cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transgenic mice possessing increased numbers of nociceptors do not exhibit increased behavioral sensitivity in models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain

Abstract At least two classes of nociceptors can be distinguished based on their growth factor requirements: glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)- and nerve growth factor (NGF)-dependent primary afferent neurons. Based on numerous anatomical and biochemical differences, GDNF- and NGF-dependent neurons have been proposed to be involved in the development of different types of persistent pain. To examine this hypothesis we used two lines of transgenic mice that contained a supernormal number of either NGF- or GDNF-dependent neurons (referred to as NGF-OE and GDNF-OE mice, respectively). These mice were tested in a model of inflammatory pain (induced by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant) and neuropathic pain (using a spinal nerve ligation protocol). Contrary to expectations, neither line of transgenic mice became more hyperalgesic following induction of persistent pain. In fact, NGF-OE mice recovered more rapidly and became hypoalgesic despite extensive paw swelling in the inflammatory pain model. In the neuropathic pain model, only wildtype mice became hyperalgesic. Real-time PCR analysis showed that the NGF-OE and GDNF-OE mice exhibited changes in neuronal-specific mRNAs in the dorsal root ganglia but not the spinal cord dorsal horn. These results indicate that increasing the number of nociceptors results in potent compensatory mechanisms that may begin with changes in the sensory neurons themselves.
Effect of darkness on isoperoxidases in tobacco tissue cultures

Abstract In order to study the effect of light on the tobacco tissue culture WR-132, 5 passages (10 days' growth per passage) of these cells were grown in darkness, and 3 passages were separately grown in intense light (16000 lx). All other growth conditions were the same. The resulting isoperoxidase patterns present in these cells and in their growth media were analyzed at 2-day intervals during this period and then compared with the isoperoxidase patterns of cells grown under dim light conditions (10 lx). A new cathodic isoperoxidase ( C n ) appeared in the medium within 2 days after the cells were placed in the dark. C n was present in all media of WR-132 cell cultures analyzed throughout the 5 passages grown in darkness. The fifth passage in darkness produced total cessation of growth (apparent death). C n increased and new anodic isoperoxidases A a , A b , A d and A e appeared in the media as the cells approached death in darkness.
An open hypothesis: Is epilepsy learned, and can it be unlearned?

Plasticity is central to the ability of a neural system to learn and also to its ability to develop spontaneous seizures. What is the connection between the two? Learning itself is known to be a destabilizing process at the algorithmic level. We have investigated necessary constraints on a spontaneously active Hebbian learning system and find that the ability to learn appears to confer an intrinsic vulnerability to epileptogenesis on that system. We hypothesize that epilepsy arises as an abnormal learned response of such a system to certain repeated provocations. This response is a network-level effect. If epilepsy really is a learned response, then it should be possible to reverse it, that is, to unlearn epilepsy. Unlearning epilepsy may then provide a new approach to its treatment.
The Self‐Study as a Chariot for Strategic Change

Meaningful change through the self-study process requires both agreement about the mission of the institution and an understanding of faculty and administrative culture.
A Pilot Clinical Trial of Oral Pentosan Polysulfate And Oral Hydroxyzine in Patients With Interstitial Cystitis

ABSTRACTPurpose: This pilot study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of a multicenter, randomized, clinical trial in interstitial cystitis (IC). Secondary objectives were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), hydroxyzine, and the combination to consider their use in a larger randomized clinical trial.Materials and Methods: A 2 × 2 factorial study design was used to evaluate PPS and hydroxyzine. Participants met the National Institutes of Health-National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases criteria for IC and reported at least moderate pain and frequency for a minimum of 6 months before study entry. The primary end point was a patient reported global response assessment. Secondary end points included validated symptom indexes and patient reports of pain, urgency and frequency. The target sample size was 136 participants recruited during 10 months.Results: A total of 121 (89% of goal) participants were randomized over 18 months and 79% prov...
Luminescence of dimethylgallium(III) azide.

Dimethylgallium azide, Me2GaN3, is luminescent at low temperature as a polycrystalline solid and in frozen organic glasses. The spectra are very similar in the two media. In the polycrystalline solid, Me2GaN3 is a polymer. The solid-state and solution Raman vibrational spectra show no major changes in the vibrational frequencies. The luminophores are probably moderate chain length oligomers in the frozen glass and polymers in polycrystalline solids. The emission is assigned to azide to gallium charge trasfer with some metal-centered contribution.
Littoral-zone influences on particulate organic matter composition along the freshwater-tidal Hudson River, New York

