cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anatomy of headache and facial pain

In this article we review the neural and vascular supply contributing to headache and facial pain. A detailed review of the neuroanatomy, particularly of the trigeminal contribution, was formulated. Emphasis was placed on outlining the dural, supratentorial, and facial structures innervated. A detailed review of the vascular anatomy is performed, with demonstration of the trigeminal innervation of key vascular structures. An outline of pain-sensitive cranial structures is also described. The pathways examined in this article serve as the basis on which concepts of headache and facial pain will build.
Prelaunch performance characteristics of the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)

This paper summarizes the results of testing and gives a detailed report on the spectral, radiometric and spatial performance of the AIRS.
Prediction of Ball Fatigue Life in a Ball/V-Ring Test Rig

Standard load and life ratings of ball bearings are based on fatigue failure of the bearing inner and outer raceway surfaces. The rating equations are derived from the mathematical and experimental work of Gustav Lundberg and Arvid Palmgren conducted in Sweden during the 1930s and 1940s ; they considered the occurrence of subsurface-initiated, ball fatigue failure highly improbable. In modern ball bearings, this phenomenon occurs occasionally, creating the need for a life prediction means. Ball/v-ring rig fatigue endurance testing is a currently used method to screen ball materials and processing methods, particularly for aircraft applications. As a first step toward predicting ball fatigue life in bearings, the Lundberg-Palmgren and Ioannides-Harris life prediction methods were applied to ball/v-ring test data. The latter method predicted ball fatigue lives which correlated well with the measured ball lives. The Lundberg-Palmgren life prediction method modified using currently accepted material-life and lubrication-life factors did not yield satisfactory correlation.
PS214. Agreement of Repeatability Coefficients for Within-Subject Carotid Artery Velocities with Snoring Application

Objectives: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are dynamically expressed during development and possess binding sites for microRNAs (miRs), small RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression. We recently demonstrated that miR-221, which is associated with vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis, is decreased in acutely symptomatic carotid plaques. Because circRNA-16 possesses binding sites for miR-221 through seed sequences found within, we hypothesized that circRNA-16 is increased in acutely symptomatic carotid plaques. Methods: Relative changes in gene expression levels of circRNA-16 were compared using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and the DDCt method. All samples were run in duplicate; mean and standard error were calculated. One-way analysis of variance with the Tukey test was used to determine significance between groups. Results: Expression of circRNA-16 was confirmed in human VSMC using PCR and resistance to RNAse H. To investigate its role in carotid plaque rupture, levels of circRNA-16 were quantified in patients undergoing urgent carotid endarterectomy for acute neurologic symptoms (n 1⁄4 27), compared with asymptomatic carotid plaques (n 1⁄4 19). In contrast to miR-221, circRNA-16 is increased in the urgent group compared
Cellular dynamics of resolving inflammation.

In this issue of Blood, Newson et al determine the dynamics of inflammatory cell recruitment and their diversification into functionally distinct, cellular subsets in a previously uncharacterized “postresolution” phase of inflammation.1 The postresolution tissue retains some of the recruited populations of monocytic and lymphoid cells and remains in a state of “adaptive homeostatsis” long after inflammation has resolved.
Phylogenetic analysis of the phytochrome superfamily reveals distinct microbial subfamilies of photoreceptors

Phys (phytochromes) are a superfamily of photochromic photoreceptors that employ a bilin-type chromophore to sense red and far-red light. Although originally thought to be restricted to plants, accumulating genetic and genomic analyses now indicate that they are also prevalent among micro-organisms. By a combination of phylogenetic and biochemical studies, we have expanded the Phy superfamily and organized its members into distinct functional clades which include the phys (plant Phys), BphPs (bacteriophytochromes), Cphs (cyanobacterial Phys), Fphs (fungal Phys) and a collection of Phy-like sequences. All contain a signature GAF (cGMP phosphodiesterase/adenylate cyclase/FhlA) domain, which houses the bilin lyase activity. A PHY domain (uppercase letters are used to denote the PHY domain specifically), which helps stabilize the Pfr form (far-red-light-absorbing form of Phy), is downstream of the GAF region in all but the Phy-like sequences. The phy, Cph, BphP and Fph families also include a PLD [N-terminal PAS (Per/Arnt/Sim)-like domain] upstream of the GAF domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved residues within the GAF and PLD motifs supports their importance in chromophore binding and/or spectral activity. In agreement with Lamparter, Carrascal, Michael, Martinez, Rottwinkel and Abian [(2004) Biochemistry 43, 3659-3669], a conserved cysteine within the PLD of several BphPs was found to be necessary for binding the chromophore via the C-3 vinyl side chain on the bilin A ring. Phy-type sequences were also discovered in the actinobacterium Kineococcus radiotolerans and collections of microorganisms obtained from marine and extremely acidic environments, thus expanding further the range of these photoreceptors. Based on their organization and distribution, the evolution of the Phy superfamily into distinct photoreceptor types is proposed.
Ovipositional behavior and host discrimination in three scelionid egg parasitoids of stink bugs

