cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Advances in Spinal Cord Stimulation for Treatment of Chronic Pain

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) continues to gain validation as an effective and safe treatment option for a variety of chronic pain syndromes, including failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, refractory angina pectoris, and phantom limb pain. Over the past 30 years, SCS has demonstrated successful outcomes in pain reduction, as well as improvement in quality of life and function. Additionally, there are promising developments under way with cervical spine level SCS and non-pain-related indications. Despite the success of SCS thus far, there is still a paucity of randomized control trials, and further clinical research is warranted to better establish SCS’s efficacy across its spectrum of applications.
Seasonality of polar surface warming amplification in climate simulations

[1] The IPCC AR4 global warming climate simulations reveal a pronounced seasonality of polar warming amplification with maximum warming amplification in winter and minimum in summer. In this paper, we study the relative importance of surface albedo feedback (SAF), changes in cloud radiative forcing (CRF), changes in surface sensible and latent heat fluxes, changes in heat storage, and changes in the clear-sky downward infrared radiation in causing the strong seasonality of polar warming amplification by calculating partial temperature changes due to each of these processes using the surface energy budget equation. The main thermodynamic factor for a small polar warming amplification in summer is that the positive SAF is largely cancelled out by the negative surface CRF feedback in summer. The positive SAF is relatively much weaker in winter compared to its amplitude in summer, therefore does not contribute to the pronounced polar warming amplification in winter. The seasonal cycle of polar surface warming amplification, in terms of both spatial patterns and temporal amplitude, closely follows the seasonal cycle of the warming due to changes in clear-sky downward longwave radiation alone, indicating the importance of the atmospheric processes, such as water vapor feedback and dynamical feedbacks associated with the enhancement of poleward moist static energy transport, in causing the pronounced seasonality of polar warming amplification.
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp

I have often recommended students to submit essays to the Journal and several have been published. The majority of those published are by students who have taken a position on a moral and/or ethical issue. This paper, however, is different. I have known Nick throughout his four undergraduate years at Duke, and it has not been a smooth and uneventful matriculation for him. At times, as he suggests in his paper, it has taken a monumental effort on his part to survive. However, throughout his senior year his camp counselor experience at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp has been a constant, a reminder to him to do his best, to never give up, and that he is a person of real worth. His essay speaks to morals and ethics, but even more so to the value and meaning of life. Like Nick says, “I hope you get it!” And by the way, Nick graduated in May.
Three-level differential reward magnitude discrimination in rats

In two experiments conducted in a discrete-trial fixed-ratio leverpress situation, rats clearly discriminated among three stimuli associated with large reward (5 or 11 pellets), small reward (1 pellet), and nonreward. The course of acquisition and extinction was mapped for measures of start speed, ratio speed, and foodcup entrance behavior. Throughout acquisition and in the early portion of extinction there was an inverse relationship between leverpress speed and foodcup entrance responses. Resistance to extinction varied directly with amount of reward in within-S comparisons.
E‐learning in India: the role of national culture and strategic implications

Purpose – The primary purpose of this research paper is to understand the role of national cultural dimensions on e‐learning practices in India. India is considered a major player in the world economy today. US multinationals are significantly increasing their presence in India and understanding cultural preferences will help global companies transition better.Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper uses the national cultural dimensions of the global leadership and organizational behavior effectiveness project, which is identified as the most topical theoretical framework on culture. The national cultural scores are used to develop hypotheses for specific cultural dimensions. Examples from the literature are also used to strengthen the proposed hypotheses.Findings – This research proposes that national cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty avoidance, in‐group collectivism, and future‐orientation influence e‐learning practices. This study distinguishes between synchronous and async...
Nucleotide determinants for tRNA-dependent amino acid discrimination by a class I tRNA synthetase.

The high accuracy of the genetic code relies on the ability of tRNA synthetases to discriminate rigorously between closely similar amino acids. While the enzymes can detect differences between closely similar amino acids at an accuracy of about 1 part in 100−200, a finer discrimination requires the presence of the cognate tRNA. The role of the tRNA is to direct the misactivated amino acid to a distinct catalytic site for editing where hydrolysis occurs. Previous work showed that three nucleotides at the corner of the L-shaped tRNA were collectively required. Here we show that each of these nucleotides individually contributes to the efficiency of editing. However, all are dispensable for the chemical step of hydrolysis. Instead, these nucleotides are required for translocation of a misactivated amino acid from the active site to the center for editing.
Awareness of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Among Teens and Young Adults

Adolescents and young women were historically excluded from receiving long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) after widespread concerns about infection and infertility 40 years ago reduced IUD use for all women. Over the last several years, concerted efforts by professional health organizations have promoted LARC as an excellent solution to the epidemic of unintended pregnancy in adolescents and young adults, yet uptake has increased slowly. In this article we review evidence regarding awareness of LARC among young women, and perceptions and knowledge of LARC in this population. We review evidence on clinical providers' knowledge and beliefs about LARC, and their beliefs about the appropriateness or risks of LARCs for adolescents and young women. We discuss an active role for providers in increasing awareness of LARC among young women, rather than relying on patient request for methods of which they have little knowledge. Finally, we suggest avenues of future research into the most effective and efficient ways to increase awareness of LARC among adolescents.
An Atmospherically Driven Optical Switch

