cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of hypertonic (3%) saline/acetate infusion in the treatment of cerebral edema: Effect on intracranial pressure and lateral displacement of the brain.

Objective To determine the effect of continuous hypertonic (3%) saline/acetate infusion on intracranial pressure (ICP) and lateral displacement of the brain in patients with cerebral edema. Design Retrospective chart review. Settings Neurocritical care unit of a university hospital. Patients Twenty-seven consecutive patients with cerebral edema (30 episodes), including patients with head trauma (n = 8), postoperative edema (n = 5), nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage (n = 8), and cerebral infarction (n = 6). Intervention Intravenous infusion of 3% saline/acetate to increase serum sodium concentrations to 145 to 155 mmol/L. Measurements and main results A reduction in mean ICP within the first 12 hrs correlating with an increase in the serum sodium concentration was observed in patients with head trauma (r2 = .91, p = .03), and postoperative edema (r2 = .82, p = .06), but not in patients with nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage or cerebral infarction. In patients with head trauma, the beneficial effect of hypertonic saline on ICP was short-lasting, and after 72 hrs of infusion, four patients required intravenous pentobarbital due to poor ICP control. Among the 21 patients who had a repeat computed tomographic scan within 72 hrs of initiating hypertonic saline, lateral displacement of the brain was reduced in patients with head trauma (2.8 +/- 1.4 to 1.1 +/- 0.9 [SEM]) and in patients with postoperative edema (3.1 +/- 1.6 to 1.1 +/- 0.7). This effect was not observed in patients with nontraumatic intracranial bleeding or cerebral infarction. The treatment was terminated in three patients due to the development of pulmonary edema, and was terminated in another three patients due to development of diabetes insipidus. Conclusions Hypertonic saline administration as a 3% infusion appears to be a promising therapy for cerebral edema in patients with head trauma or postoperative edema. Further studies are required to determine the optimal duration of benefit and the specific patient population that is most likely to benefit from this treatment.
REACTIVE EOSINOPHILS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED IN VIVO

Top of pageAbstract Peripheral blood neutrophils (neutros) and eosinophils (eos) were isolated from patients with visceral larval migrans and hypersensitivity reactions during the acute phase of illness, after full recovery, and from normal donors. Reactive eos were found at a wide range of densities (1.080-1.011) on metrizamide gradients. Normal eos were more homogeneous and denser (1.010-1.011) than neutros (1.080-1.090). The kinetics of O2- production after PMA stimulation, and peroxidase activity of disrupted cells were measured. Reactive eos of high density (HD, 1.011) and low density (LD, 1.080) were compared to normal HD eos. 1. The activation time (1 min) and initial rate (7-14 nmol/min/ 106 cells) of O2- production by normal eos and neutros were equivalent to each other and to reactive HD and LD eos. 2. The duration of O2- production by LD eos was 120-180 min, compared to 16-20 min by HD eos and by neutros. 3. Total O2- production by LD eos was 2-3 times that by HD eos. 4. LD eos contained 42 to 68% of the peroxidase of HD eos. 5. Resolution of eosinophilia in patients was accompanied by disappearance of LD eos and return of high total O2- production and low peroxidase levels to normal. Reactive LD eos have lower granule enzyme content than HD eos, and have prolongation of the respiratory burst. These metabolic changes may reflect partial degranulation occurring with activation in vivo. The prolonged respiratory burst may contribute to the greater cytotoxicity of reactive eos in helminthic infections.
Continuing education mitigates the negative consequences of adolescent childbearing.

Beginning childbearing during adolescence is consistently linked with negative outcomes for both children and parents. Many have attributed this association to maternal background characteristics which are often difficult to change through policy. Though maternal educational attainment is often a side effect of adolescent childbearing, it also represents a potential avenue through which we can help young mothers overcome the obstacles associated with an early birth. The data for this study come from the 1997 Child Development Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a nationally representative sample of mothers and their children (N = 3,193). Data are used to explore the cognitive stimulation and emotional support in the home, measured using the HOME Scale (Caldwell and Bradley in Home observation for measurement of the environment. University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, 1984). OLS regression models how maternal education moderates the association between age at first birth and quality of children’s home environment. Adolescent mothers scored significantly lower on the indicator of home environment than older mothers. However, when continuing education was considered, maternal age at first birth was no longer significantly associated with the home environment. The negative consequences of early births were mediated by adolescent mothers’ continuing education efforts. While interventions are needed to reduce adolescent childbearing, these results highlight the need to ensure that adolescent mothers are provided support to continue their education following delivery. The negative consequences of adolescent births are not inevitable. Encouraging school retention may help young mothers form a safe, healthy, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate home environment.
Mechanism of ether formation from alcohols over alumina catalyst

Abstract The kinetics of vapor-phase dehydration of methanol and ethanol over alumina catalyst has been explained by proposing a reaction mechanism wherein the surface reaction between an adsorbed ROH molecule on an acidic site and an adsorbed alkoxide anion on a basic site is assumed to be the rate-controlling step.
The electrostatic character of the ribosomal surface enables extraordinarily rapid target location by ribotoxins.

