cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Suppression of electron correlations in the collapsed tetragonal phase of CaFe2As2 under ambient pressure demonstrated by As75 NMR/NQR measurements

The static and the dynamic spin correlations in the low-temperature collapsed tetragonal and the high-temperature tetragonal phase in $\mathrm{Ca}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ have been investigated by $^{75}\mathrm{As}$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements. Through the temperature ($T$) dependence of the nuclear spin lattice relaxation rates (1$/{T}_{1}$) and the Knight shifts, although stripe-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin correlations are realized in the high-temperature tetragonal phase, no trace of the AFM spin correlations can be found in the nonsuperconducting, low-temperature, collapsed tetragonal (c$\mathcal{T}$) phase. Given that there is no magnetic broadening in $^{75}\mathrm{As}$ NMR spectra, together with the $T$-independent behavior of magnetic susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}$ and the $T$ dependence of 1$/{T}_{1}T\ensuremath{\chi}$, we conclude that Fe spin correlations are completely quenched statically and dynamically in the nonsuperconducting c$\mathcal{T}$ phase in $\mathrm{Ca}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$.
Untangling the web: Mechanisms underlying ER network formation

The ER is a continuous membrane system consisting of the nuclear envelope, flat sheets often studded with ribosomes, and a polygonal network of highly-curved tubules extending throughout the cell. Although protein and lipid biosynthesis, protein modification, vesicular transport, Ca(2+)dynamics, and protein quality control have been investigated in great detail, mechanisms that generate the distinctive architecture of the ER have been uncovered only recently. Several protein families including the reticulons and REEPs/DP1/Yop1p harbor hydrophobic hairpin domains that shape high-curvature ER tubules and mediate intramembrane protein interactions. Members of the atlastin/RHD3/Sey1p family of dynamin-related GTPases interact with the ER-shaping proteins and mediate the formation of three-way junctions responsible for the polygonal structure of the tubular ER network, with Lunapark proteins acting antagonistically. Additional classes of tubular ER proteins including some REEPs and the M1 spastin ATPase interact with the microtubule cytoskeleton. Flat ER sheets possess a different complement of proteins such as p180, CLIMP-63 and kinectin implicated in shaping, cisternal stacking and cytoskeletal interactions. The ER is also in constant motion, and numerous signaling pathways as well as interactions among cytoskeletal elements, the plasma membrane, and organelles cooperate to position and shape the ER dynamically. Finally, many proteins involved in shaping the ER network are mutated in the most common forms of hereditary spastic paraplegia, indicating a particular importance for proper ER morphology and distribution in large, highly-polarized cells such as neurons. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Functional and structural diversity of endoplasmic reticulum.
Unifying the error-correcting and output-code AdaBoost within the margin framework

In this paper, we present a new interpretation of AdaBoost.ECC and AdaBoost.OC. We show that AdaBoost.ECC performs stage-wise functional gradient descent on a cost function, defined in the domain of margin values, and that AdaBoost.OC is a shrinkage version of AdaBoost.ECC. These findings strictly explain some properties of the two algorithms. The gradient-minimization formulation of AdaBoost.ECC allows us to derive a new algorithm, referred to as AdaBoost.SECC, by explicitly exploiting shrinkage as regularization in AdaBoost.ECC. Experiments on diverse databases confirm our theoretical findings. Empirical results show that AdaBoost.SECC performs significantly better than AdaBoost.ECC and AdaBoost.OC.
Hydrogen bond dynamics in heavy water studied with quantum dynamical simulations

The structure and dynamics of the hydrogen-bond network in heavy water (D2O) is studied as a function of the temperature using quantum dynamical simulations. Our approach combines an ab initio-based representation of the water interactions with an explicit quantum treatment of the molecular motion. A direct connection between the calculated linear and nonlinear vibrational spectra and the underlying molecular dynamics is made, which provides new insights into the rearrangement of the hydrogen-bond network in heavy water. A comparison with previous calculations on liquid H2O suggests that tunneling does not effectively contribute to the dynamics of the water hydrogen-bond network above the melting point. However, the effects of nuclear quantization are not negligible at all temperatures and become increasingly important near the melting point, which is in agreement with recent experimental analysis of the structural properties of liquid water as well as of the proton momentum distribution in supercooled water.
Osteotomies for Adult Deformity: Surgical Techniques

