cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intestinal alkaline phosphatase of the rat: Development and distribution of activity with phenylphosphate and β-glycerophosphate

Abstract 1. 1. Alkaline phosphatase has been known to have the same pattern of distribution along the length of the intestine in mice and rats. 2. 2. Further study of the rat shows that its duodenal and jejunal phosphatases manifest special characteristics similar to those that distinguish mouse phosphatases. 3. 3. A difference in developmental pattern is found in the ileum. 4. 4. The close resemblances make it feasible to use the rat as well as the mouse in investigating the agencies that control the differentiation of intestinal alkaline phosphatases.
A framework for integrated urban metabolism analysis tool (IUMAT)

Abstract IUMAT (Integrated Urban Metabolism Analysis Tool) is a system-based sustainability analysis tool. It quantifies and aggregates the social, economic and environmental capitals of urban activity in an integrated framework focusing on the metabolic flows of urban development. This paper builds on previous work on urban metabolism and advances an analytical framework that defines how the consumption of resources and resulting environmental impacts are calculated as indices of sustainability in an urban region. The benefits of integrated urban modeling using the proposed framework as well as the data sources are detailed. The underlying analytical framework for the proposed tool applies the dynamics of choice, time, and scale towards dynamically interpreting demographic and economic factors. IUMAT's calculative modules for land cover, transportation, and energy/water/resource use are described as well as the modality of connections between the modules.
The cost utility of strabismus surgery in adults.

Purpose Cost-utility analysis evaluates the cost of medical care in relation to the gain in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Our purpose was to develop a cost model for surgical care for adult strabismus, to estimate the mean cost per case, to determine the associated gain in QALYs, and to perform cost-utility analysis. Methods A cost model incorporated surgery, pre- and postoperative care, and a mean of 1.5 procedures per patient. The gain in QALYs was based on the improvement of utility on a scale from 0 (death) to 1 (perfect health). Utility was measured through physician-conducted interviews employing a time tradeoff question (seeking to estimate the portion of life expectancy a patient would be willing to trade for being rid of disease and associated effects). The interviews were conducted before and 5 to 8 weeks after surgery in 35 strabismic patients (age 19-75 years). Results The cost model resulted in an estimated total cost of $4,254 per case. A significant improvement of utility was found: 0.96 ± 0.11 postoperatively versus 0.85 ± 0.20 preoperatively ( p = 0.00008). Based on the mean life expectancy (36.0 years) of these patients, and discounting outcomes and costs by 3% annually, this resulted in a mean value gain of 2.61 QALYs after surgery and a cost-utility for strabismus surgery of $1,632/QALY. Conclusions In the United States, treatments
Hydroxychloroquine directly reduces the binding of antiphospholipid antibody–β2-glycoprotein I complexes to phospholipid bilayers

Treatment with the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been associated with reduced risk of thrombosis in the antiphospholipid (aPL) syndrome (APS) and, in an animal model of APS, with reduction of experimentally induced thrombosis. Recognition of β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) by aPL antibodies appears to play a major role in the disease process. We therefore used the techniques of ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate whether HCQ directly affects the formation of aPL IgG–β2GPI complexes on phospholipid bilayers. HCQ, at concentrations of 1 μg/mL and greater, significantly reduced the binding of aPL-β2GPI complexes to phospholipid surfaces and THP-1 (human acute monocytic leukemia cell line) monocytes. The drug also reduced the binding of the individual proteins to bilayers. This HCQ-mediated reduction of binding was completely reversed when the HCQ-protein solutions were dialyzed against buffer. HCQ also caused modest, but statistically significant, reductions of clinical antiphospholipid assays. In conclusion, HCQ reduces the formation of aPL-β2GPI complexes to phospholipid bilayers and cells. This effect appears to be due to reversible interactions between HCQ and the proteins and may contribute to the observed reduction of thrombosis in human and experimental APS. These results support the possibility that HCQ, or analogous molecules, may offer novel nonanticoagulant therapeutic strategies for treating APS.
Translational Physiology and SND Recordings in Humans and Rats: A Glimpse of the Recent Past with an Eye on the Future

The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) plays an important role in cardiovascular function, and based on the critical mechanistic relationship between altered sympathetic neural mechanisms and cardiovascular disease, it is important that the autonomic research community identifies deficiencies in the translational exchange of information and strives for a more thorough understanding of the translational significance of findings from studies involving sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) regulation in human and animal subjects. The present review assesses the state of the literature regarding studies that have used direct recordings of SND during the past three decades in humans and rats, focusing on; 1) identifying the number of studies reporting SND recordings in humans and rats, 2) briefly describing the translational exchange of SND regulation information from these studies, 3) contrasting the number of studies completed in anesthetized and conscious rats, and 4) assessing the prevalence of long-term SND recording studies in conscious rats. The majority of SND recordings in rats have been completed using anesthetized preparations, although a substantial number of studies have been completed in conscious rats. However, few studies have completed long-term (>5 days) SND recordings in freely-behaving rats, and even fewer studies have used experimental preparations that combine long-term nerve recordings with the capacity for completing central neural microinjections, or have been completed in animal models of cardiovascular disease. The wide-spread implementation of long-term SND recordings in rodent models of cardiovascular disease would be expected to enhance the translational exchange of clinically-relevant information between animals and humans.
Bacteria, granulocytomas, and trematode metacercariae in the digestive gland of Mytilus edulis : Seasonal and interpopulation variation

