cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Capacity of a low calcium diet to induce the renal vitamin D 1a-hydroxylase is decreased in adult rats.

Young animals adapt to a low calcium diet by increasing renal production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], the active metabolite of vitamin D. However, the capacity of adult animals to adapt is markedly diminished. With the recent cloning of the cytochrome P450 component (CYP1a) of the renal 1-hydroxylase enzyme complex, it is now possible to determine directly the effect of dietary calcium and maturation on the expression of renal 1-hydroxylase. Using a ribonuclease protection assay, it was found that feeding a low Ca diet markedly increased renal CYP1a mRNA levels in young rats. However, feeding this diet to adult rats produced an increase in CYP1a mRNA that was only 10% that of the young rats. These studies demonstrate that a low calcium diet increases renal 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D production in young animals but not in adult animals by increasing CYP1a expression. Since the low calcium diet increased plasma parathyroid hormone levels to similar levels in both age groups, this suggests that in the adult there is a renal refractoriness to parathyroid hormone.
Orientation studies on drawn polyolefins

Abstract : The x-ray diffraction, birefringence and stressstrain curves for polybutene-1 and polypentene-1 have been studied for q) (Contract Nonr-335700, Proj. NR 356-37 ) Unclassified report DESCRIPTORS: (Polymers, Films, *Butenes, *Pentenes, X-ray diffraction analysis, Mechani cal properties, Crystal structure, Stresses, Molecular structure, Density, Tensile proper ties, Theory.) (Polymers, *Ethylenes.) The x-ray diffraction, birefringence and stressstrain curves for polybutene-1 and polypentene-1 have been studied for quenched and annealed samples. The variation of crystalline orientation functions with elongation is calculated for polybutene-1. Differences among the variations of birefringence with degree of elongations of these polymers are compared with those for polyethylene and polypropylene and are discussed in terms of differences in molecular structure. Mechanical property variations are discussed in terms of differences in orientation properties. (Author)
Neural network face recognition using wavelets

The recognition of human faces is a phenomenon that has been mastered by the human visual system and that has been researched extensively in the domain of computer neural networks and image processing. This research is involved in the study of neural networks and wavelet image processing techniques in the application of human face recognition. The objective of the system is to acquire a digitized still image of a human face, carry out pre-processing on the image as required, an then, given a prior database of images of possible individuals, be able to recognize the individual in the image. The pre-processing segment of the system includes several procedures, namely image compression, denoising, and feature extraction. The image processing is carried out using Daubechies wavelets. Once the images have been passed through the wavelet-based image processor they can be efficiently analyzed by means of a neural network. A back- propagation neural network is used for the recognition segment of the system. The main constraints of the system is with regard to the characteristics of the images being processed. The system should be able to carry out effective recognition of the human faces irrespective of the individual's facial-expression, presence of extraneous objects such as head-gear or spectacles, and face/head orientation. A potential application of this face recognition system would be as a secondary verification method in an automated teller machine.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Polarization patterning by laser-induced phase change in ferroelectric polymer films

Polarization patterns were written on ferroelectric poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) copolymer Langmuir–Blodgett films by heating into the paraelectric phase by laser illumination using two methods. In the first method, patterns were produced by direct writing by a focused continuous-wave laser beam that was moved across the sample. This method affords the greatest flexibility. In the second method, the patterns were generated simultaneously with a pulsed laser using a beam interference method. This method produces highly regular patterns quickly over large areas and affords higher patterning resolution. The patterns produced by both methods could be erased and rewritten, making this technique useful for producing reconfigurable nonvolatile memories, infrared imaging sensors, or acoustic imaging transducers.
Intentional left subclavian artery coverage during thoracic endovascular aortic repair for traumatic aortic injury

Background Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is widely used for treatment of traumatic aortic injury (TAI). Stent graft coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) may be required in up to 40% of patients. We evaluated the long-term effects of intentional LSA coverage (LSAC) on symptoms and return to normal activity in TAI patients compared with a similarly treated group whose LSA was uncovered (LSAU). Methods Patients were identified from a prospective institutional trauma registry between September 2005 and July 2012. TAI was confirmed using computed tomography angiography. The electronic medical records, angiograms, and computed tomography angiograms were reviewed in a retrospective fashion. In-person or telephone interviews were conducted using the SF-12v2 (Quality Metrics, Lincoln, RI) to assess quality of life. An additional questionnaire was used to assess specific LSA symptoms and the ability to return to normal activities. Data were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation and multiple linear and logistic regression analysis with appropriate transformations using SAS software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Results During the study period, 82 patients (57 men; mean age 40.5 ± 20 years, mean Injury Severity Score, 34 ± 10.0) underwent TEVAR for treatment of TAI. Among them, LSAC was used in 32 (39.5%) and LSAU in 50. A group of the LSAU patients (n = 22) served as matched controls in the analysis. We found no statistically significant difference in SF-12v2 physical health scores (ρ = −0.08; P = .62) between LSAC and LSAU patients. LSAC patients had slightly better mental health scores (ρ = 0.62; P = .037) than LSAU patients. LSAC patients did not have an increased likelihood of experiencing pain (ρ = −0.0056; P = .97), numbness (ρ = −0.12; P = .45), paresthesia (ρ = −0.11; P = .48), fatigue (ρ = −0.066; P = .69), or cramping (ρ = −0.12; P = .45). We found no difference between groups in the ability to return to activities. The mean follow-up time was 3.35 years. Six LSAC patients (19%) died during the follow-up period of unrelated causes. Conclusions Intentional LSAC during TEVAR for TAI appears safe, without compromising mental or physical health outcomes. Furthermore, LSAC does not increase the long-term risk of upper extremity symptoms or impairment of normal activities.
New materialist ontologies in mathematics education: the body in/of mathematics

