cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: The Effect of Hospital and Surgeon Volume on In-hospital Mortality

Objective. To examine the relationship between annual provider (hospital and surgeon) volume of pediatric cardiac surgery and in-hospital mortality. Design. Population-based retrospective cohort study using a clinical database. Setting. The 16 acute care hospitals in New York with certificate of need approval to perform pediatric cardiac surgery. Patients. All children undergoing congenital heart surgery in New York from 1992 to 1995. Main Outcome Measures. Risk-adjusted mortality rates for various hospital and surgeon volume ranges. Adjustments were made for severity of illness using logistic regression. Results. A total of 7169 cases were analyzed. After controlling for severity of preprocedural illness using clinical risk factors, hospitals with annual pediatric cardiac surgery volumes of fewer than 100 had significantly higher mortality rates (8.26%) than hospitals with volumes of 100 or more (5.95%), and surgeons with annual volumes of fewer than 75 had significantly higher mortality rates (8.77%) than surgeons with annual volumes of 75 or more (5.90%). Conclusions. Both hospital volume and surgeon volume are significantly associated with in-hospital mortality, and these differences persist for both high-complexity and low-complexity pediatric cardiac procedures.
Reduced retinal nerve fiber layer and macular thickness in patients with multiple sclerosis with no history of optic neuritis identified by the use of spectral domain high-definition optical coherence tomography

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS), with both inflammatory and degenerative components. The visual system is frequently involved, often in the form of visual loss from optic neuritis (ON). Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) loss has been demonstrated in individuals with MS, not only in those with previous ON but also in absence of historical evidence of previous acute inflammation/demyelination of the optic nerve. Peripapillary RNFL measurements of all quadrants, central macular thickness, and average macular thickness were performed in 32 eyes of healthy volunteers and 60 eyes of individuals with a diagnosis of relapsing remitting MS using high definition spectral domain optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT). Both the Macular Cube 512 × 128 scan and RNFL measurement by the Optic Disc Cube 200 × 200 protocol were performed on all eyes. Eyes of individuals with MS with no previous ON had significantly decreased overall RNFL thickness (89.1 μm) compared to controls (98.0 μm) (p < 0.05). MS mainly affected the temporal quadrant (56.6 μm versus [vs.] 67.8 μm) (p < 0.05), and inferior quadrant (117.9 μm vs. 132.1 μm) (p < 0.05), respectively. Also, the patients with MS demonstrated significantly decreased average macular thickness (280 μm) compared to the control group (287 μm) (p < 0.05). A significant correlation between RNFL and average macular thickness was also found in eyes of patients with MS (r = 0.69, p < 0.01). HD-OCT is a quick, inexpensive and promising tool to detect subclinical changes in RNFL and macular thickness in individuals with MS. Longitudinal studies should be encouraged to examine disease progression over time in individuals with MS.
PITUITARY HORMONES AS NEUROTROPHIC SIGNALS : ANOMALOUS HYPOPHYSIOTROPHIC NEURON DIFFERENTIATION IN HYPOPITUITARY DWARF MICE

Anterior pituitary hormones are known to exert dynamic negative feedback effects on their respective regulatory ("hypophysiotropic") neurons in the hypothalamus. The purpose of this review is to present the evidence for a theory that the effect of pituitary hormones on these hypophysiotropic neurons is neurotrophic, extending beyond dynamic feedback to influence upon cell survival, phenotypic differentiation, and axonal connectivity. To that end, the adult condition and the development of hypophysiotropic neurons in mutant mice which lack pituitary growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) are presented as models of the effect of absent specific neurotrophic signals. The expression of the neurohormones which inhibit PRL and GH secretion, dopamine (DA) and somatostatin, respectively, is markedly reduced in the hypothalamus of the hypopituitary dwarf mouse, and this adult condition is the result of postnatal failure to develop or actual regression, which may include neuronal cell death. The deficit in DA may be reversed by PRL replacement, but only if initiated at an identified critical postnatal period. Conversely, expression of the stimulatory GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) is markedly increased in the dwarf mouse hypothalamus. The loss of DA and the increase in GHRH occur in the same hypothalamic area, suggesting neuronal phenotypic plasticity in response to absence of pituitary feedback signals. The axonal terminations of extant GH- and PRL-regulating neurons in external median eminence appear to be reduced, suggesting that pituitary signals are required for appropriate axonal guidance during development, even though an endocrine vascular route intervenes between these regulatory neurons and their target secretory cells. The collective observations indicate that GH and PRL may be regarded as neurotrophic factors for their respective regulatory neurons in the hypothalamus.
A direct method for the crystallography of martensitic transformation and its application to TiNi and AuCd

