cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphonate analogues of cyclopropavir phosphates and their E-isomers. Synthesis and antiviral activity.

Abstract Z- and E-Phosphonate analogues 12 and 13 derived from cyclopropavir and the corresponding cyclic phosphonates 14 and 15 were synthesized and their antiviral activity was investigated. The 2,2-bis(hydroxymethylmethylenecyclopropane acetate (17) was transformed to tetrahydropyranyl acetate 18. Deacetylation gave intermediate 19 which was converted to bromide 20. Alkylation with diisopropyl methylphosphonate afforded after protecting group exchange (21 to 22) acetylated phosphonate intermediate 22. Addition of bromine gave the dibromo derivative 16 which was used in the alkylation–elimination procedure with 2-amino-6-chloropurine to give Z- and E-isomers 23 and 24. Hydrolytic dechlorination coupled with removal of all protecting groups gave the guanine phosphonates 12 and 13. Cyclization afforded the cyclic phosphonates 14 and 15. Z-Phosphonate 12 was a potent and non-cytotoxic inhibitor of human and murine cytomegalovirus (HCMV and MCMV) with EC50 2.2–2.7 and 0.13 μM, respectively. It was also an effective agent against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, EC50 3.1 μM). The cyclic phosphonate 14 inhibited HCMV (EC50 2.4–11.5 μM) and MCMV (EC50 0.4 μM) but it was ineffective against EBV. Both phosphonates 12 and 14 were as active against two HCMV Towne strains with mutations in UL97 as they were against wild-type HCMV thereby circumventing resistance due to such mutations. Z-Phosphonate 12 was a moderate inhibitor of replication of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) but it was a potent agent against varicella zoster virus (VZV, EC50 2.9 μM). The cyclic phosphonate 14 lacked significant potency against these viruses. E-isomers 13 and 15 were devoid of antiviral activity.
Ageing and subcellular distribution of mitochondria: role of mitochondrial DNA deletions and energy production

The rapid growing population of elderly illustrates the importance of understanding the mechanisms responsible for ageing and the detrimental effects on health associated with increasing age. One of the primary mechanisms may be because of the accumulation of mtDNA damage and oxidative damage with age. Previous studies have examined this correlation in post-mitotic tissues such as skeletal muscle, heart and brain with decreased mitochondrial function, such as enzymatic activities of the electron transport chain and ATP production. However, regional differences in the subcellular location of mitochondria exist and most studies have failed to differentiate the effects of these two autonomous fractions, the subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillar populations. Hence, while future research attempts to explain the mechanisms responsible for ageing in the mitochondrion, it should also take into account the independent pathways of these two distinctly different populations.
Angels and Ingenues in Tennyson’s The Princess and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Princess Ida

This essay argues that Tennyson’s “The Princess,” frequently attacked as an anti-feminist poem, is more nuanced and potentially feminist than many critics have acknowledged. The poem’s exploration of gender roles emerges as especially challenging and thoughtful in comparison to the extreme gender conservatism of Gilbert and Sullivan’s musical parody, “Princess Ida.” Where Gilbert and Sullivan shrink all aspects of female character to sexual desire, Tennyson treats the female aspirations in his poem with considerable seriousness and respect. Ultimately, the reversion of the characters in “The Princess” to traditional gender roles seems based not upon fear of a new kind of femininity but upon fear of a new kind of masculinity. Tennyson’s poem implies that women can develop intellectually without threatening men’s stature, but men cannot develop emotionally and spiritually without losing worldly power. In that implication lies a tacit admission of the emptiness of Victorian society’s claims that women could wield power through moral authority. Moral authority, Tennyson implicitly confesses, has no real force in the world.
Intermediate Probability Theory for Biomedical Engineers

Abstract This is the second in a series of three short books on probability theory and random processes for biomedical engineers. This volume focuses on expectation, standard deviation, moments, and the characteristic function. In addition, conditional expectation, conditional moments and the conditional characteristic function are also discussed. Jointly distributed random variables are described, along with joint expectation, joint moments, and the joint characteristic function. Convolution is also developed. A considerable effort has been made to develop the theory in a logical manner—developing special mathematical skills as needed. The mathematical background required of the reader is basic knowledge of differential calculus. Every effort has been made to be consistent with commonly used notation and terminology—both within the engineering community as well as the probability and statistics literature. The aim is to prepare students for the application of this theory to a wide variety of problems, as...
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Tetranuclear, Bimetallic Sulfido Nitrosyl and Carbonyl Clusters of the Type Cp2M2M‘2S3,4Ln (M = Mo, W; M‘ = Fe, Co; L = NO, CO)

A series of new bimetallic sulfido clusters, Cp#2M2M‘2S4(NO)2 (Cp# = C5Me2Et, C5Me5, C5H5; M = Mo, W; M‘ = Fe, Co) have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. Two new tungsten carbonyl clusters, Cp*2W2Co2S4(CO)2 and CpEt2W2Co2S3(CO)5, were also synthesized and the structure of the latter determined. The structural systematics are related to the redox properties and to the electronic structure of the clusters.
Lattice boltzmann method on composite grids

