cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative effects of abrupt withdrawal of propranolol and verapamil in angina pectoris

The potential hazards of abrupt withdrawal of propranolol have been described in patients with angina pectoris; however, the effects of abrupt withdrawal from long-term therapy with verapamil have not previously been investigated. The comparative effects of withdrawal from long-term treatment with propranolol and verapamil were assessed in a placebo-controlled double-blind randomized crossover study of 20 patients received placebo for 2 weeks, then increasing doses of propranolol (60 to 320 mg/day) or verapamil (240 to 480 mg/day) for 3 weeks. Patients were then abruptly withdrawn from drug onto placebo for 1 week, followed by crossover to the other drug treatment and a second withdrawal period. All 20 patients were withdrawn from verapamil without evidence of a rebound increase in frequency of anginal attacks, blood pressure, heart rate, or rate-pressure product and without a rebound deterioration in exercise tolerance. In contrast, with propranolol withdrawal, 2 patients (with the highest baseline angina attack rate) had a severe exacerbation of their anginal syndrome and could not undergo formal exercise testing; the other 18 patients were withdrawn from propranolol without incident. Plasma catecholamines were increased during exercise compared with rest during all treatments; however, the levels of catecholamines during exercise were significantly higher with propranolol than with verapamil and placebo (p less than 0.05). Levels of exercise catecholamines returned to placebo baseline values after withdrawal of propranolol.
Tails in biomimetic design: Analysis, simulation, and experiment

Animals use tails to improve locomotion performance; here we assess how the biomimetic MIT Cheetah robot can do the same. Analysis proves that for a given power and weight, tails can provide greater average torque than reaction wheels for the short times of interest in high speed running. A simple tail controller enables the cheetah to perform aerial orientation maneuvers in simulation. The MIT Cheetah robot's tail rejects an impulsive disturbance from a ‘wrecking ball’ in experiments. This study demonstrates that a tail will help the MIT Cheetah achieve its goal of 30mph locomotion by 2014.
Why is random close packing reproducible

We link the thermodynamics of colloidal suspensions to the statistics of regular and random packings. Random close packing has defied a rigorous definition yet, in three dimensions, there is near universal agreement on the volume fraction at which it occurs. We conjecture that the common value of ${\ensuremath{\phi}}_{\mathrm{rcp}}\ensuremath{\approx}0.64$ arises from a divergence in the rate at which accessible states disappear. We relate this rate to the equation of state for a hard-sphere fluid on a metastable, noncrystalline branch.
The Astrometric Telescope Facility

The evolution of the Astrometric Telescope Facility (ATF) proposed for use on NASA's Space Station is traced and its design characteristics are presented. With a focal plane scale of 12.7 arcsec/mm, the strawman design has a field size of 10 sq arcmin and a limiting visual magnitude fainter than 16. Output from an observation includes the X and Y coordinates of each star and its relative brightness.
Scaling of BMP gradients in Xenopus embryos

Arising from: D. Ben-Zvi et al. , 1205–1211 (2008)10.1038/nature07059 ; Francois et al. reply Metazoan organisms can ‘scale’, that is, maintain similar proportions regardless of size. Ben-Zvi et al.1 use experiments in Xenopus to support a quantitative model that explains morphological scaling as the result of scaling of a gradient of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signals. We believe that the evidence for scaling in Xenopus is misinterpreted, and that their model for embryonic patterning disagrees with prior data. The experiments they present supporting their model admit alternative interpretations.
Serum Sodium and Potassium in Essential Hypertension

This study was undertaken to determine if an association exists between blood pressure level and serum sodium or potassium concentration. All methods and measurements were standardized, and variables possibly influencing these factors were analyzed. Since increased salt intake has been postulated as an etiologic factor in essential hypertension, each patient was questioned in this regard. Fifty normotensive and 43 hypertensive patients were studied. No significant associations were found between the height of the blood pressure, the serum sodium or potassium level, and the stated salt intake.
Poor tolerance of oral activated charcoal with theophylline overdose

Abstract Vomiting is a common manifestation of theophylline toxicity and may limit the tolerance of orally administered activated charcoal (OAC). However, this potentially important interaction has received little attention. The records of 33 consecutive patients who presented to the emergency department with serum theophylline concentrations greater than 30 μg/ml and toxic symptoms and who were treated with OAC were reviewed. Seventeen (22%) of the 76 OAC doses were vomited. Six patients who had ingested theophylline as a single acute overdose vomited all 11 OAC doses administered, whereas 27 patients receiving chronic theophylline therapy vomited only six (11%) of 65 OAC doses. Vomited doses were associated with higher serum theophylline concentrations. Although theophylline-related vomiting preceded OAC intolerance in all acute toxicity patients, this condition was not predictive of OAC vomiting for chronic toxicity patients.
Transplantation and Malignancy in a Companion-Host System on the Chorioallantoic Membrane

