cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of cell cycle in the efficiency and activity of cancer nanomedicines

Introduction: With a wealth of knowledge on the effect of nanoparticle properties, including size, shape, charge and composition, on intracellular delivery, little has been reported on the effect of the cell cycle on the intracellular delivery and activity of nanomedicines including non-viral gene delivery systems. The aim of this review is to shed a light on this topic. Areas covered: It is now evident that nanoparticle cell uptake varies with the cell cycle phase. This review addresses this variation by dissecting the effect of cell population heterogeneity on the intracellular delivery and activity of nanomedicines with a special focus on non-viral gene delivery and combination therapy modalities that utilize cell cycle inhibitors as co-targets for therapy. In addition, the importance of three-dimensional (3D) culture systems in the drug delivery field within the context of the cell cycle will be addressed. Expert opinion: The understanding of the cell cycle machinery has improved dramatically over the...
Mixed conducting gas sensors: atmosphere dependent electrode impedance

A solid state oxygen sensor based on the impedance of the metal/mixed ionic-electronic conductor interface is proposed. In this study, we examine porous Pt electrodes in contact with (Gd1−xCax)2Ti2O7 with x = 0.02, 0.1. Impedance measurements monitored the electrode impedance within the ranges, 650°C < T < 1010°C and 10−25 atm < Po2 < 1 atm. For both materials in oxidizing environments, a simple +12 power law dependence of electrode conductance on Po2 is found at temperatures greater than 950°C, with the behavior more complex at lower temperatures. Under reducing conditions, the x = 0.1 sample showed a −16 power law, while the x = 0.02 sample showed a −14 power law. Advantages and limitations of this arrangement as an oxygen sensor are discussed.
Antihypertensive therapy, new-onset diabetes, and cardiovascular disease

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a worldwide epidemic with considerable health and economic consequences. Diabetes is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in diabetic patients, and decreasing the incidence of diabetes may potentially reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease. This article discusses the clinical trial evidence for modalities associated with a reduction in the risk of new-onset diabetes, with a focus on the role of antihypertensive agents that block the renin-angiotensin system. Lifestyle interventions and the use of antidiabetic, anti-obesity, and lipid-lowering drugs are also reviewed. An unresolved question is whether decreasing the incidence of new-onset diabetes with non-pharmacologic or pharmacologic intervention will also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. A large ongoing study is investigating whether the treatment with an oral antidiabetic drug or an angiotensin-receptor blocker will reduce the incidence of new-onset diabetes and cardiovascular disease in patients at high risk for developing diabetes.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Different Management Strategies for Patients on Chronic Warfarin Therapy

OBJECTIVE: To examine the cost-effectiveness of moving from usual care to more organized management strategies for patients on chronic warfarin therapy. DESIGN: Using information available in the scientific literature, supplemented with data from a large health system and, when necessary, expert opinion, we constructed a 5-year Markov model to evaluate the health and economic outcomes associated with each of three different anticoagulation management approaches: usual care, anticoagulation clinic testing with a capillary monitor, and patient self-testing with a capillary monitor. PATIENTS: Three hypothetical cohorts of patients beginning long-term warfarin therapy were used to generate model results. MAIN RESULTS: Model results indicated that moving from usual care to anticoagulation clinic testing would result in a total of 1.7 thromboembolic events and 2.0 hemorrhagic events avoided per 100 patients over 5 years. Another 4.0 thromboembolic events and 0.8 hemorrhagic events would be avoided by moving to patient self-testing. When direct medical care costs and those incurred by patients and their caregivers in receiving care were considered, patient self-testing was the most cost-effective alternative, resulting in an overall cost saving. CONCLUSIONS: Results illustrate the potential health and economic benefits of organized care management approaches and capillary monitors in the management of patients receiving warfarin therapy.
Averaging volume size determination of electroconductive porosity probes

Abstract Electroconductivity probes, used to measure local porosity in a packed bed or filter cake, have a localized averaging volume over which the measurement is made. The extent of this averaging volume is detected by the effect of the proximity of a multiphase boundary, such as the cake-slurry boundary in filtration, on a probe's measurement. A computer simulation and experimental verification show that the extent of the averaging volume is primarily dependent on the characteristic length between the electrodes. Probes can be designed by sizing the characteristic length to obtain averaging volumes which satisfy the REV criteria in volume-averaging theory. The extent of the averaging volume also determines how close a probe may be to a multiphase boundary without the boundary affecting the measurement.
Relating Wavefront Error, Apodization and the Optical Transfer Function

The Optical Transfer Function is represented as a linear combination of elementary functions where the weighting of each term is directly related to the wavefront error coefficients and apodization coefficients.
Enforcement measures under chapter VII of the UN charter: UN practice after the cold war