The atmospheric regulation of the photophysical properties of 1 gives rise to a new optical switch. This optical information can be translated with the utmost spatial and molecular economy using confocal single molecule spectroscopy. R=OH.
Optimisation of array directivity by phase adjustments

A method is presented for the maximisation of the directivity of an antenna array by phase adjustments under the constraint of a uniform-amplitude excitation. It is a perturbation procedure which can be applied readily to both linear and circular arrays. Typical results are given.
Mathematical models of information system use

Abstract This report presents the results from a study of mathematical models relating to the usage of information systems. For each of four models, the papers developed during the study provide three types of analyses: reviews of the literature relevant to the model, analytical studies, and tests of the models with data drawn from specific operational situations. (1) The Cobb-Douglas model: x0 = ax1bx2(1−b). This classic production model, normally interpreted as applying to the relationship between production, labor, and capital, is applied to a number of information related contexts. These include specifically the performance of libraries, both public and academic, and the use of information resources by the nation's industry. The results confirm not only the utility of the Cobb-Douglas model in evaluation of the use of information resources, but demonstrate the extent to which those resources currently are being used at significantly less than optimum levels. (2) Mixture of Poissons: χ 0 = ∑ i=0 n i ∑ j=0 p n j e mj (m j )′/i! where x 0 is the usage and (nj,mj),j = 0 to p, are the p + 1 components of the distribution. This model of heterogeneity is applied to the usage of library materials and of thesaurus terms. In each case, both the applicability and the analytical value of the model are demonstrated. (3) Inverse effects of distance: x = a e−md if c(d) = rd x = ad−m if c(d) = r log(d). These two models reflect different inverse effects of distance, the choice depending upon the cost of transportation. If the cost,c(d), is linear, the usage is inverse exponential; if logarithmic, the usage is inverse power. The literature that discusses the relationship between usage of facilities and the distance from them is reviewed. The models are tested with data from the usage of the Los Angeles Public Library, both Central Library and branches, based on a survey of 3662 users. (4) Weighted entropy: S(x 1 ,x 2 ,...,x n )= - ∑ i=1 n r(x i P(x i ) log (p(x i )). This generalization of the “entropy measure of information” is designed to accommodate the effects of “relevancy”, as measured by r(x), upon the performance of information retrieval systems. The relevant literature is reviewed and the application to retrieval systems is considered.
Methods for estimating temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter based on incubation data: A comparative evaluation

Although the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition has been widely studied, the estimate substantially depends on the methods used with specific assumptions. Here we compared several commonly used methods (i.e., one-pool (1P) model, two-discrete-pool (2P) model, three-discrete-pool (3P) model, and time-for-substrate (T4S) Q10 method) plus a new and more process-oriented approach for estimating Q10 of SOM decomposition from laboratory incubation data to evaluate the influences of the different methods and assumptions on Q10 estimation. The process-oriented approach is a three-transfer-pool (3PX) model that resembles the decomposition sub-model commonly used in Earth system models. The temperature sensitivity and other parameters in the models were estimated from the cumulative CO2 emission using the Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique. The estimated Q10s generally increased with the soil recalcitrance, but decreased with the incubation temperature increase. Our results indicated that the 1P model did not adequately simulate the dynamics of SOM decomposition and thus was not adequate for the Q10 estimation. All the multi-pool models fitted the soil incubation data well. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) analysis suggested that the 2P model is the most parsimonious. As the incubation progressed, Q10 estimated by the 3PX model was smaller than those by the 2P and 3P models because the continuous C transfers from the slow and passive pools to the active pool were included in the 3PX model. Although the T4S method could estimate the Q10 of labile carbon appropriately, our analyses showed that it overestimated that of recalcitrant SOM. The similar structure of 3PX model with the decomposition sub-model of Earth system models provides a possible approach, via the data assimilation techniques, to incorporate results from numerous incubation experiments into Earth system models.
Detection of Encephalitozoon hellem in Feces of Experimentally Infected Chickens

Encephalitozoon hellem, initially isolated from an AIDS patient, was found infectious for athymic mice [5] and has been reported in natural infections of psittacine birds, an ostrich and hummingbirds [4,6]. The specific routes of transmission have not been well documented. However, like other fecal borne pathogens, the infectious spore stage is probably transmitted by direct contact or by ingestion of contaminated food and water. Because the range of avian hosts has been found to be so great the likelihood of there being additional avian species susceptible to infection with E. hellem seems a reasonable expectation. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine if chickens and turkeys, easily accessible laboratory species, species of economic importance, and species in close contact with humans, were also susceptible to infection with E. hellem.
Outdoor leisure involvements of black older Americans: an exploration of ethnicity and marginality.