The electrostatic character of the ribosomal surface enables extraordinarily rapid target location by ribotoxins
A New Model of Incremental Decision Making for Resource Acquisition by Electric Utilities

Uncertainty is a major issue facing electric utilities in planning and decision making. Substantial uncertainties exist concerning future load growth; the lifetimes and performances of existing power plants; the construction times, costs, and performances of new resources being brought online; and the regulatory and economic environment in which utilities operate. This report describes a utility planning model that focuses on frequent and incremental decisions. The key features of this model are its explicit treatment of uncertainty, frequent user interaction with the model, and the ability to change prior decisions. The primary strength of this model is its representation of the planning and decision-making environment that utility planners and executives face. Users interact with the model after every year or two of simulation, which provides an opportunity to modify past decisions as well as to make new decisions. For example, construction of a power plant can be started one year, and if circumstances change, the plant can be accelerated, mothballed, canceled, or continued as originally planned. Similarly, the marketing and financial incentives for demand-side management programs can be changed from year to year, reflecting the short lead time and small unit size of these resources. This frequent user interaction with themore » model, an operational game, should build greater understanding and insights among utility planners about the risks associated with different types of resources. The model is called DIAMOND, Decision Impact Assessment Model. In consists of four submodels: FUTURES, FORECAST, SIMULATION, and DECISION. It runs on any IBM-compatible PC and requires no special software or hardware. 19 refs., 13 figs., 15 tabs.« less
The N-Terminal Domain of the Murine Coronavirus Spike Glycoprotein Determines the CEACAM1 Receptor Specificity of the Virus Strain

Using isogenic recombinant murine coronaviruses expressing wild-type murine hepatitis virus strain 4 (MHV-4) or MHV-A59 spike glycoproteins or chimeric MHV-4/MHV-A59 spike glycoproteins, we have demonstrated the biological functionality of the N-terminus of the spike, encompassing the receptor binding domain (RBD). We have used two assays, one an in vitro liposome binding assay and the other a tissue culture replication assay. The liposome binding assay shows that interaction of the receptor with spikes on virions at 37°C causes a conformational change that makes the virions hydrophobic so that they bind to liposomes (B. D. Zelus, J. H. Schickli, D. M. Blau, S. R. Weiss, and K. V. Holmes, J. Virol. 77: 830-840, 2003). Recombinant viruses with spikes containing the RBD of either MHV-A59 or MHV-4 readily associated with liposomes at 37°C in the presence of soluble mCEACAM1 a , except for S 4 R, which expresses the entire wild-type MHV-4 spike and associated only inefficiently with liposomes following incubation with soluble mCEACAM1 a . In contrast, soluble mCEACAM1 b allowed viruses with the MHV-A59 RBD to associate with liposomes more efficiently than did viruses with the MHV-4 RBD. In the second assay, which requires virus entry and replication, all recombinant viruses replicated efficiently in BHK cells expressing mCEACAM1 a . In BHK cells expressing mCEACAM1 b , only viruses expressing chimeric spikes with the MHV-A59 RBD could replicate, while replication of viruses expressing chimeric spikes with the MHV-4 RBD was undetectable. Despite having the MHV-4 RBD, S 4 R replicated in BHK cells expressing mCEACAM1 b ; this is most probably due to spread via CEACAM1 receptor-independent cell-to-cell fusion, an activity displayed only by S 4 R among the recombinant viruses studied here. These data suggest that the RBD domain and the rest of the spike must coevolve to optimize function in viral entry and spread.
Asthma as a risk factor for incident stroke in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Purpose Previous studies found that history of asthma is associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease in women but not in men. We hypothesized that a history of asthma is also associated with a higher risk of stroke in women. Methods Subjects enrolled in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, without history of stroke or coronary heart disease at baseline, were classified according to self reported asthma history and age of onset as ever having asthma and ever having either adult onset (onset age ≥21) or childhood onset asthma (onset age Results White blood cell and eosinophil counts were significantly higher in both asthmatic men and asthmatic women compared with their non-asthmatic counterparts. Significantly higher fibrinogen, Factor VIII, Von Willebrand factor, BMI, pack-years of smoking, hypertension, diabetes and a lower level of leisure time physical activity were detected among asthmatic women compared to non-asthmatic women but not among asthmatic men. The crude rate of stroke among women with any history of asthma was 2.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45 to 3.49) times that of nonasthmatic women. The rate of stroke was increased three-fold in women with adult-onset asthma compared to nonasthmatic women (IDR: 3.07, 95%CI 1.86 to 5.07), while childhood-onset asthma had a weaker and nonsignificant effect (HR: 1.39, 95%CI, 0.62 to 3.14). Men did not experience an increased rate of stroke due to any type of asthma. These associations remained after adjustment for traditional stroke risk factors, physical activity, lung function, and asthma medication use. Conclusion Asthma, particularly adult-onset asthma, is a strong independent risk factor for stroke in women but not in men. Because asthma is a common disease and prevalence is increasing in the United States, it may represent an important emerging risk factor for stroke.
Influence of Wood, Paper, and Plastic Nesting Units on Efficacy of Three Candidate Fungicides for Control of Chalk brood in the Alfalfa Leaf cutting Bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Field trials were conducted for three fungicides (Captan, Botran, and Carbendazim) to determine their influence on chalk brood of the alfalfa leaf cutting bee, Megachile rotundata (F.) in paper, wood, and plastic nesting units. Captan reduced disease incidence significantly in bee nests in both wood and plastic; Carbendazim had no effect; and Botran repelled adults. Bees preferred to nest in plastic units, and percentage of cells infected with chalk brood was higher in plastic. Numbers of cells per nest and disease incidence were related; as nest size increased, percentage of chalk brood increased in both wood and plastic nest units. Percentage of live larvae was related to nest size in wood units, but not in plastic units. When bees were given a choice, paper nesting units were unattractive.
Wind Direction and Equilibrium Mixed Layer Depth in the Tropical Pacific Ocean

