cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of porcine-derived small intestine submucosa as a biodegradable graft for gastrointestinal healing.

High-risk anastomoses in the gut may benefit from the application of a synthetic reinforcement to prevent an enteric leak. Recently a porcine-derived small intestine submucosa (SIS) was tested as a bioscaffold in a number of organ systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of SIS in stimulating healing in the stomach. Twelve rats underwent surgical removal of a full-thickness gastric defect (1 cm) and subsequent repair with a double-layer patch of porcine-derived SIS. The graft was secured with interrupted sutures placed within 1 mm of the edge of the graft. After 21 days, the animals were killed and their stomachs harvested for histologic examination. Cross sections were processed for paraffin embedding and 4-micron sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. All animals survived, gained weight, and demonstrated no signs of peritonitis over the 3-week postoperative period. On postmortem examination, the defect was completely closed in all animals by granulation tissue and early fibrosis. Although most of the luminal surface of the grafted areas remained ulcerated, early regeneration of normal gastric mucosa was seen at the periphery of the defect. SIS may act as an effective scaffolding agent for intestinal mucosa and may offer protection in high-risk anastomoses.
Tests for exponentiality

The idea of measuring the departure of data bu a plot of obeserved observations against their expectation has been expeetations has been exploited in this paper to develop tests for exponentiality the tests are for parameter two parameter exponential distribution with complete sample and one parameter exponential distribution with complete sample and one large sample distributions of the test statistics critical points have been computed for different levels of significance and applications of these have been computed for differents levels of significance and applications of these tests have been discussed in case of three data sets.
The emergence of self

Longitudinal and cross-sectioned investigations of children from three different cultural settings reveal the emergence of behaviors during the last half of the second year that imply the first appreciation of standards on prohibited actions, recognition of the ability to gain goals, and awareness of the self's feeling states. It was suggested that these competences were inevitable consequences of maturational changes in the central nervous system as long as children were growing in a world of objects and people. The foundations for a moral evaluation of aggression and self-consciousness appear to be universal milestones of the second year of life.
Percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy versus percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: a comparison of indications, complications and outcomes in 370 patients.

Abstract Objective: Percutaneous access to the stomach can be achieved by endoscopic or fluoroscopic methods. Our objective was to compare indications, complications, efficacy and outcomes of these two techniques. Methods: Records of 370 patients with feeding tubes placed either endoscopically by gastroenterology, or fluoroscopically by radiology, at our university-based tertiary care center over a 54-month period were reviewed. Results: 177 gastrostomies were placed endoscopically and 193 fluoroscopically. Nutrition was the most common indication in each group (94 and 92%), but the most common underlying diagnosis was neurologic impairment in the endoscopic group ( n = 89, 50%) and malignancy in the fluoroscopic group ( n = 134, 69%) ( p p = 0.002), with infection most frequent. Correlates of late complications were inpatient status (OR 0.26, 95%CI: 0.13–0.51) and a diagnosis of malignancy (OR 2.2, 95%CI: 1.03–4.84). Average follow-up time was 108 days in the fluoroscopic group and 174 days in the endoscopic group. Conclusions: Both endoscopic and fluoroscopic gastrostomy tube placement are safe and effective. Outpatient status was associated with greater early and late complication rates; minor complications such as infection were greater in the fluoroscopic group, while malignancy was associated with late complications.
Cell-matrix interactions in gland development in the lung

The tubulo-acinar glands of the conducting airways participate in lung host defense and the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory airway disease. Models of gland development may provide clues to mechanisms that promote hypersecretion in diseases such as chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis. The developmental anatomy of airway glands was described 30 years ago, but the regulation of gland formation remains a mystery. During the pseudoglandular stage of lung development, poorly differentiated surface epithelial cells grow radially from the lumen and invade the airway submucosa. The basal lamina is remodeled during this process and animal studies indicate a correlation between the expression of the 72-kD gelatinase (MMP-2) and gland morphogenesis. Cell culture models with lung epithelial and mesenchymal elements mimic early gland morphogenesis. Studies using this model have corroborated the involvement of 72-kD gelatinase in the formation of gland-like structures. While the secretion and activation of 72-kD gelatinase is correlated with epithelial matrix invasion, the presence of activated 72-kD gelatinase is not by itself sufficient to permit epithelial matrix invasion. Whether the 72-kD gelatinase participates in a more complex proteolytic cascade or whether appropriate localization of the enzyme is critical to airway epithelial morphogenesis is the focus of ongoing investigation.
The Ambient Experience in Pediatric Radiology

Abstract Ambient experience design creates customizable environments to suit the preferences of the end user with the goal of improving life quality. The plans for a CT scanner in a pediatric hospital incorporated this design philosophy for the first time in health care and the result is called The Ambient Experience. The Ambient Experience allows pediatric patients to become playful participants as they prepare for and undergo CT scans. The resulting solution not only decreases the anxiety often sensed by children undergoing these examinations but also reduces the need for sedation thereby decreasing total nursing involvement and improving patient throughput. Ambient experience design applications are being developed in other areas of radiology.
Seasonal and Spatial Variation of Metal Loads from Natural Flows in the Upper Tenmile Creek Watershed, Montana