Variables of age, income, education level, and gender, as reported in the 1982-83 Nationwide Recreation Survey, were used to determine if outdoor activities of older blacks differed from those of other older adults. Barriers to participation were also identified Of the 1,653 adults 60+ who comprised the sample, 136 were older 1 blacks. An activity score was computed for 2 outdoor activities (based on the variety chosen) and frequency of participation. Data showed extremely low levels of participation in outdoor recreation by older blacks. Fewer than 25% participated in any of the 22 activities: groups showed differences based upon race comparisons of similar income, age, gender, and educational attainment. General support for the ethnicity theory was noted, although further research is suggested to better understand ethnicity and marginality as theories explaining outdoor participation by this group.
Bio-Inspired pH Responsive Hydrogels for Programmed Activation of Electrochemical Storage Systems in Biology

Bioinspired materials are often ideally suited for applications that are biologically integrated due to naturally evolved advantageous characteristics. One area where this is particularly important is in electrochemical storage materials that use aqueous electrolytes which are amenable for applications ranging from biomedical devices to grid-scale storage. Hygroscopic ionomer electrolytes permit fine control over the transport of cations using various mechanisms. Smart bioinspired polymers could enable spontaneous control of electrochemical discharge for use in the active control of battery operation. Here we present the design, fabrication, and characterization of pH-sensitive hydrogels that are bioinspired as polymeric electrolytes that can control the discharge of aqueous sodium-ion batteries. Poly(acrylic acid)-based hydrogels are used as electrolytes in combination with activated carbon anodes and manganese oxide cathodes. pH-sensitive hydrogels exhibit mesh size transitions as the pH is adjusted from 1.5 to 7. Chemical control of hydrogel mesostructure permits selective discharge of the electrochemical cell in the “off” and “on” configuration, respectively. We report discharge times permitted in these two states while operating in galvanostatic conditions at 0.1C. pH-dependent discharge of electrochemical storage systems composed of bioinspired and biocompatible materials could serve as a passive control mechanism for battery operation in biologically relevant applications including ingestible electronic devices.
Atomic-Scale Structure of Nanocrystals by High-Energy X-ray Diffraction and Atomic Pair Distribution Function Analysis: Study of FexPd100-x (x ) 0, 26, 28, 48) Nanoparticles

Knowledge of the atomic-scale structure is an important prerequisite to understanding and predicting properties of materials. With bulk crystals it is routinely obtained by X-ray diffraction. With nanocrystals, however, traditional X-ray crystallography fails because of their substantially limited length of structural coherence. Here we illustrate, step by step, how a nontraditional approach involving high-energy X-ray diffraction and atomic pair distribution function analysis is applied to determine the atomic-scale structure of a typical nanocrystalline material-Fe{sub x}Pd{sub 100-x} (x = 0, 26, 28, 48) nanoparticles exhibiting useful magnetic properties.
Multichannel communication using an infinite dimensional spatiotemporal chaotic system

Chaotic spatiotemporal dynamics generated by a nonlinear set of coupled partial differential equations are synchronized via a scalar complex variable. Our results show that synchronization is robust to noise, and we demonstrate chaotic communication in a high-dimensional system. We have also discovered that the added dimensionality creates a new quasisynchronous state, enabling the transmission of multiple messages through a single scalar complex channel. The feasibility of these novel ideas is demonstrated on a realistic numerical model of chaotic semiconductor lasers.
Adsorption-Freezing Transition for Random Heteropolymers near Disordered 2D Manifolds due to "Pattern Matching"

We study the simplest model for random heteropolymers near chemically disordered surfaces, and predict a new phenomenon that may have implications for pattern recognition applications. As the strength of surface fluctuations increases a smooth adsorption transition occurs first, with a multitude of chain conformations being sampled. More interestingly, beyond a larger threshold value of the strength of surface fluctuations, a sharp second adsorption transition is observed that is accompanied by the polymer freezing into a few dominant conformations that match the pattern of the surface fluctuations.
Failure of the group-velocity description for ultrawideband pulse propagation in a causally dispersive, absorptive dielectric

The accuracy of the group-velocity description of dispersive pulse propagation in a double-resonance Lorentz model dielectric is shown to decrease monotonically as the propagation distance increases, whereas the accuracy of the asymptotic description increases monotonically as the propagation distance increases above a single absorption depth in the medium at the pulse carrier frequency.
Hypoxia sensitive neurons in the caudal hypothalamus project to the periaqueductal gray

