cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NERVE GROWTH FACTOR, VESSEL INNERVATION AND HYPERTENSIVE PROGRESSION IN THE INBRED DAHL SS/Jr AND SR/Jr RATS

1. To test whether the inbred Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rat strain shares disturbed vessel innervation with the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model, highly innervated and sparsely innervated tissues from the SR/Jr and SS/Jr strains at several ages were assayed for tissue norepinephrine (NE) content and nerve growth factor (NGF). 2. Only two significant differences were found: (i) 1 week old SS/Jr rat kidneys had more NGF than SR/Jr kidneys; and (ii) six week old mesenteric arteries from SS/Jr contained significantly more NE than those in the SR/Jr animals. 3. The differences are in the expected direction for vessel hyperinnervation as a consequence of high vessel NGF, but the data do not support the hypothesis of a central role for vessel NGF and innervation in the hypertensive progression of the Dahl strain. The vessels of young Dahl inbred rat strains do not display the same degree of vessel hyperinnervation associated with hypertension as found in the young SHR compared to WKY strains. 4. The Dahl strain may lack the disturbed NGF metabolism of the SHR. This might suggest that the Dahl inbred strains and the SHR represent two distinct genetic mechanisms that predispose to hypertension via essentially independent processes and that all forms will evidence at least mildly altered vessel innervation.
Senate Forum on Shale Gas Development Explores Environmental and Industry Issues

The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources brought together industry and environmental leaders for a 23 May forum that focused on industry best practices and environmental concerns related to the current shale gas boom. The boom in shale gas development has been brought about in large part through advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) to increase shale oil and gas production.
A free resolution of the module of derivations for generic arrangements

Let Y be an I-dimensional vector space over an arbitrary field F and d an arrangement of n hyperplanes H,, . . . . i7,, in V. We always assume that n > I > 1. For each i, 1~ id ~1, we fix once and forever aj E V* such that ker(cl,) = Hi. The arrangement d is generic if its every I elements intersect only at 0 or equivalently every I functionals ai are linearly independent in V*. Let S be the symmetric algebra of V* and Der(S) = Der,(S, S) the S-module of derivations of S. The following graded S-module was introduced by H. Terao [4] and studied in many papers on arrangements: D = D(d) = (0 E Der(S) ( f3(ai) E Sa,, i= 1, . . . . n}. At the NSF-CBMS conference on “Arrangements of Hyperplanes” in 1988 the author conjectured that for a generic arrangement with II > 1 we have hd, D = 1 2. Soon after that L. Rose and H. Terao [2] proved this conjecture. Moreover they constructed minimal free resolutions of all modules of logarithmic forms with poles along d and used the fact that D is isomorphic to one of them. The aim of the present paper is to give another somewhat more straightforward construction of a minimal free resolution of D. More precisely we put Do= D,(d)= (BEDJO =O) and note that D= Does MO, where t$, is the Euler derivation defined by &,(a) = CI for every CI E V*. Then we construct a minimal free resolution of Do which of course has the same length as a minimal free resolution of D. The notation introduced above is used throughout the paper. Besides we denote by L the intersection lattice of & (including V as the unique minimal element of L), put Li=(X~L/dimX=i}, and for every XEL put cQzx= (Xn HiI X$ Hi}, viewing it as an arrangement in X Also for every XEL we put L~‘={YEL~(YcX), L,=(YEL(XC Y>, and a(X)=
α1-Adrenergic Stimulation Inhibits 3,5,3′-Triiodothyronine-Induced Expression of the Rat Heart Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ Adenosine Triphosphatase Gene1

The interactions between the β-adrenergic system and thyroid hormone (T3) on cardiac function have been investigated in detail. In addition to β-adrenoceptors, α1-adrenergic receptors are present in the mammalian heart. The interactions between T3 and the α1-adrenergic system remain, however, poorly understood. T3 stimulates the expression and transcription of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA2) gene, a protein vital in the control of cardiac calcium transients and contractility. We show that in rat cardiac myocytes, the stimulatory effect of T3 on SERCA2 messenger RNA expression and gene transcription is inhibited by anα 1-adrenergic agonist. We demonstrate that direct activation of the α1-adrenergic signaling pathway, using a mutant constitutively active G protein (Gq) similarly down-regulated the T3 effect on SERCA2 transcription. The combined effect of thyroid hormone receptor and retinoid X receptors on T3-stimulated SERCA2 gene transcription was also markedly attenuated...
Network Therapy for Cocaine Abuse: Use of Family and Peer Supports

