cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biopharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of Protein Therapeutics

There is a growing interest in the role of proteins as therapeutic agents. Protein drugs often have specific characteristics that affect their pharmacokinetics (PK) and/or pharmacodynamics (PD) and make them distinctively different from small molecule drugs. Understanding the processes involved in the disposition of a protein molecule following administration such as its absorption, distribution, and elimination gives insights for developing and designing optimum dosage regimens as well as dosage forms. Similarly, the relationship between the drug concentration and associated biochemical and physiological processes related to the drug's mechanism of action is essential to discern its efficacy and toxicity potential. This article focuses on the relevance of PK and PD affecting the efficacy, safety, and use of protein therapeutics. It emphasizes on the available administration routes, explores different ways a protein molecule takes to reach its target tissue, and discusses the most relevant mechanisms by which protein therapeutics are eliminated from the body. It furthermore discusses a variety of PK/PD modeling approaches most commonly used for the characterization of the dose-exposure–response relationship of biologics. Keywords: biopharmaceutics; pharmacokinetics; pharmacodynamics; protein therapeutics; PK/PD-model
Demonstration and performance of a recirculating sorter based on complementary metal oxide semiconductor logic and vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

The demonstration of an optoelectronic sorter unit is pre- sented. This sorter is constructed using a recirculating architecture that passes data optically between two smart-pixel arrays. Each array is implemented using a hybrid combination of CMOS logic and vertical cav- ity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). Since implementation of this sys- tem is intended as a tool for evaluating the technological issues associ- ated with CMOS/VCSEL smart-pixel device, the system implementation is designed to minimize interconnect complexity while focusing on the smart-pixel design and analysis. A power budget analysis indicates that the photoreceivers require a minimum of 130 mW of optical input power, which leads to a VCSEL power requirement of '415 mW. The fre- quency response of the photoreceivers and logic circuit reveals that the photodetector limits the operation to '3 MHz, which is an order of mag- nitude slower than the logic circuits frequency limit. © 1998 Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(98)03101-8)
Profound systemic inflammatory response syndrome following non-emergent intestinal surgery in children☆

Purpose Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an uncommon but severe complication in surgical patients. While SIRS is well known, it is poorly described in the pediatric population. The goal of this study was to describe the incidence of profound SIRS following non-emergent intestinal surgery in children and to identify potential risk factors.
ALTERATIONS IN ILEAL TRANSPORT OF ZINC IN EXPERIMENTAL CHRONIC UREMIA

Uremia is known to be associated with hypozincemia and low levels of zinc in most tissues. We evaluated absorption of zinc in experimental chronic uremia. Male Wistar rats weighing 125-150g were made uremic (U) by a 2 stage nephrectomy which removed approximately 90% of the renal tissue. Two control groups, pair fed (PC) and ad libitum fed (AC) were sham operated. Three weeks after the second surgical procedure, the mean (± SEM) BUN for the uremic group was 61.0 ± 1.8 mg/dl while that of PC was 16.5 ± 1.3 mg/dl and AC was 19.3 ± 0.5 mg/dl. At that time an in vivoileal perfusion was performed with a buffer containing 0.015 mM Zn adjusted to pH 7.5 and using phenol red as an indicator of water movement. There were no significant differences in absorption among the 3 groups, indicating that at levels of Zn equivalent to normal plasma level there was no change in ileal zinc transport associated with uremia. However, when higher concentrations of Zn were perfused, U rats absorbed more Zn than controls: These findings are consistent with altered transport in the uremic ileum which allows increased absorption of Zn at higher concentrations and indicate that malabsorption is not a cause of Zn deficiency in uremia.
Sterols of the cultured euglenid Eutreptia viridis: A novel Δ23-unsaturated sterol.

Abstract The sterol mixture isolated from the marine alga Eutreptia viridis consists mainly of Δ5,7-dienes which account for 80% of the free sterols. Eighteen different sterols were detected, including a novel sterol with the rare Δ23-unsaturation, viz. 24-ethylcholesta-5,7,23Z-trien-3β-ol.
Factors affecting proprioceptive adaptation to prismatic displacement

Two prism displacement experiments were conducted to determine the effects of reducing proprioceptive feedback on resultant adaptation magnitude. In Experiment 1, proprioceptive reduction was produced by requesting subjects to employ passive Ivs. active) and/or fast- Ivs. slow-) paced arm movement during prism exposure. When both of these conditions were present, a significant reduction in the magnitude of proprioceptive adaptation and a significant increase in the magnitude of visual adaptation were produced. In Experiment 2, hypnotic anesthesia was employed to reduce felt sensation in an adapting limb during a prism displacement situation. This manipulation reduced proprioceptive adaptation to a nonsignificant level. The combined results of the two experiments reveal several conditions that can serve to reduce proprioceptive adaptation during prism displacement.
MO-A-204C-02: Breast MRI Quality Control