A multi-tracer approach was applied to particulate organic material (POM) biogeochemistry along a 165-km transect of the freshwater-tidal portion of the Hudson River estuary (HRE). Elemental carbon and nitrogen, stable isotopes, chlorophyll a, and lignin phenols were measured monthly at a mid-estuary station from August to November 2007, and monthly at the same station and 3–5 additional stations in 2008. POM at stations proximal to major tidal wetland and aquatic vegetation (WETAV) zones showed ∼ 2‰ higher carbon isotopic signature of particulate organic carbon (δ13CPOC), ∼ 3‰ higher nitrogen isotopic signature of particulate nitrogen (δ15NPN), elevated chlorophyll a levels, and up to 3-fold increases in Λ8-lignin phenols indicative of relatively fresh plant matter. This prominent shift in POM composition suggests that WETAV areas supply compositionally unique organic matter along the HRE, especially during low flow. Based on shifts in geochemical tracers downstream of the largest WETAV zone, this POM appears to be readily incorporated, metabolized, and/or deposited to bed sediments. Despite representing < 1% of the drainage basin area, WETAV zones supply distinctive POM that could serve as a resource to estuarine metabolism. This highlights the importance of littoral zones in providing POM subsidies to tidally influenced rivers, perhaps to the same degree as lowland rivers and their seasonally connected floodplains.
Oxygen isotope studies of carbonaceous chondrites

Abstract The carbonaceous chondrites display the widest range of oxygen isotopic composition of any meteorite group, as a consequence of the interaction of primordial isotopic reservoirs in the solar nebula. These isotopic variations can be used to identify the reservoirs and to determine conditions and loci of their interactions. We present a comprehensive set of whole-rock analyses of CV, CO, CK, CM, CR, CH, and CI chondrites, as well as selected components of some of these meteorites. A simple model is developed which describes the isotopic behavior during parent-body aqueous alteration processes. The process of thermal dehydration also produces a recognizable effect in the oxygen isotopic composition.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear in a cat

Squamous cell carcinoma of the middle ear and tympanic bulla was diagnosed in a 13-year-old cat. This is the first report of squamous cell carcinoma in this location in a cat.
Oscillating solutions of the Falkner-Skan equation for negative b

The Falkner–Skan equation results from an appropriate similarity substitution in the Prandtl boundary layer equations. New solutions are found analytically, including a periodic solution and many solutions which oscillate a finite number of times and then tend to a limit.
Evidence for a ‘Paravascular’ fluid circulation in the mammalian central nervous system, provided by the rapid distribution of tracer protein throughout the brain from the subarachnoid space

The protein tracer, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was infused into the lateral cerebral ventricles or subarachnoid space of anesthetized cats and dogs after insertion of a cisternal cannula to permit drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and tracer solution. The intracerebral distribution of the tracer was then determined by light microscopy of serial brain sections after postinfusion intervals of 4 min-2 h. For the localization of HRP, sections were incubated with diaminobenzidine (DAB) or the much more sensitive chromogen, tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The TMB reaction showed a consistent 'paravascular' distribution of tracer reaction product, within the perivascular spaces (PVS) around large penetrating vessels and in the basal laminae around capillaries, far beyond the termination of the PVS. After infusion of HRP over 4 min, arterioles were surrounded by the tracer, but capillaries and venules were usually less densely demarcated; by 6 min, however, the intraparenchymal microvasculature was outlined in toto throughout the forebrain and brainstem. Electron microscopy of sections incubated in DAB after 10 or 20 min HRP circulation confirmed the paravascular location of the reaction product, which was also dispersed throughout the extracellular spaces (ECS) of the adjacent parenchyma. Our results demonstrate that solutes in the CSF have access to the ECS throughout the neuraxis within minutes via fluid pathways paralleling the intraparenchymal vasculature. The rapid paravascular influx of HRP could be prevented by stopping or diminishing the pulsations of the cerebral arteries by aortic occlusion or by partial ligation of the brachiocephalic artery. The exchange of solutes between the CSF and the cerebral ECS has generally been attributed to diffusion, however, HRP enters the neuraxis along the intraparenchymal microvasculature far more rapidly than can be explained on this basis. This apparent convective tracer influx may be facilitated by transmission of the pulsations of the cerebral arteries to the microvasculature. We postulate that a fluid circulation through the CNS occurs via paravascular pathways.
Doppler broadening of positron annihilation photons in metals

The Doppler broadening of positron annihilation photons was measured in 17 metals. A model which considers the positron lifetime spectra in metals to be composed of terms for annihilation with conduction and core electrons and surface centers of low electron momentum is used to correlate calculated core annihilation rates with the Doppler lineshape. Ta metal was doped with defects with high energy implantations of14N+4 ions at variable doses. Differences in the Doppler linewidths were ascribed as being principally a reflection of the probabilty of annihilation with core electrons relative to annihilation with conduction electrons.
Sildenafil-nitric oxide donor combination promotes ventricular tachyarrhythmias in the swine right ventricle

We tested the hypothesis that sildenafil, singly or in combination with nitric oxide (NO) donors, promotes ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). Vulnerability to VT/VF was...
Planning in interplanetary space: theory and practice

