cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Entomophaga maimaiga reproductive output is determined by the spore type initiating an infection

The fungal pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga, infecting gypsy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar), produces two types of spores; relatively short-lived conidia are produced externally on cadavers and are actively ejected to cause infection during the same season, while azygospores, produced within cadavers, are dormant after formation and survive unfavourable conditions. This is the first record providing experimental proof of differential reproduction resulting from infections initiated by these two types of spores. Cadavers of larvae that had died from infections initiated by azygospores produced only conidia, regardless of host instar or relative humidity after host death. This is in stark contrast to infections initiated by conidia, which could yield either conidia only, azygospores only, or both spore types, with reproductive outcome primarily influenced by host age. Production of only conidia from infections initiated by azygospores increases opportunities for secondary transmission during the eight week field season; if infections initiated by azygospores produced azygospores, chances for amplification of infections with subsequent epizootic development would be decreased.
Kaironomal Activity of Elcar and Its Effect upon Host Searching of Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) 1

The presence of a host-searching stimulant (kairomone) for Microplitis croceipes , a braconid parasite of Heliothis spp. in the commercial formulation and four preformulation stages of the Heliothis NPY, Elcar was investigated. A petri dish bioassay was used to determine kairomonal activity of Elcar at three concentrations (1.0, 0.5, and O.1g in 100 ml of water). “Cremed” diseased Heliothis larvae, the supernatant resulting from centrifugation of “cremed” larvae, formulated inert ingredients, and purified Heliothis NPY were also bioassayed at a concentration of 1 g in 100 ml of water. There was no searching response to the purified NPY, inert additives, or the lowest concentration of Elcar, but responses were observed to the high and medium concentrations of Elcar, the supernatant, and the “cremed” larvae. These data indicate the presence of kairomonal substance(s) in Elcar, and suggest that virus purification during the formulation process may reduce the potential kairomone activity.
Outcome of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage implants for the treatment of uveitic glaucoma

Abstract Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage devices in the management of uveitic glaucoma. Design Retrospective, noncomparative case series. Participants Twenty-four eyes of 24 patients who underwent implantation of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage devices between 1996 and 2000 for the treatment of uveitic glaucoma refractory to medical therapy. Intervention Implantation of Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device. Main outcome measures Control of intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications needed for adequate IOP control, visual acuity, complications associated with the surgery, and the effect of subsequent surgery on the ability of the device to control IOP. Success was defined as IOP ≥5 and ≤21 mmHg with or without antiglaucoma medications and without need for further glaucoma surgery, loss of light perception, or phthisis. Results Cumulative life-table success rates were 95.8% at 3 months and 91.7% at 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months. The mean postoperative follow-up was 20.8 months. The IOP was reduced from a preoperative mean of 30.5 ± 8.96 mmHg with 3.1 ± 0.99 antiglaucoma medications to a postoperative mean at 6 months or 1 year of 13.0 ± 4.6 mmHg ( P P Conclusions The Baerveldt glaucoma drainage device offers reasonable safety and effectiveness for the control of IOP in eyes with uveitis and refractory glaucoma.
Enzymatic degradation of the components of asparaginyl-carbohydrate from chicken ovalbumin.

Abstract Five components of asparaginyl-carbohydrate, prepared from crystalline chicken ovalbumin by digestion with pronase, have been isolated and purified. The homology of their structures has been demonstrated by enzymatic hydrolysis, using α- D -mannosidase and N -acetyl-β- D -glucosaminidase.
Synthesis of [α‐14C]‐benzylguanidine

SUElMAKY [~~~C]-benzylgua nidine (1) having a specific activity of 14 mCil mmol was synthesized in 55%yield (isolated) by reacting [d4C]benzylamine hydrochloride and cyanamide in 1-butanol.
Another new kind ofChlamydomonas mutant, with impaired flagellar autotomy

We have obtained a UV-induced mutant (designatedfa-) ofChlamydomonas reinhardtii, in which the mechanism of flagellar autotomy is impaired. Whereas wild-type cells normally shed their flagella in 17% ethanol, for instance, the mutant cells retain them.
Photodissociation of acetaldehyde and the absolute photoionization cross section of HCO.

Photodissociation of acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) at 266 nm produced CH3 and HCO radicals, and single-photon vacuum ultraviolet ionization was used to record velocity map ion images of both CH3+ and HCO+. Comparison of the translational energy distributions from both species indicates that secondary fragmentation of HCO is negligible for 266 nm photodissociation. Thus, the relative photoion signals for CH3+ and HCO+ in the mass spectrometer, combined with the recently measured absolute photoionization cross section of CH3, allowed the determination of the absolute photoionization cross section of HCO (σ(HCO) = 4.8 ± 1.52.0, 5.9 ± 1.62.2, and 3.7 ± 1.21.6 Mb at 10.257, 10.304, and 10.379 eV, respectively). The observed values are quite small but consistent with the similarly small value at threshold for the isoelectronic species NO. This behavior is discussed in terms of the character of the HOMO in both molecules.
Kosmotropic Anions Promote Conversion of Recombinant Prion Protein into a PrPSc-Like Misfolded Form