In this paper we study the mathematical body as an assemblage of human and non-human mathematical concepts. We argue that learners’ bodies are always in the process of becoming assemblages of diverse and dynamic materialities. Following the work of the historian of science Karen Barad, we argue that mathematical concepts must be considered dynamic material, and we suggest a “pedagogy of the concept” that animates concepts as both logical and ontological. We draw on the philosopher of mathematics Gilles Châtelet in order to pursue this argument, elaborating on the way that mathematical concepts partake of the mobility of the virtual, while learners, in engaging with this mobility, enter a material process of becoming. We show how the concept of virtuality allows us to look at mathematical concepts in school curriculum in new ways.
Common origin for electron and hole traps in MOS devices

Experimental evidence is provided to show that many electron and hole traps found in ultraclean and annealed SiO 2 layers are related to intrinsic oxygen deficient defects. These trapping sites are found to play a dominant role in low-field oxide breakdown, radiation sensitivity, and interface state generation in MOS devices. The saturation of SiO 2 with oxygen leads to the elimination of a large number of these traps and to the stabilization of SiO 2 layers for use in submicrometer devices.
Singular integral operators in a weighted L2-space

Cauchy singular integral operators are characterized as operators in a weighted L2-space. The integral operator arises from a singular integral equation with variable coefficients. An appropriate weight function associated with the singular integral operator is constructed, and the set of polynomials orthogonal with respect to this weight function is defined. The action of the operator on polynomial sets is studied, and the definition of the operator is extended to a weighted L2-space. In this space, the operator is shown to be bounded, and, in some cases, isometric. Formulas are developed for the composition of the singular integral operator and its one sided inverse.
Economic status: middle class and poor children's views

This qualitative study explored low and middle-income children's character associations regarding economic class and their corresponding friendship choices. Projective techniques employing photographs of houses representing different income level families were used to interview 48 United States children between the ages of five and 14 years, divided equally between low and middle income. It is clear that even at early ages, both realistic assessments and popular prejudices about wealth and poverty were firmly fixed in their minds. Their prejudgments likely prevent them from reaching across economic boundaries on the basis of inherent factors of common interest and friendship. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Albuterol Improves Impaired Mucociliary Clearance After Lung Transplantation

Background Previous studies have shown that mucociliary clearance (MCC) is diminished after lung transplantation. However, it is unknown how early this deficit occurs after transplantation, or whether the abnormality can be improved by pharmacologic means. We hypothesized that impairment of MCC is evident soon after lung transplantation and that the defect in MCC can be improved by inhaled β 2 -adrenergic receptor agonists. Methods MCC and cough clearance (CC) were quantified in seven patients at 76 ± 48 days (mean ± standard deviation) after lung transplantation (baseline visit) and again 1 week later after an acute inhalation of albuterol. MCC was also determined once in four healthy subjects. To measure MCC, volunteers inhaled 99m-technetium-sulfur colloid aerosol, followed by gamma-camera imaging of their lungs for 76 minutes. Results Baseline MCC was significantly reduced in transplant patients, compared with healthy subjects, averaging 8.9 ± 7.3% and 20.9 ± 15.1%, respectively ( p = 0.05). CC was not affected by transplantation. Acute inhalation of albuterol significantly improved MCC in transplant patients (31.9 ± 21.9%) compared with baseline values ( p Conclusions MCC is diminished within a few months after transplantation. However, the response to albuterol suggests that the deficit is not static and can be improved with inhalation of a β 2 -adrenergic receptor agonist.
Percolation and conduction on the 3D Voronoi and regular networks: a second case study in topological disorder