Cocaine-dependent subjects were treated by psychiatric residents in a 24-week sequence of Network Therapy. This approach, developed for practitioners in solo practice, employs a cognitive-behavioral orientation in sessions with family and peers as well as in individual sessions. Of 47 subjects, 73% of all observed weekly urines were negative for cocaine, and 20 (45%) of the subjects had negative toxicologies in the last 3 scheduled samples. A positive outcome was associated with the number of network (but not individual) sessions attended and completion of the full treatment sequence. Results suggest the utility of Network Therapy, even in the hands of relatively naive therapists.
Improved adherence and outcomes for pediatric liver transplant recipients by using text messaging.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to improve immunosuppressant adherence for pediatric patients with orthotopic liver transplants by using text messaging (TM). METHODS: A prospective study of sending TM reminders to the primary medication administrator (patient or caregiver) for pediatric transplant recipients was performed. Patient records were reviewed, comparing the year before and the year of the study. The SD of serum tacrolimus levels was used as an indicator of adherence. RESULTS: Forty-one patients provided consent. The median age was 15 years (range: 1–27 years), and the median age at the time of transplantation was 2 years (range: 4 months to 23 years). Fourteen patients (34%) were male. In 29 of 41 cases, the medications were self-administered by the patient. The mean duration of study was 13 ± 1.5 months. Twenty-two patients were receiving 1 immunosuppressant, 14 were receiving 2, and 5 were receiving 3. Thirteen patients (37%) stopped the study after 4 months. The mean tacrolimus level SD decreased from 3.46 μg/L before the study to 1.37 μg/L (P 1 immunosuppressant. CONCLUSION: We observed significant improvement in medication adherence and a reduction in rejection episodes with TM reminders for pediatric recipients of liver transplants.
Low-Dose Chemotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma through Triggered-Release from Bilayer-Decorated Magnetoliposomes

Low-dose (LD) chemotherapy is a promising treatment strategy that may be improved by controlled delivery. Polyethylene glycol-stabilized bilayer-decorated magnetoliposomes (dMLs) have been designed as a stimuli-responsive LD chemotherapy drug delivery system and tested in vitro using Huh-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. The dMLs contained hydrophobic superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles within the lipid bilayer and doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX, 2 μM) within the aqueous core. Structural analysis by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering showed that the assemblies were approximately 120 nm in diameter. Furthermore, the samples consisted of a mixture of dMLs and bare liposomes (no nanoparticles), which provided dual burst and spontaneous DOX release profiles, respectively. Cell viability results show that the cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded dMLs was similar to that of bare dMLs (∼10%), which indicates that spontaneous DOX leakage had little cytotoxic effect. However, when subjected to a physiologically acceptable radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field, cell viability was reduced up to 40% after 8h and significant cell death (>90%) was observed after 24h. The therapeutic mechanism was intracellular RF-triggered DOX release from the dMLs and not intracellular hyperthermia due to nanoparticle heating via magnetic losses.
HIV: Shock and kill

Antiretroviral therapies block HIV replication but they do not eliminate inactive viruses within cells. A clinical trial shows that a drug can revive HIV in patients as a potential first step towards a cure. See Letter p.482 A major barrier to achieving a cure in patients infected with HIV-1 is the ability of the HIV genome to integrate into the DNA of resting CD4+ T cells and adopt a state of latency, evading both immune detection and pharmaceutical attack. It was shown previously that induction of virus gene expression in latently HIV-1-infected cells can be achieved in vitro with histone deacetylase inhibitors such as vorinostat, a drug used to treat cutaneous lymphoma. In this study, the authors report the first in vivo evidence that vorinostat can disrupt proviral latency of HIV-1. Vorinostat has some toxic effects that would need to be considered when assessing the risks and benefits of attempts to eradicate HIV infection using this or similar drugs.
Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopic Studies of Energy Transfer in Phospholipid Bilayer Liposomes Embedded with Porphyrin Sensitizers

Transient grating kinetics were measured at different temperatures (1−40 °C) for DMPC phospholipid bilayer liposome aqueous dispersions. 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-21,23H-porphyrin sensi...
Mechanism of action of the antitumor agents 6-benzoyl-3,3-disubstituted-1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,4-diones: potent inhibitors of human type II inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase.

The observation that expression of the IMPDH gene is tightly linked with cellular proliferation and transformation has led to an interest in developing inhibitors that deplete intracellular guanine nucleotide pools. IMPDH exists as 2 isoforms, one of which is induced in tumor cells, type II and thus has led to new interest in this target for the design of isoform-selective anticancer chemotherapeutic agents. Several classes of IMPDH inhibitor are now in use or under development; however, only the 1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,4-diones show selectivity for the type II isoform. In the current study, we further evaluated chemical modification of this class to determine the necessary components for selective type II IMPDH inhibition. The 6-benzoyl-3,3-disubstituted-1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,4-diones were effective cytotoxic agents in human leukemias, lymphomas, breast, glioma and HeLa-S3 suspended uterine carcinoma screens with ED50 values 0.3 to 12 μM. The agents acted as antimetabolites by inhibiting de novo purine biosynthesis at the key regulatory enzyme IMPDH, resulting in suppression of DNA synthesis and dGTP pool levels within 60 min. Furthermore, the derivatives were specific for the type II isoform as opposed to type I, acting in a competitive manner with Ki values of 5.1 to 63 μM. Addition of the 6-benzoyl moiety to the bicyclic parent ring structure afforded the most potent agent in the novel class of 1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,4-diones that selectively inhibits type II IMPDH activity. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Type systems for distributed data structures