On May 17th 1999, NASA activated for the first time an AI-based planner/scheduler running on the flight processor of a spacecraft. This was part of the Remote Agent Experiment (RAX), a demonstration of closed-loop planning and execution, and model-based state inference and failure recovery. This paper describes the RAX Planner/Scheduler (RAX-PS), both in terms of the underlying planning framework and in terms of the fielded planner. RAX-PS plans are networks of constraints, built incrementally by consulting a model of the dynamics of the spacecraft. The RAX-PS planning procedure is formally well defined and can be proved to be complete. RAX-PS generates plans that are temporally flexible, allowing the execution system to adjust to actual plan execution conditions without breaking the plan. The practical aspect, developing a mission critical application, required paying attention to important engineering issues such as the design of methods for programmable search control, knowledge acquisition and planner validation. The result was a system capable of building concurrent plans with over a hundred tasks within the performance requirements of operational, mission-critical software.
RFLP-based genetic map of the homoeologous group 3 chromosomes of wheat and rye.

Genetic maps of chromosomes 3A, 3B and 3D of wheat and 3R of rye were developed using 22 DNA probes and two isozyme marker systems. Analysis of the 49 loci mapped showed extreme clustering around the centromere in all four maps, with large 'gaps' in the distal chromosome regions, which is interpreted as being due to strong localisation of recombination towards the ends of the wheat and rye chromosomes. In the centromeric regions gene orders are highly conserved between the three wheat genomes and the rye genome. However, the unpredictable behaviour of the DNA clones that map in distal chromosome locations may indicate that the genomes are diverging most rapidly in the regions of higher recombination. A comparison of cDNA and genomic probes showed the latter to be much more efficient for revealing RFLP. Some classes of gDNA clones, i.e. chromosome-specific sequences and those hybridizing in a non-homoeologous manner, were seen to be most polymorphic. Correlations between map locations and RFLP levels showed no clear relationship. In addition to anonymous DNA clones, the locations of known function clones, sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase (XSbp), carboxypeptidase I (XCxp1) and a bZIP protein (XEmbp), were ascertained along with those for two isozyme loci, Mal-1 and Est-5.
ACID PRECIPITATION EFFECTS ON SOIL pH AND BASE SATURATION OF EXCHANGE SITES

The typical values and probable ranges of acid-precipitation are evaluated in terms of their theoretical effects on pH and cation exchange equilibrium of soils characteristic of the humid temperature region. The extent of probable change in soil pH and the time required to cause such a change are calculated for a range of common soils. Hydrogen ion input by acid precipitation is compared to cation inputs from nutrient cycling and other sources. For example it can be calculated that 100 yr of acid precipitation (10000 cm at pH 4.0) could be expected to shift the percentage base saturation in the top 20 cm of a typical midwestern forest soil location exchange capacity of 20 meq 100 g−1 downward 20%, thus lowering the pH of the Al horizon by approximately 0.6 units, if there are no countering inputs of basic materials.
Pressure dependence of the elastic constants of RbCl, RbBr and RbI

Abstract The single crystal elastic constants of RbCl, RbBr and RbI at 25°C have been measured by using the ultrasonic pulse superposition technique up to pressures of 4.5, 3.7 and 3 kbar, respectively. A small, but statistically significant deviation from a linear pressure dependence was found. The first and second pressure derivatives were determined and were found to agree quite well with theoretical values which are calculated from an interatomic potential consisting of Coulomb, van der Waals and Born-Mayer type repulsive forces between first and second nearest neighbors. The isothermal equation of state is calculated from the Murnaghan approximation and compared with piezometric data of Bridgman. The Grueneisen parameter and its first pressure derivative were calculated from the elastic data in the approximation of the anisotropic elastic continuum model and agree moderately well with the corresponding thermal values.
Influence of carrying a backpack on pelvic tilt, rotation, and obliquity in female college students

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of different methods of backpack carriage on pelvic tilt, obliquity and rotation of college-age females. Thirty subjects (mean age 22.4 years) participated in three conditions: walking without a backpack, carrying a backpack unilaterally, and carrying a backpack over both shoulders. The backpack was loaded with material that comprised 15% of the subject's body weight. Gait was analyzed using the Oxford Metrics™ VICON Clinical Manager system while the subject walked with no backpack, with a backpack unilaterally and bilaterally. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to determine differences in angular motion and range of motion in pelvic tilt, rotation, and obliquity in three complete trials during the three walking conditions. Angular pelvic tilt was greatest with bilateral backpack carriage compared to unilateral carriage or walking without a backpack. Angles of pelvic obliquity and rotation were not changed across the three walking conditions. Range of motion for pelvic obliquity and rotation was significantly decreased when walking with a backpack. These results suggest that backpack carriage could cause permanent posture deviations in young female college students. More study is required to evaluate compressive forces during various walking conditions.
Planned attitude change while teaching computer literacy

