cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Notch intracellular domain overexpression in adipocytes confers lipodystrophy in mice.

Abstract Objective The Notch family of intermembrane receptors is highly conserved across species and is involved in cell fate and lineage control. Previous in vitro studies have shown that Notch may inhibit adipogenesis. Here we describe the role of Notch in adipose tissue by employing an in vivo murine model which overexpresses Notch in adipose tissue. Methods Albino C57BL/6J Rosa NICD/NICD ::Adipoq-Cre (Ad-NICD) male mice were generated to overexpress the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) specifically in adipocytes. Male Rosa NICD/NICD mice were used as controls. Mice were evaluated metabolically at the ages of 1 and 3 months by assessing body weights, serum metabolites, body composition (EchoMRI), glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance. Histological sections of adipose tissue depots as well as of liver were examined. The mRNA expression profile of genes involved in adipogenesis was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Results The Ad-NICD mice were heavier with significantly lower body fat mass compared to the controls. Small amounts of white adipose tissue could be seen in the 1-month old Ad-NICD mice, but was almost absent in the 3-months old mice. The Ad-NICD mice also had higher serum levels of glucose, insulin, triglyceride and non-esterified fatty acids. These differences were more prominent in the older (3-months) than in the younger (1-month) mice. The Ad-NICD mice also showed severe insulin resistance along with a steatotic liver. Gene expression analysis in the adipose tissue depots showed a significant repression of lipogenic (Fasn, Acacb) and adipogenic pathways (C/ebpα, C/ebpβ, Pparγ2, Srebf1). Conclusions Increased Notch signaling in adipocytes in mice results in blocked expansion of white adipose tissue which leads to ectopic accumulation of lipids and insulin resistance, thus to a lipodystrophic phenotype. These results suggest that further investigation of the role of Notch signaling in adipocytes could lead to the manipulation of this pathway for therapeutic interventions in metabolic disease.
Attosecond Light Switches

Generalized Double Optical Gating is a robust sub-cycle switch for generating ultra-broadband single isolated attosecond pulses. It is a promising approach to reach microjoule-level XUV pulse energy for attosecond pump - attosecond probe experiments.
Acupuncture and Heart Rate Variability: A Systems Level Approach to Understanding Mechanism

Recent research has elucidated several different mechanisms for acupuncture. However, the interrelationship between these mechanisms and how acupuncture affects complex physiological systems is still not understood. Heart rate Variability (HRV), the beat-to-beat fluctuations in the rhythm of the heart, results from the regulation of the heart by the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Low HRV is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and is a marker for a wide range of diseases. Coherent HRV patterns are associated with increased synchronization between the two branches of the ANS, and when sustained for long periods of time result in increased synchronization and entrainment between multiple body systems. There is strong evidence from randomized placebo controlled trials that acupuncture modulates HRV. This may represent a mechanistic pathway for global physiological regulation, which is congruent with East Asian medical theory. The ability of acupuncture to improve HRV could be used as a tool in acupuncture research and practice to monitor treatment effectiveness and the impact on quality of life.
Nutritional and Biological Properties of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The nutritional benefits generally recognized for the consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are based on a large number of dietary trials of several international populations and intervention studies. Unfortunately, many authors in this field used questionable analytical methods and commercial kits that were not validated scientifically to evaluate the complex bioactive constituents of EVOO and lipid oxidation and decomposition products. Many questionable antiradical methods were commonly used to evaluate natural polyphenolic antioxidants, including an indirect method to determine low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Extensive differences were observed in experimental design, diet control, populations of different ages and problems of compliance intervention, and questionable biomarkers of oxidative stress. Analyses in many nutritional studies were limited by the use of one-dimensional methods to evaluate multifunctional complex bioactive compounds and plasma lipid profiles by the common applications of commercial kits. Although EVOO contains polyphenolic compounds that exhibit significant in vitro antioxidant activity, much more research is needed to understand the absorption and in vivo activity. Many claims of in vivo human beneficial effects by the consumption of EVOO may be overstated. No distinctions were apparently made between in vivo studies based on general health effects in large populations of human subjects and smaller scale well-controlled feeding trials using either pure or mixtures of known phenolic constituents of EVOO. More reliable protocols and testing methods are needed to better validate the complex nutritional properties of EVOO.
Dislocation motion in MgO crystals under plate impact

Dislocation dynamics in MgO single crystals is studied by means of plate impact experiments in which specimens are subjected to stress pulses of 214 to 376 MPa resolved shear stress with duration in the range of 0.09 to 0.23μsec. Dislocation structures in the recovered crystals are observed by an etch pit technique and by transmission electron microscopy. Etch pit studies show that inclusions play a role in the generation of interior glide bands and that there is a 20 to 40-fold increase in dislocation densities outside the glide bands. Assuming the average dislocation velocity is approximately proportional to the applied stress the drag coefficient for MgO at dislocation velocities of 1 to 2 km sec−1 is observed to be 5×10−5 Nsec m−2. Transmission electron microscopy determines the spacing and curvature of dislocations in glide bands.
Certain sequences of Wythoffian matrices, and maximal geometric progressions therein