Distributed-memory programs are often written using a global address space: any process can name any memory location on any processor. Some languages completely hide the distinction between local and remote memory, simplifying the programming model at some performance cost. Other languages give the programmer more explicit control, offering better potential performance but sacrificing both soundness and ease of use.Through a series of progressively richer type systems, we formalize the complex issues surrounding sound computation with explicitly distributed data structures. We then illustrate how type inference can subsume much of this complexity, letting programmers work at whatever level of detail is needed. Experiments conducted with the Titanium programming language show that this can result in easier development and significant performance improvements over manual optimization of local and global memory.
Association of Sex Hormones and Adiposity with Plasma Levels of Fibrinogen and PAI-1 in Postmenopausal Women

Blood levels of the clotting factor fibrinogen and tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a primary inhibitor of fibrinolysis, have been positively linked to risk of coronary heart disease. The authors have reported previously that plasma fibrinogen appears to rise after menopause and to be reduced with use of postmenopausal hormonal therapy. There is also evidence to suggest that sex hormones may influence PAI-1. To examine whether plasma fibrinogen and PAI-1 antigen levels differ among older postmenopausal women according to use of hormone therapy and by blood level of estrogen and androgens, these variables were assessed among 277 healthy women aged 65-82 years, one half of whom were receiving therapy. The study population was drawn from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during 1986-1988. Overall, results showed median PAI-1 levels to be lower on average with oral and transdermal use of hormone therapy (25.0 vs. 33.5 ng/ml, p < 0.01) and mean fibrinogen levels to be lower (279 vs. 295 mg/dl, p < 0.02) with use of oral estrogen (but not transdermal) therapy compared with women not receiving therapy. Among women not receiving therapy, PAI-1 and fibrinogen levels were not related to endogenous sex hormone levels, with the exception of a modest positive relation between PAI-1 and serum estrone concentrations (r s = 0.29). In addition, a markedly higher PAI-1 level was found for women with a preponderance of upper body fat, independent of obesity. In sum, results showed that older women receiving postmenopausal hormone therapy had more favorable plasma levels of the hemostatic factors PAI-1 and fibrinogen than did those not receiving therapy, which can be explained in large part by differences between the two groups in obesity and body fat distribution..
Distribution and redistribution of pigment granules in the development of sea urchin embryos

Pigment granules (PGs) are embeded in the cortex of embryos of the Japanese sea urchins,Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus and Anthocidaris crassispina. PGs in the cortex actively retreated from the vegetal pole area at the 4-cell stage and then a notable PG-distribution gradient formed along the egg axis (the polar redistribution of PGs). The polar redistribution of PGs in the cortex occurred at the same time after fertilization even in solutions of microtubule disrupting reagents such as Colcemid, vinblastine sulfate or griseofulvin. Consequently, the polar redistribution of PGs was not associated with the microtubules. However, the polar redistribution of PGs was interrupted in seawater containing cytochalasin B (CB), dithiothreitol (DTT) or tetracaine, and the distribution pattern of PGs in the cortex was definitely disturbed. Moreover, CB, DTT and tetracaine altered the division pattern of vegetal blastomeres at the 4th cleavage which is normally unequal so that all the blastomeres divided equally. Microtubule disrupting reagents did not have such an effect on the cleavage pattern. Thus the cortical movement along the egg axis reflected by the polar redistribution of PGs seems to correlate with the micromere formation.
Propensity-Weighted Comparison of Long-Term Risk of Urinary Adverse Events in Elderly Women Treated For Cervical Cancer.

Purpose Cervical cancer treatment is associated with a risk of urinary adverse events (UAEs) such as ureteral stricture and vesicovaginal fistula. We sought to measure the long-term UAE risk after surgery and radiation therapy (RT), with confounding controlled through propensity-weighted models. Methods and Materials From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, we identified women ≥66 years old with nonmetastatic cervical cancer treated with simple surgery (SS), radical hysterectomy (RH), external beam RT plus brachytherapy (EBRT+BT), or RT+surgery. We matched them to noncancer controls 1:3. Differences in demographic and cancer characteristics were balanced by propensity weighting. Grade 3 to 4 UAEs were identified by diagnosis codes plus treatment codes. Cumulative incidence was measured using Kaplan-Meier methods. The hazard associated with different cancer treatments was compared using Cox models. Results UAEs occurred in 272 of 1808 cases (17%) and 222 of 5424 (4%) controls; most (62%) were ureteral strictures. The raw cumulative incidence of UAEs was highest in advanced cancers. UAEs occurred in 31% of patients after EBRT+BT, 25% of patients after RT+surgery, and 15% of patients after RH; however, after propensity weighting, the incidence was similar. In adjusted Cox models (reference = controls), the UAE risk was highest after RT+surgery (hazard ratio [HR], 5.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.32-11.07), followed by EBRT+BT (HR, 3.33; 95% CI, 1.45-7.65), RH (HR, 3.65; 95% CI, 1.41-9.46) and SS (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.32-3.01). The higher risk after RT+surgery versus EBRT+BT was statistically significant, whereas, EBRT+BT and RH were not significantly different from each other. Conclusions UAEs are common after cervical cancer treatment, particularly in patients with advanced cancers. UAEs are more common after RT, but these women tend to have the advanced cancers. After propensity weighting, the risk after RT was similar to that after surgery.
The rationalization of high enzyme concentration in metabolic pathways such as glycolysis.