Previous studies have demonstrated that the caudal hypothalamus modulates the respiratory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia. In addition, many of the neurons in this area have a basal discharge related to the cardiac and/or respiratory cycles and are stimulated by hypoxia or hypercapnia. The purpose of the present study was to determine if these hypothalamic neurons project to a known cardiorespiratory area, the periaqueductal gray in the rat. In a first set of experiments, rhodamine-tagged microspheres were injected into the periaqueductal gray (PAG) to determine the areas of the caudal hypothalamus that project to the PAG. These studies revealed that the caudal hypothalamus sends strong ipsilateral and weak contralateral projections to the PAG. In a second set of experiments, single unit recordings were made from neurons in the caudal hypothalamus; the basal discharge of these neurons were examined with signal averaging techniques. Each neuron (n = 79) was tested for a response to inhalation of a hypoxic (10% O2) and a hypercapnic (5% CO2) gas. Antidromic activation techniques were then used to determine if neurons in the caudal hypothalamus send projections to or through the PAG. Nineteen percent (n = 15) of the hypothalamic neurons studied could be activated from the PAG; approximately 53% (n = 8) of these were excited by hypoxia and 27% (n = 4) by hypercapnia. Most of these neurons tested (42 of 64 neurons) had a basal discharge related temporally to the cardiac and/or respiratory cycles. These findings suggest that a caudal hypothalamic to periaqueductal gray projection is involved in the integrated response to hypoxia.
Complications with transseptal left heart catheterization.

Abstract The complications in 191 consecutive transseptal catheterizations are described. These included puncture of the wall of the heart in 9 cases, with 1 death, hemopericardium observed at the time of operation, a fatal coronary occlusion from an embolus which originated in a Lehman catheter, electrocardiographic changes of coronary insufficiency, and thrombophlebitis of the right lower extremity with pulmonary embolism.
Centrifugal forces alter streamline topology and greatly enhance the rate of heat and mass transfer from neutrally buoyant particles to a shear flow.

Centrifugal forces break the degenerate closed-streamline configuration that occurs in simple shear flow past a neutrally buoyant torque-free particle in the inertialess limit. The broken symmetry allows heat or mass to be convected away in an efficient manner in sharp contrast to the inertialess diffusion-limited scenario. The dimensionless transfer rate, characterized by the Nusselt number, is found to be $\mathrm{Nu}=0.33(\mathrm{Re}\text{ }\mathrm{Pe}{)}^{1/3}+O(1)$ for small but finite Re when $\mathrm{Re}\text{ }\mathrm{Pe}\ensuremath{\gg}1$. Here, the particle Reynolds number (Re) is a dimensionless measure of the inertial forces, while the Peclet number (Pe) measures the relative importance of the convective and the diffusive transfer mechanisms. The symmetry-breaking bifurcation is expected to occur in generic shearing flows, and represents a possible means for heat or mass transfer enhancement from the dispersed phase in multiphase systems.
Accurate modeling of intermolecular forces: a systematic Møller-Plesset study of the argon dimer using correlation consistent basis sets

Abstract The argon dimer potential energy curve has been investigated using Moller-Plesset perturbation theory through fourth-order (MP4) and the recently developed augmented correlation consistent basis sets for argon. The interaction energy has been determined using the supermolecule approach; trends in both uncorrected and counterpoise-corrected values are examined. The best corrected values attained for the well depth and equilibrium separation are, respectively, 0.42 mEh and 7.17 a0, which are in very good agreement with the empirical values of 0.45 mEh and 7.10 a0. Moreover, the regularity of the trends for the four basis sets used allows estimates of the complete basis set MP4 values, 0.45 mEh and 7.13 a0.
An ontology-supported ubiquitous interface agent for cloud computing — Example on Bluetooth wireless technique with Java programming

This paper focused on designing of a ubiquitous interface agent based on the ontology technology and interaction diagram with the backend information agent system, i.e., OntoIAS, in cloud computing environments. Through the techniques of packet decoding and recognizing, the agent employs the CURRL to transform user commands into internal canonical format to conveniently process those commands by OntoIAS, which can avoid numerous, jumbled, and incorrect information torrents that results in misunderstanding of the information intention of users. In this paper, we preliminarily proposed a ubiquitous interface agent with the Bluetooth wireless technique and related interaction diagrams in cloud computing environments. The system prototype and experiment outcomes can also reveal the feasibility of the system architecture.
The kinetics of the interaction of peroxy radicals. II. Primary and secondary alkyl peroxy

A chain mechanism is proposed to account for the very rapid termination reactions observed between alkyl peroxy radicals containing α-C—H bonds which are from 104 to 106 faster than the termination of tertiary alkyl peroxy radicals. The new mechanism is with termination by . is the zwitterion originally postulated by Criegee to account for the chemistry of O3-olefin addition. Heats of formation are estimated for , and and it is shown that all steps in the mechanism are exothermic. The second step can account for (1Δ)O2 which has been observed. k1 is estimated to be 109–2/θ liter/M sec where θ = 2.303RT in kcal/mole. The second and third steps constitute a chain termination process where chain length is estimated at from 2 to 10. This mechanism for the first time accounts for minor products such as acid and ROOH found in termination reactions. Trioxide (step 3) is shown to be important below 30°C or in very short time observations (<10 s at 30°C). Solvent effects are also shown to be compatible with the new mechanism.
Hormonal correlates of polyandry in the spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia

Plasma samples from naturally breeding populations of spotted sandpipers, Actitis macularia, were analyzed by radioimmunoassay for circulating levels of immunoreactive luteinizing hormone (irLH), and four steroid hormones. Plasma levels of irLH, corticosterone (C), and estradiol-17 beta (E) did not differ between males and females. Males had curiously high levels of E (0.64 pg/ml in nonnesting males; 0.35 pg/ml in nesting males) which are similar to those of nonlaying females (0.23 pg/ml). Testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were higher in nonnesting males (0.95 ng/ml for T; 0.20 ng/ml for DHT) than in females (0.18 ng/ml for T; 0.12 ng/ml for DHT) or nesting males (0.17 ng/ml for T; 0.09 ng/ml for DHT). These data do not support earlier suggestions that in polyandrous mating systems, females have higher circulating levels of androgens than males.
On the representation of prose: New dimensions

A general theoretical framework for studying the representation of prose in memory is presented. The framework emphasizes the relational structure of story characters as determined by major story themes. In the first of two experiments, subjects made similarity judgments on a set of animal concepts both before and after reading two specially constructed stories in which these animals were characters. Judgments were submitted to a multidimensional scaling (MDS) procedure. The results indicated that: (a) The location of story characters in multidimensional space described the readers' representation of the thematic structure relating the characters of each story; (b) each story context acted to specify the particular set of conceptual relations that consituted the themes of that story; (c) the methodology employed allowed for empirical consideration of author—reader communication, and some possible limitations in such communication were suggested. In a second study, Same—Different reaction time judgments on the characters of one of the stories were shown to be related to specific concept distances derived from the previously obtained MDS solution of the story. A spatial model and a parallel feature analysis model of the decision process were developed, and parameters were estimated. The results of both experiments were considered in terms of the framework initially presented.
Hypercalcemia and urologic malignancies

Hypercalcemia may be a manifestation of a variety of disorders including hyperparathyroidism, hypervitaminosis D, sarcoidosis, multiple myeloma, hyperthyroidism, acute osteoporosis, metastatic bone disease, and a number of primary malignancies. Hypercalcemia may be seen in as many as 1.5% of all patients with malignant disease, with or without bony metastases. The neoplasms most commonly associated with hypercalcemia include carcinoma of the lung (all cell types), breast cancer, squamous cell carcinomas, hematologic malignancies, and renal cell carcinoma. Observation of a number of instances of hypercalcemia attendant on urologic malignancies prompts the brief report of 4 characteristic cases with documentation of response to therapy. Management of severe and debilitating hypercalcemia is emphasized. Urologists should be aware of new agents available for such treatment.
Beyond (or Back to) Traditional Risk Factors: Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

In this issue, Muntner and colleagues show that persons with chronic kidney disease have a high prevalence of nontraditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The importance of these r...
Water uptake of internally mixed particles containing ammonium sulfate and dicarboxylic acids

Abstract There is increasing evidence that organic compounds comprise a significant fraction of tropospheric particles at all altitudes. The presence of these compounds can affect the particles’ ability to take up water and to form ice in the atmosphere. In this paper we present studies that investigate the hygroscopic behavior of internal mixtures of ammonium sulfate and low molecular weight dicarboxylic acids. We find that the ammonium sulfate dominates water uptake behavior for mixtures that contain 100:1 and 10:1 mass ratios of ammonium sulfate:dicarboxylic acid. However, for 1:1 mixtures, the dicarboxylic acids play an important role in determining water uptake characteristics. Observed water contents can be predicted within experimental uncertainties by assuming that each component contributes independently to the total particle water content, in accord with previous measurements for the pure components.
Towards robust distributed systems (abstract)

Current distributed systems, even the ones that work, tend to be very fragile: they are hard to keep up, hard to manage, hard to grow, hard to evolve, and hard to program. In this talk, I look at several issues in an attempt to clean up the way we think about these systems. These issues include the fault model, high availability, graceful degradation, data consistency, evolution, composition, and autonomy.These are not (yet) provable principles, but merely ways to think about the issues that simplify design in practice. They draw on experience at Berkeley and with giant-scale systems built at Inktomi, including the system that handles 50% of all web searches.
Identification and characterization of plasma cells in normal human bone marrow by high-resolution flow cytometry