During the period October 1983-September 1984, mussels were sampled at monthly intervals from three populations in Denmark. The mussels were prepared for histopathological studies and 20 individuals were randomly chosen from each month and each population for a study of the prevalence and variation of the histological changes. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that the prevalence of parasites, bacteria, and granulocytoma differs among blue mussel populations during a year, due to the reproductive cycle and the environment. The only bacterial infection found was Chlamydia sp. and this was rare. Neither sex, month, nor population was an important determinant of the prevalence of bacteria. Metacercariae of the trematode Renicola roscovita had a prevalence of almost 54% in a population from Lilla Baelt but only 4% in a population from Isefjorden. A statistically significant interaction between month and population indicated that the prevalence varied over months but the pattern of variation was different among populations. No other parasites were found. The prevalence of granulocytomas within populations was positively correlated with the degree of anthropogenic contamination of the localities, which might suggest a functional connection. Neither month nor sex had a significant effect.
Exhaustive conformational search and simulated annealing for models of lattice peptides.

We consider simple lattice models for short peptide chains whose states can be exhaustively enumerated to find the lowest energy conformation. Using these exact results and numerical simulations, we compute the distributions for the mean time tN, required to find the global minimum energy state by simulated annealing (SA), as a function of N, the number of units in the chain. On the basis of scaling arguments, the time tN, to find the global minimum energy of longer chains, beyond the range covered by exhaustive enumeration, can be estimated. On the basis of the observed exponential increase in folding time of the standard SA algorithms, it is imperative that better algorithms be found for minimizing longer chains. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Comparison of five popular lossless image compressors

Many choices are available for lossless image compression.Each technique offers different tradeoffs between compression ratios, execution speeds, and flexibility. Performance tradeoffs typically depend on user- specified scaling parameters, and on the type of image. This investigation focuses on five well-established methods for performing lossless image compression: 'deflate' compression, Lempel-Ziv-Welch, Graphic INterchange Format, Portable Network Graphic format, and baseline JPEG-LS. Several classes of imagery are covered, and the merits of three color-mapping techniques are examined.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
National Survey of Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine on the Competencies That Should Be Addressed in the Medicine Core Clerkship

Abstract PURPOSE: To prioritize competencies that should be addressed in the medicine core clerkship, assess factors influencing this prioritization, and estimate the percentage of clerkship time that should be devoted to inpatient versus outpatient care. METHODS: A national survey of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) was used. Using explicit criteria, respondents assigned priority scores, on a 1 to 5 scale, to 17 general competencies and 60 disease-specific clinical competencies pertinent to care of adult patients in inpatient. ambulatory, intensive care, and emergency settings. RESULTS: Ninety-three (75%) of 124 CDIM members responded. The highest mean priority scores were assigned to 6 general competencies: case presentation skills (4.65), diagnostic decision-making (4.64), history and physical diagnosis (4.61), test interpretation (4.47), communication with patients (4.35), and therapeutic decision-making (4.12). Disease-specific clinical competency areas receiving the highest mean priority scores were: hypertension (4.57), coronary disease (4.53), diabetes mellitus (4.45), heart failure (4.42), pneumonia (4.39), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (4.26), acid-base/electrolyte disorders (4.19), and acute chest pain (4.08). Priorities for general competencies were moderately correlated with importance to the practice of general internists (mean Spearman rho 0.49) and with importance to students pursuing careers outside internal medicine (mean Spearman rho 0.45), but only weakly correlated with the adequacy with which a competency was addressed in other parts of the curriculum. Respondents' mean recommended allocation of clerkship time was: 52% inpatient, 33% ambulatory care, 8% intensive care, and 7% emergency medicine. This time allocation did not differ by any characteristics of respondents. CONCLUSION: There is consensus among medicine clerkship directors that the medicine core clerkship should emphasize fundamental competencies and devote at least one third of the time to clinical competencies pertinent to ambulatory care.
Fever of Unknown Origin Due to Zoonoses

Fevers of unknown origin have been classified as classic, nosocomial, immune-deficient, and HIV-related. More than half of the 1407 human pathogens are zoonotic, making zoonotic infections an important subcategory in each of the classifications. This article describes both common and unusual zoonoses causing fevers of unknown origin. Simian immune virus is considered as a possible emerging infection. For special populations (the homeless, zoophiliacs, those whose occupation or leisure brings them in close contact with oceans or lakes, and veterinarians), zoonotic infection potentials are discussed.
Tender heroes and twilight lovers: re-reading the romance in mass-market pulp novels, 1950-1965.