Abstract A simple and straightforward method to obtain a complete set of twining planes and habit planes of martensitic crystals by using the crystallographic data is proposed under the bulk strain energy minimization hypothesis. This method can also be used to obtain the diffraction pattern corresponding to martensitic transformation forming the invariant planes. Applications to the cubic→trigonal and cubic→monoclinic martensitic transformation are presented. The results well explain the morphological differences between R-phase in TiNi and ζ ′ 2 martensite in AuCd.
Long-Term Follow-up and Prognosis of Orbital Apex Syndrome Resulting From Nasopharyngeal Rhabdomyosarcoma

Purpose Nasopharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma may present with a variety of ophthalmic symptoms. Direct extension of the tumor into the orbital apex can lead to ophthalmoplegia and loss of vision. The prognosis for recovery of vision and ocular motility in patients with an orbital apex syndrome due to nasopharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma is examined. Design Retrospective case series. Methods Six eyes from four patients with nasopharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma who presented to the Children’;s Hospital of Philadelphia with a clinical orbital apex syndrome were identified. Complete ophthalmic examination, including visual acuity and extraocular motility at the time of presentation, was reviewed. Tumor extension into the orbital apex was confirmed radiographically. Follow-up ophthalmic evaluations were reviewed for all patients with an average follow-up of 5.5 ± 3.1 years (range 1 to 8 years). Results Six eyes of four patients had limited ocular ductions along with marked loss of vision at presentation. All patients were treated with chemotherapy and radiation, with reduction of tumor mass. Ocular motility recovered in all patients, occurring by an average of 2.2 ± 1.8 months after initiation of therapy. Four of six eyes had little or no recovery of visual acuity detected at long-term follow-up. Conclusions Patients with ocular motor deficits in orbital apex syndromes caused by extension of nasopharyngeal rhabdomyosarcoma have an excellent prognosis for recovery after treatment of the tumor. The long-term prognosis for visual recovery, however, is poor.
Historical legacies and the size of the red-brown vote in post-communist politics

Abstract In this paper I examine the relatively under-investigated topic of how historical legacies shaped the emergence of the “Red-brown” political tendency in East-Central Europe and the former Soviet Union – which is sometimes referred to as “National Bolshevism” or “National Communism” or “Strasserism.” More specifically I ask the question, how do historical legacies help explain why extreme right wing voters support the successors to the formerly dominant communist parties (or what I refer to as the “red-brown” vote)? I find that the most important legacy variable that affects the red brown phenomenon is the legacy of the previous communist regime.
Amplitude equations for SPDEs with cubic nonlinearities

For a quite general class of stochastic partial differential equations with cubic nonlinearities, we derive rigorously amplitude equations describing the essential dynamics using the natural separation of timescales near a change of stability. Typical examples are the Swift–Hohenberg equation, the Ginzburg–Landau (or Allen–Cahn) equation and some model from surface growth. We discuss the impact of degenerate noise on the dominant behaviour, and see that additive noise has the potential to stabilize the dynamics of the dominant modes. Furthermore, we discuss higher order corrections to the amplitude equation.
Telomeres, telomerase and plant development

Abstract Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures that cap the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. Almost all plant telomeres contain a characteristic heptanucleotide, TTTAGGG, repeated in a tandem array that extends for several kilobases. The length of the telomeric-DNA tract is dynamic, and subject to striking expansions and contractions that correlate with cellular differentiation. Telomeres are synthesized and maintained by the action of telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein with reverse transcriptase activity. Telomerase expression profiles mirror changes in telomere length, with the highest enzyme levels and telomere lengths associated with cells that have unlimited capacity for proliferation. The excitement of current research using Arabidopsis is that it is the first opportunity for studying the regulation of telomeres and telomerase in a genetically tractable, multicellular organism.
The reduction of nitric oxide with hydrogen on the Pt(111) surface

Abstract The reduction of nitric oxide with hydrogen was studied using steady-state reactivity measurements in the range 10 −9 to 10 −8 Torr on the Pt(111) surface over the temperature range 100 to 800 K. The reaction products observed were nitrogen, ammonia, and water. The platinum surface was characterized using low-energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, and thermal desorption. Adsorption and desorption of reactants and products were studied previously on the Pt(111) surface using thermal desorption spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Reduction of nitric oxide occurs rapidly above 400 K on this platinum surface. In excess nitric oxide the dominant product is molecular nitrogen. Below 550 K, in excess nitric oxide, the nitrogen product inhibits nitric oxide reduction. Above 550 K the dissociation of nitric oxide appears to limit both ammonia and nitrogen formation. In excess hydrogen, ammonia is the dominant product from 300 to 500 K; above about 500 K, nitrogen formation dominates the reaction. The formation of an ammonia-nitric oxide surface complex appears to inhibit ammonia formation in the region 300–400 K. Competition is observed between the two reaction branches in the 450- to 550-K regime suggesting a common precursor for both reaction pathways.
Dust motions in quasi-statically charged binary asteroid systems

