cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Vivo 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Provides a Noninvasive Measure of Carotid Plaque Inflammation in Patients

OBJECTIVES Given the importance of inflammation in atherosclerosis, we sought to determine if atherosclerotic plaque inflammation could be measured noninvasively in humans using positron emission tomography (PET). BACKGROUND Earlier PET studies using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) demonstrated increased FDG uptake in atherosclerotic plaques. Here we tested the ability of FDG-PET to measure carotid plaque inflammation in patients who subsequently underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS Seventeen patients with severe carotid stenoses underwent FDG-PET imaging 3 h after FDG administration (13 to 25 mCi), after which carotid plaque FDG uptake was determined as the ratio of plaque to blood activity (target to background ratio, TBR). Less than 1 month after imaging, subjects underwent CEA, after which carotid specimens were processed to identify macrophages (staining with anti-CD68 antibodies). RESULTS There was a significant correlation between the PET signal from the carotid plaques and the macrophage staining from the corresponding histologic sections (r = 0.70; p < 0.0001). When mean FDG uptake (mean TBR) was compared with mean inflammation (mean percentage CD68 staining) for each of the 17 patients, the correlation was even stronger (r = 0.85; p < 0.0001). Fluorodeoxyglucose uptake did not correlate with plaque area, plaque thickness, or area of smooth muscle cell staining. CONCLUSIONS We established that FDG-PET imaging can be used to assess the severity of inflammation in carotid plaques in patients. If subsequent natural history studies link increased FDG-PET activity in carotid arteries with clinical events, this noninvasive measure could be used to identify a subset of patients with carotid atherosclerosis in need of intensified medical therapy or carotid artery intervention to prevent stroke.
NMDA and non-NMDA receptors on rat supraoptic nucleus neurons activated monosynaptically by olfactory afferents.

Abstract The recently discovered efferent projections from the main and accessory olfactory bulbs to the supraoptic nucleus (SON) were further investigated. Intracellular electrophysiological methods were used to determine (a) if these projections are monosynaptic, (b) which excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor subtypes mediate responses to activation of these pathways and (c) whether the same receptor subtypes mediate responses of phasically firing (vasopressin) and continuously firing (putative oxytocin) neurons. Recordings were made from SON neurons in large explants and 500 μm thick horizontal slices, containing 2–6 mm of the piriform cortex and lateral olfactory tract (LOT). This allowed recording of synaptic responses to selective stimulation of the LOT. EPSPs in SON neurons faithfully followed stimulus frequencies of 50–100 Hz, indicating that these inputs were monosynaptic. Stimulus-evoked EPSPs were blocked by the non-specific EAA antagonist, kynurenate. Perifusion of the slice with Mg2+-free medium revealed the presence of NMDA receptors in addition to the non-NMDA receptors on both phasically and continuously firing cells, indeed, on all cells tested. Partial blockade of these EPSPs in Mg2+-free medium could be achieved with either the NMDA antagonist, AP5, or the non-NMDA antagonists, CNQX or NBQX. Full blockade of the stimulus-evoked EPSPs was effected by adding both types of antagonists to the medium, although spontaneous EPSPs were still observed in several cells. These results are consistent with prior studies showing both receptor subtypes in the SON. This is the first demonstration that afferent stimulation activates both subtypes in the same SON neuron regardless of its peptide content.
The Organisation of IT Functions in the 1990s: A Managerial Perspective

What is the underlying trend in IT structures? Why have individual businesses taken different stands with regard to their IT structures? There has been an ongoing debate concerning these questions with limited resolution. The issues surrounding IT structures are analysed in order to prepare managers to cope with the above two questions throughout the 1990s. Owing to the continuing progress in hardware and software technology, decentralised IT structures will continue to become more accessible and attractive in the 1990s. As a result, the users of IT services will assume an increasing share of responsibilities for producing their locally needed IT services. Generally speaking, the responsibilities of central IT departments will continue to decrease during the 1990s. Meanwhile owing to differences among businesses with respect to their organisational context variables, individual businesses will continue to subscribe to different IT structures ranging from relatively centralised to relatively decentralised.
I. Anti-μ antibody stimulates the phosphatidylinositol cycle and immunoglobulin secretion in a human lymphoblastoid B-cell line, LA350