Spinal osteotomies play an important role in the surgical treatment of deformity. The Smith-Petersen osteotomy (SPO), the pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), and the posterior vertebral column resection (pVCR) are the 3 most commonly performed procedures. The SPO is useful for longer sweeping types of kyphotic deformities, whereas multiple SPOs are performed, and there is some degree of flexibility in the disk space. SPOs typically produce 10° of correction per level. There are very few reported neurologic complications with the SPO. The PSO is performed in the lumbar spine and indicated in kyphotic deformities that are rigid and angular with increased sagittal imbalance (>10 cm). PSOs typically produce a correction of 30°. The rate of reported permanent neurologic complications is 3%. pVCRs are indicated for rigid, angular deformities in the thoracic spine and reported corrections are in the 50-60° range. pVCR is the most complex procedure and has several reported neurologic complications. The use of intraoperative neurologic monitoring and surgical intervention in response to the monitoring changes prevented permanent neurologic injury in the largest reported series.
Knowledge representation, the World Wide Web, and the evolution of logic

It is almost universally acknowledged that first-order logic (FOL), with its clean, well-understood syntax and semantics, allows for the clear expression of philosophical arguments and ideas. Indeed, an argument or philosophical theory ren- dered in FOL is perhaps the cleanest example there is of "representing philosophy". Anumber of prominent syntactic and semantic properties of FOL reflect metaphysical presuppositions that stem from its Fregean origins, particularly the idea of an invio- lable divide between concept and object. These presuppositions, taken at face value, reflect a significant metaphysical viewpoint, one that can in fact hinder or prejudice the representation of philosophical ideas and arguments. Philosophers have of course noticed this and have, accordingly, sought to alter or extend traditional FOL in novel waystoreflectamoreflexibleandegalitarianmetaphysicalstandpoint.Thepurposeof this paper, however, is to document and discuss how similar "adaptations" to FOL— culminatinginastandardizedframeworkknownas Common Logic—haveevolvedout of the more practical and applied encounter of FOL with the problem of representing, sharing, and reasoning upon information on World Wide Web.
Gradient and scattering forces in photoinduced force microscopy

A theoretical and experimental analysis of the dominant forces measured in photoinduced force microscopy is presented. It is shown that when operated in the noncontact and soft-contact modes, the microscope is sensitive to the optically induced gradient force (${F}_{g}$) and the scattering force (${F}_{sc}$). The reconstructed force-distance curve reveals a tip-dependent scattering force in the 30--60 pN range. Whereas the scattering force is virtually insensitive to the nanoscopic tip-sample distance, the gradient force shows a ${z}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ dependence and is manifest only for tip-sample distances of a few nm. Measurements on glass, gold nanowires, and molecular clusters of silicon naphtalocyanine confirm that the gradient force is strongly dependent on the polarizability of the sample, enabling spectroscopic imaging through force detection. The nearly constant ${F}_{sc}$ and the spatially dependent ${F}_{g}$ give rise to a complex force-distance curve, which varies from point to point in the specimen and dictates the image contrast observed for a given set point of the cantilevered tip.
The Internet of Things (IoT): Applications, investments, and challenges for enterprises

Abstract The Internet of Things (IoT), also called the Internet of Everything or the Industrial Internet, is a new technology paradigm envisioned as a global network of machines and devices capable of interacting with each other. The IoT is recognized as one of the most important areas of future technology and is gaining vast attention from a wide range of industries. This article presents five IoT technologies that are essential in the deployment of successful IoT-based products and services and discusses three IoT categories for enterprise applications used to enhance customer value. In addition, it examines the net present value method and the real option approach widely used in the justification of technology projects and illustrates how the real option approach can be applied for IoT investment. Finally, this article discusses five technical and managerial challenges.
Solitons and Resonant Absorption

Simulations and theory of driven plasmas show the existence of long-lived, extremely intense spikes of high-frequency electric field, accompanied by a self-consistent depression in density. These entities are the limit to which solitons collapse in a driven plasma when the wave-particle interaction is included. Alterations in the density profile due to such entities is especially important for the absorption of radiation in inhomogeneous plasmas.
Electronic dispersion compensation in a 50 Gb/s optically unamplified direct-detection receiver enabled by vestigial-sideband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing

We present a novel method for dispersion compensation based on vestigial-sideband transmission of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signal through standard signal-mode fiber with a direct-detection receiver. This technique requires simpler optical components and can withstand greater link attenuation and splitting ratios than similar methods previously studied, making the method ideal for optically unamplified receivers, such as those in passive optical networks. We present simulations as well as experimental measurements to demonstrate its practicality.
Adult rat otic placode-derived neurons and sensory epithelium express all four erbB receptors: a role in regulating vestibular ganglion neuron viability.