To assess the effect of random coordination percolation properties of the three-dimensional (3D) Voronoi network and the body-centred cubic with second-nearest-neighbour bonding (BCC2) are calculated by Monte Carlo simulation and compared. The accessible fraction, backbone fraction and effective conductivity of the Voronoi network and regular networks are qualitatively the same. Moreover, when enough bonds are removed from the Voronoi network to make the average coordination match that of the BCC2 network the difference between the conductivities of the two networks is less than 0.002. Finite-size scaling theory is used to estimate percolation thresholds and critical exponents. The bond percolation thresholds of the Voronoi and BCC2 networks are 0.082 and 0.0991, whereas the site percolation thresholds are 0.145 and 0.169. The correlation length, backbone and conductivity exponents of the Voronoi network are v=0.88, beta '=1.06 and t=2.02, in good agreement with the values accepted for regular 3D networks. The effective conductivity of the network derived from a crude finite-element approximation to the Voronoi tessellation is only slightly different from that of the same network with the conductances redistributed at random.
Teaching Human Factors to Graduate and Undergraduate Computer Science Students

Human factors (HF) is not a subject traditionally taught in the Computer Science (CS) curriculum. The traditional CS curriculum focuses on the computer (the machine) and the programs for the machin...
The lung sounds phase angle test for detection of small airway disease.

Abstract Nineteen normal subjects and fifteen smoker with minimal symptoms were studied. All subjects performed spirograms, maximal expiratory flow volume (MEFV) maneuvers both breathing air and 80% He and 20% O 2 mixtures, pressure-volume maneuvers, and single breath N 2 washout curves with preceding thoracic gas volume, from which closing capacity (CC), closing volume (CV), and slope of phase III (ΔN 2 ) were computed. Pulmonary resistances (R l ) and compliances (C l ) at various breathing frequencies were also measured. The sequenced of breath sounds during the inspiratory phase of tidal breathing as a assessed by lung sounds (lung sounds ventilation sequence indices (θ)) was measured between two positions from various parts of the right lung in the same horizontal level. None of the normal subjects had a mean θ larger than 5δ. Eleven out of 15 smokers had a mean θ greater than 5δ. The mean θ correlated significantly with C l dyn /C lst , but not with CC, CV, ΔṀ max 50 . ΔN 2 and FEF 25–75 . It is concluded that θ is an index of intraregional inhomogeneity of time constants.
Wide-ranging carnivores and development permits: constructing a multi-scale model to evaluate impacts on the Florida panther

A new endangered species habitat evaluation method based on spatial variables and behavior was developed and applied in a recent development permit application process in south Florida. It utilizes aspects of habitat quality, landscape arrangement, movement tendencies, and human disturbance to generate an empirical approach to estimating functional equivalent units of ideal Florida panther (Pumaconcolorcoryi) habitat. The model can be used by permitting agencies to ensure an objective and consistent landscape approach to panther conservation throughout south Florida, and it may be useful in much of its former range (the southeastern coastal plain of the United States). It is intended for use on lands that are proposed for development as well as for property that could be acquired or otherwise managed to accommodate panther population growth and colonization.
Silicon Photonic Microring Resonators for Quantitative Cytokine Detection and T-Cell Secretion Analysis

The ability to perform multiple simultaneous protein biomarker measurements in complex media with picomolar sensitivity presents a large challenge to disease diagnostics and fundamental biological studies. Silicon photonic microring resonators represent a promising platform for real-time detection of biomolecules on account of their spectral sensitivity toward surface binding events between a target and antibody-modified microrings. For all refractive index-based sensing schemes, the mass of bound analytes, in combination with other factors such as antibody affinity and surface density, contributes to the observed signal and measurement sensitivity. Therefore, proteins that are simultaneously low in abundance and have a lower molecular weight are often challenging to detect. By employing a more massive secondary antibody to amplify the signal arising from the initial binding event, it is possible to improve both the sensitivity and the specificity of protein assays, allowing for quantitative sensing in co...
Genomic organization and tissue expression of the mouse proteasome gene Lmp-7.

LMP7 is one of the two proteasome subunits encoded in the major histocompatibility complex and is speculated to play a role in the generation of endogenous peptides for presentation by class I molecules to cytotoxic T cells. Here we report the genomic organization of the mouse Lmp-7 gene and the tissue distribution of its messenger RNA. In contrast to human LMP7 which is composed of seven exons and six introns, the mouse Lmp-7 gene is organized in six exons and five introns. Interestingly, the region corresponding to the first exon of human LMP7 is highly modified by numerous insertions and deletions and contains two in frame stop codons. Consequently, the mouse Lmp-7 gene does not allow the alternative exon usage described in humans and most likely encodes for only one LMP7 protein. Thus, the Tap-1 3′ end gene region and the Lmp-7 initial translation codon are separated by an 1182 nucleotide region which contains a TATA-box, a cAMP regulatory element, two SP1 sites, and two G-C-rich regions. Expression of the Lmp-7 messenger RNA was analyzed on different tissues from unstimulated mice. Lmp-7 messenger RNA is expressed in spleen, thymus, lung, liver, heart, and, at a very low level, in kidney but not in brain and testis. The possible role of Lmp genes in antigen processing is discussed.
A Case Study of the Construction of International Hierarchy: British Treaty-Making Against the Slave Trade in the Early Nineteenth Century