In this paper, we discuss dust motion and investigate possible mass transfer of charged particles in a binary asteroid system, in which the asteroids are electrically charged due to solar radiation. The surface potential of the asteroids is assumed to be a piecewise function, with positive potential on the sunlit half and negative potential on the shadow half. We derive the nonautonomous equations of motion for charged particles and an analytic representation for their lofting conditions. Particle trajectories and temporary relative equilibria are examined in relation to their moving forbidden regions, a concept we define and discuss. Finally, we use a Monte Carlo simulation for a case study on mass transfer and loss rates between the asteroids.
IL-35 and Autoimmunity: a Comprehensive Perspective

Interleukin 35 (IL-35) is the most recently identi- fied member of the IL-12 family of cytokines and offers the potential to be a target for new therapies for autoimmune, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Similar to other members of the IL-12 family including IL-12, IL-23, and IL-27, IL-35 is composed of a heterodimer of αand βchains, which in the case of IL-35 are the p35 and Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3 (EBI3) proteins. However, unlike its proinflammatory relatives, IL-35 has immunosuppressive effects that are mediated through regulatory T and B cells. Although there are limited data avail- able regarding the role of IL-35 in human autoimmunity, several murine models of autoimmunity suggest that IL-35 may have potent effects in regulating immunoreactivity via IL-10- dependent mechanisms. We suggest that similar effects are op- erational in human disease and IL-35-directed therapies hold significant promise. In particular, we emphasize that IL-35 has immunosuppressive ability that are mediated via regulatory T and B cells that are IL-10 dependent. Further, although deletion of IL-35 does not result in spontaneous breach of tolerance, recombinant IL-35 can improve autoimmune responses in sev- eral experimental models.
A Factor Analysis of Global GABAergic Gene Expression in Human Brain Identifies Specificity in Response to Chronic Alcohol and Cocaine Exposure

Although expression patterns of GABAergic genes in rodent brain have largely been elucidated, no comprehensive studies have been performed in human brain. The purpose of this study was to identify global patterns of GABAergic gene expression in healthy adults, including trans and cis effects in the GABAA gene clusters, before determining the effects of chronic alcohol and cocaine exposure on gene expression in the hippocampus. RNA-Seq data from ‘BrainSpan’ was obtained across 16 brain regions from postmortem samples from nine adults. A factor analysis was performed on global expression of 21 GABAergic pathway genes. Factor specificity for response to chronic alcohol/cocaine exposure was subsequently determined from the analysis of RNA-Seq data from postmortem hippocampus of eight alcoholics, eight cocaine addicts and eight controls. Six gene expression factors were identified. Most genes loaded (≥0.5) onto one factor; six genes loaded onto two. The largest factor (0.30 variance) included the chromosome 5 gene cluster that encodes the most common GABAA receptor, α1β2γ2, and genes encoding the α3β3γ2 receptor. Genes within this factor were largely unresponsive to chronic alcohol/cocaine exposure. In contrast, the chromosome 4 gene cluster factor (0.14 variance) encoding the α2β1γ1 receptor was influenced by chronic alcohol/cocaine exposure. Two other factors (0.17 and 0.06 variance) showed expression changes in alcoholics/cocaine addicts; these factors included genes involved in GABA synthesis and synaptic transport. Finally there were two factors that included genes with exceptionally low (0.10 variance) and high (0.09 variance) expression in the cerebellum; the former factor was unaffected by alcohol/cocaine exposure. This study has shown that there appears to be specificity of GABAergic gene groups, defined by covariation in expression, for response to chronic alcohol/cocaine exposure. These findings might have implications for combating stress-related craving and relapse.
Selecting reference compounds for determining chemical speciation by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

X-ray absorption spectroscopy is often used for assessing the chemical speciation of metals in complex environmental matrices. The approach consists of performing spectral decompositions that rely on the selection of a suite of reference spectra representing the various coordination environments of the metal in the sample. From an experimental perspective, the quality of the data collected (that is the level of noise compared to the number of counts from the selected element) plays an important role in assessing the confidence of the speciation results. We present a method for the selection of an appropriate set of reference spectra based on the quantitative assessment of their interdependency. This method is illustrated in the case of the selection of reference spectra for performing nickel speciation.
A 75dB DR 50MHz BW 3 rd order CT-ΔΣ modulator using VCO-based integrators

A wide bandwidth, high sample rate 3 rd order continuous-time ΔΣ modulator using VCO-based integrators is presented. Non-idealities caused by VCOs at the modulator frontend are addressed using both circuit- and architecture-level techniques. Fabricated in 65 nm CMOS, the prototype modulator operates at 1.28 GS/s and achieves a dynamic range of 75 dB, SNR of 71 dB in 50 MHz bandwidth, while consuming 38 mW of total power.
Reliability of high performance standard two-edge and radiation hardened by design enclosed geometry transistors