A composite block-structured lattice Boltzmann method is proposed for the simulation of two-dimensional incompressible fluid flows. The grid structure is composed of a coarse base grid and one or several fine grid(s). The former covers the entire physical domain; the latter are placed at regions where local grid refinement is desirable. The simulation is first carried out on the base grid level at a smaller relaxation time, allowing a rapid propagation of boundary information throughout the entire domain. Thus large-scale flow features can be resolved efficiently at a relatively low cost. At a later time, fine grid variables are initiated. The dependent variables on both grid levels are, then, advanced in time simultaneously with the fine grid boundary conditions obtained from the base grid solution at the grid interface. As a demonstration, the lid-driven cavity flow is selected for study. The results show good agreement with benchmark numerical data and those calculated from the finite-volume$U$${}^{2}\mathrm{RANS}$ model. The proposed method is able to produce accurate solutions on fine grids, with a considerable saving in CPU time.
Primary pleural epithelioid hemangioendothelioma with rhabdoid phenotype: report and review of the literature.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare malignant vascular tumor described in diverse locations including lung and liver. Relative to these sites, primary EHE of the serous cavities is uncommon. EHE in the serous cavities mimics mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma clinically, radiographically, cytologically, and histologically. EHEs have plasmacytoid epithelioid cells with cytoplasmic vacuoles. In addition to these features, we noted eccentric nuclei with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and nuclei displaced peripherally by globular cytoplasmic inclusions imparting a ‘rhabdoid’ phenotype. These cells were often seen surrounding a hyaline core. Rhabdoid features are not unique to a single entity, and a comprehensive immunohistochemical panel is essential. We report the occurrence of pleural EHE with rhabdoid features presenting in a pleural effusion, and review the literature of primary serosal EHEs. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2007;35:203–208. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Intergeneric behavioral differences among methamphetamine treated mice.

Methamphetamine sulfate was administered in acute and chronic experiments, either at constant or increasing doses, to mouse-like rodents belonging to various genera and strains; the behavioral effects arising in a pseudo-natural habitat are described. The animals studied were Onychomys leucogaster, Peromyscus maniculatus Bairdii, Microtus ochrogaster and four Mus strains, Mus musculus ICR, Mus musculus “Mo.”, Mus musculus C57BL/6J, and Mus musculus CF-1. Aggression, grooming, digging, contactual, sexual, sleeping, ingestive, exploratory and stereotypic behaviors were quantitated. Both similarities and differences in the behavioral responses to methamphetamine of the various mice types were noted. These responses are discussed as to their modification by tolerance or increasing doses. Certain neurological and behavioral aberrations due to methamphetamine were noted and correllations with the parameters of mice neurochemistry established in these laboratories are presented.
Protensity Estimates of Stutterers and Nonstutterers

The effects of certain productive and receptive communicative activities on the ability of stutterers and nonstutterers to estimate the passage of time (protensity estimates) were investigated. Thr...
Postcranial robusticity in Homo. II: Humeral bilateral asymmetry and bone plasticity

The analysis of humeral asymmetry in Recent human skeletal samples and an extant tennis-player sample documents minimal asymmetry in bone length, little asymmetry in distal humeral articular breadth, but pronounced and variable asymmetry in mid- and distal diaphyseal cross-sectional geometric parameters. More specifically, skeletal samples of normal modern Euroamericans, prehistoric and early historic Amerindians, and prehistoric Japanese show moderate (ca. 5-14%) median asymmetry in diaphyseal cross-sectional areas and polar second moments of area, whereas the tennis-player sample, with pronounced unilateral physical activity, exhibits median asymmetries of 28-57% in the same parameters. A sample of Neandertals with nonpathological upper limbs exhibits similarly low articular asymmetry but pronounced diaphyseal asymmetries, averaging 24-57%. In addition, three Neandertals with actual or possible post-traumatic upper limb alterations have the same low articular asymmetry but extremely high diaphyseal asymmetries, averaging 112-215%. These data support those from experimental work on animals, exercise programs of humans, and human clinical contexts in establishing the high degree of diaphyseal plasticity possible for humans, past and present, under changing biomechanical loading conditions. This lends support to activity-related functional interpretations of changing human diaphyseal morphology and robusticity during the Pleistocene.
Systematics of RR Lyrae Statistical Parallax. II. Proper Motions and Radial Velocities