All instruction, no matter how technical, has goals beyond its basic cognitive context. Attitudes and other traits are often as important as technical knowledge. The student needs a positive attitude to deal effectively with complex computer applications and should have a balanced view of the opportunities and dangers presented by the use of computers. The basic conjecture of this report is that within the environment of a computer literacy classroom student attitudes can be analyzed and systematically changed. The procedure described involves an attitude measuring instrument which was used to design specific instructional activities with well defined goals.
Reference Transactions Analysis: The Cost-Effectiveness of Staffing a Traditional Academic Reference Desk

This study categorizes 6959 reference desk transactions to determine how many of the queries require the attention of a librarian. Results indicate that 89% could likely be answered by non-librarians. From the results of this and other studies, the author explores the cost-effectiveness of staffing a traditional reference desk with librarians.
The Predictive Value of Haller Index in Patients Undergoing Pectus Bar Repair for Pectus Excavatum

Background The Haller index (HI) remains the standard metric to quantify the severity of pectus excavatum deformity. However, little data exist to determine how well this parameter correlates with the difficulty or early outcomes of repair. Methods The study population was comprised of all patients who underwent pectus bar repair for pectus excavatum on whom adequate preoperative images on computed tomography allowed for Haller index calculation, from December 1999 to February 2010. Patients with two bars placed for repair were excluded. All images were reviewed blinded to outcome and Haller index was calculated. Pearson’s correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between age, length of operation, postoperative complications, and length of hospitalization. The correlations were performed on the entire population and then individual age groups analyzed: 5–11 y, 12–16 y, and over 17 y. Two-tailed P values were determined from the correlation coefficient and significance was defined as P ≤ 0.05. Results HI was available for 262 patients. There were 66 patients aged 5–11 y, 165 patients aged 12–16 years, and 30 patients over 17 y. The population was 80% male. In the entire population, there was a small correlation between postoperative pneumothorax and HI (R = 0.131, P = 0.05). There was no correlation between age, operative time, postoperative bar infection, or length of stay. No significant correlations existed in any of the individual age groups. Conclusion The Haller index holds no correlation with age, operative time, postoperative bar infection, or length of stay.
Experimental and Theoretical Nuclear Level Densities

In this talk, I will deal mainly with the experimental aspects of the nuclear level density, emphasizing the various methods and techniques employed in the determination of nuclear level densities. The evaluation and analysis of experimental data have been performed traditionally on the basis of the Fermi gas independent-particle level density formula based on Bethels theory1,2,3,4).
Optimizing the weight loss-on-ignition methodology to quantify organic and carbonate carbon of sediments from diverse sources.

The sequential weight loss-on-ignition (WLOI) method for determination of organic and carbonate or inorganic carbon (C) content was evaluated on sediments from diverse sources with a great range of C contents. The sediments were collected from canal, wetland, river, estuary, lake, and marine sites. The organic and inorganic C contents of these samples ranged from 1 to 430 g kg − 1 and from 4 to 97 g kg − 1, respectively. Combinations of the combustion time and temperature and optimal weight ranges of representative samples were tested, and comparisons of the WLOI method with other methods, including dry combustion and wet combustion, were made. These methods were (1) use of the carbon–nitrogen–sulfur (CNS) autoanalyzer with normal and reduced temperatures for total and organic C, (2) thermogravimetry for both organic and inorganic C, (3) use of the CNS autoanalyzer after removal of inorganic (carbonate) C by fumigating samples with concentrated HCl for organic C, (4) Walkley–Black wet combustion method for organic C, and (5) pressure-calcimeter associated with subtraction method (total C minus inorganic C) for organic C determinations. The results of analyzing samples of sediments of diverse origins showed that the optimal combination of temperature and time of WLOI depended mostly on the sources of the analyzed sediment. The WLOI analysis of sediment samples for organic C from wetlands, canal, estuary, or river sites needed a relatively low temperature but that of sediment samples from lake and marine sites required a relatively high temperature. Overall, to obtain reliable analysis results of samples from widely varied sediment sources except marine sediments, 500°C for 12 h was optimal for organic C content determination, and 800°C for yet another 12 h was optimal for inorganic C content determination. The temperature could even be reduced to 475°C if only wetland and stream sediments were included, but for marine sediments, 550°C for 12 h was necessary. Precise C content determinations for most sediment sources could be obtained by WLOI when sample quantities ranged from 2.0 to 4.0 g. The WLOI method, when conducted properly, resulted in precise measurements of C contents in “standard samples” used for calibration, and these values were closely comparable to results obtained with other dry combustion methods (R 2 ≥ 0.96). We conclude that WLOI, which has advantages of simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and no waste disposal over other methods, can provide precise measurements of organic and inorganic C contents in sediments from a wide range of sources, but the selection of heating temperature and exposure time should be carefully considered based on sediment sources.
Adaptive concurrent multi-level model for multi-scale analysis of ductile fracture in heterogeneous aluminum alloys