The cellular concentration of enzymes of some major metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, can approach millimolarity. This concentration of enzyme can catalyze in vitrorates which are 100-fold higher than maximum pathway flux. In an attempt to understand the need for such high enzyme concentration, an artificial metabolic pathway of five enzymes (apropos the central enzymes of glycolysis) has been modeled. Numerical methods were then used to determine the effect of enzyme concentration on: (1) the change in total free metabolite concentration as the pathway changes from low flux to high flux, (2) the time lag (transient time) in the rate of final product formation upon the transition from low flux to high flux. Both the changes in metabolite pool size and the transient time decreased with increased enzyme concentrations. When all enzymatic reactions were assigned Keqof unity, a concentration for each enzyme of 25 μM is sufficient to provide a transient time of 1 sec. When Keqdifferent from unity are introduced, more enzyme is required to provide comparably short transient times. Under the latter condition, a pathway of sufficiently low transient time would require all the enzyme available in mammalian muscle. It is shown that there is little scope for further increases in either enzyme concentration or of catalytic efficiency of independent enzymes. Therefore, an alternative method of increasing efficiency is considered in which enzyme-bound metabolites can serve directly as substrates for subsequent enzymes in a metabolic pathway.
Resilience and vulnerability among refugee children of traumatized and non-traumatized parents.

Background The aim of the study was to explore resilience among refugee children whose parents had been traumatized and were suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Effect of methylpentynol on acetylcholine in the rat's brain.

RECENT observations that methylpentynol, a sedative-hypnotic agent, interferes with transmission in certain cholinergic synapses1, have led to the demonstration by Marley and Paton that this action is due in part to a reduction in the output of acetylcholine, at least from the superior cervical ganglion of the cat2. In the course of work in this and other laboratories on the influence of a number of appropriate neuro-pharmacological agents on the acetylcholine content of the rat's brain, it became apparent that the administration of depressants of the central nervous system in general is followed by a rise in brain acetylcholine (unpublished work and ref. 3). It seemed essential, therefore, for us to include methylpentynol in our survey, because this central-depressant might, in the light of the findings of Marley and Paton, depress the output of acetylcholine by the brain, possibly leading to a depression of the total level of acetylcholine. On the other hand, if release of acetylcholine alone, and not its synthesis, were interfered with, one might expect an accumulation and an increase in the amount of acetylcholine in the brain.
Parallel Algorithms for Perceptual Grouping on Distributed Memory Machines

Perceptual grouping is a key intermediate-level vision problem. Parallel solutions to this problem are characterized by uneven distribution of symbolic features among the processors, unbalanced workload, and irregular interprocessor data dependency caused by the input image. In this paper, we propose two load-balancing techniques for parallelizing perceptual grouping on distributed-memory machines. By using an initial workload estimate, we first partition the computations to distribute the workload across the processors. In addition, we asynchronously perform ongoing task migrations to adapt to the unbalanced workload which may evolve differently from the initial estimate. We also discuss two strategies to manage the irregular interprocessor data dependency. To illustrate our ideas, perceptual grouping steps used in an integrated vision system for building detection are used as examples. Our experimental results show that, given 8K extracted line segments from a 1K × 1K image, both the line and junction grouping steps can be completed in 0.644 s on a 32-node SP2 and in 0.585 s on a 32-node T3D. For the same grouping steps, a serial implementation requires 10.550 s and 10.023 s on a single node of SP2 and T3D, respectively. The implementations were performed using the message passing interface standard and are portable to other high performance computing platforms.
The role of materials innovation in overall technological development

A new method is presented in this paper for quantitatively assessing the role of materials innovation in overall technological development. The method involves the comparative examination of overall technical capability metrics with performance metrics at detailed levels of progress where materials/process innovation dominates the progress.
Computer-assisted indirect coulometric titrations of biological redox components.