We investigate whether a misestimate of proper motions or radial velocities could have been a source of substantial systematic errors in the statistical parallax determination of the absolute magnitude of RR Lyrae stars. In an earlier paper, we showed that the statistical parallax method is extremely robust and rather insensitive to various systematic effects. The main potential problem with this method would therefore arise from systematically bad observational inputs, proper motions, radial velocities, apparent magnitudes, and/or extinctions. Here we focus on the proper motions and radial velocities. We compare three different catalogs of proper motions: Lick, Hipparcos, and the one compiled by Wan et al. (WMJ). We find that the WMJ catalog is too heterogeneous to be a reliable source. We analyze a sample of 165 halo RR Lyrae stars with either Lick or Hipparcos proper motions. For the stars with both Lick and Hipparcos proper motions, we use the weighted means of reported values. Various possible biases are investigated through vigorous Monte Carlo simulations, and we evaluate the small corrections due to Malmquist bias, anisotropic positions of the stars on the sky, and non-Gaussian distribution of stellar velocities. The mean RR Lyrae absolute magnitude is MV = 0.74 ± 0.12 at the mean metallicity of the sample, [Fe/H] = -1.60, only 0.01 mag brighter than the value obtained in the previous study, which did not incorporate Hipparcos proper motions. To test for systematics in the RR Lyrae radial velocities, we analyze a non-kinematically selected sample ([Fe/H] ≤ -1.5) of 103 RR Lyrae stars with Hipparcos and/or Lick proper motions and 724 non-RR Lyrae stars from Beers & Sommer-Larsen. We find MV = 0.79 ± 0.12 at [Fe/H] = -1.79. Because the radial velocities in this sample are dominated by non-RR Lyrae stars, the agreement of the two determinations suggests that the pure RR Lyrae sample is not significantly affected by systematics in radial velocities. If the two determination are combined (taking into account the 0.45 correlation coefficient between them), the net result is MV = 0.77 ± 0.10 at [Fe/H] = -1.71. The faint absolute magnitudes of RR Lyrae stars confirmed by this analysis gives strong support to the short distance scale.
Reticular Formation Control of Vestibular System

Abstract In seventeen encephale isole cats, horizontal nystagmus elicited by electrical stimulation of the lateral vestibular nucleus was found to be modulated by stimulation of the mesencephalic reticular formation at the stereotaxic plane A-O. Four discrete effects were seen: with medial superior stimulation the contralateral vestibular complex was inhibited; medial inferior placements caused a facilitation of the contralateral nucleus; placements slightly lateral to the above produced inhibition of the ipsilateral complex; and lateral placements ventral to the lateral lemniscus produced a facilitation of the ipsilateral vestibular nucleus. In view of the dense fiber pathways to and from the cerebellum in this area and the connections of the cerebellum with the vestibular complex, it is possible that this effect might be mediated in part via the cerebellum and in part via the reticular formation.
Emergency Bedside Ultrasound Diagnosis of Superior Mesenteric Artery Dissection Complicating Acute Aortic Dissection

Abstract Background A timely diagnosis of aortic dissection is associated with lower mortality. The use of emergent bedside ultrasound has been described to diagnose aortic dissection. However, there is limited literature regarding the use of bedside ultrasound to identify superior mesenteric artery dissection, a known high-risk feature of aortic dissection. Objective Our aim was to present a case of superior mesenteric artery dissection identified by bedside ultrasound and review the utility of bedside ultrasound in the diagnosis of aortic emergencies. Case Report We report a case of superior mesenteric artery dissection found on emergent bedside ultrasound in a 46-year-old male complaining of abdominal pain with a history of cocaine abuse and prior aortic dissection. Bedside ultrasound in the emergency department revealed an intimal flap in the descending aorta with extension into the superior mesenteric artery prompting early surgical consultation before computed tomography because of concern for acute mesenteric ischemia. Conclusion Superior mesenteric artery dissection is a high-risk feature of aortic dissection and can be identified with emergent bedside ultrasound.
Comment on Gao, W., et al. “Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of 5-Chloromethylfurfural (CMF) from Carbohydrates in Mild Biphasic Systems”, Molecules 2013, 18, 7675-7685

In a recent paper entitled "Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of 5-Chloromethyl-furfural (CMF) from Carbohydrates in Mild Biphasic Systems," published in Molecules [1], Gao and coworkers describe the use of a biphasic aq. HCl-H3PO4/CHCl3 reagent for the preparation of CMF from various feedstocks. The maximum yield (46.8%) was obtained from fructose by reaction at 45 °C for 20 h. While sucrose gave a similar yield, the same reaction with glucose and cellulose gave 7.3% and 7.8% yields, respectively. Remarkably, the same process applied to Kraft pulp and powdered wood samples gave between 16.0% and 31.4% CMF, based on sugar content. Looking to the Experimental section for insight into this unusual outcome, the statement, "the procedure of treating lignocellulose sample (Table 6) was almost the same as the carbohydrate, except adding the selected simple 1.0 mg each trial " [sic] appears, which is difficult to interpret.
Microbiology of Acute and Chronic Sinusitis in Children and Adults

The microbiology of infections of the paranasal sinuses can be anticipated according to the patient's age, clinical presentation, and immunocompetence. In acute sinus disease, viral upper respiratory infections frequently precede bacterial superinfection by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Staphylococci and respiratory anaerobes are common in chronic sinus infection, which may also be caused by exacerbations of infection with the bacterial species that cause acute disease. Enterobacteriaceae may be found in patients with nosocomial sinusitis who are predisposed to the development of sinusitis by prolonged nasogastric and nasotracheal intubation. Immunosuppressed patients have episodes of sinusitis caused by the usual agents associated with acute sinusitis in immunocompetent patients, and they may also become infected with a broad array of unusual agents, including mycobacterial species, fungi, and protozoa.
National Trends in the Prevalence and Medical History of Angina: 1988 to 2012

