cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Participatory Infrastructures: The Politics of Mobility Platforms

Much of everyday life in cities is now mediated by digital platforms, a mode of organization in which control is both distributed widely among participants and sharply delimited by the platform’s constraints. This article uses examples of smartphone-based platforms for urban mobility to argue that platforms create new political arrangements of the city, intermediating the social processes of management and movement that characterize urban life. Its empirical basis is a study of user interfaces, data specifications, and algorithms used in the operation and regulation of ride-hailing services and bike-share systems. I focus on three aspects of urban politics affected by platforms: its location, its participants, and the types of conflict it addresses. First, the programming forums in which decisions are encoded in and distributed through platforms’ core digital architecture are new sites of policy deliberation outside the more familiar arenas of city politics. Second, travelers have new opportunities to use platforms for travel on their own terms, but this expanded participation is circumscribed by interfaces that presuppose individual, transactional engagement rather than a participation attentive to a broader social and environmental context. Finally, digital systems show themselves to be well suited to enforcing quantifiable distributional goals, but struggle to resolve the more nuanced relational matters that constitute the politics of everyday city life. These illustrations suggest that digital tools for managing transportation are not only political products, but also reset the stage on which urban encounters play out.
SEC Regulation S-K and Board Diversity

In an attempt to address a lack of diversity on corporate boards, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) passed a rule in 2010, requiring firms to disclose whether they consider diversity in the director nomination process, and if so, how the policy’s effectiveness is assessed. The rule does not define the term diversity, leaving it up to each firm to offer its own interpretation. We examine the rule’s effectiveness and find that some firms fail to comply with the rule and do not discuss whether diversity is a factor that is considered in director hiring. Among compliant firms, the most common definitions of diversity are experiential (skills, experience, knowledge) rather than socio-demographic (gender, race, age, geographic background, and representation). We also compare board diversity between compliant and non-compliant firms and do not find differences in the hiring of diverse candidates (women and minorities) as directors following the rule’s introduction, suggesting limited success. Our findings, which are especially salient as the SEC currently considers revising the rule, highlight the importance of adopting a formal definition of the term “diversity” and instituting stricter diversity disclosure guidelines.
Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Causing Hemorrhagic Encephalomyelitis and Spinal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Case Report

We are writing to present an interesting and novel case from our practice of a patient who presented with altered mental status and a rapidly progressive paraplegia as well as high fevers and pancy...
An Overview of Cognitive Radio Networks

Wireless communication is the fastest growing segment of the communication industry. With the successful deployment of cellular networks in licensed bands and Wi-Fi networks in unlicensed bands, users have anytime, anywhere connectivity with the networked systems leading to the Internet of Things (IoT). Traditional wireless networks rely on static spectrum assignment where the government regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in the United States, assign the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum to the service providers in an exclusive manner for long term and vast geographic area. Most of the usable RF spectrum are already assigned to certain services leaving no bands for further development of new wireless systems. Furthermore, when everything (such as refrigerator, microwave oven, smart car, etc) is connected to internet, this scarcity would be more severe. However, recent studies show that the static RF spectrum assignment leads to inefficient use of RF spectrum since most of the channels are used only from 15 to 85 % or idle most of the time [2, 12, 14]. Thus the bottleneck created is not because of lack of RF spectrum but because of wasteful static assignments of RF spectrum for long-time and vast geographic area. In this chapter, we present an overview of cognitive radio network, spectrum sensing techniques, and spectrum access methods.
Chapter 8. Antihypertensive Agents

Publisher Summary The relative contributions of environmental and genetic factors to hypertensive disease may emerge from the studies of different racial groups. The prevalence of hypertension is greater in black than in white Americans and is more commonly of the low renin type. This has led to the proposal that the former population has evolved an enhanced capacity to retain salt and water that, though appropriate to a sub-tropical habitat, proves disadvantageous on exposure to a high dietary salt intake. Studies with erythrocytes from hypertensive patients and their offspring have led to the proposal that EH may be because of a reduced capacity to extrude intracellular Na through an inherited disorder of the furosemide-sensitive Na+, K+-co-transport system. Prevention of the development of hypertension in SHR by propranolol could be because of central inhibition of sympathetic vasomotor tone and furthermore, the drug does accumulate in specific areas of rat brain involved with cardiovascular control. The antihypertensive activity of trimazosin is accompanied by an increase in renal blood flow, and this may be particularly useful when kidney function is impaired. Initial reports with tiodazosin indicate that the drug lowers blood pressure in man and has a plasma half-life of 8 hour.
An important role for autoimmunity in the immunopathogenesis of chronic allograft rejection

Organ transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage organ dysfunction. In spite of advances in understanding of donor and recipient physiology, organ preservation, operative techniques and immunosuppression, long-term graft survival still remains a major problem primarily due to chronic rejection. Alloimmune responses to mismatched major histocompatibility antigens have been implicated as an important factor leading to rejection. However, there is increasing evidence pointing towards cross-talk between the alloimmune and autoimmune responses creating a local inflammatory milieu, which eventually leads to fibrosis and occlusion of the lumen in the transplanted organ i.e. chronic rejection. In this review, we will discuss recent studies and emerging concepts for the interdependence of alloimmune and autoimmune responses in the immunopathogenesis of chronic allograft rejection. The role of autoimmunity in the development of chronic rejection is an intriguing and exciting area of research in the field of solid-organ transplantation with a significant potential to develop novel therapeutic strategies towards preventing chronic allograft rejection.
Fundamentals of Electroencephalography — Kenneth A. Kooi. (Harper and Row, New York, 1971, 260 p., $12.95).