Prions are self-propagating proteins involved in transmissible spongiform encephalopaties in mammals. An aberrant conformation with amyloid-like features of a cell surface protein, termed prion protein (PrP), is thought to be the essential component of the infectious particle, though accessory co-factor molecules such as lipids and nucleotides may be involved. The cellular co-factors and environmental conditions implicated in PrP misfolding are not completely understood. To address this issue, several studies have been done inducing misfolding of recombinant PrP (recPrP) into classical amyloid structures using partially denaturing conditions. In this work, we report that misfolding of recPrP into PrPSc-like aggregates can be induced by simply incubating the protein in the presence of kosmotropic salts at concentrations that are known to retain or increase the stability of the protein. We used a simple experimental reaction (protein, buffer and salts) submitted to agitation/incubation cycles at physiological temperature and pH. The formation of protease resistant-recPrP was time and salt-concentration dependent and required the presence of kosmotropic anions such as F− or SO4−2. The molecular weights of the protease resistant recPrP fragments are reminiscent of those found in degradation assays of bona fide PrPSc. The aggregates also exhibited PrPSc-like ultrastructural features including rod-shape morphology under electron microscope, high beta-sheet content and thioflavin-T positive signal. The formation of recPrP aggregates with PrPSc biochemical features under conditions closer to physiological in the absence of organic co-factor molecules provides a simple setup that may prove helpful to understand the molecular mechanism of PrP misfolding.
Mixture equations of state: Composition dependence

This paper discusses theoretical models for the composition dependence of equations of state and compares the quality of predictions against experimental thermodynamic property data. The mean density approximation (MDA) and the van der Waals one-fluid (VDW1) model are compared with hybrid mixing rules (HMR), in which rigorous composition dependence is used for the second and third virial coefficients and the conformai solution model is used for equation-of-state density terms beyond the third virial term. It is found that when values of unity are used for all binary and three-body unlike interaction parameters, calculated densities for methane-normal heptane mixtures have average absolute deviations of 3.54% for MDA, 4.04% for VDW1, and 2.59% for HMR. When vapor-liquid equilibrium calculations were performed for the methane-normal heptane system, average absolute deviations of calculatedK values from experimental values were 16.7% for methane and 36.4% for normal heptane using HMR, whereas when conformal solution model (CSM) mixing rules were used, the results were 34.8% for methane and 66.7% for normal heptane. When the binary interaction parameter for the characterization of interaction energies is determined, it is found to be less sensitive to state conditions in the case of HMR than either MDA or VDW1. These preliminary results suggest the potential of mixture equation-of-state methods which utilize rigorous composition dependence for the lower-order virial coefficients.
Business and Economic Database Access in Libraries Serving Midsized Accredited Business Schools

This study extends earlier ones focusing on the database offerings of large academic business libraries. It focuses on libraries that serve “midsized” Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited schools of business in the United States that have undergraduate and MBA programs, but do not have PhD programs and tend to not offer separate business libraries. Using a survey, this study aims at collecting and sharing data that offer benchmarks for libraries to compare their offerings and to support the justification of the addition of desired databases.
Leaf litter input mediates tadpole performance across forest canopy treatments

Understanding the mechanisms limiting the distributions of organisms is necessary for predicting changes in community composition along habitat gradients. In many areas of the USA, land originally cleared for agriculture has been undergoing a process of reforestation, creating a gradient of canopy cover. For small temporary wetlands, this gradient can alter abiotic conditions and influence the resource base of wetland food webs by affecting litter inputs. As distributions of amphibians and many other temporary wetland taxa correlate with canopy cover, we experimentally manipulated shade levels and litter types in pond mesocosms to explore mechanisms limiting species performance in wetlands with canopy cover. Most differences between ponds were mediated by litter type rather than direct effects of shading. Although all three amphibian species tested are open-canopy specialists, spring peepers were the only species to show decreased survival in shaded ponds. Pond litter type generally had strong effects on growth and development rates, with tadpoles of two species in grass litter ponds growing to twice the size of, and metamorphosing 7 days earlier than, those in leaf litter ponds. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, shade level and litter type showed very few significant interactions. Our results indicate that the effects of shading cannot be considered in isolation of vegetation changes in pond basins when evaluating the effects of forest succession on temporary pond communities.
Transmission-line theory based study on voltage distribution along the line and the disposition scheme of series capacitors of UHV transmission lines with series capacitors