Abstract The optically coupled, indirect coulometric titration (ICT) method has been applied to assist in the characterization of several redox biocomponents such as heme proteins. This method has provided rapid and repetitive evaluation of redox stoichiometry and energeties with a high degree of precision. The usual manual ICT procedure requires operator control of the repetitive incremental additions of electrochemical charge, the on/off of the magnetic stirrer between such additions, and the recording of optical spectra after each addition. The sequence and timing of events in the above procedure can be fixed which then lends itself ideally to computer control. In this paper, a computer-controlled ICT intsrumentation is described. The hardware and software developed for the computerization permit versatility of displaying ICT data in various formats, i.e., conventional absorbance or derivative spectra and dual wavelength or differences between dual-wavelength spectra. Also, absorbance at a given wavelength could be obtained from the spectra as a function of the incremental addition of charge. The three-dimensional plots of spectral absorbance as a function of wavelength and incremental charge could also easily be obtained. To demonstrate the capability and versatility of the computer-controlled instrumentation, the ICT of the redox components, cytochrome c and cytochrome c oxidase, and of intact mitochondria is presented.
Thermal neutron ν for 241Pu

The average number oi neutrons per fission nu of Pu/sup 241/ was measured at thermal energies relative to Pu/sup 239/, U/sup 235/, and U/sup 233/. The measurement yielded the product of nu and the effective fission cross- section (g sigma /sub F/) nu = 3162 plus or minus 72 barn neutrons/fission. Using a measured value (g sigma /sub F/,) = 1070 plus or minus 14 barn, a value of nu = 2.96 plus or minus 0.08 neutrons/fission was calculated. (auth)
Therapeutic administration of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors reverses hyperalgesia but not inflammation in a rat model of polyarthritis.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been postulated to play a role in pain as well as in inflammation. In the present studies, the effects of NO synthase (NOS) inhibitors on both pain and inflammation were examined in a rat model of polyarthritis. Female Lewis rats were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with peptidoglycan/polysaccharide (PG/PS) or saline to induce arthritis. Hind paw volume, response latency to thermal nociceptive stimulus and mechanical threshold were measured daily for the next 35 days. Paw inflammation, thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia developed in all rats that received PG/PS compared to saline. On day 19 (chronic inflammation phase), rats were given either N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, non-selective NOS inhibitor, 100 mg/l), L-N (6)-(1-iminoethyl) lysine (L-NIL, selective inducible NOS inhibitor, 10 mg/l) or no drug in drinking water. By day 21, L-NAME treatment reversed the thermal hyperalgesia completely and this effect remained until day 35. Similarly, L-NIL treatment reversed thermal hyperalgesia from days 24 to 34. Neither treatment affected mechanical allodynia. Paw volume was not different between PG/PS treated and PG/PS plus L-NAME treated rats. However, the PG/PS plus L-NIL treatment produced an increase in paw volume greater than did PG/PS alone. Other rats were treated with PG/PS plus the antiinflammatory agent indomethacin (days 19-35). Indomethacin treatment reversed all the measured parameters, although the reversal of mechanical allodynia was only partial. These results suggest that NO is involved in thermal, but not mechanical sensory pathways and that the selective inhibition of inducible NOS activity exacerbates established inflammation.
Hemagglutinins in the plasma of catfish (Ictalurus nebulosus) injected with saliva from human secretors of various A-B-O blood groups.

Serums from non-immunized catfish contain hightitered thermolabile hemolytic activity for all human red cells, and for red cells of other species such as rabbits. However, after heat inactivation, these sera only weakly agglutinate human red cells. After immunization with human saliva from A-B-H secretors, catfish produce potent agglutinins which clump to approximately the same high titer human red cells of all A-B-O blood groups as well as red cells from anthropoid apes (chimpanzees and gibbons). These sera do not agglutinate red cells from human beings of the Bombay type, or monkey red cells (baboon), or animal red cells (sheep). The antibody responsible for these reactions has been designated anti-Z and detects a serological specificity (blood factor) which is inhibited by A-B-H secretor saliva, and which appears to be closely associated with A-B-H blood group substances. By absorption, from the sera of catfish injected with group O saliva anti-H has been fractionated which differs from anti-H lectin (Ulex europeus) in its cross reactions with gibbon red cells. From the serums of the catfish immunized with group A saliva, besides anti-Z and anti-H, anti-A, but not anti-C, could be fractionated. No anti-A1 component could be fractionated by absorption with A2 cells. From the serums of catfish immunized with group B saliva, the expected anti-B together with weak anti-C could be fractionated by absorption, besides anti-Z and anti-H. These findings throw further light on the serological specificities of the human A-B-H substances of red cells and secretions and illustrate the usefulness of fish as experimental animals for serological investigations.
Expert Meeting Report: Transforming Existing Buildings through New Media--An Idea Exchange

This report describes results of a Building America expert meeting on September 13, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by the Building America Retrofit Alliance (BARA). This meeting provided a forum for presentations and discussions on the use of new media to work with remodelers and retrofit projects to improve energy efficiency and deliver research results from the Building America program to remodelers.
Risk factors for peripheral arterial disease among patients with chronic kidney disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have an increased risk for developing peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The aim of this study was to examine the cross-sectional association between novel risk factors and prevalent PAD in patients with CKD. A total of 3,758 patients with estimated glomerular filtration rates of 20 to 70 ml/min/1.73 m 2 who participated in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study were included in the present analysis. PAD was defined as an ankle-brachial index
The Biology of Atherosclerosis: General Paradigms and Distinct Pathogenic Mechanisms Among HIV-Infected Patients