(1971). Fundamentals of Electroencephalography — Kenneth A. Kooi. (Harper and Row, New York, 1971, 260 p., $12.95). American Journal of EEG Technology: Vol. 11, Index Issue, pp. 165-167.
Flight Evaluation of an Insect Contamination Protection System for Laminar Flow Wings

The maintenance of minimum wing leading edge contamination is critical to the preservation of drag-reducing laminar flow; previous methods for the prevention of leading edge contamination by insects have, however, been rendered impractical by their excessive weight, cost, or inconvenience. Attention is presently given to the results of a NASA flight experiment which evaluated the performance of a porous leading edge fluid-discharge ice protection system in the novel role of insect contamination removal; high insect contamination conditions were also noted in the experiment. Very small amounts of the fluid are found to be sufficient for insect contamination protection.
Improved Membrane Filter Method for Fecal Coliform Analysis

A two-layer agar method has been developed which consistently yields higher recovery of fecal coliforms on membrane filters when compared to the existing membrane fecal coliform procedure. This method has been evaluated by three laboratories using samples of raw and chlorinated waste water, and reservoir, river, and marine waters. Verification of 1,013 fecal coliform colonies isolated from 61 water samples averaged 92% on this proposed procedure. Comparison with the Standard Methods membrane fecal coliform procedure revealed the two-layer agar method had an overall increased sensitivity to fecal coliform detection in these waters. It is therefore proposed that this procedure be evaluated as an alternative to the Standard Methods fecal coliform membrane Filter test in the examination of chlorinated secondary effluents, marine waters, and any natural waters that may contain pollutants with heavy metal ions.
A Tappet Rotation Monitor Based on Light Reflectance - Development and Functional Testing

To meet a need identified in earlier valve train friction testing, a tappet rotation monitor was developed and implemented on a cam/tappet tribometer. The system was based on reflecting a light beam from a rotating and translating segmented surface onto a phototransistor. The resulting output was then processed by linear frequency to voltage conversion and multiple cycle integration. The experimental apparatus, signal processing circuit, and the testing circuit are presented. The multiple cycle integration was found to yield average tappet rotation as a function of cam shaft position. These results agreed well with earlier attempts to measure tappet rotation with high speed photography, were repeatable, and correlated with cam shaft speed. Some selected data is presented which indicates that tappet rotation reduces cam/tappet friction.
Saturation Spectroscopy of Atoms

Laser saturation spectroscopy provides a powerful way to eliminate Doppler broadening of spectral lines of absorbing gases. This is accomplished by studying the nonlinear interaction of the absorber with two monochromatic laser waves which are in general traveling in opposite directions. At least one of these waves has to be sufficiently strong to produce a spectral hole burning, i.e. a velocity selective partial saturation of the absorbing transition. Hole burning in Doppler-broadened lines was first discussed by Bennett1 in an early study of gas laser modes. One of its most conspicuous manifestations is the well-known Lamb dip in the power versus frequency characteristic of a single mode gas laser, which was theoretically predicted by Lamb2 and first observed by Javan and co-workers.3 Lee and Skolnickt4 were the first to place a gaseous absorber inside the cavity of a gas laser and to observe the saturation resonances as “inverted Lamb dips.” This phenomenon has subsequently been used in many laboratories to stabilize the frequency of gas lasers or to spectroscopically study molecular absorption lines in coincidence with existing gas laser lines in unprecedented resolution.5–7 A very impressive example has been reported by Hall and Borde at this conference.
A load shedding framework for XML stream joins

Joining data streams using various types of windows is an established method of stream processing. The limitation of window size due to memory constraint takes a heavy toll on the accuracy of the query result. Through this paper, we propose a unique windowing technique based on innovative cost functions for join query processing under memory constraints. The logical window construction is controlled through unique data structure and maintained using load shedding technique with least overhead. We applied our technique on XML streams domain and proved the effectiveness of our strategy through measuring the accuracy of the result from joining two XML streams using standard XQuery. With assumption of acceptability of an approximate solution with acceptable error bound in the face of unbounded, complex XML stream, we have tried to come up with a low overhead architecture for load shedding and tested its usefulness through a set of cost functions.
Deficits in radial arm maze performance in kindled rats: evidence for long-lasting memory dysfunction induced by repeated brief seizures