In this paper, the transmission-line theory based fast algorithm for voltage distribution along the UHV transmission line with series capacitors is proposed. Firstly, the two-port transmission parameter matrix of UHV transmission lines is transformed to the two-port node admittance matrix, therefore, the lumped parameters of strict equivalent π model for UHV transmission line is obtained. Secondly, the parameters are filled into the commercial power flow software to calculate the power flow of the target grid which includes the UHV transmission lines with series capacitors. Thirdly, the power flow calculation results are regarded as the terminal conditions of the UHV lines with series capacitor, and the transmission parameter matrix is used to calculate the voltage distribution along the line rapidly. In the algorithm, the voltage distribution along the line is obtained accurately; moreover, the reactive power supply capacities of both sides of the UHV lines with series capacitors can be taken into account, which implies that the engineering applicability of the proposed algorithm is very strong. At last, the relative disposition scheme of UHV series capacitors and UHV line shunt reactors as well as the centralized/distribution layout scheme of UHV series capacitors are investigated, and some useful conclusions are drawn. According to the proposed algorithm and the conclusions, the guidance suggestion is given for the UHV series capacitors schemes of ‘Wandian Dongsong’ UHV transmission project and ‘Ximeng Waisong’ UHV transmission project.
APC-RESISTANCE AS MEASURED BY A TEXTARIN TIME ASSAY: COMPARISON TO THE APTT-BASED METHOD

Abstract Protein C is a major regulatory protein critical to physiologic anticoagulation. When activated, it selectively degrades the activated forms of factors V and VIII, thereby, down-regulating blood coagulation. Using an activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) assay, Dahlback et al. recently reported that some individuals with thrombophilia show a poor in vitro anticoagulant response to activated protein C (APC-Resistance). Subsequent studies identified a point mutation in the gene for factor V as the underlying cause of APC-Resistance. The incidence of APC-Resistance in patients with recurrent thromboembolic events approaches 50%. The APC-Resistance phenotype is also present in approximately 5% of normal Caucasian subjects. In an attempt to develop a more sensitive and specific test system, we evaluated an assay based on Textarin®(Pentapharm, Basel, Switzerland). Textarin®, a protein fraction of Pseudonaja textilis venom (Australian Eastern Brown Snake) activates prothrombin in the presence of phospholipid (PL), factor V and calcium ions. Based on Textarin's requirement for factor V, we developed a Textarin time assay to test for APC-Resistance. We evaluated this test system in normal subjects and the following patient populations: stable orally anticoagulated, previously diagnosed factor V Leiden, and therapeutically heparinized samples. We found the Textarin assay to be a sensitive and specific test system to identify APC-Resistance. The phenotypic Textarin APC-Resistance test correlated more closely with the genotypic abnormality of factor V R506Q than the APTT-APC-Resistance test.
A pilot study using nominal group technique to assess residents' perceptions of successful attending rounds.

BACKGROUND Ward attending rounds are fundamental for internal medicine residency training. An improved understanding of interns’ and residents’ perceptions of attending rounds should inform training programs and attending physicians.
Remote Condition Monitoring of a Peaking Gas Turbine

This paper illustrates how software and hardware for telecommunications and data acquisition enable cost-effective monitoring of peaking gas turbines using personal computers. It describes the design and evaluation of a system which transmits data from each start-up and shutdown over 1,500 miles to a monitoring computer. It presents system structure, interfaces, data content, and management. The system captures transient sequences of acceleration, synchronization, loading, thermal stabilization, steady operation, shutdown and cooldown; it yields coherent sets of speed, load, temperature, journal eccentricity, vibration amplitude, and phase at intervals appropriately spaced in time and speed. The data may be used to characterize and identify operational problems.© 1991 ASME
Socrates at Amphipolis (Ap. 28e)

ITHE veracity of Socrates' report (P1. Apology 28e) of his service at Amphipolis in 422 has been impugned by distinguished authorities and ought perhaps to be defended. A. W. Gomme has recently observed: 1 "Sokrates himself... cannot have been on this campaign at Amphipolis..." The reason is because Socrates lists his battles in the order a-c-b, sc. Poteidaia (432), Amphipolis (422), Delion (424). The same reasoning had earlier led Burnet, not cited by Gomme, to a similar conclusion.2 One queries whether chronological order in this context is a relevant criterion of historical veracity. Plato is not composing a history but an appeal to jurors. Rhetorical effect would be most important. Poteidaia is first. There Socrates most distinguished himself.3 Next come Amphipolis and Delion in order of their fame among Athenians. One may paraphrase to grasp the effect in English "officers whom you chose to direct me at Poteidaia and at Amphipolis, not to speak of Delion. " And there is an ethopoetic reason. Strictest accuracy was not becoming a gentleman. Battles out of order stress Socrates' modesty. He was not so proud of his accomplishments that he recorded them exactly. Comparable is the Platonic habit of misquoting Homer.4 Further the "confusion" is between 422 and 424 and not between 414 and 432 as would be the case had Amphipolis misplaced Poteidaia. Only an interval of two years is at issue. Such an indiscretion would cause no comment. Compare the gross historical errors in a defense speech delivered on the same charge in the same year against the same prosecutor.5 Finally there is a relevant passage in Demosthenes, Third Philippic, where that orator recalls three events, obviously well known to himself, in the chronological order, a-c-b. The passage (9. 23) lists the hegemonies of Athens, Thebes, and Sparta in that order.
Encouraging women in computer science