Pairs of tissue fragments in contact with one another were transplanted onto the chorioallantois. Ten days after transplantation, embryonic lung and liver were found to be accepted, without obvious infiltration of one another. When Walker tumor was substituted for either of the normal tissues, the pair of transplants was also accepted by the chorioallantois, and in addition there was extensive invasive replacement of the normal tissue by the cancer transplant.
Activation of the Locus Coeruleus After Amygdaloid Kindling

Summary: Purpose: Substnatia nigra (SN) and locus coeruleus (LC) neurons are implicated in the propagation and suppression of amygdaloid seizures. Both structures are activated concomitant with amygdaloid seizure discharges. Their rnechanisms of activation, however, remain to be elucidated. SN firing is not associated with the induction of Fos imrnunoreactiv-ity (ir), a marker of excitatory neuronal activation. LC has not been studied. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if amygdala-kindled generalized seizures could induce Fos-ir in the LC. Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were killed after generalized seizures induced by amygdala electrical stimulation and stained by using Fos irnmunocytochemistry. The number of Fos-ir neurons was compared between 15 animals with generalized seizures and four implanted, unstimulated controls. Results: LC-ir neurons were significantly (p < 0.05) more prevalent after seizures than in control animals. Their numbers correlated very highly with Fos-ir in the central nucleus of the amygdala (p < 0.0001). No Fos induction was observed in LC in controls or in the SN in either group. Conclusions: Amygdala-induced generalized seizures result in Fos-ir in the LC but not in the SN. This is consistent with different mechanisms of activation possibly involving disinhi-bition in the SN and direct excitation in the LC.
Low oxygen tension and synthetic nanogratings improve the uniformity and stemness of human mesenchymal stem cell layer.

A free-standing, robust cell sheet comprising aligned human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) offers many interesting opportunities for tissue reconstruction. As a first step toward this goal, a confluent, uniform hMSC layer with a high degree of alignment and stemness maintenance needs to be created. Hypothesizing that topographical cue and a physiologically relevant low-oxygen condition could promote the formation of such an hMSC layer, we studied the culture of hMSCs on synthetic nanogratings (350 nm width and 700 nm pitch) and either under 2 or 20% O 2 . Culturing hMSCs on the nanogratings highly aligned the cells, but it tended to create patchy layers and accentuate the hMSC differentiation. The 2% O 2 improved the alignment and uniformity of hMSCs, and reduced their differentiation. Over a 14-day culture period, hMSCs in 2% O 2 showed uniform connexon distribution, secreted abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, and displayed a high progenicity. After 21-day culture on nanogratings, hMSCs exposed to 2% O 2 maintained a higher viability and differentiation capacity. This study established that a 2% O 2 culture condition could restrict the differentiation of hMSCs cultured on nanopatterns, thereby setting the foundation to fabricate a uniformly aligned hMSC sheet for different regenerative medicine applications.
Typical and atypical neurodevelopment for face specialization: An fMRI study

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their relatives process faces differently from typically developed (TD) individuals. In an fMRI face-viewing task, TD and undiagnosed sibling (SIB) children (5–18 years) showed face specialization in the right amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, with left fusiform and right amygdala face specialization increasing with age in TD subjects. SIBs showed extensive antero-medial temporal lobe activation for faces that was not present in any other group, suggesting a potential compensatory mechanism. In ASD, face specialization was minimal but increased with age in the right fusiform and decreased with age in the left amygdala, suggesting atypical development of a frontal–amygdala–fusiform system which is strongly linked to detecting salience and processing facial information.
A global perspective on Last Glacial maximum to Holocene climate change

While the abrupt climate events of the last deglaciation are well defined in ice core records from the polar regions of both hemispheres, their manifestation elsewhere is less well constrained. Here we compile 104 high-resolution paleoclimate records to characterize the timing and spatial pattern of climate change during the last deglaciation. This compilation indicates relatively concurrent timing of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; peak glacial conditions) and the Altithermal (peak interglacial conditions) in the Northern (22.1 � 4.3 ka and 8.0 � 3.2 ka) and Southern (22.3 � 3.6 ka and 7.4 � 3.7 ka) Hemispheres, suggesting the hemispheres were synchronized by greenhouse gases, local insolation, and/or Northern Hemisphere induced ocean circulation changes. The magnitude of the glacialeinterglacial temperature change increases with latitude, reflecting the polar amplification of climate change, with a likely minimum global mean cooling of ww4.9 � C during the LGM relative to the Altithermal. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of 71 records spanning 19e11 ka indicates that two modes explain 72% of deglacial climate variability. EOF1 (61% of variance) shows a globally near-uniform pattern, with its principal component (PC1) strongly correlated with changes in atmospheric CO2 .E OF2 (11% of variance) exhibits a bipolar seesaw pattern between the hemispheres, with its principal component (PC2) resembling changes in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation strength. EOF analysis of 90 records from 15 to 11 ka indicates that northern and southern modes of climate variability characterize the Younger Dryas-Bolling/Allerod interval. These modes dominate at the higher latitudes of each hemisphere and exhibit a complex interaction in the tropics. The magnitude of the Younger Dryas climate anomaly (cooler/drier) increases with latitude in the Northern Hemisphere, with an opposite pattern (warmer/ wetter) in the Southern Hemisphere reflecting a general bipolar seesaw climate response. Global mean temperature decreased by w0.6 � C during the Younger Dryas. Therefore, our analysis supports the paradigm that while the Younger Dryas was a period of global climate change, it was not a major global cooling event but rather a manifestation of the bipolar seesaw driven by a reduction in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation strength.
An addendum to “M-ldeal structure in Banach algebras”