The low frequency of plasma cells and the lack of specific cell surface markers has been a major obstacle for a detailed characterization of plasma cells in normal human bone marrow. Multiparameter flow cytometry enabled the identification of plasma cells in normal bone marrow aspirates. The plasma cells were located in a unique position in the correlation of forward light scattering, orthogonal light scattering, and immunofluorescent-labeled CD38. The identity of the sorted cell populations was confirmed by microscopic examination of Wright's stained slides and slides stained for cytoplasmic immunoglobulin using polyclonal antibodies reactive with light chains; ie, anti-kappa fluorescein isothiocyanate and anti lambda phycoerythrin (PE). The purity of the sorted plasma cells was greater than 97% (n = 4). The average frequency of plasma cells in normal bone marrow aspirates was low--0.25% of the nucleated cells (n = 7)--but surprisingly consistent between individuals (SD = .05; range 0.14% to 0.30%). A detailed analysis showed two distinct populations of plasma cells: (1) A population relatively smaller by forward light scattering expressed CD22, CD35, and sigE and was identified as early plasma cells (ie, lymphoplasmacytoid), and (2) a population larger by forward light scattering lacked these markers and was identified as mature plasma cells. The antigenic profile of the normal plasma cells was determined in two-color immunofluorescence studies. The expression of cell surface immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, IgE, IgD, IgM, and the cell surface antigens CD10, CD11b, CD13, CD11c, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD22, CD20, CD33, CD35, CD45, and HLA-DR was determined on the plasma cells. A significant heterogeneity in cell surface antigen expression was observed within the plasma cell population. Unexpectedly, myeloid- specific cell surface antigens such as CD33 and CD13 and the early B- cell antigen identified by CD10 were expressed on a proportion of plasma cells. These observations imply that the association of myeloid and early B-cell markers described in multiple myeloma may not be associated with the neoplasia but is a normal phenomenon.
Filtration of Organic Solutes by Dynamically Formed Membranes

Abstract Dynamically formed hydrous Zr(IV) oxide membranes partially filter neutral organic solutes from aqueous solutions in a hyperfiltration, or reverse osmosis, experiment. The degree of filtration depends primarily on the size of the solute and the history of the membrane.
Observations of NH3 in the atmosphere of Jupiter during 1973, 1974☆

The 6450 A ammonia absorption band in the atmosphere of Jupiter was observed during the summers of 1973 and 1974. High-dispersion spectra of this band were obtained and analyzed on a line-by-line basis to derive ammonia abundances in the Jovian atmosphere. The abundances determined this way show strikingly large fluctuations.
A signaling mechanism for growth-related expression of fetal hemoglobin

Increases in fetal hemoglobin have been identified after birth in several clinical settings associated with stressed or malignant erythropoiesis. To better understand the relationship between the expression of this fetal protein and growth, donated human erythroid progenitor cells were cultured in the presence of erythropoietin (EPO) plus the growth-modifying cytokine stem cell factor (SCF), and several growth-related signaling pathways were interrogated. Only the MEK1/2 inhibitor (PD98059) demonstrated significant effects on fetal hemoglobin. In the absence of PD98059, levels of fetal hemoglobin averaged 27.4% +/- 7.9% in EPO+SCF compared with 1.26% +/- 1.7% in EPO alone (P =.02). A linear dose response in levels of fetal hemoglobin to PD98059 was detected (0.16 microM = 27.13%, 0.8 microM = 19.6%, 4 microM = 12.2%, 20 microM = 1.54%). Western blot analyses revealed that SCF was required for phosphorylation of MEK and p44MAPK in this setting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction demonstrated a significant increase in gamma-globin mRNA. Particular perturbations of growth-related signaling may also function to activate tissue-specific genes normally expressed during fetal development. This concept may be relevant for the development of new treatment rationales for beta hemoglobinopathies.
The Structure of Thalbourne's Brief Manic-Depressive Scale

Data from 1,376 respondents on a 1994 scale to measure depressive and manic experiences devised by Thalbourne, Delin, and Basset (1994) were analyzed. Internal consistency reliability estimates for the Total scale (.66), the Depressive subscale (.63), and the Manic subscale (.45) were poor to marginal, and a confirmatory factor analysis did not support the two-subscale structure of the scale. These results, considered in conjunction with those of previous psychometric analyses of the Manic-Depressive Scale, cast doubt on its usefulness for research and clinical use.
Modelling pathogenesis and treatment of familial dysautonomia using patient-specific iPSCs

The isolation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offers a new strategy for modelling human disease. Recent studies have reported the derivation and differentiation of disease-specific human iPSCs. However, a key challenge in the field is the demonstration of disease-related phenotypes and the ability to model pathogenesis and treatment of disease in iPSCs. Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a rare but fatal peripheral neuropathy, caused by a point mutation in the IKBKAP gene involved in transcriptional elongation. The disease is characterized by the depletion of autonomic and sensory neurons. The specificity to the peripheral nervous system and the mechanism of neuron loss in FD are poorly understood owing to the lack of an appropriate model system. Here we report the derivation of patient-specific FD-iPSCs and the directed differentiation into cells of all three germ layers including peripheral neurons. Gene expression analysis in purified FD-iPSC-derived lineages demonstrates tissue-specific mis-splicing of IKBKAP in vitro. Patient-specific neural crest precursors express particularly low levels of normal IKBKAP transcript, suggesting a mechanism for disease specificity. FD pathogenesis is further characterized by transcriptome analysis and cell-based assays revealing marked defects in neurogenic differentiation and migration behaviour. Furthermore, we use FD-iPSCs for validating the potency of candidate drugs in reversing aberrant splicing and ameliorating neuronal differentiation and migration. Our study illustrates the promise of iPSC technology for gaining new insights into human disease pathogenesis and treatment.
A protocol for construction of broadcast transmission schedules in mobile ad hoc networks