The erbB receptor family consists of erbB1/epidermal growth factor receptor, erbB2/neu, erbB3, and erbB4, all of which have been implicated in cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival in s...
Lipid and fatty acid analysis of uninfected and granulosis virus-infected Plodia interpunctella larvae

A comparative study on the lipid and fatty acid composition of the uninfected and GV-infected Plodia interpunctella larvae was performed. Higher levels of free fatty acids were found in GV-infected larvae compared to those of the uninfected larvae, while the latter had more triacylglycerol compared to the former. The known identified phospholipids were fewer in the GV-infected larvae compared to those in the uninfected larvae. However, an unidentified phospholipid was found to be approximately two times higher in GV-infected larvae. The total lipid of both larvae had palmitic, oleic, and linoleic as the major fatty acids. The fatty acid composition of the GV-infected larval phospholipid differed considerably compared to that of the uninfected larvae, in that the ratio of unsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid was 3.5 times less in the GV-infected larvae.
Stopping a vibrational wave packet with laser-induced dipole forces

Intense near-infrared laser pulses can generate laser-induced dipole forces that are strong enough to influence or control vibrational motion of a small molecule. Generally, the force acts to pull the molecule apart. Our numerical simulations show that, by applying the laser-induced dipole force at an appropriate time within one vibrational period, the wave packet motion of $\mathrm{H}_{2}{}^{+}$ or $\mathrm{D}_{2}{}^{+}$ can be accelerated or decelerated. Using the wave packet formed by the rapid ionization of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ or ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$, we also show that it is possible to move the vibrational population almost entirely to the $v=0$ state. Coherent cooling of the molecular vibrational motion can be achieved.
Childhood obesity: a risk factor for omental torsion.

Purpose. To determine the risk factors and clinical presentation of primary omental torsion (POT) in children. Methods. Histopathology records of a pediatric hospital from January 1993 to March 2003 were reviewed to identify cases of POT. Hospital charts of patients diagnosed with POT were reviewed for demographic data and clinical presentation. Results. A diagnosis of POT was recorded in 12 of 41 987 pathology records reviewed. Most of the patients were white (92%), male (75%), and 9 to 16 years old (75%). Weight percentiles were ≥95th in 11 (92%) of 12 patients. Body mass index was calculated in 9 of the 12 cases with 8 >95th percentile. Clinical presentation including right-sided abdominal pain, tenderness, and anorexia closely mimics acute appendicitis. Conclusions. Obesity seems to be an important risk factor for POT in children. The presentation for POT seems to be less acute than with other causes of surgical abdomen.
32. Lower morning cortisol is associated with depression, stress and lower IL-10 in dementia caregivers

Twenty-three caregivers of patients with dementia were followed in their home over several days. The sample was primarily female and White, Non-Hispanic with a mean age of 65.7 years. Morning (am) saliva samples were collected over two measurement days, and a blood sample was obtained. Cortisol was measured with ELISA. Blood was analyzed for C-reactive protein (CRP) and a 13-plex of cytokines. Instruments were the CES-D, the Perceived Stress scale (PSS), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSS mean was 24.83, CES-D mean was 13.1, and Global PSQI was 8.6. A 13-plex of plasma cytokines was used for exploratory analysis using Millipore bead-based kits and a Luminex-200. CRP was measured by ELISA and the mean was 2.96 mg/L. Awakening salivary cortisol mean was 0.326 μg/dL. Only plasma Interleukin 10 (IL-10) was positively associated with awakening cortisol. Both stress and depression were inversely correlated with awakening cortisol. Poor sleep was related to stress and depression but to no biological variables. These data suggest that caregivers with higher stress and depression have lower awakening cortisol, and that lower awakening cortisol is associated with lower IL-10 levels. This may indicate disruption in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and a shift in an important regulatory cytokine, both of which could contribute to health effects in this vulnerable population.
Errors in analyses of lanthanide-induced shifts. Cis- and Trans-pinocarveol

Abstract Effects of errors in analyses of lanthanide-induced shifts (LIS) in the NMR spectra of cis - and trans -pinocarveol are considered. Errors associated with the calculation of shifts and their measurements are included. Errors in shift residuals are determined, and limits of precision for inferred angles and distances calculated. Effects of the errors on structural inferences are exemplified by considering the distinction of the cis isomer from the trans and the conformations of the molecules when complexed to the lanthanide chelate. Weighting factors for use in calculating Hamilton's R factor are formulated and the consequences of their inclusion examined.
Maternal Responsiveness Increases during Pregnancy and after Estrogen Treatment in Macaques

Maternal responsiveness in primates has long been considered emancipated from endocrine factors and entirely dependent on experience and cognition. Here we report that group-living pigtail macaque females increased their rate of interaction with infants in the last weeks of pregnancy in correspondence with an increase in plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone. Estrogen treatment increased the rate at which ovariectomized rhesus females interacted with infants. This is the first evidence that steroid hormones influence maternal responsiveness in anthropoid primates. All untreated ovariectomized females and nonpregnant females interacted with infants, indicating that although estrogen can enhance responsiveness to infants, ovarian or pregnancy hormones are not necessary for the expression of infant-directed behavior in female macaques. The findings of this study suggest fundamental similarities, rather than differences, in the endocrine modulation of maternal responsiveness in primates and other mammals.
The search for design in electrical engineering education