M-ideals in a commutative Banach algebra A are shown to correspond to certain hermitian central projections in A∗∗, and thus possess bounded approximate identities. This leads to a new characterization of M-ideals in function algebras.
Effect of polyethylene glycol on lipid peroxidation in cold-stored rat hepatocytes☆

A mechanism suggested to cause injury to preserved organs is the generation of oxygen free radicals either during the cold-storage period or after transplantation (reperfusion). Oxygen free radicals can cause peroxidation of lipids and alter the structural and functional properties of the cell membranes. Methods to suppress generation of oxygen free radicals of suppression of lipid peroxidation may lead to improved methods of organ preservation. In this study we determined how cold storage of rat hepatocytes affected lipid peroxidation by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive products (malondialdehyde, MDA). Hepatocytes were stored in the UW solution +/- glutathione (GSH) or +/- polyethylene glycol (PEG) for up to 96 h and rewarmed (resuspended in a physiologically balanced saline solution and incubated at 37 degrees C under an atmosphere of oxygen) after each day of storage. Hepatocytes rewarmed after storage in the UW solution not containing PEG or GSH showed a nearly linear increase in MDA production with time of storage and contained 1.618 +/- 0.731 nmol MDA/mg protein after 96 h. When the storage solution contained PEG and GSH there was no significant increase in MDA production after up to 72 h of storage and at 96 h MDA was 0.827 +/- 0.564 nmol/mg protein. When freshly isolated hepatocytes were incubated (37 degrees C) in the presence of iron (160 microM) MDA formation was maximally stimulated (3.314 +/- 0.941 nmol/mg protein). When hepatocytes were stored in the presence of PEG there was a decrease in the capability of iron to maximally stimulate lipid peroxidation. The decrease in iron-stimulated MDA production was dependent upon the time of storage in PEG (1.773 nmol/mg protein at 24 h and 0.752 nmol/mg protein at 48 h).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Separation of First-Stage Larvae of Two Species of Microctonus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Which Attack the Alfalfa Weevil

Microtonus aethiops (Nees) and M. colesi Drea are parasites of the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), which are firmly established in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and adjoining states. M. aethiops oviposits in and emerges from weevil adults, while M. colesi oviposits in weevil larvae and emerges from adults. Coles and Puttier (1963) reported the release and establishment of M. aethiops in New Jersey and the initial discovery of Microtonus sp. in Chester County, Pa. This Microctonus sp. (referred to as “Domestic Black” Microtonus by Brunson and Coles (1968)) was later described as a new species by Drea (1968).
Modes, features, and state-based modeling for clarity and flexibility

The behavior of a complex system is frequently defined in terms of operational modes---mutually exclusive sets of the system behaviors. Within the operational modes, collections of features define the behavior of the system.Lucent and understandable modeling of operational modes and features using common state-based notations such as Statecharts or Stateflow can be challenging. In this paper we share some of our experiences from modeling modes and features in the medical device domain. We discuss the challenges and present a generic approach to structuring the modes and features of a generic Patient-Controlled Analgesia infusion pump.
Design and Performance of a 24-Station High Throughput Microbioreactor

Two prototype 24-unit microbioreactors are presented and reviewed for their relative merits. The first used a standard 24-well plate as the template, while the second consisted of 24-discrete units. Both systems used non-invasive optical sensors to monitor pH and dissolved oxygen. The systems were used to cultivate Escherichia coli. Both designs had their merits and the results obtained are presented. In addition, dissolved oxygen control was demonstrated at the milliliter scale and 24 simultaneously monitored fermentations were successfully carried out. These results demonstrated high quality high throughput bioprocessing and provide important insights into operational parameters at small scale.
High-density electrosorbed carbon monoxide monolayers on Pt(111) under atmospheric pressure.