Background—The prevalence of angina from 1971 to 1994 was relatively flat for whites and blacks. We ask whether the prevalence and medical history of angina have changed during 1988 to 2012. Methods and Results—We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1988 to 2004 and the data from the six 2-year surveys from 2001 to 2012. We calculated trends in both crude and standardized prevalence rates for the Rose questionnaire on angina (symptomatology) and a question asking whether the respondent had ever been told by a medical professional that they had angina (medical history). In 2009 to 2012, there were on average 3.4 million (95% confidence interval, 2.8–4.0 million) people aged ≥40 years in the United States each year with angina (Rose questionnaire) and 4.5 million (95% confidence interval, 3.5–5.1 million) people with a medical history of angina. The burden of angina varied across age, race, and sex categories, and the pattern of variation differed by whether symptomatology or...
Inhibition of angiogenesis by NSAIDs: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications

Angiogenesis, the formation of new capillary blood vessels, is a fundamental process essential for reproduction and embryonic development. It is crucial to the healing of tissue injury because it provides essential oxygen and nutrients to the healing site. Angiogenesis is also required for cancer growth and progression since tumor growth requires an increased nutrient and oxygen supply. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most widely used drugs worldwide for treating pain, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and more recently for colon cancer prevention. However, NSAIDs produce gastrointestinal ulcers and delay ulcer healing. Recently NSAIDs have been demonstrated to inhibit angiogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are only beginning to be elucidated. The inhibition of angiogenesis by NSAIDs is a causal factor in the delay of ulcer healing, and it is becoming clear that this is also likely to be one of the mechanisms by which NSAIDs can reduce or prevent cancer growth. Based on the experimental data and the literature, the mechanisms by which NSAIDs inhibit angiogenesis appear to be multifactorial and likely include local changes in angiogenic growth factor expression, alteration in key regulators and mediators of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), increased endothelial cell apoptosis, inhibition of endothelial cell migration, recruitment of inflammatory cells and platelets, and/or thromboxane A2 mediated effects. Some of these mechanisms include: inhibition of mitogen-activated protein (Erk2) kinase activity; suppression of cell cycle proteins; inhibition of early growth response (Egr-1) gene activation; interference with hypoxia inducible factor 1 and VEGF gene activation; increased production of the angiogenesis inhibitor, endostatin; inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and spreading; and induction of endothelial apoptosis.
Differential expression of SNAP-25 protein isoforms during divergent vesicle fusion events of neural development.

Abstract The presynaptic plasma membrane protein SNAP-25 (synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa) has been implicated as one of several neural-specific components that direct constitutive fusion mechanisms to the regulated vesicle trafficking and exocytosis of neurotransmitter release. There exist two alternatively spliced isoforms of SNAP-25, a and b, which differ in a putative membrane-interacting domain. We show that these two isoforms have distinct quantitative and anatomical patterns of expression during brain development, in neurons, and in neuroendocrine cells and that the proteins localize differently in neurites of transfected PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. These findings indicate that alternative isoforms of SNAP-25 may play distinct roles in vesicular fusion events required for membrane addition during axonal outgrowth and for release of neuromodulatory peptides and neurotransmitters.
The emergence of HIV transmitted resistance in Botswana: "when will the WHO detection threshold be exceeded?".

Background The Botswana antiretroviral program began in 2002 and currently treats 42,000 patients, with a goal of treating 85,000 by 2009. The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun to implement a surveillance system for detecting transmitted resistance that exceeds a threshold of 5%. However, the WHO has not determined when this threshold will be reached. Here we model the Botswana government's treatment plan and predict, to 2009, the likely stochastic evolution of transmitted resistance. Methods We developed a model of the stochastic evolution of drug-resistant strains and formulated a birth-death Master equation. We analyzed this equation to obtain an analytical solution of the probabilistic evolutionary trajectory for transmitted resistance, and used treatment and demographic data from Botswana. We determined the temporal dynamics of transmitted resistance as a function of: (i) the transmissibility (i.e., fitness) of the drug-resistant strains that may evolve and (ii) the rate of acquired resistance. Results Transmitted resistance in Botswana will be unlikely to exceed the WHO's threshold by 2009 even if the rate of acquired resistance is high and the strains that evolve are half as fit as the wild-type strains. However, we also found that transmission of drug-resistant strains in Botswana could increase to ∼15% by 2009 if the drug-resistant strains that evolve are as fit as the wild-type strains. Conclusions Transmitted resistance will only be detected by the WHO (by 2009) if the strains that evolve are extremely fit and acquired resistance is high. Initially after a treatment program is begun a threshold lower than 5% should be used; and we advise that predictions should be made before setting a threshold. Our results indicate that it may be several years before the WHO's surveillance system is likely to detect transmitted resistance in other resource-poor countries that have significantly less ambitious treatment programs than Botswana.
Sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release compared in slow‐twitch and fast‐twitch fibres of mouse muscle