Abstract Within 5 min of the binding of anti-μ antibody (anti-μ) to surface IgM on LA350, a human lymphoblastoid B-cell line, there was a significantly enhanced incorporation of 32 P into the phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) fractions of cellular phospholipids and the magnitude of the early increase in PA was twice as great as that in PI. This anti-μ-enhanced incorporation of 32 P into PA and PI required the binding of a divalent form of antibody (IgG or F(ab′) 2 ), was blocked by coincubation with micromolar concentrations of soluble IgM, was decreased by incubation of cells at temperatures lower than 37 °C, and was inhibited by coincubation with millimolar concentrations of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline. Similar incorporation studies with [ 3 H]inositol demonstrated a selective and significant increase in labeling of PI. In LA350 labeled with [ 3 H]inositol for 30 hr (equilibrium) and acutely stimulated by anti-μ, specific hydrolysis of phosphorylated PI (PI 4,5-bisphosphate) was measured by the significantly increased release at 15 min of radioactive inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, inositol 1,4 bisphosphate, and inositol 1-phosphate. The release of these inositol phosphates was significantly augmented by coincubation with 0.01 M LiCl which prevented their simultaneous enzymatic degradation. All of these findings are consistent with an activation of a linked series of metabolic events known as the PI cycle. In similar cell cultures anti-μ significantly stimulated the secretion of IgM by LA350 as measured at 48 hr in a reverse hemolytic plaque assay. Two other IgM-bearing human lymphoblastoid B-cell lines which gave no evidence of turnover of 32 P in PA and PI in response to binding by anti-μ likewise failed to enhance their secretion of IgM. We conclude that the binding of surface IgM on LA350 by anti-μ results in the generation of a transmembrane signal which causes a rapid activation of the PI cycle which itself may play a role in the subsequent increase in IgM secretion.
Corrected effective medium calculations of the chemisorption of H and N on Fe(100), Fe(110) and W(110)

Abstract We employ the recently developed corrected effective medium method (CEM) to study chemisorption of H and N atoms on low Miller index surfaces of Fe and W. The binding energy, height and adsorbate induced surface relaxation are investigated as a function of coverage via explicit treatment of the 2D periodicity of an infinite surface with an infinitely ordered overlayer of chemisorbed atoms. There is no use of the approximation of a cluster model. We find that the most stable site for both H and N on Fe(100) is the four-fold center; for H on Fe(110) and W(110), the long-bridge and three-fold center sites are nearly equal in adsorption energy; for N on Fe(110), the three-fold center site is most stable; and, for N on W(110), the long-bridge site is most stable. Thus, H and N differ in their adsorption properties. Such differences are accentuated in the effect of chemisorption on surface relaxation. For example, the chemisorption of N induces a strong coverage-dependent outward relaxation of the Fe(100) top metal surface layer distance while H induces a much smaller outward relaxation.
Built-in damage detection system for sandwich structures under cryogenic temperatures

A built-in diagnostic system is being developed to identify de-bond between the skins and the honeycomb core of a sandwich structure. The system will be totally automated which will greatly reduce the time needed to inspect sandwich structures. The project is divided into two parts: Design and manufacturing of the sensors to detect damage and development of software to interpret the sensor data. Due to the extreme temperatures, most sensors will not survive the cryogenic temperatures of the inner skin where the damage is located. An array of sensors integrated in the sandwich panel is used to detect the damage. These sensors are embedded on the warmer side of the structure, but are able to probe for damage on the colder side of the tank. A cost-effective method is being developed to install these sensors without modifying the traditional sandwich manufacturing technique. The software compares the sensor and the baseline data. Based on the change in signal, it outputs the location and size of the damage.
Pulmonary Complications of Down Syndrome during Childhood

See editorial, p 178 and related article, p 194 paired cardiac defects is approximately 60 years, and optimal medical care requires knowledge of the multisystem nature of this disorder. Published health supervision guidelines that highlight a wide array of medical problems for which routine screening and anticipatory guidance are recommended in children with DS emphasize the importance of screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) during childhood and adolescence (Table). The only other respiratory issue addressed in the recommendations is increased susceptibility to respiratory infections. The cursory attention paid to respiratory issues in the DS population belies the wide variety of respiratory problems that commonly affect these children. Data suggest that respiratory problems are the most common reason for children with DS to be admitted to the hospital, and the leading cause of excess mortality. In a cohort of infants with DS observed from the neonatal period through age 2 years, lung or airway disease accounted for 42% of admissions. In addition, children with DS often have multiple abnormalities, such as hypotonia, developmental delay, craniofacial anomalies, and cardiac anomalies, many of which result in or contribute to respiratory disease. Thus diagnosis andmanagement of pulmonary issues in children with DS requires attention to all organ systems. Improved awareness of pulmonary complications frequently associated with DS will enhance recognition of disease, prevention of complications, and lead to better outcomes.
Legionella pneumophila-induced suppression of early blastogenic responsiveness of murine spleen cells to specific and nonspecific stimulation in vitro