Seasonal and spatial variation of metal loads can be significant in mining-impacted mountain watersheds in the western US due to a number of complex physical and biogeochemical factors. Anthropogenic influences, such as seasonal water diversion for municipal supplies, can increase this variability further. This study evaluates the seasonal and spatial variation of metal loads from estimated natural flows in a typical Rocky Mountain watershed impacted by historic hardrock mining and municipal water diversions: the Upper Tenmile Creek Watershed near Helena, Montana. Restoration of natural flows is being considered as part of broader watershed restoration measures, and an understanding of the variation in loads resulting from these flows is needed for restoration planning and design. Estimates of tributary and metal point and nonpoint source natural flows to the creek were used with representative total metals (cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc) concentration data for model input and to evaluate the variation of input loads. These loads were evaluated at key locations in the watershed for two seasons: spring snowmelt high flow in June and summer low flow in August. The Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program was used to model the resulting variation of total and dissolved metal loads with distance along the mainstem for the two seasons. Results show that total metal loads to the creek vary among input locations by up to >9,700-fold in June and up to >740-fold in August for copper. Several tributaries have the greatest loads during both seasons, although adits often exhibit the highest concentrations. For all locations, average input loads are up to 46 times higher in June for copper. Total and dissolved metal loads generally increase with distance along the mainstem and vary by up to >320-fold in August and up to >118-fold in June for zinc. Along the mainstem, average total loads are up to 68 times higher in June for lead. Many watershed and biogeochemical processes contribute to this variation, including variability in estimated natural flows, partitioning of metals between the dissolved and particulate phases, and attenuation in the hyporheic zone. Dissolved phases constitute a large proportion of the total metals and follow patterns very similar to those for total loads along the mainstem, especially for cadmium and zinc. Seasonal load differences are greatest for copper and lead because of greater sorption to solids and particulate loads during high flow associated with increased erosion and transport of solids.
Effect of pH on enzyme stability in soils

Abstract The pH stability of urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and phosphodiesterase in soils was investigated by first incubating a soil sample at the indicated pH (1–13) for 24 h and then measuring the activity at its optimal pH under standardized conditions. Generally, the decline in enzyme activity in a pH-profile near the optimum pH range was due to a reversible reaction that involved ionization or deionization of acidic or basic groups in the active centre of the enzyme-protein. Irreversible inactivation of the enzyme was particularly evident at the lower and higher ranges of acidic and alkaline conditions. Results showed that the pH stability of soil enzymes was highly dependent on the soils being assayed. The variation among soils may be attributed to the diversity of vegetation, micro-organisms and soil fauna as sources contributing to the enzyme activity and to the protective sites which allowed entrapment of the enzyme within colloidal humus and organo-mineral complexes. Adherence of the enzyme-protein to the humic-clay fractions would allow some resistance to pH denaturation.
Lynx for Braking Plasticity

The juvenile brain exhibits a high capacity for plasticity and repair that is severely restricted in adulthood. In young mammals, for instance, classic experiments have shown that closing one eye for several days (monocular deprivation) leads visual cortex neurons to shift their responses toward sensory inputs originating from the other, nondeprived eye ( 1 ). In adults, however, such plasticity in ocular dominance, while not eliminated, is strongly restricted. This knowledge gap has medical implications, because the restoration of juvenile plasticity in injured or dysfunctional adults has the potential to allow recovery of neurological performance. On page 1238 of this issue, Morishita et al. ( 2 ) identify one brake on visual cortex plasticity in adults: Lynx1, a protein that inhibits nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). By eliminating the gene that expresses Lynx1 in mice, the researchers were able to create adult animals that exhibited visual cortex plasticity similar to that exhibited by juveniles.
Hollow lead zirconate titanate microspheres prepared by sol-gel/emulsion technique

Hollow spheres of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) (chemical formula: Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3) with about 50 μm outer diameter and 2 μm wall thickness were prepared by coating polyacrylamide latex microspheres in an emulsion with PZT gel and subsequently burning the polymer core. First, an emulsion of polyacrylamide microspheres, soaked with ammonia, was prepared with toluene. Then a PZT sol, prepared by dissolving Pb(NO3)2, Ti(OC3H7)4 and Zr(C4H9O)4 in an organic solvent, was poured into the polymer emulsion. Ammonia absorbed in the polymer spheres caused gelation on the surface of the spheres. The gel-coated spheres were calcined in air at 600–700 °C for 4 h to produce PZT perovskite phase. The discs made by sintering spheres at 850 °C for 4 h has 24% of the theoretical density and showed good piezoelectric properties. The present technique has been extended to prepare PZT spheres of outer diameter as large as 0.6 mm. PZT hollow spheres have potential applications in low-density transducer arrays.
The prevalence of self-reported chronic fatigue in a U.S. twin registry