Experiments were carried out to compare the amplitude and time course of Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in intact slow-twitch and fast-twitch mouse fibres. Individual fibres within small bundles were injected with furaptra, a low-affinity, rapidly responding Ca2+ indicator. In response to a single action potential at 16 °C, the peak amplitude and half-duration of the change in myoplasmic free [Ca2+] (Δ[Ca2+]) differed significantly between fibre types (slow-twitch: peak amplitude, 9.4 ± 1.0 μM (mean ± S.E.M.); half-duration, 7.7 ± 0.6 ms; fast-twitch: peak amplitude 18.5 ± 0.5 μM; half-duration, 4.9 ± 0.3 ms). SR Ca2+ release was estimated from Δ[Ca2+] with a computational model that calculated Ca2+ binding to the major myoplasmic Ca2+ buffers (troponin, ATP and parvalbumin); buffer concentrations and reaction rate constants were adjusted to reflect fibre-type differences. In response to an action potential, the total concentration of released Ca2+ (Δ[CaT]) and the peak rate of Ca2+ release ((d/dt)Δ[CaT]) differed about 3-fold between the fibre types (slow-twitch: Δ[CaT], 127 ± 7 μM; (d/dt)Δ[CaT], 70 ± 6 μM ms−1; fast-twitch: Δ[CaT], 346 ± 6 μM; (d/dt)Δ[CaT], 212 ± 4 μM ms−1). In contrast, the half-duration of (d/dt)Δ[CaT] was very similar in the two fibre types (slow-twitch, 1.8 ± 0.1 ms; fast-twitch, 1.6 ± 0.0 ms). When fibres were stimulated with a 5-shock train at 67 Hz, the peaks of (d/dt)Δ[CaT] in response to the second and subsequent shocks were much smaller than that due to the first shock; the later peaks, expressed as a fraction of the amplitude of the first peak, were similar in the two fibre types (slow-twitch, 0.2–0.3; fast-twitch, 0.1–0.3). The results support the conclusion that individual SR Ca2+ release units function similarly in slow-twitch and fast-twitch mammalian fibres.
Manufacturability and reliability of fine pitch wirebonding

Fine pitch wirebonding is driven by the need to make smaller die with a higher I/O count. The difficulty of deciding whether or not a fine pitch wirebond process can be considered manufacturable is addressed in this paper. An equation to measure this 'manufacturability' is mathematically derived and employed. Experiments are performed to evaluate other effects that challenge fine pitch wirebonding.
Evaluating the Impact of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy–Mediated Immune Responses in HCV/HIV-Coinfected Women: Role of HCV on Expression of Primed/Memory T Cells

Between 30% and 100% of HIV-infected patients are coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) [1–4]. A number of studies have negatively associated HIV with the progression of HCV disease [5–7]. HIV accelerates HCV-associated complications, such as liver cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The impact of HCV on the progression of HIV disease is less clear—there have been a number of discordant findings. Some studies have reported that HCV accelerates the progression of HIV disease [8–11], whereas others found no impact [12, 13]. Variation in the definition of the progression of HIV disease—based on incidences of opportunistic infections or decreases in CD4+ T cell count, sample size, duration of follow-up, and other cofounding variables—may have contributed to these conflicting findings. Few studies have evaluated the effect of HCV co-infection on immune recovery after the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). In those studies, immune recovery was defined by either the magnitude or rate of increases in CD4+ T cell counts over time, with controversial findings. Some studies have reported that the level and rate of increases in CD4+ T cell counts are lessened and slower in coinfected than in monoinfected patients [10, 14, 15], whereas others did not find a negative association between HCV coinfection and CD4+ T cell responses after the initiation of HAART [16–18]. None of these studies, however, evaluated a larger breadth of immunophenotypic markers relevant to immune function. Through the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), a multicenter cohort established in 1993 in the United States, where ~39% of HIV-infected women are coinfected with HCV, we retrospectively evaluated the impact of HIV/HCV coinfection on immune recovery after the initiation of HAART between HIV-monoinfected women and women coinfected with HCV who have either cleared or did not clear HCV. Immune recovery was evaluated by examining alterations in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts and alterations in the dynamics of activation and naive/memory T cell status within the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell compartments.
Fatigue behavior of a pyrolytic carbon.