Quality control of MRIsystems used for diagnostic breast MRimaging and biopsy guidance is important to ensure the production of high quality images. Breast MRimages may be acquired using dedicated breast MRI scanners, whole body MRI scanners with detachable tabletop breast coils or tables designed with integrated breast coils. 1.5T and 3T multi‐channel arrays are now available. Many of these coils are designed to enable MR‐guided breast biopsy. In May 2010 the ACR launched the ACR Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Accreditation Program. The program requires that a medical physicist/MR scientist perform MRIsystemtesting after installation, annually and following major upgrade or repair. Testing must include annual evaluation of all breast imaging and biopsy coils used clinically. Learning Objectives: 1. Describe different breast coil designs 2. Discuss breast coil quality control procedures 3. Provide an overview of the ACR Breast MRI Accreditation Program including quality control requirements
Evaluation of Expected Life-Cycle Maintenance Cost of Deteriorating Structures

In a world where financial resources do not keep pace with the growing demand for maintenance of deteriorating structures, it is imperative that those responsible for maintenance decisions make the best possible use of limited financial resources. Decision makers have to evaluate the expected life-cycle maintenance cost of deteriorating structures and use benefit/cost techniques for finding the optimal resource allocation. This paper proposes a methodology for the evaluation of expected life-cycle maintenance cost of deteriorating structures by considering uncertainties associated with the application of cyclic maintenance actions. The methodology can be used to determine the expected number of maintenance interventions on a deteriorating structure, or a group of deteriorating structures, during a specified time horizon and the associated expected maintenance costs. The method is suitable for application to both new and existing civil infrastructures under various maintenance strategies. The ultimate objective is to evaluate the costs of alternative maintenance strategies and determine the optimum maintenance regime over a specified time horizon. In its present format, the first line of application of the method is for highway bridges. However, the method can be used for any structure, or group of structures, requiring maintenance in the foreseeable future. The proposed method can be programmed and incorporated into an existing software package for life-cycle costing of civil infrastructures. An existing reinforced concrete bridge stock is analyzed to illustrate the proposed methodology and to reveal the cost-effectiveness of preventive maintenance interventions.
Fabrication and experimental study of Al 2 O 3 -TiC sliders with piezoelectric nanoactuators for flying height control

A gap flying height (FH) of less than 5 nm between the read/write element and the surface of the disk is required for ultrahigh density recording. A stable and constant FH must also be sustained in the presence of altitude and temperature changes and manufacturing tolerance. A FH adjustment or controlled slider that is capable of adjusting its gap FH has been proposed previously. In this paper we demonstrate an inexpensive and low-temperature approach for integrating piezoelectric materials in the fabrication of current small form-factor Al2O3-TiC sliders. A bulk PZT sheet is bonded onto the back of row-bars and the sliders are separated by a standard dicing process. It requires no deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) or high temperature processes and is suitable for mass production. A conventional design and a new special air bearing surface (ABS) design have been fabricated and tested by an optical profiler and a FH tester. A nonflying actuation stroke of 0.6–0.8 nm/V has been observed. The FH measurements showed that the ABS plays a key role in increasing the actuation efficiency, which also agrees well with the numerical analysis.
Hydrogen Spillover from a Metal Oxide Catalyst onto Carbon Nanotubes—Implications for Hydrogen Storage

Hydrogen storage on multiwalled nanotubes (MWNTs) was dependent on the degree of catalyst removal. At atmospheric pressure, removal of the catalyst decreased the uptake from 0.6% to below detection limits. Hydrogen uptake of the metal oxide catalyst ranged from 0.25 to 0.98%, depending on surface area. Normalization by metal content and temperature-programmed desorption studies suggest hydrogen dissociation and subsequent spillover to the MWNT. Metal-support interactions were key to the spillover; dry mixing of the MWNT and catalyst did not enhance storage, whereas in situ production increased storage by 40%. The moderate temperature range of this material suggests a novel material for hydrogen storage applications.
Present Foreign Payments Practices in the United States

OREIGN PAYMENTS PRACTICES in the United States do not differ, except in technical details, from those in other countries which are active in international trade and finance. In contrast to most other countries, however, they are not affected by domestic governmental restrictions' since residents of the United States are entirely free to make or accept foreign payments and to contract debts or accumulate assets in foreign countries. As a result of its favorable trading position and large gold reserves, the United States has not been faced with the problems which, in many other countries, have been regarded as a justification for exchange control, and at present it has only one direct restriction on foreign payments-i.e., that affecting Chinese and North Korean interests-and various restrictions on merchandise exports and imports. All of the existing restrictions, however, are generally motivated by strategic or protective considerations and (with the exception of those affecting China and North Korea) involve no direct restrictions on the making or receiving of foreign payments. Most foreign payments in the United States are, therefore, effected along traditional lines in whatever manner experience has proven to be most practical for the type of merchandise or financial transaction involved. A number of nontraditional practices, however, have developed in recent years as the result of trade and payments restrictions established by foreign Governments. While these nontraditional practices apply to only a small part of foreign payments, they have acquired some importance and will be discussed in some detail in a separate section of this paper.
Health care transition for adolescents with special healthcare needs: Where is nursing?