The importance of "design" in engineering education is well established and a cornerstone of most new engineering curricula as well as accreditation criteria Electrical and computer engineering (ECE) programs view many elements of design in ways similar to other engineering disciplines. However, in some respects other disciplines within engineering, such as Mechanical Engineering (ME), view design in broader terms, and perhaps gain value that electrical and computer engineering educators may miss. This paper describes how design is typically viewed in ECE programs, bow it's viewed in other engineering areas, particularly ME, and suggests some new possibilities for enhancing design education within ECE programs. To illustrate these possibilities, an experimental subject in which entering freshmen build a sophisticated electronic device is described.
Developing International Management Communication Competence

The interactive processes of effective global managers need to be explored to identify, describe, and apply concepts supporting international management communication competence. This article synth...
Acoustic Neuromas after Failed Radiation Therapy: Challenges of Surgical Salvage

Objectives: As stereotactic radiation has emerged as a treatment option for acoustic neuromas, cases that require surgical salvage after unsuccessful radiation have emerged. We present a comparison of the technical challenges faced by the surgeons in the treatment of irradiated versus nonirradiated acoustic neuromas. Study Design: Matched case-control series. Methods: We identified nine patients with acoustic neuromas that required surgical resection after radiation therapy. Cases were performed with suboccipital and translabyrinthine approaches. Nine nonirradiated case-control subjects matched for age, sex, tumor size, and surgical approach were identified for purposes of general comparison. Operative findings and outcomes were compared for the two groups. Results: Surgical removal was found to be significantly more difficult after radiation therapy because of increased fibrosis and adhesion to adjacent nervous structures, particularly at the porus acousticus. Excessive scarring hindered identification of the facial nerve and added uncertainty as to the completeness of tumor removal. Decompression of the internal auditory canal (IAC) dura and resection of neoplasm in the IAC before cerebellopontine angle dissection was required for facial nerve identification. Operative time was significantly longer for irradiated cases, and facial nerve outcomes tended to be poorer, particularly when facial nerve dysfunction prompted the salvage procedure. Conclusions: Surgical salvage of acoustic neuromas after radiation therapy is feasible, but it presents technical challenges beyond that associated with primary surgical therapy. Poorer outcomes of postoperative cranial nerve status were caused primarily by anatomic changes at the nerve/tumor interface. As surgical experience with the irradiated acoustic neuroma grows, operative observations should be incorporated into the counsel provided to patients with acoustic neuromas as they weigh different management options.
Spasticity of the Pelvic Floor Mimicking an Obstructive Anomaly

Abstract BACKGROUND: Hematocolpos or hydrocolpos diagnosed in post-pubertal menstruating women raises the suspicion of a partial obstruction of a uterus didelphis or a hemi-vagina. This diagnosis requires immediate treatment to relieve pain and prevent the possible formation of endometriosis. This case report describes two patients who were evaluated at the Gynecology Clinic for Women with Mental Disabilities with the diagnosis of hematocolpos. METHODS: Two patients were evaluated at the Gynecology Clinic for Women with Mental Disabilities for a diagnosis of a hemato/ hydrocolpos based on USN and MRI findings. Both cases were evaluated and all ultrasound, IVP and MRI reports were reviewed. RESULTS: Patient A is a 13-year-old girl with cerebral palsy and mental disabilities, who presented to our clinic for irregular menses and an enlargement of the left labia. On examination her left labia appeared enlarged with a varicosity and an ultrasound was ordered to rule out a pelvic mass. The ultrasound report revealed a fluid filled distended vagina with normal uterus and ovaries. MRI confirmed the distended vagina and normal uterine configuration. Since it was not possible to examine this patient in the clinic, an exam under anesthesia was performed. This revealed a normal vagina, cervix and uterus. An intraoperative ultrasound was normal. Her IVP revealed normal ureteral implantation. Patient B is a 34-year-old gravida 0 with a medical history significant for cerebral palsy and mental disabilities. Her history reveals regular cycles until 4 months prior to presentation when they became more irregular and lighter. In addition, she was experiencing abdominal pain and night sweats. As part of her evaluation she underwent an ultrasound that revealed a markedly distended vagina, filled with fluid and a slightly enlarged uterus. Pelvic examination demonstrated a normal vagina and cervix. An MRI was performed which confirmed a distended vagina and revealed adenomyosis in the uterus, but no distension of the endometrial canal. Since the pelvic examination and the MRI were not compatible, an ultrasound was performed simultaneously with a pelvic exam. On abdominal ultrasound view prior to the pelvic examination the vagina was distended, similar to an obstructive picture. A pelvic exam under abdominal ultrasound guidance revealed a vagina filled with urine. The ultrasound clearly demonstrated resolution of the distended vagina, when the urine leaked out through the speculum. After the patient remained supine for 30 minutes an abdominal ultrasound redemonstrated the distended vagina. Her IVP was normal. CONCLUSIONS: These cases demonstrate that a spastic pelvic floor can mimic an outflow tract obstruction in a patient with urinary incontinence. If the history, pelvic examination and the images are not consistent, performing an exam under ultrasound guidance may assist in the diagnosis.
The Mary H. Dana Women Artists Series: From Idea to Institution