The test method introduced here enables the fatigue test of a brittle material at a stress level that is as high as its ultimate fracture strength. The procedural design of the test eliminates uncertainties that often make interpretation of the results difficult. The results, using a statistical analysis, demonstrate that isotropic pyrolytic carbons are fatigue-free in physiologically relevant stress regimes encountered in contemporary bi-leaflet artificial heart-valve designs. Verification tests show that the material can withstand cyclic stress of 10(9) cycles at a strain level that equals that of the mean static strength.
Accelerated and Outdoor Aging Effects on Photovoltaic Module Interfacial Adhesion Properties

We have developed an apparatus that allows the measurement of applied torque as a function of angle of twist during shear removal of cored specimens. This allows us to characterize the strength and durability of various interfaces within many types of photovoltaic (PV) modules. We have used this device to evaluate several parameters in terms of their ability to quantify degradation of interfacial adhesion in weathered PV modules. The usefulness of shear modulus in this regard is marginal. However, peak torque, angle at peak torque, and toughness are very sensitive parameters.
Exploring Message Framing Outcomes When Systematic, Heuristic, or Both Types of Processing Occur

Mixed findings have emerged in message framing studies, even when such studies employ the same general type of framing, such as goal framing. This article attempts to show that by extending the heuristic–systematic model-based explanation of message framing effects to incorporate conditions that may prompt both systematic and heuristic processing, this theory may accommodate some of the aberrant findings. The research reported shows that by varying a message issue's risky implications and its personal relevance, 2 factors that potentially influence the type of processing people employ, systematic, heuristic, or concurrently both types of processing were evoked and influenced people's judgments, causing alternative patterns of message framing effects to occur. The results offer insight into how each of these types of processing can affect message framing outcomes, and they imply that certain seemingly aberrant findings in the literature can be reconciled with this extended theory.
An arithmetic obstruction to division algebra decomposability

This paper presents an indecomposable finite-dimensional division algebra of p-power index that decomposes over a prime-to-p degree field extension, obtained by adjoining p-th roots of unity to the base. This shows that the theory of decomposability has an arithmetic aspect. Suppose F is a field and D is an indecomposable F-division algebra, that is, a division algebra that cannot be expressed as the tensor product of two nontrivial F-division algebras. It is easy to see that the (Schur) index of D must be a power of some prime p. In "Problem 6" of [Sa], Saltman asks if in general D remains indecomposable upon arbitrary prime-to-p extension. At issue is the nature of indecomposability, in particular whether or not it is "geometric". For example in [K], Karpenko showed a certain generic class of division algebras are indecomposable by computing the degrees of cycles on their Brauer-Severi varieties. As noted in [K], it is immediate from the geometric nature of the proof that these algebras remain indecomposable over all prime-to-p extensions. This paper presents an indecomposable division algebra that decomposes over a prime-to-p extension, namely the cyclotomic extension defined by p-th roots of unity. Thus it is proved that (in)decomposability can have an arithmetic aspect. Let p be an odd prime of Q, let k be a number field that does not contain a pth root of unity, and let k[s, t] be the polynomial ring in two variables over k. Define v :k[s, t] -+Z fDlZ, f --* (a, b) where b is smallest such that f E (tb) and a is smallest such that f E (Sa,tb+l). The map v is a valuation, with value group Z 20 Z ordered reverse lexicographically, so (a, b) < (a', b') if b < b', or if b = b' and a < a'. The field of iterated power series F =k((s))((t)) is Henselian with respect to v, with valuation ring R = k[[s]] +tk((s))[[t]] c k((s))[[t]] . R is a non-Noetherian 2-dimensional Henselian local ring, with maximal ideal (s) = (s, t) and residue field k. The ideal (s) properly contains the (infinitely generated) prime ideal tk((s))[[t]] = (t, t, I,. t Received by the editors June 10, 1998 and, in revised form, October 6, 1998. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 16K20; Secondary 1R37. ?)2000 American Mathematical Society
Mass deformation of Bagger-Lambert theory in 3D with reduced N = 1 supersymmetry

We introduce $SO(7{)}_{\mathrm{global}}$ symmetric mass terms into Bagger-Lambert theory in three dimensions. The scalar field $X_{a}{}^{I}$ and its fermionic partner ${\ensuremath{\psi}}_{a}$ are provided with the mass $m$, while a quartic interaction term is induced. These new terms explicitly break the original $SO(8{)}_{\mathrm{global}}$ symmetry down to $SO(7{)}_{\mathrm{global}}$ in terms of octonion structure constants. The original supersymmetry parameter in the ${\mathbf{8}}_{\mathrm{S}}$ is reduced to a singlet, implying that the original $N=8$ supersymmetry is reduced to $N=1$ supersymmetry. As illustrations, we present some nontrivial vacuum configurations with the breaking $SO(7{)}_{\mathrm{global}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}SO(4{)}_{\mathrm{global}}$ or smaller symmetry groups. Interestingly, we also find that after a nontrivial vacuum expectation value $⟨X_{a}{}^{I}⟩$ is developed, the vector field $A_{\ensuremath{\mu}}{}^{ab}$ satisfies a ``self-duality'' condition, and starts propagating with a mass. These results are due to the special nature of the octonion structure constants.
Secondary Ventricular Fibrillation or Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia During Cardiac Arrest and Epinephrine Dosing