Repeated activation of neural pathways by kindling induces brief seizures, permanent increases in seizure susceptibility, neuronal loss in the hippocampus, and mossy fiber sprouting in the dentate gyrus. Because kindling induces permanent cellular alterations in hippocampal pathways that have been implicated in memory, it was of interest to determine if kindling also induces long-lasting impairments in a spatial memory task in rats. In this study, the effects of kindling on memory were investigated by assessing kindled rats in a radial arm maze behavior that is impaired by hippocampal damage. Kindled rats studied at 1 month after the last of 30-134 evoked generalized tonic-clonic seizures acquired competence in the performance of the radial arm maze task at a rate that was indistinguishable from age-matched normal controls, but demonstrated a deficit in the ability to repeat the task on consecutive days. The repetition deficit was not observed in rats that experienced three afterdischarges or three generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and the severity of the deficit varied directly with the number of evoked kindled seizures. Repeated brief seizures evoked by kindling induced a long-lasting deficit in a radial arm maze task that is a rodent model of memory. The observation of a long-lasting deficit in radial arm maze performance in kindled rats suggests that the cellular alterations induced in the hippocampus by seizures could contribute to the memory dysfunction in human epilepsy.
A novel approach for estimating ingested dose associated with paracetamol overdose

Aim In cases of paracetamol (acetaminophen, APAP) overdose, an accurate estimate of tissue-specific paracetamol pharmacokinetics (PK) and ingested dose can offer health care providers important information for the individualized treatment and follow-up of affected patients. Here a novel methodology is presented to make such estimates using a standard serum paracetamol measurement and a computational framework. Methods The core component of the computational framework was a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model developed and evaluated using an extensive set of human PK data. Bayesian inference was used for parameter and dose estimation, allowing the incorporation of inter-study variability, and facilitating the calculation of uncertainty in model outputs. Results Simulations of paracetamol time course concentrations in the blood were in close agreement with experimental data under a wide range of dosing conditions. Also, predictions of administered dose showed good agreement with a large collection of clinical and emergency setting PK data over a broad dose range. In addition to dose estimation, the platform was applied for the determination of optimal blood sampling times for dose reconstruction and quantitation of the potential role of paracetamol conjugate measurement on dose estimation. Conclusions Current therapies for paracetamol overdose rely on a generic methodology involving the use of a clinical nomogram. By using the computational framework developed in this study, serum sample data, and the individual patient's anthropometric and physiological information, personalized serum and liver pharmacokinetic profiles and dose estimate could be generated to help inform an individualized overdose treatment and follow-up plan.
Retention of Ejaculate by Drosophila melanogaster Females Requires the Male-Derived Mating Plug Protein PEBme

Within the mated reproductive tracts of females of many taxa, seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) coagulate into a structure known as the mating plug (MP). MPs have diverse roles, including preventing female remating, altering female receptivity postmating, and being necessary for mated females to successfully store sperm. The Drosophila melanogaster MP, which is maintained in the mated female for several hours postmating, is comprised of a posterior MP (PMP) that forms quickly after mating begins and an anterior MP (AMP) that forms later. The PMP is composed of seminal proteins from the ejaculatory bulb (EB) of the male reproductive tract. To examine the role of the PMP protein PEBme in D. melanogaster reproduction, we identified an EB GAL4 driver and used it to target PEBme for RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown. PEBme knockdown in males compromised PMP coagulation in their mates and resulted in a significant reduction in female fertility, adversely affecting postmating uterine conformation, sperm storage, mating refractoriness, egg laying, and progeny generation. These defects resulted from the inability of females to retain the ejaculate in their reproductive tracts after mating. The uncoagulated MP impaired uncoupling by the knockdown male, and when he ultimately uncoupled, the ejaculate was often pulled out of the female. Thus, PEBme and MP coagulation are required for optimal fertility in D. melanogaster. Given the importance of the PMP for fertility, we identified additional MP proteins by mass spectrometry and found fertility functions for two of them. Our results highlight the importance of the MP and the proteins that comprise it in reproduction and suggest that in Drosophila the PMP is required to retain the ejaculate within the female reproductive tract, ensuring the storage of sperm by mated females.
Ultrasound evaluation of regional breast lymph nodes.