We report structure studies of high-density CO monolayers on Pt(111) surfaces in equilibrium with gaseous CO near atmospheric pressure, using surface x-ray scattering (SXS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We were able to stabilize extremely well-ordered CO monolayers by emersion transfer from an electrochemical cell. We found the hexagonal close-packed $(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)\text{\ensuremath{-}}3\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}$ structure at room temperature in $\ensuremath{\sim}1\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{atm}$ CO gas pressure. We also confirm the $(\sqrt{19}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\sqrt{19})\text{\ensuremath{-}}13\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}$ structure previously proposed in STM studies [Vestergaard et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 259601 (2002)]. Based on SXS and STM measurements, a tentative phase diagram is proposed. Detailed SXS structure studies of the $(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)\text{\ensuremath{-}}3\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}$ structure suggest a surface structure and substrate reconstruction less symmetric than previously studies suggested. We also find that $(\sqrt{19}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\sqrt{19})\text{\ensuremath{-}}13\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}$ structure induces substrate reconstructions including the dimerization of Pt bonded to bridging CO and the rotation of the Pt cluster with atop CO.
INTENSITIES OF PURE ROTATIONAL BAND SYSTEMS OF SYMMETRIC TOP MOLECULES

Abstract An exact expression for the total intensity of the pure rotational band system of a rigid symmetric top molecule is derived. An approximate expression for the mean spectral absorption coefficient is obtained and is compared with previously published results. The first-order effects of non rigidity and mechanical anharmonicity on the band intensity are investigated in the special case of a diatomic molecule and found to be small in general.
Mitigation and utilization of the inductor coupling effect in interleaved multiphase DC/DC converters

Interleaved multiphase synchronous buck converters have been used in powering CPU, GPU and memory due to ever increasing load current and fast load slew-rate requirements of the processors. The unwanted inductor coupling exists between adjacent phases but has not been studied systematically and has been ignored in multiphase converter designs. In some cases, the unwanted inductor coupling increases the current ripple and affects the inductor current sensing accuracy and therefore should be minimized. In other cases, the inductor coupling effect can be utilized to improve load transient response and/or converter efficiency. This paper presents magnetic simulation on three different types of inductors commonly used in multiphase converters to demonstrate the coupling effect and its influence on inductor current. The simulation results of the inductor coupling effect have been verified by experiments. Recommendations are provided to minimize the unwanted coupling effect in some designs or utilize the coupling effect in others.
Inversion of net ecosystem CO2 flux measurements for estimation of canopy PAR absorption

The fractional absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (fPAR) is frequently a key variable in models describing terrestrial ecosystem–atmosphere interactions, carbon uptake, growth and biogeochemistry. We present a novel approach to the estimation of the fraction of incident photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by the photosynthetic components of a plant canopy (fChl). The method uses micrometeorological measurements of CO2 flux and incident radiation to estimate light response parameters from which canopy structure is deduced. Data from two Ameriflux sites in Oklahoma, a tallgrass prairie site and a wheat site, are used to derive 7-day moving average estimates of fChl during three years (1997–1999). The inverse estimates are compared to long-term field measurements of PAR absorption. Good correlations are obtained when the field-measured fPAR is scaled by an estimate of the green fraction of total leaf area, although the inverse technique tends to be lower in value than the field measurements. The inverse estimates of fChl using CO2 flux measurements are different from measurements of fPAR that might be made by other, more direct, techniques. However, because the inverse estimates are based on observed canopy CO2 uptake, they might be considered more biologically relevant than direct measurements that are affected by non-physiologically active components of the canopy. With the increasing number of eddy covariance sites around the world the technique provides the opportunity to examine seasonal and inter-annual variation in canopy structure and light harvesting capacity at individual sites. Furthermore, the inverse fChl provide a new source of data for development and testing of fPAR retrieval using remote sensing. New remote sensing algorithms, or adjustments to existing algorithms, might thus become better conditioned to ‘biologically significant’ light absorption than currently possible.
Reading up books: Computer-aided circuit analysis and design: A discussion of the role of the digital computer in circuit analysis and design is followed by a review of current literature

The impact of the digital computer in circuit analysis and design has changed the electrical engineer's outlook: EEs are now able to analyze circuits they could not have hoped to solve analytically 20 years ago.
A marketing-oriented perspective on physician selection.

The process of selecting a physician is an inherently difficult one for patients. Physician selection is often made from limited information, and in many cases, the information used as the basis for physician selection is obtained indirectly through either medical service providers or other consumers or patients. When selecting a physician, patients tend to rely on personal sources of information and place importance on the reputational aspects of the health-care provider, organization, and experience. Patient expectations for the technical aspects of the health-care experience are stringent and must be met or exceeded by physicians and other health-care providers to compete long-term in the health-care market place. Beyond this, health-care providers can favorably influence patient perceptions of the health-care experience by excelling at the functional aspects of service provision (ie, the interpersonal-and process-oriented attributes). This article examines the physician selection process and provides ...
Magnetic properties of static and phason-disordered Penrose lattices

Abstract The Ising model of Penrose lattices is studied. The exponents as well as the critical amplitudes are calculated for a series of rational (periodic) approximants, with and without thermal phason fluctuations. In both cases, the determined exponents are very close to what is known for the Ising model of the square lattice. The critical amplitudes display systematic variations between the different approximants but remain finite and non-zero, leading to the conclusion that the Ising model of Penrose lattices belongs to the same universality class as the Ising model of square lattices, even when phason fluctuations are present. This result is consistent with the Fisher renormalization of the exponents in the presence of annealed disorder.
The Low-Temperature Seebeck Coefficient in Insulators