It was recently shown that radiation hardened by design (RHBD) annular-gate MOSFETs not only provide totaldose radiation tolerance, but can also improve the hot-carrier reliability of advanced CMOS circuits. In this paper, the hotcarrier reliability of standard two-edge and enclosed geometry transistors intended for use in space and strategic environments is demonstrated. Hot-carrier reliability measurements on standard two-edge, standard enclosed, gate under-lap enclosed, and annular transistors fabricated in the same 90 nm high performance technology indicate an improvement in hot-carrier lifetime in the enclosed geometry and multi-finger transistor designs when compared to a conventional single stripe MOSFET. Two-dimensional device simulations, along with experimental measurements, provide physical insight into the reliability response of each device type.
Lubiprostone for Constipation in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: A Pilot Study

BackgroundConstipation is prevalent in the cystic fibrosis (CF) population and yet there are few data demonstrating the effectiveness of currently used treatments. Lubiprostone is a laxative that works by activating the type 2 chloride channel in the gastrointestinal tract and thus has the potential to be especially effective for constipation associated with CRObjective:To evaluate the effectiveness of lubiprostone for the treatment of constipation in adults with CF.Methods:In this pilot study, participants acted as their own controls and comparisons were made between run-in and treatment periods. During the 2-week run-in period, participants continued their usual treatment for constipation; during the 4-week treatment period, participants received lubiprostone 24 μg twice daily. Efficacy outcomes Included spontaneous bowel movement frequency, Bristol Stool Scale scores, and Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) survey scores. Outcomes were assessed during both the run-in and treatment per...
Transition metal-ligand bonding. II

The nature of the bonding of CO, H2O, and NH3 to transition metal atoms is analyzed using the constrained‐space‐orbital‐variation (CSOV) technique. The cooperative effects for Ni(CO)2 are found to be different than those for Ni(H2O)2. The bonding between neutral systems and the positive ions is found to be quite different; NiCO+ has little π bonding, while NiCO has strong π bonding. The positive ion of NiH2O is far more strongly bound than the neutral, while for NiCO the positive ion and neutral are bound by about the same energy.
Testing the circumstellar disc hypothesis: a search for H2 outflow signatures from massive young stellar objects with linearly distributed methanol masers

The results of a survey searching for outflows using near-infrared imaging are presented. Targets were chosen from a compiled list of massive young stellar objects associated with methanol masers in linear distributions. Presently, it is a widely held belief that these methanol masers are found in (and delineate) circumstellar accretion discs around massive stars. If this scenario is correct, one way to test the disc hypothesis is to search for outflows perpendicular to the methanol maser distributions. The main objective of the survey was to obtain wide-field near-infrared images of the sites of linearly distributed methanol masers using a narrow-band 2.12-µm filter. This filter is centred on the H2 v = 1‐0 S(1) line; a shock diagnostic that has been shown to successfully trace CO outflows from young stellar objects. 28 sources in total were imaged of which 18 sources display H2 emission. Of these, only two sources showed emission found to be dominantly perpendicular to the methanol maser distribution. Surprisingly, the H2 emission in these fields is not distributed randomly, but instead the majority of sources are found to have H2 emission dominantly parallel to their distribution of methanol masers. These results seriously question the hypothesis that methanol masers exist in circumstellar discs. The possibility that linearly distributed methanol masers are instead directly associated with outflows is discussed.
Constraints in the Application of Biotechnology to Cassava Production in Nigeria

Biotechnology has potential to enhance the production of agricultural and industrial products for achieving food security and economic development. In agriculture, biotechnology enhances the production of high yielding and disease resistance crops necessary for achieving food security and industrial development. This paper examines the constraints in the application of biotechnology research to the production of cassava in Nigeria. The study utilized primary data collected through questionnaire administration and interview from three research institutions working on cassava biotechnology in Nigeria. Findings showed that weak infrastructural facilities, poor funding, inadequate competent personnel and absence of appropriate legislation are the constraints in the application of biotechnology to cassava production in Nigeria. In addition, one out of the three research institutions has adequate and regular electricity supply through its own captive power plant while the remaining two research institutions relied more on electricity from the national grid. Inadequate funding and shortage of competent personnel were peculiar challenge confronting all the research institutions covered by the study. The study recommends improvement in electricity supply, production of more biotechnology scientists and adequate funding to enhance biotechnology research in Nigeria.
Expression of SORL1 and a novel SORL1 splice variant in normal and Alzheimers disease brain