Background Development of ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia after an initial rhythm of pulseless electrical activity or asystole is associated with significantly increased cardiac arrest mortality. Objective To examine differences in epinephrine administration during cardiac arrest between patients who had a secondary ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia develop and patients who did not. Methods Data were collected for 2 groups of patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest and an initial rhythm of pulseless electrical activity or asystole: those who had a secondary ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia develop (cases) and those who did not (controls). Dosing of epinephrine during cardiac arrest and other variables were compared between cases and controls. Results Of the 215 patients identified with an initial rhythm of pulseless electrical activity or asystole, 51 (23.7%) had a secondary ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia develop. Throughout the total duration of arrest, including periods of return of spontaneous circulation, the dosing interval for epinephrine in patients who had a secondary ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia develop was 1 mg every 3.4 minutes compared with 1 mg every 5 minutes in controls (P= .001). For the total duration of pulselessness, excluding periods of return of spontaneous circulation during the arrest, the dosing interval for epinephrine in patients who had a secondary ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia develop was 1 mg every 3.1 minutes versus 1 mg every 4.3 minutes in controls (P= .001). Conclusion More frequent administration of epinephrine during cardiac arrest is associated with development of secondary ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia.
Numerical investigation of particle?particle and particle?wall collisions in a viscous fluid

The dynamics of particle–particle collisions and the bouncing motion of a particle colliding with a wall in a viscous fluid is numerically investigated. The dependence of the effective coefficient of restitution on the Stokes number and surface roughness is analysed. A distributed Lagrange multiplier-based computational method in a solid–fluid system is developed and an efficient method for predicting the collision between particles is presented. A comparison between this method and previous collision strategies shows that the present approach has some significant advantages over them. Comparison of the present methodology with experimental studies for the bouncing motion of a spherical particle onto a wall shows very good agreement and validates the collision model. Finally, the effect of the coefficient of restitution for a dry collision on the vortex dynamics associated with this problem is discussed.
Provably robust digital watermarking

Copyright notification and enforcement, authentication, covert communication, and hybrid transmission are examples of emerging multimedia applications for digital watermarking methods, methods for embedding one signal (e.g. ,t he digital watermark) within another “host” signal to form a third, “composite” signal. The embedding is designed to achieve efficient trade-offs among the three conflicting goals of maximizing information-embedding rate, minimizing distortion between the host signal and composite signal, and maximizing the robustness of the embedding. Quantization indexmodulation (QIM) methods are a class of watermarking methods that achieve provably good rate-distortion-robustness performance. Indeed, QIM methods exist that achieve performance within a few dB of capacity in the case of a (possibly colored) Gaussian host signal and an additive (possibly colored) Gaussian noise channel. Also, QIM methods can achieve capacity with a type of postprocessing called distortion compensation. This capacity is independent of host signal statistics, and thus, contrary to popular belief, the information-embedding capacity when the host signal is not available at the decoder is the same as the case when the host signal is available at the decoder. A low-complexity realization of QIM called dither modulation has previously been proven to be better than both linear methods of spread spectrum and nonlinear methods of low-bit(s) modulation against square-error distortionconstrained intentional attacks. We introduce a new form of dither modulation called spread-transform dither modulation that retains these favorable performance characteristics while achieving better performance against other attacks such as JPEG compression.
Cultural Aspects of Family Assessment

The family is the basic sociocultural unit. It is the nest for the growth of an individual, the resource for social support, and the institution through which culture is transmitted. The universal basic functions of the family have been described by an anthropologist (Hoebel 1972). Nevertheless, the family varies greatly among different cultural groups. Therefore, in the clinical practice of family assessment, the aspects of culture, as one of many variables, need appropriate attention.
WISE Research — Promoting International Collaboration

International collaboration in the design of science instruction enables us to study the impact of technology and inquiry under systematically varied conditions. Projects in the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) engage students and their teachers in complex science investigations. By studying WISE in Europe and the United States, we have the chance to exploit naturally occurring differences in professional development and educational philosophy and gain insight into what works. This paper describes the WISE knowledge integration framework and discusses how teachers and students gain understanding of inquiry and technology as they use multiple WISE projects. It concludes with 5 research questions fruitful for international collaboration.
Littoral Sand Transport from Longshore Currents

Prediction of sand transport rates along beaches in a shore-parallel direction is necessary to determine: 1) Dredging quantities at inlets; 2) the effective life of various coastal structures such as jetties; and 3) the magnitude of erosion/accretion on beaches adjacent in inlets. Most computations of the littoral sand transport rate have previously been determined by computing a wave parameter dependent quantity termed the longshore energy flux factor, P\di\ds. The most widely used equations for sand transport are, in fact linear in the quality P\di\ds.
Empowering Students through Language & Critical Thinking : The Bard College Language & Thinking Program