At a cost to both their own opportunities and society's ability to produce people with much-needed technical skills, women continue to be underrepresented in computer science degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Although some of the barriers that women face have their foundations in cultural expectations established well before the college level, we believe that departments can take effective steps to increase recruitment and retention of women students. This paper describes several strategies we have adopted at Stanford over the past decade.
Airborne observatory data maps Orion Nebula

A map of the Orion Nebula that demonstrates newly formed stars not visible to the naked eye has been created by using infrared data from the Gerard P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory. These stars have been under study by infrared astronomers since their discovery some 15 years ago. Infrared observations have shown total power output of this group of very young stars to be more than 100,000 times the power of the sun. The Kuiper Airborne Observatory is actually a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter aircraft equipped with a 91.5-cm aperture Cassegrain-type reflector telescope installed in an open cavity recessed into the port side of the aircraft immediately ahead of the wing. The telescope can be moved in flight over an elevation range of 35°–75°. It is capable of tracking celestial objects to an accuracy of less than 2 arc seconds by use of precision gyroscopes and an active digital tracking system. The team aboard the Kuiper included astronomers from the California Institute of Technology, the University of Hawaii and the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope.
A comparison of npn and pnp profile design tradeoffs for complementary SiGe HBT Technology

Abstract A comprehensive comparison of npn and pnp profile design tradeoffs for SiGe HBTs is conducted using calibrated simulations. The parasitic energy band barrier induced by the SiGe/Si transition in the collector–base space charge region produces very different design constraints for pnp and npn transistors, and they must be optimized separately. A single SiGe profile is found to give acceptable performance for both npn and pnp devices, while still satisfying film stability constraints.
Fabrication techniques for low-loss silicon nitride waveguides

Optical waveguide propagation loss due to sidewall roughness, material impurity and inhomogeneity has been the focus of many studies in fabricating planar lightwave circuits (PLC's) In this work, experiments were carried out to identify the best fabrication process for reducing propagation loss in single mode waveguides comprised of silicon nitride core and silicon dioxide cladding material. Sidewall roughness measurements were taken during the fabrication of waveguide devices for various processing conditions. Several fabrication techniques were explored to reduce the sidewall roughness and absorption in the waveguides. Improvements in waveguide quality were established by direct measurement of waveguide propagation loss. The lowest linear waveguide loss measured in these buried channel waveguides was 0.1 dB/cm at a wavelength of 1550 nm. This low propagation loss along with the large refractive index contrast between silicon nitride and silicon dioxide enables high density integration of photonic devices and small PLC's for a variety of applications in photonic sensing and communications.
EUS in preoperative staging of pancreatic cancer.

Abstract Background: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is believed to be highly accurate in the local (T) and nodal (N) staging of pancreatic cancer. However, there are scant data concerning the predictive value of EUS for resectability of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This study was performed to determine the accuracy of TNM staging by EUS in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and to evaluate the role of preoperative TNM staging by EUS for determining resectability in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Methods: This is a retrospective review of a cohort of 89 patients evaluated preoperatively with EUS for pancreatic adenocarcinoma between January 1995 and December 1997. Preoperative TNM classification by EUS was compared with surgical and histopathologic TNM staging. Resectability rates were determined and compared with the preoperative TNM staging by EUS. Results: The overall accuracy of EUS for T and N staging was found to be 69% and 54%, respectively. The overall proportion of tumors that were deemed resectable by EUS and were actually found to be resectable during surgical exploration was 46%. The proportion of tumors staged as T4 N1, T4 N0, T3 N1 and T3 N0 by EUS that were found to be resectable during surgical exploration was 45%, 37%, 44% and 62%, respectively. Conclusions: In a tertiary referral patient population, EUS is not as accurate as previously reported in the T and N staging of pancreatic cancer. EUS is also not predictive of resectability in stage T3 or T4 pancreatic cancer. (Gastrointest Endosc 2000;52:463-8.)
SPC08-5: Noise Model Analysis of Optimized Mixed-Radix Structures for Pulsed OFDM

Pulsed OFDM (P-OFDM) is a proposed enhancement to Multi-Band Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing which reduces the power and complexity of Ultra Wideband transceivers without sacrificing performance. In this paper, the effects of finite precision arithmetic in the mixed-radix Fast Fourier Transforms of P-OFDM architectures are analyzed using a noise model. The results of this analysis lead to the selection of optimal values for the wordlengths of the data and coefficients. Synthesis results based on these optimal wordlengths are presented for a Xilinx Virtextrade-4 FPGA implementation.
Molecular cloning of the alpha-globin transcription factor CP2.