Abstract We study a curious sequence S 2 of matrices over the positive integers that is associated with the winning pairs of Wythoff's Nim. It is not a semigroup, but its union with two of its translates is. Our main objective is to determine the distribution of maximal geometric progressions M , M 2 , …, M k that are contained in S 2 . Their density is shown to be a surprisingly smooth function of the length k that decreases to zero very slowly when k is large.
The glycoflavonoid pigments of Vitex lucens wood

Abstract Wood of Vitex lucens is a rich source of glycoflavonoid ( C -glycosylflavonoid) compounds. In addition to the previously described apigenin derivatives vitexin (4′,5,7-trihydroxy-8- C -glucopyranosylflavone) and isovitexin (the 6- C -glucosyl isomer), the corresponding luteolin derivatives orientin and isoorientin have been discovered. Compounds of vitexin and orientin, which have xylose attached to the 8-glucosyl group, are also present. The most unusual constituents are eight compounds which appear to be 6,8-di- C -glycosyl derivatives of apigenin and luteolin. Several compounds in each series are interconvertible in hot acidic solution.
Normobaric hyperoxia and delayed tPA treatment in a rat embolic stroke model.

In a rat embolic stroke (eMCAO) model, the effects of 100% normobaric hyperoxia (NBO) with delayed recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administration on ischemic lesion size and safety were assessed by diffusion- and perfusion (PWI)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. NBO or room air (Air) by a face mask was started at 30 mins posteMCAO and continued for 3.5 h. Tissue plasminogen activator or saline was started at 3 h posteMCAO. Types and location of hemorrhagic transformation were assessed at 24 h and a spectrophotometry hemoglobin assay quantified hemorrhage volume at 10 h. In NBO-treated animals the apparent diffusion coefficient/PWI mismatch persisted during NBO treatment. Relative to Air groups, NBO treatment significantly reduced 24 h infarct volumes by ~30% and ~ 15% with or without delayed tPA, respectively (P < 0.05). There were significantly more hemorrhagic infarction type 2 hemorrhages in Air/tPA versus Air/saline animals (P < 0.05). Compared with Air/tPA, the combination of NBO wi...
The lipophage in hyperlipemic rats: an electron microscopic study.

Abstract Electron microscopic observations were made on circulating lipophages in the peripheral blood of rats on an atherogenic diet. Morphologic detail indicates that these circulating lipophages are principally monocytes. Lipophages in pulmonary capillaries and in aortic atherosclerotic lesions were also studied, and the lipophages in these three sites were compared according to ultrastructural characteristics. Similar morphologic forms of lipid, cytoplasmic organelles, lysosomes, and small dense osmiophilic granules are found in each of the cells. Similarities such as these lend support to the evidence of previous workers that the circulating lipophages penetrate the arterial endothelium to become foam cells. It is suggested that the lipophages in the pulmonary capillaries and in the aortic lesions may continue to accumulate intracellular lipid after reaching a stationary position, which would explain their containing larger amounts of lipid than the lipophages in the circulating blood.
GaAs and GaN based high operating temperature spin split-off band infrared detectors

Recently developed high operating temperature (up to 330 K) GaAs/AlGaAs detectors responding in the 3-5 μm wavelength range and based on split-off (SO) transitions followed by escape by scattering to the light/heavy hole(LH/HH) band or by direct quantum mixing of the states offer a viable alternative to present day detectors operating at cryogenic temperatures. This paper presents a theoretical model to predict the response of SO detectors. The model calculates the dark current and illuminated currents from the photoabsorption, carrier escape, and transport, explaining the experimental response. Using this model, different strategies to improve the performance of the GaAs based SO detectors are presented. A graded barrier improves the performance by reducing the space charge build up, and the double barrier resonant structure by enhanced escape of holes from the SO to the light/heavy hole bands by bringing the two bands into resonance. A detailed analysis of the effect of detector parameters on responsivity and D* is made. The change of material system to GaN/AlGaN should extend the response to longer wavelengths (THz) as its zinc blende and wurtzite crystal structures have SO transition energies of 20meV and 8meV respectively. Experimental measurement of SO absorption in GaN and potential THz detector designs are discussed.
Transitions in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: the impact of ambulatory surgery.