Variations in sortilin-related receptor (SORL1) expression and function have been implicated in Alzheimers Disease (AD). Here, to gain insights into SORL1, we evaluated SORL1 expression and splicing as a function of AD and AD neuropathology, neural gene expression and a candidate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). To identify SORL1 splice variants, we scanned each of the 46 internal SORL1 exons in human brain RNA samples and readily found SORL1 isoforms that lack exon 2 or exon 19. Quantification in a case-control series of the more abundant isoform lacking exon 2 (delta-2-SORL1), as well as the "full-length" SORL1 (FL-SORL1) isoform containing exon 2 showed that expression of FL-SORL1 was reduced in AD individuals. Moreover, FL-SORL1 was reduced in cognitively intact individuals with significant AD-like neuropathology. In contrast, the expression of the delta-2-SORL1 isoform was similar in AD and non-AD brains. The expression of FL-SORL1 was significantly associated with synaptophysin expression while delta-2-SORL1 was modestly enriched in white matter. Lastly, FL-SORL1 expression was associated with rs661057, a SORL1 intron one SNP that has been associated with AD risk. A linear regression analysis found that rs661057, synaptophysin expression and AD neuropathology were each associated with FL-SORL1 expression. These results confirm that FL-SORL1 expression declines in AD and with AD-associated neuropathology, suggest that FL-SORL1 declines in cognitively-intact individuals with AD-associated neuropathology, identify a novel SORL1 splice variant that is expressed similarly in AD and non-AD individuals, and provide evidence that an AD-associated SNP is associated with SORL1 expression. Overall, these results contribute to our understanding of SORL1 expression in the human brain.
Network Modeling of Adult Neurogenesis: Shifting Rates of Neuronal Turnover Optimally Gears Network Learning according to Novelty Gradient

Apoptotic and neurogenic events in the adult hippocampus are hypothesized to play a role in cognitive responses to new contexts. Corticosteroid-mediated stress responses and other neural processes invoked by substantially novel contextual changes may regulate these processes. Using elementary three-layer neural networks that learn by incremental synaptic plasticity, we explored whether the cognitive effects of differential regimens of neuronal turnover depend on the environmental context in terms of the degree of novelty in the new information to be learned. In “adult” networks that had achieved mature synaptic connectivity upon prior learning of the Roman alphabet, imposition of apoptosis/neurogenesis before learning increasingly novel information (alternate Roman < Russian < Hebrew) reveals optimality of informatic cost benefits when rates of turnover are geared in proportion to the degree of novelty. These findings predict that flexible control of rates of apoptosis-neurogenesis within plastic, mature neural systems optimizes learning attributes under varying degrees of contextual change, and that failures in this regulation may define a role for adult hippocampal neurogenesis in novelty- and stress-responsive psychiatric disorders.
Online adaptive vector quantization with variable size codebook entries

Abstract We present a new image compression algorithm that employs some of the most successful approaches to adaptive lossless compression to perform adaptive online (single pass) vector quantization with variable size codebook entries. We have tested this algorithm with a host of standard test images (e.g., gray scale magazine images, medical images, space and scientific images, fingerprint images, and handwriting images) and with no prior knowledge of the data or training, for a given fidelity, the compression achieved typically equals or exceeds that of the JPEG standard. The only information that this algorithm needs in advance is the fidelity criterion. In addition, our algorithm is more flexible than standard VQ and provides tighter guarantees on fidelity.
The Soluble Proteome of the Drosophila Antenna

The olfactory system of Drosophila melanogaster is one of the best characterized chemosensory systems. Identification of proteins contained in the third antennal segment, the main olfactory organ, has previously relied primarily on immunohistochemistry, and although such studies and in situ hybridization studies are informative, they focus generally on one or few gene products at a time, and quantification is difficult. In addition, purification of native proteins from the antenna is challenging because it is small and encased in a hard cuticle. Here, we describe a simple method for the large-scale detection of soluble proteins from the Drosophila antenna by chromatographic separation of tryptic peptides followed by tandem mass spectrometry with femtomole detection sensitivities. Examination of the identities of these proteins indicates that they originate both from the extracellular perilymph and from the cytoplasm of disrupted cells. We identified enzymes involved with intermediary metabolism, proteins associated with regulation of gene expression, nucleic acid metabolism and protein metabolism, proteins associated with microtubular transport, 8 odorant-binding proteins, protective enzymes associated with antibacterial defense and defense against oxidative damage, cuticular proteins, and proteins of unknown function, which represented about one-third of all soluble proteins. The procedure described here opens the way for precise quantification of any target protein in the Drosophila antenna and should be readily applicable to antennae from other insects.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa alginate is refractory to Th1 immune response and impedes host immune clearance in a mouse model of acute lung infection