Objective To investigate the prevalence and correlates of various definitions of self-reported lifetime fatiguing illness in a U.S. twin registry.
The beginning of the sauropod dinosaur hiatus in North America: insights from the Lower Cretaceous Cloverly Formation of Wyoming

ABSTRACT We redescribe and present newly excavated sauropod material from the Lower Cretaceous Cloverly Formation of Wyoming that we refer to the titanosauriform Sauroposeidon proteles. In contrast to previous hypotheses that it was a brachiosaurid, we assert that Sauroposeidon is a member of the Somphospondyli on the basis of numerous features. Thus, the mid-Cretaceous disappearance of sauropods from the North American fossil record concerned both brachiosaurids and somphospondylans. We find claims for titanosaurs in the Early Cretaceous of North America to be unsubstantiated. The latest register of Sauroposeidon and other Early Cretaceous North American sauropods (before the ‘sauropod hiatus’) occurs in or below the coastal units marking transgression of the Western Interior Seaway, whereas many ecologically disparate dinosaur groups are present both below and above this boundary in the same geologic units that sauropods are found in. The presence of these through-ranging groups with sauropods before an...
Predictors of Academic Achievement for Latino Middle Schoolers

The aim of this study was to examine specific child, home, and school factors that predict academic achievement for Latino middle school students. The sample for this study (N = 173) was drawn from seven public schools located in three school districts in the northeastern United States. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to predict academic achievement from a combination of predictor variables: gender, parent educational attainment, parent employment status, acculturation, parent involvement in school, and school identification. Findings indicate that school identification and parent involvement in school are protective factors that promote Latino middle grade students' academic achievement. These findings suggest that collaborative partnerships between school social workers, teachers, and Latino students and their parents are an important strategy that can optimize connections to school that result in academic achievement.
Use of Fluorescence Anisotropy to Explore the Subunit Composition of Ca2+/Calmodulin Protein Kinase II Holoenzymes

Ca/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a serine/threonine kinase which is highly enriched in the CNS and thought to be important in the development of long term potentiation. Several variants of CaMKII exist but alpha and beta subunits predominate in brain tissue. Though it is commonly believed that alpha and beta subunits combine to form heteromeric holoenzymes comprised of 12 subunits, this has not been directly demonstrated in vivo. Therefore, we used FRET imaging to directly examined the proximity of alpha and beta isoforms when they assemble to form heterologous holoenzymes. Specifically we used both time-resolved and steady-state fluorescence anisotropy measurements. Energy migration FRET (emFRET; FRET between like fluorophores) is observed in holoenzymes in which the C termini have been tagged with Venus. Fluorescence anisotropy is one of the few techniques which can detect emFRET and provide information of the number of fluorophores undergoing energy transfer. Venus tagged alpha isoforms were coexpressed with Amber (a point mutation in Venus that destroys the fluorophore) tagged beta isoforms and energy migration was seen to decrease indicating that holoenzymes are composed of both alpha and beta subunits in close proximity. Fluorescence anisotropy signatures of Venus tagged holoenzymes were invariant across a broad range of expression levels suggesting that inter-holoenzyme emFRET was not occurring. We used anisotropy “standards” consisting of concatamers of Venus and Amber to facilitate the interpretation of anisotropy curves in terms of the number of fluorescent proteins participating in emFRET. Together, these experiments indicate that alpha and beta subunits can coexist in the same holoenzyme. The availability of emFRET “standards” to the general scientific community should aid in the interpretation of anisotropy decay data.
Extension of the Thomas-Fermi-Dirac Statistical Theory of the Atom to Finite Temperatures

The Thomas-Fermi theory of the atom is generalized to include the effects of temperature as well as exchange. This leads to a nonlinear integral equation for the Fermi electron-momentum distribution function, and the usual Poisson equation for the electron-density distribution. Analytical solutions of the integral equation are given for the limiting cases of near-degeneracy and complete nondegeneracy, and a numerical method of calculating solutions in the intermediate case is described. A complete discussion of the thermodynamics of the atom is given; in particular, it is shown that the Gibbs free energy is the product of the number of electrons and the electronic chemical potential (Fermi energy), despite statements which have been made to the contrary. Numerical results have verified the virial theorem for all $Z$, $T$, and atomic volumes. The ratio of the calculated energy for $T=\mathcal{P}=0$ to the experimental total ionization energy varies from 2.07 for H down to 1.33 for Al, and is presumably still closer to unity for higher-$Z$ elements. Some numerical results are given for iron over the density range 0.1 to 10 times normal and for values of $\mathrm{kT}$ from 0 to 1000 ev. Pressures, energies, and entropies are lower than the corresponding values calculated without exchange by as much as 40% at $kT=10$ ev, by up to 10% at $kT=100$ ev, and by only negligible amounts at $kT=1000$ ev.
Botulinum toxin in the management of blepharospasm: current evidence and recent developments:

Blepharospasm is a focal (although usually bilateral) dystonia of the orbicularis oculi muscles, producing excessive eye closure. This produces significant disability through functional blindness. Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) have become the treatment of choice for blepharospasm; the impressive response rate and the tolerable safety profile have been proven through multiple clinical studies. There are currently four BoNT approved in the United States for different indications - we review the data on blepharospasm for each of these drugs. Currently, incobotulinumtoxinA and onabotulinumtoxinA have the most evidence of benefit for patients with blepharospasm. Current evidence, recent development and future directions are discussed.
Primary Stroke Center Concept: Strengths and Limitations

The American Heart Association estimates that, as of calendar year 2010, approximately 795,000 people in the USA will have experienced a new or recurrent stroke, out of which 610,000 were new attacks (Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2010 Update, 2010). Stroke is the third leading cause of death in United States and a major cause of disability. There are almost three million survivors of stroke, most of whom are disabled with a societal cost of approximately $30 billion (US dollars; Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2010 Update, 2010). Over the last two decades, there have been major advances have been made in the early diagnosis of stroke and timely treatment. In 1996, the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke within 3 h of onset of symptoms (The National Institute of neurological Disorders and Stroke rt-PA Stroke Study Group, 1995). Despite the approval, only 1.8–4.1% of patients with acute ischemic stroke received IV tPA (Katzan et al., 2000). The failure to administer tPA in a timely fashion was evident from a paper, in calendar year 2000, showing that only 34% of academic hospitals had defined stroke protocols and only 18% had rapid identification methods for patients presenting with acute stroke symptoms (Johnson et al., 2001). A subsequent assessment of statewide acute stroke care in Illinois demonstrated that although 93.2% of residents in Illinois lived in a county with at least one acute care facility with tPA treatment protocol, there were many acute care receiving facilities outside of Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area which did not have a neurologist or a neurosurgeon available (Ruland et al., 2002).
Synthesis, solution viscosity and interfacial properties of random copolymers spanning a broad range of anionic character

Abstract The synthesis, solution rheology and surface properties of a family of copolymers composed of styrene and sodium-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulphonate (Na-AMPS) are described. These copolymers were prepared containing a broad range of sulphonate groups in order to explore the effect that these anionic groups have on solution properties in solvents with widely differing dielectric constants. In non-polar solvents, ionomer behaviour is observed where ion-pair interactions and their related associative effects dominate solution rheology. Typically, copolymers containing less than about 10 mol% anionic charge are soluble in these particular solvents. However, improved solubilization occurs with solvents of higher dielectric constant, as indicated by the pronounced polyelectrolyte effect. The specific properties of these copolymers are typical of polyelectrolytes in general. ‘Bridging’ these two general classes of phenomena (and polymeric materials), i.e. associative and polyelectrolyte, is the pronounced surface activity in water (for example) of those random copolymers of ‘intermediate’ compositions. Specifically, copolymers composed of approximately 1:1 molar ratio of lipophilic monomer (styrene) to hydrophilic monomer (Na-AMPS) exhibit this behaviour. Therefore, a distinguishing characteristic of these copolymers is their ability to control the rheology and surface properties of a large variety of fluids simply by modifying the ratio of non-ionic to ionic monomer units within the structure of the polymer chain.
A Pair of Meetings: Twins (UCLA Center for Society and Genetics) and the 13th International Society for Twin Studies Congress (ISTS, Seoul, South Korea) / Twin Research Reviews: Female Sexuality; Maternal Age and Multiple Pregnancy Success / In the News: In Separate Wombs; Big Twinning Rates in Small Towns; School Enrollment Policy Hurts Twins; Establishing Paternity of Twins; Stars Are Born

The key aspects and features of the May 2010 twin panel 'Everything you wanted to know about twins', hosted by UCLA Center for Society and Genetics on May 18, 2010 are discussed. Other issues and topics raised by the panel are highlighted.
The role of ice in N 2 O 5 heterogeneous hydrolysis at high latitudes