Legionella pneumophila whole cells, including viable organisms or a killed vaccine, early after injection into mice suppressed the blastogenic responses of mouse spleen cells to both specific (i.e.,Legionella) and nonspecific (i.e., plant mitogen andEschericia coli lipopolysaccharide) stimulators. Mice given injections of sublethal numbers of viableLegionella or of a killed vaccine evidenced 3–4 weeks thereafter a marked increase in blastogenic sensitivity of their spleen cells to theLegionella antigen, either whole cells or soluble antigen, but no increase in responsiveness to nonspecific mitogens (i.e., concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, andE. coli lipopolysaccharide) was evident. In contrast, during the first week or so after injection of mice with either viable or killedLegionella, marked suppression of blastogenic responsiveness of spleen cells toLegionella antigens was evident. Concomitant suppression also occurred to concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin, as well as toE. coli lipopolysaccharide. However, by the second week after injection of the animals with live or killedLegionella, such suppression disappeared. The importance of such early specific suppression of a cellular immune response early after exposure toLegionella antigen, in contrast with the early and sustained rise in specific antibody formation is being further investigated.
Enhancement of contractility in rat isolated papillary muscle with therapeutic ultrasound.

Abstract In an earlier report from our laboratory [ 8 ], we described some changes in the mechanical activity of rat isolated papillary muscles exposed to therapeutic ultrasound. With ultrasound intensity at 1.0 W/cm 2 (1MHz) we noted a significant depression of resting or diastolic force without a concomitant alteration of the developed force. We attributed this change to nonthermal effects of the irradiation since temperature compensated controls did not show the same effect. Those experiments were performed at a temperature of 26°C and a stimulation rate of 3 pulses/min. In the present experiments, we describe the effects of therapeutic ultrasound on rat isolated papillary muscles stimulated to contract at rates between 6 and 360/min at a temperature of 30°C under both normal and hypoxic-acidotic conditions. In all cases, we induced a significant increase in the developed force of muscles exposed to the ultrasound for a 5 min period.
The Effect of the Absence or Presence of Channel Catfish Males on Induced Ovulation of Channel Catfish Females for Artificial Fertilization with Blue Catfish Sperm

Abstract Female channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were induced to spawn with carp pituitary extract either singly paired with channel catfish males in aquaria (males present) or stocked with multiple females in aquaria or tanks (males absent). There was no difference between ovulation rates of females induced to spawn in the presence or absence of channel catfish males (P = 0.57). Females hand-stripped with males absent produced more eggs per kilogram of body weight (4,585) than females with males present (2,942; P = 0.07). When females in the males-present treatment deposited eggs in the aquaria, which allowed observation of the readiness of females, the number of eggs available for stripping was reduced. There was no difference in fertilization rate between treatments when using sperm from blue catfish I. furcatus (P = 0.35). Females that ovulated with males absent produced a similar (P = 0.12) number of viable eggs per kilogram of female body weight as females that ovulated with males present (3,809 ...
Measurement of the scrapie agent using an incubation time interval assay

The titer of the scrapie agent was determined by measurements of time intervals from inoculation to onset of illness and from inoculation to death. Both intervals were found to be inversely proportional to the size of the dose injected intracerebrally into random-bred weanling Syrian hamsters. The logarithms of the time intervals minus a time factor were linear functions of the logarithm of the inoculum size. The time factors were determined by regression analysis in order to maximize these linear relationships. An equation relating the titer of the inoculum to the dilution of the sample and the length of the time intervals was developed. This equation facilitates the use of a computerized data base. Validation of these relationships was provided by comparing samples for which the agent was measured both by end-point titration and by time interval assay. Agreement between the two methods was generally within +/-0.5 log10 median infective dose units. No differences between the molecular properties of the agents from hamster and murine sources were observed using primarily the incubation time interval method with the former and end-point titration with the latter. The advantages of this new approach based on time interval measurements are considerable with respect to time and resources.
Signal penetration in the COCORP Basin and Range-Colorado Plateau survey

Seismic sections from COCORP’s 1982 survey from the eastern Basin and Range to the Colorado Plateau of central Utah exhibit distinct cutoff times after which reflections are rare to nonexistent. In the eastern Basin and Range, this cutoff time is approximately 11 s (33 km), but beneath the central Colorado Plateau it exceeds 15 s (45 km). These depths appear to correspond to the base of the crust (Moho), with the lack of reflections from greater depths indicating mantle homogeneity. In general, absence of deeper reflections may be due either to geologic homogeneity or to lack of signal penetration. COCORP line 3 in the Colorado Plateau‐Basin and Range transition zone shows that variations in penetration are significant. On line 3 few reflections are evident below the structurally complex sedimentary cover, which extends to only 4 s (8 km), and virtually none are identifiable later than 7 s (21 km). Lateral variations in the temporal decay of source‐generated energy, together with estimates of correspondin...
Relation of the fluoride content of human bone to its chemical composition.