Through the early 1990s, ultrasound (US) had traditionally been used to characterize breast masses as either cystic or solid. With technological advancements, US indications for breast evaluation have significantly broadened. High-frequency transducers, color flow Doppler capabilities, and improved morphology descriptors culminate in enhanced characterization of various mesenchymal tissues, including fat, blood vessels, breast parenchyma, nerves, calcifications and connective tissue; this allows for identification of the previously elusive lymph node (LN). US’s clinical applicability has dramatically evolved, and US evaluation of loco-regional LNs is now routinely used as part of the standard protocol in the multidisciplinary approach to evaluating, staging, and following of breast cancer patients. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, with an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and an additional 62,280 cases of in situ breast cancer in 2009. 1 Documenting LN metastasis has been established as an important predictor of recurrence and survival, and allows for accurate stratification of patients into different treatmentoptions.LNscanbepresentwithinanyquadrantof the breast. Lymphatic drainage of the breast occurs via the axillary, internal mammary, and infra and supraclavicular basins. In the evaluation of patients with breast cancer, US has been shown to accurately differentiate LNs, even when nonpalpable, from surrounding tissue and visualize changes to their size, shape, borders, and cortex. 2 Physical examination is widely recognized as inaccurate, with reported sensitivity rates close to 32% in the detection of axillary metastasis compared with 73% for US. 3 US also has the distinct advantage of real-time guidance capabilities that allow for relatively inexpensive and technically easy cytologic evaluation by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and histologic tissue sampling by core biopsy (CB). In some instances, US evaluation of axillary LNs will help patientsavoidthetime,cost,andanxietyofsentinelLNbiopsy. 4
Orchidaceae: Using a Globalized Commodity to Promote Conservation and Sustainable Economic Development in Southern Ecuador

The Orchidaceae family is one of the most diverse plant families on earth, accounting for 10% of total plant biodiversity. However, many species of orchids are threatened with extinction from habit...
Hyperoxia Impairs Alveolar Formation and Induces Senescence Through Decreased Histone Deacetylase Activity and Up-Regulation of p21 in Neonatal Mouse Lung

Alveolar development comprises the transition of lung architecture from saccules to gas-exchange units during late gestation and early postnatal development. Exposure to hyperoxia disrupts developmental signaling pathways and causes alveolar hypoplasia as seen in bronchopulmonary dysplasia affecting preterm human newborns. Expanding literature suggests that epigenetic changes caused by environmental triggers during development may lead to heritable changes in gene expression. Given recent data on altered histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity in lungs of humans and animal models with airspace enlargement/emphysema, we hypothesized that alveolar hypoplasia from hyperoxia exposure in neonatal mice is a consequence of cell cycle arrest and reduced HDAC activity and up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21. We exposed newborn mice to hyperoxia and compared lung morphologic and epigenetic changes to room air controls. Furthermore, we pretreated a subgroup of animals with the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin (AZM), known to possess antiinflammatory properties. Our results showed that hyperoxia exposure resulted in alveolar hypoplasia and was associated with decreased HDAC1 and HDAC2 and increased p53 and p21 expression. Furthermore, AZM did not confer protection against hyperoxia-induced alveolar changes. These findings suggest that alveolar hypoplasia caused by hyperoxia is mediated by epigenetic changes affecting cell cycle regulation/senescence during lung development.
Intimate partner violence increases adverse outcomes at birth and in early infancy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of intimate partner violence (IPV) on birth outcomes and infant hospitalization. STUDY DESIGN: Hospitalization records for the first 4 months of life for infants born in the Military Health System in 2006-2007 were linked to Family Advocacy Program-substantiated cases of IPV among military parents. Adverse outcomes were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Logistic regression modeling calculated the OR of children exposed to IPV experiencing adverse outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 204 546 infants were born during the study period. Among these, 173 026 infants (85%) were linked to active duty military parents. 31 603 infants (18%) experienced adverse outcomes, and 3059 infants (1.8%) were born into families with IPV. The infants exposed to IPV had a 31% increased odds of experiencing adverse outcomes compared with infants without known IPV exposure. IPV exposure increased the odds of the following outcomes: prematurity (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.29-1.62), low birth weight (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.25-1.97), respiratory problems (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.32), neonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.20-1.61), and postneonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.29-1.81). After controlling for prematurity and demographic variables, IPV exposure was associated with low birth weight (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.16-1.99), neonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.02-1.49), and postneonatal hospitalization (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.03-1.56). CONCLUSION: Infants exposed to IPV are more likely to experience adverse birth outcomes and infant hospitalization. Routinely addressing IPV during prenatal and early pediatric visits may potentially prevent these adverse outcomes. Language: en
The contribution of the Department of Veterans Affairs to neuroimaging of aphasia: One perspective

Background: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has made important contributions to the neuroimaging of aphasia. Through the affiliations of VA researchers with medical faculties, a broad range of questions has been addressed regarding the structural, metabolic, and functional changes that occur in the brain of individuals who develop aphasia. Aims: This report examines some of the work that has been accomplished by VA researchers using CT, MRI, SPECT, and PET imaging approaches. Main Contribution and Conclusions: The reviewed VA research demonstrates that aphasia results from the dynamic relationships that exist between the impact of structural brain damage on brain function in both damaged and non‐damaged regions of the brain. The resulting concepts have led to innovative strategies for the neurorehabilitation of aphasia.
A new genus and species of Sarcoglanidinae from the Río Mamoré, Amazon Basin, with comments on subfamilial phylogeny (Teleostei, Trichomycteridae)