Background: Ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a common practice in the United States, but its development remains slow in most other countries. The objective of the current study was to report the impact of ambulatory surgery on the practice of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a major teaching hospital since the inception of the service. Methods: The hospital database of patients who underwent cholecystectomies for benign hepatobiliary pathologies was reviewed between January 1993 and December 1999. Changes in the practice of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the length of hospital stay were analyzed. Clinical characteristics of the ambulatory and inpatient groups were compared. Results: Of 2,891 laparoscopic cholecystectomies involved in the current study, 888 (31%) were performed as day cases, and 2,003 (69%) were performed as inpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomies. The annual number of ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomies increased from 3 (0.6%) in 1993 to 212 (48%) in 1997. This was followed by a plateau in the next 3 years. The ambulatory group comprised a significantly higher prevalence of young women (87%) who underwent surgery mainly for biliary colic (88%). Conclusions: The current study demonstrated a net trend toward ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy and a shorter length of hospital stay. Almost half of our patients with gallstone disease currently are using the ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy service, with young women constituting the majority. We predict that ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy heralds the wave of the future, and our experience may serve as a blueprint for other institutions wishing to embark on this journey.
Sexual selection and the evolution of obligatory sex.

Background Among the long-standing conundrums of evolutionary theory, obligatory sex is one of the hardest. Current theory suggests multiple factors that might explain the benefits of sex when compared with complete asexuality, but no satisfactory explanation for the prevalence of obligatory sex in the face of facultative sexual reproduction.
Dynamic response of liquid jet breakup.

Analysis and characteristic response of liquid jet atomization or breakup process using Clark model
The grand challenge of physiology: to integrate function from molecules to man

Traditional English Nursery Rhythm (earliest published version 1803) (Opie and Opie, 1997). The term physiology was fi rst introduced by Jean Francois Fernel (ca. 1497–1558) in 1542 [De Naturali Parte Medicinae (on the natural part of medicine)] as the study of the function of the healthy body as distinguished from pathology, the study of disease (Hall, 1975). William Harvey (1578–1657) is often regarded as the father of modern physiology as he was the fi rst individual to use carefully designed human and animal experiments to establish the function of a major bodily organ system with his description of the circulation of the blood. This application of physiology is illustrated in the following brief quotation from his seminal publication “Exercitatio Anatomica De Motu Cordis et De Circulatione Sanguinis in Animalibus” 1628 (Anatomical exercises on the motion of the heart and the circulation of blood in living creatures, fi rst English translation 1653):
Effects of a dual COX-1/-2 inhibitor and a selective COX-2 inhibitor on pro-inflammatory gene expression in a clinical model of tissue injury

Aims COX-1 expression is significantly decreased and COX-2 expression significantly increased 4 hours after surgery, but both return to pre-surgical levels by 48 hours in acutely inflamed human tissue (Lee et al, Soc. for Neurosci. 2004). This study evaluated the effect of a dual COX-1/-2 inhibitor (ibuprofen) and a selective COX-2 inhibitor (rofecoxib) on expression patterns of pro-inflammatory genes related to prostaglandin (PG) formation in the oral surgery model. Methods Pre- and post-surgical (48 hours) biopsy samples were taken from 64 patients undergoing surgical removal of impacted third molars. For evaluation of transcriptional activity, real-time PCR assays were performed. Results We found little detectable change in COX-1 expression but wide variation in COX-2 expression associated with drug administration: no change in the placebo group but increased COX-2 mRNA from ibuprofen (p rofecoxib > placebo), and 15-PGDH related to PG degradation, was significantly decreased (ibuprofen < rofecoxib < placebo). Conclusions These findings demonstrate that a dual COX-1/-2 inhibitor and a selective COX-2 inhibitor change expression patterns of pro-inflammatory genes following tissue injury that stimulate the arachidonic acid cascade and may attenuate the inhibitory actions of these drugs by increased production of PG. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P9–P9; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.11.035
Common signatures of statistical Coulomb fragmentation of highly excited nuclei and phase transitions in confined microcanonical systems

Characteristic signatures of statistical Coulomb fragmentation of highly excited nuclear systems are analyzed. It is found that in many important aspects, they coincide with perceived signatures of phase transitions in confined hypothetical pseudomicrocanonical systems and, therefore, may give rise to an incorrect interpretation of certain experimental observations in terms of phase transitions occurring in nuclear matter. It is demonstrated that domains of negative heat capacity predicted by certain classes of pseudomicrocanonical model calculations for the immediate vicinity of phase transitions are artifacts of an unphysical truncation of the model phase space and that such domains disappear already with a very rudimentary enhancement of this phase space. Appearance of bimodality and of signatures of critical phenomena in Coulomb fragmentation is discussed.
Dish Structure, a Primary Sedimentary Structure in Coarse Turbidites: ABSTRACT

