cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Endometrial Thickness Dynamics and Morphologic Characteristics During Pituitary Downregulation With Antagonists in Assisted Reproductive Technology Cycles

Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the dynamics of endometrial stripe thickness during gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist pituitary downregulation in in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles are related to implantation and pregnancy outcomes. Methods. This retrospective cohort study evaluated 115 conventional IVF/ICSI cycles. All patients underwent ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins and the GnRH antagonist ganirelix acetate. The endometrial stripe was measured transvaginally daily from the day of initial GnRH antagonist administration to the day of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger and then transabdominally on the day of embryo transfer. We created 5 categories (0-4) of endometrial thickness variation, considering significant a daily variation of 1.5 mm. Our aim was to predict whether the endometrial thickness dynamics or morphologic characteristics were related to the duration of ovarian stimulation, duration of ganirelix use, or estradiol levels during ovarian stimulation and whether they would influence implantation and pregnancy rates. Results. No relationship was found between the duration of ovarian stimulation, duration of ganirelix use, and estradiol level (expressed as the area under the curve), and endometrial thickness dynamics or morphologic characteristics. Despite a thinner endometrial thickness in 37% of the cycles on the day of the hCG trigger compared with the beginning of GnRH antagonist stimulation, there was no correlation between endometrial dynamics and pregnancy outcomes. There was, instead, a positive relationship between a trilaminar endometrial morphologic pattern with a positive pregnancy test result, successful implantation, and ongoing pregnancy (P <.05). Conclusions. Despite a net decrease in thickness in almost 50% of cases, endometrial dynamics did not correlate with pregnancy outcomes. Conversely, a trilaminar endometrial morphologic pattern on the day of embryo transfer was positively related to pregnancy outcomes.
A reliable hardware barrier synchronization scheme

Barrier synchronization is a crucial operation for parallel systems. Many schemes have been proposed in the literature to achieve fast barrier synchronization through software, hardware, or a combination of these mechanisms. However few of these schemes emphasize fault-tolerant barrier operations. In this paper, we describe inexpensive support that can be added to network switches for achieving reliable hardware-based barrier synchronization while recovering from lost or corrupted messages. Necessary modifications to the switch architecture and the associated fault-tolerant message-passing protocols are presented. The protocols are optimized for the no-fault case while providing means to detect the failure of any step of the operation and to recover from it. The proposed scheme shows significant potential for use in parallel systems, especially the emerging systems based on networks of workstations.
Physical Presence of Nor-Binaltorphimine in Mouse Brain over 21 Days after a Single Administration Corresponds to Its Long-Lasting Antagonistic Effect on κ-Opioid Receptors

In the mouse 55°C warm-water tail-withdrawal assay, a single administration of nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI; 10 mg/kg i.p.) antagonized κ-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist-induced antinociception up to 14 days, whereas naloxone (10 mg/kg i.p.)-mediated antagonism lasted less than 1 day. In saturation binding experiments, mouse brain membranes isolated and washed 1 or 7 (but not 14) days after nor-BNI administration demonstrated a significant time-dependent decrease in maximal KOR agonist [(3)H]U69,593 binding. To determine whether brain concentrations of nor-BNI were sufficient to explain the antagonism of KOR-mediated antinociception, mouse blood and perfused brain were harvested at time points ranging from 30 minutes to 21 days after a single administration and analyzed for the presence of nor-BNI using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Nor-BNI was detected in the perfused brain homogenate up to 21 days after administration (30 nmol i.c.v. or 10 mg/kg i.p.). Subsequent experiments in which nor-BNI was administered at doses estimated from the amounts detected in the brain homogenates isolated from pretreated mice over time demonstrated significant antagonism of U50,488 antinociception in a manner consistent with the magnitude of observed KOR antagonism. The dose (1.4 nmol) approximating the lowest amount of nor-BNI detected in brain on day 14 did not antagonize U50,488-induced antinociception, consistent with the absence of U50,488 antagonism observed in vivo at this time point after pretreatment. Overall, the physical presence of nor-BNI in the mouse brain paralleled its in vivo pharmacological profile, suggesting physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of nor-BNI may contribute to the prolonged KOR antagonism.
A Luminescent Screen for Use with Very Low-Velocity Electrons

A luminescent screen is described which will give visible luminescence under excitation by three-volt energy electrons, at a beam current density of 10 microamperes/cm2. The luminescent screen consists of a layer of hex-ZnO:(Zn) phosphor deposited on conducting glass. Some of the properties of these screens are discussed.
A comparison of temporal trends in United States autism prevalence to trends in suspected environmental factors