Abstract Ovipositional behavior of the scelionid egg parasitoids Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston), Psix tunetanus (Mineo & Szabo), and two color forms of Trissolcus utahensis (Ashmead) was observed in laboratory experiments that employed a common host, the pentatomid Euschistus conspersus Uhler. Brood sex ratios were female biased and less than 0.20; P. tunetanus deposited a precise sequence of male and female offspring compared to the other species. In host discrimination experiments in which individual females were presented with an egg mass partially parasitized by a conspecific female, T. utahensis showed considerable ovipositional restraint toward parasitized eggs. When presented with an egg mass partially parasitized by a female of another species—either T. basalis or P. tunetanus — T. utahensis displayed little discrimination and oviposited in most of the parasitized eggs that it contacted. When the experiment was reversed— T. basalis and P. tunetanus females presented individually with an egg mass partially parasitized by T. utahensis —both species showed little discrimination and oviposited in most of the parasitized eggs that they contacted. For eggs in which multiparasitism involved the combination of T. utahensis and P. tunetanus, the latter emerged from over 70%, regardless of whether it was the first or second ovipositing female. When super- or multiparasitism involved the combination of the two T. utahensis color forms or the combination of T. utahensis and T. basalis, offspring of the first ovipositing female emerged from over 70% of the eggs. These results are consistent with the view that interspecific host discrimination in parasitoids is less common than conspecific host discrimination and provide some support for the hypothesis that brood sex ratio and competitive ability are inversely related in guilds of quasi-gregarious egg parasitoids. Implications for the selection of parasitoid species for classical and augmentative biological control are discussed.
A Synthetic Strategy for the Preparation of Cyclic Peptide Mimetics Based on SET-Promoted Photocyclization Processes

A novel method for the synthesis of cyclic peptide analogues has been developed. The general approach relies on the use of SET-promoted photocyclization reactions of peptides that contain N-terminal phthalimides as light absorbing electron acceptor moieties and C-terminal α-amidosilane or α-amidocarboxylate centers. Prototypical substrates are prepared by coupling preformed peptides with the acid chloride of N-phthalimidoglycine. Irradiation of these substrates results in the generation of cyclic peptide analogues in modest to good yields. The chemical efficiencies of these processes are not significantly affected by (1) the lengths of the peptide chains separating the phthalimide and α-amidosilane or α-amidocarboxylate centers and (2) the nature of the penultimate cation radical α-heterolytic fragmentation process (i.e., desilylation vs decarboxylation). An evaluation of the effects of N-alkyl substitution on the amide residues in the peptide chain showed that N-alkyl substitution does not have a major i...
High-dose cyclophosphamide without stem cell transplantation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective High-dose chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is increasingly being studied as a treatment for severe autoimmune disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). High-dose cyclophosphamide, the foundation of virtually all conditioning regimens for stem cell transplantation, is not myeloablative; therefore, when high-dose cyclophosphamide is used alone, autografting, with its potential for reinfusing autoreactive effector cells, is not required. We undertook this study to investigate the safety and efficacy of high-dose cyclophosphamide without stem cell transplantation in refractory SLE. Methods We treated 14 patients with moderate-to-severe SLE that had been refractory to corticosteroids and one or more additional immunosuppressive drugs. All patients received 50 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide for 4 consecutive days followed by 5 μg/kg granulocyte colony-stimulating factor until the neutrophil count was 1 × 109/liter for 2 consecutive days. Patients were followed up monthly for disease activity using the physician's global assessment, SLE Disease Activity Index, and assessment of functioning of involved organs. The Responder Index for Lupus Erythematosus was used to define partial or complete response. Results The median time to achieve a neutrophil count of 0.5 × 109/liter was 14 days (range 11–22 days) after the last dose of cyclophosphamide. Patients required a median of 2 units (range 2–5) of packed red blood cells, and a median of 16 days (range 0–23 days) elapsed from the last dose of cyclophosphamide to the last platelet transfusion. There were no deaths or fungal infections. Significant improvements in physician's global assessment (mean difference 1.4; P < 0.0001), SLE Disease Activity Index (mean difference 4.1; P = 0.0039), and prednisone dosage (mean difference 14.9 mg/day; P = 0.002) were observed. Responses, including 5 durable complete responses, were observed in all organ systems (renal, central nervous system, and skin) with involvement that had led to patient enrollment. Conclusion High-dose cyclophosphamide without stem cell transplantation leads to rapid hematopoietic reconstitution and has significant clinical benefit in patients with refractory SLE. Therefore, this approach deserves further study.
The effect of spatial resolution on the ability to monitor the status of agricultural lands