Abstract The normal equilibrium state of the tropical Pacific mixed layer is explained by the steady state solution for the maximum vertical penetration of oceanic turbulence generated by local atmospheric forcing. The previously overlooked interaction between planetary rotation and the zonal wind stress is believed to increase the vertical turbulent kinetic energy, causing the deep mixed layer in the central and western equatorial Pacific Ocean. The unique conditions of the tropical Pacific provide a test for a revision to the basic equilibrium theory for turbulent mixing in stable oceanic planetary boundary layers.
A method for the morphological identification of contractile filaments in single cells

Abstract A simple negative staining procedure has been developed for the demonstration of actin filaments and myosin aggregates in single giant amoeba ( Chaos carolinensis ) that is applicable to other single cells. Cytoplasm is first isolated in physiological solutions in which contractility and state of association of contractile proteins can be controlled. Cytoplasm isolated in low calcium, low ATP concentration solutions contains actin associated with myosin aggregates sometimes forming light-microscopically visible fibrils. When exogenous ATP is added to these preparations, actin filaments and myosin aggregates are seen separately.
Cation radicals. XXVIII. Isolation and some reactions of dibenzodioxin cation radical perchlorate

Preparation and isolation of dibenzodioxin cation radical perchlorate (2) by oxidation of dibenzodioxin in ethyl acetate-lithium perchlorate at a platinum anode has been achieved. Reasonably pure 2 in amounts of 150–200 mg. were obtained reliably and reproducibly. Reaction of 2 with both nitrite and nitrate ions gave 2-nitrodibenzodioxin (3). Reaction of 2 with pyridine gave N-(2-dibenzodioxinyl)pyridinium perchlorate (4). Reaction with water gave, as anticipated, the stoichiometric amount of dibenzodioxin. Reaction with ammonia, propylamine, t-butylamine, and cyanide ion also gave dibenzodioxin with no evidence that nucleophilic substitution had occurred. It is believed that the formation of 3 and 4 represent the first examples of nucleophilic substitution into dibenzodioxin via its cation radical.
Sirolimus therapy predisposes to new-onset diabetes mellitus after renal transplantation: a long-term analysis of various treatment regimens.

Abstract Purpose This retrospective analysis evaluated the impacts of sirolimus (SRL), cyclosporine (CsA), and steroids (S) on the occurrence, treatment, and complications of new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT). Methods We compared 4 groups: group 1, SRL plus full-exposure CsA/S (n = 118); group 2, full-exposure CsA/S/no SRL ± antiproliferative drug (n = 141); group 3, SRL plus reduced CsA exposure/S (n = 212); and group 4, no SRL/full-exposure CsA/S ± antiproliferative drug (n = 43). Results NODAT rates reflected the level of CsA exposure; at 10 years 54% versus 30% for groups 1 versus 2 ( P = .0001); at 5 years 30% versus 21% for Groups 3 versus 4 ( P = .3); 81% of cases were detected within 1 year. The lower NODAT rate in group 3 reflected a benefit of reduced CsA exposure ( P = .02; hazard ratio (HR), 1.006). Group 1 showed higher CsA ( P = .0001) and lower SRL concentrations ( P = .016) versus group 3. CsA exposure closely correlating with NODAT among group 1 ( P = .0001) was the major difference between groups 1 and 3 ( P = .04; HR, 0.97). Differences in steroid treatment did not play a significant role in NODAT. Comparing groups 1 and 2, SRL was an independent risk factor for NODAT ( P = .004; HR, 3.5). Conclusions Our 10-year experience revealed SRL to be an etiologic agent for NODAT, displaying interactive, possibly pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic effects with concomitant CsA in combination treatment.
A note on robust stabilization for systems with parameters

We consider the problem of stabilizing a linear time invariant multivariable system whose transfer function admits a factorization which contains parametric type uncertainties. The parameters are known to take values in some region Ωa. We first give a sufficient condition for robust stability when a proper feedback compensator is used. Here it is important to note that no assumption is made about the number of unstable plant poles. Following this we focus attention on how to compute an appropriate robustly stabilizing compensator. This is done in a two step procedure. Initially the solutions of a Diophantine equation generate a class of proper compensators, each of which stabilizes the ‘nominal’ closed loop system. This is followed by a Nyquist Theorem inspired minimization which yields the final choice. An illustrative physical example is given. The compensator thus constructed guarantees stability over Ωu. A discussion about how to compute the size of the attainable robust stability region Ωu is also included.
Control of Apple Maggot Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) with Pesticide-Treated Red Spheres