Background: The prevalence of diagnosed autism has increased rapidly over the last several decades among U.S. children. Environmental factors are thought to be driving this increase and a list of the top ten suspected environmental toxins was published recently. Methods: Temporal trends in autism for birth years 1970–2005 were derived from a combination of data from the California Department of Developmental Services (CDDS) and the United States Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Temporal trends in suspected toxins were derived from data compiled during an extensive literature survey. Toxin and autism trends were compared by visual inspection and computed correlation coefficients. Using IDEA data, autism prevalence vs. birth year trends were calculated independently from snapshots of data from the most recent annual report, and by tracking prevalence at a constant age over many years of reports. The ratio of the snapshot:tracking trend slopes was used to estimate the “real” fraction of the increase in autism. Results: The CDDS and IDEA data sets are qualitatively consistent in suggesting a strong increase in autism prevalence over recent decades. The quantitative comparison of IDEA snapshot and constant-age tracking trend slopes suggests that ~75-80% of the tracked increase in autism since 1988 is due to an actual increase in the disorder rather than to changing diagnostic criteria. Most of the suspected environmental toxins examined have flat or decreasing temporal trends that correlate poorly to the rise in autism. Some, including lead, organochlorine pesticides and vehicular emissions, have strongly decreasing trends. Among the suspected toxins surveyed, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, aluminum adjuvants, and the herbicide glyphosate have increasing trends that correlate positively to the rise in autism. Conclusions: Diagnosed autism prevalence has risen dramatically in the U.S over the last several decades and continued to trend upward as of birth year 2005. The increase is mainly real and has occurred mostly since the late 1980s. In contrast, children’s exposure to most of the top ten toxic compounds has remained flat or decreased over this same time frame. Environmental factors with increasing temporal trends can help suggest hypotheses for drivers of autism that merit further investigation.
An extreme point result for robust stability of discrete-time interval polynomials

For the case of discrete-time interval polynomials, the attainment of Kharitonov-like extreme point results has been a focal point of recent research. To date, the strongest available result is applicable subject to the restriction that the coefficients of z/sup k/ are fixed for k> the greatest integer less than or equal to n/2, where n is the degree of the interval polynomial. Conditions are given under which perturbations can be tolerated in the higher order coefficients while preserving the property that stability of the extreme polynomials implies stability of the entire family. >
Oligonucleotide microarray identification of Bacillus anthracis strains using support vector machines

The capability of a custom microarray to discriminate between closely related DNA samples is demonstrated using a set of Bacillus anthracis strains. The microarray was developed as a universal fingerprint device consisting of 390 genome-independent 9mer probes. The genomes of B.anthracis strains are monomorphic and therefore, typically difficult to distinguish using conventional molecular biology tools or microarray data clustering techniques. Using support vector machines (SVMs) as a supervised learning technique, we show that a low-density fingerprint microarray contains enough information to discriminate between B.anthracis strains with 90% sensitivity using a reference library constructed from six replicate arrays and three replicates for new isolates. Contact: doran_michael@msn.com
Insulin Secretion From Pancreatic Islets in Fibrin Glue Clots at Different Fibrinogen and Thrombin Concentrations

Abstract Background Fibrin glue has proven to be a good delivery system for cell transplantation but the factors that influence the fibrin-cell relationships are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of different concentrations of fibrin glue components (thrombin and fibrinogen) on the function of pancreatic islets. Method Islets were isolated from rat pancreata and combined with 6 different fibrin glue formulations. Each islet sample was incubated sequentially with RPMI containing low and high glucose, and culture supernatants were harvested for insulin determination using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The control group (no fibrin glue) and group 3 (with thrombin 50 U/mL and fibrinogen 10 mg/mL) had the highest insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulation. These were followed by groups 5 and 4 with 2.6 and 1.8 stimulation indexes, respectively. Group 2 (with thrombin 50 U/mL and fibrinogen 5 mg/mL) and group 6 (commercial kit with thrombin 250 U/mL and fibrinogen 75–115 mg/mL) had the lowest insulin response after glucose stimulation. Conclusion This study demonstrates that different fibrin glue formulations significantly impact pancreatic islets function. In the future, when using fibrin glue as a carrier for pancreatic islet transplantation, lower concentrations of fibrinogen and thrombin are recommended to obtain more viable and functional grafts.
High Temperature Compressive Cracking in Hot‐Pressed Silicon Nitride

Results are presented for high-temperature (1370, 1430, 1540, 1590 C) slow-strain-rate compression tests on cylindrical specimens of hot-pressed Si3N4 of the HS-130 brand under various compressive loads. The results are presented in terms of number of longitudinal cracks, percent increase in diameter, percent decrease in length, and percent loss in weight. Scanning electron micrographs are presented of cylindrical surfaces of compression specimens tested at 1430 C for 640 MN/sq m and at 1590 C for 220 MN/sq m. As compared to results obtained by other investigators, it appears more likely that the cracks resulting from compressive loading are due to subcritical crack growth caused by circumferential tensile stresses acting across grain boundaries that contain a viscous silicate glass phase.
Non-equilibrium Transport in and on Condensed Matters: Effects of Lattice Vibration and Deterministic Chaos