This article evaluates different theories of hierarchy in international relations through a case study of the treaty system that the British constructed in the early nineteenth century in an effort to abolish the slave trade. The treaty system was extraordinarily wide-ranging: it embraced European maritime powers, new republics in the Americas, Muslim rulers in northern and eastern Africa, and “Native Chiefs” on the western coast of Africa. It therefore allows for a comparative analysis of the various types of treaty that the British made, depending on the identity of their contracting partners. The article argues that a broadly constructivist approach provides the best explanation of why these variations emerged. Although British treaty-making was influenced by the relative strength or weakness of the states with which they were dealing, the decisive factor that shaped the treaty system was a new legal doctrine that had emerged in the late eighteenth century, which combined a positivist theory of the importance of treaties as a source of international law with a distinction between the “family of civilized nations” and “barbarous peoples.”Some of the arguments in this article were presented to a seminar at the University of Chicago, and I am grateful to members of the Political Science Department there for several valuable constructive criticisms. I would also like to thank Duncan Bell, Molly Cochran, Steve Hopgood, Andy Hurrell, Katja Weber, and the journal's two anonymous readers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of the article.
Relationship between IDL and structure editor generation technology

This paper discusses observed commonalities and differences between IDL and structure editor generation technologies. IDL (Interface Description Language) is technology for generation of tool intercommunication support with roots in compiler generation. Structure editor generation technology has its roots in syntax-directed editors. It produces environments for interactive viewing and manipulation of formally specified structures. Both technologies use a formal notation for structural and constraint descriptions. From these descriptions both generation tools automatically produce software for reading, writing, and manipulating instances of the described structures, as well as for checking specified constraints on information contained in the structures. The IDL technology emphasizes generation of batch---oriented applications while the structure editor generation technology is tailored to supporting interactive applications. Structure editor generation technology has been applied to itself, i.e., to building an interactive structure editor generation environment.
Integrating Vocabulary, Grammar, and Culture: A Model Five-Day Communicative Lesson Plan

In recent years the foreign language teaching profession has participated in a movement away from the teacher-dominated toward a studen-centered environment. Today's focus is on developing what students can do with a language, not what they know about it. This paper presents a model lesson plan that thematically integrates vocabulary, grammar, and culture. By approaching lesson planning with a task-based orientation, teachers may well find that what they need to teach (i.e., the vocabulary, grammar, and cultural information) will emerge naturally and will be more meaningful for students. The structure of the lesson is of special interest to beginning teachers, but has implications for teachers of all levels.
The Supportive Mentor as a Means of Reducing Work–Family Conflict

Abstract The present study investigated the influence of having a mentor on employee perceptions of work–family conflict. Results from a field survey of 502 employees showed that individuals with mentors reported significantly less work–family conflict, particularly family → work conflict, than those respondents who did not have mentors. Other important findings indicated that a mentor's support of a protege's efforts to balance work and family demands has significant effects on reducing proteges' work–family conflict and that the role modeling function of mentoring significantly reduces family → work conflict experienced by proteges.
The New Privatism, Federalism, and The Future of Urban Governance: National Urban Policy in the 1980S

Two policies of the Reagan administration threaten the traditional role of cities both as basic elements in the nation’s governing structure and as socio-economic communities. The long-standing bel...
Stars do not Eat Their Young Migrating Planets: Empirical Constraints on Planet Migration Halting Mechanisms

The discovery of "hot Jupiters" very close to their parent stars confirmed that Jovian planets migrate inward via several potential mechanisms. We present empirical constraints on planet migration halting mechanisms. We compute model density functions of close-in exoplanets in the orbital semi-major axis-stellar mass plane to represent planet migration that is halted via several mechanisms, including the interior 1:2 resonance with the magnetospheric disk truncation radius, the interior 1:2 resonance with the dust sublimation radius, and several scenarios for tidal halting. The models differ in the predicted power-law dependence of the exoplanet orbital semi-major axis as a function of stellar mass, and thus we also include a power-law model with the exponent as a free parameter. We use a Bayesian analysis to assess the model success in reproducing empirical distributions of confirmed exoplanets and Kepler candidates that orbit interior to 0.1 AU. Our results confirm a correlation of the halting distance with stellar mass. Tidal halting provides the best fit to the empirical distribution of confirmed Jovian exoplanets at a statistically robust level, consistent with the Kozai mechanism and the spin-orbit misalignment of a substantial fraction of hot Jupiters. We can rule out migration halting at the interior 1:2 resonances with the magnetospheric disk truncation radius and the interior 1:2 resonance with the dust disk sublimation radius, a uniform random distribution, and a distribution with no dependence on stellar mass. Note that our results do not rule out Type-II migration, but rather eliminate the role of a circumstellar disk in stopping exoplanet migration. For Kepler candidates, which have a more restricted range in stellar mass compared to confirmed planets, we are unable to discern between the tidal dissipation and magnetospheric disk truncation braking mechanisms at a statistically significant level. The power-law model favors exponents in the range of 0.38-0.9. This is larger than that predicted for tidal halting (0.23-0.33), which suggests that additional physics may be missing in the tidal halting theory.
/spl pi/-scheme short-scan SPECT and image reconstruction with nonuniform attenuation

