cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neutrophil Aggregation Induced by Sera from Patients with Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Activated complement components and immune complexes cause neutrophil (PMN) aggregation in vitro and in vivo, as in dialysis-induced neutropenia and adult respiratory distress syndrome. To investigate the possible role of PMN aggregation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we studied the capacity of 59 sera from 53 patients to induce aggregation of normal PMN in vitro. Neutrophil aggregating activity (NAA) was present in the sera of 26 of 28 patients with active SLE. The mean NAA in this group was significantly greater than that found in 13 patients with inactive SLE, 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and 17 normal controls. In patients with SLE there was a positive correlation between disease severity and the quantitative measure of NAA. NAA did not correlate with serum C3 or C4 nor with the presence or absence of circulating immune complexes. High levels of NAA were particularly characteristic of central nervous system lupus. These data suggest that the formation of intravascular leukoaggregates may contribute to morbidity in SLE.
Overexpression of TIMP-1 in Embryonic Stem Cells Attenuates Adverse Cardiac Remodeling following Myocardial Infarction:

Transplanted embryonic stem (ES) cells, following myocardial infarction (MI), contribute to limited cardiac repair and regeneration with improved function. Therefore, novel strategies are still needed to understand the effects of genetically modified transplanted stem cells on cardiac remodeling. The present study evaluates whether transplanted mouse ES cells overexpressing TIMP-1, an antiapoptotic and antifibrotic protein, can enhance cardiac myocyte differentiation, inhibit native cardiac myocyte apoptosis, reduce fibrosis, and improve cardiac function in the infarcted myocardium. MI was produced in C57BL/6 mice by coronary artery ligation. TIMP-1-ES cells, ES cells, or culture medium (control) were transplanted into the peri-infarct region of the heart. Immunofluorescence, TUNEL staining, caspase-3 activity, ELISAs, histology, and echocardiography were used to identify newly differentiated cardiac myocytes and assess apoptosis, fibrosis, and heart function. Two weeks post-MI, significantly (p < 0.05) e...
Datacenter Scale Evaluation of the Impact of Temperature on Hard Disk Drive Failures

With the advent of cloud computing and online services, large enterprises rely heavily on their datacenters to serve end users. A large datacenter facility incurs increased maintenance costs in addition to service unavailability when there are increased failures. Among different server components, hard disk drives are known to contribute significantly to server failures; however, there is very little understanding of the major determinants of disk failures in datacenters. In this work, we focus on the interrelationship between temperature, workload, and hard disk drive failures in a large scale datacenter. We present a dense storage case study from a population housing thousands of servers and tens of thousands of disk drives, hosting a large-scale online service at Microsoft. We specifically establish correlation between temperatures and failures observed at different location granularities: (a) inside drive locations in a server chassis, (b) across server locations in a rack, and (c) across multiple racks in a datacenter. We show that temperature exhibits a stronger correlation to failures than the correlation of disk utilization with drive failures. We establish that variations in temperature are not significant in datacenters and have little impact on failures. We also explore workload impacts on temperature and disk failures and show that the impact of workload is not significant. We then experimentally evaluate knobs that control disk drive temperature, including workload and chassis design knobs. We corroborate our findings from the real data study and show that workload knobs show minimal impact on temperature. Chassis knobs like disk placement and fan speeds have a larger impact on temperature. Finally, we also show the proposed cost benefit of temperature optimizations that increase hard disk drive reliability.
Simplified power processing for ion-thruster subsystems

Compared to chemical propulsion, ion propulsion offers distinct payload-mass increases for many future low-thrust earth-orbital and deep-space missions. Despite this advantage, the high initial cost and complexity of ion-propulsion subsystems reduce their attractiveness for most present and near-term spacecraft missions. Investigations have, therefore, been conducted with the objective to attempt to simplify the power-processing unit (PPU), which is the single most complex and expensive component in the thruster subsystem. The present investigation is concerned with a program to simplify the design of the PPU employed in a 8-cm mercury-ion-thruster subsystem. In this program a dramatic simplification in the design of the PPU could be achieved, while retaining essential thruster control and subsystem operational flexibility.
Approximating the ideal free distribution via reaction–diffusion–advection equations