During the 1960s, women began to identify and admit that social, political, and cultural inequities existed, and to seek redress. In 1966, a structural solidarity took shape with the founding of NOW (National Organization for Women). Women artists, sympathetic to the aims of this movement, recognized the need for a coalition with a more specific direction, and, at the height of the women's movement, several groups were formed that uniquely focused on issues of concern to women artists. In 1969 W.A.R. (Women Artists in Revolution) grew out of the Art Worker's Coalition, an antiestablishment group. In 1970 the Ad Hoc Women Artists Committee was formed, initially to increase the representation of women in the Whitney Museum annuals but later a more broad-based purpose of political and legal action and a program of regular discussions was adopted. Across the country, women artists were organizing in consciousness-raising sessions, joining hands in support groups, and picketing and protesting for the relief of injustices that they felt were rampant in the male-dominated art world. In January 1971, Linda Nochlin answered the question she posed in her now famous and widely cited article, "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" Nochlin maintained that the exclusion of women from social and cultural institutions was the root cause that created a kind of cultural malnourishment of women. In June 1971, a new unity led the Los Angeles Council of Women Artists to threaten to sue the Los Angeles County Museum for discrimination. That same year, at Cal Arts (California Institute of the Arts) Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro developed the first women's art program in the nation. These bicoastal activities illustrate merely the high points of the women's art movement, forming an historical framework and providing the emotional climate for the beginning of the Women Artists Series at Douglass College.
Activation of p53 Transcriptional Activity by SMRT: a Histone Deacetylase 3-Independent Function of a Transcriptional Corepressor

The silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptors (SMRT) is an established histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3)-dependent transcriptional corepressor. Microarray analyses of MCF-7 cells transfected with control or SMRT small interfering RNA revealed SMRT regulation of genes involved in DNA damage responses, and the levels of the DNA damage marker γH2AX as well as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage were elevated in SMRT-depleted cells treated with doxorubicin. A number of these genes are established p53 targets. SMRT knockdown decreased the activity of two p53-dependent reporter genes as well as the expression of p53 target genes, such as CDKN1A (which encodes p21). SMRT bound directly to p53 and was recruited to p53 binding sites within the p21 promoter. Depletion of GPS2 and TBL1, components of the SMRT corepressor complex, but not histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) decreased p21-luciferase activity. p53 bound to the SMRT deacetylase activation domain (DAD), which mediates HDAC3 binding and activation, and HDAC3 could attenuate p53 binding to the DAD region of SMRT. Moreover, an HDAC3 binding-deficient SMRT DAD mutant coactivated p53 transcriptional activity. Collectively, these data highlight a biological role for SMRT in mediating DNA damage responses and suggest a model where p53 binding to the DAD limits HDAC3 interaction with this coregulator, thereby facilitating SMRT coactivation of p53-dependent gene expression.
Flow Rate Measurement in a High-Temperature, Radioactive, and Corrosive Environment

The transit time of a thermal signal traveling along with a liquid flow can be obtained using a cross-correlation method. This transit-time-based flowmeter using thermocouples with grounded stainless steel shielding is by far the most robust and reliable solution to measure the flow rate in a harsh environment of high temperature, irradiation, and corrosion, typically seen in a nuclear reactor. In practice, cross-correlation calculation tends to produce flat peak plateau or multiple peaks, leading to a significant error in peak detection. To overcome this problem, in this paper, an autoadaptive impulse response function (AAIRF) estimation technique is thus introduced, and a significantly narrower peak is shown theoretically and also verified experimentally. In addition, we show that more accurate results can be obtained if a moving-average-filter-based cross-correlation function is combined with AAIRF. In this paper, we also investigate a few important practical problems related to negative delays and sampling frequencies of the data acquisition.
Improving Open-Vocabulary Scene Text Recognition

This paper presents a system for open-vocabulary text recognition in images of natural scenes. First, we describe a novel technique for text segmentation that models smooth color changes across images. We combine this with a recognition component based on a conditional random field with histogram of oriented gradients descriptors and incorporate language information from a lexicon to improve recognition performance. Many existing techniques for this problem use language information from a standard lexicon, but these may not include many of the words found in images of the environment, such as storefront signs and street signs. We avoid this limitation by incorporating language information from a large web-based lexicon of around 13.5 million words. This lexicon contains words encountered during a crawl of the web, so it is likely to contain proper nouns, like business names and street names. We show that our text segmentation method allows for better recognition performance than the current state-of-the-art text segmentation method. We also evaluate this full system on two standard data sets, ICDAR 2003 and ICDAR 2011, and show an increase in word recognition performance compared to the current state-of-the-art methods.
CMOS-integrated small-capacitance germanium waveguide photodetector for optical interconnects