This paper creates a novel adaptive multi-level modeling framework for rate-dependent ductile fracture of heterogeneous aluminum alloys with non-uniform microstructures. The microstructure of aluminum alloys is characterized by a dispersion of brittle heterogeneities such as silicon and intermetallics in a ductile aluminum matrix. These microstructural heterogeneities affect their failure properties like ductility in an adverse manner. The multi-level model invokes two-way coupling, viz. homogenization for upscaled constitutive modeling, and top-down scale-transition in regions of localization and damage. Adaptivity is necessary for incorporating continuous changes in the computational model as a consequence of evolving microstructural deformation and damage. The macroscopic finite element analysis in regions of homogeneity incorporates homogenization-based continuum rate-dependent plasticity-damage (HCPD) models. Transcending scales is required in regions of high macroscopic gradients caused by underlying localized plasticity and damage. Complete microscopic analysis using the LE-VCFEM is conducted in these regions, which follow the growth of microscopic voids and cracking to cause local ductile fracture. The macroscopic and microscopic simulations are done concurrently in a coupled manner. Physics-based level change criteria are developed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the model. Numerical simulations are conducted for validations and ductile fracture in a real microstructure is demonstrated.
Isolation of the latent precursor complex in electron-transfer dynamics. Intermolecular association and self-exchange with acceptor anion radicals.

Transient [1:1] complexes formed in the bimolecular interactions of electron acceptors (A) with their reduced anion radicals (A-•) are detected and characterized in solution for the first time. The recognition of such metastable intermediates as the heretofore elusive precursor complex (A2-•) in electron-transfer processes for self-exchange allows the principal parameters λ (Marcus reorganization energy) and HDA (electronic coupling element) to be experimentally determined from the optical (charge-transfer) transitions inherent to these intermolecular complexes. The satisfactory correspondence of the theoretically predicted with the experimentally observed rate constants validates these ET parameters and the Marcus−Hush−Sutin methodology for strongly coupled redox systems lying in the (Robin-Day) Class II category. Most importantly, the marked intermolecular electronic interaction (HDA) within these precursor complexes must be explicitly recognized, since it dramatically affects the electron-transfer dyna...
Development of an Effective Palladium Removal Process for VEGF Oncology Candidate AG13736 and a Simple, Efficient Screening Technique for Scavenger Reagent Identification

AG13736 (Axitinib), an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under investigation as an oncology drug, is currently manufactured via a three-step process that utilizes two palladium-mediated cross-couplings. Historically, removal of residual heavy metals from the active pharmaceutical ingredient has been a persistent issue. The development of a much improved process for palladium removal and a useful screening technique developed to rapidly identify the most efficient reagents for this purpose are outlined. The performance of the new endgame process in pilot-plant scale-up is also discussed.
AN EXTENSION OF CART'S PRUNING ALGORITHM

Among the computer-based methods used for the construction of trees such as AID, THAID, CART and FACT, the only one that uses an algorithm that first grows a tree and then prunes the tree is CART. The pruning component of CART is analogous in spirit to the backward elimination approach in regression analysis. This idea provides a tool in controling the tree sizes to some extent and thus estimating the prediction error by the tree within a certain range of tree size. In the CART pruning process, Breiman, Friedman, Olshen, and Stone (1984) use a linear combination of the expected loss of the decisions by the tree and the total number of the terminal nodes of the tree. In this paper, CART's pruning is extended by considering a function of all the nodes of the tree in addition to the factors involved in the linear combination. For example, if we consider the cost of observing a variable at each node as is the main concern of this paper, or the structural complexity of the tree, we can see such an extention.
Model for lithium intercalation into TiS2

Abstract By assuming that the presence of a Li+ ion in the van der Waals gap between two conducting TiS2 layers induces electronic charges in the layers, a semi-atomistic model was developed to explain the expansion of the c-axis of LixTiS2 and the decrease of the open circuit voltage of a Li-LixTiS2 cell, E(x), with increasing Li+ concentration. The results suggest that (1) only the six S atoms adjacent to the Li+ ion are displaced by its intercalation, and (2) the almost linear decrease of E(x) with increasing x can be explained with a double-layer capacitance of about 260 μF/cm2 between the Li+ ion layer and the adjacent TiS2 layers. It is shown that the discreteness of the charge on the Li+ ions is important in determining the values of the double-layer capacitance.
Analysis of diversity of T cell antigen receptor genes using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing gel electrophoresis.

