevil pheromone), a sticker and ultraviolet protectant (Nufilm 17), and Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, an entomopathogenic fungus, was developed in the laboratory for activity against the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman. The fonnulated material was evaluated against boll weevil populations in the field in noncotton habitats, in bait stations, in regrowth cotton, and in early season cotton against overwintered adults. Significant mortality from B. bassiana was obtained in all evaluations. When this mycoinsecticide was applied against emerging overwintered boll weevils in 1989 and 1990, lint yields increased 74 and 113% respectively, compared with untreated
Survival and detectability bias of avian fence collision surveys in sagebrush steppe

We used female ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) carcasses as surrogates for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) to study factors influencing survival and detection bias associated with avian fence collision surveys in southern Idaho, USA, during spring 2009. We randomly placed 50 pheasant carcasses on each of 2 study areas, estimated detection probability during fence-line surveys, and monitored survival and retention of carcasses and their associated sign over a 31-day period. Survival modeling suggested site and habitat features had little impact on carcass survival, and constant survival models were most supported by the data. Model averaged carcass daily survival probability was low on both study areas and ranged from 0.776 to 0.812. Survival of all carcass sign varied strongly by location, and the top sign survival model included a site effect parameter. Model averaged daily survival probability for collision sign on the 2 study sites ranged from 0.863 to 0.988 and varied between sites. Logistic regression modeling indicated detection probability of carcasses during fence-line surveys for avian collision victims was influenced by habitat type and microsite shrub height at the carcass location. Carcasses located in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) habitats were detected at a lower rate (0.36) than carcasses in little (A. arbuscula) and black sagebrush (A. nova) habitats (0.71). Increasing shrub height at the carcass location from the little sagebrush mean of 16.5 cm to the big sagebrush mean of 36.0 cm reduced detection probability by approximately 30%. Avian fence collision surveys in sagebrush-steppe habitats should be conducted at ≤2-week sampling intervals to reduce the impact of survival bias on collision rate estimates. Two-week sampling intervals may be too long in areas with low carcass and sign survival, therefore survival rates should be estimated on all study areas to determine the appropriate sampling interval duration. Researchers should be aware of the effects of local vegetation on detection probabilities, and methods to correct detection probabilities based on collision site attributes should be applied to ensure more accurate collision rate estimates. Additionally, caution should be used when aggregating or comparing uncorrected collision data from areas with differing vegetation, as detection probabilities are likely different between sites.