The population of adolescents with special healthcare needs (ASHCN) surviving into adulthood has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Approximately, nine of every 10 children diagnosed with a chronic condition are expected to reach adulthood. Experts estimate nearly 750,000 ASHCN enter into adulthood each year. Advances in medical treatments, new technologies and scientific discoveries have all contributed to the increases in ASHCN life expectancies. As a result, new demands for services have emerged to address their clear needs for long-term services and supports. Foremost among the ASHCN service needs are healthcare transition services. Healthcare transition is recognized as a needed area of practice to facilitate ASHCN transfer of care from pediatric to adult healthcare and to support the acquisition of the developmental competencies needed to successfully transition to adulthood. Yet, few evidence-based and exemplary models of care exist. Healthcare transition research is in the early stages of development. The medical community has provided the leadership with the development of healthcare transition policy, practice, and research. As a result, policymaking, practice issues, and research have a prominent medically related focus. In contrast, the influence of nursing as it pertains to these areas of professional practice is limited. Opportunities exist for pediatric and child health nursing leaders to provide direction for greater involvement in this emerging and growing field of specialty practice.
Destination dixie: tourism and southern history

In Destination Dixie: Tourism and Southern History, historian Karen Cox puts together an informative collection of case studies exploring the historical development of tourism at selected places in...
Behavioral responses of trained squirrel and rhesus monkeys during oculomotor tasks.

The oculomotor system is the motor system of choice for many neuroscientists studying motor control and learning because of its simplicity, easy control of inputs (e.g., visual stimulation), and precise control and measurement of motor outputs (eye position). This is especially true in primates, which are easily trained to perform oculomotor tasks. Here we provide the first detailed characterization of the oculomotor performance of trained squirrel monkeys, primates used extensively in oculomotor physiology, during saccade and smooth pursuit tasks, and compare it to that of the rhesus macaque. We found that both primates have similar oculomotor behavior but the rhesus shows a larger oculomotor range, better performance for horizontal saccades above 10 degrees, and better horizontal smooth pursuit gain to target velocities above 15 deg/s. These results are important for interspecies comparisons and necessary when selecting the best stimuli to study motor control and motor learning in the oculomotor systems of these primates.
Seismicity and seismic structure at Okmok Volcano, Alaska

Abstract Okmok volcano is an active volcanic caldera located on the northeastern portion of Umnak Island in the Aleutian arc, with recent eruptions in 1997 and 2008. The Okmok area had ~900 locatable earthquakes between 2003 and June 2008, and an additional ~600 earthquakes from the beginning of the 2008 eruption to mid 2009, providing an adequate dataset for seismic tomography. To image the seismic velocity structure of Okmok, we apply waveform cross-correlation using bispectrum verification and double-difference tomography to a subset of these earthquakes. We also perform P -wave attenuation tomography using a spectral decay technique. We examine the spatio-temporal characteristics of seismicity in the opening sequence of the 2008 eruption to investigate the path of magma migration during the establishment of a new eruptive vent. We also incorporate the new earthquake relocations and three-dimensional (3D) velocity model with first-motion polarities to compute focal mechanisms for selected events in the 2008 pre-eruptive and eruptive periods. Through these techniques we obtain precise relocations, a well-constrained 3D P -wave velocity model, and a marginally resolved S -wave velocity model. We image a main low Vp and Vs anomaly directly under the caldera consisting of a shallow zone at 0–2 km depth connected to a larger deeper zone that extends to about 6 km depth. We find that areas of low Qp are concentrated in the central to southwestern portion of the caldera and correspond fairly well with areas of low Vp. We interpret the deeper part of the low velocity anomaly (4–6 km depth) beneath the caldera as a magma body. This is consistent with results from ambient noise tomography and suggests that previous estimates of depth to Okmok's magma chamber based only on geodetic data may be too shallow. The distribution of events preceding the 2008 eruption suggest that a combination of overpressure in the zone surrounding the magma chamber and the introduction of new material from below were jointly responsible for the explosive eruption. Magma escaping from the top of the main magma chamber likely reacted with both a smaller shallow pod of magma and groundwater on its way up below the Cone D area. The earthquakes in the 2008 pre-eruptive and eruptive periods are found to have a mixture of strike-slip, oblique normal, and oblique thrust mechanisms, with a dominant P -axis orientation that is nearly perpendicular to the regional tectonic stress. This may indicate that the stresses related to magmatic activity locally dominated regional tectonic forces during this time period.
Reconceptualizing intervention integrity: A partnership‐based framework for linking research with practice