In mid-century popular presses published paperbacks about lesbians, gay men, and characters with male and female lovers. Barbara Grier was the first to catalog novels featuring lesbian subplots by classifying stories based on the extent and style of lesbian content. I perform a content analysis of 49 novels, motivated by these questions: How did novels with lesbian and gay characters differ from heterosexual romances? What do differences reveal about cultural understandings of love, gender, and sexuality? I find uniformity in the structural logic of novels. However, there are different narrative strategies, and protagonists’ gender and sexuality predict a novel's trajectory.
Identifying Inefficiencies in Unsteady Pin Fin Heat Transfer

Internal cooling of the trailing edge region in a gas turbine blade is typically achieved with an array of pin fins. In order to better understand the effectiveness of this configuration for heat transfer, an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes computation is performed on a single row of cylindrical pin fins with a spanwise distance to fin diameter ratio of 2 and height over fin diameter ratio of one. With a locally adapted mesh, the boundary layer is resolved throughout the domain. For validation purposes, the flow Reynolds number based on hydraulic channel diameter ReDH = 12,800 was set to match experiments available in the open literature. The resulting time-dependent flow field was analyzed using a variation of Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD), where the correlation matrices were built using the internal energy in addition to the three velocity components. This enables a flow decomposition with respect to the flow structure’s influence on surface heat transfer. The second and third most energetic modes showed a zero temperature eigenfunction, which means that a considerable amount of energy is contained in flow structures that don’t contribute to increasing endwall heat transfer. It was also found that the vortex shedding frequency changes over time and both lift coefficient and Strouhal number increase compared to experimental values for a single cylinder.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Cardiac Cellular Coupling and the Spread of Early Instabilities in Intracellular Ca2

Recent experimental and modeling studies demonstrate the fine spatial scale, complex nature, and independent contribution of Ca2+ dynamics as a proarrhythmic factor in the heart. The mechanism of progression of cell-level Ca2+ instabilities, known as alternans, to tissue-level arrhythmias is not well understood. Because gap junction coupling dictates cardiac syncytial properties, we set out to elucidate its role in the spatiotemporal evolution of Ca2+ instabilities. We experimentally perturbed cellular coupling in cardiac syncytium in vitro. Coupling was quantified by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, and related to function, including subtle fine-scale Ca2+ alternans, captured by optical mapping. Conduction velocity and threshold for alternans monotonically increased with coupling. Lower coupling enhanced Ca2+ alternans amplitude, but the spatial spread of early (<2 Hz) alternation was the greatest under intermediate (not low) coupling. This nonmonotonic relationship was closely matched by the percent of samples exhibiting large-scale alternans at higher pacing rates. Computer modeling corroborated these experimental findings for strong but not weak electromechanical (voltage-Ca2+) coupling, and offered mechanistic insight. In conclusion, using experimental and modeling approaches, we reveal a general mechanism for the spatial spread of subtle cellular Ca2+ alternans that relies on a combination of gap-junctional and voltage-Ca2+ coupling.
Step 2: Use Steady State Data for Network Inference

We say an organism is in steady state if the values of what we are measuring (e.g. gene expression) won’t change unless we change its conditions in some way. For example, the organism may be in one steady state in a low nutrient condition, another in a high nutrient condition, and still another after some mutation has occurred and we have waited until transient effects have died out. Steady-state data can arise from experiments in which one or more genes have been knocked out, overexpressed, or otherwise perturbed. If you know what happens to the network when a gene is missing or when it has been perturbed, it is easier to infer which genes it influences.
Optimizing Operand Transport using Dynamic SIMDization in Multimedia Systems

For multimedia processing, modern instruction-level parallel (ILP) processors are faced with limited parallelism and inevitable communication issues, as silicon feature size decreases and pipelines become wider. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a dynamic optimization mechanism that exploits regular operand distribution patterns in multimedia applications. The proposed methodology i) improves performance by recognizing and extracting more parallelism than conventional ILP processors; ii) lowers the burden of operand transport by localizing the communication between instructions based on the operand characteristics; and iii) maintains binary compatibility by applying run-time optimization rather than requiring changes to the ISA, recompilation with a vectorizing compiler, or manual retargeting and optimization
Oropharyngeal Accommodation to Swallow Volume