In view of post‐Cold War practice, serious examination is required of the interpretation of the UN Charter which places no material limits on Security Council prerogatives to issue decisions binding on states. To accept this interpretation without question would mean that, by adopting the UN Charter, states have effectively given the Security Council the power to determine the limits of their sovereign rights in all areas, no matter how unrelated to fighting wars. For decades after 1945 that issue was largely academic because the Security Council could hardly resort to Chapter VII. Now that it can do so, the call for Security Council ‘effectiveness’ in maintaining peace and security is revealed as highly problematic. Testimony is provided by the tensions apparent in the Security Council's legitimation of the use of force, the mistake of ‘forcible peacekeeping’ and the use of Chapter VII for legislative functions.
Extrapolation of velocity for inviscid solid boundary conditions

The present examination of an extrapolation of velocity along an arbitrary direction in the case of inviscid solid boundary conditions demonstrates the error associated with the arbitrary direction and establishes that the most appropriate procedure lies in the extrapolation of the velocity components that are tangential to the body surface. It is noted that, in a typical calculation, mesh lines generally cluster together and are therefore parallel or nearly parallel to the body surface.
Longer-term risks associated with 10-year survival after heart transplantation in the cyclosporine era.

Abstract Background: Long-term survival after heart transplantation is common in the cyclosporine era. However, there are few data documenting pre-transplant/peri-operative factors predictive of truly long-term survival (>10 years). The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with 10-year survival after heart transplantation. Methods: Our study population included 197 adults who survived >6 months and died 10 years after heart transplant (long-term group) between December 1980 and May 2001. A comparison was done between the two groups and we used multivariate analysis to identify which factors predicted 10-year survival. Results: The long-term group had younger recipient and donor age, lower recipient body mass index at transplant, shorter waiting time and lower percentages of ischemic etiology/male recipient/non-white recipient. Kaplan–Meier plots of freedom from graft coronary artery disease and malignancy showed later onset patterns in the long-term group compared with the medium-term group. Multivariate analysis showed that white recipient, younger recipient and lower recipient body mass index at heart transplant were factors significantly associated with 10-year survival. Conclusions: Several pre-transplant/peri-operative factors were associated with survival beyond 10 years after heart transplantation. Stratified/tailored strategies based on these factors may be helpful to attain longer-term survival of recipients with higher risks.
Exploring Technological Innovation in a Global Economy

It is a pleasure to introduce this special issue which was compiled from the selected papers presented at the Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology in July 2010 at Phuket, Thailand. The issue focused on exploration of the technological innovation. Specifically the papers dealt with emerging issues in a global economy. There are eight papers in this special issue. Four of these papers are from Taiwan, two from Germany and two from the USA. The first group of papers explored different industries. Chang, Chen, Lin and Gao studied the case of Taiwanese Science Parks. Wang, Huang and Chen explored the semiconductor industry. Hewig took a look at the software industry while Jimenez, Angelov and Rao dealt with the service industry. Following two papers introduced new frameworks for managing innovation. Scholten and Scholten explored a platform-based innovation model while Chiang Lie and Wen studied organizational innovation. The final two papers examined managing projects and teams of such projects, both of which are critical elements of managing innovation and have become even more challenging in a global economy. Wang explored virtualization and effectiveness of teams whereas Patanakul and Aronson studied cultural and personal elements impacting the management of multiple projects. J Knowl Econ (2012) 3:89 DOI 10.1007/s13132-011-0076-1
Low temperature decomposition of hydrous hydrazine over FeNi/Cu nanoparticles

Abstract A simple, surfactant-free liquid-phase reduction of Cu, Ni and Fe salts (e.g. nitrates, chlorides) was used to prepare nanostructured FeNi/Cu catalysts for hydrous hydrazine (N2H4·H2O) decomposition. The synthesis of nanomaterials includes reduction of copper salt using N2H4, followed by rapid reduction of iron and nickel salts by NaBH4. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, TEM, XPS, XANES/EXAFS techniques and their activity and selectivity was studied during hydrous hydrazine decomposition at temperatures ranging from 300 to 345 K. The selectivity to hydrogen increases to ∼100% with increasing temperature up to ∼345 K. The catalytic performance of these materials depends on the structure of NiFe layer formed over a Cu core, which may be controlled by changing of NiFe/Cu mass ratio. Investigation of the catalytic performance for bi- and tri-metallic materials show that main active metal is nickel but a NiFe alloy could be responsible for the increased selectivity. Alloying of nickel with iron coupled with a favorable dispersion on copper nanoparticles remarkably enhances the catalytic conversion and selectivity of hydrogen evolution.
The Simple Life: On the Benefits of Low Self-Complexity

This article examines the spillover amplification hypothesis, which proposes that because people lower in self-complexity experience stronger responses to life events they will show relatively better well-being in the presence of positive factors (e.g., better social support) and relatively poorer well-being in the presence of negative factors (e.g., a history of negative experiences). Across three studies, support for spillover amplification was found. Specifically, people lower in self-complexity revealed greater self-esteem, less depression, and fewer illnesses when they had greater social support (Study 1) and more desirable personality characteristics (Study 2), yet they had poorer well-being if they had a history of many negative life events (Study 3). Thus, how one's self-concept is represented in memory moderates the relationship between many well-established factors and well-being.
Cardiovascular effects of verapamil enantiomer combinations in conscious dogs