Prevention and intervention research studies often fail to include an assessment of program integrity, and when they do, it is often examined in a limited way. Further, despite efforts to reform the intervention research process to include community stakeholders more actively in every phase of investigation, current practice generally employs a hierarchical model of integrity that fails to be responsive to community needs and priorities. In this article, we describe the traditional, hierarchical model of integrity and contrast this framework with a partnership model of treatment integrity. The limitations of the hierarchical model are illustrated through the description of two school-based prevention programs. Core features of the partnership model and steps for implementing this framework in research and practice are described. Although the partnership model has limitations when conducting efficacy research in clinical trials, it has clear advantages over the hierarchical model in conducting effectiveness research and research that is directly linked with practice. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 495–507, 2005.
INVARIANT PROPERTIES OF AUTOMOTIVE SUSPENSIONS

Dynamic systems which are composed of interconnected sub-systems are subject to dynamic 'constraint equations' which are independent of the nature of the interconnections. A dynamic constraint equation is developed for a quarter car model of an automotive suspension. It is shown that only one of the three transfer functions (acceleration, suspension deflection and tyre deflection) can be independently specified and that the first two contain 'invariant points' at frequencies within the frequency range of interest. These constraint equations lead to conclusions with respect to trade-offs between the three transfer functions. Improvements in all three can be obtained near the unsprung natural frequency; however, severe trade-offs are shown to exist at all other frequencies. (A) (Author/TRRL)
Method for rapid calculation of quantitative cerebral perfusion.

Purpose To evaluate an algorithm based on algebraic estimation of T1 values (three-point estimation) in comparison with computational curve-fitting for the postprocessing of quantitative cerebral perfusion scans. Materials and Methods Computer simulations were performed to quantify the magnitude of the expected error on T1 and consequently cerebral perfusion using the three-point estimation technique on a Look-Locker (LL) EPI scan. In 50 patients, quantitative cerebral perfusion was calculated using the bookend method with three-point estimation and curve-fitting. The bookend method, a novel approach for calculating quantitative cerebral perfusion based on changes in T1 values after a contrast injection, is currently being validated. The number of computations was used as a measure of computation speed for each method. Student's paired t-test, Bland-Altman, and correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the accuracy of estimation. Results There was a 99.65% reduction in the number of computations with three-point estimation. Student's t-test showed no significant difference in cerebral perfusion (P = 0.80, 0.49, paired t-test N = 50, quantitative cerebral blood flow–white matter [qCBF-WM], qCBF–gray matter [qCBF-GM]) when compared to curve-fitting. The results of the two techniques were strongly correlated in patients (slope = 0.99, intercept =1.58 mL/(100 g/minute), r = 0.86) with a small systemic bias of −0.97 mL/(100 g/minute) in Bland-Altman analysis. Conclusion The three-point estimation technique is adequate for rapid calculation of qCBF. The estimation scheme drastically reduces processing time, thus making the method feasible for clinical use. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;28:1258–1265. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Dependence of porcelain whiteness on technological factors and structural particulars of the material

The interrelations of the properties (whiteness and color) and structure of porcelain and technological factors are examined. The results of the investigation demonstrate the possibility of regulating the whiteness indicators of porcelain by using high-quality raw material, additions of mineralizers, and optimal firing regimes. The use of different methods for determining the whiteness and color of porcelain permits evaluating the effect of technological factors on the formation of the coloristic characteristics of a material. It is determined that the whiteness values determined for porcelain with the Spekol and Pul’sar spectrophotometers could be correlated with one another.
C(9)-Butylated Lactams Related to Perhydrohistrionicotoxin

Abstract The unsubstituted ketospirolactam 1 afforded on alkyla-tion the two C(9)-butylated ketolactams 2 and 3, with 3 being the more stabile epimer, and the C(9)-dibutylated ketolactam 4. Structure of alcohol 5 obtained from 3 was secured by X-ray analysis.
Alloantigen-dependent endothelial phenotype and lymphokine mRNA expression in rejecting murine cardiac allografts.

Recent studies suggest that graft microvascular endothelia may play an important role in the regulation of rejection. Alloantigen-dependent changes in microvascular endothelial phenotype may be associated with differences in infiltrate function in allografts vs. isografts, as reflected in alloantigen-specific CTL accumulation and cytokine production. To correlate cytokine production with differences in microvascular endothelial phenotype during allograft inflammation, we used PCR to identify cytokine mRNAs isolated from pooled cardiac isografts and allografts on days 1, 3, and 5 after transplantation. Graft microvascular endothelia express an inflamed phenotype associated with wound healing and the repair of tissue damage due to mechanical trauma, ischemia, and/or reperfusion injury--i.e., high levels of ICAM-1 expression and MECA-32 mAb reactivity. By day 1 in both isografts and allografts, mRNAs for the cytokines IL1 alpha, IL6, TNF, LT, and TGF beta are upregulated or induced. By the third day in cardiac allografts, an antigen-dependent endothelial phenotype is expressed, characterized by the presence of cell surface VCAM-1. Concomitantly, mRNAs for the lymphokines IL2 and IFN gamma are detected, followed by IL4 mRNA by day 5. The expression of VCAM-1 by allograft endothelia may influence the inflammatory process, by physically recruiting specific T cell subpopulations into the response and/or by delivering additional signals to the infiltrating cells. Eventually, these and other regulatory events occurring at these early times initiate a process that later results in alloreactive tissue destruction.
Conveying 3D shape with texture: recent advances and experimental findings