Abstract A comprehensive study is presented on the composition of human bone over a wide range of skeletal fluoride concentrations. Thus, sixty-nine samples of human bone, comprising iliac crest, rib and vertebra obtained from twenty-three individuals 26–90 years of age who had consumed drinking water containing up to 4.0 p.p.m. fluoride for 10–87 yr prior to demise, were analysed for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, carbon dioxide and citrate. The percentage of calcium and phosphorus in the dry, fat-free bones was normal although they contained as much as 0.4% fluoride. No relation was apparent between the fluoride present in bone ash over a tenfold range in concentration and its calcium or phosphorus content. With increased levels of fluoride in the ash (0.08–0.8%) there was a slight increase in magnesium and a decrease in carbon dioxide. The citrate content decreased markedly with increased fluoride. A slight decrease in sodium and little or no change in potassium were noted. The data support the hypothesis that fluoride is deposited in mature bone largely at the expense of surface limited ions.
Elements of VHDL for description of hardware: a tutorial view

An introduction to hardware description languages, a discussion of the emergence of VHDL as the standard HDL, and an overview of the VHDL language are given. The constructs of VHDL for design and modeling of hardware are emphasized. An overview of VHDL is given by use of a simple example which is broken into subcomponents, each of which is described at various levels of abstraction. Advanced features of VHDL are discussed, and corresponding examples are presented. These examples are used in the bottom-up design of a complete circuit. >
Aldehyde Dehydrogenases: Measurement of Activities and Protein Levels

Seventeen enzymes are currently viewed as belonging to the human aldehyde dehydrogenase superfamily, and all of them catalyze the pyridine nucleotide–dependent oxidation of aldehydes to acids. Depending on the specific aldehyde dehydrogenase, lack of sufficient catalytic activity (1) results in a gross pathological phenotype in the absence of any insult, or (2) is ordinarily of no consequence with respect to gross phenotype, but is of consequence when the organism is subjected to a relevant insult. Described in this unit are eight assays that can be used to (semi)quantify various in vitro aldehyde dehydrogenase protein and/or catalytic activity levels, and two that can be used to semiquantify various in situ aldehyde dehydrogenase protein and/or catalytic activity levels. Aldehyde dehydrogenases also catalyze the hydrolysis of esters; this unit includes an assay that can be used to quantify that catalytic activity as well. Preparation of test materials and of antibodies to the aldehyde dehydrogenases are described in three support protocols. Keywords: Aldehyde dehydrogenases; ALDH bioassays; substrate specificity; spectrophotometry; HPLC; ester hydrolysis; ALDH2 purification; ELISA; anti-ALDH1A1; immunoblotting; cytochemical/histochemical localization of ALDHs
Enzymatic activity of the human 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate-O-acyltransferase isoform 11: upregulated in breast and cervical cancers

The conversion of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) to phosphatidic acid is carried out by the microsomal enzymes 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate-O-acyltransferases (AGPATs). These enzymes are specific for acylating LPA at the sn-2 (carbon 2) position on the glycerol backbone and are important, because they provide substrates for the synthesis of phospholipids and triglycerides. At least, mutations in one isoform, AGPAT2, cause near complete loss of adipose tissue in humans. We cloned a cDNA predicted to be an AGPAT isoform, AGPAT11. This cDNA has been recently identified also as lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 2 (LPCAT2) and lyso platelet-activating factor acetyltransferase. When AGPAT11/LPCAT2/lyso platelet-activating factor acetyltransferase cDNA was expressed in CHO and HeLa cells, the protein product localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. In vitro enzymatic activity using lysates of Human Embryonic Kidney-293 cells infected with recombinant AGPAT11/LPCAT2/lyso platelet-activating factor-acetyltransferase cDNA adenovirus show that the protein has an AGPAT activity but lacks glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase enzymatic activity. The AGPAT11 efficiently uses C18:1 LPA as acyl acceptor and C18:1 fatty acid as an acyl donor. Thus, it has similar substrate specificities for LPA and acyl-CoA as shown for AGPAT9 and 10. Expression of AGPAT11 mRNA was significantly upregulated in human breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer tissues, indicating its adjuvant role in the progression of these cancers. Our enzymatic assays strongly suggest that the cDNA previously identified as LPCAT2/lyso platelet-activating factor-acetyltransferase cDNA has AGPAT activity and thus we prefer to identify this clone as AGPAT11 as well.
Does cost-sensitive learning beat sampling for classifying rare classes?