Abstract We examined the systemic and coronary hemodynamic effects of five combinations of R- and S-verapamil enantiomers (R/S; 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 50/50, and 20/80%, respectively) in conscious dogs chronically instrumented for measurement of aortic and LV pressure, +dP/dt, subendocardial segment length, coronary blood flow velocity, and aortic blood flow. Dogs received escalating doses (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg kg−1) of each verapamil combination over 2 min at 30 min intervals on different experimental days and peak changes in hemodynamics were recorded 2 min after each dose. All verapamil combinations increased heart rate, mean aortic blood flow, and coronary blood flow velocity and decreased calculated systemic and coronary vascular resistance. Alterations in coronary hemodynamics were most pronounced with 20/80 R/S verapamil. Racemic and 20/80 R/S verapamil decreased mean arterial and left ventricular systolic pressure, in contrast to combinations with greater concentrations of the R enantiomer. Left ventricular function was unchanged during administration of 100/0, 90/10, and 80/20 R/S verapamil. Direct negative inotropic and lusitropic effects occurred with 50/50 and 20/80 R/S verapamil. The high dose of 20/80 R/S verapamil also increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and the regional chamber stiffness constant, consistent with diastolic dysfunction. The results indicate that combinations of R- and S-verapamil produce differential hemodynamic and left ventricular functional effects in conscious, unsedated dogs that are dependent on the relative ratio of these enantiomers.
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Fundamentals

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement activity is currently at its highest level since enactment of the statute in 1977. There were more enforcement actions brought in 2007 than in the years from 2004 to 2006 combined. The message is clear - the U.S. Government is committed to FCPA compliance and there is no evidence enforcement activity will slow any time soon. This article provides a general overview of the FCPA, including a primer on the legislation’s core components: the antibribery prohibitions and the books and records provisions. The article also provides practical guidance with respect to the more challenging provisions of the Act, including the two affirmative defenses and the legislation’s exception for “grease” or “facilitating” payments. The article also examines recent trends in FCPA enforcement, such as the increased prosecution of foreign companies and voluntary disclosures by corporate entities. This broad and practical overview of the FCPA is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about this robust anticorruption regime.
Impact of a t-shirt message on stutterer stereotypes

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine how people are likely to react to a stutterer wearing a T-shirt on which is printed: “I stutter. So what!” Two randomly selected groups of university students, none of whom stuttered or were majoring in speech pathology, completed an 81-scale semantic differential. One group rated “A stutterer” and the other “A stutterer wearing a T-shirt on which is printed: ‘I stutter. So what!’ ” Analyses of the ratings suggested that stutterers wearing such a T-shirt would tend to be reacted to more positively than they would otherwise. Clinical implications are discussed.
GENDER DIFFERENCES IN POLYSOMNOGRAPHIC SLEEP IN YOUNG HEALTHY SLEEPERS

Middle-aged and elderly populations exhibit gender differences in polysomnographic (PSG) sleep; however, whether young men and women also show such differences remains unclear. Thirty-one young healthy sleepers (16 men and 15 women, aged 18 to 30 yr, mean+/-SD, 20.5+/-2.4 yr) completed 3 consecutive overnight sessions in a sleep laboratory, after maintaining a stable sleep-wake cycle for 1 wk before study entry. Standard PSG sleep and self-rated sleepiness data were collected each night. Across nights, women showed better sleep quality than men: they fell asleep faster (shorter sleep onset latency) and had better sleep efficiency, with more time asleep and less time awake (all differences showed large effect sizes, d=0.98 to 1.12). By contrast, men were sleepier than women across nights. Both men and women demonstrated poorer overall sleep quality on the first night compared with the subsequent 2 nights of study. We conclude young adult healthy sleepers show robust gender differences in PSG sleep, like older populations, with better sleep quality in women than in men. These results highlight the importance of gender in sleep and circadian rhythm research studies employing young subjects and have broader implications for women's health issues relating to these topics.
A Computer Model to Forecast Wetland Vegetation Changes Resulting from Restoration and Protection in Coastal Louisiana

Visser, J.M.; Duke-Sylvester, S.M.; Carter, J., and Broussard, W.P., III, 2013. A computer model to forecast wetland vegetation changes resulting from restoration and protection in coastal Louisiana. In: Peyronnin, N. and Reed, D. (eds.), Louisiana’s 2012 Coastal Master Plan Technical Analysis, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 67, 51–59. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The coastal wetlands of Louisiana are a unique ecosystem that supports a diversity of wildlife as well as a diverse community of commercial interests of both local and national importance. The state of Louisiana has established a 5-year cycle of scientific investigation to provide up-to-date information to guide future legislation and regulation aimed at preserving this critical ecosystem. Here we report on a model that projects changes in plant community distribution and composition in response to environmental conditions. This model is linked to a suite of other models and requires input from those that simulate the hydrology and morphology of coastal Louisiana. Collectively, these models are used to assess how alternative management plans may affect the wetland ecosystem through explicit spatial modeling of the physical and biological processes affected by proposed modifications to the ecosystem. We have also taken the opportunity to advance the state-of-the-art in wetland plant community modeling by using a model that is more speciesbased in its description of plant communities instead of one based on aggregated community types such as brackish marsh and saline marsh. The resulting model provides an increased level of ecological detail about how wetland communities are expected to respond. In addition, the output from this model provides critical inputs for estimating the effects of management on higher trophic level species though a more complete description of the shifts in habitat.
Differential expression of MHC class I antigens on the placenta of the rat. A mechanism for the survival of the fetal allograft.