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: The oropharyngeal swallow accommodates a range of bolus volumes with substantial impact on its dynamic radiographic appearance despite being a nearly reflexive sequence. The aim of this study was to analyze the mechanism of volume accommodation. METHODS: Coordination of the glossopalatal junction, velopharyngeal junction, laryngeal vestibule, and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) and intraluminal pharyngeal dimensions were measured from biplane videofluoroscopic swallowing studies in 8 volunteers during 1- and 20- mL swallows. These measurements were applied to three-dimensional reconstructions of the pharyngeal swallow, permitting analysis of their effect on intraluminal volume and propulsive function. RESULTS: Dividing the pharyngeal swallow into periods of reconfiguration, sustained reconfiguration, and offset of reconfiguration, volume accommodation occurred by a 0.2-second prolongation of reconfiguration, preserving the coordination of the onset and offset events. Augmented reconfiguration increased the dimensions of the pharyngeal chamber, caused more rapid bolus expulsion, and increased UES distention. However, maximal transphincteric flow per unit area across the UES was constant, showing its compliance. CONCLUSIONS: Volume accommodation is accomplished by augmenting and prolonging pharyngeal reconfiguration from a respiratory to deglutitive pathway. This modification in the timing of neurally mediated events is amplified by its mechanical consequences, resulting in the different cineradiographic appearance and propulsive attributes of large and small volume swallows. (Gastroenterology 1996 Aug;111(2):297-306)
A CSMA/CA MAC Protocol for Multi-User MIMO Wireless LANs

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is one form of the smart antenna technology that uses multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to improve communication performance. In this paper, we investigate the problem of medium access control in wireless local area networks (WLANs) with downlink multi-user MIMO (DL MU MIMO) capability. We propose a CSMA/CA MAC protocol with three response mechanisms for DL MU MIMO and compare the performance of DL MU MIMO with the beam-forming (BF) based approach. A novel per-station weighted queuing mechanism is proposed to mitigate the hidden node problem in the network. Performance analysis and simulation study both show that the proposed DL MU MIMO mechanism incurs low overhead and provides significant throughput performance gain over BF based approach in high SNR scenarios.
Testing the Effects of Independent Judiciaries on the Likelihood of Democratic Backsliding

We test the efficacy of judicial independence in preventing regime reversals toward authoritarianism. Using a dataset of judicial constraints across 163 different countries from 1960 to 2000, we find that established independent judiciaries prevent regime changes toward authoritarianism across all types of states. Established courts are also capable of thwarting regime collapses in nondemocracies. These results provide some of the first large-n evidence confirming the ability of the judiciary to maintain regime stability. Unfortunately, however, the beneficial effects of court systems seem to take time to develop. The evidence indicates that newly formed courts are positively associated with regime collapses in both democracies and nondemocracies.
General Sensory Systems

Sensory systems transmit information arising from receptor structures at various bodily locations into the central nervous system. General sensation refers to such things as pain, thermal sensation, touch and pressure etc. Other sensory systems are concerned with various special senses, such as vision, olfaction and hearing. Special senses are, of course, part of the function of some of the cranial nerves.
Towards Minor Theory

In this essay I develop the notion of ‘minor theory’ following the work of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari on Kafka's ‘minor literature’ as a way of reconfiguring the production of knowledge in g...
Pattern characteristics of harmonic and intermodulation products in broadband active transmit arrays

A three-term power series model for the nonlinearity in the power amplifiers of an active array is used to explore the radiation characteristics of the harmonics and intermodulation products. This model leads to simple equations for predicting the beam-pointing direction and the aperture amplitude taper of the spurious signals. Cases of a single transmit signal, dual transmit signals within a single beam and dual beam operations are analyzed. This model shows that the second and third harmonics are co-boresighted with the fundamental signal but have squared and cubed aperture amplitude distributions. The third-order intermodulation products in general have beam-pointing directions offset from the fundamental signal beam(s). Graphical methods of locating the intermodulation beams in (u, v) space are outlined and illustrated by example.
Effective Strategies for HPV Vaccine Delivery: The Views of Pediatricians

Abstract Purpose Pediatricians will play a critical role in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine delivery. The objectives of this research were to examine pediatricians' views about key issues related to HPV vaccine delivery and identify their strategies for effective vaccine delivery. Methods A diverse sample of practicing pediatricians was recruited from a three-state region using a purposeful sampling strategy. Participants completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using framework analysis. Results The mean age of the 31 participants was 47 years (range 30–78 years), and 17 (55%) were female. In all, 18 were white, nine (29%) black, and four (13%) Latino. Participants noted that cultural issues, including a family's religious and ethnic background, were important considerations when recommending an HPV vaccine. Almost all participants believed that vaccination should be universal rather than targeted, but opinions regarding legislative mandates for vaccination varied. Those in favor of mandates cited their potential to maximize the public health impact of immunization, while those opposed noted that HPV is not transmitted casually and were concerned about limited data on the long-term safety and efficacy of HPV vaccines. Pediatricians noted that specific strategies for effective vaccine delivery would be needed for an STI vaccine targeted toward adolescents, especially considering the poor public understanding of HPV. These included provision of HPV vaccines in alternative settings, guidance for pediatricians as to how to address parental concerns, and specific educational initiatives. Conclusions The views of pediatricians, who have extensive experience administering vaccines to children and adolescents, will be valuable as HPV vaccine delivery strategies are designed.
Remediation of metalaxyl, trifluralin, and nitrate from nursery runoff using container-grown woody ornamentals and phytoremediation areas