A highly-skewed class distribution usually causes the learned classifier to predict the majority class much more often than the minority class. This is a consequence of the fact that most classifiers are designed to maximize accuracy. In many instances, such as for medical diagnosis, the minority class is the class of primary interest and hence this classification behavior is unacceptable. In this paper, we compare two basic strategies for dealing with data that has a skewed class distribution and non-uniform misclassification costs. One strategy is based on cost-sensitive learning while the other strategy employs sampling to create a more balanced class distribution in the training set. We compare two sampling techniques, up-sampling and down-sampling, to the cost-sensitive learning approach. The purpose of this paper is to determine which technique produces the best overall classifier---and under what circumstances.
Clara Cell Secretory Protein Deficiency Alters Clara Cell Secretory Apparatus and the Protein Composition of Airway Lining Fluid

Clara cells represent the predominant secretory cell within distal conducting airways of mammals and exhibit functional alterations with chronic lung disease. We previously demonstrated that Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) deficiency results in enhanced susceptibility to environmental agents. The present study was undertaken to define changes in Clara cell secretory function associated with CCSP deficiency in knockout mice. Comparative morphometry of Clara cell ultrastructure revealed dramatic alterations in secretory apparatus between wild-type (WT) and CCSP knockout (CCSP−/−) mice. Secretory granules, which occupy greater than 2% of Clara cell cytoplasmic volume in WT mice, were completely absent among Clara cells of CCSP−/− mice. Moreover, Clara cells of CCSP−/− mice exhibited a > 95% reduction in rough endoplasmic reticulum and alterations to Golgi apparatus, relative to WT controls. Ultrastructural perturbations to Clara cells were associated with altered protein composition of airway lining flui...
Brugia malayi microfilaraemia in mice: a model for the study of the host response to microfilariae.

SUMMARY Microfilariae of Brugia malayi were obtained from the peritoneal cavities of infected gerbils and were then injected intravenously into mice. A sub-periodic, nocturnal microfilaraemia was produced. The level of microfilaraemia was proportional to the number of parasites injected, with approximately 1-3 % of microfilariae being found in the peripheral circulation. The duration of microfilaraemia was proportional to the number of parasites injected; it subsided by 30 days after injection of 10 4 microfilariae but was still present at a low level 120 days after injection of 2 x 10 5 microfilariae. A transient splenomegaly developed after injection of microfilariae. Histopathological examination revealed large numbers of microfilariae free in the lumens of pulmonary small blood vessels and without any accompanying inflammatory reaction. Lesser numbers of microfilariae were seen in the cardiac blood and hepatic and renal blood vessels for the first few days after injection. There was cellular proliferation in the splenic white pulp and vascular congestion of the red pulp. Microfilariae labelled with 51 Cr were injected intravenously; 57% of radioactivity was found in the lungs, 8-5% in the liver and 2-9% in the spleen. Mice developed immediate hypersensitivity reactions to B. malayi antigen by 4 weeks after injection, but Arthus and delayed hypersensitivity reactions were not seen at any time. When mice which had been injected 5 months previously were challenged with a 2nd injection of microfilariae, there was an accelerated clearance of parasites over 2 weeks and a marked peripheral blood eosinopbilia developed. In contrast with natural infections, in which the continuous production of microfilariae complicates assessment, this model provides a system in which factors controlling the circulation of microfilariae in the bloodstream can be studied independently.
Retained Equity, Investment Decisions and Private Information

This paper considers an optimal contracting problem between an informed risk-averse agent and a set of risk averse principals. An informed entrepreneur approaches a group of outside investors to sell them an equity share in the firm motivated by risk-sharing gains. In contrast to the Leland and Pyle (1977) model I give the bargaining power to the outside investors and I assume that, on top of the risk-allocation decision, the investors and the entrepreneur also negotiate over a real investment decision in the firm. It is shown that the introduction of this investment decision may destroy the main qualitative implication of the Leland and Pyle model: the quantity retained by the entrepreneur may not be increasing in his private information. The model's results point to potential specification problems in empirical studies trying to confirm the Leland-Pyle hypothesis, and more generally endogeneity problems that may arise when testing adverse-selection hypotheses based on one-dimensional problems when the parties can use multi-dimensional mechanisms. A new set of empirical predictions on the relation between retained equity and investment and firm characteristics is also discussed.
Primary Care: A Critical Review Of The Evidence On Quality And Costs Of Health Care

Despite contentious debate over the new national health care reform law, there is an emerging consensus that strengthening primary care will improve health outcomes and restrain the growth of health care spending. Policy discussions imply three general definitions of primary care: a specialty of medical providers, a set of functions served by a usual source of care, and an orientation of health systems. We review the empirical evidence linking each definition of primary care to health care quality, outcomes, and costs. The available evidence most directly supports initiatives to increase providers' ability to serve primary care functions and to reorient health systems to emphasize delivery of primary care.
Exploiting redundancy to solve the Poisson equation using local information

This paper proposes a novel method of solving the Poisson equation used in image processing techniques that are based on computations in the gradient domain. The Poisson equation is used to perform an inverse gradient transform; it back-solves to find an image that is closest to having a particular gradient. The traditional methods for back-solving require access to the entire gradient-domain image; in a real-time embedded implementation, this implies high hardware complexity, large latency, and large memory buffers. We propose a method that produces high quality results visually and is based on a small sliding window with specially chosen boundary conditions. The method has been simulated as a proof of concept, and should result in much faster and smaller digital hardware than traditional approaches.
Interactive Use of Cloud Services: Amazon SQS and S3