Diffusion of sorbate molecules within a crystal and on the crystal surface can be driven by lattice vibration or by a purely deterministic Hamiltonian mechanism involving coupling between translational degrees of freedom. We delineate these two distinct transport mechanisms for a wide class of sorbate–lattice pairs. When the sorbate–lattice interaction is important, a Langevin model with a spatially non-uniform thermal noise, corresponding to non-homogeneous lattice–sorbate interaction, from our earlier work can be used such that explicit MD simulation of the lattice thermal bath can be circumvented.
Comments on Ted Sider: Four Dimensionalism

Ted Sider's book makes a beautifully presented and compellingly argued case for four dimensionalism. Most of the arguments for four dimensionalism to be found in the literature seem to me to be uncompelling. Ted's argument from vagueness, given in the last section of chapter 4, is a notable exception. After discussing that argument I will respond to his objections in section 5 chapter 5 to my own temporary identity view. First some observations about Ted's discussion of Presentism in chapter 2. He discusses the difficulty Presentist's have with cross temporal relations illustrated by an example such as the claim that:
Partial Characterization of Ovine Skeletal Muscle Proteoglycans and Collagen

Ovine longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscles were analyzed for proteoglycan content, collagen and lysine aldehyde-derived collagen crosslinking concentrations at 2-4 days, six-month-old, and six-year-old stages of development. Tissue extracted proteoglycan molecular sieve distribution on a Sephacryl S-200HR column revealed two proteoglycan populations with estimated relative molecular weight ranges of 200,000 to 250,000 daltons and 23,000 to 70,000 daltons. The molecular sieve distribution was similar between the two muscles within a developmental age, but changed as a function of developmental age. Primary culture from both the longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscle liberated proteoglycans into the culture medium. In contrast to the tissue extracted proteoglycans, at the six-year-old stage of development, culture medium liberated proteoglycan Sephacryl S-200HR molecular sieve distribution differed between the two muscles. In both the tissue extracted and medium liberated proteoglycans at all developmental stages, nitrous acid deamination demonstrated the presence of heparan sulfate. Immunoblot analysis of the tissue extracted proteoglycans indicated the presence of decorin at each developmental stage. Longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris collagen concentrations (5.13 +/- 0.9 vs. 5.53 +/- 1.5%, respectively) and crosslink concentrations (0.07 +/- 0.01 moles HP/mole collagen) were initially similar between the two muscles; however, by six-months the muscles differed in both collagen concentration (1.72 +/- 0.5 and 2.53 +/- 0.7%, respectively) and crosslinking (0.24 +/- 0.02 and 0.27 +/- 0.03 moles HP/mole collagen, respectively). At six years of age, both the longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris exhibited slightly elevated collagen concentrations (2.49 and 3.05%, respectively) while crosslinking values were decreased relative to values at six-months of age (0.11 +/- 0.01 and 0.18 +/- 0.01 moles HP/mole of collagen, respectively). The results from this study indicate that skeletal muscle proteoglycans and collagen show developmental changes, which suggests that they are subject to developmental regulation.
Modeling Coordination in Multiple Simultaneous Latent Change Scores

Coordination is a taxonomy of how processes change together through time. It depicts the changes of 2 or more variables in terms of the strength and consistency of their covariation, the directionality of their covariation (i.e., do increases in 1 variable correspond with increases [in-phase] or decreases [anti-phase] in the other variable), and the timing of their covariation (i.e., do both variables change at the same rate or does 1 variable change faster than the other). Current methods are able to characterize some, but not all, of these aspects of coordination and provide incomplete information as a result. This study addresses this limitation by demonstrating that multivariate Latent Change Score models can be used to fully differentiate all possible coordination patterns. Furthermore, one can then expand coordination beyond the 2-outcome case to test arrangements of underlying coordination mechanisms or patterns. Examples using 2 simultaneous Latent Change Score models and 4 simultaneous Latent Change Score models illustrate this approach within the context of adolescents and parents regulating Type 1 diabetes.
Laboratory study of velocity shear-driven electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves

Laboratory observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves generated by a localized transverse dc electric field are reported. Experiments indicate that these waves result from a strong E×B flow inhomogeneity in a mildly collisional plasma with sub-critical magnetic field-aligned current. The wave amplitude scales with the magnitude of the applied radial dc electric field. The electromagnetic signatures become stronger with increasing plasma β, and the radial extent of the power is larger than that of the electrostatic counterpart. Near-Earth space weather implications of the result are discussed.
Three New Maritime Species of Verrucaria (Lichenized Ascomycota, Verrucariaceae) from Japan