If we could design the perfect texture pattern to apply to any smooth surface in order to enable observers to more accurately perceive the surface's shape in a static monocular image taken from an arbitrary generic viewpoint under standard lighting conditions, what would the characteristics of that texture pattern be? In order to gain insight into this question, our group has developed an efficient algorithm for synthesizing a high resolution texture pattern, derived from a provided 2D sample, over an arbitrary doubly curved surface in such a way that the orientation of the texture is constrained to follow a specified underlying vector field over the surface, at a per-pixel level, without evidence of seams or projective distortion artifacts. In this paper, we report the findings of a recent experiment in which we attempt to use this new texture synthesis method to assess the shape information carrying capacity of two different types of directional texture patterns (unidirectional and bi-directional) under three different orientation conditions (following the first principal direction, following a constant uniform direction, or swirling sinusoidally in the surface). In a four alternative forced choice task, we asked participants to identify the quadrant in which two B-spline surfaces, illuminated from different random directions and simultaneously and persistently displayed, differed in their shapes. We found, after all subjects had gained sufficient training in the task, that accuracy increased fairly consistently with increasing magnitude of surface shape disparity, but that the characteristics of this increase differed under the different texture orientation conditions. Subjects were able to more reliably perceive smaller shape differences when the surfaces were textured with a pattern whose orientation followed one of the principal directions than when the surfaces were textured with a pattern that either gradually swirled in the surface or followed a constant uniform direction in the tangent plane regardless of the surface shape characteristics. These findings appear to support our hypothesis that anisotropic textures aligned with the first principal direction may facilitate shape perception, for a generic view, by making more, reliable information about the extent of the surface curvature explicitly available to the observer than would be available if the texture pattern were oriented in any other way.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cooperation of Murine F1, T and Parental B Lymphocytes in Rejection of a Xenogeneic Tumour: Adaptive Differentiation of B Lymphocytes?

The primary humoral immune response to rat Yoshida ascites sarcoma (YAS) grown in mice was used to study thymus-dependent (T) and bone marrow-derived (B) lymphocyte cooperation. It was shown that B6D2F1 T lymphocytes that do not cooperate with parental B lymphocytes enabled parental B lymphocytes from B6 leads to B6D2F1 radiation chimaeras to reject the tumour. However, when the bone marrow cells from B6 leads to B6D2F1 chimaeras were used to reconstitute parental B6 mice, these B6 leads to B6D2F1 leads to B6 mice lost their tolerance to D2 transplantation antigens, and their B lymphocytes were not able to cooperate with B6D2F1 T lymphocytes. In our search for the reasons for the failure of F1 T cells to be effective in parental and P leads to F1 leads to P TIR mice, rejection of F1 T cells was excluded because : (i) immune reactivity in TIR mice was found to be either absent or minimal; (ii) parental TIR mice did not produce any detectable cytotoxic antibodies after an intravenous injection of F1 splenic T cells; and (iii) YAS rejection was not induced at very high doses of F1 T cells. However, in a cell transfer system we were able to demonstrate that injection of spleen cells from parental TIR mice could thwart the successful cooperation of transferred F1 T cells with host B cells. Collectively, these data suggest that the changes of the collaborative potential of parental B cells as achieved in the F1 environment could be ascribed to 'adaptive' differentiation of B lymphocytes. It appears that the differentiation process that has rendered nonsyngeneic chimaeric cells able to cooperate was independent of the exogenous antigen.
Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma associated with milroy’s disease (primary hereditary lymphedema)

Kaposiform infantile hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare recently characterized, locally aggressive, endothelial-derived neoplasm that occurs exclusively in the pediatric age group. Milroy-Nonne disease (primary hereditary lymphedema) is an uncommon congenital entity with familiar history of lower limb edema as typical clinical features. An 8-year-old boy developed a hard painless mass in the right leg 7 years after the diagnosis of congenital primary lymphedema of the right lower extremity. Histopathological analysis of the tumor showed the typical findings of the KHE. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of a KHE engrafting on this infrequent benign lymphatic anomaly.
Communication Forms and Functions of Children and Adults With Severe Mental Retardation in Community and Institutional Settings