Interactive use of cloud services is of keen interest to science end users, including for storing and accessing shared data sets. This paper evaluates the viability of interactively using two important cloud services offered by Amazon: SQS (Simple Queue Service) and S3 (Simple Storage Service). Specifically, we first measure the send-to-receive message latencies of SQS and then determine and devise rate controls to obtain suitable latencies and latency variations. Second, for S3, when transferring data into the cloud, we determine that increased parallelism in Transfer Manager can significantly improve upload performance, achieving up to 4 times improvements with careful elimination of upload bottlenecks.
Can we find better bronchodilators to relieve asthma symptoms

Bronchodilators are the first line therapy during acute asthmatic exacerbations to reverse airway obstruction primarily by relaxing airway smooth muscle. Only three categories of bronchodilators exist in clinical practice: -adrenergic agonists, anticholinergics, and methylxanthines. Each of these categories have specific drugs dating back to the early 20th century, raising the question of whether or not we can find better bronchodilators. While caffeine, theophylline, atropine, and epinephrine were the first generations of therapeutics in each of these drug classes, there is no question that improvements have been made in the bronchodilators in each of these classes. In the following editorial, we will briefly describe new classes of potential bronchodilators including: novel PDE inhibitors, natural phytotherapeutics, bitter taste receptor ligands, and chloride channel modulators, which have the potential to be used alone or in combination with existing bronchodilators to reverse acute airway obstruction in the future.
Melanoma associated with a dermatofibroma.

Background: Dermatofibromas are common benign cutaneous fibrohistiocytic neoplasms, whereas melanomas are potentially aggressive malignancies. Differentiating these two entities can occasionally be difficult. Methods: We report the case of a 56-year-old female presenting with a firm pink papule on the left thigh. Results: Histopathology revealed atypical melanocytes in the epidermis and papillary dermis with numerous mitotic figures and intraepidermal pagetoid spread. Within the dermis was a poorly demarcated collection of epithelioid and spindled cells with intermixed keloidal collagen. The atypical melanocytes stained for MART-1 and S-100, whereas the underlying fibrohistiocytic tumor took up factor XIIIa immunostain, confirming the diagnosis of invasive malignant melanoma occurring in association with a dermatofibroma. Conclusions: This case emphasizes the role of immunohistochemical stains in correctly diagnosing melanocytic and histiocytic neoplasms.
Performance of laser-pumped quantum counters

Narrow-band quantum counters with less than unit internal quantum efficiency are analyzed. The pump power dependent expressions for the transient and steady-state quantum efficiencies are derived. These quanties are discussed for "typical" trivalent and divalent rare-earth-doped insulator crystals, and the performance of two specific systems is presented. It is shown that to achieve high quantum efficiency in trivalent rare-earth-doped quantum counter systems, the pump source must be highly nonblackbody in spectral character, i.e., a laser, and resonant with the transition between the relevant excited states. Performance limiting factors for laser-pumped quantum counters are pointed out.
The subapical actin cytoskeleton regulates secretion and membrane retrieval in pancreatic acinar cells

We examined the effects of disruption of the actin cytoskeleton by cytochalasin D (cytoD) on basal and carbamylcholine-stimulated exocytosis and on compensatory membrane retrieval in pancreatic acinar cells. Although the involvement of actin in exocytosis is reasonably well established, its role in these coupled processes is not understood. Our findings suggested that cytoD inhibited stimulated secretion of amylase. However, morphometry revealed that exocytosis had occurred: the number of zymogen granules decreased, the size of the lumen increased, and large vacuolar structures continuous with the lumen formed into which amylase accumulated. Large amounts of amylase were released to the medium on removal of secretagogue and cytoD, suggesting that the subapical actin network provides contractile forces that expel the lumenal contents. Strikingly, we observed that at the apical pole of the cells where exocytosis occurred, cytoD induced an accumulation of membrane invaginations into a vastly enlarged apical membrane. These pits were often surrounded by a clathrin-like coat. Concomitantly, AP-2-, clathrin-, dynamin- and caveolin-like immunoreactivity concentrated around the enlarged lumina, suggesting that incorporation of zymogen granule membrane into the apical plasma membrane triggered the recruitment of these proteins. After wash out of cytoD and carbamylcholine and reformation of the subapical actin cytoskeleton, the coated invaginations largely disappeared in association with a reduction in lumenal size, and relocation of clathrin, AP-2, dynamin and caveolin into the cell. We suggest that the actin terminal web also controls compensatory membrane retrieval following exocytosis.
Fast mapping by bilingual children: Storybooks and cartoons