Abstract We consider reaction–diffusion–advection models for spatially distributed populations that have a tendency to disperse up the gradient of fitness, where fitness is defined as a logistic local population growth rate. We show that in temporally constant but spatially varying environments such populations have equilibrium distributions that can approximate those that would be predicted by a version of the ideal free distribution incorporating population dynamics. The modeling approach shows that a dispersal mechanism based on local information about the environment and population density can approximate the ideal free distribution. The analysis suggests that such a dispersal mechanism may sometimes be advantageous because it allows populations to approximately track resource availability. The models are quasilinear parabolic equations with nonlinear boundary conditions.
FROM COMPETITION TO REGULATION: THE SIX‐YEAR BATTLE TO REGULATE CALIFORNIA'S INSURANCE MARKETS

: The passage of California's Proposition 103 in November 1988 changed the State's regulatory structure for insurers from a competitive to a heavily regulated system. The six-year legal battle that followed resulted in several California Supreme Court and United States Supreme Court rulings and an ultimate implementation of rate roll backs on property-liability insurers on November 22, 1994. The study examines both property-liability and life insurers' returns. While only property-liability insurers are affected by the rale rollback and prior approval rate regulation, both life and property-liability insurers are affected by the proposition's other provisions. This paper examines the effect of successive changes on both types of insurance companies and analyzes the differential impact of the changes in regulatory structure.
Vibrational Spectrum of a Picosecond Intermediate in the Artificial BR5.12 Photoreaction: Picosecond Time-Resolved CARS of T5.12

The vibrational spectrum of an intermediate, T5.12, in the photoreaction of an artificial bacteriorhodopsin (BR) pigment containing a five-membered carbon ring spanning the C12−C13C14 bonds (BR5.12) is measured by picosecond time-resolved coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (PTR/CARS). Observed initially by picosecond transient absorption (PTA) measurements, T5.12 is the only intermediate in the BR5.12 photoreaction (i.e., T5.12 decays only to BR5.12). BR5.12 does not have a photocycle analogous to that in native BR, presumably because the five-membered ring blocks the reaction coordinate leading to C13C14 bond isomerization. Since T5.12 may therefore represent the molecular events (reaction coordinates) that precede C13C14 bond isomerization, its vibrational spectrum may aid in elucidating the primary reaction coordinate(s) in the BR photocycle. Although T5.12 is identified via a red-shifted absorption (660 nm maximum, <3 ps formation with 3 ps BR5.12 excitation and decay in 17 ± 1 ps), no spectrosco...
The role of B cell abnormalities in the systemic autoimmune syndromes of lpr and gld mice

B cell abnormalities play a central role in the systemic autoimmune syndromes of lpr and gld mice. In the lpr model, autoantibody production requires the intrinsic expression of the lpr gene in B cells, while in the gld mouse the genetic defect is extrinsic, yet probably results in a similar failure of B cell tolerance. Despite their abnormality, lpr B cells require lpr (abnormal) T cells in order to produce autoantibodies.
Laser safety considerations for a mobile laser program

An increased demand for advanced laser technology, especially in the area of cutaneous and cosmetic procedures has prompted physicians to use mobile laser services. Utilization of a mobile laser service allows physicians to provide the latest treatments for their patients while minimizing overhead costs. The high capital expense of laser systems is often beyond the financial means of individual clinicians, group practices, free-standing clinics and smaller community hospitals. Historically rapid technology turnover with laser technology places additional risk which is unacceptable to many institutions. In addition, health care reform is mandating consolidation of equipment within health care groups to keep costs at a minimum. In 1994, Abbott Northwestern Hospital organized an in-house mobile laser technology service which employs a group of experienced laser specialists to deliver and support laser treatments for hospital outreach and other regional physicians and health care facilities. Many of the hospital's internal safety standards and policies are applicable to the mobile environment. A significant challenge is client compliance because of the delicate balance of managing risk while avoiding being viewed as a regulator. The clinics and hospitals are assessed prior to service to assure minimum laser safety standards for both the patient and the staff. A major component in assessing new sites is to inform them of applicable regulatory standards and their obligations to assure optimum laser safety. In service training is provided and hospital and procedures are freely shared to assist the client in establishing a safe laser environment. Physician and nursing preceptor programs are also made available.
A first principles method to simulate electron mobilities in 2D materials