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic respiratory pathogen that accounts for most of the morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In CF-affected lungs, the bacteria undergo conversion from a non-mucoid to a non-tractable mucoid phenotype, due to overproduction of alginate. The effect of alginate production on pathogenicity was investigated by using an acute lung infection mouse model that compared a non-mucoid P. aeruginosa strain, PAO1, to its constitutive alginate-overproducing derivative, Alg+ PAOmucA22, and an alginate-defective strain, Alg− PAOalgD. Bacterial suspensions were instilled into the left bronchus and examined 24 and 48 h post-infection. The highest bacterial loads and the most severe lung pathology were observed with strain Alg− PAOalgD at 24 h post-infection, which may have been due to an increase in expression of bacterial elastase by the mutant. Significantly lower lung and spleen bacterial loads were found in the two non-mucoid (PAO1 and Alg− PAOalgD) groups, compared to the mucoid Alg+ PAOmucA22 group, between 24 and 48 h post-infection. The positive correlation between lung bacteriology and lung macroscopic pathology in the Alg+ PAOmucA22 group suggests that alginate production not only impedes pulmonary clearing, but also results in severe lung damage. Positive correlations between IL12 levels and lung macroscopic pathology, and between IL12 and IFN-γ levels in the Alg+ PAOmucA22 group, suggested a possible contribution of these pro-inflammatory cytokines to tissue damage. No significant differences were found between the three groups in lung cytokine responses at 24 or 48 h post-infection. However, on comparison within each group at 24 and 48 h post-infection, a significant increase in the pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ was observed. Higher ratios of IFN-γ/IL4 and IFN-γ/IL10, but lower IL10 levels, were also found in all three groups. These results indicate a Th1-predominated immune response in these animals. Such cytokine responses could have aided the clearance of non-mucoid P. aeruginosa, but were not sufficient to alleviate infection by the mucoid variants. Alginate production may promote survival and persistence of this pathogenic micro-organism in the lung.
Exercise performance in patients with pulmonary hypertension linked to cardiac magnetic resonance measures.

Background The 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) is a useful measure of functional class and has been shown to predict mortality in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Determinants of functional class in PH are incompletely understood. We hypothesized that cardiovascular structure and function, as determined by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, and cardiac hemodynamics, as determined by right heart catheterization (RHC), would predict 6MWD in adult patients with PH. Methods Forty-three patients (32 women) with PH underwent RHC, CMR and 6MWD testing within a 3-month period. The 6MWD was correlated with RHC and CMR variables using Spearman rho ( r ) coefficients. These relationships were further evaluated using linear regression analysis. Results Median 6MWD was 233.2 (interquartile range 161.6 to 338.4) meters. The 6MWD was correlated with pulmonary artery (PA) elasticity ( r = 0.42, p = 0.006), PA average blood flow velocity ( r = 0.38, p = 0.014), right ventricular stroke volume index (RVSVI; r = 0.41, p = 0.008), left ventricular SVI (LVSVI; r = 0.36, p = 0.018) and RV stroke work index (RVSWI; r = 0.37, p = 0.017). These associations remained significant after adjustment for age, gender, body mass index and the presence of lung disease. Exercise performance did not correlate with commonly measured indices such as ventricular volume, ejection fraction or pulmonary pressure. Conclusions Stroke volume index, PA elasticity and PA average blood flow velocity are novel CMR parameters associated with functional class in PH. CMR can provide insights into determinants of exercise performance and may be a useful tool to non-invasively monitor cardiovascular status in patients with PH.
Cytochrome P-450 pathway in acetylcholine-induced canine coronary microvascular vasodilation in vivo

In the canine coronary microcirculation, acetylcholine (ACh)-induced vasodilation of large (≥100 μm) epicardial arterioles (LgA), but not small (<100 μm) epicardial arterioles (SmA), is blocked by ...
Modal Interference in Vibration Tests

The paper is devoted to the dynamics of building structures excited by-sinusoidal excitation. The analysis indicates that the complicated response curves found for higher modes of some structures are a result of the interference of lower modes of vibration. A procedure is developed which enables the resonant frequency, mode shape and modal damping of the second mode to be recovered from steady-state response data when interference is present from the fundamental mode. This is a condition that has occurred in tests, and the procedure is applied to the second mode response of the Millikan Library Building to illustrate the method. The damping in the second mode is found to be about 3.7% of critical. The analysis also is generalized to apply to the response of higher modes of vibration with interference from any number of lower modes.
Toll pathway of host defense

Toll-like receptors are a family of pattern-recognition receptors of the innate immune system. TLRs recognize conserved products of microbial metabolism, such as lipo-polysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan, thus detecting the presence of microbial infection. Upon recognition of their ligands, TLRs induce signaling pathways that induce inflammation and initiate the immune responses directed at the invading pathogens. TLRs activate NF-kB and MAP kinase signaling pathways, as well as IRF-3/IFN-inducing pathways (in the case of TLR3 and TLR4). Different TLRs can engage distinct signaling pathways in order to induce the appropriate set of immune responses tailored to the nature of the infectious agents. The differential signaling is achieved, in part, by the use of several signaling adapter molecules, including MyD88, TIRAP and TRIF. Stimulation of TLRs by their cognate ligands can lead to direct activation of a variety of effector mechanisms of the innate immune system, including production of antimicrobial proteins and peptides, generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates, activation of phagocytes, etc. In addition to the induction of innate immune responses, TLRs play a critical role in the control of adaptive immunity. TLRs activate specialized antigen-presenting cells, dendritic cells (DCs), which in turn initiate T-cell activation. By inducing DC maturation, TLR signaling couples pathogen recognition with antigen presentation and expression of co-stimulatory signals. In addition, TLRs induce expression by DCs of a variety of cytokines and chemokines that participate in T-cell recruitment, activation and differentiation. We have recently demonstrated that, in addition to the control of co-stimulation, TLRs control T-cell activation by a different mechanism that has to do with regulation of regulatory T-cell (Tr cell) function. Tr cells play an essential role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance by suppressing activation of self-reactive T cells. Tr cells however do not interfere with the activation of T cells specific to pathogen-derived antigens. This is achieved, at least in part, by TLR-induced IL-6 production by DCs. IL-6, in turn, acts on T helper cells and renders them refractory to the suppressive effect of Tr cells. We believe that this mechanism plays a fundamental role in the control of immunity. The follow-up and several implications of these studies (especially for cancer vaccine design) will be presented and discussed at the meeting. This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity , a Cancer Research Institute journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research .
Ultrafast response of monolayer molybdenum disulfide photodetectors