Abstract Monitoring regional and Global changes in agricultural land use requires coarse spatial resolution imagery in order to keep data volumes reasonable and to allow sufficiently frequent temporal coverage. The viablity of coarse spatial resolution data for monitoring the status of agricultural lands is cvabialed usinia dcaradcd multitemporal TM imagery. Areal estimates of productive land in Egypt's Western Desert are slightly underestimated (it spatial resolutions of 120 and 240 m. Although error increases at 480 m and 960 m, estimates arc within 10% of the original 30-m estimations. The area of old agricultural lands is more accurately estimated while reclaimed lands (cultivated after June 1985) show greater underestimation errors. These results suggest that the areal extent of these lands can be estimated accurately using multitemporal data with intermediary spatial resolutions such as the 250 m Bands 1 and 2 of the upcoming MODIS instrument. While overall map accuracies are good, the location of the reclaimed kinds are poorly mapped. Fine, spatial resolution data will still be needed to map the location of the fields. Also, the multitempowal maximum NDVI threshold differentiating productive and non-productive lands, identified in the original TM data, is relatively stable across the four coarse resolutions tested.
Increasing Software Engineering Efficiency Through Defect Tracking Integration

The creation of a collaboration system to facilitate updates to the defect tracking system, by extracting the defects status and resolution from the software engineers' code comments, will eliminate duplicated software engineer workload and inaccurate updates to the defect tracking system that result in lost or inaccurate metrics. This collaboration system will result in significantly improved productivity, traceability, and process compliance. Typically software quality assurance specialists will test the software and log defects within a defect tracking system. Software engineers will then correct the defect in the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and update the status of the defect in the defect tracking system. Software engineers are required to enter the same information in the code comments, version control, and defect tracking system causing wasted software engineer time and lost opportunities to effectively capture historical metrics.
Beam-steering and jammer-nulling photorefractive phased-array radar processor

We are developing a class of optical phased-array-radar processors which use the large number of degrees-of-freedom available in 3D photorefractive volume holograms to time integrate the adaptive weights to perform beam-steering and jammer-cancellation signal-processing tasks for very large phased-array antennas. We have experimentally demonstrated independently the two primary subsystems of the beam-steering and jammer-nulling phased-array radar processor, the beam-forming subsystem and the jammer-nulling subsystem, as well as simultaneous main beam formation and jammer suppression in the combined processor. The beam-steering subsystem calculates the angle of arrival of a desired signal of interest and steers the antenna pattern in the direction of this desired signal by forming a dynamic holographic grating proportional to the correlation between the incoming signal of interest from the antenna array and the temporal waveform of the desired signal. This grating is formed by repetitively applying the temporal waveform of the desired signal to a single acousto-optic Bragg cell and allowing the diffracted component from the Bragg cell to interfere with an optical mapping of the received phased-array antenna signal at a photorefractive crystal. The diffracted component from this grating is the antenna output modified by an array function pointed towards the desired signal of interest. This beam-steering task is performed with the only a priori information being that of the knowledge of a temporal waveform that correlates well with the desired signal and that the delay of the desired signal remains within the time aperture of the Bragg cell. The jammer-nulling subsystem computes the angles-of- arrival of multiple interfering narrowband radar jammers and adaptively steers nulls in the antenna pattern in order to extinguish the jammers by implementing a modified LMS algorithm in the optical domain. This task is performed in a second photorefractive crystal where holographic gratings are formed which are proportional to the correlation between the unprocessed antenna output and a delayed version of the formed main beam. The diffracted components from these gratings are subtracted from the formed main-beam signal producing a processor output with reduced jammer content.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Extra-adrenal mineralocorticoids and cardiovascular tissue.

Abstract In experimental models where chronic inappropriate (relative to sodium intake and intravascular volume) elevations in circulating mineralocorticoids (aldosterone or deoxycorticosterone) are created, a reactive fibrosis with vascular remodeling is observed in systemic organs and the heart. Until recently, it was assumed that aldosterone was derived solely from adrenal glands via the circulation; however, there is now convincing evidence that cells of the heart and vasculature express genes responsible for the formation of both aldosterone and corticosterone and are capable of producing these steroids. Vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells express CYP11B1 and CYP11B2, genes responsible for 11 β -hydroxylase and aldosterone synthase, respectively. Furthermore, smooth muscle cells elaborate aldosterone. There is evidence that similar regulatory mechanisms operate in vascular cells as in adrenal cortex, since aldosterone synthase and 11 β -hydroxylase expression are differentially modulated by low sodium/high potassium, angiotensin II and ACTH. It is likely that such localized corticosteroid production also occurs at sites of tissue repair, where populations of collagen-producing myofibroblasts, nourished by a neovasculature, predominate. Using a subcutaneous pouch model of granulation tissue we have obtained compelling data which would support such a notion. The mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, spironolactone, severely attenuates pouch formation over a 2-week period and significantly reduces pouch wall hydroxyproline concentration. This effect is apparent even following adrenalectomy, when circulating corticosteroids are undetectable; however, with adrenalectomy alone, pouch formation is barely affected. This we took to be a possible indication of an effect of local, non-adrenal steroids in maintaining pouch tissue. Spironolactone inhibits angiogenesis. A recent clinical study demonstrates the efficacy of low-dose spironolactone in enhancing survival in patients with advanced chronic cardiac failure. Although it is not known how spironolactone brings about such an improvement in survival, we would propose that inhibition of fibrous tissue formation and/or angiogenesis might be important contributory factors. Further studies are required to address the relative contributions of circulating vs local aldosterone in promoting normal vs pathologic connective tissue formation.
Identification of cell binding sites in the laminin α1 chain carboxyl- terminal globular domain by systematic screening of synthetic peptides