We examine the predictive capabilities of first-principles theoretical methods to calculate the phonon- and impurity-limited electron mobilities for a number of technologically relevant two-dimensional materials in comparison to experiment. The studied systems include perfect graphene, graphane, germanane and MoS2, as well as graphene with vacancies, and hydrogen, gold, and platinum adsorbates. We find good agreement with experiments for the mobilities of graphene (μ=2×10 5 cm 2 V �1 s �1 ) and graphane (μ=166cm 2 V �1 s �1 ) at room temperature. For monolayer MoS2 we obtain μ=225cm 2 V �1 s �1 . This value is higher than what is observed experimentally (0.5–200cm 2 V �1 s �1 ) but is on the same order of magnitude as other recent theoretical results. For bulk MoS2 we obtain μ=48cm 2 V �1 s �1 . We obtain a very high mobility of 18200cm 2 V �1 s �1 for single-layer germanane. The calculated reduction in mobility from the different impurities compares well to measurements where experimental data are available, demonstrating that the proposed method has good predictive capabilities and can be very useful for validation and materials design.
Participatory action research in learning commons design planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to document the process the Auraria Library went through to plan research methods to produce information for their learning commons project.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides an overview and the results of one library's planning methods using user‐centered and participatory action research (PAR) principles. It includes a literature review and data gathered from several information gathering sessions. It also discusses useful resources and ideologies found outside the field of library science, such as “placemaking” and the concept of “third place.”Findings – Adopting values that honor user‐centered, evidence‐based decision making is a change that must include the whole library, as well as its users. When enough time is spent to include a broad spectrum of feedback you can get a lot of valuable evidence, even during a planning period.Originality/value – The paper could be useful to libraries who are examining their services, environment, and technology. I...
Two new criteria for finding Steiner hulls in Steiner tree problems

The Steiner tree problem considered in this paper is that of finding a network of minimum length connecting a given setK of terminals in a regionR of the Euclidean plane. ASteiner hull forK inR is any subregion ofR known to contain a Steiner tree forK inR. Two new criteria are given for finding Steiner hulls—one for the Steiner tree problem on plane graphs and one for the rectilinear Steiner tree problem—which strengthen known polynomial-time methods of finding Steiner hulls.
Racial differences in blood pressure response to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in children: a meta-analysis.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are frequently used to treat hypertension in children (1). ACE inhibitors alter the balance between the vasoconstrictive, salt-retentive, and cardiac hypertrophic properties of angiotensin II and the vasodilatory and natriuretic properties of bradykinin; they also alter the metabolism of other vasoactive substances (2). Through these mechanisms, ACE inhibitors decrease systemic vascular resistance and promote natriuresis without increasing heart rate. They have proven efficacy in the treatment of hypertension, congestive heart failure, and left ventricular dysfunction and also delay the progression of diabetic nephropathy (2). In adults, ACE inhibitors are less potent in blacks than in whites (3, 4). Although racial differences in response to ACE inhibitors are established in adults, data in children are limited by small sample sizes of individual trials (5, 6). We evaluated results of 6 trials of ACE inhibitors submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pediatric exclusivity using meta-analytic techniques to estimate the effect of race on blood pressure response.
Comparison of radiosurgery treatment modalities based on complication and control probabilities.

Purpose: The relative efficacy of Gamma Knife, Linac, and Proton treatment modalities for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) was investigated on the basis of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and tumor control probability (TCP), calculated for representative test cases. Methods and Materials: Five radiosurgery patient cases were selected to cover a range of treatment-planning situations from small spherical volumes to large irregular volumes. A target volume consisting of contours drawn on CT transverse slices was prepared for each case. Plans were developed using the three treatment modalities for each case, with the objective of encompassing the target as closely as possible with a prescription isodose line and minimizing dose to normal tissue, within the constraints of current clinical practice. Dose-volume histograms (DVH) were calculated for the target and for normal tissue, and these histograms were used to calculate NTCP and TCP values for each plan. Results and Conclusions: Differences in NTCP and TCP values were found to depend on treatment modality, size, shape, and location of the target, the amount of effort devoted to treatment planning, and the complexity of the plan.
The influence of negative advertising frames on political cynicism and politician accountability