Compact germanium waveguide photodetector with 38fF capacitance, 40Gbps bandwidth and 0.4A/W responsivity is demonstrated. High-quality Ge-on-insulator single-crystalline layer was monolithically integrated into front-end CMOS process by lateral seeded crystallization.
Human Epididymis Protein 4 and Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor in Vaginal Fluid Relation to Vaginal Components and Bacterial Composition

Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is a protease inhibitor and a recently identified serum biomarker for ovarian cancer. Properties of HE4 in the genital tract of healthy women have not been evaluated. We evaluated associations between HE4 and a second vaginal protease inhibitor, secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), with vaginal concentrations of innate immune mediators or proteases and with the types of vaginal bacterial communities. Vaginal secretions were collected from 18 healthy reproductive age women and assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for concentrations of HE4, SLPI, kallikrein 5, cathepsin B, interleukin 1β (IL-1), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 ra), mannose-binding lectin (MBL), the inducible 70-kDa heat shock protein, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8. The species composition of vaginal bacterial communities in 16 women was characterized by sequencing amplicons derived from 16S bacterial ribosomal RNA genes. Correlations between any 2 assays were analyzed by the Spearman rank correlation tests. Differences in the concentrations of HE4 and SLPI, and between soluble components and vaginal community types, were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U tests. Vaginal HE4 concentrations, but not SLPI levels, were positively correlated with levels of IL-1β (P = .0152), IL-1ra (P = .0061), MBL (P = .0100), and MMP-8 (P = .0315). The median vaginal HE4 level, as well as concentrations of MBL, IL-1β, IL-1ra, and MMP-8, was highest when Gardnerella vaginalis dominated a vaginal community. The association between HE4, elevated levels of proteases, immune mediators and high proportions of G vaginalis strongly suggests that HE4 is a component of the proinflammatory immune response in the female genital tract.
Cortical surface flattening using least square conformal mapping with minimal metric distortion

Although flattening a cortical surface necessarily introduces metric distortion due to the non-constant Gaussian curvature of the surface, the Riemann mapping theorem states that continuously differentiable surfaces can be mapped without angular distortion. We apply the so-called least-square conformal mapping approach to flatten a patch of the cortical surface onto planar regions and to produce spherical conformal maps of the entire cortex while minimizing metric distortion within the class of conformal maps. Our method, which preserves angular information and controls metric distortion, only involves the solution of a linear system and a nonlinear minimization problem with three parameters and is a very fast approach.
Domestic trials: power and autonomy in domestic service in Zambia

Scholarship on paid domestic service has attributed the troublesome interaction between servants and employers to the peculiar interpersonal relationship characterized by domination and subservience that makes this labor process different from others. Viewing the trials and tribulations servants and employers in postcolonial Zambia experience in their interaction as social practices with which they contest a power relationship of autonomy and dependence, this article focuses on the class conflict underlying their relationship. Giddens' notion of structuration is used to explain how verbal and interactional contests help to reproduce relations of inequality. Emphasizing the interactive nature of power relationships, this analysis gives agency to servants, who, although they are the subordinate actors, are fully involved in maintaining and contesting the domestic service institution. [southern Africa, domestic service, labor process, inequality, power, class, gender]
Joining of Cast ZE41A Mg to Wrought 6061 Al by the Cold Spray Process and Friction Stir Welding

This paper presents a novel method for joining cast ZE41A-T5 Mg to wrought 6061-T6 Al, without forming deleterious, coarse intermetallic compounds, which is not currently possible with conventional technologies. The novel aspect of the process includes the development of a joint design using cold spray (CS) as the enabling technology, to produce a transitional layer onto which a conventional welding technique can be employed to join the two dissimilar materials. The emphasis in this study will be on the CS transitional layer (T-layer) which enables the joining of cast ZE41A-T5 magnesium (Mg) and wrought 6061-T6 aluminum (Al) by friction-stir welding and the subsequent materials characterization to show the structural integrity of the entire joint. In order to join Mg and Al plates by this method, a transitional layer of CS Al is first deposited along the edge of cast ZE41A Mg plate. The CS Al T-layer enables the Mg to be friction stir welded to a plate of wrought 6061 Al, thereby completing the Mg plate to Al plate joint. Friction stir welding was chosen in this study to join the CS Al T-layer to the wrought Al plate; however, other conventional welding techniques could also be employed for joining Mg to Al in this manner. The CS Al T-layer is compatible to the wrought 6061 Al plate and serves as an insulating layer that prevents heat generated during the friction stir welding process from extending into the magnesium, thus preventing the formation of intermetallics. In this study, two sets of samples were produced joining cast ZE41A-T5 magnesium (Mg) and wrought 6061-T6 aluminum: one set using CS 6061 Al as the transition material between the ZE41A Mg plate and 6061 Al plate and the other set using CS 5056 Al as the transition material. Microstructural analysis by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and optical microscopy, along with mechanical test results including triple lug shear, tension, and micro hardness will be presented. Comparisons will be made to conventional joining techniques and the importance, as well as the applications of this technique, will be discussed.
Effect of glucocorticoid receptor on prostate development and cell proliferation in prostate gland