The effectiveness of baited pesticide-treated red spheres in controlling Rhagoletis Pomonella (Walsh) flies was studied under both field-cage and field (orchard) conditions. Spheres (8-cm diameter) were treated with a mixture containing dimethoate, feeding stimulant, and residue-extending agent. Under field-cage conditions, where potted apple trees containing ‘Gravenstein’ apples were placed Singly inside field cages, a baited fresh pesticide-treated sphere was as effective as a baited fresh sticky sphere in killing released flies as well as reducing oviposition. A pesticide-treated sphere hung in a fruiting tree was as attractive to wild R. pomonella flies as a sticky sphere. Field studies conducted in four commercial orchards showed variation in the efficacy of baited pesticide-treated spheres in controlling R. pomonella . In one orchard with ‘Gravenstein’ apple trees, a commercial level of control <0.5% fruit damage) was not achieved using either baited dimethoate-treated spheres (2.5% fruit damage) or baited sticky spheres (4.0% fruit damage). In three other orchards with ‘Liberty’ (and some ‘McIntosh’) trees, nearly acceptable commercial-level control was achieved using either baited pesticide-treated spheres (1.0% fruit damage) or two foliar applications of azinphosmethyl (0.8% fruit damage).
Strategic maneuvering through shifting ideographs in political discourse: A rhetorical analysis of Silvio Berlusconi’s first Liberation Day speech

Politicians often need to appeal to a composite audience characterized by heterogeneous values and beliefs. In order to do so, they turn to techniques of ambiguity that make their positions seem broadly applicable. This essay is an analysis of the rhetorical strategy employed by Silvio Berlusconi in his first Liberation Day speech, which illustrates an example of strategic maneuvering through shifting ideographs in political discourse, a rhetor’s persuasion technique that succeeded in manufacturing consent across an ideologically polarized audience.Strategically shifting ideographs by replacing with , Berlusconi successfully crafted a speech that was received favorably by most of the nation’s political forces. The center-left coalition interpreted the speech positively, describing it as a welcome and unexpected display of bipartisanship because of Berlusconi’s endorsement of the values of the Resistance; the center-right also praised Berlusconi’s speech because they saw it as a historical and partisan revision of Liberation; finally, only the radical extra-parliamentary left harshly critiqued it for what they saw as Berlusconi’s cynical efforts to exploit the celebration.
Type I and II Bragg gratings made with infrared femtosecond radiation in high and low alumina content aluminosilicate optical fibers

Aluminosilicate fibers have very low Brillouin scattering gain coefficients, making them interesting fibers for nonlinear optical applications. We manufactured Bragg gratings in high (30 mol.%) and low (4 mol.%) alumina content optical fiber using 800 nm femtosecond pulse duration radiation and a phase mask. Grating spectral characteristics and thermal behavior are presented. Index modulations >10−3 were generated for fundamental pitched Bragg gratings, and >10−4 for higher-order gratings. Gratings were annealed at temperatures up to 900°C. Type II gratings written in fibers with lower alumina content showed better thermal stability than gratings written in fibers with higher alumina content. Bragg gratings in these fibers would be well suited as laser cavity mirrors in high-energy laser systems, as well as in telecommunication and sensor systems where Brillouin scattering restricts power scaling.
Thapsigargin binds to and inhibits the cloned vanilloid receptor-1.

We investigated the effect of thapsigargin, a well-known sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor, on the non-specific Ca2+ channel vanilloid receptor-1 (VR1) in CHO-VR1 cells. We found that thapsigargin inhibited the VR-1 mediated (45)Ca2+ uptake of CHO-VR1 cells (IC50=6.4+/-1.9 microM) and the [3H]RTX binding to VR1 (IC50=4.0+/-1.3 microM). Further analysis revealed that thapsigargin is a mixed-type inhibitor, suggesting both direct and indirect interactions between thapsigargin and the capsaicin binding site of VR1. Thapsigargin alone transiently elevated the [Ca2+]i in CHO-VR1 cells (EC50=44 nM). However, 45Ca2+ uptake was not detected after thapsigargin treatment, indicating that the emptying of the thapsigargin sensitive intracellular pools of Ca2+ was responsible for the elevated [Ca2+]i level rather than the activation of VR-1. We conclude that thapsigargin represents a new prototype of a VR1 inhibitor and that caution should be exercised in interpreting the effects of thapsigargin, especially when it is used in the micromolar range to inhibit SERCA activity.
Plasticity of the Rufous-winged Sparrow, Aimophila carpalis, song control regions during the monsoon-associated summer breeding period