Abstract A sensitive, highly resolvable, and quantitative method was designed to analyse the diversity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified transcripts which possess length polymorphism. A reverse transcriptase-PCR technique was used to amplify rearranged T cell antigen receptor (TCR) transcripts isolated from human blood. Oligonucleotide primers specific for conserved TCR V and C region sequences were used in PCR, with one of the primers end-labeled with 32 P. Amplified cDNA products were analyzed by polyacrylamide sequencing gel electrophoresis with an M13mp18 sequencing ladder as a size marker. 32 P-labeled products were detected by either autoradiography or PhosphorImager. The method allowed determination of the sizes of PCR products with the precision of one nucleotide. The resolution using this technique was much higher than by electrophoresis in agarose gel with ethidium bromide staining. The sizes of PCR products determined by sequencing gel electrophoresis were consistent with the lengths of nucleotide sequences obtained after subcloning PCR products in competent bacterial cells. Analysis of PCR products by sequencing gel electrophoresis was more rapid and as accurate as nucleotide sequence analysis in determining the relative ratios of TCR mRNA in mixtures of T cell clones. The method is applicable for analysis of both rearranged TCR and immunoglobulin genes.
GLOBALIZING CHRISTOLOGY: JESUS CHRIST IN WORLD RELIGIOUS CONTEXT

Book reviewed in this article: FIDELITY WITH PLAUSIBILITY: MODEST CHRISTOLOGIES IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY By Wesley J. Wildman CHRISTOLOGY IN CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE: MARKING OUT THE HORIZONS By Colin J. D. Greene JESUS THE SAVIOR: THE MEANING OF JESUS CHRIST FOR CHRISTIAN FAITH By William C. Placher JESUS: SYMBOL OF GOD By Roger Haight THE FIRSTBORN OF MANY: A CHRISTOLOGY FOR CONVERTING CHRISTIANS By Donald L. Gelpi SYMBOLS OF JESUS: A CHRISTOLOGY OF SYMBOLIC ENGAGEMENT By Robert Cummings Neville LIBERATING CHRIST: EXPLORING THE CHRISTOLOGIES OF CONTEMPORARY LIBERATION MOVEMENTS By Lisa Isherwood THE MANY FACES OF CHRIST By Tyron Inbody IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS: A DIALOGICAL CHRISTOLOGY By David Jensen THE CONTEMPORARY JESUS By Thomas J. J. Altizer
Roads on the U.S. National Forests An Analysis of Public Attitudes, Beliefs, and Values Expressed in the News Media

Public attitudes, beliefs, and underlying values about roads on the U.S. national forests expressed in more than 4,000 on-line news stories during a 3-year period are analyzed by using computer methods. The belief that forest roads provide access for recreation was expressed most frequently, accounting for about 40% of all beliefs expressed. The belief that roads cause ecological damage was the second-most prominent belief. The volume and nature of media debate about forest roads changed in the third quarter of 1997 due to narrowly defeated proposals in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to make major cuts in spending on roads. During this quarter, the belief that road building on the national forests is a subsidy to the timber industry was expressed most frequently. Implications for developing a transportation policy for the national forests that more accurately reflects current social attitudes, beliefs, and values are discussed.
A Plaidoyer for ‘Systems Immunology’

Summary: A complete understanding of the immune system will ultimately require an integrated perspective on how genetic and epigenetic entities work together to produce the range of physiologic and pathologic behaviors characteristic of immune function. The immune network encompasses all of the connections and regulatory associations between individual cells and the sum of interactions between gene products within a cell. With 30 000+ protein-coding genes in a mammalian genome, further compounded by microRNAs and yet unrecognized layers of genetic controls, connecting the dots of this network is a monumental task. Over the past few years, high-throughput techniques have allowed a genome-scale view on cell states and cell- or system-level responses to perturbations. Here, we observe that after an early burst of enthusiasm, there has developed a distinct resistance to placing a high value on global genomic or proteomic analyses. Such reluctance has affected both the practice and the publication of immunological science, resulting in a substantial impediment to the advances in our understanding that such large-scale studies could potentially provide. We propose that distinct standards are needed for validation, evaluation, and visualization of global analyses, such that in-depth descriptions of cellular responses may complement the gene/factor-centric approaches currently in favor.
Dental lead, blood lead, and pica in urban children.

Lead storage in teeth was evaluated by examining the lead concentration in deciduous teeth of 32 children whose habits of pica and state of lead exposure had been studied when they were between 1 and 3 years of age. Concentrations of lead in their teeth depended on the reported amount of paint or piaster intake and the duration of exposure. The mean dental concentration of lead in exposed children was significantly higher than the mean value in 36 controls, who presumably did not have undue exposure to lead. A difference in dental lead concentration related to living area was noted. The significant difference in lead content of teeth between the two groups, even though the concentrations of lead in blood at 8 years of age were similar, emphasizes the importance of dental lead measurements for retrospective studies of lead exposure.
Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Ground Effect at Low Reynolds Numbers