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 4303 Glucocorticoid hormones have a variety of important functions in eucaryotic cells and tissues; they usually promote cell differentiation and inhibit proliferation. It is known that glucocorticoids have an inhibitory effect on androgen-independent prostate carcinoma (PC) cell growth in vitro and in vivo. The glucocorticoid control of cellular functions is mediated via glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a well-known transcription factor. In this work we characterized the effect of GR on prostate development and prostate cell proliferation in transgenic mice overexpressing GR in basal epithelial cells of prostate. To quantitatively characterize the mouse prostate morphology we performed the analysis of the luminal bridging that reflects the complexity of prostate gland. We found that in both lobes of prostate of adult K5.GR transgenic males the luminal bridging was significantly decreased. In dorsolateral prostate of K5.GR mice the number of glands with luminal bridging was three times lower than in prostate of w.t. littermates. In ventral mouse prostate the luminal bridging is more common finding. Thus, we have compared the average number of luminal bridging /gland, and found that the luminal bridging was more than 2.5 times decreased in K5.GR transgenics in comparison with w.t. littermates. In addition, we have evaluated the proliferation rate in prostate glands using BrdU immunostaining. We found the statistically significant two-fold decrease of the number of BrdU-positive cells in both lobes of prostate glands in K5.GR-transgenic mice. These data indicate that GR plays an important role in regulation of prostate development and proliferation.
Curriculum Differentiation and High School Achievement

This paper links curriculum differentiation in secondary schools to student achievement through instructional, interpersonal, and institutional processes. We argue that these processes operate differently across track and ability group levels. We use the NELS survey to analyze track effects and a longitudinal survey of ability grouping to examine ability group effects on student achievement. The results demonstrate that assignment to the Academic track or a higher level ability group accelerates growth in achievement, while assignment to the Vocational track or a lower level ability group decelerates it. The findings underscore the power of organizational characteristics of schools to differentially affect student learning.
MOVEMENT OF FREE FATTY ACIDS INTO AND OUT OF THE BLOOD STREAM IN NORMAL RABBITS AND IN RABBITS INJECTED SUBCUTANEOUSLY WITH THE PITUITARY ADIPOKINETIC SUBSTANCES, FRACTION H AND ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN.

Uptake and release of plasma free fatty acids by the tissues of the rabbit were investigated by measuring the arteriovenous difference in plasma FFA concentration across the perirenal fat depot, intestines and mesentery, leg, kidney, and liver. In animals given subcutaneous injection of glucose, the arteriovenous difference was negative (net release) across the intestines and mesentery, positive across the perirenal fat depot and kidney, and positive or negative across the leg and liver. After subcutaneous injection of a pituitary adipokinetic substance, either Fraction H or adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), the arteriovenous difference was negative across the perirenal fat depot, the intestines and mesentery, and the leg, while large positive differences (net uptake) were found across the kidney and liver. Stainable lipid was present in the hepatic cord cells and the cells of the renal convoluted tubules 1 hr after injection. The exchange of glucose between tissues and blood stream was not altered during adipokinesis. It is concluded that in glucose-treated rabbits, large fat depots take up FFA from the blood stream; in contrast, following the subcutaneous injection of Fraction H and ACTH, FFA are mobilized from adipose tissue into the blood stream. During the mobilization of FFA, the kidney and liver take up FFA, which probably are synthesized into triglycerides in the hepatic cord cells and cells of the renal convoluted tubules.
Warming macrophages to febrile range destabilizes tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNA without inducing heat shock

We have previously reported that sustained tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha expression is suppressed by temperatures in the febrile range in human macrophages. In this study, we examined the mechanisms of high-temperature-induced macrophage TNF suppression in the RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. Incubating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells at 40 degrees C reduced TNF secretion by 92% and peak TNF mRNA levels by 43% compared with cells incubated at 37 degrees C (P < 0.05) but did not affect levels of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, beta-actin, or interleukin-6 mRNA. TNF mRNA half-life, measured after transcriptional arrest with actinomycin D, was reduced from 21.8 +/- 3.6 min in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells at 37 degrees C to 16.0 +/- 1.8 min at 40 degrees C (P < 0.03), but these cells at 40 degrees C did not alter transcription rate or TNF mRNA polysome association. TNF mRNA destabilization occurred at temperatures below the threshold (43 degrees C) for the generalized heat shock response in these cells. We conclude that heating macrophages to febrile-range temperatures attenuates sustained TNF expression by modulating posttranscriptional processing, including acceleration of TNF mRNA decay.
The Evolution of Market Entry Industrial Design Protection: An International Comparative Analysis