Some clean but poorly sorted sandstone beds in California contain vertical progressions of thin lens-shaped structures, here termed dish structures. Individuals are 4-50 centimeters long, 1 to a few centimeters thick, oval in plan, and are oriented parallel with bedding. Each dish has a fine-grained, slightly clayey lower surface that is concave-up, and from which clay content decreases and sand size increases upward to a coarse, clay-free top. The size of the structures decreases and the concavity of their bottoms increases higher in the bed. The margins of each dish are truncated by adjacent and overlying dishes, except where they occur along individual horizons with their joined margins forming upward-pointing peaks. Steeply oriented elutriation columns lacking clay an finer sand commonly accompany dish structure. They disrupt or turn up dish surfaces through which they pass, and terminate beneath overlying dishes. Typical sandstone beds containing dish structure are about 1 meter thick and progress upward from a base of coarse, structureless sand (interval a of Bouma, 1962) through flat lamination, dish structure, and overlying flat lamination (b), to a top of very fine-grained sand containing convolute lamination (c). Dish structure also occurs as a central interval within an otherwise nearly structureless, very thick bed. Antidunes may produce simple dish structure by alternate scour, and by breaking and deposition in the troughs during aggrading suspension flow in a turbidity current that has declined from dispersion flow (after Bagnold). Middleton (1965) reports structures similar to some dish structures in size and shape resulting from antidune flow. Some characteristics, possibly including clay distribution, may result from sporadic water expulsion, related sediment flowage, and general de-watering of the bed. Dish structure between structureless intervals would require dispersion flow to progress to antidune flow, then revert to dispersion flow. End_of_Article - Last_Page 485------------
Effects of host plant leaf damage on cabbage looper moth attraction and oviposition

Mated female Trichoplusia ni (Hubner) moths, when presented a choice of either undamaged cotton plants, Gossypium hirsutum L., or damaged plants (cut leaves or feeding T. ni larvae) in a flight tunnel, were most often attracted first to the damaged plants. However, these same moths oviposited primarily on the undamaged plants. In a similar test with cabbage plants, Brassica oleracea L., the presence of conspecific larvae decreased both attraction and oviposition. Cuts to cabbage leaves had no significant effect on attraction or oviposition. When presented one plant at a time, percentages of cabbage looper moths attracted were not affected by the presence of larvae on either cabbage or cotton plants, or by cuts to cabbage plant leaves. Percentages of moths attracted were, however, higher using cotton plants with cut leaves. The results suggest an important role for damage induced plant volatiles in host location as well as host acceptance by T. ni.
Further studies on high molecular weight fowlpox virus DNA and its hydrodynamic properties.

Abstract The intrinsic viscosity of fowlpox virus DNA measured at low shear stress in a rotating cylinder viscometer averages 447 dl/g. Calculation of the molecular weight from intrinsic viscosity data gives a value of approximately 200 × 10 6 daltons and agrees well with the molecular weight previously determined by other methods. Fowlpox DNA shows an anomalous behavior after heat denaturation with as much as 50% of the DNA exhibiting a buoyant density in CsCl similar to that of the native DNA. Denaturation in the presence of 1% formaldehyde virtually eliminates this nativelike material. Sedimentation velocity and buoyant density studies on alkaline-denatured fowlpox DNA give no evidence for covalent cross-links in the molecule. Centrifugation of denatured fowlpox DNA in an alkaline CsCl gradient revealed only one band, indicating that there is no significant difference in the guanine + thymine content of the complementary strands.
MITIGATION OF PORE GENERATION IN LASER WELDING OF MAGNESIUM ALLOY AZ31B IN LAP JOINT CONFIGURATION

Magnesium, as the lightest structural metal, has been widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries. Porosity is the main issue in the welding of magnesium alloys and can be caused by surface coatings, hydrogen gas, pre-existing porosity, the collapse of an unstable keyhole and vaporization of alloying elements. In this study, the effect of the oxide layer on pore generation in the welding of AZ31B-H24 magnesium alloy is investigated. A fiber laser with a power of up to 4 kW is used to weld samples in a lap joint configuration. Two groups of samples are studied: as received (AR) surfaces (where an oxide layer remains on the surface) and treated surfaces. The surface treatment includes two techniques: mechanical removal (MR) and the use of a plasma arc (PA) as a preheating source. Also, a separate set of experiments are designed for preheating samples in a furnace in order to investigate whether the pore mitigation effect of a plasma arc is caused by preheating. Observations include a weld bead profile achieved through optical microscopy, chemical compositions tested by Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and mechanical properties measured with a tensile test. The results obtained show that the preheating effect of a plasma arc procedure can effectively mitigate pore generation. The tensileshear results reveal that PA samples have a higher strength than other groups of samples.
Morphogenesis of the Caenorhabditis elegans male tail tip.

Using electron microscopy and immunofluorescent labeling of adherens junctions, we have reconstructed the changes in cell architecture and intercellular associations that occur during morphogenesis of the nematode male tail tip. During late postembryonic development, the Caenorhabditis elegans male tail is reshaped to form a copulatory structure. The most posterior hypodermal cells in the tail define a specialized, sexually dimorphic compartment in which cells fuse and retract in the male, changing their shape from a tapered cone to a blunt dome. Developmental profiles using electron microscopy and immunofluorescent staining suggest that cell fusions are initiated at or adjacent to adherens junctions. Anterior portions of the tail tip cells show the first evidence of retractions and fusions, consistent with our hypothesis that an anterior event triggers these morphogenetic events. Available mutations that interfere with morphogenesis implicate particular regulatory pathways and suggest loci at which evolutionary changes could have produced morphological diversity.
Lack of acute toxicity associated with a multimodality treatment of stage III ovarian epithelial carcinoma.