Stenolicmus sarmientoi is described as a new genus and species of the trichomycterid subfamily Sarcoglanidinae, from the RiAo Mamore Basin, Bolivia. It can be distinguished from all other sarcoglanidines by: five-rayed pectoral fin; elongate body shape (HL about 15% of SL); absence of fontanelles on cranial roof; well-developed patches of opercular and interopercular odontodes (five or six on each bone); numerous accessory caudal-fin rays (13 dorsal and 11 ventral); and presence of extensive dark pigmentation on the surface of the body. Three synapomorphies support a hypothesis that the new taxon forms a monophyletic group with other sarcoglanidines: presence of an anterior ossification of the palatine cartilage; quadrate with a dorsal expansion directed posteriorly; and premaxilla with a long lateral process. Stenolicmus lacks some synapomorphies shared by Stauroglanis, Malacoglanis and Sarcoglanis, and shares some other synapomorphies exclusively with Sarcoglanis and Malacoglanis. These character distributions make it uncertain whether Stenolicmus is the sister group of all other sarcoglanidines or only of Malacoglanis plus Sarcoglanis, because the two positions imply equally parsimonious cladograms.
NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE BLADE COOLING EFFECT GENERATED BY MULTIPLE JETS ISSUING AT AN ANGLE INTO AN INCOMPRESSIBLE HORIZONTAL CROSSFLOW

The thermal effect of cool jets issuing into an incompressible hot crossflow at an angle over a turbine blade is the subject. Numerical solutions for 12 multiple flow arrangements with two flow ratios, two different hole spacings, and four different jet issuing angles document strong to moderate secondary vortex structures spanning normal to the direction of the jet. This fully three-dimensional flowfield strongly influences the cooling performance of the hole-blade system. For a generalized body-fitted three-dimensional finite volume model, computational results suggest an optimum hole spacing and low issuing angle for maximum cooling efficiency.
The Notch Transcription Activation Complex Makes Its Move

Two papers in this issue of Cell (Nam et al., 2006; Wilson and Kovall, 2006) report the crystal structure of the Notch transcriptional activation complex. These structures show that the ANK domain of Notch is an integral part of the transcription complex and supports MAM binding, whereas the RAM domain may trigger allosteric changes in the structure needed for the derepression of transcription.
Application of the multi-scale finite element method to wave propagation problems in damaged structures

This work illustrates the possibility to extend the field of application of the Multi-Scale Finite Element Method (MsFEM) to structural mechanics problems that involve localized geometrical discontinuities like cracks or notches. The main idea is to construct finite elements with an arbitrary number of edge nodes that describe the actual geometry of the damage with shape functions that are defined as local solutions of the differential operator of the specific problem according to the MsFEM approach. The small scale information are then brought to the large scale model through the coupling of the global system matrices that are assembled using classical finite element procedures. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated through selected numerical examples that constitute classical problems of great interest to the structural health monitoring community.
Scientists' Thoughts on Scientific Models

This paper contains the analysis of nine interviews with UK scientists on the topic of scientific models. Scientific models are an important, very controversially discussed topic in philosophy of science. A reasonable expectation is that philosophical conceptions of models ought to be in agreement with scientific practice. Questioning practicing scientists on their use of and views on models provides material against which philosophical positions can be measured.
Doing a deal: Merger and acquisition negotiations and their impact upon target company top management turnover

This research investigates the effects of merger and acquisition negotiations on subsequent target company top management turnover. Three attributes of the companies and seven attributes of the merger and acquisition transactions are examined. The results indicate that the primary impact of negotiations is evident in the fourth year after a settlement date. When a buyer approaches an unrelated company that has been subject to previous takeover interest with a merger proposal, and an agreement is reached, the target's management team is likely to experience abnormally high turnover 4 years later. Additional research ideas are suggested to help explain the sizeable turnover rates in the 3 years immediately following a merger or acquisition.
Mechanism for Nitrogen-increased Shoot/Root Ratios

ABERG'S review1 cites Soding (Die Wuchstofflehre, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 1952) as suggesting that the generally recognized increased shoot/root ratios resulting from nitrogen fertilization are caused by nitrogen-increased growth hormone content which, in turn, inhibits root growth and promotes shoot growth in the intact plant. This suggestion appears reasonable and was supported by Bosemark2, who compared the growth of roots in high nitrogen solution with that of roots growing in solutions containing growth hormones.
Staged tympanostomy tube placement facilitates pediatric cholesteatoma management