This research examined the influence of negative political advertising frames on the thoughts and feelings people generate in response to campaign advertising. Preparing and conducting this investigation involved the use of a multiple-method strategy. Content analysis identified two advertising frames (i.e., candidate theme and ad hoc issue advertisements) and two experiments separately induced political cynicism and politician accountability. Three hundred and sixty people participated in the experimental studies, in which they read and responded, using a thought-listing technique, to candidate theme or ad hoc issue negative advertisements. Results demonstrated that participants were more likely to generate cynical comments and hold politicians accountable for the country's ills when reading candidate theme advertisements than ad hoc issue advertisements. The results indicate that this contributes to a political climate of cynicism and may function to erode the electorate's overall trust in government.
Remapping the Border: Geospatial Technologies and Border Activism:

This paper analyzes the politics of mapping along the US�Mexico border to explore how humanitarian activists wield geospatial technologies in challenging border securitization. In addition to �bounding� societies within delimited territorial zones, mapping technologies have recently been elevated to encompass observing, locating, and tracking mobile bodies�outcomes that, in the context of immigration control, have heightened the risk of clandestine border crossings and produced a sharp rise in migrant fatalities. As geospatial tools have been integrated into official gatekeeping strategies, activists have deployed them to protect migrants, promote mobility rights, and disrupt borders and the spatial, legal, and technical orders underpinning their materialization and enforcement. This case study considers the political implications of these interventions, and highlights how technologies traditionally aligned with state security and surveillance have been reappropriated in the service of transnational solidarity, recognition, and hospitality.
A cytoreductive approach to treatment of multiple liver metastases.

Modest benefits and extensive costs have occurred as a result of hepatic artery chemotherapy with fluorodeoxyuride (FUDR). As a consequence, pump or port infusions of chemotherapy through the hepatic artery are rarely used today. A new cytoreductive approach to the treatment of multiple liver metastases isolated to the liver has been introduced. Induction chemotherapy is used to achieve a response or stabilize disease in the liver. Patients are then selected for surgery, at which time a complete response is achieved through the judicious use of a variety of cytoreductive techniques. In a limited number of patients treated to date the median survival greatly exceeds that reported for intraarterial chemotherapy alone. As experience accumulates, protocols are being modified to decrease the morbidity and maximize the number of complete responders. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Matter-antimatter separation in the early universe by rotating black holes

Consideration of the effect of rotating black holes evaporating early in the universe shows that they would have produced oppositely directed neutrino and antineutrino currents, which push matter and antimatter apart. This separation mechanism is, however, too feeble to account for a present baryon-to-photon ratio of 10 to the -9th, and has no significant observational consequences.
5-Azacytidine-induced conversion to cadmium resistance correlates with early S phase replication of inactive metallothionein genes in synchronized CHO cells.

Previous studies have shown both hypermethylation and late replication of DNA sequences to be associated with gene inactivity. To determine whether there is a causal relationship between patterns of DNA methylation and replication timing during S phase, we have examined the timing of replication of the inactive, hypermethylated metallothionein(MT) I andII genes in synchronized, cadmium-sensitive (Cds) CHO cells. The time of S-phase replication of theMT genes was ascertained by (1) determining the period of S phase wherein cadmium-resistant (Cdr) cells could be induced with highest frequency by pulse treatment of synchronized Cds cells with the hypomethylating drug 5-azacytidine (5-aza-CR), and (2) by analyzing Southern blots of density fractionated DNAs isolated from synchronized cells pulse-labeled with BrdU during different intervals after release from hydroxyurea blockade. Southern filter hybridization analyses demonstrated replication of bothMTI andII gene sequences within the first half of S phase. Consistent with this result, phenotypic conversion of Cds to Cdr was maximal immediately after hydroxyurea release and decreased abruptly within three hours. The replication of inactive hypermethylatedMT genes in early S phase argues that transcriptional inactivity and gene-specific hypermethylation are not sufficient conditions for late DNA replication.
Mapping spatio-temporal filtering algorithms used in fluoroscopy to single core and multicore DSP architectures