Abstract CP2, a transcription factor that binds the murine alpha-globin promoter, was purified and subjected to amino acid sequence analysis. Oligonucleotide primers derived from the sequence were used to obtain murine and human cDNA clones for the factor. The murine cDNA spans approximately 4 kb and contains two coextensive open reading frames (ORFs) which encode deduced polypeptides of 529 (ORF-1; molecular weight, 59,802) and 502 (ORF-2; molecular weight, 56,957) amino acids, slightly smaller than the purified factor as estimated from its mobility in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels (64,000 to 66,000). The human cDNA contains a single ORF of 501 amino acids that is nearly contiguous with murine ORF-2. Indeed, comparison of deduced human and murine amino acid sequences shows that the two polypeptides are 96.4% identical. A strictly conserved region is rich in serine and threonine (17.5%) and in proline (11%) residues (S-T-P domain). This S-T-P domain is immediately amino terminal to a string of 10 glutamines (in the human sequence) or a tract of alternating glutamine and proline residues (in the mouse sequence). Bacterial expression of the full-length (502-amino-acid) murine factor or of a core region comprising amino acids 133 to 395 generated polypeptides with the DNA binding specificity of CP2. These results confirmed the cloning of CP2 and delimited the region sufficient for specific DNA sequence recognition. Antisera produced against the core region recognized polypeptide species with Mrs of 64,000 and 66,000 in immune blots of nuclear extracts prepared from both murine and human cell lines, consistent with the size of the purified factor. Lastly, a data base search revealed that amino acids 63 to 270 of the murine factor are distantly related to a domain in the Drosophila gene regulatory factor Elf-1.
Non-Destructive Evaluation of Strains and Voiding in Passivated Copper Metallizations

Stress induced voiding in passivated Cu lines was investigated by x–ray strain analysis and in–situ high voltage scanning electron microscope (HVSEM) techniques. Cu lines on a Ta underlayer and Cu lines on an Al underlayer were patterned by a trilayer liftoff technique and passivated with Si3N4. For direct observation of stress voiding, specimens were heated to 350°C in the HVSEM and then cooled and held at 150°C. Identical samples were subjected to the same thermal cycle for strain state determination using x–ray techniques. The hydrostatic stress state at each temperature was calculated from the measured strains. Few initial voids were observed after passivation in either sample. After heating to 350°C and cooling to the dwell temperature, no new voiding was seen in the Ta/Cu lines. Measured hydrostatic strains were half those measured in the Al/Cu lines. Heavy voiding was observed in the Al/Cu lines after cooling to the dwell temperature.
Effects of aging and cyclic loading on the mechanical properties of glass ionomer cements

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of cyclic loading on the flexural strength and fracture toughness of a conventional glass ionomer cement (GIC), a metal containing GIC, hybrid GICs, and, for comparison, a composite. Two sets of specimens were evaluated: a set of controls (at 37 degrees C and 95% humidity) and a set aged for 9 months at 37 degrees C in water. The specimens were tested in static loading in air and water, and cyclic loaded in water. Cyclic loading and aging decreased the flexure strength of all materials significantly. However, wet static fracture toughness did not change on aging, and occasionally increased. Cyclic fracture toughness was lower with all materials except a hybrid glass ionomer without aging. Deterioration in properties was related to relative amount of glass ionomer vs. the resin component. Both flexural strength and fracture toughness of these materials were significantly affected by testing environment, aging and cyclic loading. The lower the resin component of the material, the lower the mechanical properties. The influence of these parameters should be given importance in considering their clinically durability in the oral environment.
An update on pharmaceutical film coating for drug delivery.

Introduction: Pharmaceutical coating processes have generally been transformed from what was essentially an art form in the mid-twentieth century to a much more technology-driven process. Areas covered: This review article provides a basic overview of current film coating processes, including a discussion on polymer selection, coating formulation additives and processing equipment. Substrate considerations for pharmaceutical coating processes are also presented. Expert opinion: While polymeric coating operations are commonplace in the pharmaceutical industry, film coating processes are still not fully understood, which presents serious challenges with current regulatory requirements. Novel analytical technologies and various modeling techniques that are being used to better understand film coating processes are discussed. This review article also examines the challenges of implementing process analytical technologies in coating operations, active pharmaceutical ingredients in polymer film coatings, the us...
MILP-based placement and routing for dataflow architecture

Dataflow architectures provide an abundance of computing units that can be statically or dynamically configured to match the computing requirements of the given application. Wire delay has a reduced impact in dataflow architectures because only neighboring architectural entities are allowed to communicate within a single clock cycle. In this paper, we propose MILP-based placement and routing algorithms for mapping dataflow graphs to dataflow machines. The optimization process is guided by profiling information available from the compiler. Our goal is to minimize the total execution time of the given application represented by a dataflow graph under architectural constraints. We propose a hierarchical method to handle the complexity of the initial MILP formulation. Our profile-driven MILP algorithm reduces the total execution time of benchmark applications compared to the conventional wirelength-driven approach on average by 18%.
Calpain-1 Regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 Activity in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Facilitates Age-Associated Aortic Wall Calcification and Fibrosis