We show the existence of a space-charge effect in the measurement of the low-temperature Seebeck coefficient in insulators. The Seebeck coefficient $$ S(T)$$ is obtained by measurement of the voltage $$\Delta V$$ due to a temperature gradient $$(\Delta T, S=-\Delta V/\Delta T)$$ . The space-charge effect makes the voltage go to zero in insulators, even if the Seebeck coefficient does not vanish. We propose that the Seebeck coefficient does not actually vanish in insulators, contrary to common belief. We also propose that variable-range hopping is not observed in conductivity measurements.
Beautiful and Blameless: Effects of Victim Attractiveness and Responsibility on Mock Jurors' Verdicts

The physical attractiveness of the victim of a crime and the victim's precautiousness were varied in a factorial design. The primary finding was an interaction effect on mock jurors' personal verdicts; the defendant was most likely to be convicted when the victim was both beautiful and blameless.
The Demand for Varied Diet with Econometric Models for Count Data

A negative binomial model was used to study the relationships between food expenditures, household characteristics, and the demand for different food items. The results show that increases in food expenditure increase the number of food items consumed at home, and the number of food items consumed at home is positively related to increases in the number of household members. This change in the number of food items consumed at home increases at a decreasing rate as household size increases and becomes negative when household size becomes large.
Central Europe's Gentle Voice of Reason: Bílejovský and the Ecclesiology of Utraquism

The Utraquist Church of Bohemia was unique among the late medieval defections in Western Christendom from the Church of Rome in that it involved the separation of an entire church, organized on a national territory, not merely an underground resistance of relatively isolated and scattered groups of sectarians, like the Waldensians or the Lollards. Moreover, the Bohemian Reformation was linked with a major social upheaval, the Hussite Revolution, lasting from 1419 to 1434, which historians have viewed as an early specimen, if not a prototype or the first link in the chain, of the revolutions of the early modern period in the Euroatlantic world: the Dutch, the English, the American, and the French revolutions. Building mainly on the Bohemian Reform movement that had gathered momentum since the mid-fourteenth century, the Utraquists' defiance of Rome, leading to the Hussite Revolution, was sparked by the burning of Jan Hus at the Council of Constance on July 6, 1415.
The genetics of muscle atrophy and growth: The impact and implications of polymorphisms in animals and humans

Much of the vast diversity we see in animals and people is governed by genetic loci that have quantitative effects of phenotype (quantitative trait loci; QTLs). Here we review the current knowledge of the genetics of atrophy and hypertrophy in both animal husbandry (meat quantity and quality), and humans (muscle size and performance). The selective breeding of animals for meat has apparently led to a few genetic loci with strong effects, with different loci in different animals. In humans, muscle quantitative trait loci (QTLs) appear to be more complex, with few "major" loci identified to date, although this is likely to change in the near future. We describe how the same phenotypic traits we see as positive, greater lean muscle mass in cattle or a better exercise results in humans, can also have negative "side effects" given specific environmental challenges. We also discuss the strength and limitations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) association studies; what the reader should look for and expect in a published study. Lastly we discuss the ethical and societal implications of this genetic information. As more and more research into the genetic loci that dictate phenotypic traits become available, the ethical implications of testing for these loci become increasingly important. As a society, most accept testing for genetic diseases or susceptibility, but do we as easily accept testing to determine one's athletic potential to be an Olympic endurance runner, or quarterback on the high school football team.
Modulation of Horizontal Gene Transfer in Pathogenic Bacteria by In Vivo Signals

In conclusion, the regulation of bacterial DNA transfer by the eukaryotic host as illustrated in the above examples leads us to reconsider our notions about the sites where horizontal gene transfer usually occurs, the designation of genetic elements as non-transmissible, and the meaning of genetic host-range. A number of bacterial pathogens including Yersinia, Shigella, and pathogenic E. coli species harbor virulence plasmids or chromosomal pathogenicity “islands” which often encode multiple virulence determinants. While the homology of the gene products encoded by these genetic elements suggests that they have been acquired by horizontal spread, many of these plasmid and chromosomal inserts do not appear to be self-transmissible under laboratory conditions. If horizontal transfer of these genetic elements is intimately tied to local host environments, then their transmission between strains by conjugation, transformation, or transduction may not be observable except under in vivo conditions. Similarly, elements that encode antibiotic resistance may also be limited in their transmission between strains under laboratory conditions but be readily transferred under in vivo conditions in response to undefined host signals. An increased understanding of the host signals that control both the expression of bacterial virulence factors and the transfer of DNA elements encoding virulence and antibiotic resistance genes in vivo may offer new opportunities in the therapeutic arena. Antimicrobial drugs that block virulence gene expression, secretion and assembly of virulence factors, or DNA uptake and transfer, may provide the additional benefit of decreasing the rate of emergence of new bacterial pathogens as well as drug resistant versions of old pathogens.
A comparative examination of thrombocyte/platelet immunity