Abstract Eleven patients with advanced stage III ovarian epithelial carcinoma were treated primarily according to an aggressive multimodality plan utilizing cytoreductive surgery, chemotherapy (high-dose cisplatin and Cytoxan), and consolidative radiation therapy (abdominopelvic "bath" plus pelvic boost). The treatment was tolerated remarkably well. There was no evidence of progressive disease during treatment, and all patients showed a positive response. There was a notable lack of significant acute morbidity, with the exception of a severe symptomatic peripheral neuropathy associated with cisplatin doses of 200 mg/m 2 . This was not evident with doses of cisplatin up to 150 mg/m 2 .
Inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase block carbon monoxide-induced increases in cGMP in retina.

Abstract Previous studies indicate that the gaseous messengers carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide (NO) can interact to cause robust increases in intracellular cGMP levels in the retina. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biochemical basis of the interactions between NO and CO for these increases. Turtle retinas were incubated in vitro with CO to stimulate cGMP production in the presence or absence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitors N-ω-nitro- l -arginine methyl ester and S-methyl-thiocitrulline. Cyclic GMP immunocytochemistry was then used to evaluate the changes in cGMP levels in response to these stimuli. The results indicated that CO itself stimulated increases in cGMP in bipolar and amacrine cells, and that the increases were completely blocked by SMTC and l -NAME. We postulate that the increases of cGMP in response to CO might be mediated, at least partly, by CO displacing and releasing NO from its intracellular storage pool(s).
Nociceptin/orphanin FQ increases blood pressure and heart rate via sympathetic activation in sheep.

Abstract This study was undertaken to examine the cardiovascular effects of nociceptin/Orphanin FQ (OFQ). Nociceptin/OFQ (10–300 nmol/kg, IV) stimulates an increase in mean blood pressure (MBP) and heart rate (HR) in chronically catheterized sheep. Pretreatment with phenoxybenzamine (5 mg/kg) attenuated the pressor response, consistent with sympathetically mediated vasoconstriction. Furthermore, the lack of a reflex bradycardia suggests either blunting of the baroreflex by nociceptin/OFQ or direct β-adrenergic activation. The bradycardic response to norepinephrine (0.6 μg/kg, IV) remained intact after nociceptin/OFQ administration, demonstrating that nociceptin/OFQ does not blunt the baroreflex. Additionally, the increase in HR was completely reversed by pretreatment with propranolol. These data suggest that nociceptin/OFQ plays a role in cardiovascular regulation via sympathetic activation.
Advances in Super-resolution Biplane FPALM, STED and 3D Particle Tracking Microscopy

STED and FPALM microscopy generate super-resolution images at ~25 nm resolution through targeted and stochastic switching of fluorophores. I present recent advances in both techniques and introduce a novel ultra-fast 3D particle-tracking microscope.
Dynamic Switching Mechanisms in LOV1 and LOV2 Domains of Plant Phototropins

LOV domains are the light-sensitive portion of plant phototropins. They absorb light through a flavin cofactor, photochemically form a covalent bond between the chromophore and a cysteine residue in the protein, and proceed to mediate activation of an attached kinase domain. Although the photoreaction itself is now well-characterized experimentally and computationally, it is still unclear how the formation of the adduct leads to kinase activation. We have performed molecular dynamics simulations on the LOV1 domain of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the LOV2 domain of Avena sativa, both before and after the photoreaction, to answer this question. The extensive simulations, over 240 ns in duration, reveal significant differences in how the LOV1 and LOV2 domains respond to photoactivation. The simulations indicate that LOV1 activation is likely caused by a change in hydrogen bonding between protein and ligand that destabilizes a highly conserved salt bridge, whereas LOV2 activation seems to result from a change in the flexibility of a set of protein loops. Results of electrostatics calculations, principal component analysis, sequence alignments, and root mean-square deviation analysis corroborate the above findings.
Anatomists and Entrepreneurs in Early Eighteenth-Century London

Anatomical demonstration in the eighteenth century took place in many formats. In this essay I discuss public anatomical demonstration as performed by entrepreneurial anatomists in London between 1700 and 1740. These anatomists offered courses, advertised in newspapers, to anyone who was willing to pay. In contrast to courses offered in oYcial settings to prospective physicians and surgeons, these courses emphasized natural philosophy and natural theology rather than practical knowledge. Entrepreneurial lecturers also aimed to entertain. In this article I examine the lectures of James Douglas, William Cheselden, and Frank Nicholls, each of whom diVered significantly from the others in style and content but were all anatomical entrepreneurs. All of them, moreover, employed not only human cadavers but also living and dead animals in their lessons. I examine the content of the lectures and the motivations of the lecturers' audiences. I also argue that the prevailing historiographical representation of eighteenth-century science as "polite" requires considerable revision to accommodate as impolite an activity as public anatomy.
Positive Stigma: Examining Resilience and Empowerment in Overcoming Stigma