In some mating combinations in rats, there is a maternal antibody response to the maternal antigenic components of the placenta without any previous immunization of the mother. The highest response occurs in the WF (u) female mated to the DA (a) male, and it is against a unique MHC-encoded class I antigen, the Pa antigen, and not against the major allele-specific transplantation antigen of the DA strain, RT1.Aa. The development of mAbs to the Pa and Aa antigens allowed us to localize these antigens on the placenta and to explore the reason for the differential antibody response to them using immunohistochemical and biochemical techniques. Both antibodies reacted with the WF X DA placenta and stained the endovascular and interstitial trophoblast of the decidua, the basal trophoblast, Reichert's membrane, and the yolk sac epithelium, but they did not stain the labyrinthine trophoblast. Blocking studies showed that each antibody reacted with a separate molecule in the placenta. Anti-class II mAbs reactive with the a or u haplotype did not stain the WF X DA, DA X DA, or WF X WF placenta; hence, there are no class II antigens in the placenta. Electron microscopic studies of the semiallogeneic WF X DA placenta using the immunogold technique with both single- and double-labeling showed that only the Pa antigen was expressed on the surface of the basal trophoblast, but that both the Pa and Aa antigens were in the cytoplasm of these cells; neither antigen was found in the labyrinthine trophoblast. By contrast, the placenta from the syngeneic DA X DA mating expressed both the Pa and Aa antigens on the surface of the basal trophoblast as well as in the cytoplasm; neither antigen was found in the labyrinthine trophoblast. These observations were quantified morphometrically using electron photomicrographs of single-labeled tissues. Both the Pa and Aa antigens isolated from the plasma membrane of lymphocytes have heavy chains of 46 kD, but those antigens isolated from the plasma membrane of basal trophoblast cells have heavy chains of 43 kD. Based on densitometric measurements of autoradiographs, the Pa/Aa ratio in the basal trophoblast membrane is 23.5, whereas it is 0.46 in lymphocyte membranes. These studies show that there is differential regulation of the expression of class I antigens on basal trophoblast cells in semiallogeneic pregnancies, but not in syngeneic pregnancies, such that the major allele-specific transplantation antigen is scarcely expressed on the surface of the basal trophoblast.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Flux Calibration Issues

Recent stellar spectral libraries have sought higher resolution and the accurate determination of specific optical spectral indeces as stellar population indicators. But the value of accurate flux comparisons over wide wavelength regions should still be emphasized, particularly as more and better spectro-photometric data for composite populations becomes available.
Cyclic GMP–Dependent Protein Kinase Expression in Coronary Arterial Smooth Muscle in Response to Balloon Catheter Injury

Arterial smooth muscle cells undergo phenotypic and proliferative changes in response to balloon catheter injury. Nitric oxide (NO) and cGMP have been implicated in the inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and phenotypic modulation in cultured-cell studies. We have examined the expression of the major cGMP receptor protein in smooth muscle, cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (PKG), in response to balloon catheter injury in the swine coronary artery. On injury, there was a transient decrease in the expression of PKG in neointimal smooth muscle cells when compared with medial smooth muscle cells. The decrease in PKG expression was observed in the population of proliferating cells expressing the extracellular matrix protein osteopontin but not in cells present in the uninjured portion of the media. Coincident with the suppression of PKG expression in neointimal cells after injury, there was a marked increase in the expression of type II NO synthase (inducible NOS [iNOS], NOS-II) in the neointimal cells. These results suggest that PKG expression is transiently reduced in response to injury in the population of coronary arterial smooth muscle cells that are actively proliferating and producing extracellular matrix proteins. The reduction in PKG expression is also correlated temporally with increases in inflammatory activity in the injured vessels as assessed by iNOS expression. Coupled with our current knowledge regarding the role of PKG in the regulation of cultured cell phenotypes, these results imply that PKG may also regulate phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells in vivo as well.
Role of the Porphyromonas gingivalis InlJ protein in homotypic and heterotypic biofilm development

The oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis expresses a homolog of the internalin family protein InlJ. Inactivation of inlJ reduced monospecies biofilm formation by P. gingivalis. In contrast, heterotypic P. gingivalis-Streptococcus gordonii biofilm formation was enhanced in the InlJ-deficient mutant. The results indicate a nuanced role for InlJ in regulating biofilm accumulations of P. gingivalis.
The Contested Landscape of American Memorialization: Levinson's Written in Stone