The strong light emission and absorption exhibited by single atomic layer transitional metal dichalcogenides in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range make them attractive for optoelectronic applications. In this work, using two-pulse photovoltage correlation technique, we show that monolayer molybdenum disulfide photodetector can have intrinsic response times as short as 3 ps implying photodetection bandwidths as wide as 300 GHz. The fast photodetector response is a result of the short electron-hole and exciton lifetimes in this material. Recombination of photoexcited carriers in most two-dimensional metal dichalcogenides is dominated by nonradiative processes, most notable among which is Auger scattering. The fast response time, and the ease of fabrication of these devices, make them interesting for low-cost ultrafast optical communication links.
Modification of alkanethiolate monolayers by O(3P) atomic oxygen: effect of chain length and surface temperature.

We have conducted a comprehensive study of ground-state O(3P) atomic oxygen reactions with 1-hexadecanethiolate (CH3(CH2)15SH) and 1-undecanethiolate (CH3(CH2)10SH) self-assembled monolayers adsorbed onto Au/mica substrates, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and contact angle measurements. In general, the reactions are not limited to the terminal methyl groups. Apparently, the incident O(3P) (translational energy per atom of 0.11 kJ mol–1) can penetrate below the surface of the monolayer. The ability of the atoms to penetrate, and thus the reaction rate of the backbone −CH2–, is dependent upon both the temperature and the chain length, with the longer chain having a large difference between the rate at room temperature and 150 K. In particular, the long-chain SAM exhibits clearly reduced reactivity with respect to the incident beam of atomic oxygen when the film is cooled to 150 K as compared to room temperature. This is a notable finding an...
Palliative sedation: ethical perspectives from Latin America in comparison with European recommendations.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Palliative sedation is a standard procedure used in palliative care especially for patients at the very end of their lives, who are enduring otherwise intractable suffering. It consists of the administration of sedatives and, when necessary, other drugs, usually by infusion, either subcutaneously or intravenously, at the necessary rate to achieve the patient's relief, by means of reducing the consciousness of the patient. If this administration is not discontinued, the usual outcome is the patient's death. So, the most frequent criticisms regarding the procedure are those that consider it as a form of euthanasia. The intention of the review is analyzing the status questionis in Europe and Latin America. RECENT FINDINGS Current thinking and research about this issue refers especially to the terminology, the boundaries between palliative sedation and slow euthanasia, especially in pediatric settings, the lacking of precise definition for concepts such as refractory symptoms and unbearable suffering, and the place for existential suffering in this context; the ethical positioning of Latin-American normative and authors is similar to that of Europe. SUMMARY It does not seem that solution to the conflicting points will come from better guidelines or more experts' meetings. Instead, efforts should be directed to reinforce moral, professional integrity, within the framework of an ethics of virtue, as inherent to palliative care. Such ethics can effectively be taught and infused, and then required to all healthcare professionals.
A case of ST elevation myocardial infarction immediately following OHT with a 28-year-old donor heart

A 55-year-old man who received elective orthotopic heart transplantation with a 28-year-old donor heart was found to have ST elevation on the monitor, noticed by nursing staff on telemetry, the morning following surgery. A 12-lead ECG confirmed a current of injury in the anterior, apical, inferior and lateral leads (figure 1). The patient was taken immediately to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Coronary angiogram showed total thrombotic occlusion of mid left anterior descending (LAD) artery (video 1). Stenting of the mid LAD artery was necessary after four runs of aspiration thrombectomy and …
Reading ‘Class’ in International Law The Labor Question in Interwar Egypt

While critical histories of international law on the interwar period have focused primarily on nationalism, early conceptions of the right to self-determination, and the dynamic of cultural differe...
MODULATION OF GROWTH FACTOR AND CYTOKINE-INDUCED INCREASES IN T84 CELL MONOLAYER PERMEABILITY BY MEDIA COMPONENTS