Low dose X-ray image sequences, as obtained in fluoroscopy, exhibit high levels of noise that must be suppressed in real-time, while preserving diagnostic structures. Multi-step adaptive filtering approaches, often involving spatio-temporal filters, are typically used to achieve this goal. In this work typical fluoroscopic image sequences, corrupted with Poisson noise, were processed using various filtering schemes. The noise suppression of the schemes was evaluated using objective image quality measures. Two adaptive spatio-temporal schemes, the first one using object detection and the second one using unsharp masking, were chosen as representative approaches for different fluoroscopy procedures and mapped on to Texas Instrument's (TI) high performance digital signal processors (DSP). The paper explains the fixed point design of these algorithms and evaluates its impact on overall system performance. The fixed point versions of these algorithms are mapped onto the C64x+ TM core using instruction-level parallelism to effectively use its VLIW architecture. The overall data flow was carefully planned to reduce cache and data movement overhead, while working with large medical data sets. Apart from mapping these algorithms on to TI's single core DSP architecture, this work also distributes the operations to leverage multi-core DSP architectures. The data arrangement and flow were optimized to minimize inter-processor messaging and data movement overhead.
Spin state modulation of iron spin crossover complexes via hydrogen-bonding self-assembly

Iron complexes derived from 6-diaminotriazyl-2,2′-bipyridines display spin crossover behaviour, and hydrogen bonding-controlled self-assembly with a suitable barbiturate partner can modulate the crossover from mixed low and high spin to high spin. This system is the first to use solution-phase self-assembly of complementary hydrogen-bonding organic species to modulate spin state.
National trends in utilization and outcomes of bariatric surgery

Because of the growing interest in surgery to treat morbid obesity, this study examined changes in the utilization and in-hospital outcomes of bariatric surgery in the United States over a 10-year period. Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer discharge database in the United States. International Classification of Disease (ICD-9) codes were used to identify all bariatric procedures performed for adults from 1990 to 2000. Population-based rates of surgery for each year were calculated by applying sampling weights and U.S. Census data. Secular trends in annual rates of surgery, changes in patient characteristics, and in-hospital mortality and complications were analyzed. From 1990 to 2000, the national annual rate of bariatric surgery increased nearly six fold, from 2.4 to 14.1 per 100,000 adults (p = 0.001). There has been more than a ninefold increase in the use of gastric bypass procedures (1.4 to 13.1 per 100,000; p < 0.001). This represents an increase from 55% of all bariatric procedures in 1990 to 93% of such procedures in 2000 (p < 0.001). The rates of in-hospital mortality were low (0.4% overall), but increased slightly over time (0.2% in 1990 to 0.5% in 2000; p = 0.009). There is no significant difference in adjusted mortality for the past 8 years, but a slight rise did occur over the full 10-year period. The rates for reoperation (1.3%) and pulmonary emboli (0.3%) remained stable. The rates for respiratory failure associated with bariatric surgery declined from 7.7% in 1990 to 4.5% in 2000 (p < 0.001). Over this time, the mean length of hospital stay declined from 6.0 to 4.1 days (p < 0.001). The annual rate of bariatric surgery in the United States increased nearly six fold between 1990 and 2000, with_little change in in-hospital morbidity and mortality. This appears to be driven largely by the increasing popularity of gastric bypass procedures.
Electrochemistry in nanometer-wide electrochemical cells.

The electrochemical properties of an electrochemical cell defined by two concentric spherical electrodes, separated by a 1 to 20-nm-wide gap, and a freely diffusing electrochemically active molecule (e.g., ferrocene) have been investigated by coupling of Brownian dynamics simulations with long-range electron-transfer probability values. The simulation creates a trajectory of a single molecule and calculates the likelihood that the molecule undergoes a redox reaction during each time interval based on a probability−distance function derived from literature first-order kinetic data for a surface-bound ferrocene. Steady-state voltammograms for the single-molecule concentric spherical electrochemical cell are computed and are used to extract a heterogeneous electron-transfer rate for the freely diffusing molecule redox reaction. The Brownian dynamics simulations also indicate that long-range electron transfer, between the redox molecule and electrode, leads to nonsigmoidal-shaped i−E characteristics when the ...
Arraying performance of a 3-antenna demonstration array for Deep Space communications