Abstract Three maritime species of Verrucaria are described as new from Japan: Verrucaria miyagiensis H. Harada sp. nov., V. praeviella H. Harada sp. nov., and V. sanrikuensis H. Harada sp. nov.
Less is more: towards an optimal universal description of protein folds

Motivation: Identification and characterization of protein structure regularities can reveal the mechanisms governing protein structure, function and evolution. Here we focus on an intermediate level of regularity. We have developed automated methods to systematically construct a dictionary of supersecondary structures that can be used as 'protein parts' to describe fold-sized structures. Results: The dictionary was constructed by aligning representative structures of all known folds, clustering similar substructures and selecting the most descriptive substructures in a minimum description length fashion. We show that the dictionary is compact and descriptive, capable of describing a substantial fraction of all known protein folds. We performed simulations using independent sets of training and testing folds. Dictionaries generated using the training set had high coverage over the folds in the testing set, suggesting that dictionary entries reflect general features of protein structures and should be capable of describing novel protein folds. Contact: zhiping@bu.edu
A novel closed loop interleaving strategy of multiphase critical mode boost PFC converters

In high power application, power factor correction (PFC) pre-regulators are generally required. PFC pre-regulators could achieve unity power factor, reduce line input current harmonics and utilize full line power. Interleaving PFC converters could reduce input ripple current, output capacitor ripple current and inductor size. This paper presents a new closed loop interleaving strategy of multiphase critical mode boost PFC converters. Hardware of a two phase interleaved critical mode PFC regulator is developed. With this new closed loop interleaving method, both two phase converters are working at the boundary between continuous and discontinuous mode and accurate 180 degree phase shift is achieved. Implementation of this strategy could be easily integrated to the control chip.
Domain-specific purinergic signaling in polarized rat cholangiocytes.

In cholangiocytes, adenine nucleotides function as autocrine/paracrine signals that modulate ductular ion transport by activation of purinergic receptors. The purpose of these studies was to identi...
Comparison of Carboxyl-Content Determination in Cellulose Half-Acid Ester Derivatives by Calcium Acetate and Silver Absorption Methods

Carboxyl content of cellulose half-acid ester derivatives was determined by the calcium acetate method and by the absorption of silver from silver meta-nitrophenolate solutions. Both methods utilize the acidity of the carboxyl proton in an ion-exchange reaction, thereby producing a salt.With both the calcium acetate and the sitver absorption methods, the neutralization of the carboxylie acid groups is incomplete below pH 6.5. Tp compensate for this effect, a correction curve was derived for cellulose half-acid ester derivatives, which agreed fairly closely to a curve previously derived for cellulose half-acid etlter derivatives.No correction curves could be accurately applied to the silver-absorption test, but 0.6 g was selected as the optimum sample size because larger sample sizes usually resulted in a decrease in the carboxyl determination due to lowering of pH and/or exhaustion of the silver, which had orfly limited solubility. Nevertheless, the free degree-of-substitution values obtained with the cal...
Students' Studying Processes on Course Related Texts: The Impact of Inserted Questions

This article reports the results of two studies which investigated the im- pact of inserted questions on the studying activities of students reading their own course related materials. In both studies macro eye-movements of the students were monitored as they studied texts with or without inserted questions. In Study 1, involving 36 undergraduate university students, the Question Group showed more lookbacks to relevant information than the No Question Group with one of two sets of questions, and more lookbacks to incidental information with both sets of ques- tions. However, neither reading time nor performance on a test differed between the two groups. Study 2 was designed to extend the findings to elementary school chil- dren and to examine the effects of ability. A sample of 54 fifth-grade better and poorer readers were given course related materials either with or without inserted questions. Children given inserted questions did not look back to relevant material more often than children without questions. Poorer readers given one of two sets of Preliminary versions of the studies discussed in this article were presented at the American Educational Research Association convention, Los Angeles, 1981, and at the 20th Interna- tional Congress of Applied Psychology, Edinburgh, Scotland, July 1982. Preparation of this article was carried out while the first author was on faculty leave at the Textual Communica- tion Research Group of the Institute of Educational Technology at the Open University in Milton Keynes, England. This leave was partially funded by grants from the National Science Foundation (SPI 8165093) and the Ohio University Research Committee. Special appreciation is given to the students and faculty of the Morrison Elementary School in Athens, Ohio, for their help on Study 2.
Stream Option Manager (SOM): automated integration of aircraft separation, merging, stream management, and other air traffic control functions