In a mobile ad hoc network using broadcast transmission scheduling, a terminal that is ready to join the network must first determine the current state of the transmission-scheduling protocol. In order to transmit and receive packets without interference, the new terminal needs to notify other terminals of its presence and exchange information with them so that it can form a collision-free broadcast transmission schedule. A new distributed protocol is described that allows a new terminal to acquire sufficient information about the terminals in its local neighborhood so that it can efficiently integrate itself into the existing transmission schedule. The protocol is also designed to enable a group of terminals to form a new transmission schedule if one does not already exist. We show that a large group of terminals can quickly form a new and efficient collision-free transmission schedule
Engineered refractive index profiles for high power fiber lasers

We demonstrate engineered refractive index profiles for the mitigation of nonlinear optical impairments such as stimulated Raman scattering and stimulated Brillouin scattering. These fibers offer performance improvements over conventionally used large mode area fibers.
Twenty-year follow-up of surgery for intermittent exotropia

Purpose We sought to evaluate the 20-year follow-up of intermittent exotropia surgery performed before the age of 10 years to determine the stability of alignment and the effect of strabismus on visual function. Methods Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were identified from surgical logs, contacted, and examined. The history obtained assessed the effect of their strabismus on education, career choices, driving, and reading ability. Histories were also obtained from adults presenting with exotropia to determine what type of strabismus, if any, they had younger in life. Results Thirty patients were examined more than 20 years after exotropia surgery. All had good alignment on the study examination. Twenty-one of 30 had required only a single surgery, 7 had undergone 2 surgeries, and 2 had 3. The average age at the last office visit prior to the study was 11.8 years; the average age at the study visit was 29.4 years. Of 66 adults presenting with exotropia, 9% had a previous history of exotropia surgery, and 32% had a history of an untreated exodeviation in childhood. Conclusions When intermittent exotropia was surgically aligned and stable to about 11 years of age, it tended to remain so, at least until age 30. Few adults presenting with exotropia had a history of exotropia surgery as a child.
Nonlinear energy absorption of femtosecond laser pulses in noble metals

We use calorimetry to determine the energy absorption of femtosecond (fs) laser pulses as a function of incident fluence for Ag, Ag alloys (Ag–Cu and Ag–Pt), and Pt. At low fluences, the measured absorption agrees well with reflectivity data derived from ellipsometry measurements. For Ag and Ag–Cu, the absorbed energy increases nonlinearly with the incident fluence for fluences larger than approximately half of the melting threshold. Near this threshold, the absorption increases by a factor of 3–4. Similar nonlinear absorption is not observed in Pt or Ag–Pt. We propose that the nonlinear absorption is caused by the excitation of d-band electrons below the Fermi surface. For pulse widths longer than 850 fs, the observed nonlinear absorption in Ag diminishes, indicating that diffusive transport and not ballistic transport is the major mechanism of cooling at this excitation level.
A multiplexed silicon infrared thermal imager

The design, fabrication, and testing of a multiplexed infrared thermal imager based on silicon thermopiles is presented. The imager consists of 32 individual thermopile detectors arranged in two linear arrays of 16 elements each. The thermopiles are formed using n/sup +/ polysilicon-gold thermocouples and are supported on 1 mu m-thick dielectric diaphragms of LPCVD (low-pressure chemical vapor deposited) silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. They provide a responsivity of 64 V/W, a noise voltage of less than approximately 50 nV/ square root Hz at 20 Hz, and a specific detectivity of 7*10/sup 7/ cm square root Hz/W. The detector outputs are fed to off-chip amplifiers using on-chip ED-NMOS analog multiplexers. The entire imager is 5.5*11 mm/sup 2/ and requires seven masks for fabrication. The imager has been used for the thermal imaging of silicon wafers during processing and for the accurate measurement of dielectric thicknesses using infrared absorption techniques. >
Examples; Induced Representations; Group Algebras; Real Representations

This lecture is something of a grabbag. We start in §3.1 with examples illustrating the use of the techniques of the preceding lecture. Section 3.2 is also by way of an example. We will see quite a bit more about the representations of the symmetric groups in general later; §4 is devoted to this and will certainly subsume this discussion, but this should provide at least a sense of how we can go about analyzing representations of a class of groups, as opposed to individual groups. In §§3.3 and 3.4 we introduce two basic notions in representation theory, induced representations and the group algebra. Finally, in §3.5 we show how to classify representations of a finite group on a real vector space, given the answer to the corresponding question over\(\mathbb{C}\)and say a few words about the analogous question for subfields of \(\mathbb{C}\)other than ℝ. Everything in this lecture is elementary except Exercises 3.9 and 3.32, which involve the notions of Clifford algebras and the Fourier transform, respectively (both exercises, of course, can be skipped).
Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to study long-chain fatty acid amide metabolism