Peg Peoples - Director, Institute for Writing & Thinking, Bard College. Адрес: Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000. E-mail: peoples@bard.eduIn many parts of the world, and particularly in Eastern Europe and Asia, educators and institutions are turning to liberal arts education because they are recognizing the limitations of old didactic teaching methods-edagogies based primarily in lecture, rote memory, and disciplinary rigidity. At the heart of the liberal arts classroom is a student-centered pedagogy, but aside from hearing about the values of a “student-centered” edagogy by visiting scholars, few educators seeking change at the classroom level get to experience what a “student-centered” classroom actually is-teaching practices and methodologies that foster active inquiry, autonomous expression and agency among students who have traditionally been passive recipients of information. This paper presents one liberal arts college’s strategy for promoting a liberal arts pedagogy: the Bard College Language & Thinking Program developed to introduce educators and students alike to a classroom in which learning is interactive and where students are encouraged to raise questions, challenge assumptions, and to actively engage in intellectual inquiry and collaborative work through writing-to-learn practices. In the Language & Thinking Program, the teacher does not have monopoly on knowledge, but instead guides students through a variety of reading and writing strategies used to actively empower students through language and critical thinking. DOI: 10.17323/1814-9545-2015-4-116-131
Improvement of multi-AUV cooperation through teammate verification

Current methods for Multi-AUV cooperation suffer in low communication environments. State of the art methods employ auctioneering or planning to determine a single AUV's task. These systems require communication for efficient task selection. Most strategies assume a teammate is inoperable if a communication timeout is reached which reduces overall team efficiency. Including teammate prediction has been shown to mitigate efficiency degeneration due to low communication. This position paper posits that multi-AUV cooperation efficiency will improve with the combination of robust teammate prediction along with verification using behavior recognition.
Seasonal Parasitism and Predation of Eggs of the Tobacco Hornworm on Various Host Plants in Kentucky

Parasitism and predation of eggs of Manduca sexta (L.) (Lepidoptera:Sphingidae) on tobacco; jimson weed, Datura stramonium L.; tomato; and potato were investigated in central Kentucky throughout the season in 1970 and 1971. Heavy parasitism of eggs was found on jimson weed, tomato, and potato. In both years, parasitism of the eggs was greater on jimson weed than on tomato, but the seasonal peak on both plants occurred between mid-August and early September. Parasitism of eggs on potato was less than on jimson weed and tomato, and no egg parasitism occurred on any of the varieties of tobacco: ‘By 21,’ ‘Low alkaloid By 21,’ ‘Ky 12’ and ‘Ky 170.’ However, parasitized eggs were found on one foreign tobacco variety, ‘TI-1298,’ being grown for other tests. The eggs were parasitized by two hymenopterous species: Telenomus sphingis (Ashmead) and Trichogramma minutum Riley; T. sphingis was the predominant species. Parasitism by T. minutum was greater in eggs on tomato than on jimson weed. Predation of M. sexta eggs was low, and the extent of predation varied with the host plants but increased in late-season on all hosts. The stilt bug, Jalysus spinosus (Say), was the major predator.
Mutations Defining the Operator-binding Sites of Bacteriophage λ Repressor

We have characterized about 50 different amino acid substitutions in the aminoterminal domain of lambda repressor. Sixteen of these substitutions alter external side chains of the repressor and cause a substantial reduction in the affinity of the mutant repressor for operator DNA. Seven of these mutant repressors were purified and were shown to be stably folded. The strong, external repressor mutations occur near the aminoterminal end of alpha helix 2, throughout alpha helix 3, and in the aminoterminal-arm region of the repressor. These results suggest that these regions of lambda repressor are close to operator DNA in the protein-DNA complex and thus that these regions comprise the DNA-binding sites of the repressor. Our genetic results support and are completely consistent with more-detailed models of the repressor-operator interaction based on model-building (Pabo and Lewis 1982; Lewis et al. this volume) and biochemical studies (Pabo et al. 1982).
Investigation of hypertension and its risk factors among esidents in Baoji city

Objective To investigate the prevalence of hypertension and its related factors in Baoji city. Methods A stratified multistage sampling method was used to select 5020 households in Baoji city. Residents over 15 years old were determined randomly from the households by Kish Grid table method. Self-designed questionnaire and food frequency questionnaire were performed. Height,weight,waist circumference and blood pressure were measured. Rates or proportions of data were tested by Chi-square test,non-conditional logistic regression was performed to analyze influencing factors of hypertension,P0. 05 was considered statistically significant. Results In this study,effective sample included 4 968 people,male,50. 74%( 2 521 /4 968),female,49. 26%( 2 447 /4 968). Hypertension prevalence rate was 20. 83%( 1 035/4 968). The prevalence increased with age and BMI( χ2age = 506. 870,χ2BMI = 137. 240,P0. 05),and declined with higher education level and family per-capita income( χ2culture = 247. 270,χ2family income = 60. 241,P0. 05). Nonconditional logistic regression showed that age≥35 years old,married,overweight,obesity and increasing abdominal fat were risk factors,while higher education( primary,secondary school and above),higher family per-capita income,weekly physical exercise and non-smoking were protective factors. Conclusion The prevalence of hypertension in Baoji city is high. Age,marital status,weight,education level,family per-capita income,physical exercise and smoking status were risk factors for hypertension among local residents in Baoji City.