Previous studies have shown that insulin, insulin-like growth factors, and interferon-gamma cause an increase the paracellular permeability across T84 human colonic epithelial cell monolayers. The striking similarity in the time course and the structural changes in the actin cytoskeleton prompted us to test whether these factors influenced the paracellular permeability by a common mechanism. T84 cell monolayers were grown in variously modified media, and the effect of all three factors was tested by measuring the conductance of monolayers mounted in Ussing chambers. Media additions or deletions that modify cellular carbohydrate metabolism markedly influenced the response to all these peptides. In particular, the increase in conductance produced by each of the three peptides was 1) inhibited by addition of short-chain fatty acids, principally n-butyrate and propionate; 2) attenuated by the replacement of media glucose with slowly metabolized and nonmetabolized sugars; 3) potentiated by decreasing the media iron concentration; and 4) inhibited by increasing the media iron concentration. The effects of short-chain fatty acids, glucose, and iron were all shown to be dose dependent. In addition, the ability of high media iron to prevent the increase in permeability caused by all three factors was shown to require ambient oxygen. Together, these results strongly suggest that insulin, insulin-like growth factors, and interferon-gamma increase the permeability across T84 cell monolayers through a common mechanism that is modulated by glucose-derived metabolites and oxidative metabolism.
Spectral form and duration as cues in the recognition of English and German vowels.

Pairs of short and long vowels, such as English / / and /3: / as in shut vs. shirt, differ from each other in both spectral form and duration. Experiments were carried out on two such pairs of English vowels and two pairs of German vowels, using synthetic speech, in order to assess the relative importance of the two cues in the discrimination of the vowels. The results confirmed the hypothesis that the importance of the duration cue is inversely proportional to the distance between the qualities of a given pair of vowels. The results showed in addition that spectral form is in general more important than duration in vowel recognition in both English and German, since it is only when two vowels are very close in quality that the duration cue is more important for their discrimination.To examine the possibility that the different linguistic background of speakers of English and German might influence the amount of attention they devote to spectral form and duration, English and German subjects were presente...
Dimensionless Groups and Generalized Solutions

Publisher Summary This chapter describes some physical quantities involved in the dimensionless groups. The fluid pumping power is proportional to the pressure drop in the fluid across the heat exchanger. The pressure drop in fully developed flow is caused by the wall shear. In the developing flow, however, it results from the wall shear and also the change in momentum flow rate as the velocity profile develops. In the hydrodynamic entrance region, pressure drops result from the wall shear and the change in momentum flow rate across the two relevant duct sections. For the case of fully developed flow through a duct, the velocity profile is invariant across any flow cross section. Consequently, the wall shear stress does not change axially, and the average friction factor is the same as the local friction factor for that part of the duct beyond the hydrodynamic entry length.
Henry VI, Part Three

After Jack Cade’s barbaric destructiveness in Part 2, a bloodier and more anarchic sequel seems at first unimaginable, but as Edgar in King Lear tells us, “The worst is not So long as we can say ‘This is the worst’” (IV.1.28). From the entrance of the bloody Yorks to the on-stage murder of Henry VI, 3 Henry VI relentlessly explores “the worst”: the absolute nadir of the English past, the grotesque brutalities of the War of the Roses. The law of the scabbard leads to the bloodbath of a civil war, not only with the inevitability of a cynical power politics of naked force but also with a metaphysical certainty through which the actively destructive energies of chaos reveal their own perverted (and even in its own way artistic) compulsion to shatter all bonds of order.1 Not simply a passive condition in which order is absent nor a totally unpredictable and unheeding urge to set all things at strife, chaos forms part of the paradoxical metaphysics of the natural and the social mystery, and its energies cause the absoluteness with which we regard the oppositions of order/anarchy, natural/unnatural, and so on to collapse upon themselves. In political terms, the dogs of war have been unleashed and there’s no getting them back into the kennel; in physical terms, man is carried along in his precarious existence by the gales and tides of fortune’s tempests.
Vertical cavity lasers for datalinks

The commercialization of vertical cavity lasers (VCSELs) forces rethinking the optimum choice of wavelength and sources for data link market segments. These choices will be reviewed. In this paper I would like to make a few comments about the 850 versus 980 nm VCSEL choice. Within the standard's decision process all major arguments are based on technical criteria but decisions are not entirely made based on technical merits. Companies participating in the standards process realize the commercial benefit of a standard but also realize that each company is maneuvering the decisions to enhance its ability to compete.
6.15 Self-Healing Composite Materials

This chapter discusses the current status of self-healing composite materials. Self-healing materials are capable of responding to mechanical damage by initiating a self-repair mechanism, similar to a biological entity. These materials are classified into two broad categories, both of which are reviewed. Extrinsic self-healing materials are synthesized through the addition of a second or third material phase that provides the self-healing capability. Intrinsic self-healing materials have the ability to self-repair built into the material at the molecular level. Both material types can also be further classified into those that require no intervention to complete healing and those that require additional energetic input to complete healing. The mechanisms and performance of these materials are critically discussed in the context of long term success.