The laminin alpha 1 chain carboxyl-terminal globular domain has been identified as a site of multiple biological activities. Using a systematic screening for cell binding sites with 113 overlapping synthetic peptide beads that covered this domain, we found 19 potential active sequences. Corresponding synthetic peptides were evaluated for direct cell attachment, spreading, and inhibition of cell spreading to a laminin-1 substrate using several cell lines. Five peptides (AG-10, AG-22, AG-32, AG-56, and AG-73) showed cell attachment activities with cell-type specificities. Cell spreading on AG-10 was inhibited by beta 1 and alpha 6 integrin antibodies and on AG-32 was inhibited by beta 1, alpha 2, and alpha 6 integrin antibodies. In contrast, cell adhesion and spreading on peptide AG-73 were not inhibited by these antibodies. The minimum active sequences of AG-10, AG-32, and AG-73 were determined to be SIYITRF, IAFQRN, and LQVQLSIR, respectively. These sequences are highly conserved among the different species and different laminin alpha chains, suggesting that they play a critical role for biological function and for interaction with cell surface receptors.
Spray-deposited ITO&#8212;Silicon SIS heterojunction solar cells

A systematic study of semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor (SIS) solar cells has been undertaken on n-type silicon using spray-deposited indium-tin-oxide (ITO) for the window layer of the heterostructure. The optical and electrical characteristics of the ITO layer as well as the thickness of the I layer have been optimized to yield the following photovoltaic parameters on 0.5-Ω . cm n-Si: V_{OC} = 0.52 V, J_{SC} = 31.5 mA/cm2(adjusted for Ag grid area), FF= 0.70 , and illuminated area η = 11.5 percent. The dark I-V and C-V characteristics have also been evaluated to identify the mechanisms of barrier formation and current flow.
Graphical Signatures for Manufactured Surfaces

Three dimensional surface signatures were calculated from radial profile measurements of two lapped specimens, two ground specimens and a milled specimen. These signatures are polar autocorrelation function (ACF) maps and Ra maps. The ACF maps were obtained by plotting contours of equal autocorrelation values. The ACF maps reveal more structure than the Ra maps and their shapes appear to be characteristic of the corresponding manufacturing methods. Therefore, radial profile measurement together with the use of ACF maps is a useful technique for relating surface topographies to manufacturing processes.
Finite deformation beam models and triality theory in dynamical post-buckling analysis☆

Abstract Two new finitely deformed dynamical beam models are established for serious study on non-linear vibrations of thick beams subjected to arbitrarily given external loads. The total potentials of these beam models are non-convex with double-well structures, which can be used in post-buckling analysis and frictional contact problems. Dual extremum principles in unstable dynamic systems are developed. A pure complementary energy principle (in terms of the second Piola–Kirchhoff’s type stress only) in finite deformation mechanics is actually constructed. An interesting triality theory in post-buckling analysis is proved. This theory shows that if the gap function introduced by Gao and Strang in 1989 in positive, the generalized pure complementary energy has only one saddle point, which gives a global stable buckling state. However, if the gap function is negative, the generalized complementary energy may have two so-called super-critical points: the one which minimizes the pure complementary energy gives another relatively stable buckling state; and the other one which maximizes the complementary energy is a unstable buckling state. Application in unilateral buckling problem is illustrated, and an analytic solution for non-linear complementarity problem is obtained. Moreover, the general duality theory proposed recently is generalized into the non-linear dynamical systems. A pair of dual Duffing equations are obtained.
Conidial Pigmentation Is Important to Tolerance Against Solar-simulated Radiation in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium anisopliae