In most temperate zone songbirds, exposure to increasing photoperiod in the spring stimulates the reproductive system and induces reproductive behaviors. Additionally, the brain regions that control singing (song control regions; SCRs) are larger during the breeding season, thus paralleling changes in the activity of the reproductive system. However, in some birds, environmental factors other than photoperiod initiate breeding. For example, free-living male Rufous-winged Sparrows develop their testes in March due to increasing photoperiod, but have relatively low plasma T until after they begin to breed, usually in July, during the monsoon period when day length is declining. We tested the hypothesis that SCRs grow and singing behavior increases after the monsoon rains begin. We captured adult male Rufous-winged Sparrows in July 2002, 7 days before and 20 days after the monsoon rains began, euthanized birds in the field, collected their brains, and measured SCR volumes from sections immunostained for the neuronal marker NeuN. In June and July 2006, we measured song rates in the field before and after the monsoon rains. SCR volumes were larger and singing behavior increased after the onset of the monsoon rains, coinciding with the initiation of breeding. Unlike in other species studied so far, SCR volumes grew as day length was decreasing. Comparative studies utilizing species that do not breed when day length is increasing may provide information on the relative contributions of various environmental factors to SCR neuroplasticity.
David's Play: Fertility Rituals and the Glory of God in 2 Samuel 6

This article proposes that in 2 Samuel 6 we find a utopian representation of David as a king who debases his own glory and rejects Michal’s perspective in which royal glory mirrors divine glory and where both are supposed to remain invisible. The narrative of David’s dance and self-display can be illuminated against the background of pan-Mediterranean rituals, widely attested in the Greek cultural sphere, involving dance, genital self-display, and mocking speech designed to elicit laughter. David is represented as ‘carnivalizing’, to use Bakhtin’s term, the religious ideology of royal phallic power as the embodiment of divine glory that these rituals supported. Constructing an ideal image of David entering Jerusalem, the narrative is ironically reversed with the cursing of David as he leaves Jerusalem by Shimi in 2 Samuel 16.
Peripheral inflammation increases phosphoinositide activity in the rat dorsal horn.

Abstract Persistent pain leads to changes in the spinal cord that contribute to hyperalgesia and allodynia. The effort to characterize these changes has focused on neurotransmitters and receptors, while relatively little is known about pain-associated modulation of second-messenger responses. Nearly all neurotransmitters can activate the phosphoinositide (PI) second-messenger system which has been investigated using a method that localizes membrane-bound [3H]CDP–diacylglycerol (DAG) produced from the precursor [3H]cytidine [Science 249 (1990) 802]. The present study applied this method in spinal cord slices from rats injected with complete Freund's adjuvant in one hindpaw and from uninflamed control rats. Two days after the injection, slices were removed and maintained in vitro for pharmacological testing. Some slices were exposed to the acetylcholine agonist carbachol which is antinociceptive in the spinal cord. Inflammation resulted in increased baseline, unstimulated [3H]CDP–DAG accumulation, especially in superficial dorsal horn layers, as well as enhanced carbachol-stimulated labeling. These results suggest that persistent pain leads to neurochemical changes within the spinal cord that could potentially enhance responses to a spectrum of pain-modulating transmitters.
Exhibitions of holographic artwork: care and planning

ABSTRACTCareful planning for holographic artwork exhibitions, particularly when dealing with international artists, creates not only a collection of the type of work desired but also enhances a necessarily practical budget for value received. Investigative work on the part of the planner can save a great deal of money in shipping and handlingalone, the major unseen and non-educational expenses of any artistic exhibition.2. INTRODUCTION Planning for an exhibition of holographic art should begin no less than three years in advance of the scheduled activity. At this time, all efforts should be made to obtain funding for the anticipated budgeted expenses: exhibition facility and renovation, staff, lights, insurance, and shipping and handling. It is at the two-year mark that announcements should be going to all known artists in the region involved.That announcement should be explicit in the type of holographic art which will be considered for the proposedexhibition, e.g., classic holograms, holograms completed within a specified time period of one or two years, orother categories perhaps desired such as creative or documentary. This is necessary not only to give the artistan opportunity to begin working on or perhaps complete a special artpiece or series of artpieces for thatforthcoming exhibition, but also to put the research laboratory on line to set a deadline to press on for the
It takes a team

"It takes a village to raise a child" is a popular and often quoted saying these days that has been the touchstone of numerous social projects. Based on my experience this fall and based on what I see happening in the engineering world, I suggest that we can revise the concept to be ?It Takes a Team.? It?s easy to talk about teams and teamwork but it?s another matter to recognize and adapt to the reality that most of what we do depends on the support and influence of other team members. In this issue are several articles that emphasize aspects of teamwork and collaboration.
Adoptive transfer murine model of granulomatous experimental autoimmune thyroiditis

Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that can be induced in genetically susceptible animals by immunization with mouse thyroglobulin (MTg) in an appropriate adjuvant or by the adoptive transfer of MTg-sensitized donor spleen cells, activated in vitro with MTg, into naive recipients. In the adoptive transfer model used in our laboratory, donor cells activated with MTg alone induce a relatively mild chronic lymphocytic form of EAT (L-EAT), in which the thyroid infiltrate consists primarily of mononuclear cells, and the thyroid inflammation persists for several months. When the same donor cells are activated with MTg together with anti-IL-2R and/or IL-12, a more severe and histologically distinct granulomatous form of EAT is induced in recipient mice. In addition to having distinct histopathologic features, granulomatous EAT (G-EAT) differs from L-EAT in that granulomatous thyroid lesions are not chronic. After reaching maximal severity 21 days after cell transfer, G-EAT thyroid lesions either resolve or the thyroids become atrophic and fibrotic by day 35. In this review, the histopathologic features of G-EAT and L-EAT are described, and our studies with the adoptive transfer G-EAT model which have focused on the mechanisms involved in induction of G-EAT in mice, and the evolution of G-EAT lesions to resolution of inflammation or fibrosis, are reviewed.
Politics and the virtual event: An overview of the Hill‐Thomas hearings

The article characterizes the hearings conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee in October 1991 relative to Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas as a virtual event. That is, the event was a highly dramatic encounter arising unexpectedly that possessed the human qualities needed to attract media attention but that effected no immediate, statutory changes in the polity. The article isolates four characteristics of the virtual event—generic density, hermeneutic density, textual density, and psychological density—and traces these features to the quite postmodern assumptions that television now brings to the political sphere.
A Theory that Connects Proton-Coupled Electron-Transfer and Hydrogen-Atom Transfer Reactions†

A theory for proton-coupled electron-transfer (PCET) reactions (Cukier, R. I.; Nocera, D. Ann. Rev. Phys. Chem. 1998, 49, 337) is generalized to also apply to hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT) reactions...
Proteolysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase H1 in E coli.

Abstract Expression of S cerevisiae RNase H1 in E coli leads to the formation of a proteolytic product with a molecular mass of 30 kDa that is derived from the 39-kDa full length protein. The 30-kDa form retains RNase H1 activity, as determined by renaturation gel assay. The amount of proteolysis observed depends on the procedure used in preparing the cell extracts for protein analysis. The cleavage site on the amino acid sequence of the 39-kDa RNase H1 was determined by N-terminal sequence analysis of the 30-kDa proteolytic form. The cut occurs between two arginines located at the amino terminus region of the protein. The pattern of proteolysis was examined for both the wild-type RNase H1 and a mutant RNase H1 that was constructed in this work. In the mutant the second arginine of the cleavage site was changed to a lysine. Comparisons of the expression of the wild-type and altered protein in two different E coli strains demonstrate that the protease responsible for the degradation has a specificity very similar to that of the OmpT protease. However, the proteolysis observed in an OmpT background in extracts, prepared by boiling the cells in SDS containing buffer. indicates that the protease may, unlike OH108
Synthesis of a nanophase, whisker-reinforced, ceramic/metal composite by electrochemical infiltration

A novel, nanophase metal-matrix composite sheet material has been synthesized. Nickel was infiltrated by electrodeposition into a “wool-like” mat of SiC whiskers that had been grown by chemical vapour deposition. Infiltration of nickel by d.c. plating, pulse plating, and the effects of a tin-palladium surface treatment of the SiC whiskers were evaluated. Pulse plating combined with the Sn-Pd treatment were effective in minimizing porosity. Compared to values for the unreinforced electrodeposited nickel, the hardness could be almost quadrupled and the wear rate decreased to approximately one sixth in a composite with ≈30 vol % whiskers.
Contracting Efficiency and New Firm Survival in Markets Enabled by Information Technology

Application service providers (ASP), who host and maintain information technology (IT) applications across the Internet, emerged as an innovation in the way IT services are delivered to client firms. In spite of many potential benefits of this model, ASPs experienced business failure and high rates of exit. Drawing on agency theory, we argue that the efficiency of contracting arrangements between ASPs and client organizations is an important determinant of ASP survival. We test this prediction using a unique data set combining multiple sources that allows us to track an ASP from the year of founding through the beginning of 2006. Contractual misalignment, or adopting contracts mismatched with the underlying agency costs, significantly lowers the probability of survival of service providers in the ASP marketplace. The impact of misalignment is particularly severe when coupled with adjustment costs that impede the transition to aligned contracts. To account for potential heterogeneity in ASPs' knowledge of contracting, we test for endogenous self-selection of ASPs in the relationship between contractual misalignment and survival. Our results are robust to a variety of model specifications as well as alternate explanations of survival from multiple theoretical domains.
Predicting lymph node output efficiency using systems biology