a b s t r a c t Two commonly container-produced woody ornamentals, Salix alba L. 'Britzensis' and Sambucus nigra L. 'Aurea', were grown in aquatic phytoremediation areas (PAs) to evaluate phytoremediation of tri- fluralin (2004 and 2005), metalaxyl (2006), and NO3 −-N (2004-2006) from nursery runoff. The use of container-grown ornamentals for phytoremediation would prevent land area used in production from being converted into wetlands or vegetated filter strips. Twelve nursery beds (NBs) were constructed and graded to allow runoff collection in a small basin at the west end of each production area. Runoff from each NB drained into a PA that contained one of three treatments: (1) 20 plants of S. alba 'Britzensis' grown in containers, (2) 20 plants of S. nigra Aurea' grown in containers, or (3) a PA with no contain- ers and plants serving as a control. Samples of runoff from NBs and water leaving PAs were collected for trifluralin or metalaxyl and NO3 −-N analysis. Phytoremediation areas with container-grown plants remediated trifluralin, metalaxyl, and NO3 − -N in runoff water to the same extent as PAs without plants. When data from all treatments were pooled and water exiting PAs was compared to runoff from NBs, PAs were effective in remediating runoff. In 2004 and 2005, overall average trifluralin quantity was reduced by 72% (7.32 ± 0.67 mg to 2.03 ± 0.29 mg) and 94% (from 7.81 ± 0.86 mg to 0.51 ± 0.07 mg) as runoff moved through PAs. The overall average metalaxyl quantity was reduced by 48% (34.32 ± 7.98 mg to 17.69 ± 2.78 mg) as runoff moved through PAs. Nitrate-nitrogen quantities leaving PAs were the same or lower compared to NO3 −-N captured from NBs depending on sample day, with the greatest reduction of 98% (373-6.00 mg) on 14 July 2006. Plants grown in PAs reached marketable size during the experiment. Using PAs with or without container-grown plants as a component of the PA system would reduce envi- ronmental contamination from runoff containing metalaxyl, trifluralin, and NO3 −
Fractional calculus in hydrologic modeling: A numerical perspective.

Fractional derivatives can be viewed either as handy extensions of classical calculus or, more deeply, as mathematical operators defined by natural phenomena. This follows the view that the diffusion equation is defined as the governing equation of a Brownian motion. In this paper, we emphasize that fractional derivatives come from the governing equations of stable Levy motion, and that fractional integration is the corresponding inverse operator. Fractional integration, and its multi-dimensional extensions derived in this way, are intimately tied to fractional Brownian (and Levy) motions and noises. By following these general principles, we discuss the Eulerian and Lagrangian numerical solutions to fractional partial differential equations, and Eulerian methods for stochastic integrals. These numerical approximations illuminate the essential nature of the fractional calculus.
Design of a Glass Impactor for an Annular Denuder/Filter Pack System

A glass impactor for an annular denuder/filter pack system was developed, to further the application of denuder technology in sampling atmospheric gases and particles. The glass impactor consists of an entrance section containing the inlet tube, the acceleration jet, and the impaction plate, which is mounted at the entrance to the annular denuder. The impaction plate is a removable porous glass disk which can be impregnated with mineral oil to minimize bounce-off of the collected particles during sampling. Calibration tests showed that the impactor has a 50% aerodynamic particle cutoff size of 2.1 μm, at a flow of 10 L min−1. Particle loss experiments were conducted. Total losses on surfaces inside the impactor, annular denuder, and filter pack, determined for particle sizes ranging between 1.50 and 2.77 μm, were lower than 3%. Co-located air sampling was conducted using the glass impactor and the Harvard impactor. Mass concentrations determined using the Harvard impactor were about 10% higher than for th...
Methods for Measuring and Representing Automobile Occupant Posture

Many vehicle design and safety assessment applications use physical and virtual representations of vehicle occupants within the vehicle interior. Proper use of these human models requires accurate data concerning vehicle occupant posture and position. This paper presents techniques for characterizing vehicle occupant posture by measuring accessible body landmarks. The landmark locations are used to estimate joint locations that define a kinematic linkage representation of the human body. The resulting posture analysis techniques provide a unified method of measuring and reporting vehicle occupant postures that is suitable for use with both physical and virtual human models.
Agonistic Anti-CD40 Induces Thyrocyte Proliferation and Promotes Thyroid Autoimmunity by Increasing CD40 Expression on Thyroid Epithelial Cells