The purpose of this study was to examine the fast mapping skills in Spanish–English bilingual preschool children in two learning contexts: storybook reading and cartoon viewing. Eighteen typically developing Spanish–English bilingual preschool children completed a fast mapping task in Spanish (L1) and in English (L2). In 4 different sessions, each child was briefly exposed to 8 unfamiliar words in each language in two learning contexts: storybook and cartoon. Children’s receptive knowledge of the 8 target words in each language was assessed before and after the two learning contexts. Results showed that children learned unfamiliar words through a cartoon stimulus equally well as through storybook reading. The findings suggest that both storybook and cartoon learning contexts offer a medium to encourage bilingual children learning new words in L1 and in L2.
Tympanic paraganglioma—Resection techniques

Tympanic paragangliomas (TP) arise in the middle ear along the course of Jacobson׳s or Arnold׳s nerve. These lesions can vary from small masses on the cochlear promontory to tumors that extend into the mastoid and external auditory canal. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for TP with very low-recurrence rates. The various surgical approaches for TP are adapted to the configuration of individual tumors to provide adequate exposure to the margins of the tumor in the mesotympanum, hypotympanum, and mastoid. Using these surgical approaches in combination with meticulous dissection and hemostasis with adjunctive tools such as laser and micro-bipolar instruments allows for safe and effective resection of these vascular tumors from within the confines of the tympanic cavity.
An International Meta-Analysis of Reading Recovery

ABSTRACTReading Recovery is one of the most researched literacy programs worldwide. Although there have been at least 4 quantitative reviews of its effectiveness, none have considered all rigorous group-comparison studies from all implementing nations from the late 1970s to 2015. Using a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) v-known analysis, we examined if effects differed in the United States versus other nations, if experiments yielded larger effects than quasi-experiments, if the effects changed over time, and if the type of outcome mediated the impact estimates. We also considered the sustained effects of the intervention. After reviewing 203 primary studies, we identified 16 that met our criteria, such as treatment fidelity and experimental or high-quality quasi-experimental design. Based on a random effects model, the estimated overall effect was .59, with larger effects for outcomes based on the Observation Survey (Clay, 2013), and stronger effects in certain literacy domains, such as text reading, p...
Momentum Strategies in Shari’ah-Compliant Stocks: The Role of Debt

This article examines whether investors can execute profitable momentum strategies using Shari’ah-compliant stocks to enhance returns. We find no significant profits from either the traditional return-based momentum strategy or the turnover-based momentum strategy for Shari’ah-compliant stocks from 1996 to 2009. Such nonexistence of momentum profits for Islamic equities can be attributed to their low level of debt, higher level of transparency, and the endorsement effect from the Shari’ah independent supervisory board. Our results are consistent with the credit-rating hypothesis in Avramov et al. [2007] that low-credit firms drive momentum profits.
Changes in cultured dermal fibroblasts during early passages across five wild bird species

With the advent of the usage of primary fibroblasts in comparative and evolutionary biology, it is important for researchers to know the extent to which cells might be altered during the culturing process and howmuch species might differ in response to cell culture. We compared early changes in cell size and lipid composition of primary dermal fibroblasts grown at physiologically relevant oxygen concentrations (5% O2) from wild-caught species of birds. Fibroblasts from American Robins (Turdus migratorius L., 1766) and Bobwhite Quails (Colinus virginianus (L., 1758)) increased in size early in the culture process and cells from all five species of wild-caught birds exhibited changes in lipid-class composition. The two most common phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, increased in concentration in all species between early passages and later passages of fibroblasts. Some less abundant lipid species, such as cardiolipin and sphingomyelin, exhibited similar concentrations in all three passages that wemeasured. Other lipid classes, such as cholesterol, increased in some species in later passages and decreased in others. Although results may vary with cell-culture conditions, this study points to a need for researchers comparing multiple species to take precautions when using cell culture, such as experimenting on the earliest possible passage of cells.
The Philosophical Implications of Precognition

I do not propose to spend time in enquiring whether it is worth while for philosophers to discuss problems arising out of Psychical Research, because I entirely agree with Professor Broad’s remarks on that point. The evidence for the occurrence of various sorts of supernormal cognition is now very large, and much of it is very good. And the conclusions to which it points are so strange, and so desperately in need of philosophical clarification, that it is quite absurd for us to maintain a standoffish attitude about them. Let us remember what happened to the sixteenth-century philosophers who thought that Physics was no fit subject for philosophical analysis, and refused to look through Galileo’s telescope because they were sure that there was nothing to see. They only succeeded in making themselves ridiculous, and in bringing Philosophy itself into contempt.
Grace Under Fire: The Army Nurses of Pearl Harbor, 1941.