Age-associated central arterial wall stiffness is linked to extracellular matrix remodeling, including fibrosis and vascular calcification. Angiotensin II induces both matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and calpain-1 expression and activity in the arterial wall. However, the role of calpain-1 in MMP2 activation and extracellular matrix remodeling remains unknown. Dual histo-immunolabeling demonstrates colocalization of calpain-1 and MMP2 within old rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Overexpression of calpain-1 induces MMP2 transcripts, protein levels, and activity, in part, by increasing the ratio of membrane type 1 MMPs to tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2. These effects of calpain-1 overexpression-induced MMP2 activation are linked to increased collagen I and III production and vascular calcification. In addition, overexpression of calpain-1 also induces transforming growth factor-β1/Smad signaling, elastin degradation, alkaline phosphatase activation, and total calcium content but reduces the expression of calcification inhibitors, osteopontin, and osteonectin, in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro and in carotid artery rings ex vivo. Furthermore, both calpain-1 and collagen II increase with aging within human aortic intima. Interestingly, in aged human aortic wall, both calpain-1 and collagen II are highly expressed in artherosclerotic plaque areas compared with grossly normal areas. Cross-talk of 2 proteases, calpain-1 and MMP2, leads to secretion of active MMP2, which modulates extracellular matrix remodeling via enhancing collagen production and facilitating vascular calcification. These results establish calpain-1 as a novel molecular candidate to retard age-associated extracellular matrix remodeling and its attendant risk for hypertension and atherosclerosis.
A Prototype Multithreaded Associative SIMD Processor

The performance of SIMD processors is often limited by the time it takes to transfer data between the centralized control unit and the parallel processor array. This is especially true of hybrid SIMD models, such as associative computing, that make extensive use of global search operations. Pipelining instruction broadcast can help, but is not enough to solve the problem, especially for massively parallel processors with thousands of processing elements. In this paper, we describe a SIMD processor architecture that combines a fully pipelined broadcast/reduction network with hardware multithreading to reduce performance degradation as the number of processors is scaled up.
Proteolytic regulatory mechanism of chemerin bioactivity

Chemerin is a novel chemoattractant recognized by chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1), a serpentine receptor expressed primarily by plasmacytoid dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages. Human prochemerin circulates in plasma as an inactive precursor. Its chemotactic activity is expressed upon cleavage of the C-terminal amino acid residues by proteases of the coagulation, fibrinolytic, and inflammatory system. The C-terminal cleavage site of prochemerin is highly conservative, indicating that the proteolytic regulation of chemerin bioactivity is a common mechanism undertaken by different species. In this review, we summarized chemerin–proteases interactions, chemerin receptors, and their importance in normal and pathologic conditions.
Stable isotopic variation in pteropods and atlantids from North Pacific sediment traps

Abstract To determine their usefulness in paleoenvironmental studies and to better understand isotopic equilibrium in biogenic aragonite, carbon and oxygen isotopic analyses were performed on six species of pteropod and two species of atlantid collected with free drifting sediment traps from the North Pacific Ocean. Where the depth habitat of a species is constrained enough to permit estimation of the ambient temperature and water δ18O, the isotopic compositions of the shells are close to aragonite-water 18O equilibrium with the ambient water. None of the fauna are in 13C equilibrium with the dissolved bicarbonate. Assuming aragonite-water equilibrium fractionation, the δ18O values of the shells provide reasonable average depths of shell growth. The distribution is as follows: (1) “shallow-water” species ( 125 m) — L. bulimoides (small). The 18O variation within specimens of C. columnella, a large, easily sectioned species, is complex with no clear record of seasonality. However, some minor seasonal effects are observed. The δ 13 C values within specimens consistently show a 1–2‰ decrease from the caudal septum to the aperture, perhaps reflecting increased incorporation of metabolic CO2 with age.
On the channel correlation structure of wideband scale-lag Rake fingers

The scale-lag Rake receiver is designed for wideband systems employing direct-sequence spread spectrum with a large bandwidth-to-center frequency ratio, such that the typical narrowband Doppler spread assumptions do not apply to mobile channels, and is capable of exploiting the diversity that results from mobility. We derive autocorrelation expressions for scale-lag Rake channel coefficients and explore the effectiveness of principal components combining (PCC) to reduce receiver complexity while maintaining performance. Such analysis applies, for example, to ultra-wideband (UWB) radio frequency channels and underwater wideband acoustic channels.
Mental Health Problems Among Single Mothers: Implications for Work and Welfare Reform

Welfare reform's emphasis on work and self-sufficiency assumes that poor single mothers are similar in their status and functioning to the rest of the population. However, we find that their status is quite distinct. Logistic regression results reveal that the likelihood of working is 25% lower for those with a psychiatric disorder. Mental health problems may prevent women from undertaking the tasks necessary to find employment, or women with these problems may lack the self-confidence needed to take on new challenges. Our findings suggest that mental health problems among single mothers deserve greater attention as a barrier to self-sufficiency and highlight the need for more effective intervention and treatment efforts to improve economic and social outcomes.
Effects of tidal shallowing and deepening on phytoplankton production dynamics: A modeling study