CD40 is expressed on cells of the immune system and in some tissues that are targets for autoimmune-mediated damage. It is not known if CD40 expression in target tissues plays a role in the pathology of autoimmune diseases. This study shows that agonistic anti-CD40 induces strong and sustained proliferation of thyroid epithelial cells (TECs), or thyrocytes, in IFN-γ−/− autoimmune-prone NOD and NOD.H-2h4 mice. TEC proliferation is accompanied by greatly increased expression of CD40 on TECs, development of fibrosis and hypothyroidism, and increased expression of proinflammatory molecules in thyroids. Bone marrow chimera experiments indicate that TEC expression of CD40 is required for anti-CD40–induced TEC proliferation, but lymphoid cells do not have to express CD40. TEC proliferation is reduced in wild-type mice given anti-CD40, presumably because they produce IFN-γ, which inhibits TEC proliferation. CD40 also increases on TECs during development of an autoimmune thyroid disease characterized by TEC hyperproliferation that develops spontaneously in IFN-γ−/− NOD.H-2h4 mice. TEC hyperproliferation development is accelerated in mice given agonistic anti-CD40. These studies provide new information regarding the role of target tissue expression of CD40 in development of autoimmunity and suggest that use of agonistic anti-CD40 for tumor therapy could result in autoimmune disease.
Metal-Metal Bonds in Biology

Abstract Nickel-containing carbon monoxide dehydrogenases, acetyl-CoA synthases, nickel–iron hydrogenases, and diron hydrogenases are distinct metalloenzymes yet they share a number of important characteristics. All are O 2 -sensitive, with active-sites composed of iron and/or nickel ions coordinated primarily by sulfur ligands. In each case, two metals are juxtaposed at the “heart” of the active site, within range of forming metal–metal bonds. These active-site clusters exhibit multielectron redox abilities and must be reductively activated for catalysis. Reduction potentials are milder than expected based on formal oxidation state changes. When reductively activated, each cluster attacks an electrophilic substrate via an oxidative addition reaction. This affords a two-electron-reduced substrate bound to one or both metals of an oxidized cluster. M–M bonds have been established in hydrogenases where they serve to initiate the oxidative addition of protons and perhaps stabilize active sites in multiple redox states. The same may be true of the CODH and ACS active sites—Ni–Fe and Ni–Ni bonds in these sites may play critical roles in catalysis, stabilizing low-valence states and initiating oxidative addition of CO 2 and methyl group cations, respectively. In this article, the structural and functional commonalities of these metalloenzyme active sites are described, and the case is made for the formation and use of metal–metal bonds in each enzyme mentioned. As a post-script, the importance of Fe–Fe bonds in the nitrogenase FeMoco active site is discussed.
Microscale investigation into the geochemistry of arsenic, selenium, and iron in soil developed in pyritic shale materials

Abstract In this study, we report on the distribution and mineralogy of micron-sized mineral aggregates formed in the top horizon of an acid sulfate soil. The distribution and oxidation state of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) were also determined. The soil used in this study was formed from pyritic shale parent materials on the east side of the California Coast Range. Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microprobe (μ-XRF) was used to generate elemental distribution maps of soil thin sections. Using the elemental distribution maps and optical micrographs, distinct mineral aggregates of iron oxide and iron sulfate were identified throughout the top horizon of the soil. These aggregates range in size from 10 to 100 μm in diameter and can be found only a few micrometers apart. The As and Se concentrations in the iron oxide aggregates were 5–10 times the concentrations in the iron sulfate aggregates and the weathered shale matrix. This suggests that the As and Se become preferentially associated with iron oxides during the weathering process. Using a focused micron-sized beam, Fe, As, and Se X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data were collected from the sub-millimeter soil aggregates. The micro-extended X-ray absorption fine structure (μ-EXAFS) spectrum collected from the iron oxide aggregate revealed that its mineralogy was a combination of ferrihydrite (>50%) and goethite. The μ-EXAFS spectra from the iron sulfate region suggest that these aggregates contain jarosite. Using micro-X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (μ-XANES), oxidation states of the As and Se were determined. Arsenic was present in the iron oxide aggregate as As(V). Selenium was present in the soil as both Se(IV) and Se(VI), with a higher percentage of Se(VI) in the jarosite aggregate than the iron oxide aggregate. These results provide direct evidence of the distribution, oxidation states, and speciation of As and Se in the solid phase of an unaltered native soil. Information on the weathering and geochemistry of the pyritic materials, and the associated arsenic and selenium is useful for predicting the pedogenic processes of acid sulfate soils and the long-term fate of newly exposed pyritic materials (e.g., mine tailings and drained wetlands).
X-33 Computational Aeroheating Predictions and Comparisons With Experimental Data