We report evidence for ice catalyzing N 2 O 5 heterogeneous hydrolysis from a study conducted near Fairbanks, Alaska in November 2007. Mixing ratios of N 2 O 5 , NO, NO 2 , and ozone are reported and are used to determine steady state N 2 O 5 lifetimes. When air masses are sub-saturated with respect to ice, the data show longer lifetimes (≈20 min) and elevated N 2 O 5 levels, while ice-saturated air masses show shorter lifetimes (≈6 min) and suppressed N 2 O 5 levels. We also report estimates of aerosol surface area densities that are on the order of 50 μm 2 /cm 3 , a surface area density that is insufficient to explain the rapid losses of N 2 O 5 observed in this study, reinforcing the importance of other reactive surfaces such as ice. Consideration of two possible responsible types of ice surfaces, the snowpack and suspended ice particles, indicates that both are reasonable as possible sinks for N 2 O 5 . Because ice-saturated conditions are ubiquitous in high latitudes, ice surfaces are likely to be a key loss of N 2 O 5 , leading to nitric acid production and loss of NO x in high latitude plumes.
Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is an excellent management option for small, superficial renal masses. With experience, larger and deeper tumors can be addressed as well. Intermediate-term follow-up (3- and 5-year) suggests cancer control similar to that of open surgery. The benefit of laparoscopy over open surgery is a briefer and less intense convalescence. The disadvantage of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, at least with current techniques, is a complication rate that is somewhat greater than for open surgery. Careful preoperative assessment and planning is of utmost importance. A successful procedure can be performed through a variety of approaches (transperitoneal, retroperitoneal, and hand-assisted), with or without renal hilar clamping, and using any of a number of methods for tumor bed management (coagulation instruments, hemostatic products, and suturing), with the optimal selection of technique determined by the tumor characteristics.
Migration of International Medical Graduates: Implications for the Brain-Drain

Studies indicate that about 23 percent to 28 percent of the physicians working and residing in the United States, Canada, Australia, the UK and New Zealand were born and trained in the low-income countries, areas suffering from critical shortages of physicians and other health workers. In the US alone, the preponderance of the foreign physicians hails from South Africa, Philippines, India, Pakistan, and Nigeria. From Africa alone where the burden of disease, poverty, deprivation and death are greatest, around 23,000 qualified physicians emigrate annually. From the perspectives of the low-income countries, significant amounts of resources are, by necessity, committed into turning their nationals into vital intellectual capital for their own desperately needed health needs and crumbling healthcare systems. Thus, the migration of these physicians to other nations to help strengthen their already stable health care systems is not only ethically deplorable but poses moral hazards for both the physicians and the high-income countries. That is, high-income countries such as the United States, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand are draining the scarce recourses of the low-income countries through the loss of intellectual capital, a phenomenon that socio-economic and developmental experts have dubbed "the brain drain".
Cure rate models: A unified approach

The authors propose a novel class of cure rate models for right-censored failure time data. The class is formulated through a transformation on the unknown population survival function. It includes the mixture cure model and the promotion time cure model as two special cases. The authors propose a general form of the covariate structure which automatically satisfies an inherent parameter constraint and includes the corresponding binomial and exponential covariate structures in the two main formulations of cure mod els. The proposed class provides a natural link between the mixture and the promotion time cure models, and it offers a wide variety of new modelling structures as well. Within the Bayesian paradigm, a Markov chain Monte Carlo computational scheme is implemented for sampling from the full conditional distribu tions of the parameters. Model selection is based on the conditional predictive ordinate criterion. The use of the new class of models is illustrated with a set of real data involving a melanoma clinical trial.
Off-task behavior in the cognitive tutor classroom: when students "game the system"

We investigate the prevalence and learning impact of different types of off-task behavior in classrooms where students are using intelligent tutoring software. We find that within the classrooms studied, no other type of off-task behavior is associated nearly so strongly with reduced learning as "gaming the system": behavior aimed at obtaining correct answers and advancing within the tutoring curriculum by systematically taking advantage of regularities in the software's feedback and help. A student's frequency of gaming the system correlates as strongly to post-test score as the student's prior domain knowledge and general academic achievement. Controlling for prior domain knowledge, students who frequently game the system score substantially lower on a post-test than students who never game the system. Analysis of students who choose to game the system suggests that learned helplessness or performance orientation might be better accounts for why students choose this behavior than lack of interest in the material. This analysis will inform the future re-design of tutors to respond appropriately when students game the system.
Individuality and the Existence of Species Through Time

The individuality of species provides the basis for linking practical taxonomy with evolutionary and ecological theory. An individual is here defined as a collection of parts (lower-level entities) that are mutually connected. Different types of species individual exist, based on different types of connection between organisms. An interbreeding species is a group of organisms connected by the potential to share common descendants, whereas a genealogical species is integrated by the sharing of common ancestors. Such species definitions serve to set the limits of species at a moment of time and these slices connect through time to form time-extended lineages. This perspective on the nature of individuality has implications that conflict with traditional views of species and lineages: (1) Several types of connections among organisms may serve to individuate species in parallel (species pluralism); (2) each kind of species corresponds to a distinct kind of lineage; (3) although lineage branching is the most obvious criterion to break lineages into diachronic species, it cannot be justified simply by reference to species individuality; (4) species (like other individuals) have fuzzy boundaries; (5) if we wish to retain a species rank, we should focus on either the most- or least-inclusive individual in a nested series; (6) not all organisms will be in any species; and (7) named species taxa are best interpreted as hypotheses of real species. Although species individuality requires significant changes to systematic practice and challenges some preconceptions we may have about the ontology of species, it provides the only sound basis for asserting that species exist independently of human perception.
Nonlinear oscillatory convection in rotating mushy layers