An experimental study is presented investigating the effect of ground proximity on an airfoil at a low Reynolds number. A S8036 airfoil was evaluated atRe 120; 000 and 180,000. The groundwas simulated using a thin splitter plate. Ground clearance was varied from 1 to 0.1 of the chord, measured from the airfoil’s quarter-chord. Force balance as well as surface pressure and ground plane pressures were recorded. Two semiempirical prediction methods were developed to estimate the two-dimensional ground effect. Results indicate that ground proximity increases the lift coefficientwith a peak occurring at a gap of 0.2 of the chord.Basedupon lift coefficient, ground effect may reduce drag, while for a given airfoil incidence, it increases the drag coefficient. Surface pressure evaluation at 0 deg incidence indicated that ground effect increases suction on both airfoil surfaces. The theoretical methods showed close accord with the experiment and predicted the location of the lift increment maxima. Theoretical decomposition suggests that ground effect has the net impact of increasing airfoil camber and reducing the effective freestream.
Dissolution of AgO in Acid and Alkaline Media

THE oxide AgO is a diamagnetic, monoclinic, stoichiometric Ag(I)–Ag(III) oxide1,2. Its behaviour in acid solutions is well known: it dissolves as bivalent silver with 1.98 effective magnetons perion3,4. The nature and parameters of the magnetic complex do not depend critically on the stabilizing acid5, namely, nitric, sulphuric, perchloric, hydrofluoric or orthophosphoric. It has cylindrical magnetic symmetry, as most of the bivalent silver complex compounds6. The dissolution of AgO in alkaline solutions, however, is a well-known process in regard to the solubility, although the nature of the product is only speculative. Studies of the variation of the solubility with pH have led to the formulation of the dissolution products:
Small‐scale structures observed in Saturn's aurora

Observations from the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph Subsystem on NASA's Cassini spacecraft provide new detail about Saturn's aurora. The measurements, reported by Grodent et al., were made in August 2008 when the spacecraft was only 5 Saturn radii from the surface. They found two types of ultraviolet auroral substructures in the main ring of the emission—bunches of spots and narrow arcs—ranging in size from 500 kilometers to several thousand kilometers. The researchers suggest that the small-scale structures are associated with magnetic-field-aligned electrical currents in Saturn's upper atmosphere that result from fluctuations in plasma flow triggered by Kelvin-Helmholtz waves in the magnetosphere.
Perceived body shape, standardized body-mass index, and weight-specific quality of life of African-American, Caucasian, and Mexican-American adolescents

To examine associations among perceived body shape, standardized body-mass index (zBMI), and weight-specific quality of life in African-American, Caucasian, and Mexican-American adolescents, aged 11–18 years. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 454 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age, of whom 53% were females, 33% were Caucasians, 30% were African-Americans, and 37% were Mexican-Americans. Thirty-four percent had a healthy zBMI, 20% were overweight, and 46% were obese. In examining the adjusted R-square and R-square changes among stepwise regression models, the model with depressive symptoms (adjusted R-square = 0.34), perceived body shape (adjusted R-square = 0.49), and female sex (adjusted R-square = 0.53) appears to be the most parsimonious and explanatory model for these data. Race/ethnicity and age did not enter the equations, due to their significance levels being greater than the probability of removal (0.1). This study demonstrates the importance of including the perceptual measures of weight-specific quality of life and perceived body shape in studies of and interventions with overweight and obese adolescents. Including these perceptual measures may provide increased insight into the motivations and values of overweight and obese youth and thus be useful for designing more effective weight interventions.
Results of the acoustic observatory array topology study

In 1997, the Naval Studies Board recommended a focus on exploitation of the intrinsic coherence of the ocean to achieve 20 dB greater detectability by sonar systems. That same year, the JASONs suggested achieving these gains by elimination of shipping discretes. The Acoustic Testbed Working Group evaluated adaptive beamforming technology used in conjunction with various passive acoustic array topologies to suppress noise from discrete shipping and achieve the desired performance gains. These studies indicate that acoustic arrays of limited spatial extent, with both horizontal and vertical aperture make the most efficient use of large numbers of phones. This is because the motion of discrete shipping in typical littoral environments limits the amount of time integration that can be applied when using large horizontal apertures.
Query optimisation in distributed object-oriented database systems

In this paper, query processing and optimisation in distributed object-oriented database systems are discussed. The processing and optimisation of typical queries, called chain queries, in distributed object-oriented database systems are investigated in detail. An algorithm with complexity of O(n 3 * h,) to minimise the total cost is provided using dynamic programming, where n is the number of classes referenced in the query, h, ^ min (n + 2,h) and h is the number of sites in the network. A wide range of diversified issues are addressed and uniformly integrated into our basic solution to the problem. These issues include sorted states of classes; local processing of selections and projections, allowing multiple intermediate results; arbitrary target class at an arbitrary answer site; replicated data; class hierarchies (which captures the IS-A relationship among objects) ; different sites with different processing speeds, and communication lines between different sites with different transfer speeds. The uniformity of this algorithm under so many diversified situations strongly demonstrates the usefulness and the flexibility of the algorithm.
Circulating C-peptide immunoreactivity. Studies in normals and diabetic patients.