NASA provides telecommunications services to its deep space scientific missions by way of its Deep Space Network (DSN) of large antennas Currently this DSN consists of monolithic antennas (34 m and 70 m diameter) located equidistant in longitude around the earth. The use of arraying has been proposed as a cost effective way to replace large antennas and/or add capability to the DSN in the future. A demonstration array was constructed at JPL as part of the study of arraying possibilities. This array consisted of three elements, two of which were 6 m-diameter antennas and one of which was a 12 m-diameter antenna. The array included a real-time FPGA based signal processing system capable of simultaneously operating as an interferometer and a signal combiner. The signal combiner was designed to sum the entire received spectrum from all elements of the array with the resulting signal compatible with the downlink tracking and telemetry system used by the DSN. The system was used to track various spacecraft at both frequencies of interest (X-band near 8.4 GHz and Ka-band near 32 GHz) as well as natural radio sources over broader bandwidths around the same frequencies. Signals from the combiner system were provided to a telemetry receiver where performance measurements could be compared to a single DSN antenna. Detailed results of these demonstrations with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and the Cassini Orbiter at Saturn are presented1 2.
Spent fuel transportation risk assessment: overview

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is responsible for issuing regulations for the packaging of spent fuel (and other large quantities of radioactive material) for transport that provide for public health and safety during transport [Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 71, ‘Packaging and transportation of radioactive waste’, dated 26 January 2004]. In September 1977, the NRC published NUREG 0170, ‘Final environmental statement on the transportation of radioactive material by air and other modes’, which assessed the adequacy of those regulations to provide safety assurance. In that assessment, the measure of safety was the risk of radiation doses to the public under routine and accident transport conditions, and the risk was found to be acceptable. Since that time, there have been two affirmations of this conclusion for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transportation, each using improved tools and information that supported the earlier studies. This report presents the results of a fou...
Non-classical Natural Killer T Cells Modulate Plasmid DNA Vaccine Antigen Expression and Vaccine-elicited Immune Responses by MCP-1 Secretion after Interaction with a β2-Microglobulin-independent CD1d

The magnitude and durability of a plasmid DNA vaccine-induced immune response is shaped by immune effector molecules at the site of vaccination. In the present study, we show that antigen expression is modified by type II NKT cells, after interaction with a β2-microglobulin-independent CD1d receptor. After activation, during the first days following plasmid DNA vaccination, NKT cells release IL-5 and MCP-1, leading to a T helper 0 (TH0) cytokine/chemokine profile and a stronger CD8+/CD4+ T cell immune response. Our data indicate that this phenomenon was induced through the strong TH1 chemokine MCP-1 during the early phases of plasmid DNA vaccination because injecting the type II NKT cell-associated MCP-1 during the first 5 days led to 2–3-fold increases in vaccine-elicited T cell responses. This study demonstrates a critical role for NKT cells in plasmid DNA vaccine-induced immune responses. Manipulation of NKT cell function or co-administration of MCP-1 may represent novel methods for enhancing immune responses to plasmid DNA vaccines.
Unparticle physics with broken scale invariance

Abstract If scale invariance is exact, unparticles are unlikely to be probed in colliders since there are stringent constraints from astrophysics and cosmology. However these constraints are inapplicable if scale invariance is broken at a scale μ ≳ 1 GeV . The case 1 GeV ≲ μ M Z is particularly interesting since it allows unparticles to be probed at and below the Z pole. We show that μ can naturally be in this range if only vector unparticles exist, and briefly remark on implications for Higgs phenomenology. We then obtain constraints on unparticle parameters from e + e − → μ + μ − cross-section and forward–backward asymmetry data, and compare with the constraints from mono-photon production and the Z hadronic width.
The Kruppel-like KLF4 Transcription Factor, a Novel Regulator of Urokinase Receptor Expression, Drives Synthesis of This Binding Site in Colonic Crypt Luminal Surface Epithelial Cells

The urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (u-PAR) plays a central role in cell migration, growth, and invasion and is regulated, in part, transcriptionally. In mice, u-PAR expression is restricted to a few tissues, one of which is the colon. We therefore screened a colon expression library for regulators of u-PAR promoter activity and identified a zinc finger protein bearing consensus sequences to the Kruppel-like family of transcription factors and showing partial homology with one of the members, KLF4. Like u-PAR, KLF4 expression is predominant in the luminal surface epithelial cells of the colonic crypt, and we hypothesized that u-PAR synthesis in these cells is directed by this transcription factor. Colon cells from KLF4 null mice showed a dramatic reduction in u-PAR protein compared with wild-type mice. Conversely, KLF4 expression in HCT116 colon cancer cells increased the amount of u-PAR protein/mRNA. Transient transfection of KLF4 with a reporter driven by 5′-deleted u-PAR promoter fragments indicated the requirement of the proximal 200 base pairs for optimal expression. Mobility-shifting experiments demonstrated binding of KLF4 to multiple regions of the u-PAR promoter (-154/-128, -105/-71, and -51/-24), and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed the binding of KLF4 to the endogenous promoter. Deletion of the -144/-123 promoter region diminished but did not eliminate the ability of KLF4 to transactivate the u-PAR promoter, suggesting cooperativity of these binding sites with respect to activation of gene expression. In conclusion, we have identified KLF4 as a novel regulator of u-PAR expression that drives the synthesis of u-PAR in the luminal surface epithelial cells of the colon.
Covert Operations of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli within the Urinary Tract