Summary Objectives Evaluate results of middle ear ventilation with or without adenoidectomy prior to definitive cholesteatoma surgery in children with concomitant middle ear effusion. Methods Charts of 40 children seen in follow-up for acquired or congenital cholesteatoma were reviewed. Nine children underwent staged tympanostomy tube placement for concomitant middle ear effusion. Computed tomography was obtained after placement of tubes in all patients. Extent of disease by tomography was compared to disease extent at definitive surgery. Details of cholesteatoma surgeries, most recent disease status, and length of follow-up were recorded. Results Three children had extensive congenital cholesteatoma, while six had acquired disease. All nine children underwent tube placement (four with adenoidectomy) prior to definitive surgery. Computed tomography obtained after middle ear ventilation accurately predicted extent of cholesteatoma involvement. Seven atticotomies, two tympanomastoidectomies, and one revision mastoidectomy were performed. Follow-up ranged from 9 to 99 months with a median of 54 months. All were free of cholesteatoma at latest assessment. Conclusions Staged tympanostomy tube placement with or without adenoidectomy prior to tympanomastoidectomy allows superior delineation of cholesteatoma extent pre-operatively and facilitates surgery in children with concomitant middle ear effusion. Adenoidectomy may improve eustachian tube function and decrease the risk of recurrent disease.
Antihypertensive and metabolic effects of a new converting enzyme inhibitor, enalapril

Thirty-one men with mild, uncomplicated essential hypertension were studied for 18 wk in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Those whose supine diastolic pressure was 90 to 104 mm Hg after 4 wk of placebo were randomly assigned to three groups. Group I (11 subjects) initially received one 10-mg enalapril capsule in the morning and one placebo capsule in the evening. Group II (10 subjects) received one 5-mg enalapril capsule twice daily. Group III (10 subjects) received one placebo capsule twice daily. Drug dosages were doubled and then quadrupled in all groups at wk 8 and 12. Metabolic, ophthalmologic, and audiometrie studies were done on all subjects at wk 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16. Enalapril lowered diastolic pressure in the supine and upright positions in single and divided doses. Its antihypertensive effect was dose dependent, and it was greater in white patients than in black patients. The drug was well tolerated by all subjects and did not cause clinical or metabolic complications. It is concluded that enalapril is effective in lowering the arterial pressure in single and divided daily doses; its effect is dose dependent and is greater on the diastolic arterial pressure than on the systolic pressure; and it is well tolerated. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1983) 33, 741–746; doi:10.1038/clpt.1983.101
Identification of Committed Placental Stem Cell Lines for Studies of Differentiation

Trophoblasts provide a model to investigate fundamental mechanisms of stem cell differentiation, but the availability of trophoblast stem cell lines is limited. Here we report the development of an RT-PCR-based lineage-specific profile as a method to identify the lineages of placental trophoblast cells routinely and specifically. This profiling method was used to analyze the mouse SM10 and rat HRP-1 cell lines, isolated from a region of the placental labyrinth, but of previously unidentified lineage. Using this profile, the expression of trophoblast stem cell markers was detected in the SM10 and HRP-1 cells. In contrast, no expression of a marker of differentiated labyrinthine trophoblast was detected. Additionally, both cell lines expressed labyrinthine trophoblast-specific genes and did not express lineage-specific markers of spongiotrophoblasts or trophoblast giant cells. Our results suggest that SM10 and HRP-1 cell lines are trophoblast stem cell-like cell lines that can be maintained in undifferentia...
The direct pair correlation function of liquid indium

Abstract The static structure factor S(k) of liquid indium has been measured accurately down to k = 0.8 A −1 using CuKα radiation with reflection geometry. The direct pair correlation function in k space is analyzed to demonstrate the utility of this technique in reducing errors in the resulting direct pair correlation function in configuration space.
The mitotic index of megakaryocytes of mice after acute thrombocytopenia.

SummaryC3H mice were made severely thrombocytopenic by injection of antiplate-let serum. The peripheral platelet counts and the endomitotic index and number of marrow megakaryocytes were determined at intervals during the 6 days following treatment. Both the endomitotic index and the number of megakaryocytes increased and returned to pretreatment levels during that time, indicating a transitory stimulation of megakaryocytopoiesis in response to thrombocy topenia.We are most grateful to Dr. T. P. McDonald for supplying the antiplatelet serum that was used in these investigations.
Differential binding patterns of monoclonal antibody 2C4 to the ErbB3–p185her2/neu and the EGFR–p185her2/neu complexes

2C4 (Pertuzumab, Omnitarg) is a monoclonal antibody targeting p185her2/neu, which is overexpressed in 30% of invasive breast cancer. 2C4 is currently in phase II clinical trials for several types of cancers. This antibody has been reported to disrupt the association between p185her2/neu and ErbB3. In our studies of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–p185her2/neu heterodimerization, we noted that 2C4 formed associations with the EGFR–p185her2/neu receptor complex. Our data argue against 2C4 as a universal heterodimerization blocker for p185her2/neu, but indicate that cocktails of monoclonal antibodies binding distinct interaction surfaces of p185her2/neu will emerge as the most potent targeted therapy.
Correlations between esophageal diseases and manometric length: A study of 617 patients