In downtown Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the city in which I live, there stands a fine example of a Civil War memorial, a monument with three sculpted Union soldiers: an officer with a drawn sword urging his men into battle, a private ready to thrust forward with his bayonet, and a bugler with his pistol pointed at the enemy. The monument was dedicated on July 8, 1907, one of many monuments dedicated in the big cities and small towns of the North and the South in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, monuments designed to keep alive memories of martial sacrifice, to give meaning to great loss that still resonated in the culture, to offer pedagogy in stone. For the generation that lived through the cataclysm of the Civil War feared that future generations would not remember well enough, and monuments were seen as a kind of memorial insurance that lessons-varied as they might be from region to region-would not be forgotten and that the war would be a prominent memory, guiding the actions of individuals and communities for generations to come. Oshkosh's Civil War memorial stood on what was called monument square, near the opera house and a large and popular hotel. Of course, the location of the memorial-at the center of town-offered a clue as to the
Improved Nanotopography Sensing via Temperature Control of a Heated Atomic Force Microscope Cantilever

This paper reports thermal nanotopography sensing using a heated atomic force microscope cantilever with a sensitivity as high as 4.68 mV/nm, which is two orders of magnitude higher than previously published results for heated cantilevers. The sensitivity improvement arises from closed-loop control of cantilever temperature during the topography sensing. The cantilever temperature is controlled by maintaining constant electrical resistance, current, power, or voltage across either the entire electrical circuit or individual components of the circuit. We develop a model that links the cantilever heat flow and temperature-dependent cantilever properties to the circuit behavior in order to predict and then optimize the cantilever topography sensitivity. Topography measurements on a 100 nm tall silicon gratings how cantilever sensitivity ranging 0.047 to 4.68 mV/nm, depending on the control scheme. The application of closed loop control yields a topography sensitivity that is 100 times increased over previously published work on heated cantilevers.
A random-fuzzy reliability analysis

A method is proposed to evaluate the probability of failure of a system considering both fuzzy and random variables. The method is first developed to consider one fuzzy variable in a probabilistic problem. The method is then extended to consider multiple fuzzy variables. The method is specifically applicable to cases where the limit state function is available in a close form and all fuzzy variables can be grouped so that they can be represented by a single fuzzy variable. The method is verified with an example. The results obtained are quite logical and very encouraging. >
Aux/IAA Proteins Contain a Potent Transcriptional Repression Domain

Aux/IAA proteins are short-lived nuclear proteins that repress expression of primary/early auxin response genes in protoplast transfection assays. Repression is thought to result from Aux/IAA proteins dimerizing with auxin response factor (ARF) transcriptional activators that reside on auxin-responsive promoter elements, referred to as AuxREs. Most Aux/IAA proteins contain four conserved domains, designated domains I, II, III, and IV. Domain II and domains III and IV play roles in protein stability and dimerization, respectively. A clear function for domain I had not been established. Results reported here indicate that domain I in Aux/IAA proteins is an active repression domain that is transferable and dominant over activation domains. An LxLxL motif within domain I is important for conferring repression. The dominance of Aux/IAA repression domains over activation domains in ARF transcriptional activators provides a plausible explanation for the repression of auxin response genes via ARF-Aux/IAA dimerization on auxin-responsive promoters.
Crying wolf: concluding that wolves were not restored.

In 2007, the USA removed (delisted) the grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) in the upper Midwest from the Endangered Species List. After 35 years of being considered endangered, these wolves had increased from 750 in 38 400 km2 of Minnesota ([Fuller et al . 1992][1]) to over 4100 inhabiting 110 000
Targeting Platelet–Leukocyte Interactions: Identification of the Integrin Mac-1 Binding Site for the Platelet Counter Receptor Glycoprotein Ibα

The firm adhesion and transplatelet migration of leukocytes on vascular thrombus are dependent on the interaction of the leukocyte integrin Mac-1 (αMβ2, CD11b/CD18) and the platelet counter receptor glycoprotein (GP) Ibα. Previous studies have established a central role for the I domain, a stretch of ∼200 amino acids within the αM subunit, in the binding of GP Ibα. This study was undertaken to establish the molecular basis of GP Ibα recognition by αMβ2. The P201–K217 sequence, which spans an exposed loop and amphipathic α4 helix in the three-dimensional structure of the αMI domain, was identified as the binding site for GP Ibα. Mutant cell lines in which the αMI domain segments P201–G207 and R208–K217 were switched to the homologous, but non-GP Ibα binding, αL domain segments failed to support adhesion to GP Ibα. Mutation of amino acid residues within P201–K217, H210–A212, T213–I215, and R216–K217 resulted in the loss of the binding function of the recombinant αMI domains to GP Ibα. Synthetic peptides duplicating the P201–K217, but not scrambled versions, directly bound GP Ibα and inhibited αMβ2-dependent adhesion to GP Ibα and adherent platelets. Finally, grafting critical amino acids within the P201–K217 sequence onto αL, converted αLβ2 into a GP Ibα binding integrin. Thus, the P201–K217 sequence within the αMI domain is necessary and sufficient for GP Ibα binding. These observations provide a molecular target for disrupting leukocyte–platelet complexes that promote vascular inflammation in thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and angioplasty-related restenosis.
CENTURY-SCALE CHANGE IN WATER AVAILABILITY: CO2-QUADRUPLING EXPERIMENT