Dendritic cells (DCs) capture pathogens and foreign antigen (Ag) in peripheral tissues and migrate to secondary lymphoid tissues, such as lymph nodes (LNs), where they present processed Ag as MHC-bound peptide (pMHC) to naive T cells. Interactions between DCs and T cells result, over periods of hours, in activation, clonal expansion and differentiation of antigen-specific T cells, leading to primed cells that can now participate in immune responses. Two-photon microscopy (2PM) has been widely adopted to analyze lymphocyte dynamics and can serve as a powerful in vivo assay for cell trafficking and activation over short length and time scales. Linking biological phenomena between vastly different spatiotemporal scales can be achieved using a systems biology approach. We developed a 3D agent-based cellular model of a LN that allows for the simultaneous in silico simulation of T cell trafficking, activation and production of effector cells under different antigen (Ag) conditions. The model anatomy is based on in situ analysis of LN sections (from primates and mice) and cell dynamics based on quantitative measurements from 2PM imaging of mice. Our simulations make three important predictions. First, T cell encounters by DCs and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire scanning are more efficient in a 3D model compared with 2D, suggesting that a 3D model is needed to analyze LN function. Second, LNs are able to produce primed CD4+T cells at the same efficiency over broad ranges of cognate frequencies (from 10−5 to 10−2). Third, reducing the time that naive T cells are required to bind DCs before becoming activated will increase the rate at which effector cells are produced. This 3D model provides a robust platform to study how T cell trafficking and activation dynamics relate to the efficiency of T cell priming and clonal expansion. We envision that this systems biology approach will provide novel insights for guiding vaccine development and understanding immune responses to infection.
Double-Outlet Right Ventricle with Intact Interventricular Septum

This case is one of a 3-month-old infant showing complete transposition of the aorta, with both great vessels arising from the right ventricle. Of particular interest was the absence of a patent interventricular septum. A single but quite inadequate opening in the interatrial septum was the only visible means by which oxygenated blood from the lungs could reach the systemic circulation. No identical case has been found in the literature.
Two-stage k-sample designs for the ordered alternative problem

In preclinical studies and clinical dose-ranging trials, the Jonckheere–Terpstra test is widely used in the assessment of dose–response relationships. Hewett and Spurrier (1979) presented a two-stage analog of the test in the context of large sample sizes. In this paper, we propose an exact test based on Simon's minimax and optimal design criteria originally used in one-arm phase II designs based on binary endpoints. The convergence rate of the joint distribution of the first and second stage test statistics to the limiting distribution is studied, and design parameters are provided for a variety of assumed alternatives. The behavior of the test is also examined in the presence of ties, and the proposed designs are illustrated through application in the planning of a hypercholesterolemia clinical trial. The minimax and optimal two-stage procedures are shown to be preferable as compared with the one-stage procedure because of the associated reduction in expected sample size for given error constraints. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Counseling frequency and the effectiveness of outpatient drug treatment: revisiting the conclusion that "more is better.".

Replicating and extending previous research, findings from a prospective investigation of outpatient drug treatment (n = 356) indicate that higher frequency of participation in group counseling dur...
Protein-Protein Docking with Dynamic Residue Protonation States

Protein-protein interactions depend on a host of environmental factors. Local pH conditions influence the interactions through the protonation states of the ionizable residues that can change upon binding. In this work, we present a pH-sensitive docking approach, pHDock, that can sample side-chain protonation states of five ionizable residues (Asp, Glu, His, Tyr, Lys) on-the-fly during the docking simulation. pHDock produces successful local docking funnels in approximately half (79/161) the protein complexes, including 19 cases where standard RosettaDock fails. pHDock also performs better than the two control cases comprising docking at pH 7.0 or using fixed, predetermined protonation states. On average, the top-ranked pHDock structures have lower interface RMSDs and recover more native interface residue-residue contacts and hydrogen bonds compared to RosettaDock. Addition of backbone flexibility using a computationally-generated conformational ensemble further improves native contact and hydrogen bond recovery in the top-ranked structures. Although pHDock is designed to improve docking, it also successfully predicts a large pH-dependent binding affinity change in the Fc-FcRn complex, suggesting that it can be exploited to improve affinity predictions. The approaches in the study contribute to the goal of structural simulations of whole-cell protein-protein interactions including all the environmental factors, and they can be further expanded for pH-sensitive protein design.
ASEAN Counterterrorism Cooperation Since 9/11

This article examines ASEAN9s intramural counterterrorism cooperation from 9/11 through the Bali bombing of October 2002 and its effects on ASEAN9s cohesion and the norm of non-intervention in members9 domestic affairs. While the Bali bombing appeared to unify threat perceptions, domestic imperatives have significantly hindered substantive multilateral counterterrorism efforts.
Glass forming ability for binary alloys systems by modified T-C map in relation to phase diagram

Abstract In order to make a more accurate prediction for glass forming ability (GFA) of alloy systems, the temperature-composition map was further modified by considering kinetic aspects of solidification. Glass forming ability as well as compositional range (GFCR) for Cu, Ag and Au rich binary alloys were studied using the modified model. All predictions are in good agreement with experimental observations. It is shown that GFA of eutectics depends on the local morphology of the liquidus curve and the melting points of the baase phases involved.
Rumpling of Platinum Modified Aluminide Coatings during Thermomechanical Testing

The evolution in surface morphology of platinum modified nickel aluminide (Ni,Pt)Al oxidation coatings during thermo-mechanical testing has been evaluated. One type of test consisted of cyclic oxidation between an upper temperature of 1150°C and a lower temperature varying from room temperature to 1050°C. The other type of test was cycling between 1000°C/1150°C under an applied compressive stress. Profilometry using optical interferometry was used to quantify the surface “rumpling”. First and second-order statistical parameters including RMS roughness and the auto-correlation function were calculated from the profilometry measurements. The results indicate that the grain structure of the aluminide coating plays a major role in the early stages of rumpling and set its wavelength. Also, the superimposed compressive stress during thermal cycling leads to an asymmetry in the rumpling pattern with respect with the loading axis as well as cracking along the applied stress direction.
Unofficial Histories: A Vision of Anthropology from the Margins