The forms and functions of expressive communication produced by 84 individuals with severe mental retardation were assessed, using a structured communication sampling procedure. Symbolic communication acts were produced by 39 participants, and 27 of these symbolic communicators produced one or more multiword/multisymbol utterances. Of the remaining participants, 38 produced intentional but nonsymbolic communication acts; 7 were not observed to produce any intentional communication. For all participants who produced intentional communication, there were significantly more imperative than declarative communication acts. Significant differences in the frequencies and functions of communication acts produced by these participants were associated with differences in their communication levels (contact gesture, distal gesture, or symbolic), age (child vs. adult), and residential status (community home vs. large facility).
The Alliance for Progress: Promises Unfulfilled

has not been the least of the AFP's problems. It has also suffered from Latin American suspicions that it is a "Castro Plan," from unrealistically high goals which, unmet, produce defeatism and criticism, from ballooning bureaucratic undergrowth and red tape, from Latin American chafing at continued U.S. dominance despite promised multilateral responsibilities, and from administrative deficiencies. It has spent too much in propping up weak, militaristic governments and weak, inflationary currencies. Nevertheless, in its first seven years, the Alliance has channeled $9.2 billion of U.S. aid into Latin America. That figure includes Food for Peace, Export-Import Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank
LKB1/PEA3/ΔNp63 pathway regulates PTGS-2 (COX-2) transcription in lung cancer cells upon cigarette smoke exposure.

This is the first study to show that cigarette smoking induced the LKB1/PEA 3/ΔNp63-dependent transcriptional regulation of inflammatory molecules, such as COX-2/PTGS-2. Using mainstream smoke extract (MSE) and sidestream smoke extract (SSE) as modeling tools for primary and secondhand smoking, we found that both MSE and SSE downregulated protein levels for LKB1, while upregulated protein levels for PEA 3 and COX-2 in a dose-dependent manner. Using the endogenous ChIP analysis, we further found that the C/EBPβ, NFκB, NF-Y (CHOP), PEA 3 (ETS) and ΔNp63 proteins bound to the specific area (-550 to -130) of the COX-2 promoter, while forming multiple protein complexes in lung cancer cells exposed to MSE and SSE. Our results define a novel link between various transcription factors occupying the COX-2 promoter and cellular response to cigarette smoke exposure bringing a new component, ΔNp63α, showing a critical role for cooperation between various chromatin components in regulation of COX-2 expression and, therefore strengthening the central role of inflammatory process in tumorigenesis of epithelial cells, especially after cigarette smoke exposure (both primary and secondhand).
Bile duct hyperplasia in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni

Schistosoma mansoni releases large amounts of proline into the hepatoenteric circulation. Because proline release has been linked to bile duct hyperplasia in fascioliasis, the current investigation tested the possibility that such hyperplasia might occur in schistosomiasis. The lumenal perimeter and wall thickness in bile ducts was compared between infected and uninfected mice. In those harboring 5 week old S. mansoni infections there was a 180% increase in the lumenal perimeter of the duct (P<0.001) and a 580% increase in the thickness of the duct wall (P<0.001). These results tend to support data linking proline to bile duct and liver fibroblast proliferation.
A SIMPLE NONLOCAL MODEL FOR HIGH-ENERGY SCATTERING

It is shown that many of the results found in the study of singular and complicated multichannel local potential problems as well as some of the currently indicated behaviors of high-energy scattering amplitudes follow immediately from a simple model of a nonlocal interaction. The model is constructed with nonlocal potentials, yet possesses a double-dispersion representation and a type of crossing similar to that expected for a realistic relativistic situation. (C.E.S.)
Regulation of hypothalamic neuropeptide-Y neurons by growth hormone in the rat

GH is thought to exert a short-loop feedback action on the hypothalamic somatostatin- and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-containing neurons. The direct actions of GH are mediated through GH receptors. In the male rat, few GHRH-containing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) appear to express the GH receptor messenger RNA (mRNA); however, some unidentified neurons near GHRH neurons do. Recent evidence suggests that neuropeptide-Y (NPY)-containing neurons, which are located near GHRH neurons in the ARC, are targets for GH action because treatment of rats with GH induces c-fos expression in these cells. We conducted two experiments to test the hypothesis that GH acts on NPY neurons in the ARC. First, we performed double-label in situ hybridization to determine whether NPY neurons in the ARC express GH receptor mRNA. Second, we investigated the possibility that GH regulates NPY mRNA expression by using in situ hybridization to compare ARC NPY mRNA levels among groups of normal (n = 7), hypophysectomized (n = 7),...
Naming and registration for IBM distributed systems