Stream Option Manager (SOM) is a proposed concept for automated integration of aircraft separation, merging and stream management, using linear programming techniques. It was developed as part of a research and development initiative for air traffic control (ATC) automation concepts, sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and performed by MITRE Corporation. SOM is research; it has not been approved by the FAA for use in future ATC. SOM's purpose is to resolve possible problems involving multiple aircraft with given flight paths. Each aircraft must be separated by a minimum distance from every other aircraft at all times, and certain sets of aircraft (e.g., those about to land at a particular airport) must be merged or metered (lined up, or separated in trail by a given distance). Aircraft in sets called streams must be separated in the along-route direction at all times. Each aircraft is also subject to certain speed limits. Given the pilot-preferred flight paths, and separation, metering, stream, and speed requirements, SOM finds modified flight paths for each aircraft that satisfy all the requirements yet stay as close as possible to the pilot-preferred paths. SOM's algorithm represents the (x, y, z) positions of each aircraft at future times as variables in a linear program. The requirements are expressed or approximated by linear inequalities or equalities. Pilot preferences are approximated by a linear objective function. The SOM algorithm has been implemented successfully in a prototype simulation in 2D. Scenarios with up to 15 aircraft and 24 separation and/or merging problems have been resolved. >
Rapid Sintering of Stoichiometric Zinc‐Modified Lead Magnesium Niobate

A rapid thermal-processing technique was used to densify zinc-modified lead magnesium niobate (PMZN30) of the form Pb(Mg0.7Zn0.3)1/3Nb2/3O3. This dielectric composition showed relaxor behavior with a maximum permittivity near room temperature. Rapid densification was observed at temperature. Rapid densification was observed at temperatures of 1100°C and above, whereas lower temperatures showed a significant reduction of densification and electrical properties. A sintering schedule of 4 min at 1100°C with no prevention of PbO volatilization resulted in densification on the order of 90% of theoretical density and a weak field dielectric constant in excess of 14 000. Perovskite grain size was consistently in the range of 1 μm or less. The formation of pyrochlore on sample surfaces showed a direct relation to time and temperature.
Infant-feeding Practices Mothers' Decision Making

Fifty-one primarily low-income, single, black mothers completed a questionnaire. More than one-half of the sample population reported that decisions about infant feeding were made by the end of the first trimester. Almost one-third of the mothers decided to breastfeed. Of that group, one-half supplemented breastfeeding with formula. More than one-half of the sample reported that external factors influenced their final decisions about infant feeding. More than one-half of the sample population reported that a nurse never discussed infant feeding with them. The role of nursing in infant-feeding decisions and patient teaching needs to be reevaluated.
Regression Models for Continuous Y and Case Study in Ordinal Regression

This chapter concerns univariate continuous Y. There are many multivariable models for predicting such response variables, such as
Connecting Education, Welfare, and Health for American Families

The relationship of education to social mobility, health, and socioeconomic stability is examined in this study. The central question is: how do educational access and attainment reduce poverty and increase social immersion in a system that affords opportunity for quality health care and economic prosperity? An historic perspective, related and compared to current conditions for those who live at or below the poverty line, highlights the extreme difficulties of overcoming the barriers that separate people from consistent quality education, access to quality health care, and the opportunity to move toward economic independence.The latest statistics showing the significance of socioeconomic status (SES) to cognitive development, educational achievement, healthy living, and social mobility are factors that have and continue to affect large portions of America's poor. The increase of early childhood programs is a beneficial first step in closing the achievement gap, but the physical and mental health problems...
The Normative Stakes of Economic Growth; Or, Why Adam Smith Does Not Rely on "Trickle Down"

This article analyzes Adam Smith’s endorsement of economic growth and asks what it might mean for a scenario of low or zero growth in the Western economies. It distinguishes two models of economic growth in Smith’s writing. The first, a “trickle down” scenario, plays a marginal role; Smith’s main focus is on a model in which the growth of productive capital and of jobs reinforce one another. There are three desiderata that this second model of growth achieves: a distribution that benefits the worst-off and leads to more equality in the long run, the harmonization of individual interests and societal interests, and the strengthening of the independence of citizens from employers, and of the political sphere from economic influences. To achieve these desiderata in a low or zero growth scenario, institutional reforms are needed, but such a scenario need not be as bleak as Smith imagined, as arguments by John Stuart Mill show.
Exercise training increases sarcolemmal GLUT-4 protein and mRNA content in diabetic heart

Osborn, Brett A., June T. Daar, Richard A. Laddaga, Fred D. Romano, and Dennis J. Paulson. Exercise training increases sarcolemmal GLUT-4 protein and mRNA content in diabetic heart.J. Appl. Physiol...
Symptoms of anorexia nervosa in female university dietetic majors

This study measures the incidence of symptoms of anorexia nervosa in a group of university dietetic majors and a control group
Copies of French Manuscripts for American History in the Library of Congress