We consider the problem of nonlinear oscillatory convection in a horizontal mushy layer rotating about a vertical axis. Under a near-eutectic approximation and the limit of large far-field temperature, we determine the stable and unstable oscillatory solutions of the weakly nonlinear problem by using perturbation and stability analyses. It was found that depending on the values of the parameters, supercritical simple travelling modes of convection in the form of hexagons, squares, rectangles or rolls can become stable and preferred, provided the value of the rotation parameter r is not too small and is below some value, which can depend on the other parameter values. Each supercritical form of the oscillatory convection becomes subcritical as r increases beyond some value, and each subcritical form of the oscillatory convection is unstable. In contrast to the non-rotating case, qualitative properties of the left-travelling modes of convection are different from those of the right-travelling modes, and such qualitative difference is found to be due to the interactions between the local solid fraction and the Coriolis term in the momentum-Darcy equation.
Characterization of CD8+ T cell function and immunodominance generated with an H2O2-inactivated whole virus vaccine

CD8(+) T cells play an important role in protection against both acute and persistent viral infections, and new vaccines that induce CD8(+) T cell immunity are currently needed. Here, we show that lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)-specific CD8(+) T cells can be generated in response to a nonreplicating H(2)O(2)-inactivated whole-virus vaccine (H(2)O(2)-LCMV). Vaccine-induced CD8(+) T cell responses exhibited an increased ability to produce multiple cytokines at early time points following immunization compared to infection-induced responses. Vaccination with H(2)O(2)-LCMV induced the expansion of a narrow subset of the antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells induced by LCMV strain Arm infection, resulting in a distinct immunodominance hierarchy. Acute LCMV infection stimulated immunodominance patterns that shifted over time or after secondary infection, whereas vaccine-generated immunodominance profiles remained remarkably stable even following subsequent viral infection. Vaccine-induced CD8(+) T cell populations expanded sharply in response to challenge and were then maintained at high levels, with responses to individual epitopes occupying up to 40% of the CD8(+) T cell compartment at 35 days after challenge. H(2)O(2)-LCMV vaccination protected animals against challenge with chronic LCMV clone 13, and protection was mediated by CD8(+) T cells. These results indicate that vaccination with an H(2)O(2)-inactivated whole-virus vaccine induces LCMV-specific CD8(+) T cells with unique functional characteristics and provides a useful model for studying CD8(+) T cells elicited in the absence of active viral infection.
ABSORPTION AND FLUORESCENCE PROPERTIES OF HIGHLY ENRICHED REACTION CENTER PARTICLES OF PHOTOSYSTEM I AND OF ARTIFICIAL SYSTEMS

. –The absorption and fluorescence characteristics of subchloroplast particles highly enriched in P700 (1 P700 to 10–15 chlorophyll a molecules) and of two artificial systems are presented here. The fluorescence characteristics measured were excitation and emission spectra, and the degree of polarization of fluorescence. The model systems studied were chlorophyll a and pheophytin a in a polystyrene matrix, and a colloidal mixture of these two pigments with bovine serum albumin. Effects of 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate on the optical properties of the P700-enriched particles are also described. The importance of pigment-pigment and pigment-protein interactions in determining the fluorescence properties of these particles are discussed. The possible role of pheophytin in these preparations needs further investigation.
Black Smoke in China and Its Climate Effects

The emission of fine carbonaceous particles in China is a serious threat to human health, ecological systems, and regional and global climate regimes. China is thought to release about 20 percent o...
Heart-lung interactions: applications in the critically ill

Since the circulatory and pulmonary systems are both driven by pressure and share space in the thorax, it is inevitable that they interact. These mechanical interactions, whilst relatively few in number, are protean in their manifestations. The circulatory system of the critically ill is often particularly susceptible to interference from respiration. Compensatory reserve is limited, ventilatory effort increased, and many critical care respiratory interventions place strain on the circulation, not seen in health. This review will examine the basic physiological mechanisms through which the pulmonary and circulatory systems interact. These mechanisms will then be applied to a variety of weaning, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. It is hoped that this will provide the tools to understand clinical observations which would otherwise appear inexplicable.
C-NORTA: A Rejection Procedure for Sampling from the Tail of Bivariate NORTA Distributions

We propose C-NORTA, an exact algorithm to generate random variates from the tail of a bivariate NORTA random vector. (A NORTA random vector is specified by a pair of marginals and a rank or product--moment correlation, and it is sampled using the popular NORmal-To-Anything procedure.) We first demonstrate that a rejection-based adaptation of NORTA on such constrained random vector generation problems may often be fundamentally intractable. We then develop the C-NORTA algorithm, relying on strategic conditioning of the NORTA vector, followed by efficient approximation and acceptance/rejection steps. We show that, in a certain precise asymptotic sense, the sampling efficiency of C-NORTA is exponentially larger than what is achievable through a naive application of NORTA. Furthermore, for at least a certain class of problems, we show that the acceptance probability within C-NORTA decays only linearly with respect to a defined rarity parameter. The corresponding decay rate achievable through a naive adaptation of NORTA is exponential. We provide directives for efficient implementation.
Lipid Rafts Alter the Stability and Activity of the Cholera Toxin A1 Subunit