The importance of conidial pigmentation to solar UV radiation tolerance in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae, was estimated by comparing the effects of exposure to simulated solar UV radiation on the wild-type parent strain U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Collection of Entomopathogenic Fungal Cultures (ARSEF) 23, which has dark green conidia, and three groups of color mutants with yellow, purple and white conidia. The comparisons included inactivation levels and the kinetics of germination of conidia exposed or not exposed to simulated solar UV radiation. In addition to significantly inactivating the conidia of different mutants, exposure to radiation delayed for several hours the germination of surviving conidia of the wild type and all mutants. In general, mutants with white conidia were more sensitive to simulated solar UV radiation than mutants with purple conidia, which were more sensitive than mutants with yellow conidia, which in turn were more sensitive than the green wild strain. A significant variation in tolerance to simulated solar radiation was observed among mutants within each color group, particularly among mutants with yellow conidia. Revertants with green conidia, DWR 179 and DWR 176, were obtained from the very sensitive UV mutants DWR 148 (yellow conidia) and DWR 149 (purple conidia), respectively. These revertants had levels of tolerance to simulated solar UV radiation similar to those of the wild-type ARSEF 23. This observation is strong evidence of the importance of green conidial pigmentation for tolerance to simulated solar UV radiation, a factor that could be manipulated to produce M. anisopliae strains with more tolerance to solar UV radiation.
Influence of nicotine on gastrin and peptide YY in the rat

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of nicotine and high-fat diets on gastrin and peptide YY (PYY) homeostasis in the rat. Antral levels of gastrin mRNA and peptide and ileal and colonic levels of PYY mRNA and peptide were examined. Serum levels of gastrin in response to food were also measured. Control rats were ad-lib fed or pair-fed according to the daily food intake of nicotine-treated rats. The results of this study indicate that nicotine treatment and fat diets can influence gastrin and PYY gene expression in the gastrointestinal tract.
TiO—epoxy composite thermistors

Abstract TiO powder was incorporated into a rigid epoxy matrix to produce composite materials that exhibit unusually large PTC resistivity increases of up to ten orders of magnitude. The composites have a room-temperature resistivity (1–5 ω-cm) that is comparable with commercial carbon-black-loaded polyethylene thermistors.
Identification of BCR-ABL Fusion on Chromosome 9 by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization in Two Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cases

We present two cases with hidden Philadelphia translocations that resulted from an insertion and a complex translocation. These cases were unusual in having the BCR/ABL fusion localized to chromosome 9q34. A review of cases with these uncommon presentations of BCR/ABL and prognostic presentation is presented.
Single-molecule analysis uncovers the difference between the kinetics of DNA decatenation by bacterial topoisomerases I and III

Escherichia coli topoisomerases I and III can decatenate double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) molecules containing single-stranded DNA regions or nicks as well as relax negatively supercoiled DNA. Although the proteins share a mechanism of action and have similar structures, they participate in different cellular processes. Whereas topoisomerase III is a more efficient decatenase than topoisomerase I, the opposite is true for DNA relaxation. In order to investigate the differences in the mechanism of these two prototypical type IA topoisomerases, we studied DNA decatenation at the single-molecule level using braids of intact dsDNA and nicked dsDNA with bulges. We found that neither protein decatenates an intact DNA braid. In contrast, both enzymes exhibited robust decatenation activity on DNA braids with a bulge. The experiments reveal that a main difference between the unbraiding mechanisms of these topoisomerases lies in the pauses between decatenation cycles. Shorter pauses for topoisomerase III result in a higher decatenation rate. In addition, topoisomerase III shows a strong dependence on the crossover angle of the DNA strands. These real-time observations reveal the kinetic characteristics of the decatenation mechanism and help explain the differences between their activities.
The Occurrence of Structural Hysteresis In Declining Organizations

Structural hysteresis provides a conceptual framework in which to consider relationships between organization size and structure during periods of decline. The use of this framework, as an extension of current theory, indicates that relationships between size and structure in declining organizations do not parallel those found in growing organizations. Participation problems, commitment, and coalition politics may explain the occurrence of structural hysteresis. Implications for theory and research are discussed.
Linear accelerator thalamotomy.

Abstract Background The capability of performing functional radiosurgery lesions in the brain using a dedicated linear accelerator (LINAC) have not yet been demonstrated. This study evaluates modern LINAC technology for the creation of a sharp, small and functionally eloquent lesion in the thalamus. Methods Three patients underwent thalamotomy using a dedicated linear accelerator to radiosurgery, 2 females and 1 male, ages were 52, 53, and 73 years. Two patients presented with unilateral poststroke central pain and 1 with unilateral upper extremity pain secondary to metastatic infiltration of the brachial plexus. Maximal doses varied from 150 to 200 Gy, delivered by a 5-mm diameter collimator and 5 to 8 noncoplanar arcs evenly distributed. Results All patients gained substantial relief of their pain. They were able to reduce their medications and improve their activity levels. The patient with end-stage metastatic disease died of his malignancy 2 weeks after the treatment. One patient presented with recurrence of the pain 4 months after the treatment. No clinical complications were noticed. Conclusions A dedicated linear accelerator is able to perform a precise and circumscribed lesion in the thalamus for pain control. Moreover, it proved to be safe, because no complications were observed. For patients using chronic anticoagulant therapy or with severe disabilities caused by cardiac, pulmonary or malignant diseases, this technique represents an alternative of treatment to radiofrequency thalamotomy.
Loss and the accuracy of the photonic crystal model in holey VCSELs

A comprehensive parametric study of VCSELs incorporating etched holes for lateral confinement was conducted. Results from over two thousand devices reveal the role of loss and verify the predictive abilities of the photonic crystal model.
Asthma in the pediatric sickle cell patient with acute chest syndrome.