Two of the features which distinguished American historical scholarship at the beginning of the twentieth century were a preoccupation with the collection of sources and the reorientation of interest from Europe and the Atlantic seaboard to the American West. Armed with the new weapons of critical methodology and the heady ambition to make history scientific, the first generation of professional historians set out with remarkable determination to gather historical manuscripts. At the same time, the closing of the frontier, and the Turner thesis which reflected it, opened the serious study of the history of the Mississippi Valley. Not surprisingly, these two currents, which merged in the foundation of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association, led to programs for exploiting the sources for American history to be found in European libraries and archives. Addressing the Mississippi Valley Historical Association at its first annual meeting Clarence Alvord complained that "we have been writing of the French in the Mississippi Valley, and of British policy in the West, without searching in the chief depositories for our material," and proposed the copying of relevant material in Europe.' In the same year, 1908, the Conference of State and Local Historical Societies, aware that copying had already begun in Britain, recommended that French archives, as the "richest field of practically unexplored material," be searched as a preliminary to the copying of their American contents.2 In fact,
Normal Bacterial Agglutinins and their Significance

The agglutinative action of so-called normal serum upon certain species of bacteria has long been known, but no consensus has yet been reached as to how far these agglutinins are normal chemical constituents of the normal body or are specific antibodies that have developed in response to specific infections. As is well known, a similar question arises with respect to the significance of other antibodies such as diphtheria antitoxin and the neutralizing property shown by adult human serum for the virus of poliomyelitis. Several facts have been established. Biirgi' showed that the serum of different animal species varies in normal agglutinative power, that of cattle and horses, according to him, being relatively high, that of man, rabbits and guinea pigs relatively low. Similar observations have been made by Gibson2 and others, although minor differences have been noted in the ranking of species in order of agglutinative potency. It has also been observed that certain species of bacteria are more commonly agglutinated by normal serum than others. Thus Gibson found B. dysenteriae Y, the pneumobacillus and B. pyocyaneus highly susceptible to the agglutinating action of normal serum, the typhoid bacillus and B. dysenteriae Shiga less susceptible, while certain strains of B. coli were affected in very low dilution. With respect to the identity of normal and immune agglutinins various views are held, and there are numerous other points on which opinions are divergent. The observations recorded in this paper have been made with the purpose of throwing further light on the significance of these serum components. Technic.-Saline suspensions of living cultures have been used since they have given more uniform results than preserved antigens. The antigens were prepared from approximately 48 hour agar slant cultures of Brucella and from 24 hour cultures of the other bacteria used. Brucella strains were grown on 1% dextrose agar, typhoid and Sonne dysentery strains on veal infusion agar, and the other organisms on standard beef infusion agar. Platings were made at frequent intervals to insure uniformity in smoothness. A barium sulphate standard of medium opacity was used to standardize the density of the bacterial suspension. After addition of the serum to the antigen the tubes were incubated at 37 C. for 2 hours, then placed in the icebox overnight and read the following morning. Saline controls were always used.
Feature Extraction of Composite Moment Invariant

Feature extraction purpose is to extract some tidy and accurate effective data to improve image recognition,classification efficiency and accuracy.In the process of system identification defects,feature extraction is very crucial step.It is the system without defect or classification discriminant pictures based moment invariants of clear concept and recognition rate stability,translation,rotation,scale of targets.The HU moment invariants,Zernike moment invariants and the proposed composite moment invariants are adopted respectively to extract the features of plastic flat images.It reflects that the composite moment invariants has translation,scale and rotation invariance,can provide the more comprehensive feature information,and also has high antinoise ability.
Lobar transplantation: Indications, technique, and outcome

Lobar transplantation represents a therapeutic option for children and some adults with severe endstage pulmonary disease. Six patients including two neonates, three children, and one adult underwent lobar transplantation. Ages ranged from 17 days to 21 years. Transplant procedures were unilateral in the neonates and two of the children and bilateral in the child and adult who had cystic fibrosis. The donor lobes were from cadavers in the two neonates and living related donors in the children and the adult. Unilateral grafts involved use of the right upper lobe in the 12-year-old patient with bronchopulmonary dysplasia; right middle lobe with a ventricular septal defect repair in the 4-year-old patient with Eisenmenger's syndrome, left upper lobe in the 28-day-old patient with primary pulmonary hypertension, and the right upper and middle lobes in the 17-day-old patient with diaphragmatic hernia. Bilateral lobar transplantations were performed with the right lower and left lower lobes in the two patients with cystic fibrosis (aged 13 and 21 years). The two neonates underwent emergency transplantation with the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge. Perioperative survival was 83 %, with only the 4-year-old patient with ventricular septal defect/Eisenmenger's syndrome dying early. No airway complications were observed. The unilateral grafts received most of the blood flow as shown by perfusion scanning (range 74% to 99%). Living related donor complications included prolonged air leaks (>6 days) in two patients. In urgent situations, such as an infant requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and in the existing milieu of donor shortage, lobar transplantation (living related or cadaveric) is a surgically feasible procedure and can provide a donor source in the limited time frame of these clinical situations. Bilateral lobe transplantation may be a viable option for patients with cystic fibrosis and life-threatening respiratory decompensation.
Practical Copyright for Library and Information Professionals