Cholera toxin (CT) travels from the cell surface to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as an AB holotoxin. ER-specific conditions then promote the dissociation of the catalytic CTA1 subunit from the rest of the toxin. CTA1 is held in a stable conformation by its assembly in the CT holotoxin, but the dissociated CTA1 subunit is an unstable protein that spontaneously assumes a disordered state at physiological temperature. This unfolding event triggers the ER-to-cytosol translocation of CTA1 through the quality control mechanism of ER-associated degradation. The translocated pool of CTA1 must regain a folded, active structure to modify its G protein target which is located in lipid rafts at the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane. Here, we report that lipid rafts place disordered CTA1 in a functional conformation. The hydrophobic C-terminal domain of CTA1 is essential for binding to the plasma membrane and lipid rafts. These interactions inhibit the temperature-induced unfolding of CTA1. Moreover, lipid rafts could promote a gain of structure in the disordered, 37 °C conformation of CTA1. This gain of structure corresponded to a gain of function: whereas CTA1 by itself exhibited minimal in vitro activity at 37 °C, exposure to lipid rafts resulted in substantial toxin activity at 37 °C. In vivo, the disruption of lipid rafts with filipin substantially reduced the activity of cytosolic CTA1. Lipid rafts thus exhibit a chaperone-like function that returns disordered CTA1 to an active state and is required for the optimal in vivo activity of CTA1.
Brief Adaptive control of robot manipulators with controller/update law modularity

In this paper, we present an adaptive link position tracking controller for robot manipulators which achieves controller/update law modularity. Specifically, the proposed torque input control law is designed to (i)achieve input-to-state stability with respect to the parameter estimation error, and (ii)guarantee asymptotic link position tracking and boundedness of all closed-loop signals for any adaptive update law that satisfies some generic properties. Simulation and experimental results are included to illustrate the advantages of the proposed adaptive control law. Specifically, the proposed controller with a least-squares estimator is compared to a well-known, gradient update-based, adaptive controller. The results indicate an improvement in the tracking performance with the proposed controller.
A Comparison of Jump Height, Takeoff Velocities, and Blocking Coverage in the Swing and Traditional Volleyball Blocking Techniques

The purpose of this study was to compare traditional and swing blocking techniques on center of mass (COM) projectile motion and effective blocking area in nine healthy Division I female volleyball players. Two high-definition (1080 p) video cameras (60 Hz) were used to collect two-dimensional variables from two separate views. One was placed perpendicular to the plane of the net and the other was directed along the top of the net, and were used to estimate COM locations and blocking area in a plane parallel to the net and hand penetration through the plane of the net respectively. Video of both the traditional and swing techniques were digitized and kinematic variables were calculated. Paired samples t-tests indicated that the swing technique resulted in greater (p < 0.05) vertical and horizontal takeoff velocities (vy and vx), jump height (H), duration of the block (tBLOCK), blocking coverage during the block (C) as well as hand penetration above and through the net’s plane (YPEN, ZPEN). The traditional technique had significantly greater approach time (tAPP). The results of this study suggest that the swing technique results in both greater jump height and effective blocking area. However, the shorter tAPP that occurs with swing is associated with longer times in the air during the block which may reduce the ability of the athlete to make adjustments to attacks designed to misdirect the defense.
DataCenter 2020: Near-memory acceleration for data-oriented applications

In the years between now and 2020, we should expect continued exponential data growth [15][16]. A number of ongoing advances in storage: the transition to solid-state drives (SSDs), the scaling of NAND flash capacity, and advanced silicon packaging techniques will dramatically increase the capacity of storage subsystems over the same timeframe. This will significantly reduce the ratio of storage bandwidth to storage density. Consequently, the majority of data in 2020 will either be cold or will require near-memory acceleration to pull rich information out of the sea of big data. We argue that, increasingly over time, value lies not merely in the size of the data, but rather in what one can do with it.
Surface properties and bond strength measurements of N-vinylcaprolactam (NVC)-containing glass-ionomer cements