Among the cells in the blood vascular system, platelets in mammals and thrombocytes in lower vertebrates are the source of crucial mediators in hemostatic functions. Although these cells have been known to be primarily involved in thrombosis and hemostasis, platelets and thrombocytes have been shown recently to have roles in inflammatory functions and the immune response in general. Thrombocytes/platelets are widely recognized contributors to inflammatory responses upon stimulation with various microbial stimulants. In recent years, the role of platelets has been shown in adaptive immune responses. Therefore, thrombocytes/platelets should be considered as specialized immune cells that not only resemble innate effector cells in function but also have a role in affecting adaptive immunity through cellular contact and interaction with antigen presenting cells and lymphocytes.
Activation of alpha-human tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) by human monocytes (THP-1) exposed to 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulphide (H-MG)

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a monokine produced by monocytes and macrophages in response to different stim uli. To determine whether vesicant agents such as half- mustard gas (H-MG; chemical structure: ClCH2CH 2SCH2CH3) may induce the release of TNF-α in human monocytes (THP-1), ELISA experiments were con ducted at different post exposure times. The results indi cate that: (1) Significant increases in the TNF-α (pg mL-1) concentration were observed as a function of time when THP-1 cells were exposed to 100 μL of 2 M H-MG. A spe cific serine-type protease inhibitor, Nα-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), led to partial but significant inhibition of TNF activation. (2) Furthermore, this labora tory detected the generation of spin adducts of 2-methyl-2- nitrosopropane (MNP) having a resemblance to MNP adducts generated from hydrogen atom abstraction of pro tein constituents.1 The EPR/Spin Trapping data indicate the trapping of by-products of protein degradation after exposure to H-MG. TNF-α may ...
Metabolic Requirements for the Swimming Activity of Three Antarctic Fishes.

The logarithm of the amount of oxygen consumed per unit swimming velocity in meters per minute for steadily swimming antarctic fishes at freezing temperatures is of the same order as the rate for temperate species at their lower temperature ranges. In contrast to temperate fishes, the antarctic fishes have their greatest swimming activity around -1.8°C and a level of no excess activity at about +2°C.
Serum hormone levels following partial hepatectomy in the rat.

Abstract Serum levels of insulin, glucagon, growth hormone (somatotrophin) and thyroxine (TT4) were measured by radioimmunoassay following both sham operation and 70% partial hepatectomy in the rat to evaluate changes in hormone levels during liver regeneration. An eleven fold increase in glucagon was observed (from 112 ± 10 pg/ml to 1500 ± 200 pg/ml) 6 hours following partial hepatectomy but not sham operation. In contrast, insulin levels remained unchanged compared to sham controls for up to 72 hr while growth hormone fell to low levels, 6 to 48 hr after partial hepatectomy. Both total thyroxine and free thyroxine levels also fell 24–72 hours after hepatectomy. These studies suggest that growth hormone, thyroxine and insulin are not primary stimulants of hepatic regeneration although the data suggests that glucagon may modify this growth process.
Salvage cystectomy following failed definitive radiation therapy for transitional cell carcinoma of bladder

Abstract Between 1971 and 1983 we performed 18 salvage cystectomies on patients with recurrent transitional cell bladder cancer initially treated with definitive radiation therapy (5,500–6,820 R). The interval between tumor diagnosis and radiation ranged from zero to twenty-one years (mean 3.5 years), and the interval between radiation therapy and cystectomy ranged between six months and twelve years (mean 2.5 years). Early major complications occurred in 5 patients, and there was one early and one late postoperative death. The overall patient survival from the time of diagnosis to death or the present (1985) ranged from two to thirty-one years (mean 9.8 years), and from the time of radiation to the present or death ranged from one to nineteen years (mean 6.2 years). The overall crude five-year survival from the time of cystectomy excluding 2 patients operated on in 1982 and 1983 was 50 per cent, however 3 of these patients died of cancer after five years. Breakdown of survival of these patients by stage demonstrated the best survival in patients with carcinoma in situ and Stage A or no neoplasm at the time of cystectomy. This report confirms the value of salvage cystectomy after radiation failure in invasive transitional cell bladder cancer.
Remanufacture Dependency Matrix and Market Diffusion of Multi-Level Products