Processes influencing estuarine phytoplankton growth occur over a range of time scales, but many conceptual and numerical models of estuarine phytoplankton production dynamics neglect mechanisms occurring on the shorter (e.g., intratidal) time scales. We used a numerical model to explore the influence of short time-scale variability in phytoplankton sources and sinks on long-term growth in an idealized water column that shallows and deepens with the semidiurnal tide. Model results show that tidal fluctuations in water surface elevation can determine whether long-term phytoplankton growth is positive or negative. Hourly-scale interactions influencing weekly-scale to monthly-scale phytoplankton dynamics include intensification of the depth-averaged benthic grazing effect by water column shallowing and enhancement of water column photosynthesis when solar noon coincides with low tide. Photosynthesis and benthic consumption may modulate over biweekly time scales due to spring-neap fluctuations in tidal range and the 15-d cycle of solar noon-low tide phasing. If tidal range is a large fraction of mean water depth, then tidal shallowing and deepening may significantly influence net phytoplankton growth. In such a case, models or estimates of long-term phytoplankton production dynamics that neglect water surface fluctuations may overestimate or underestimate net growth and could even predict the wrong sign associated with net growth rate.
Laparoscopic Dismembered Pyeloplasty of a Retrocaval Ureter: Case Report and Review of the Literature

A retrocaval ureter is a rare entity that has traditionally been treated with open pyeloplasty techniques. In this paper, we describe the successful performance of a laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty for a retrocaval ureter and present important technical points. In reviewing the available literature about this technique, the laparoscopic approach should be considered to be first-line treatment for this anatomic anomaly due to the good track record, quick convalescence, and relative technical ease.
Statistical Prediction of Seasonal East Coast Winter Storm Frequency

Abstract A statistical method for predicting seasonal winter storm activity is developed using discriminant analysis. A large pool of plausible predictors is initially considered, which includes sea surface temperature anomalies from the Nino-3.4 region, the tropical Atlantic, and adjacent to the southeastern U.S. coast; land temperature over the southeastern United States; and values of the Southern, North Atlantic, and quasi-biennial oscillation indices. These values are screened using a chi-squared procedure to isolate the most relevant variables and averaging periods. A reduced pool of predictors is then used to develop a series of discriminant functions relating the variables to East Coast winter storm activity categories (e.g., above or below normal). The selection and addition of variables to the discriminant functions is based upon the cross-validated skill score. In all cases, the discriminant forecasting procedure exhibits a high degree of skill relative to a random reference forecast that is co...
Reliability and validity of the multiaxis profile dynamometer with younger and older participants.

Abstract Study Design Clinical Measurement. Introduction Grip strength has been administered for many years with a wide variety of instruments and for very different purposes. Purpose of the Study To examine the reliability and validity of a new grip measurement device, the multiaxis profile (MAP) dynamometer, compared with the Baseline dynamometer (Fabrication Enterprises Inc., White Plains, NY) and vigorimeter. Methods Twenty-eight participants ( 65 yr , n=14) completed grip strength testing using all three devices. Measurements were obtained at baseline and one to two weeks later. Results Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for the MAP ranged from 0.94 to 0.99. The other two devices had ICCs of 0.95-0.98. Correlations among the MAP dynamometer, the Baseline dynamometer, and the vigorimeter were 0.78-0.90. The results indicate high concurrent validity among all the three devices and that all devices are reliable instruments to measure the grip strength of both younger and older adults. Conclusions In addition to measuring grip strength, the MAP dynamometer measures other grip-related information, such as grip force vectors, rate of force buildup, and force variability. This additional grip information may improve our understanding of hand function and changes because of aging. Level of Evidence n/a
Book review: Holden, Andrew. 2013: Tourism, Poverty and Development

Holden, Andrew. 2013: Tourism, Poverty and Development. New York: Routledge. 216 pp. £74.86 hardback; £20.31 paperback; £25.64 ebk. ISBN: 978-0-415-56626-1 (hardback).
Three-step implementation of any n × n unitary with a complete graph of n qubits

Quantum computation with a complete graph of superconducting qubits has been recently proposed, and applications to amplitude amplification, phase estimation, and the simulation of realistic atomic collisions given [Phys. Rev. A 91, 062309 (2015)]. This single-excitation subspace (SES) approach does not require error correction and is practical now. Previously it was shown how to implement symmetric nxn unitaries in a single step, but not general unitaries. Here we show that any element in the unitary group U(n) can be executed in no more than three steps, for any n. This enables the implementation of highly complex operations in constant time, and in some cases even allows for the compilation of an entire algorithm down to only three operations. Using this protocol we show how to prepare any pure state of an SES chip in three steps, and also how to compute, for a given SES state rho, the expectation value of any nxn Hermitian observable O in a constant number of steps.
Inside the mind of an engineer

Guru Madhavan takes us from the French wars of the 18th century to our digital era, discussing various challenges that engineers have tackled throughout history. The focus of the book is on the mindset of the engineer as opposed to feats of engineering, exploring the individual thought process rather than the development or construction of large engineering systems such as the Panama Canal or the Burj Khalifa. Reviewer Sybil Derrible recounts some of the book's engaging vignettes, and offers readers a glimpse into the problem-solving processes employed by engineers.
Effect of electrical stimulation on the tensile strength of the porous implant and bone interface.