The traditional literature on stigma focuses on identifying factors contributing to the harmful impact of stigmas on the lives of stigmatized individuals. This focus, however, cannot explain the many cases of individuals possessing a stigmatized identity flourishing in our society. This article investigates the processes that successful stigmatized individuals use to overcome the harmful consequences of stigmatization. Specifically, this article reviews three processes: (1) compensation; (2) strategic interpretations of the social environment; and (3) focusing on multiple identities that have been identified in the literature to help stigmatized individuals handle prejudice and discrimination. Moreover, successful individuals adopt an “empowerment” model as opposed to a “coping” model when dealing with stigma. In other words, successful individuals view overcoming the adversities associated with stigma as an empowering process, as opposed to a depleting process. This discussion underscores the importance ...
Cytocompatibility of Magnesium-Zinc-Calcium Alloys with Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Magnesium (Mg)-based alloys have attracted great interest as metallic biomaterials for orthopedic applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical properties that resemble those of cortical bone. However, the potential toxicity of alloying elements in commercially available Mg alloys makes it critical to engineer and screen new alloys specifically for biomedical applications. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the in vitrodegradation and cytocompatibility of two distinct Mg - Zinc (Zn) - Calcium (Ca) alloys (Mg-4%Zn-1%Ca and Mg-9%Zn-1%Ca, wt. %; abbreviated as ZCa41 and ZCa91, respectively) using a bonemarrow derived mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) model. Both Zn and Ca play critical roles in boneformation and growth, and have been shown to increase mechanical and corrosion properties of Mgalloys. BMSCs provide vertebrates the continuous supply of osteoblasts needed for bone remodelingand repair, and thus were selected to determine the effect of increasing Zn content on cell behavior.Surface microstructure and composition of the alloys were characterized before and after BMSC culture using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-rayspectroscopy (EDS). Thermanox® treated glass and plasma treated tissue culture polystyrene were used as a control and reference, respectively. Results indicated that the ZCa91 alloy improved BMSC adhesion as compared with ZCa41 alloy. The formation of high-aspect ratio needle-likefeatures on the surface of ZCa41 alloy after its degradation in cell culture media was speculated tocontribute to the lower cell adhesion. This study provided an early indication on cytocompatibility of Mg-Zn-Ca alloys for biomedical applications.
Growth retardation in Chinese hamster V-79 cells exposed to 1 MHz ultrasound.

Abstract Asynchronous Chinese hamster V-79 cells were exposed in suspension to continuous wave 1 MHz ultrasound for 1 min at an axial intensity of 2.5 W/cm 2 , then allowed to grow in monolayer culture. There was little if any growth, as determined by changes in the number of attached cells, for 24 hr after sonication, then a return to normal growth approximately 36 hr after sonication. The lack of growth during the first 24 hr appears to be due to an approximate balance between proliferation of viable cells and loss of non-viable cells into the medium.
Seeing/Loving Animals: André Bazin's Posthumanism:

French film theorist Andre Bazin was fascinated by films in which humans and animals are framed together, especially in circumstances in which the presence of one signals the endangerment of the other. By putting Bazin and two films he admired (Kon Tiki and Umberto D) in conversation with Jacques Derrida's writing on the animal and Walter Benjamin's infrahuman optics, this article argues that Bazin's commitments to cinematic realism and the recurrence in his writing of human/animal propinquity signal a distinctly posthumanist ethics. Jacques Perrin's Winged Migration realizes Bazin's interest in a cinema that de-centers and even absents the human. It may also be a film that answers Derrida's call that we not just look at animals, but feel ourselves seen by them.
A Simple Yet Effective Technique for Global Wiring

A simple algorithm to perform global wiring is described. Repeated iterations of the algorithm tend to improve the quality of wiring by rerouting around congested areas. Various parameters can be set to give preference to short routes or to reduce the time taken by the algorithm. The algorithm has been tried out for several master-slice chips containing up to 3500 cells with good results. The technique is easily extended to standard cell chip design. An implementation for global wiring of a structured custom chip design style is described along with results. The technique is adaptable to higher level packaging such as chips on modules or modules on a board.
POSTMODULAR SYSTEMS: ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES FOR COGNITIVE ROBOTICS

Modular-functional decomposition is a fundamental tenet of computer science. Cognitive robotics, with strong roots in cognitive science and biology,replaces modular-functional decomposition with a more opportunistic approach. Nonetheless, we can extract heuristics with both analytic and synthetic power: architectural principles for postmodular systems. This paper describes three postmodular principles: imagination, shared grounding, and incremental adaptation. It briefly discusses examples of each drawn from existing systems. The paper concludes with an illustration of these three principles used in concert to build a system that progresses first to hand-eye coordination, then to planned complex reaching, and finally to shared attention.
An integrated load forecasting-load management simulator: its design and performance