Long-chain fatty acid amides are cell-signaling lipids identified in mammals and, recently, in invertebrates, as well. Many details regarding fatty acid amide metabolism remain unclear. Herein, we demonstrate that Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model system for the study long-chain fatty acid amide metabolism as we have quantified the endogenous levels of N-acylglycines, N-acyldopamines, N-acylethanolamines, and primary fatty acid amides by LC/QTOF-MS. Growth of D. melanogaster on media supplemented with [1-13C]-palmitate lead to a family of 13C-palmitate-labeled fatty acid amides in the fly heads. The [1-13C]-palmitate feeding studies provide insight into the biosynthesis of the fatty acid amides.
A pilot study of acupuncture augmentation therapy in antidepressant partial and non-responders with major depressive disorder

Abstract Background: Acupuncture is widely used for treating major depressive disorder (MDD). There is evidence supporting acupuncture as an antidepressant monotherapy, but its efficacy as augmentation in antidepressant partial and non-responders has not been well-investigated. Methods: Thirty subjects (47% female, mean age 48 ± 11 years) with a history of SCID-diagnosed MDD and partial or non-response after ≥ 8 weeks of antidepressant therapy were assigned 8 weeks of standardized 30-min open acupuncture augmentation sessions on a weekly (n = 24) or twice-weekly (n = 6) basis. Change in the Hamilton-D-17 score was the primary outcome measure, and response rates (based on HAM-D-17 score improvement of ≥ 50%) the secondary outcome. Results: Twenty subjects (40% female; 18 in weekly and 2 in twice-weekly treatment) completed the study. In the intent-to-treat (ITT) sample (N = 30), HAM-D-17 scores decreased from 18.5 ± 3.8 to 11.2 ± 5.3 in the weekly group (p Limitations: Open design, small sample, polypharmacy with antidepressants. Conclusions: Once or twice-weekly acupuncture augmentation was safe, well-tolerated and effective in antidepressant partial and non-responders, suggesting good feasibility in outpatient settings. Replication in controlled trials is warranted.
Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Shuttling Is Not Required for the Epstein-Barr Virus EBNA-LP Transcriptional Coactivation Function

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) EBNA-LP is a transcriptional coactivator of EBNA2 that works though interaction with the promyelocytic leukemia nuclear-body-associated protein Sp100A. EBNA-LP localizes predominantly in the nucleus through the action of nuclear localization signals in the repeated regions of the protein. EBNA-LP has also been detected in the cytoplasm, and a previous study suggested that some of the EBNA-LP coactivation function is mediated by relocalizing histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Although EBNA-LP can be found in the cytoplasm, it has no obvious nuclear export signal, and there is no direct evidence for active shuttling between these cellular compartments. Whether active shuttling between the nucleus and cytoplasm is required for coactivation remains to be clarified. To address these issues, we tested a variety of EBNA-LP isoforms and mutants for nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling activity in an interspecies heterokaryon assay and for the ability to associate with HDAC4. EBNA-LP isoforms smaller than 42 kDa shuttle efficiently in the heterokaryon assay via a crm-1-independent mechanism. In addition, no specific EBNA-LP domain that mediates nuclear export could be identified. In contrast, an EBNA-LP 62-kDa isoform does not demonstrate detectable shuttling in the heterokaryon assay yet still coactivates EBNA2 similarly to the smaller EBNA-LP isoforms. All of the EBNA-LP mutants tested, including the coactivation-deficient ΔCR3 mutant and the nonshuttling 62-kDa isoform, were capable of associating with HDAC4. Taken together, our results suggest that simple diffusion may account for the nuclear export observed with smaller isoforms of EBNA-LP, that nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling is not required for efficient EBNA-LP coactivation function, and that competence for HDAC4 association is not sufficient to mediate nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling or EBNA-LP coactivation in the absence of a functional interaction with Sp100A.
Acute myocarditis secondary to Shigella sonnei gastroenteritis

Introduction: The most common cause of acute myocarditis in developed countries is viruses. Bacterial myocarditis is very rare and caused by various bacteria, but only three cases have been reported in the past where Shigella sonnei was the aetiology. Two out of the three cases reported were in a paediatric population. Case Presentation: A 38-year-old female was presenting with chest pain and an increased level of troponins with the EKG (electrocardiogram) showing non-specific T-wave changes. Preceding the chest pain, the patient had Shigella sonnei gastroenteritis confirmed by stool culture. The patient's cardiac catheterization showed normal findings. Thus a diagnosis of bacterial myocarditis was made. The event resolved after successful treatment of the gastroenteritis with ciprofloxacin. Conclusion: We are reporting a very rare case of Shigella sonnei gastroenteritis that resulted in the development of acute myocarditis and was successfully treated with antibiotics.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regulations for Compost Production and Use

Composting is an excellent tool for stabilizing and facilitating the subsequent utilization of organic waste materials, (e.g., biosolids, municipal solid wastes (MSW), farm wastes and certain industrial wastes. Associated with compost production and utilization are various concerns. These concerns pertain to the ability, during processing and storage, to minimize odor and bioaerosols and to adequately destroy pathogens; and, prior to utilization, the ability to produce compost with sufficiently low pollutants contents, maturity and stability for intended end-uses.