Statement of problem N-vinylcaprolactam (NVC)-containing glass ionomers are promising dental restorative materials with improved mechanical properties; however, little information is available on other physical characteristics of these types of modified glass ionomers, especially their surface properties. Understanding the surface characteristics and behavior of glass ionomers is important for understanding their clinical behavior and predictability as dental restorative materials. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of NVC-containing terpolymers on the surface properties and bond strength to dentin of GIC (glass-ionomer cement), and to evaluate the effect of NVC-containing terpolymer as a dentin conditioner. Material and methods The terpolymer of acrylic acid (AA)–itaconic acid (IA)–N-vinylcaprolactam (NVC) with a molar ratio of 8:1:1 (AA:IA:NVC) was synthesized by free radical polymerization and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H-NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The synthesized terpolymer was used in glass-ionomer cement formulations (Fuji IX GP). Ten disc-shaped specimens (12 × 1 mm) were mixed and fabricated at room temperature. Surface properties (wettability) of modified cements were studied by contact angle measurements as a function of time. Work of adhesion values of different surfaces were also determined. The effect of NVC-modified polyacid on the bond strength of glass-ionomer cement to dentin was investigated. The mean data obtained from contact angle and bonding strength measurements were subjected to t test and 2-way ANOVA (α=.05). Results NVC-modified glass-ionomer cements showed significantly ( P A =60.33 erg/cm 2 ) in comparison to commercially available Fuji IX GP (57 degrees and W A =53.01 erg/cm2). The wettability of dentin surfaces conditioned with NVC-containing terpolymer was significantly higher ( P 2 ) than dentin conditioned with GC dentin conditioner (29 degrees, W A =70.52 erg/cm 2 ). The experimental cement also showed significantly higher values for shear bond strength to dentin (8.7 ±0.15 MPa after 1 month) when compared to the control group (8.4 ±0.13 MPa after 1 month). Conclusions NVC-containing terpolymers may enhance the surface properties of GICs and increase their bond strength to the dentin. Furthermore, NVC-containing polyelectrolytes are better dentin conditioners than a commercially available dentin conditioner (GC dentin conditioner). (J Prosthet Dent 2011;105:181-193)
Sympathetic ganglionic transmission and the cardiovascular changes of the defense reaction in the cat.

The effects of ganglionic blockade on the circulatory components of the defense reaction were studied in 25 anesthetized cats. Hexamethonium alone partially blocked the response; a combination of hexamethonium and atropine was necessary to block it completely. Vasodilation of skeletal muscle was reversed to vasoconstriction during hexamethonium infusion. Direct recording from pre- and postganglionic sympathetic nerves showed persisting ganglionic transmission during hexamethonium infusion that was subsequently blocked by atropine. Unit recordings showed that some ganglion cells were completely blocked by hexamethonium alone. Preganglionic discharge was unaffected. It is suggested that ganglion cells giving rise to cholinergic vasodilator fibers have fewer atropine-sensitive receptor sites than do cells from which adrenergic constrictor fibers arise.
Stability of the tranquilizer drug propionylpromazine hydrochloride in formulated products.

An analytical method to evaluate propionylpromazine hydrochloride (PPZHCl) in tranquilizer formulations was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). During analysis of aged quality-control samples, a previously unreported chromatographic response was observed at a shorter retention time than PPZHCl. Further investigation of formulations stored in trap tap devices at temperatures ranging from 5 to 40 ◦ C during field trials at four different locations confirmed the degradation of the active ingredient. Further investigation using HPLC/tandem mass spectrometry revealed two to five degradates, with the major degradates being oxidation products of the active ingredient, PPZHCl. As PPZHCl formulations must be stable when stored at 5 to 40 ◦ C for 6 to 12months, reformulation with the anti-oxidant ascorbic acid was utilized to achieve the required PPZHCl stability. Published in 2005 for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of electrocardiographic and hemodynamic effects of caffeine with acute dosing in healthy volunteers.

Study Objective. To evaluate the effects of moderate, single-dose caffeine consumption on electrocardiographic variables: PR, QRS, QT, QTc, and RR intervals, and QT and QTc interval dispersion. Effects of caffeine on blood pressure and heart rate also were evaluated. Design. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Setting. University school of pharmacy. Patients. Ten healthy volunteers aged 17 years or older. Intervention. Participants abstained from caffeinated products for at least 2 days before the study began and were randomly designated to receive placebo or caffeine 400 mg on various days. For each of the study phases, a baseline 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed and a subsequent 12-lead ECG performed 3 hours after ingesting the study drug. Blood pressure readings were taken with each ECG. Measurements and Main Results. No significant changes in any intragroup or intergroup electrocardiographic variables occurred. Caffeine increased blood pressure (systolic blood pressure [SBP]/diastolic blood pressure [DBP]) from 118 ± 5/75 ± 6 mm Hg to 128 ± 8/77 ± 7 mm Hg versus baseline (p=0.0022 and p=0.0368 for SBP and DBP, respectively). After drug dosing, SBP in the caffeine group was significantly higher than in the placebo group (128 ± 8 mm Hg versus 119 ± 7 mm Hg, p=0.0174). Conclusion. Moderate caffeine consumption by healthy young adults does not acutely affect PR, QRS, QT, QTc, and RR intervals, or QT and QTc interval dispersion. Caffeine-naive subjects experienced persistent elevations in SBP and DBP 3 hours after caffeine ingestion, indicating that longer caffeine abstinence than that which is recommended is necessary for blood pressure determination in the clinical setting.