This well-named book adds to the rich body of copyright law literature for information professionals. The author's focus is copyright practice and law in the United Kingdom, which changed significa...
British Labour and British Imperialism

It is sometimes maintained that the British working class in the generation before the First World War was largely infected with Jingoism, or Imperialism, and was consequently inclined to abandon what otherwise should have been its natural political attitude — namely, a desire for international tranquillity, coupled with an emphasis on the need for domestic social change. We may have our doubts whether social change was a deeply-felt concern of the working people in this period.1 Let us, however, put them aside for present purposes, and engage in an examination of the evidence for Jingoism or Imperialism as a popular sentiment in the late nineteenth and in the early twentieth century.
Erythroid-Specific Apoptosis Induced by Jun Transcription Factors Employs a Novel Pathway Involving Recruitment of COP1 and Itch Ubiquitin Ligases.

Abstract Upregulation of the transcription factor c-Jun has been identified in acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and in iron deficiency. These conditions all share as a common feature an impairment of erythropoiesis, in some instances manifested by apoptosis of erythroid progenitors. Depending on cellular context, c-Jun may promote either survival or apoptosis, the latter occurring primarily through regulation of target genes such as Bim and FasL. Transcriptional activation by its kinase JNK typically enhances the apoptotic effects of c-Jun. In primary human erythroid progenitors, we have identified a novel Jun-mediated apoptotic pathway that does not depend on transcriptional activation and is associated with retrograde inhibition of JNK signaling. To determine the nature of this pathway, we have employed a system of retroviral transduction of human CD34+ peripheral blood mobilized progenitors, which undergo culture in serum free erythroid medium containing erythroipoietin and stem cell factor. Wild type c-Jun and JunB, as well as c-Jun mutants lacking transactivation and DNA binding functions, all efficiently induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in early erythroid precursors within the CD36-positive GPA-dim compartment. By contrast, transduced cells undergoing megakaryocytic and myeloid differtentiation, as indicated by CD41 and CD13 expression, showed minimal apoptosis regardless of construct. Deletion or replacement of the c-Jun leucine zipper (LZ) dimerization domain completely eliminated the induction of erythroid apoptosis. Introduction of an LZ point mutation E281K, which alters dimerization specificity, also eliminated induction of apoptosis. These results demonstrated the dispensibility of direct target gene regulation but indicated an absolute requirement for specific LZ protein-protein interactions. Because JunD showed relatively inefficient apoptotic induction, we considered a role for recruitment of ubiquitin ligases such as Itch, which selectively binds c-Jun and JunB. Indeed, the c-Jun Y170F mutation, which ablates the PPXY binding site for Itch (and possibly other WW-domain ubiquitin ligases), completely abrogated apoptosis. Surprisingly, the c-Jun mutant VP232/233AA, which eliminates recruitment of the COP1 RING finger ubiquitin ligase, also manifested major defects in apoptosis induction. Biochemical analysis of the transduced cells showed that induction of apoptosis positively correlated with repression of JNK phosphorylation. Wild type c-Jun, JunB, and mutants that retained induction of apoptosis blocked JNK phosphorylation. All mutants tested that were defective in apoptosis induction caused an enhancement of JNK phosphorylation. We therefore postulate that this novel pathway of erythroid apoptosis results from c-Jun nucleation of a protein complex involving an LZ partner and multiple ubquitin ligases. Assembly of this complex then leads to blockade of JNK phosphorylation and induction of apoptosis.
The clinical effects of a low dose dexmedetomidine constant rate infusion in isoflurane anesthetized cats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a low dose dexmedetomidine constant rate infusion (CRI) on cardiopulmonary function, inhalant anesthetic concentration and recovery in isoflurane anesthetized cats. In a prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled design, 12 cats undergoing anesthesia for ovariohysterectomy were administered hydromorphone (0.1mg/kg) intramuscularly, propofol (4.3-7.8mg/kg) intravenously and maintained with isoflurane. During isoflurane anesthesia, the cats were administered either a dexmedetomidine loading dose (0.5μg/kg) followed by a dexmedetomidine CRI (0.5μg/kg/h) (group LDD), or a saline loading dose followed by a saline CRI (group SAL). Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation (SpO2), end tidal carbon dioxide concentration (ETCO2), end tidal isoflurane concentration (ETISO) and anesthetic depth were recorded at nine time points (T0-T8). Overall effects (T1-8) and individual time point results were compared between groups. There were no significant differences in baseline variables (T0), age, weight, propofol dose, anesthesia and surgery time, time to extubation or recovery score between groups. Among the physiological variables measured, significant differences were observed in respiratory rate, ETCO2, and mean and diastolic blood pressure, between groups at individual time points. Systolic blood pressure, HR, SpO2, ETISO and temperature were not significantly different between groups at individual time points. Overall, ETCO2 and ETISO were significantly lower and respiratory rate was significantly higher for LDD compared to SAL. At the doses administered, a CRI of dexmedetomidine reduced isoflurane requirements in anesthetized cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. The utility of a low dose dexmedetomidine CRI in the perioperative setting requires further investigation, since intraoperative cardiopulmonary values during dexmedetomidine infusion were not different from those receiving saline.
A New Approach to Evaluating the Risk-Benefit Equation for Dual-Use and Gain-of-Function Research of Concern