Load management is now a widely practiced option among electric utilities in the United States. As the capital cost for power plant construction has skyrocketed, and the load growth has slowed, the utility industry has found inexpensive capacity through load management. Now, as the load growth is slowly picking up, and the incremental benefit from additional load management activities is diminishing, the capacity (MW) for bulk power purchase is getting more and more expensive. This situation has been aggravated by the proliferation of cogeneration activities in various parts of the country. While cogenerators may be able to supply significant amounts of energy (MWhr), quite often they depend on the electric utility to provide the backup capacity (MW). Consequently the utility supplied peak load capacity has a very low load factor and, therefore, becomes very expensive. Deeply involved in this situation are the electric cooperatives who buy bulk power from electric utilities and resell to their member consumers. A number of such cooperatives (e.g., Old Dominion Electric Cooperative in Virginia) are experiencing load growth higher than what is generally seen among investor-owned electric utilities. This has resulted in higher demand for capacity (MW) by the electric cooperatives while the cost for such capacity has shot up due to the reasons mentioned earlier. The coalescence of these factors have resulted in the necessity on the part of electric cooperative to exercise load control at appropriate times.
Quantitative Trait Locus Analysis of Stage-Specific Inbreeding Depression in the Pacific Oyster Crassostrea gigas

Inbreeding depression and genetic load have been widely observed, but their genetic basis and effects on fitness during the life cycle remain poorly understood, especially for marine animals with high fecundity and high, early mortality (type-III survivorship). A high load of recessive mutations was previously inferred for the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, from massive distortions of zygotic, marker segregation ratios in F2 families. However, the number, genomic location, and stage-specific onset of mutations affecting viability have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we again report massive distortions of microsatellite-marker segregation ratios in two F2 hybrid families, but we now locate the causative deleterious mutations, using a quantitative trait locus (QTL) interval-mapping model, and we characterize their mode of gene action. We find 14–15 viability QTL (vQTL) in the two families. Genotypic frequencies at vQTL generally suggest selection against recessive or partially recessive alleles, supporting the dominance theory of inbreeding depression. No epistasis was detected among vQTL, so unlinked vQTL presumably have independent effects on survival. For the first time, we track segregation ratios of vQTL-linked markers through the life cycle, to determine their stage-specific expression. Almost all vQTL are absent in the earliest life stages examined, confirming zygotic viability selection; vQTL are predominantly expressed before the juvenile stage (90%), mostly at metamorphosis (50%). We estimate that, altogether, selection on vQTL caused 96% mortality in these families, accounting for nearly all of the actual mortality. Thus, genetic load causes substantial mortality in inbred Pacific oysters, particularly during metamorphosis, a critical developmental transition warranting further investigation.
Relaxation Algorithms for the General Asymmetric Traffic Equilibrium Problem

In this paper we establish the convergence of two relaxation algorithms designed to solve, respectively, the extended single-mode and the general multimodal network equilibrium problems. Both algorithms are shown to converge linearly; the first under the assumption that the cost functions are not too asymmetric; the second under the assumption that the cost interaction among the different modes is relatively weak.
WHERE ALL THE CHILDREN ARE ABOVE AVERAGE: THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PURPOSE EFFECT

More than 40 years ago, Taylor and Wherry (1951) hypothesized that performance appraisal ratings obtained for administrative purposes, such as pay raises or promotions, would be more lenient than ratings obtained for research, feedback, or employee development purposes. However, research on appraisal purpose has yielded inconsistent results, with roughly half of such studies supporting this hypothesis and the other half refuting it. To account for those differences, a meta-analysis of performance appraisal purpose research was conducted with 22 studies and a total sample size of 57,775. Our results support Taylor and Wherry's hypothesis as performance evaluations obtained for administrative purposes were, on average, one-third of a standard deviation larger than those obtained for research or employee development purposes. In addition, moderator analyses indicated larger differences between ratings obtained for administrative and research purposes when performance evaluations were made in field settings, by practicing managers, and for real world subordinates. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
Long-Term Response Prediction of Integral Abutment Bridges

The importance of long-term behavior in integral abutment (IA) bridges has long been recognized. This paper presents an analytical, long-term, response prediction methodology using finite-element (FE) models and compares results to measured response. Three instrumented Pennsylvania IA bridges have been continuously monitored since November 2002, November 2003, and September 2004 to capture bridge response. An evaluation of measured responses indicates that bridge movement progresses year to year with long-term response being significant with respect to static predictions. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional FE models were developed using ANSYS to determine an efficient and accurate analysis level. Seasonal cyclic ambient temperature and equivalent temperature derived from time-dependent strains using the age adjusted effective modulus method were employed as major loads in all FE models. The elastoplastic p-y curve method, classical earth pressure theory, and moment-rotation relationships with parallel unloading paths were used to model hysteretic behavior of soil-pile interaction, soil-abutment interaction, and abutment-to-backwall connection. Predicted soil pressures obtained from all FE models are similar to the measured response. Predicted abutment displacements and corresponding design forces and moments at the end of the analytically simulated 100-year period indicate the significance of long-term behavior that should be considered in IA bridge design.
Multi-dimensional velocity estimation with ultrasound using spatial quadrature