Introduction Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is a potential life-threatening complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). The purpose of this study was to identify the frequency of asthma in children with SCD who were diagnosed with ACS. The objective was to determine if an increased frequency of asthma exists in children with SCD and ACS. Method A retrospective descriptive chart review covering the period from June 1997 to June 2002 was conducted on 60 children ranging in age from 1.5 years to 17 years who had SCD and ACS. Cross-tabs analysis and student t tests were used to determine the significance of the occurrence of asthma in children in whom ACS developed. Results Of the 60 eligible children with SCD, 53% (32/60) had asthma and/or abnormal pulmonary function tests prior to the development of ACS. Discussion This is the first study to report a slight increase in the frequency of asthma prior to the initial ACS in children with SCD. The small convenience sample size from one center may have been a limitation in this study to detect significant differences between the variables.
Osmolar gap metabolic acidosis in a 60-year-old man treated for hypoxemic respiratory failure.

erally, upper airway rhonchi that cleared with endotracheal suctioning, and scattered expiratory wheezing. The abdomen was soft, and tenderness could not be assessed in the presence of neuromuscular blockade; however, bowel sounds were normal. Full neurologic assessment could not be performed due to the presence of sedation and neuromuscular blockade.
Essential norms and localization moduli of Sobolev embeddings for general domains

We introduce new measures of non-compactness for the embedding operator Ep,q(Ω):Lp1(Ω)→Lq(Ω) and describe their relations with the essential norm of Ep, q(Ω), 'local' isoperimetric and isocapacitar ...
High-Melting Aromatic Nitrate Esters: Ethanolamine derivatives of polynitroaromatic compounds

The preparation and properties of high-melting aromatic nitrate esters are described. An objective of the study is to provide nitrate esters that exhibit good short-term stability at temperatures of 150°C and above.
HiPPI link data analysis system-test equipment for high speed network analysis

A tool to perform traffic analysis for simplex HiPPI links is described. The motivation for this tool, referred to as the HiPPI link data analysis system (HILDA), is to perform real time traffic analysis of very high speed data traffic. HILDA is also capable of error insertion and real-time data extraction. Finally, HILDA acts as a HiPPI interface for a host computing platform. HILDA will sit on the VME bus of a SUN4 host. >
Leg joint power output during progressive resistance FES-LCE cycling in SCI subjects: developing an index of fatigue

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanics of the hip, knee and ankle during a progressive resistance cycling protocol in an effort to detect and measure the presence of muscle fatigue. It was hypothesized that knee power output can be used as an indicator of fatigue in order to assess the cycling performance of SCI subjects. Six spinal cord injured subjects (2 incomplete, 4 complete) between the ages of twenty and fifty years old and possessing either a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury at or below the fourth cervical vertebra participated in this study. Kinematic data and pedal forces were recorded during cycling at increasing levels of resistance. Ankle, knee and hip power outputs and resultant pedal force were calculated. Ergometer cadence and muscle stimulation intensity were also recorded. The main findings of this study were: (a) ankle and knee power outputs decreased, whereas hip power output increased with increasing resistance, (b) cadence, stimulation intensity and resultant pedal force in that combined order were significant predictors of knee power output and (c) knowing the value of these combined predictors at 10 rpm, an index of fatigue can be developed, quantitatively expressing the power capacity of the knee joint with respect to a baseline power level defined as fatigue. An index of fatigue was successfully developed, proportionalizing knee power capacity during cycling to a predetermined value of fatigue. The fatigue index value at 0/8th kp, measured 90 seconds into active, unassisted pedaling was 1.6. This indicates initial power capacity at the knee to be 1.6 times greater than fatigue. The fatigue index decreased to 1.1 at 2/8th kp, representing approximately a 30% decrease in the knee's power capacity within a 4 minute timespan. These findings suggest that the present cycling protocol is not sufficient for a rider to gain the benefits of FES and thus raises speculation as to whether or not progressive resistance cycling is an appropriate protocol for SCI subjects.
X-Ray Microbeam Studies of Electromigration

The interplay between stress and electromigration has been recognized since I. A. Blech et al. used x-ray topography in 1976 to demonstrate that stress gradients developed during electromigration. Availability of high brightness synchrotron x-ray sources, high stability energy dispersive detectors, high resolution area detectors, and pinholes, capillaries and other optical elements for forming x-ray microbeams, has made possible more quantitative, real time measurements of strains and composition changes which develop in polycrystalline metal conductor lines during electromigration. This paper describes advances made in this area, implications of results which have been obtained, and prospects for further progress.
Preserving poisson structure and orthogonality in numerical integration of differential equations