Today's trends toward interconnection of networks expose limitations and deficiencies of traditional identification schemes. The need arises for a uniform naming solution that can accommodate the size and heterogeneity of worldwide domains, while still remaining understandable, usable, and manageable by human users. This paper describes a proposatol name objects and resources in distributed environments; each object or resource cabne located, accessed, communicated with, operated on, managed, or secured using the same, unique name. The solution proposed here includes registration mechanisms necessary to ensure name uniqueness. The schemeis based on existing standards, mainly Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Distinguished Names; whenever standards disagree, the preference goesto the alternative that offers the widest usage acrosasll protocols. Clear, consistent naming guidelineasr e given that would enable ISM customers who have purchased IBM networking and system management products to name their resourcesso that their administrative processes and IBM's products and protocols can support those resources effectively. A method is suggested to encompass existing name spaces in a single, worldwide namings pace, and a migration pathis sketched. The interoperation of different protocols across network boundariesu sing the same naming constructs is shown by means of several scenarios. The naming and addressing scheme proposed here requires nothing new or different from the already defined standards, but allows interoperation among them by using a subset of each.
Epidemiology of drug-drug interactions as a cause of hospital admissions.

The purpose of this review was to focus on hospital admissions caused by a specific type of adverse drug reaction (ADR) that can be assumed to be avoidable in almost all cases: the drug-drug interaction (D-DI). To determine the epidemiology of D-DIs in hospital admissions, a review of the adverse drug reaction literature was undertaken to answer several questions: (a) what is the incidence of hospital admissions attributable to D-DIs?; (b) what percentage of drug-related hospital admissions are attributable to D-DIs?; (c) are there any patterns to the above findings, i.e. are some D-DIs or specific drugs more likely to have been associated with hospital admissions?; and (d) are there certain patient risk factors (e.g. age) that are associated with D-DIs that led to a hospital admission? Nine ADR studies were found that either included a D-DI category as a cause for hospital admissions, or provided sufficient information so that a causal relationship could be inferred. The incidence of hospital admissions due to D-DIs ranged from 0 to 2.8%. The data found in the studies we reviewed, however, were insufficient to allow meaningful quantification of specific drugs as usual causes for D-DI-related admissions, and because of the very small numbers of patients for which a D-DI was believed to be the cause it is not possible to provide a meaningful summary of risk factors specific for D-DI admissions. We cannot conclude that D-DIs are a significant problem. There is a need to view the quantification of D-DIs in relation to the number of medications prescribed by physicians, dispensed by pharmacists and taken by patients.
Large-scale laboratory observations of wave breaking turbulence over an evolving beach

[1] Wave breaking turbulence over an evolving beach was observed in a large-scale laboratory flume, as part of the CROss-Shore Sediment Transport EXperiment (CROSSTEX). The data set included comprehensive measurements of water surface elevation, fluid velocity, and morphology for irregular waves under erosive and accretive wave conditions. For the both conditions, the beach reached a quasi-equilibrium state, defined as when the bar shape was stable. Wave breaking characteristics, such as wave heights, average rate of energy dissipation by bores, and surf similarity parameter, were investigated in response to morphodynamics of the bar. Turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) was estimated using the method by Shaw and Trowbridge (2001). As the beach evolved, a less amount of TKE was observed at the trough for the erosive case, while more TKE was observed at the trough for the accretive case. It was also found that the temporal variation of the time-averaged TKE were closely associated with the average rate of energy dissipation by bores. Comparing with the bar trough, the vertical distribution of nondimensionalized time-averaged TKE and turbulence dissipation rate at the bar crest showed a large increase near the bottom, probably due to a strong cross-shore RMS velocity. Finally, in the quasi-equilibrium state, time-averaged TKE, and turbulence dissipation rate at the bar trough were smaller than those inside the surf zone. Inside the surf zone, significant turbulence intensities were observed due to a second breaking on a shallow water depth.
Physiatry serves an important role in the acute care of patients: disability prevention!

As one of PMR (2) specific physical examination driven by the results of the history; (3) plan for appropriate diagnostic testing; (4) treatment plan that reflects mechanism of injury, symptom management based on history, examination, and, when necessary, diagnostic testing; and (5) treatment plan that does not end until the goal of return to maximal function has been addressed or realized? Because we know chronic care and we know impairment and disability at the end point of the spectrum, are we not well suited to assess and manage patients at the beginning of the spectrum? If we can position ourselves at the acute end of health care delivery, then we can contribute to the prevention of disability. The research for this perspective editorial included interviewing physiatrists who have long been involved in the acute and subacute care in providing services to patients with potential or known prognostic indicators of long-term disability. Michelle Gittler, MD, medical director of the Spinal Cord Program at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital and clinical associate professor of surgery, orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation at the University of Chicago, has developed a service in which the physiatry service evaluates patients with spinal cord injury in the acute setting. “In general, when we are asked to see a patient with a new diagnosis of spinal cord injury, we are the physicians assigning a neurologic level of injury and determining completeness of injury. We iterate the problem list and often write orders to treat neuropathic pain, neurogenic bladder and bowel, and establish a care plan to prevent secondary complications,” related Gittler. But the rehabilitation model extends beyond patient care. “We discuss prognosis with families (and staff) and begin navigating this catastrophic time with the patient.” In addition to assisting in the
Effects of ultraviolet radiation on the leaves of higher plants