Conventional ultrasonic motion or flow velocity estimation is limited to the axial velocity component. A novel technique, called "spatial quadrature," for the simultaneous estimation of axial and lateral velocity components is introduced. This technique utilizes even and odd spatial weightings of the point spread function that have a quandrature relationship. These weightings produce modulation in the received echo that can be decoded to quantify lateral motion. This estimator can be implemented for two-dimensional velocity estimation with a conventional transducer array and medical ultrasound scanner, preferably one with parallel receive processing. The technique also can be extended to three-dimensional velocity estimation given an appropriate 2-D transducer and scanner architecture. Discussed are space and frequency domain descriptions of this estimator in the context of a brief overview of 2-D flow estimation methods, including analyses characterizing the performance envelope of this estimator. In addition, the application of this technique in CW and PW regimes, and with both radio frequency and baseband quadrature (I- and-Q) data, are discussed. Phantom studies demonstrate spatial quadrature in 2-D using a clinical scanner.
A fructose receptor functions as a nutrient sensor in the Drosophila brain

Internal nutrient sensors play important roles in feeding behavior, yet their molecular structure and mechanism of action are poorly understood. Using Ca(2+) imaging and behavioral assays, we show that the gustatory receptor 43a (Gr43a) functions as a narrowly tuned fructose receptor in taste neurons. Remarkably, Gr43a also functions as a fructose receptor in the brain. Interestingly, hemolymph fructose levels are tightly linked to feeding status: after nutritious carbohydrate consumption, fructose levels rise several fold and reach a concentration sufficient to activate Gr43a in the brain. By using different feeding paradigms and artificial activation of Gr43a-expressing brain neurons, we show that Gr43a is both necessary and sufficient to sense hemolymph fructose and promote feeding in hungry flies but suppress feeding in satiated flies. Thus, our studies indicate that the Gr43a-expressing brain neurons function as a nutrient sensor for hemolymph fructose and assign opposing valence to feeding experiences in a satiation-dependent manner.
Dynamic input match correction in RF low noise amplifiers

The input match of low noise amplifiers can degrade significantly due to process faults and the parasitic package inductances at its input pad. These inductances have wide tolerances and are difficult to co-design for. This paper presents a self-correction methodology that will go beyond BIST systems by ascertaining the input match frequency and dynamically re-aligning it, thus rendering the input match fault and package tolerant. The proposed two-tonal approach depends only on the difference of two signals that pass through the same sensing circuitry. Consequently, it is inherently insensitive to process, power supply and temperature variations. Coupled with the fact that the majority of the signal processing occurs in the baseband/DC domain, complexity and precision demands are highly lenient. We present simple, low-precision circuitry designed in IBM 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS RF process with low power and real-estate overheads, no DSP cores or processors and fast correction times of less than 30 /spl mu/s. To the authors' knowledge, this paper represents the first ever attempt at self correction of integrated RF front-end circuitry.
Structure sensitivity of pyrite oxidation; comparison of the (100) and (111) planes

The interaction of atomically clean (100) and (111) crystallographic planes of FeS 2 with H2O vapor, O2, and a H2O/O2 mixture was investigated. A combined high pressure/ultra-high vacuum (UHV) apparatus allowed the surfaces to be reacted at environmentally relevant pressures and studied with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) without exposure to the atmosphere. Neither surface exhibited significant reaction in pure O 2. Exposure of FeS2(111) to H2O vapor resulted in significant oxidation, but under these same experimental conditions FeS 2(100) exhibited a much smaller amount of oxidation. It is suspected that on FeS 2(100), H2O only reacted on nonstoichiometric regions (i.e., defects). Both surfaces showed substantial reaction in H 2O/O2. The amount of FeS2(100) and FeS2(111) oxidation in the H2O/O2 mixture was more than simply the sum of the reaction observed individually in pure O 2 and H2O. This result suggests that there is a synergy between H 2O and O2 in oxidizing pyrite. In all cases, the amount of oxidation that occurred on FeS 2(111) was greater than on FeS2(100). We believe that this experimental observation is due to a higher concentration of under-coordinated Fe in the outermost surface of FeS2(111), relative to FeS 2(100).
A general framework of marker design with optimal allocation to assess clinical utility

This paper proposes a general framework of marker validation designs, which includes most of existing validation designs. The sample size calculation formulas for the proposed general design are derived on the basis of the optimal allocation that minimizes the expected number of treatment failures. The optimal allocation is especially important in the targeted design which is often motivated by preliminary evidence that marker-positive patients respond to one treatment better than the other. Our sample size calculation also takes into account the classification error of a marker. The numerical studies are conducted to investigate the expected reduction on the treatment failures and the relative efficiency between the targeted design and the traditional design based on the optimal ratios. We illustrate the calculation of the optimal allocation and sample sizes through a hypothetical stage II colon cancer trial.