The effect of electrical stimulation upon the direct tensile strength of the interfacial union between porous calcium aluminate implants (100 to 200μ diameter pores) and bone was studied in the femurs of rabbits. After about 4 weeks of implantation the tensile strength of the electrically stimulated specimens was approximately two times that of the nonstimulated ones. This indicates that electrical stimulation increased the rate of new bone formation under the experimental conditions.
The Problem of Teaching Presence in Transactional Theories of Distance Education

Abstract This article explores the challenges online teachers face in establishing a teaching persona. While many online teachers believe that they create and control their teaching presence, drawing on transactional distance theory and relational distance theory, this paper argues that such an assumption can result in increased distance between teacher and students. This increased distance makes it more difficult for online students to accurately sense who their teacher is. Problematically, this sense of who the teacher is can be a powerful element to help online students succeed within the course. To help students to perceive, more clearly, who the teacher of the course is, the article recommends frequent and varied communication between teacher and students, the utilization of multimodal communication methods to provide differing opportunities for students to make meaning, for teachers to share who they are with students, and to proactively encourage the formation of relationships between course participants through course design.
Augmentation of phenylbutyrate-induced differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells using all-trans retinoic acid

Despite preliminary evidence of clinical activity of the putative differentiating agent sodium phenylbutyrate (PB) in the treatment of myeloid neoplasms, it has proven difficult to maintain therapeutic levels of PB above 0.5 mM, well below the ED50 of 1-2 mM. We have studied the impact of combining PB with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on the ML-1 myeloid leukemia cell line. ATRA augmented PB-induced differentiation, cell-cycle arrest, and apoptosis. ATRA augmented PB induction of the myelomonocytic marker CD11b at all doses of ATRA tested (0.0025-1 microM). Although ATRA did not significantly affect the ED50 of PB, the combination of ATRA (1 microM) and PB (0.5 mM) augmented PB-induced CD11b expression eight-fold. Compared to PB alone, this combination of ATRA and PB induced greater cell cycle arrest (S-phase 14% vs 38%; G0/G1-phase cells 72% vs 52%) and greater apoptosis (24% vs 16% by TUNEL assay). Treatment with ATRA (0.5 microM) in combination with PB (0.5 mM) led to significantly greater inhibition of colony formation (4.8% vs 48% inhibition). ATRA combined synergistically with PB to augment CD11b expression and inhibit colony formation. This combination also showed significant interaction in terms of S-phase inhibition. However, this interaction varied as a function of ATRA concentration: antagonistic at low concentrations of ATRA, synergistic at higher concentrations of ATRA. These data suggest that retinoids may significantly augment the cytostatic and differentiating activity of PB, leading to increased potency of the latter drug at clinically achievable doses.
A SURVEY OF BUTTERFLIES ON THE SOUTHERN SLOPE OF THE DABA MOUNTAINS

In implementing the research project of ″Dynamics of butterfly faunas in the Three-Gorges Reservoir Area and their environment-monitoring role″,the butterflies on the southern slope of the Daba Mountains were surveyed and 1000-odd specimens were collected, from which 189 species belonging to 100 genera were identified. They include 16 species of 7 genera in Papilionidae, 16 species of 10 genera in Pieridae, 1 species of 1 genus in Danaidae, 3 species of 2 genera in Amathusiidae, 41 species of 17 genera in Satyridae, 54 species of 28 genera in Nymphalidae, 3 species of 3 genera in Riodinidae, 30 species of 17 genera in Lycaenidae and 25 species of 15 genera in Hesperiidae.
Total lower face bony rejuvenation.

Reconstruction of the severely atrophic mandible has been a difficult challenge for the maxillofacial surgeon. The author has had encouraging results with a composite, cadaver mandible-autogenous marrow graft for extra-oral augmentation. A second-stage procedure for placement of osseo-integrated implants completes a reconstruction that results in less graft resorption with no interruption of prosthetic use.
Outcome in Severe Guillain-Barre Syndrome

The effect of various therapies on duration of illness in children with severe Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) was evaluated at CHMC, Seattle, WA.
Optimal pilot tones design for channel estimation in OFDM systems under doppler spread channel

In this paper, under Doppler spread channel, in order to reduce the error of channel estimation caused by Doppler spread, the optimal pilot tones is proposed with respect to the mean square error (MSE) of least square (LS) channel estimation in the wireless orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. It is shown that the phase shift is needed based on conventional equipowered, equispaced pilot tones design scheme. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.