The recent US. enactment of the Vessel Hull Design Protection Act is another step in the trend for improved industrial design protection of products when they are first introduced into the market ("market entry protection"). The goal has been relatively prompt enforcement of a right occurring at the time of market entry. The United States has cautiously added market entry protection for selected products when the economic situation has justified the change.The United States' slow development of market entry industrial design protection is in contrast with other countries, like France, where copyright protection has served that purpose for many years. Some foreign design registration systems have given fairly prompt market entry protection by granting rights back to the filing date. These registration systems had some delays in initiating enforcement owing to the registration procedures. An early example of market entry protection for products was the UK. design right. It protected most appearance features of a product against copying for five years' exclusive right, followed by a requirement to license the design for the following five years. Another example of improved industrial design market entry protection was in Japan, with its new unfair competition law that prevented slavish, almost identical copying of a product for three years from product introduction. In a similar manner, a proposed E. U. registration system will give a three-year right to prevent copying product industrial designs without requiring registration.
Imaging and physically probing kinetochores in live dividing cells

Abstract The kinetochore mediates chromosome segregation at cell division. It is the macromolecular machine that links chromosomes to spindle microtubules, and is made of more than 100 protein species in mammalian cells. Molecular tools are presently revealing the biochemical interactions and regulatory mechanisms that ensure proper kinetochore function. Here, we discuss two approaches for imaging and physically probing kinetochores despite mitotic cell rounding and rapid kinetochore dynamics. First, we describe how mild spindle compression can improve kinetochore imaging and how stronger compression can mechanically perturb the spindle and kinetochores. Second, we describe how simultaneously imaging two-colored kinetochore reporter probes at subpixel resolution can report on kinetochore structural dynamics under cellular forces. We hope that the experimental details we provide here will make these two approaches broadly accessible and help move forward our understanding of kinetochore function—and make these approaches adaptable to the study of other cellular structures.
Antihistamine Blockade of the Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome. II. Possible Role of Antigen-Antibody Complexes in the Pathogenesis of the Syndrome

Antihistamine can prevent the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in the rabbit. The mechanism underlying this experimental observation has not been elucidated. Our experiments were directed at the question of whether antigen-antibody complexes are a factor in the development of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. The results do not support the theory that antigen-antibody complexes play a role in the pathogenesis of this syndrome.
The nonopisthokont septins: How many there are, how little we know about them, and how we might learn more.

We have confirmed and extended previous reports of a wide distribution of septin proteins in the eukaryotic phylogeny. It now appears that septins are present in at least some representatives of every eukaryotic supergroup, with the possible exception of the Excavata. Presently, almost nothing is known of the structure, assembly, and biological roles of septins outside of the opisthokonts (animals, fungi, and their close relatives). Thus, studies of the septins in the highly diverse and distantly related nonopisthokont groups present a major opportunity to gain a much deeper understanding of septin core function and evolution, and we discuss briefly the excellent prospects for capitalizing on this opportunity in the next few years.
An Integrated Model of Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Support is Feasible and Associated with Improved Exclusive Breastfeeding.

Background Though in-person contacts in the home have demonstrated efficacy in improving breastfeeding outcomes in peer counseling programs, home contacts are resource-intensive. Objective To compare the feasibility and effectiveness of an Integrated Model of peer counseling breastfeeding support characterized by select home visits augmented with individual WIC clinic visits and group education, in contrast to the Standard Model which includes a standard number of in-person home contacts. Methods Six counties (n = 226 participants) and nine counties (n = 472 participants) were assigned to the Standard Model and the Integrated Model, respectively. Differences in demographic characteristics and breastfeeding outcomes were tested using Chi square tests and Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results Participants in counties where the Integrated Model was implemented had fewer home contacts (p = 0.03) and were more likely to have a hospital (p = 0.03) or group education (p < 0.001) contact, whereas Standard Model participants were more likely to receive an individual WIC clinic contact (p < 0.001). While there was no difference in the hazard of discontinuing any breastfeeding between groups, participants in the Integrated Model group had a lower hazard of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding by 3 months postpartum (p = 0.02). Among participants within the Integrated Model, group education classes were associated with higher hazard of discontinuation (p = 0.04 and p = 0.003 for any and exclusive breastfeeding, respectively). Conclusions It was feasible for peer counselors to implement changes in program delivery to achieve fewer home visits without a detrimental impact on breastfeeding outcomes. However, group education classes did not appear to be beneficial for improving breastfeeding outcomes in this population.