Complications of atherosclerosis, including myocardial infarction and stroke, are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Recent data strongly implicate cardiovascular death as a contributor to mortality among patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, with evidence suggesting increased incidence of atherosclerosis among these patients. Therefore, greater understanding of atherosclerotic mechanisms and how these responses may be similar or distinct in HIV-infected patients is needed. Key concepts in atherosclerosis are reviewed, including the evidence that inflammation and abnormal metabolism are major drivers of atherosclerosis, and connected to the current literature regarding atherosclerosis in the context of HIV.
Novel Copolymers of Styrene. 15. Phenoxy Ring-Substituted Methyl 2-Cyano-3-Phenyl-2-Propenoates

Electrophilic trisubstituted ethylenes, phenoxy ring-substituted methyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH3, where R is 4-(4-BrC6H5O), 2-(4-ClC6H5O), 3-(4-ClC6H5O), 4-(3-ClC6H5O), 4-(4-ClC6H5O), 4-(4-FC6H5O), 2-(3-CH3OC6H5O), 2-(4-CH3OC6H5O), 3-(4-CH3OC6H5O), 4-(4-CH3OC6H5O), 3-(4-CH3C6H5O) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of phenoxy ring-substituted benzaldehydes and methyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene (M1) in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. The order of relative reactivity (1/r1) for the monomers is 4-(4-CH3OC6H5O) (6.07) > 3-(4-ClC6H5O) (3.38) > 3-(4-CH3OC6H5O) (2.78) > 4-(3-ClC6H5O) (2.77) > 2-(4-ClC6H5O) (2.29) > 3-(4-CH3C6H5O) (1.98) > 4-(4-FC6H5O) (1.92) > 4...
Androgen Abuse in Athletes: Detection and Consequences

Context: Doping with anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) both in sports (especially power sports) and among specific subsets of the population is rampant. With increasing availability of designer androgens, significant efforts are needed by antidoping authorities to develop sensitive methods to detect their use. Evidence Acquisition: The PubMed and Google Scholar search engines were used to identify publications addressing various forms of doping, methods employed in their detection, and adverse effects associated with their use. Evidence Synthesis: The list of drugs prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has grown in the last decade. The newer entries into this list include gonadotropins, estrogen antagonists, aromatase inhibitors, androgen precursors, and selective androgen receptor modulators. The use of mass spectrometry has revolutionized the detection of various compounds; however, challenges remain in identifying newer designer androgens because their chemical signature is unknown. Develo...
Two-Element Independently Center-Fed Dipole Array for Ultrawideband and Ultrashort Pulse Applications

Previously, we introduced the concept of an independently center-fed dipole array (ICDA) to overcome phase nonlinearities in many ultrawideband (UWB) and short-pulsed antennas. In this letter, we analyzed the efficiency of ICDA. We designed a two-element ICDA antenna for UWB systems. Extensive simulations were conducted to characterize the antenna in terms of transmission coefficient S21, radiation pattern, and time-domain patterns. The array exhibits linear amplitude and phase in the frequency range from 2.6 to 11.8 GHz, broader than the allocated UWB frequency range of 3.1-10.6 GHz. Such concept may be scalable to a much broader bandwidth
On the design of automatic repeat request protocols for turbulent free-space optical links

The effective communications range of a free space optical link can be dramatically reduced by weather-dependent atmospheric absorption and other losses. Even in clear weather, air turbulence over a long-distance FSO link can be a limiting factor, resulting in signal fades that may be deep and persistent. High data rate communications over intermittent FSO links has proven to be a significant challenge. Techniques such as adaptive automatic gain control and forward error correction can be used to improve the channel but may not be sufficient to provide a reliable communications service. In this paper, we describe a practical automatic repeat request design that guarantees reliable delivery of packets. We investigate the performance of the proposed design through simulation studies, using models of the fading channel representative of low, moderate, and high turbulence conditions. In particular, we quantify the buffer sizes and latency required to ensure with high probability that the intermittency of the FSO channel does not impact the clients at either end of the link. We show that these requirements can be met in systems of practical interest to enable high data rate communications over poor quality FSO links.
Direct-pNFS: scalable, transparent, and versatile access to parallel file systems

Grid computations require global access to massive data stores. To meet this need, the GridNFS project aims to provide scalable, high-performance, transparent, and secure wide-area data management as well as a scalable and agile name space.While parallel file systems give high I/O throughput, they are highly specialized, have limited operating system and hardware platform support, and often lack strong security mechanisms. Remote data access tools such as NFS and GridFTP overcome some of these limitations, but fail to provide universal, transparent, and scalable remote data access.As part of GridNFS, this paper introduces Direct-pNFS, which builds on the NFSv4.1 protocol to meet a key challenge in accessing remote parallel file systems: high-performance and scalable data access without sacrificing transparency, security, orportability. Experiments with Direct-pNFS demonstrate I/O throughput that equals or out performs the exported parallel file system across a range of workloads.
Recruitment communication in stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

The stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) have evolved sophisticated communication systems that allow foragers to recruit nestmates to good resources. Over the past 50 years, a growing body of research has shown that foragers can communicate three-dimensional resource location, uncovered several potential communication mechanisms, and demonstrated new information transfer mechanisms. Some of these mechanisms are unique to stingless bees and some may provide insight into how the ability to encode location information, a form of functionally referential communication, has evolved in the highly social bees. The goal of this review is to examine meliponine recruitment communication, focusing on evidence for contact-based, visual, olfactory, and acoustic communication and what these mechanisms can tell us about the evolution of recruitment communication in stingless bees. Meliponini / information transfer / referential communication / recruitment / multimodality
A longitudinal experimental study comparing the effectiveness of happiness-enhancing strategies in Anglo Americans and Asian Americans

Growing evidence suggests that well-being interventions can be effective. However, it is unclear whether happiness-increasing practices are equally effective for individuals from different cultural backgrounds. To investigate this question, Anglo Americans and predominantly foreign-born Asian Americans were randomly assigned to express optimism, convey gratitude, or list their past experiences (control group). Multilevel analyses indicated that participants in the optimism and gratitude conditions reported enhanced life satisfaction relative to those in the control condition. However, Anglo Americans in the treatment conditions demonstrated larger increases in life satisfaction relative to Asian Americans, while both cultural groups in the control condition showed the least improvement. These results are consistent with the idea that the value individualist cultures place on self-improvement and personal agency bolsters the efforts of Anglo Americans to become more satisfied, whereas collectivist cultures' de-emphasis of self-focus and individual goals interferes with the efforts of Asian Americans to pursue enhanced well-being.
Bilateral temporomandibular joint ganglion cysts: CT and MR characteristics.

Fig. 1.Axial MR images at level of mandibular condyles. nounced during Valsalva. There was no evidence of adenopathy or bruit, nor was there evidence of paresthesia or motor deficit. Oral examination was normal. MR imaging demonstrated bilateral cystic structures just anterior and lateral to the mandibular condyles (Figs. 1 and 2). CT before and after right temporomandibular joint arthrography revealed opacification of a cystic structure anterior to the right temporomandibular joint (Fig . 3). Postsialogram CT of the right parotid region revealed no intrinsic parotid abnormalities and no evidence of opacification of the previously described cystic structure (Fig . 4 ). During surgical exploration a cystic structure was dissected and excised . The right parotid gland was not dissected, as this cystic structure was anatomically separate from the gland . The patient 's postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged 2 days after this procedure. The final pathologic report was consistent with a ganglion cyst of the right temporomandibular joint.
An active membrane phased array radar

We have developed the first membrane-based active phased array in L-band (1.26GHz). The array uses membrane-compatible transmit/receive (T/R) modules (membrane T/R) for each antenna element. We use phase shifters within each T/R module for electronic beam steering. We discuss the T/R module design and integration with the membrane. We also present transmit and receive beam-steering results for the array.
The time course and microbiology of surgical site infections after head and neck free flap surgery.

Objectives/Hypothesis Determine the time of onset and microbiology of surgical site infections (SSIs) following head and neck free flap reconstructive surgeries. Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods All 504 free flap surgical cases (484 patients) performed April 1, 2009 to September 30, 2013 were reviewed; SSIs occurring ≤30 days postoperatively were evaluated. Admission screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization was performed on all patients. Results Flap-recipient site infections (flap SSIs) occurred in 67 cases (13.3%), one-third week 1 postoperatively, one-third week 2, one-third days 15 to 30; 45% occurred after hospital discharge. Wound cultures were polymicrobial, but 25% grew only normal oral flora, whereas 75% grew pathogens not part of normal oral flora, such as gram-negative bacilli (44% of cases), MRSA (20%), and methicillin-sensitive S aureus (MSSA) (16%). The frequency of these pathogens did not vary significantly by the time of SSI onset. In 67%, cultures included at least one pathogen resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Clindamycin prophylaxis was a significant risk factor for flap SSI and for early partial or complete flap loss from infection. Donor SSIs occurred in 22 cases (4.4%), 95% >1 week postoperatively, and MRSA or MSSA were the primary pathogens in 89%. Of the 25 patients colonized with MRSA on admission, 40% developed a flap or donor SSI, a rate significantly higher than in non-colonized patients. Conclusions Gram-negative bacilli, MRSA, and MSSA were significant SSI pathogens, and late onset of infection was common. Better screening, decolonization, and prophylaxis may reduce SSI rates. Level of Evidence 2b Laryngoscope, 125:1084–1089, 2015
Dendritic cells: Understanding immunogenicity