The purpose of this study was to measure the length of the esophagus and assess its relationship to sex, weight, age, height, and various esophageal disorders. A retrospective analysis was undertaken of 617 esophageal manometric studies, which included 51 normal control subjects (27 males and 24 females) and 566 patients (297 males and 269 females) with esophageal disorders (50 with achalasia, 6 with diffuse esophageal spasm, 64 with strictures, 38 with nutcracker esophagus, 398 with gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD] with positive 24-hour pH monitoring, and 66 with possible GERD but negative 24-hour pH monitoring). Manometry was performed in all of them by the station pull-through technique. The length of the esophagus was defined as the distance between the proximal end of the upper esophageal sphincter and the distal end of the lower esophageal sphincter. In the control group the mean (± standard deviation) length of the esophagus was 28.3±2.41 cm. In patients with esophageal disorders the mean length of the esophagus was 28.0 ±2.87 cm. Length of the esophagus is related to height but not to weight, sex, age, diffuse esophageal spasm, or nutcracker esophagus. Achalasia is associated with a longer esophagus, and GERD is associated with a shorter esophagus. Stricture is associated with a shorter esophagus, but this is in part due to the association between stricture and GERD. Patients with possible GERD but negative 24-hour pH monitoring have an esophageal length similar to that of GERD patients with positive 24-hour pH monitoring. Patients with GERD and stricture formation showed esophageal shortening in shorter patients. Achalasia, GERD, and GERD with stricture formation influence esophageal length. GERD-related strictures shorten the esophagus more significantly in short patients.
Visualizing Culturally Relevant Science Pedagogy Through Photonarratives of Black Middle School Teachers

This study situated in a Southern resegregated Black middle school involved four Black teachers and two White science educators’ use of photonarratives to envision culturally relevant science pedagogy. Two questions guided the study: (1) What community referents are important for conceptualizing culturally relevant practices in Black science classrooms? and (2) How do teachers’ photonarratives serve to open conversations and notions of culturally relevant science practices? The research methodologically drew upon memory-work, Black feminism, critical theory, visual methodology, and narrative inquiry as “portraiture.” Issues of positionality and identity proved to be central to this work, as three luminaries portray Black teachers’ insights about supports and barriers to teaching and learning science. The community referents identified were associated with church and its oral traditions, inequities of the market place in meeting their basic human needs, and community spaces.
Parametric modeling of space telescope architectures

Development of low-cost, lightweight space imaging systems requires a combination of technologies including lightweight optics to reduce the areal density of the mirrors and application of controls-structures technologies to compensate for the increased flexibility of these systems. These new design technologies have led to many new possibilities for architectures of large space telescopes, creating a necessity for new design tools during the conceptual design phase. The MIT Space Systems Laboratory (MIT-SSL) is examining alternative architectures for a Modular Optical Space Telescope (MOST) by developing a tool to automatically generate unique realizations of a spacecraft based upon parametric inputs to the model. This tool allows system metrics to be evaluated across combinations of design variables so that promising architecture families utilizing different technologies can be identified on the basis of system performance. This paper will describe advances to the structural components of the MOST model, particularly the primary mirror and secondary support tower. Lightweight, rib-stiffened mirrors and a variety of geometries for a lightweight secondary support tower have been modeled. Both of these parameterized sub-components can be analyzed to determine the effects of changing geometries on the structural stiffness. These advanced components can then be used in the system in order to more fully understand the effects of lightweight structures on the system performance metrics.
Religious Coping Among Those With Persistent Mental Illness

Although religious coping has gained acceptance in some spheres of mental health treatment, it has yet to be integrated into the treatment of those suffering from persistent mental illness. In this study, 379 individuals with persistent mental illness who attended 1 of 13 Los Angeles County Mental Health facilities completed a survey consisting of a demographic questionnaire and an adapted version of the Religious Coping Index. More than 81% of the participants reported using religious beliefs or activities to cope, 65% perceived religion as effective, and the majority devoted up to 50% of their total coping time to religion. Participants with more severe symptomatology were more likely to engage in specific religious coping strategies than those with less severe symptoms. These findings suggest that religion may serve as an important coping mechanism for those with persistent mental illness and that such coping could be appropriately incorporated into the treatment and research afforded by mental health ...
The demand for smokeless tobacco among male high school students in the United States: the impact of taxes, prices and policies

Despite the deleterious effects of smokeless tobacco use, very little is known about the effects of tobacco control policies on smokeless tobacco demand. This paper uses data extracted from the 1995–2001 National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) augmented with tobacco taxes, prices and policies to estimate smokeless tobacco demand equations among male high school students. The estimates indicate that higher smokeless tobacco taxes would significantly reduce the number of male students who use smokeless tobacco and the number of days smokeless tobacco users use smokeless tobacco. Moreover, smokeless tobacco products and cigarettes were found to be economic complements in consumption.
Cytogenetics in Hybridization of Bunch- and Muscadine-type Grapes