Because the effects of physical factors such as photon attenuation and spatial resolution are distance-dependent in single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), it is generally considered that accurate image reconstruction requires knowledge of the data function over 2/spl pi/. In SPECT with only uniform attenuation, Noo and Wagner (2001) recently showed that an accurate image can be reconstructed from knowledge of the data function over the interval [0, /spl pi/]. In this work, we consider image reconstruction in /spl pi/-scheme SPECT with nonuniform attenuation. In its most general form, /spl pi/-scheme SPECT entails data acquisition over disjoint angular intervals without conjugate views, totaling to /spl pi/ radians. We develop an heuristic perspective for observing that the data function in full-scan SPECT contains redundant information and that the data function in /spl pi/-scheme SPECT contains complete information necessary for accurate image reconstruction. We conduct simulation studies in which the expectation maximization algorithm is used for image reconstruction from the data acquired in /spl pi/-scheme SPECT with nonuniform attenuation. The results in these simulation studies seem to corroborate hypothesis that accurate images can be reconstructed from /spl pi/-scheme data. /spl pi/-scheme SPECT allows data acquisition over different combinations of disjoint angular intervals, thereby providing a flexibility in choosing projection views at which the emitted gamma-rays may undergo the least attenuation and blurring. It should be stressed, however, that the proposed perspective on redundant information is intended only to heuristically reveal the data redundancy in SPECT with nonuniform attenuation and that it has not been demonstrated mathematically to guarantee the stability and exactness of image reconstruction from the /spl pi/-scheme data.
Giant cell fibroblastoma with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans-like transformation

A giant cell fibroblasloma (GCF) presented in the subcutis of the breast in a 13-month-old girl which recurred 6 years later as a dermal and subcutaneous neoplasm whose patterns were in part GCF and spindle cells with a storiform configuration resembling dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). The issue remains unsettled as to whether GCF is the juvenile variant of DFSP, but an argument about this relationship is supported circumstantially by a case such as ours.
Importance of hospital versus surgeon volume in predicting outcomes for gastric bypass procedures.

Abstract Background A relationship between surgical volume and improved surgical outcomes has been described in gastric bypass patients but the relative importance of surgeon versus hospital volume is unknown. Our objective was to examine whether in-hospital and 30-day mortality are determined more by surgeon volume or hospital volume or whether each has an independent effect. A retrospective cohort study was performed of all hospitals in Pennsylvania providing gastric bypass surgery from 1999 to 2003. Methods Data from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council included 14,714 gastric bypass procedures in patients aged >18 years. In-hospital and 30-day mortality were stratified by hospital volume categories (high [≥300], medium [125–299], and low [ Results High-volume surgeons at high-volume hospitals had the lowest in-hospital mortality rates of all categories (.12%) and low-volume surgeons at low-volume hospitals had the poorest outcomes (.57%). The same trend was observed for 30-day mortality (.30% versus .98%). After controlling for other covariates, high-volume surgeons at high-volume hospitals also had significantly lower odds of both in-hospital (odds ratio 20, P = .002) and 30-day mortality (odds ratio .30, P = .001). This relationship held true even after excluding surgeons who only performed procedures within a single year. Conclusion In Pennsylvania, both higher surgeon and hospital volume were associated with better outcomes for bariatric surgical procedures. Although a high-surgeon volume correlated with lowered mortality, we also found that high-volume hospitals demonstrated improved outcomes, highlighting the importance of factors other than surgical expertise in determining the outcomes.
Creating New Subjectivities: The Resistant Tactics of the Dislocated People in China's Real Estate Development

In the past 2 decades, real estate development in China has forced millions of people out of their properties. This article mobilizes the theoretical discussions of resistance and agency by Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, and Barbara Biesecker to present a poststructuralist interpretation of the dislocated people's resistant tactics. On the basis of these real-life cases of resistance, I explore answers to the theoretical questions on the location of agency and on the dichotomous divisions between individualized and collective actions, resistance and submission, activity and passivity. Finally, I use Michael Hanchard's concept of “coagulate politics” to describe the relationship between the seemingly isolated resistant incidents.
Measuring Transgender Individuals’ Comfort With Gender Identity and Appearance: Development and Validation of the Transgender Congruence Scale