We consider the numerical integration of two types of systems of differential equations. We first consider Hamiltonian systems of differential equations with a Poisson structure. We show that symplectic Runge-Kutta methods preserve this structure when the Poisson tensor is constant. Using nonlinear changes of coordinates this structure can also be preserved for nonconstant Poisson tensors, as exemplified on the Euler equations for the free rigid body. We also consider orthogonal flows and the closely related class of isospectral flows. To numerically preserve the orthogonality property we take the approach of formulating an equivalent system of differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) and of integrating the system with a special combination of a particular class of Runge-Kutta methods. This approach requires only matrix-matrix products and can preserve geometric properties of the flow such as reversibility.
Iron Treatment Downregulates DMT1 and IREG1 mRNA Expression in Caco-2 Cells

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder worldwide, whereas pathologic elevations of body iron stores can occur under certain circumstances due to genetic abnormalities or in association with other diseases. The intestine is the exclusive locus of homeostatic regulation of body iron stores, which is accomplished by changes in iron absorption efficiency by largely unknown molecular mechanisms in response to alterations in body iron stores. Recently, a number of novel genes involved in iron metabolism, such as the iron uptake transporter DMT1/DCT1/Nramp2 and the iron export transporter IREG1/ferroportin1/MTP1, have been identified, providing important insights about molecular aspects of intestinal iron absorption and its regulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of iron treatment on DMT1 and IREG1 mRNA expression in Caco-2 cells, a human intestinal cell line. Exposure of the cells to iron (200 micromol/L ferric nitrilotriacetic acid for 72 h) significantly decreased transferrin receptor mRNA (80%), DMT1 mRNA (57%) and IREG1 mRNA (52%). These observations are consistent with the notion of parallel regulation of these iron-responsive genes in vivo to protect the enterocyte from iron toxicity and mediate a decreased efficiency of intestinal iron absorption to prevent iron overload.
Viral Factors Reveal a Role for REF/Aly in Nuclear RNA Stability

TREX is a conserved multiprotein complex that is necessary for efficient mRNA export to the cytoplasm. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the TREX complex is additionally implicated in RNA quality control pathways, but it is unclear whether this function is conserved in mammalian cells. The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) ORF57 protein binds and recruits the TREX component REF/Aly to viral mRNAs. Here, we demonstrate that REF/Aly is recruited to the KSHV noncoding polyadenylated nuclear (PAN) RNA by ORF57. This recruitment correlates with ORF57-mediated stabilization of PAN RNA, suggesting that REF/Aly promotes nuclear RNA stability. Further supporting this idea, tethering REF/Aly to PAN RNA is sufficient to increase the nuclear abundance and half-life of PAN RNA but is not sufficient to promote its export. Interestingly, REF/Aly appears to protect the poly(A) tail from deadenylation, and REF/Aly-stabilized transcripts are further adenylated over time, consistent with previous reports linking poly(A) tail length with nuclear RNA surveillance. These studies show that REF/Aly can stabilize nuclear RNAs independently of their export and support a broader conservation of RNA quality control mechanisms from yeast to humans.
Antigens, Immunogens, Vaccines, and Immunization

An infectious agent, whether a bacterium, fungus, virus or parasite contains a plethora of substances capable of inducing an immune response. These are called immunogens or antigens. Specifically, an immunogen is a substance capable of stimulating B cell, T cell, or both limbs of the immune response. An antigen is a substance that reacts with the products of an immune response stimulated by a specific immunogen, including both antibodies and/or T lymphocyte receptors. The “traditional” definition of antigen more correctly refers to an immunogen. A complete antigen is one that both induces an immune response and reacts with the products of it, whereas an incomplete antigen or hapten is unable to induce an immune response alone but is able to react with the products of it, e.g., antibodies. Haptens could be rendered immunogenic by covalently linking them to a carrier molecule.
A Nonparametric Treatment for Location/Segmentation Based Visual Tracking

In this paper, we address two closely related visual tracking problems: 1) localizing a target's position in low or moderate resolution videos and 2) segmenting a target's image support in moderate to high resolution videos. Both tasks are treated as an online binary classification problem using dynamic foreground/background appearance models. Our major contribution is a novel nonparametric approach that successfully maintains a temporally changing appearance model for both foreground and background. The appearance models are formulated as "bags of image patches" that approximate the true two-class appearance distributions. They are maintained using a temporal-adaptive importance resampling procedure that is based on simple nonparametric statistics of the appearance patch bags. The overall framework is independent of an specific foreground/background classification process and thus offers the freedom to use different classifiers. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach with extensive comparative experimental results on sequences from previous visual tracking and video matting work as well as our own data.
The Organizing Circumstance: Environmental Determinants in Self-Directed Learning:

This study reports a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with 78 self-directed learners with less than high school completion and who were currently engaged in a learning project. The analysis focused on how and why learners chose particular resources or made other decisions when early analysis failed to detect evidence of conscious pre-planning. Kurt Lewin's view, that to understand human behavior the proper area for study is the individual's life space of field, led the investigators in determining that the structure and direction of learning projects derive from the resources available and apparent to the learner in the environment. The concept of the Organizing Circumstance is formulated and four categories of environmental structuring of learning are identified.
Teacher Candidates' Perceptions of Barriers to Effective Transition Programming:

Knowledge, skills, and competencies in transition planning are essential components of preparation programs for special and general educators. This study investigated teacher preparation, implement...
Triple Junction Engineering: the Distribution of Triple Junctions in Polycrystalline Gold Thin Films

We have investigated compliance with the σ-product rule at triple junctions with a common [111] axis using computer simulations and in real thin films, using electron microscopy. Large discrepancies exist between the simulations, which assume randomly distributed misorientations, and the experiments. Although for both cases the rule fails at most triple junctions, the real material shows a much higher than expected occurrences of compliance. This result can be explained in two distinct ways: first, there might be a preference for triple junctions that obey the rule (implying a distinct influence of the triple junction itself). Alternatively, the misorientations in the real crystal might not be randomly distributed: if there is a preference for boundaries that have only small deviations from coincidence, there will be an increase in the compliance with the rule.
Flexibility and Stringency in Greenhouse Gas Regulations

The Clean Air Act provides the regulatory framework for climate policy in the United States. Emissions rate performance standards are the metric identified for regulation of the electricity sector, the most important source of emissions. Rates for existing sources could be averaged to achieve flexibility in compliance, although the stringency of policies is ambiguous when flexibility is introduced. For example, a specific emissions rate improvement averaged over a larger set of generators may reduce the actual emissions change. We evaluate three policy designs according to emissions rate, emissions and marginal cost and show how a marginal abatement cost criterion can be applied within a technology-based regulation. This approach can quadruple the emissions reductions that are achieved, with net social benefits exceeding $25 billion in 2020, and with a 1.3 % electricity price increase. Over half of the benefits stem from improvements in conventional air quality.
Abstract 238: Distinct Vascular Effects of Celecoxib and Rofecoxib in vivo

Randomized controlled trials of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 selective NSAIDs revealed that these drugs confer a cardiovascular hazard, resulting mainly from suppression of COX-2 derived prostacyclin (PGI2). Disruption of rodent COX-2-derived PGI2 in vascular cells and cardiomyocytes has recapitulated all elements of the cardiovascular hazard attributable to NSAIDs in humans. To investigate further the impact of COX-2 inhibition in the vasculature, we examined the effects of therapeutic concentrations of two selective COX-2 inhibitors, celecoxib and rofecoxib, on thrombosis and vascular injury. Furthermore, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to assess whether celecoxib and rofecoxib might elicit distinct genomic effects in mouse aorta. Celecoxib (100 mg/Kg) and rofecoxib (50 mg/Kg) caused a selective and equipotent COX-2 inhibition as indicated by measuring thromboxane (TXB-M, an in vivo index of COX-1 activity) and prostacyclin (PGI-M, an in vivo index of COX-2 activity) urinary metabolites by mass spectrometry....
John Rawls: Eurosceptic? European Integration as a Realistic Utopia

In a series of posthumously published letters with the Belgian political philosopher Philippe Van Parijs, John Rawls reveals himself to be something of a Eurosceptic. Interestingly, Rawls's Euroscepticism reflects a line of argument that was popular on the left in Britain in the 1970s and which re-emerged (albeit in a slightly different form) on the left in France at the time of the Constitutional Referendum in 2005: namely, that European integration works to the advantages of businessmen and disadvantages the least well off. This paper examines John Rawls's skeptical position on European political integration. The paper argues that despite Rawls's own skepticism, a case can be made that European Integration constitutes, what he could endorse as, a realistic utopia.
Coagulation Abnormalities Induced by β-Lactam Antibiotics in Cancer Patients

The records of 714 neutropenic cancer patients who were treated with high doses of a combination of beta-lactam antibiotics were analyzed. In 268 patients, coagulation parameters were measured at least once before, during, and after therapy. Alterations on the prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and thrombin time were found in those regimens containing a semisynthetic penicillin, cefamandole, and moxalactam. Mild and severe hemorrhage was observed in some patients receiving these regimens. After prophylactic administration of vitamin K to all patients treated with moxalactam, no further hemorrhage was noted. Alteration of the prothrombin time, with preservation of other parameters, was found in patients receiving antibiotic regimens containing semisynthetic penicillin and cefoxitin. No evidence of hemorrhage was found in this group of patients. In neutropenic cancer patients, the occurrence of another impairment in the clotting process, in addition to thrombocytopenia, greatly increases the risk of serious hemorrhage. Coagulation parameters must be routinely monitored when these patients receive antibiotics known to cause coagulation abnormalities.