It has been suggested that, unless a major effort is made, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide may rise above four times the pre-industrial level in a few centuries. Here we use a coupled atmosphere-ocean-land model to explore the response of the global water cycle to such a large increase in carbon dioxide, focusing on river discharge and soil moisture. Our results suggest that water is going to be more plentiful in those regions of the world that are already `water-rich'. However, water stresses will increase significantly in regions and seasons that are already relatively dry. This could pose a very challenging problem for water-resource management around the world. For soil moisture, our results indicate reductions during much of the year in many semi-arid regions of the world, such as the southwestern region of North America, the northeastern region of China, the Mediterranean coast of Europe, and the grasslands of Australia and Africa. In some of these regions, soil moisture values are reduced by almost a factor of two during the dry season. The drying in semi-arid regions is likely to induce the outward expansion of deserts to the surrounding regions. Over extensive regions of both the Eurasian and North American continents in high and middle latitudes, soil moisture decreases in summer but increases in winter, in contrast to the situation in semi-arid regions. For river discharge, our results indicate an average increase of ∼ 15% during the next few centuries. The discharges from Arctic rivers such as the Mackenzie and Ob' increase by much larger fractions. In the tropics, the discharges from the Amazonas and Ganga-Brahmaputra also increase considerably. However, the percentage changes in runoff from other tropical and many mid-latitude rivers are smaller.
Rethinking the optimal level of environmental quality: justifications for strict environmental policy

Abstract Traditional environmental theory suggests that the optimal level of a pollution emission occurs when the marginal damage created by the emissions is equal to the marginal cost of reducing the emissions. We argue that the benefits from reducing pollution should be much more broadly defined to include at least three other sources of benefits. First, we develop a game-theoretic model in which firms may under-invest in cost-saving ‘green technologies’. Second, we demonstrate that consideration of future damages and abatement costs leads to a lower current optimal pollution level than that obtained in traditional models. Finally, we show that ecological complexity creates indirect pathways by which greater pollution increases the likelihood of generating irreversible environmental damage. This broader definition of the benefits of pollution abatement yields an optimal level of pollution that may actually be less than the level at which conventionally-measured marginal damages are equal to marginal abatement costs. Thus, environmental policy should be stricter.
First description of the male of the millipede Eurygyrus euboeus (Verhoeff, 1901) (Diplopoda: Callipodida: Schizopetalidae)

The external morphology and the shape of gonopods of the male of Eurygyrus euboeus (Verhoeff, 1901), a species hitherto known only from a single female specimen collected more than 100 years ago on the Greek island of Euboea, is documented for the first time. The structure of gonopods indicates that the species belongs to the E. xanthinus group, and is closely related to the Anatolian species E. ochraceus C.L. Koch, 1847. The new find extends the species’ range ca. 60 km in a northwestern direction.
Reconstruction of Defects After Fournier Gangrene: A Systematic Review.

Background: Reconstruction of scrotal defects after Fournier gangrene is often achieved with skin grafts or flaps, but there is no general consensus on the best method of reconstruction or how to approach the exposed testicle. We systematically reviewed the literature addressing methods of reconstruction of Fournier defects after debridement. Methods: PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched from 1950 to 2013. Inclusion criteria were reconstruction for Fournier defects, patients 18 to 90 years old, and reconstructive complication rates reported as whole numbers or percentages. Exclusion criteria were studies focused on methods of debridement or other phases of care rather than reconstruction, studies with fewer than 5 male patients with Fournier defects, literature reviews, and articles not in English. Results: The initial search yielded 982 studies, which was refined to 16 studies with a total pool of 425 patients. There were 25 (5.9%) patients with defects that healed by secondary intention, 44 (10.4%) with delayed primary closure, 36 (8.5%) with implantation of the testicle in a medial thigh pocket, 6 (1.4%) with loose wound approximation, 96 (22.6%) with skin grafts, 68 (16.0%) with scrotal advancement flaps, 128 (30.1%) with flaps, and 22 (5.2%) with flaps or skin grafts in combination with tissue adhesives. Four outcomes were evaluated: number of patients, defect size, method of reconstruction, and wound-healing complications. Conclusions: Most reconstructive techniques provide reliable coverage and protection of testicular function with an acceptable cosmetic result. There is no conclusive evidence to support flap coverage of exposed testes rather than skin graft. A reconstructive algorithm is proposed. Skin grafting or flap reconstruction is recommended for defects larger than 50% of the scrotum or extending beyond the scrotum, whereas scrotal advancement flap reconstruction or healing by secondary intention is best for defects confined to less than 50% of the scrotum that cannot be closed primarily without tension.
Savings and Loans in New Submarkets: Search for Predictive Factors:

What are the predictive factors related to savings inflows in new savings and loan offices? Analysis of a sample of southern California offices reveals the importance of growth and the promotional ...
An Elementary Proof of Marden's Theorem

(2008). An Elementary Proof of Marden's Theorem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 115, No. 4, pp. 330-338.
Field Effect Modulation of Outer-Sphere Electrochemistry at Back-Gated, Ultrathin ZnO Electrodes.