The impetus for the discovery of dendritic cells in 1972 was to understand immunogenicity, the capacity of an antigenic substance to provoke immunity. During experiments to characterize "accessory" cells that enhanced immunity, we spotted unusual stellate cells in mouse spleen. They had a distinct capacity to form and retract processes or dendrites and were named dendritic cells (DC). DC proved to be different from other cell types and to be peculiarly immunogenic when loaded with antigens. When Langerhans cells were studied, immunogenicity was found to involve two steps: antigen presentation by immature DC and maturation to elicit immunity. Antigen-bearing DC were also immunogenic in vivo and were therefore termed "nature's adjuvants". Several labs then learned to generate large numbers of DC from progenitors, which accelerated DC research. Tolerogenicity via DC, including the control of foxp3(+) suppressor T cells, was recently discovered. Two areas of current research that I find intriguing are to identify mechanisms for antigen uptake and processing, and for the control of different types of immunity and tolerance. These subjects should be studied in vivo with clinically relevant antigens, so that the activities of DC can be better integrated into the prevention and treatment of disease in patients.
Is French Foreign Policy Dead

The Europeanization of French Foreign Policy: France and the EU in East Asia. By Reuben Y. Wong Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. 256 pp., $80.00 (ISBN: 1-4039-9590-7). Reuben Wong argues that prevailing realist explanations no longer adequately account for the increasingly European bent of French foreign policy. Neorealists concede, at most, that structural changes within Europe and the international system have compelled France to accept the need for more interstate cooperation and accommodation with other European states through intergovernmental institutions. Liberal institutionalists view France's European policy as one of interstate bargaining, focused on economic interests, which leads to European policy convergence. Wong contends that recent scholarship in comparative politics challenges all state-centered models of foreign policy. Scholars writing from a “European-idealist” perspective posit that Europe is a separate foreign policy actor with a “consistent personality” that is influential in the world and engaged by other national and international actors (p. 4). In The Europeanization of French Foreign Policy , Wong asserts that, although French national ambitions and the cultivation of “special interests” have not disappeared, the evidence clearly shows that French foreign policy has undergone an incremental “Europeanization.” Wong identifies three theoretically distinct processes of Europeanization. The first process is “national adaptation,” which he defines as “a top-down process” of policy convergence led by European institutions and “caused by participation over time in foreign policy making at the European level” (p. 11). The result of this convergence is the creation of “norms and rules” that constrain state behavior. In this institutionalist view, European Union (EU) organizations are full-fledged actors in the process, influencing member states and representing them in negotiations with outside states. The second process is “national projection,” which is a “bottom-up and sideways process” involving “the projection of national preferences, ideas, and policy models into Europe” (pp. 7, 12). This process reflects a realist or neorealist view that EU policies are the result of competitive …
Mitochondrial Complex III ROS Regulate Adipocyte Differentiation

Adipocyte differentiation is characterized by an increase in mitochondrial metabolism. However, it is not known whether the increase in mitochondrial metabolism is essential for differentiation or a byproduct of the differentiation process. Here, we report that primary human mesenchymal stem cells undergoing differentiation into adipocytes display an early increase in mitochondrial metabolism, biogenesis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. This early increase in mitochondrial metabolism and ROS generation was dependent on mTORC1 signaling. Mitochondrial-targeted antioxidants inhibited adipocyte differentiation, which was rescued by the addition of exogenous hydrogen peroxide. Genetic manipulation of mitochondrial complex III revealed that ROS generated from this complex is required to initiate adipocyte differentiation. These results indicate that mitochondrial metabolism and ROS generation are not simply a consequence of differentiation but are a causal factor in promoting adipocyte differentiation.
Some meteorological, climatological and microclimatological considerations of the severe U.S. heat wave of mid-July 1995

Various aspects of the severe heat wave that affected the midwestern and eastern United States in mid-July 1995 and led to hundreds of heat-related deaths are examined. First, the event is placed in historical context through examination of relatively long records at several affected sites. Next, the origins of both the strong high pressure cell and the unusually large moisture content of the air mass are traced. This is followed by a brief summary that concludes with the suggestion that longer-term processes played minor roles at best in the event. Finally, microclimatic factors in the Chicago metropolitan area are considered for their role in exacerbating conditions in the city most severely affected by the heat wave.
Diagnostic Testing and the Assessment of Heart Failure

Diagnosis of heart failure is being increasingly relied upon on advanced imaging technologies and diagnostic tests. A thorough history and a competent physical examination, followed by an electrocardiogram, basic laboratory studies, and an echocardiogram, remain a sound approach to the initial evaluation of heart failure. Echocardiography is the most useful diagnostic test readily available for the assessment of cardiac structure and function where as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard for the measurement of chamber volume, mass, and thereby ventricular systolic function. Measurement of BNP improves diagnostic accuracy, especially in the acute setting. Evaluation for coronary artery disease is critical. Invasive hemodynamic assessment is not routinely indicated in the diagnosis of heart failure but it is essential in patients being considered for advanced heart failure therapeutic options including cardiac transplantation or left ventricular assist device.