The discovery of proinsulin and recognition of its intracellular conversion to insulin and C-peptide, which are stored and subsequently secreted together, have provided a simple method for monitoring β-cell function in insulinrequiring diabetics in whom insulin antibodies hinder measurement of immunoreactive insulin. Using an antiserum which reacts with antigenic determinants in human Cpeptide and this region in proinsulin and its intermediates we have measured C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR) in unextracted serum and characterized its components. During oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) in nine healthy subjects, fasting serum CPR was 1.3 ± 0.3 ng./ml. and peaked at 4.4 ± 0.8 ng./ml. (60 min.). These values were positively correlated with immunoreactive insulin levels (IRI). CPR was undetectable in five newly diagnosd, untreated diabetics with fasting blood sugars above 200 mg./100 ml. and unmeasurable IRI. Similarly, serum CPR could not be measured in five ketosis-prone juvenile diabetics who had received insulin for longer than five years.9 In contrast, fasting CPR was 2.7 ± 0.7 ng./ml. in twelve insulin-treated adult onset diabetics and rose to 5.0 ± 1.1 ng./ml. two hours after glucose. Several of these sera were extracted in acid-ethanol, gel-filtered. and measured against human proinsulin and C-peptide standards. Fasting proinsulin levels were markedly elevated, while C-peptide levels were comparatively low. Both components increased after glucose administration. As these diabetics had circulating insulin antibodies it was postulated that the elevated proinsulin levels represented circulating proinsulininsulin antibody complexes. Evidence favoring this possibility was derived from in vitro experiments in which human I-125-proinsulin was incubated with diabetic sera and the samples analyzed by gel filtration, paper electrophoresis and immune precipitation. Similar experiments with 1-125-C-peptide showed no evidence for preferential binding to plasma proteins in diabetic sera. Residual β-cell secretory capacity is thus present in many insulin-treated adult onset diabetics. The C-peptide immunoassay should facilitate the prospective study of β-cell function in these patients.
Is herniosis the single etiology of Saint's triad?

Sixty years ago, Saint’s triad (hiatus hernia, diverticulosis of the colon, and gallbladder disease) was first described in three patients. Since then, the association of these conditions has been questioned. We tested the hypothesis that these conditions are associated, and, based on recent research, propose a common etiology. Data from the U.S. Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 16 Data Warehouse were analyzed. Chi-square tests and calculated odds ratios (ORs) were utilized to describe the magnitude of association, and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the variables associated with Saint’s triad. Among 637,518 patient records (1996–2005), any hernia was diagnosed among 22,181 (3.5%) patients, hiatus hernia among 1,661 (0.3%), diverticulosis of the colon among 14,375 (2.3%), and gallbladder disease among 5,284 (0.8%). The following associations were observed: diverticulosis, hiatus hernia (OR: 6.9), hiatus hernia, gallbladder disease (OR = 3.8), and gallbladder disease, diverticulosis (OR = 5.9). Patients with both diverticulosis and gallbladder disease were more likely to have hiatus hernia (OR = 3.8; P = 0.0012) or any hernia (OR = 10.7; P < 0.0001). Diseases associated with Saint’s triad (incorporating any hernia) included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 4.3), hypertension (OR = 3.1), aortic aneurysm (OR = 2.2), and diabetes (OR = 1.8). Herniosis, the systemic connective tissue disease known to cause diverticulosis and herniae, may be responsible for Saint’s triad. Diabetes, like aging, enhanced herniosis. Further research on the gallbladder wall pathology in patients with cholelithiasis or cholecystitis is needed.
The Adaptive Neuroplasticity Hypothesis of Behavioral Maintenance

Physical activity is a seemingly simple and clinically potent method to decrease morbidity and mortality in people with coronary heart disease (CHD). Nonetheless, long-term maintenance of physical activity remains a frustratingly elusive goal for patients and practitioners alike. In this paper, we posit that among older adults with CHD, recidivism after the initiation of physical activity reflects maladaptive neuroplasticity of malleable neural networks, and people will revert back to learned and habitual physical inactivity patterns, particularly in the setting of stress or depression. We hypothesize that behavioral interventions that successfully promote physical activity may also enhance adaptive neuroplasticity and play a key role in the maintenance of physical activity through the development of new neuronal pathways that enhance functional ability in older adults. Conversely, without such adaptive neuroplastic changes, ingrained maladaptive neuroplasticity will prevail and long-term maintenance of physical activity will fail. In this paper we will: (1) describe the enormous potential for neuroplasticity in older adults; (2) review stress and depression as examples of maladaptive neuroplasticity; (3) describe an example of adaptive neuroplasticity achieved with a behavioral intervention that induced positive affect in people with CHD; and (4) discuss implications for future work in bench to bedside translational research.