Here we report field-effect modulation of solution electrochemistry at 5 nm thick ZnO working electrodes prepared on SiO2/degenerately doped Si gates. We find that ultrathin ZnO behaves like a 2D semiconductor, in which charge carriers electrostatically induced by the back gate lead to band edge shift at the front electrode/electrolyte interface. This, in turn, manipulates the charge transfer kinetics on the electrode at a given electrode potential. Experimental results and the proposed model indicate that band edge alignment can be effectively modulated by 0.1–0.4 eV depending on the density of states in the semiconductor and the capacitance of the gate/dielectric stack.
Extracellular Ca2+ directly regulates tight junctional permeability in the human cervical cell line CaSki

Lowering extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]o) increases acutely and reversibly the transepithelial electrical conductance (G(TE)) and the epithelial permeability to pyranine (Ppyr) across CaSki cultures. Effects were already observed after lowering calcium from 1.2 to 1.0 mM and were maximal at 0.1 mM. The dose-response curves were sigmoidal (calcium concentration that produces half-maximal effect = 0.3 mM), and the time courses indicated simple exponential trends (time constants of 4-5 min). The effect of calcium was not mediated by mobilization of cytosolic calcium or altering calcium influx, and manganese was found to be a partial agonist to [Ca2+]o. The effects of [Ca2+]o, on permeability were additive to those of hypertonic conditions, indicating that calcium modulates junctional permeability. The experimental data were fitted to theoretical models that relate changes in G(TE) to the probability of assembled/disassembled tight junctions. The results suggest that calcium interacts directly and cooperatively at extracellular sites with junctional elements that are arranged in parallel, and it shifts the probability state of the junctions from "open" to "closed" state. Changes in extracellular calcium may affect the permeability of tight junctions of the cervical epithelium and may play a role in regulating production of cervical mucus.
Bicuspid and Unicuspid Aortic Valve: Fate of Moderate/Severe Mixed Aortic Valve Disease.

Objectives There is a paucity of data about mixed aortic valve disease (MAVD) in patients with bicuspid/unicuspid aortic valve (BAV). This study sought to describe the outcomes of patients with moderate/severe MAVD. Methods We queried our database for patients with BAV and moderate/severe MAVD seen between 1994 and 2013. We excluded patients with baseline New York Heart Association (NYHA) III/IV symptoms, left ventricular ejection fraction 50 mm, and significant disease of other valves. The purpose of the study was to determine the freedom from NYHA III/IV symptoms and aortic valve replacement (AVR). Results We identified 138 patients with moderate/severe MAVD; mean age was 51 ± 12 years; 112 (81%) were males; and follow-up was 8.5 ± 4 years. Ninety-two patients (67%) underwent AVR within 3.7 ± 2.5 years. Mechanical prostheses were implanted in 73 patients (79%); 22 patients (26%) and 36 patients (39%) had concomitant coronary artery bypass graft and aorta replacement during AVR respectively. There were no surgical deaths. Freedom from AVR was 84%, 51%, and 20% at 1, 5 and 10 years respectively. Predictors of AVR were age at presentation (hazard ratio [HR] 5.22; confidence interval [CI] 3.10 to 6.64) for every decade increase in age; and having severe stenosis or regurgitation at the time of presentation (HR 1.32; CI 1.05 to 3.16). Conclusions Age and disease severity should be incorporated in the risk assessment of BAV patients with MAVD, and patients with both risk factors should be monitored closely.
Carrying capacity of U.S. agricultural land: Ten diet scenarios

Strategies for environmental sustainability and global food security must account for dietary change. Using a biophysical simulation model we calculated human carrying capacity under ten diet scenarios. The scenarios included two reference diets based on actual consumption and eight “Healthy Diet” scenarios that complied with nutritional recommendations but varied in the level of meat content. We considered the U.S. agricultural land base and accounted for losses, processing conversions, livestock feed needs, suitability of land for crops or grazing, and land productivity. Annual per capita land requirements ranged from 0.13 to 1.08 ha person-1 year-1 across the ten diet scenarios. Carrying capacity varied from 402 to 807 million persons; 1.3 to 2.6 times the 2010 U.S. population. Carrying capacity was generally higher for scenarios with less meat and highest for the lacto-vegetarian diet. However, the carrying capacity of the vegan diet was lower than two of the healthy omnivore diet scenarios. Sensitivity analysis showed that carrying capacity estimates were highly influenced by starting assumptions about the proportion of cropland available for cultivated cropping. Population level dietary change can contribute substantially to meeting future food needs, though ongoing agricultural research and sustainable management practices are still needed to assure sufficient production levels.
B7-H3-targeted 212Pb radioimmunotherapy of ovarian cancer in preclinical models