Initially given as the Presidential Address at the 100th Meeting of the AAA, this article examines the contributions women and minority anthropologists who have struggled to gain a place at the center of the discipline. Despite 25 years of scholarship on women and minorities, anthropology needs to go further in terms of paying attention to their pioneering efforts and the breadth of their scholarship. The article explores four currently important areas of creativity: (1) the transformation of field research through problem-oriented participant observation and “native anthropology,” as exemplified by George Hunt, the young Margaret Mead, Delmos Jones; (2) the evolution of more dialogical forms of ethnographic writing, as pursued by Elsie Clews Parsons, Gladys Reichard, Ella Deloria, and Zora Neale Hurston; (3) sources of critique, as embodied in the work of Ruth Benedict and Michelle Rosaldo; (4) forms of activism, engaged in by Anita McGee, Benedict, Mead, and Alfonzo Ortiz.
Blockade of lipopolysaccharide-induced fever by a μ-opioid receptor-selective antagonist in rats

The endogenous opioid system has been found to be involved in fever caused by pyrogens. In the present study, we have investigated the role of the mu-opioid receptor in the brain in fever induced by lipopolysaccharide. Rats were microinjected with 1 microg of the mu-opioid receptor-selective antagonist, cyclic D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH(2) (CTAP), into the preoptic anterior hypothalamus. Thirty minutes later, lipopolysaccharide (50 microg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.). CTAP reduced by 1 degrees C the fever induced by lipopolysaccharide. However, it did not affect lipopolysaccharide fever when it was given 3 h after lipopolysaccharide injection. These data indicate that mu-opioid receptors within the preoptic anterior hypothalamus mediate the initiation of lipopolysaccharide fever and suggest that the opioid system is involved in the pathogenesis of fever in rats.
The impact of materials selection and geometry on multi-functional bilayer micro-sensors and actuators

This paper details the impact of thermomechanical properties on the multi-functional performance of sensors and actuators composed of two different layers: temperature sensors, pressure/force sensors, chemo-mechanical sensors, electrostatic actuators, etc. The models quantify the coupling between physical inputs and deformation of freestanding structures, such as bending of cantilevers and buckling of bilayers. A comparison of material systems based on emerging polymeric microfabrication techniques illustrates that significant increase in sensitivity can be achieved by combining polymeric structures with either micro-patterned metal or conductive polymer electrodes. Moreover, the use of compliant materials enables new types of devices designed to exploit buckling phenomena. Results are included for the post-buckling displacements of bilayers subjected to non-uniform temperature changes, surface stress and swelling-induced strains. Microfabrication targets for soft materials (notably film thickness to span ratios) are identified which will greatly advance the state-of-the-art.
Fabrication of pH‐ or temperature‐responsive single wall carbon nanotubes via a graft from photopolymerization

An ultraviolet light initiated “graft from” polymerization method to fabricate polymer-functionalized single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with pendant pH- and temperature-responsive polymer chains is utilized. The attached polymer chains, formed from methacrylic acid and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate monomers, are well established for its pH-responsive swelling/deswelling behavior. This special property was utilized here to control the aqueous dispersibility of the carbon nanotubes. Furthermore, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), a temperature-responsive polymer, was utilized in the fabrication of SWNTs whose dispersibility was dependent on solution temperature. The morphology of the polymer-functionalized carbon nanotubes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after functionalization. Environmental SEM was used to further characterize the morphology of the functionalized SWNTs. In addition, covalent bonding of the polymer to the carbon nanotube surface was established using Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic techniques. The physical and chemical properties of the functionalized nanotubes were further characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 2980–2986, 2012
Bridging sulfur substitutions in the analysis of pre-mRNA splicing.

Abstract Accurate excision of intervening sequences (introns) from messenger RNA precursors is accomplished by a very large and complicated ribonucleoprotein complex called the spliceosome. Elucidating the mechanisms of the two phosphotransesterification reactions that result in intron removal is important for our understanding of the molecular evolution of early genetic systems, as well as our knowledge of contemporary eukaryotic gene expression. The functional consequences of systematic alterations in the reactive groups can be invaluable for understanding catalytic mechanisms, especially for enzymes, such as the spliceosome, whose size and complexity place them beyond the reach of crystallographic and spectroscopic analysis. One type of modification that can be incorporated into a scissile phosphate linkage is the phosphorothiolate, in which a bridging phosphate oxygen is substituted with sulfur. Phosphorothiolate substitutions can be used to detect metal ion–ligand interactions by a “metal specificity switch” strategy. I review recent advances in the synthesis, incorporation, and manipulation of nucleoside phosphorothiolates (with an emphasis on 3′- S -phosphorothiolates), and describe their utility in the study of pre-mRNA splicing.