Our study used the construct of congruence to conceptualize the degree to which transgender individuals feel genuine, authentic, and comfortable with their gender identity and external appearance. ...
Connexin43 Associated with an N-cadherin-containing Multiprotein Complex Is Required for Gap Junction Formation in NIH3T3 Cells

Previous studies have indicated an intimate linkage between gap junction and adherens junction formation. It was suggested this could reflect the close membrane-membrane apposition required for junction formation. In NIH3T3 cells, we observed the colocalization of connexin43 (Cx43alpha1) gap junction protein with N-cadherin, p120, and other N-cadherin-associated proteins at regions of cell-cell contact. We also found that Cx43alpha1, N-cadherin, and N-cadherin-associated proteins were coimmunoprecipitated by antibodies to either Cx43alpha1, N-cadherin, or various N-cadherin-associated proteins. These findings suggest that Cx43alpha1 and N-cadherin are coassembled in a multiprotein complex containing various N-cadherin-associated proteins. Studies using siRNA knockdown indicated that cell surface expression of Cx43alpha1 required N-cadherin, and conversely, N-cadherin cell surface expression required Cx43alpha1. Pulse-chase labeling and cell surface biotinylation experiments indicated that in the absence of N-cadherin, Cx43alpha1 cell surface trafficking is blocked. Surprisingly, siRNA knockdown of p120, an N-cadherin-associated protein known to modulate cell surface turnover of N-cadherin, reduced N-cadherin cell surface expression without altering Cx43alpha1 expression. These observations suggest that in contrast to the coregulated cell surface trafficking of Cx43alpha1 and N-cadherin, N-cadherin turnover at the cell surface may be regulated independently of Cx43alpha1. Functional studies showed gap junctional communication is reduced and cell motility inhibited with N-cadherin or Cx43alpha1 knockdown, consistent with the observed loss of both gap junction and cadherin contacts with either knockdown. Overall, these studies indicate that the intracellular coassembly of connexin and cadherin is required for gap junction and adherens junction formation, a process that likely underlies the intimate association between gap junction and adherens junction formation.
Automaton segmentation: a new approach to preserve privacy in xml information brokering

A Distributed Information Brokering System (DIBS) is a peer-to-peer overlay network that comprises diverse data servers and brokering components helping client queries locate the data server(s). Many existing information brokering systems adopt server side access control deployment and honest assumptions on brokers. However, little attention has been drawn on privacy of data and metadata stored and exchanged within DIBS. In this paper, we address privacy-preserving information sharing via on-demand information access. We propose a flexible and scalable system using a broker-coordinator overlay network. Through an innovative automaton segmentation scheme, distributed access control enforcement, and query segment encryption, our system integrates security enforcement and query forwarding while preserving system-wide privacy. We present the automaton segmentation approach, analyze privacy preservation in details, and finally examine the end-to-end performance and scalability through experiments and analysis.
On the Characterization of Data Cache Vulnerability in High-Performance Embedded Microprocessors

Energetic-particle induced soft errors in on-chip cache memories have become a major challenge in designing new generation reliable microprocessors. Uniformly applying conventional protection schemes such as error correcting codes (ECC) to SRAM caches may not be practical where performance, power, and die area are highly constrained, especially for embedded systems. In this paper, we propose to analyze the lifetime behavior of the data cache to identify its temporal vulnerability. For this vulnerability analysis, we develop a new lifetime model. Based on the new lifetime model, we evaluate the effectiveness of several existing schemes in reducing the vulnerability of the data cache. Furthermore, we propose to periodically invalidate clean cache lines to reduce the probability of errors being read in by the CPU. Combined with previously proposed early writeback strategies [1], our schemes achieve a substantially low vulnerability in the data cache, which indicate the necessity of different protection schemes for data items during various phases in their lifetime.
Symmetric nearly orthogonal and orthogonal nearly symmetric wavelets

In this paper we discuss the designs of 2-channel orthogonal near symmetric wavelets on the one hand, and the symmetric near orthogonal wavelets on the other. In both types of wavelets we use the Grobner bases design approach and present examples of both cases. ﺔــﺻﻼﺨﻟا
Mesenchymal stem cell treatment for chronic renal failure

Chronic renal failure is an important clinical problem with significant socioeconomic impact worldwide. Despite advances in renal replacement therapies and organ transplantation, poor quality of life for dialysis patients and long transplant waiting lists remain major concerns for nephrologists treating this condition. There is therefore a pressing need for novel therapies to promote renal cellular repair and tissue remodeling. Over the past decade, advances in the field of regenerative medicine allowed development of cell therapies suitable for kidney repair. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are undifferentiated cells that possess immunomodulatory and tissue trophic properties and the ability to differentiate into multiple cell types. Studies in animal models of chronic renal failure have uncovered a unique potential of these cells for improving function and regenerating the damaged kidney. Nevertheless, several limitations pertaining to inadequate engraftment, difficulty to monitor, and untoward effects of MSCs remain to be addressed. Adverse effects observed following intravascular administration of MSCs include immune rejection, adipogenic differentiation, malignant transformation, and prothrombotic events. Nonetheless, most studies indicate a remarkable capability of MSCs to achieve kidney repair. This review summarizes the regenerative potential of MSCs to provide functional recovery from renal failure, focusing on their application and the current challenges facing clinical translation.
Exploring high-order functional interactions via structurally-weighted LASSO models