Many products exhibit remanufacturability at more than one level i.e. their components can not only be used to manufacture a repeat product, they can also be used to manufacture simpler products. While such Multi-Level Remanufacturable Products (MLRPs) have shown promise in terms of cost savings and environmental benefits, no design methods are available which include consideration of these simpler, derivative products. This paper introduces the Remanufacture Dependency Matrix (RDM) as a metric of remanufacturability of a product to account for the possibility of it being remanufactured into simpler products. Although the derivative products depend on the parent product for components, they don’t necessarily compete with it in the marketplace. While diffusion of products in the market in their first lifecycle is fairly understood, there is limited literature on diffusion characteristics incorporating subsequent lifecycles especially in the MLRP scenario. This paper also proposes a variation on the Bass diffusion model to investigate the effects of different levels of remanufacturability. A case study regarding the use of components from personal computers to manufacture book reading devices is presented to exemplify the approach. Our results show that profits can be increased while reducing the environmental impact at the same time.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Living applied anthropology and addressing health disparities

The steady influx of immigrants and refugees in Central North Carolina has enriched the cultural life of this region. Unfortunately, these diverse newcomers face health disparities as they undergo language and cultural adaptation to US host society and its institutions. As a public health educator and researcher, I have applied anthropological principles and methods to exploring ways of reducing health disparities among ethnically and culturally diverse immigrant groups. This paper presents a snapshot of how as public health educator and researcher, I apply principles of anthropology to explore domains of health disparity. I will provide examples of creative research and service partnerships for addressing language and health literacy as domains of health disparity among immigrant newcomers to Guilford County, North Carolina.
Multiple kernel learning for heterogeneous anomaly detection: algorithm and aviation safety case study

The world-wide aviation system is one of the most complex dynamical systems ever developed and is generating data at an extremely rapid rate. Most modern commercial aircraft record several hundred flight parameters including information from the guidance, navigation, and control systems, the avionics and propulsion systems, and the pilot inputs into the aircraft. These parameters may be continuous measurements or binary or categorical measurements recorded in one second intervals for the duration of the flight. Currently, most approaches to aviation safety are reactive, meaning that they are designed to react to an aviation safety incident or accident. In this paper, we discuss a novel approach based on the theory of multiple kernel learning to detect potential safety anomalies in very large data bases of discrete and continuous data from world-wide operations of commercial fleets. We pose a general anomaly detection problem which includes both discrete and continuous data streams, where we assume that the discrete streams have a causal influence on the continuous streams. We also assume that atypical sequences of events in the discrete streams can lead to off-nominal system performance. We discuss the application domain, novel algorithms, and also discuss results on real-world data sets. Our algorithm uncovers operationally significant events in high dimensional data streams in the aviation industry which are not detectable using state of the art methods.
Biomolecular computing: recent theoretical and experimental advances

And so summer comes around again. What a good time to relax on the beach (with your theorem notebook), to go on that long-planned family vacation (certainly with your theorem notebook, and don't forget to bring the family) and, above all, to catch up on all the papers and progress that have been piling up during the academic year on your "if only I had the time" list.The current column may save you some time on this! In 1997, Mitsunori Ogihara and Animesh Ray, jointly with Kimberly Smith, wrote a guest column on biomolecular computing. Of course, this is an area of intense activity, and in the current issue, they have contributed a delightful column catching us all up on some recent advances in biomolecular computing. (P.S. Coming soon to a future issue will be a guest column by Amnon Ta-Shma on classical versus quantum communication complexity.)
Mechanics of Left Ventricular Contraction in Chronic Severe Mitral Regurgitation

The mechanics of left ventricular contraction were studied during diagnostic cardiac catheterization using high-speed cineangiography in 11 patients with severe chronic mitral regurgitation. Compared with a group of previously studied normal subjects, most of the patients with mitral regurgitation demonstrated a reduced velocity of shortening (Vcf) during ejection at maximum wall stress, average = 1.01 circumferences/sec (circ/sec) (range 0.64-1.47 circ/sec). Maximum and mean Vcf values also were reduced in these patients, averaging 1.40 and 0.94 circ/sec, respectively. These findings are in contrast to those in acute experimental mitral regurgitation, and to observations of normal shortening velocities in chronic experimental volume overloading, in which left ventricular contraction velocity is augmented. Compared with normal subjects, patients with mitral regurgitation had significantly larger left ventricular end-diastolic circumferences and volumes, and higher total left ventricular stroke volumes. Th...
Hα Spectroscopy of RW Monocerotis

Five years of sparse full-orbit Hα spectroscopy are presented for the short-period Algol RW Monocerotis. A spectroscopic mass ratio is derived that confirms the published photometric mass ratio. Of the two published rotation rates of the primary star, 66 and 260 km s-1, the slower best fits our observations. Hα emission was not seen during any of five eclipses, indicating that the secondary is notstrongly chromospherically active. At every epoch an emission feature between the two stars was found, confirming that there is continuous mass transfer. However, an accompanying accretion disk was seen in only two of six observing runs, using out-of-eclipse spectroscopy. Comparing with models, we show how a single out-of-eclipse Hα observation can provide information on the mass transfer presence at that epoch. Finally, we see redshifted absorption just before and after primary eclipse, consistent with the location and velocity of a mass transfer stream. However, the Hα absorption equivalent width (with respect to the out-of-eclipse continuum) falls proportionally with the primary's visibility between first and second contact. This indicates that the stream is projected against the entire face of the primary, a much larger area than predicted by theory.
On the Mechanism of Failure of Particulate Rigid Disks