Attempts by earlier grape breeders to develop bunch grapes adaptable to southern United States through hybridization between bunch and muscadine grapes have failed. The few hybrids obtained were highly or completely sterile, possibly because of difference in chromosome numbers of the two types of grapes: bunch grapes have 2n = 38 chromosomes, muscadine grapes have 2n = 40 chromosomes. Two such hybrids known as ‘N.C. 6–15’ and ‘N.C. 6–16’ were made fully fertile by chromosome doubling with colchicine.
ARTE—an adpative rendering and transmission environment for 3D graphics

Thus far, a significant body of work has been devoted to the challenges of universal access related to the delivery of traditional multimedia content such as text, images, audio, and video. Less attention has been focused on three-dimensional (3D) digital content, as true market opportunities for 3D graphics over networks have just begun to emerge. In this paper, we present ARTE, an Adaptive Rendering and Transmission Environment that facilitates the delivery 3D models in heterogeneous environments by monitoring the resources available and by selecting appropriate transmission modalities.
Distinctive cytokinetics of blastogenic responses by spleen cells fromLegionella pneumophila-sensitized mice

Legionella pneumophila, the etiologic agent of respiratory pneumonia and systemic infections of man and some experimental animals, was studied in regard to the ability of these bacteria to induce blastogenic responses by spleen cells from normal vs sensitized mice. Antigens from this organism, including whole cell vaccine, an outer membrane extract, and a purified lipopolysaccharide-rich antigen, induced blastogenesis of normal spleen cells with peak responses on day +3 in vitro, similar to the blastogenic responses of spleen cells from the same animals exposed to the plant mitogens phytohemagglutinin and Concanavalin A, or the nonspecific bacterial antigenEscherichia lipopolysaccharides coli (LPS). Spleen cells from mice vaccinated with killedLegionella or infected with a sublethal dose of these bacteria 3–4 weeks or more previously evinced increased blastogenic responses to theLegionella antigens but not to the nonspecific mitogens or theE. coli LPS. The spleen cells from legionellae-sensitized mice evinced not only heightened blastogenic responses on day +3 of culture but also heightened responses during day +5 of culture. Spleen cells from sensitized mice showed less responses to the nonspecific plant mitogens orE. coli LPS on day +5 of culture. These results support the view that, after sensitization of mice with a bacterial antigen such asL. pneumophila, spleen cells respond in a specific heightened blastogenic manner toLegionella antigen, and this response has a higher magnitude and is more prolonged than the non-specific responses of cells from normal mice.
MULTIPLE STEADY STATES IN AN ADIABATIC COAL LIQUEFACTION REACTOR—ROLE OF PREHEATER

A general model is developed to predict the occurrence of multiple steady states in a coal liquefaction reactor. The effect of preheater variables under coal liquefaction conditions, on the occurrence of the multiple steady states is examined. An analytical expression is developed for the stability of the steady states for the case of a constant flow stirred tank reactor.
Fetal tissue engineering from amniotic fluid.

Abstract Background We have recently shown, in an animal model, that amniotic fluid can be a source of cells for fetal tissue engineering. This study was aimed at determining whether fetal tissue constructs could also be engineered from cells normally found in human amniotic fluid. Study design Cells obtained from the amniotic fluid of pregnant women at 15 to 19 weeks of gestation (n=6) were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's medium (Sigma Chemical, St Louis, MO) containing 20% fetal bovine serum and 5 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor in a 95% humidified, 5% CO 2 chamber at 37° C. A subpopulation of morphologically distinct cells was then mechanically isolated from the rest and selectively expanded. The lineage of this subpopulation of amniocytes was determined by immunofluorescent staining with antibodies against standard intermediate filaments and surface antigens. Cell proliferation rates were determined by oxidation assay. After cell expansion, colonies of amniocytes were statically and dynamically seeded onto both unwoven, 1-mm-thick polyglycolic acid polymer scaffold and acellular human dermis for 72 hours. The resulting constructs were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Results Amniocytes stained positively for smooth muscle actin, vimentin, cytokeratin 18, and fibroblast surface protein, and negatively for desmin, cluster of differentiation 31, and von Willebrand's factor (Dako, Carpenteria, CA). These findings are consistent with a mesenchymal, fibroblast–myofibroblast cell lineage. Mesenchymal amniocytes could be rapidly expanded in culture, based on results of the proliferation assay. Scanning electron microscopy of amniocyte constructs revealed dense, confluent layers of cells surrounding the polymer matrices and firm cell adhesion to both PGA and Alloderm (Lifecell Corp, Branchburg, NJ) scaffolds. No evidence of cell death was observed. Conclusions Subpopulations of fetal mesenchymal cells can be consistently isolated from human amniotic fluid and rapidly expanded in vitro. Human mesenchymal amniocytes attach firmly to both polyglycolic acid polymer and acellular human dermis. The amniotic fluid can be a valuable and practical cell source for fetal tissue engineering.