Abstract Introduction Novel therapies that effectively kill both differentiated cancer cells and cancer initiating cells (CICs), which are implicated in causing chemotherapy-resistance and disease recurrence, are needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality of ovarian cancer. These studies used monoclonal antibody (mAb) 376.96, which recognizes a B7-H3 epitope expressed on ovarian cancer cells and CICs, as a carrier molecule for targeted α-particle radioimmunotherapy (RIT) in preclinical models of human ovarian cancer. Methods mAb 376.96 was conjugated to the chelate 2-(4-isothiocyanotobenzyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraaza-1,4,7,10-tetra-(2-carbamoylmethyl)-cyclododecane (TCMC) and radiolabeled with 212 Pb, a source of α-particles. In vitro Scatchard assays determined the specific binding of 212 Pb-376.96 to adherent differentiated or non-adherent CIC-enriched ES-2 and A2780cp20 ovarian cancer cells. Adherent ovarian cancer cells and non-adherent CIC-enriched tumorspheres treated in vitro with 212 Pb-376.96 or the irrelevant isotype-matched 212 Pb-F3-C25 were assessed for clonogenic survival. Mice bearing i.p. ES-2 or A2780cp20 xenografts were injected i.p. with 0.17–0.70MBq 212 Pb-376.96 or 212 Pb-F3-C25 and were used for in vivo imaging, ex vivo biodistribution, and therapeutic survival studies. Results 212 Pb-376.96 was obtained in high yield and purity (>98%); K d values ranged from 10.6–26.6nM for ovarian cancer cells, with 10 4 –10 5 binding sites/cell. 212 Pb-376.96 inhibited the clonogenic survival of ovarian cancer cells up to 40 times more effectively than isotype-matched control 212 Pb-F3-C25; combining 212 Pb-376.96 with carboplatin significantly decreased clonogenic survival compared to either agent alone. In vivo imaging and biodistribution analysis 24h after i.p. injection of 212 Pb-376.96 showed high peritoneal retention and tumor tissue accumulation (28.7% ID/g in ES-2 ascites, 73.1% ID/g in A2780cp20 tumors); normal tissues showed lower and comparable uptake for 212 Pb-376.96 and 212 Pb-F3-C25. Tumor-bearing mice treated with 212 Pb-376.96 alone or combined with carboplatin survived 2–3 times longer than mice treated with 212 Pb-F3-C25 or non-treated controls. Conclusion These results support additional RIT studies with 212 Pb-376.96 for future evaluation in patients with ovarian cancer.
MINDING YOUR MANNERS: LINGUISTIC RELATIVITY IN MOTION

Os falantes refletem sobre o mundo de forma diferente, dependendo da lingua que falam? Nos ultimos anos, essa pergunta gerou um interesse substancial nas ciencias cognitivas, parcialmente motivado pelas observacoes de Talmy (1985; 2000) a respeito da tipologia das descricoes de movimento. Entretanto, variadas pesquisas (CIFUENTES-FEREZ; GENTNER, 2006; GENNARI et al. 2002; NAIGLES; TERRAZAS, 1998; PAPAFRAGOU; HULBERT; TRUESWELL, 2008; entre outras) obtiveram resultados diferenciados entre si, impedindo-nos de chegar proximo a compreensao integral do papel da linguagem na cognicao de eventos de movimento. Neste artigo, faz-se uma revisita as analises linguisticas, combinando as observacoes de Talmy com as de Slobin (2004) para reconsiderar a questao da saliencia diferencial de Modo (Manner) entre as linguas. Apresentam-se resultados de tres estudos que sugerem que as diferencas translinguisticas na saliencia de Modo sao relacionadas a probabilidade de os falantes codificarem informacoes sobre Modo, alinhados com o que postula a hipotese da Relatividade Linguistica.
Genome-scale investigation of olfactory system spatial heterogeneity.

The early olfactory system is organized in parallel, with numerous, specialized subsystems established by the modular and topographic projections of sensory inputs. While these anatomical sub-systems are in many cases demarcated by well-known marker genes, we stand to learn considerably more about their possible functional specializations from comprehensive, genome-scale descriptions of their molecular anatomy. Here, we leverage the resources of the Allen Brain Atlas (ABA)—a spatially registered compendium of gene expression for the mouse brain—to investigate the early olfactory system’s genomic anatomy. We cluster thousands of genes across thousands of voxels in the ABA to derive several novel parcellations of the olfactory system, and concomitantly discover novel sets of enriched, subregion-specific genes that can serve as a starting point for future inquiry.
Power System Monitoring Using Intelligent Techniques and Synchronized Sampling

Abstract This paper discusses new approaches to real-time power system monitoring. The new approaches are based on the use of intelligent techniques and synchronized sampling. The intelligent techniques include utilization of neural nets and expert systems for automated analysis of the substation equipment operation. The synchronized sampling at two ends of a transmission line provides for accurate fault location and phase angle difference detection. The two approaches enable an accurate real-time detection, classification and location of faults which leads to improved monitoring of the related equipment. The paper discusses implementation details using the SCADA subsystem of an Energy Management Systems (EMS).