The sliding system used with particulate rigid disks, involving a ceramic head sliding against a disk coated with iron oxide particles in a resin iv unusual in a number of ways. Perhaps the most striking is that, in use, there is for a long time no measurable wear, but once damage is initiated failure is rapid. To investigate this type of wear, numerous pin-on-disk sliding tests have been carried out. Analysis of the wear results suggests that in the authors' tests, the failure is caused by adhesive rather than abrasive or fatigue wear; however, it is not easy to judge whether failure is due to the wearing away of the alumina particles in the magnetic coating, or else to a polymer coating adhering to the pin surface. Presented as a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers paper at the ASME/STLE Tribology Conference In Toronto, Ontario, Canada, October 8–10, 1990
COMPARISON OF SOLUTION PROPERTIES OF HUMAN AND RAT CILIARY NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR

The solution structure and stability of rat and human ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) were examined by circular dichroism (CD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and fluorescence spectroscopy and sedimentation equilibrium analyses. The secondary structure of both proteins, as assessed by CD and FTIR, consists primarily of alpha-helix, consistent with CNTF being a member of the four-helical bundle family of cytokines and neurokines, with rat CNTF containing slightly less helix (about 10% less) and slightly more disordered structure. The environment of the tyrosine and tryptophan residues, assessed by intrinsic fluorescence emission spectroscopy, appears to be the same in both proteins. Binding of anilinonaphthalene sulfonate is identical for both proteins, indicating that these two proteins have similar surface hydrophobicities in the native state. The thermal stability of the human CNTF is significantly less than that of the rat CNTF, yet their stabilities to guanidine HCl-induced denaturation are equivalent. This apparent discrepancy in stability between the two proteins may be explained by solubility differences upon thermal unfolding. Although the human protein precipitates as it is denatured by heat, the rat protein does not. It thus appears that the unfolded state of human CNTF is less soluble and more prone to aggregation than that of the rat protein upon heating, although their conformational stability is similar. Both proteins remain largely folded at pH 3.0. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis demonstrates that both rat and human CNTF exist primarily as monomers; however, significant dimer formation occurs as the protein concentrations are increased to greater than 3 mg/mL, particularly in the presence of ammonium sulfate.
Functional Mapping of Charged Residues of the 82−116 Sequence in Factor Xa: Evidence That Lysine 96 Is a Factor Va Independent Recognition Site for Prothrombin in the Prothrombinase Complex†

It has been hypothesized that two antiparallel structures comprised of residues 82−91 and 102−116 in factor Xa (fXa) may harbor a factor Va- (fVa-) dependent prothrombin recognition site in the prothrombinase complex. There are 11 charged residues in the 82−116 loop of human fXa (Glu-84, Glu-86, Lys-90, Arg-93, Lys-96, Glu-97, Asp-100, Asp-102, Arg-107, Lys-109, and Arg-115). With the exception of Glu-84, which did not express, and Asp-102, which is a catalytic residue, we expressed the Ala substitution mutants of all other residues and evaluated their proteolytic and amidolytic activities in both the absence and presence of fVa. K96A and K109A activated prothrombin with 5−10-fold impaired catalytic efficiency in the absence of fVa. All mutants, however, exhibited normal activity toward the substrate in the presence of fVa. K109A also exhibited impaired amidolytic activity and affinity for Na+; however, both fVa and higher Na+ restored the catalytic defect caused by the mutation. Analysis of the X-ray cry...
Patrons and Travelling Companies in Warwickshire

Documentary evidence from the REED Warwickshire collection in progress (ed. Alan Somerset) provides the basis for analysis of regional ties of patrons of touring companies in Warwickshire prior to 1642. This analysis shows that the majority of patrons whose companies performed in Warwickshire also had large landholdings there or in neighboring counties. Payments to travelling companies suggest the relative importance of the patron's rank and local influence. Evidence of payments to travelling companies survives in records from Maxstoke Priory, civic accounts from Stratford and Warwick (ed. Alan Somerset), the city of Coventry (ed. R.W. Ingram), and the household accounts of Henry, 7th Lord Berkeley (ed. Peter Greenfield).
Theoretical Study of Benzologues of 4-Thiapyrone

POLYCYCLIC compounds containing the 4-pyrone nucleus occur in plants as the tannins and have been extensively studied, but their sulphur analogues have received much less attention. We are studying the chemistry of benzologues of 4-thiopyrone and report here some theoretical studies of six of them (I–VI) made by the simple MO-LCAO method using the Huckel approximation, together with some correlations of the results with experimental data. The secular determinants were solved with the aid of an IBM 7074 digital computer using a standard programme, which was first tested with pyrene and pyridine for which results are already available in the literature2.