Abstract The lethal effects of germicidal ultraviolet (λ=2537 A) on the leaves of 67 species of plants were studied. A smaller number of species were examined under the simulated extraterrestrial solar radiation of a Xenon lamp at a wide range of intensities. There was an extremely large difference in sensitivity found among the various species. There was also a remarkably wide diversity in the types of adaptations and mechanisms which apparently functioned to protect against damaging light. Delicate broad-leaved plants such as Pharbitis nil and Pisum sativum were among the most sensitive plants tested, and tough-leaved xeromorphoric plants such as Agave sp. and Pinus ponderosa were among the most resistant. Grasses were moderately resistant, whereas most garden vegetables were quite sensitive. Pinus nigra which was subjected to simulated solar radiation at an intensity (0·86 cal/cm 2 /min) equivalent to that above the atmosphere of Mars for 44 consecutive days (635 hr) sustained very little u.v. damage. A prolonged pre-treatment with sublethal and near-lethal exposures of radiation in Xanthium leaves caused an accumulation of damage and an increase in sensitivity to a final lethal exposure. Photoreversal of u.v. damage was found in Xanthium both with u.v. alone (germicidal lamp) and with u.v. in conjunction with high-intensity visible radiation (Xenon lamp) when followed by an exposure of visible radiation. Little or no photoreversal occurred when the germicidal exposures were greater than 0·22 cal/cm 2 and when the Xenon exposures were greater than 17 cal/cm 2 . The bronzing or darkening of irradiated leaves may be due to the formation of oxidized polymerized phenolic products subsequent to cell damage by u.v. rays.
Studies of low energy positronium-gas scattering using age-momentum correlation

In recent years there has been a growing interest in positronium-gas scattering. This interest has been in part due to recent experiments that have for the first time produced direct measurements of the momentum transfer cross-section. I will discuss a new effort to implement a fully realized age-momentum correlation apparatus. This apparatus will allow for at least an order of magnitude increase in statistical efficiency as well as large improvements in effective detector resolution. These advancements will enable new energy regimes to be studied as well as allow for the possibility of seeing an energy dependent momentum transfer cross-section.
Asking a Child for Help.

In an investigation of help-requesting behavior, 26 college-age subjects were given a spelling test during which approximately half could ask for help from a child, the rest from a same-aged adult. Though both helpers were presented as equally competent spellers, subjects asked for help less frequently from the child than from the adult. This reluctance to ask a child for help appeared to be due to embarrassment at requesting help from a social inferior. Results were discussed in terms of further research on the role of embarrassment and perceived status in help-seeking interactions.
The effects of compressed speech on listener attitudes

The effect of time-compressed persuasive communications on listener attitudes was investigated. Previous research has indicated that faster speech rates enhance the perception of a message with no loss in comprehension. However, many of these studies suffer from methodological problems that make their conclusions tentative. The present study is an attempt to clarify the effects of time compression on commercial messages. Eighty subjects listened to one of two commercial messages at one of four speeds: 150, 175, 200, or 225 words per minute (WPM). Subjects later rated the message on several dependent measures using nine attitude rating scales and one behavioral intention measure. Results show support for the moderate speeds of 175 and 200 WPM being the preferred rate of speed on most of the dependent measures. The results suggest that many of the beneficial effects of faster speech rates previously shown may be artifacts of methodological controls.
Theory of absorption and emission of radiation in molecular collisions: Semiclassical model

Abstract A semiclassical transition amplitude is derived for electronically inelastic molecular collisions in the presence of an intense electromagnetic field. The calculation of this amplitude involves the integration of classical trajectories for nuclei moving on effective potential energy surfaces. These surfaces, which exhibit an avoided crossing due to the coupling through the dipole interaction around the resonance nuclear configuration, are analytically continued to their complex intersection points, where trajectories switch surfaces. Other parts of these surfaces are similar to the field-free adiabatic surfaces, where one is shifted by ħω. Metastable states, formed at some collision energies, are suggested in the field which are absent in the field-free system.
Wavelet-domain edge modeling with applications to image interpolation

Edge modeling in the wavelet domain is important to efficient image compression and accurate image interpolation among many other applications. In this work, we first analyze the properties of an edge in different scales. By using simple models for edges and wavelet filters, we show how edge coefficients in one scale relate to edge coefficients in another scale in both magnitude and phase, which we call scale coherence. Real image data are used to verify the goodness of the model. We further propose to use spatial coherence, i.e. the structural correlation of edge signals with their spatial neighbors, as additional tools to locate an edge. The model enables us to predict the edge coefficients in a high- frequency band by inspecting their counterparts in previous high-frequency bands and in their spatial neighborhood, and is applied to image interpolation.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.