In the 21st century, biology faces a problem that has previously vexed other disciplines such as physics, namely the prospect that its knowledge domain could be used to generate biological agents with altered properties that enhanced their weapon potential. Biological weapons bring the additional dimension that these could be self-replicating, easy to manufacture, and synthesized with commonly available expertise. This resulted in increasing concern about the type of research done and communicated, despite the fact that such research often has direct societal benefits, bringing the dual use dilemma to biology. The conundrum of dual use research of concern (DURC) was crystallized by the so-called ‘gain of function’ (GOF) type of experiments in which avian influenza viruses were endowed with new properties in the laboratory such as increased virulence and the capacity for mammalian transmission. After more than a decade of intensive discussion and controversy involving biological experiments with dual-use potential, there is no consensus on the issue except for the need to carry out such experiments in the safest conditions possible. In this essay, we review the topic with the hindsight of several years and suggest that instead of prescribing prohibitions and experimental limitations the focus should be on the importance of scientific questions at hand. We posit that the importance of a scientific question for medical and scientific progress provides a benchmark to determine the acceptable level of risk in biological experimentation.
Applied Geography: Overview and Introduction

For well over a decade, many professional geographers in the United States have demonstrated considerable interest in the applied aspects of their discipline. Their attention has been focused on job opportunities rather than geography’s traditional role as a problem-solving discipline that contributes to a broad, well-rounded, liberal arts education. A similar pattern developed later in Canada, and it spread to England shortly thereafter. The ‘applied movement’ is today well ensconced in academic geography programs in many countries.
Chick heart plasma membranes: Isolation and analysis of autophosphorylation

Plasma membranes have been isolated from hearts of 10-day embryonic and newborn chicks. The membranes obtained were highly enriched in muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, K+ -stimulated, ouabain-sensitive p-nitrophenylphosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase. There was little contamination of the membrane fractions by the mitochondrial membranes or by contractile proteins. The autophosphorylation of the isolated membrane fractions was analyzed by measuring 32P incorporation from [gamma-32P]ATP into total membrane protein and into individual membrane components. Membranes obtained from embryonic hearts contained significantly more cAMP-dependent and -independent protein kinase activities than membranes from newborn chick hearts. Treatment of the membranes with Triton X-100 or the peptide ionophore alamethicin increased phosphorylation in membranes from either newborn or embryonic hearts. Membranes from embryonic hearts contained substrates for membrane-bound cAMP-dependent and -independent protein kinases either not observed or present in low amount in membranes from newborn hearts, and vice-versa. Notably, a 38 kDa protein was markedly phosphorylated by endogenous cAMP dependent protein kinase in plasma membrane enriched fractions from embryonic hearts. This phosphoprotein was not easily detected in any fraction obtained from newborn hearts. One cAMP-dependent phosphoprotein had an Mr of 27000 or 11000, depending on the conditions used to solubilize it. This protein was present in sarcolemma-enriched membranes as well as membrane fractions containing sarcoplasmic reticulum. There was more of this phosphoprotein in newborn heart membranes than in embryonic hearts. The phosphorylation of this protein was markedly enhanced by the peptide ionophore alamethicin. A second cAMP-dependent phosphoprotein with an Mr of 27000 was also detected in the sarcolemma-enriched membranes.
Digital Lifestyle and Online Travel: Looking at the Case of Digital Natives

The integration of digital technologies into daily life is transforming human behaviour and social practices. This change has come especially quickly to many commercial activities. The travel industry has been especially transformed. Where once the travel agent was the chief mediator between the customer and a multitude of travel services, travel consumers are now enabled to interact with travel services directly from the comfort of their home. With the emergence of an Internet travel market, travel information and services have become marked by fragmentation. Further, a multitude of user-created travel information and services now augment and compete with traditional commercial enterprises. Digital Natives – young people who can not imagine a life without Google, Youtube and Wikipedia – are often found at the forefront of recent transformations in the travel experience – and therefore, the travel industry.