Objective Much has been written about the military events of December 7, 1941; however, little has been documented about the nurses' work and experience at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The aerial assault on Pearl Harbor was the first time in US history that Army nurses had been on the front line of battle. Nurses quickly triaged and stabilized those who could be saved, and provided compassion and comfort to those who were dying, in an environment where the nurses were unsure of their own survival. Methods Traditional historical methods and a social history framework were used in this investigation. Primary sources included oral histories from the US Army Medical Department Center of History and Heritage and the State of Hawaii's website, Hawaii Aviation. Secondary sources included published books, newspaper articles, military websites, and history texts. Results Due to the limited bed capacity, Hickam Field Hospital converted to an evacuation hospital. Nurses, physicians, and medical corpsman triaged, stabilized, and transported those likely to survive, while staging the dead behind the building. The emergency room at Tripler Hospital was quickly flooded with patients from the battlefield, but the staff was able to sort patients appropriately to the wards, to the operating room, or provide comfort care as they died. At Schofield Hospital, collaboration between tireless doctors, nurses, and corpsmen was key to providing life-saving surgery and care.
Reallocation Outliers in Time Series

Time series data often contain outliers which have an effect on parameter estimates and forecasts. Outliers in isolation have been well studied. However, in business and economic data, it is common to see unusually low observations followed by unusually high observations or vice versa. We model this behaviour by using a new type of multiple time period outlier which we call a heallocation, defined to be a block of unusually high and low values occurring in such a way that the sum of the observations within the block is the same as might have been expected for an undisturbed series. We derive tests for detecting reallocation outliers and distinguishing them from additive outliers. We show the effect on forecasts and forecast intervals of ignoring reallocation outliers
Signaling involved in PTTH-stimulated 4E-BP phosphorylation in prothoracic gland cells of Bombyx mori

Our previous studies showed that adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/the target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling is involved in prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)-stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis in Bombyx mori prothoracic glands (PGs). In the present study, we further investigated the signaling involved in PTTH-stimulated phosphorylation of 4E-BP. We found that 4E-BP phosphorylation stimulated by PTTH was partially reduced in Ca2+-free medium, indicating the involvement of Ca2+. In addition, we found that a potent and specific inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC), U73122, greatly inhibited 4E-BP phosphorylation. However, PTTH-stimulated 4E-BP phosphorylation was not attenuated by a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (chelerythrine C). These results indicate that PLC, but not PKC, is involved in PTTH-stimulated 4E-BP phosphorylation. When PGs were treated with agents that directly elevate the intracellular Ca2+ concentration (either A23187 or thapsigargin), a great increase in 4E-BP phosphorylation was observed. A23187-stimulated phosphorylation of 4E-BP was blocked by a chemical activator of AMPK (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-d-ribofuranoside, AICAR) and a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (LY294002), but not by U0126, indicating involvement of AMPK and PI3K. Determination of AMPK phosphorylation showed that treatment with either A23187 or thapsigargin inhibited AMPK phosphorylation. Moreover, PTTH appeared to inhibit AMPK phosphorylation in a Ca2+-dependent manner. Altogether, these results indicate interconnections among Ca2+ signaling, AMPK, and 4E-BP phosphorylation in PTTH-activated PGs of B. mori.
Biomarkers for the Early Detection and Prognosis of Acute Kidney Injury

AKI is an increasingly common disorder that is strongly linked to short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. Despite a growing heterogeneity in its causes, providing a timely and certain diagnosis of AKI remains challenging. In this review, we summarize the evolution of AKI biomarker studies over the past few years, focusing on two major areas of investigation: the early detection and prognosis of AKI. We highlight some of the lessons learned in conducting AKI biomarker studies, including ongoing attempts to address the limitations of creatinine as a reference standard and the recent shift toward evaluating the prognostic potential of these markers. Lastly, we suggest current gaps in knowledge and barriers that may be hindering their incorporation into care and a full ascertainment of their value.
Thoracolumbar Trauma Classification

Useful thoracolumbar injury classifications allow for meaningful and concise communication between surgeons, trainees, and researchers. Although many have been proposed, none have been able to obtain universal acceptance. Historically, classifications focused only on the osseous injuries; more recent classifications focused on the injury morphology and other critical determinants of treatment, including the posterior ligamentous complex integrity and the patient's neurologic status. This review details the important historic classifications and reviews more contemporary thoracolumbar injury classifications, such as the Thoracolumbar Injury Classification System and the AOSpine Thoracolumbar Injury Classification System.
A coupling of mixed and Galerkin finite element methods for poro-elasticity

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a finite element procedure for approximating the coupled fluid and mechanics in Biot's consolidation model of poro-elasticity. The pressure is approximated by a mixed finite element method and the displacements by a Galerkin method. Theoretical convergence error estimates are derived. Of particular interest is the case when the lowest order Raviart–Thomas approximating space or cell-centered finite differences are used in the mixed formulation and continuous piecewise linear approximations are used for displacements. Preliminary computational results confirm theoretical results for the case of continuous linears for displacement and cell-centered finite differences for pressure. Moreover, the modeling of coupled mechanics and flow in porous is of interest in reservoir engineering applications because most commercial simulators approximate the pressure equation by cell-centered finite differences.