A major objective of brain science research is to model and quantify functional interaction patterns among neural networks, in the sense that meaningful interaction patterns reflect the working mechanisms of neural systems and represent their relationships with the external world. Most current research approaches in the neuroimaging field, however, focus on pair-wise functional/effective connectivity and are thus unable to handle high-order, network-scale functional interactions. In this paper, we propose a novel structurally-weighted LASSO (SW-LASSO) regression model to represent the functional interaction among multiple regions of interests (ROIs) based on resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) data. In particular, the structural connectivity constraints derived from diffusion tenor imaging (DTI) data are used to guide the selection of the weights, thus adaptively adjusting the penalty levels of different coefficients which correspond to different ROIs. The robustness and accuracy of our models are evaluated and demonstrated via a series of carefully designed experiments. In an application example, the generated regression graphs show different assortative mixing patterns between Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients and normal controls (NC). Our results indicate that the proposed model has promising potential to enable the construction of high-order functional networks and their applications in clinical datasets.
Frequency variations in hybrid renewable energy network with integrated storage

Increasing penetration of renewable energy sources into the electrical grid, with intermittent and fluctuating supply, leads to frequency variations that are excessive in nature. This paper demonstrates the use of energy storage devices as a solution to reduce these variations. A hybrid network of conventional and renewable power sources consisting of a gas plant, a wind farm, an electrochemical battery, and a pumped hydroelectric storage plant is modeled. The network uses a load-frequency control model, interconnected with storage systems that are used to contain frequency variations within the band of ±1 Hz. A detailed methodology for the design of a nonlinear model for a sodium sulfur (NaS) battery is provided for this function. The model is validated with experimental data from a privately owned wind farm.
Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for traumatic aortic transection

Background Traumatic transection of the thoracic aorta is a highly morbid injury. Treatment may be delayed while attention focuses on concomitant injuries. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is effective but remains controversial in these often-young patients. We reviewed our experience in acute and subacute treatment of these injuries with TEVAR. Methods A retrospective analysis of five men and five women who underwent TEVAR for aortic transection from 1999 to 2007 was conducted. Procedures were performed with standard endovascular techniques. Follow-up included computed tomography at 1 month and yearly thereafter. Results Mean age was 44 years (range, 20 to 84 years). Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 7 injuries, a snowmobile accident for 1, skydiving for 1, and balloon angioplasty of a coarctation for 1. Average diameter of the proximal landing zone was 25 mm (range, 23 to 29 mm). Mean external iliac size was 10 mm (range, 7 to 15 mm), and no conduits were required. Immediate technical success was 90%, with no 30-day mortality. Seven patients underwent repair acutely (≤24 hours) and three patients subacutely (range, 4 days to 2 months) for pseudoaneurysm. Four patients had procedures for concomitant injuries before their transection was repaired (3 laparotomies and a fixation for open fracture). One endoleak was noted, which resolved by the 1-month follow-up. The lone device-related complication was an endograft collapse at 5 months managed by repeat endografting, which was complicated by aortoesophageal fistula requiring esophagectomy and open reconstruction. No iliac injuries occurred. At 20-months of mean follow-up (range, 2 to 70 months), all patients are alive and well. Conclusions TEVAR for traumatic aortic transection is feasible, with good initial success. Repair can be delayed in selected cases. Continued surveillance is necessary to ensure good long-term outcomes in these young patients. Care must be taken when performing TEVAR for this off-label indication because these devices are designed for the larger aortic diameters of aneurysm patients.
Exploring the e-cigarette e-commerce marketplace: Identifying Internet e-cigarette marketing characteristics and regulatory gaps

Abstract Background The electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) market is maturing into a billion-dollar industry. Expansion includes new channels of access not sufficiently assessed, including Internet sales of e-cigarettes. This study identifies unique e-cigarette Internet vendor characteristics, including geographic location, promotional strategies, use of social networking, presence/absence of age verification, and consumer warning representation. Methods We performed structured Internet search engine queries and used inclusion/exclusion criteria to identify e-cigarette vendors. We then conducted content analysis of characteristics of interest. Results Our examination yielded 57 e-cigarette Internet vendors including 54.4% ( n = 31) that sold exclusively online. The vast majority of websites (96.5%, n = 55) were located in the U.S. Vendors used a variety of sales promotion strategies to market e-cigarettes including 70.2% ( n = 40) that used more than one social network service (SNS) and 42.1% ( n = 24) that used more than one promotional sales strategies. Most vendors (68.4%, n = 39) displayed one or more health warnings on their website, but often displayed them in smaller font or in their terms and conditions. Additionally, 35.1% ( n = 20) of vendors did not have any detectable age verification process. Conclusions E-cigarette Internet vendors are actively engaged in various promotional activities to increase the appeal and presence of their products online. In the absence of FDA regulations specific to the Internet, the e-cigarette e-commerce marketplace is likely to grow. This digital environment poses unique challenges requiring targeted policy-making including robust online age verification, monitoring of SNS marketing, and greater scrutiny of certain forms of marketing promotional practices.
Measurement of atomic lifetimes with a mode-locked laser.