The goal of the NASA Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology program is to develop and demonstrate essential, cost-effective technologies for next-generation launch systems. The X-33 flight vehicle presently being developed by Lockheed-Martin is an experimental Single-Stage-to-Orbit (SSTO) demonstrator that is intended to validate critical technologies for the full-scale RLV. One of the key technologies to be demonstrated on the X-33 vehicle is an advanced, metallic thermal protection system (TPS). As part of the development of this TPS system, the aeroheating environment of the X-33 is being defined through conceptual analysis, ground-based wind-tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This report provides an overview of the hypersonic aeroheating CFD research conducted at the NASA Langley research Center (LaRC) in support of this TPS development activity. In this research, laminar and turbulent aeroheating predictions were generated at wind-tunnel test conditions for the X-33 vehicle using both a finite-volume, Navier-Stokes solver, and a coupled inviscid-solver/boundary-layer-code engineering method. Computations were performed for angles-of attack of 20 degrees, 30 degrees, and 40 degrees. Comparisons between the predictions and wind tunnel data for the centerline and axial heating distributions were generally within plus/minus 10 percent for the Navier-Stokes method and plus/minus 25 percent for the engineering code method. Aeroheating distributions were also computed for the peak heating point on the flight trajectory.
On the possibility to detect and visualize electromagnetic coupling paths

Out of the source - coupling path - victim concept, the coupling path is the most difficult to identify. This paper discusses several possible methods to detect and visualize electromagnetic coupling paths in EMC problems. The authors do not have a ready-made solution and hope this paper could inspire others to join us in the search of methods for the detection and visualization of coupling paths.
Activation of cyclic GMP-AMP synthase by self-DNA causes autoimmune diseases

TREX1 is an exonuclease that digests DNA in the cytoplasm. Loss-of-function mutations of TREX1 are linked to Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome (AGS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in humans. Trex1(-/-) mice exhibit autoimmune and inflammatory phenotypes that are associated with elevated expression of interferon (IFN)-induced genes (ISGs). Cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) is a cytosolic DNA sensor that activates the IFN pathway. Upon binding to DNA, cGAS is activated to catalyze the synthesis of cGAMP, which functions as a second messenger that binds and activates the adaptor protein STING to induce IFNs and other cytokines. Here we show that genetic ablation of cGas in Trex1(-/-) mice eliminated all detectable pathological and molecular phenotypes, including ISG induction, autoantibody production, aberrant T-cell activation, and lethality. Even deletion of just one allele of cGas largely rescued the phenotypes of Trex1(-/-) mice. Similarly, deletion of cGas in mice lacking DNaseII, a lysosomal enzyme that digests DNA, rescued the lethal autoimmune phenotypes of the DNaseII(-/-) mice. Through quantitative mass spectrometry, we found that cGAMP accumulated in mouse tissues deficient in Trex1 or DNaseII and that this accumulation was dependent on cGAS. These results demonstrate that cGAS activation causes the autoimmune diseases in Trex1(-/-) and DNaseII(-/-) mice and suggest that inhibition of cGAS may lead to prevention and treatment of some human autoimmune diseases caused by self-DNA.
Alliances in Defense against an Opportunistic Opponent: Theory and Experiments

This paper considers a situation in which an attacker can select among two possible targets for a single concentrated attack after observing the level of defense at each. Despite the attacker’s chance of success being determined by a proportional contest success function, if each target is defended separately the attacker should attack the weakest target creating an all-pay auction arms race between defenders that largely dissipates the value of the defended resources. However, if the defenders form a protective alliance then their expected payoffs increase despite the fact that a successful attack is theoretically more likely given the overall reduction in defense. Controlled laboratory experiments designed to test the model’s predictions are also reported. Behaviorally, alliances yield more profit to defenders as predicted, but also reduce the likelihood of a successful attack counter to the theoretical prediction.
Understanding Organizational Culture as the Quality of Workplace Subjectivity

Organization culture contains psychosocial defenses against the experience of anxiety in the workplace. It is, therefore, possible to understand organization culture by the quantity, quality, and permanence of these defenses. Psychoanalytic object relations developmental theory provides a means of understanding psychological defenses. The theory includes three forms of subjective experience, psychodynamics, and psychological defenses-presubjective, intrasubjective, and intersubjective. When these three subjective perspectives are used to understand psychosocial defenses in the workplace, they permit the development of a systematic understanding of organization culture. A taxonomy is provided that uses the three levels of developmental subjectivity and accompanying psychologically defensive processes to understand organization culture. The taxonomy is then found to subsume other theoretical perspectives for understanding organizational dynamics.
/sup 12/C(. pi. ,. pi. ') to giant dipole resonance region

Strong forward-angle excitation of a group of states at 20--28 MeV in /sup 12/C(..pi..,..pi..') is dominated by the isovector giant dipole resonance but seems to indicate, in addition, substantial spin-flip strength.
A Concise Guide to Dynamic Optimization

This paper provides a concise guide to dynamic optimization with an integral treatment on various optimal control and dynamic programming problems. It presents essential theorems and methods for obtaining and characterizing solutions to these problems. The paper discusses Pontryagin's maximum principle in optimal control theory under infinite-time horizon and fixed and variable finite-time horizons, discounting vs. no discounting, discrete- vs. continuous-time cases, and the classical calculus of variations method. It also discusses Bellman's principle of optimality in dynamic programming and its relation to the maximum principle. Some elements of stochastic dynamic programming are also discussed.
Genetic Anthropology and Archaeology: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Human History in the Caribbean

Archaeological perspectives have been foundational in addressing questions regarding the initial peopling of the Caribbean Basin. As highlighted by Scott Fitzpatrick's recent review article in Pale...
Serological Survey And Investigation On AIDS Knowledge And Behaviour Among CSW In Huaiyuan County

Objective To understand the present situation of AIDS prevention and control knowledge,the related behaviour characteristics and the status of AIDS/STD infection of CSW,and provide a basis for the control of AIDS.Methods The related knowledge and behaviour on AIDS were investigated with questionnaires and venous blood samples were collected and tested for the antibodies of HIV,TP and Anti-HCV.Results: The total awareness rate on AIDS knowledge of the subjects was 29.33%.Only 32.00% used condom in last sexual activity with their guest and the rates of the Condom use for the last month in every time and in sometime were 16.00% and 24.00% respectively.8 of CSW without HIV infection were diagnosed with STD in the last year(10.67%),and 6 in 8 were Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection,2 in 8 were Gonorrhea.Conclusion The awareness rate on AIDS knowledge and the rate of condom use of the subjects were poor,so education on AIDS prevention and control for CSW should be enhanced.
New agents for the treatment of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Inadequate dosing and incomplete treatment regimens, coupled with the ability of the tuberculosis bacilli to cause latent infections that are tolerant of currently used drugs, have fueled the rise of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Treatment of MDR-TB infections is a major clinical challenge that has few viable or effective solutions; therefore patients face a poor prognosis and years of treatment. This review focuses on emerging drug classes that have the potential for treating MDR-TB and highlights their particular strengths as leads including their mode of action, in vivo efficacy, and key medicinal chemistry properties. Examples include the newly approved drugs bedaquiline and delaminid, and other agents in clinical and late preclinical development pipeline for the treatment of MDR-TB. Herein, we discuss the challenges to developing drugs to treat tuberculosis and how the field has adapted to these difficulties, with an emphasis on drug discovery approaches that might produce more effective agents and treatment regimens.
Army trauma research: tapping the potential.

Trauma management is the primary mission of military surgeons. Since the Vietnam War, however, military surgeons have relinquished leadership in clinical trauma care to the civilian sector, particularly to urban university surgeons. In this paper we explore whether the Army's contribution to trauma research has also diminished. Using standard bibliometric analysis of publication counts, we have shown that few recent publications related to trauma have originated from U.S. Army Medical Centers, compared with adjacent civilian universities. In 1988, 16 papers originating from the eight Army Medical Centers had key words related to trauma. In contrast, eight universities adjacent to the Army's medical centers published 139 articles on trauma. Problems including lack of clinical exposure to trauma patients, lack of funding, and inadequate emphasis on staff research training have contributed to this decline. We review these factors and describe solutions that could reverse this trend.
Quantum Well Lasers: Strain

In the last few years, the literature on QW lasers has increased enormously. Perhaps the most important development to come out of all this work is the realization that QW lasers with built-in strain can have performance characteristics, including reliability, which arc substantially superior to unstrained devices. This improved reliability finding was quite unexpected since the experience of the seventies and early eighties taught that "strained" lasers were doomed to an early death. Also unexpected was the realization that phenomena such as Auger recombination and intervalence band absorption, once thought to be fundamental in limiting the performance of longer wavelength diode lasers, can be virtually eliminated, using built-in strain.
Enticing the Stork: Can we Evaluate Pro‐Natal Policies Before Having Children?

Aside from immigration, the only meaningful demographic lever available to policymakers attempting to moderate the rate of ageing is the birth rate. This article departs from previous analyses of pro‐natal policies by studying determinants of pro‐natal options ex ante, which represents an advantage for policymakers looking to craft policies with prior knowledge of whether or not a demographic policy will have a significant effect. Our multinomial regression model for a US sample involving college students shows that the preferred choice of pro‐natal incentive is dependent on gender, economic class, number of planned children and migrant status. We find that females are more likely than males to choose any pro‐natal incentive over no incentive. The highest odds for increasing planned number of children are for maternity leave and parental leave options. Respondents associating themselves with the poorest economic class are more likely to choose daycare or government grant as pro‐natal options.
Resolution of Banking Crises

This article presents a new database of systemic banking crises over the period 1970–2009. While there are many commonalities between recent and past crises, both in terms of underlying causes and policy responses, there are some important differences in terms of the scale and scope of interventions. Direct fiscal costs to support the financial sector were smaller this time as a consequence of swift policy action and significant indirect support from expansionary monetary and fiscal policy, the widespread use of guarantees on liabilities, and direct purchases of assets. While these policies have reduced the real impact of the current crisis, they have increased the burden of public debt and the size of government contingent liabilities, raising concerns about fiscal sustainability in some countries.