We present a new technique for measuring atomic lifetimes with a mode-locked laser. A single laser pulse excites the atoms and a subsequent frequency-doubled pulse ionizes the excited-state atoms. The ions are collected and counted. The measurement is repeated using excitation and detection pulses with different time separations, which determines the excited-state decay rate. We demonstrated this technique for the 6P3/2 state of cesium. The measured lifetime was 30.5 ns and had a statistical uncertainty of 0.1 ns. Systematic effects limited the overall experimental uncertainty to ~0.6>ns in this initial experiment.
Sexual violence by government security forces: Are levels of sexual violence in peacetime predictive of those in civil conflict?:

Are levels of sexual violence committed by government security forces in a country prior to conflict predictive of levels of sexual violence in that country during conflict? Most of the scholarship on sexual violence focuses on the phenomenon during armed conflict, and in general the assumption made by these scholars is that conflict exacerbates the sexual violence problem. Cross-sectional analysis appears to support this assertion; however, we argue that the comparison group used by cross-sectional analyses is inappropriate for answering the question of whether conflict impacts the amount of sexual violence in a country. Instead, we propose that the appropriate comparison is between peacetime levels of sexual violence and conflict levels of sexual violence for the same country. To test this relationship, we employ data on sexual violence committed by government security forces in a sample of 170 countries for the time period 1999–2011, using a measure similar to that from Butler, Gluch, and Mitchell. The...
Synthesis and Chiroptical Properties of Arylimines of Cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione

In the hope of generating a new class of materials with large optical rotations, various arylamines were condensed with cholest-4-ene-3,6-dione (2) to give 3-arylimino steroids. These compounds pos...
Creating N-Photon Entangled State by Quantum Interference

By superposing a coherent state with a number of parametric down-conversion processes, we can engineer some arbitrary N-photon state, including the entangled NOON state.
Experimental investigation of oxygen rich LOX/GH2 combustion using linewise Raman imaging

Rocket engine performance and efficiency heavily rely on fundamental understanding of high pressure, high temperature combustion of practical rocket propellants. In this paper, single shot temperature and major species profiles measured in a LOX/GH2 experimental rocket engine are presented. These profiles were obtained through vibrationalrotational spontaneous linewise Raman spectroscopy. Single shot images were further processed to obtain averaged results. Both single shot and averaged combustion temperature and species data indicate values that are very close to the adiabatic flame calculations. The results are critical for improving computer models which in turn can aid experimental investigations as predictive tools. Introduction Past and current space programs have developed technologies for use of various propellant combinations and injector designs. Liquid oxygen (LOX) and gaseous hydrogen (GH2) has been a successful propellant combination for rocket engines. Existing rocket engines such as the space shuttle main engines and preburners make use of this combination. Both the space shuttle main engines and preburners operate at fuel rich conditions, albeit at different mixture ratios. Recently as part of the development program for the Reusable Launch Vehicle, there has been considerable interest in investigating oxygen rich combustion for preburner application. The current work therefore focuses on oxygen rich LOX/GH2 injector technology development. Specifically, the current study investigates the mixing and reacting flow evolution of oxygen rich combustion for a swirl coaxial injector at an elevated pressure. The resultant information aids development of finer computational models which in turn are used as predictive tools for further experimental investigations. Past studies demonstrated that laser based diagnostics can be used successfully to measure temperature and species information in combustion environments. Although these diagnostic tools have not been extensively used in high pressure LOX/GH2 combustion systems unique to rocket engines, they are well established techniques in studying flames for atmospheric to moderately high (2 to 8 atm) pressure conditions." In recent years, there has been an increased involvement of laser diagnostics in screening and development of rocket engine systems. Use of Raman spectroscopy is well represented in these investigations where the technique is suitable." * Post-doctoral Researcher, Mechanical Engineering, Member AIAA t Senior Research Associate, Mechanical Engineering, Member AIAA * Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Senior Member AIAA Copyright © 1998 by S. Yeralan. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. with permission. 1 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Copyright© 1997, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. Gaseous Hydrogen Inlet Laser Access Window Intermediate Sections .. Nozzle .Assembly Cooling