Entry into host cells is required for many bacterial pathogens to effectively disseminate within a host, avoid immune detection and cause disease. In recent years, many ostensibly extracellular bacteria have been shown to act as opportunistic intracellular pathogens. Among these are strains of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), the primary causative agents of urinary tract infections (UTIs). UPEC are able to transiently invade, survive and multiply within the host cells and tissues constituting the urinary tract. Invasion of host cells by UPEC is promoted independently by distinct virulence factors, including cytotoxic necrotizing factor, Afa/Dr adhesins, and type 1 pili. Here we review the diverse mechanisms and consequences of host cell invasion by UPEC, focusing also on the impact of these processes on the persistence and recurrence of UTIs.
TITANIUM COMPLEXES STABILIZED BY N-(TERT-HYDROCARBYL)ANILIDE LIGATION : A SYNTHETIC INVESTIGATION

The complexes Ti(NRArF)2(NMe2)2 (4, R = C(CD3)2CH3, ArF = 2,5-C6H3FMe), Ti(NRArF)2(NMe2)(I) (5), Ti(NRArF)2(NMe2)(CH2SiMe3) (6), and Ti(NRArF)2(I)(CH2SiMe3) (7) have been synthesized in 77, 71, 70, and 84% yield, respectively, in a four step sequence of alternating salt elimination and dimethylamide deprotection steps. The complex Ti(NRAr)(I)2(OAr‘) (11, Ar = 3,5-C6H3Me2, Ar‘ = 2,6-C6H3iPr2) was prepared in 65% yield via the complexes Ti(NRAr)(NMe2)3 (9) and Ti(NRAr)(NMe2)2(OAr‘) (10), which were generated in situ, spectroscopically characterized, and not isolated. The complexes Ti(NR‘Ar)(NMe2)3 (12, R‘ = C(CD3)2Ph, Ti(NR‘Ar)(NMe2)2(OAr‘‘) (13, Ar‘‘ = 2,6-C6H3tBu2), and Ti(NR‘Ar)(NMe2)(OAr‘‘)(I) (14) were prepared in 83, 83, and 95% isolated yield, respectively, via a salt-elimination, protonolysis, and dimethylamide deprotection sequence. Treatment of 14 with (i) neopentyllithium, (ii) thermolysis at 65 °C, and (iii) excess methyl iodide at 70 °C led to the isolation in 62% yield of the cyclometallated c...
A continuum model of protrusion of pseudopod in leukocytes

The morphology of human leukocytes, the biochemistry of actin polymerization, and the theory of continuum mechanics are used to model the pseudopod protrusion process of leukocytes. In the proposed model, the pseudopod is considered as a porous solid of F-actin network, the pores of which are full of aqueous solution. G-actin is considered as a "solute" transported by convection and diffusion in the fluid phase. The pseudopod grows as actin filaments elongate at their barbed ends at the tip of the pseudopod. The driving force of extension is hypothesized as being provided by the actin polymerization. It is assumed that elongation of actin filaments, powered by chemical energy liberated from the polymerization reaction, does mechanical work against opposing pressure on the membrane. This also gives rise to a pressure drop in the fluid phase at the tip of the pseudopod, which is formulated by an equation relating the work done by actin polymerization to the local state of pressure. The pressure gradient along the pseudopod drives the fluid filtration through the porous pseudopod according to Darcy's Law, which in turn brings more actin monomers to the growing tip. The main cell body serves as a reservoir of G-actin. A modified first-order equation is used to describe the kinetics of polymerization. The rate of pseudopod growth is modulated by regulatory proteins. A one-dimensional moving boundary problem based on the proposed mechanism has been constructed and approximate solutions have been obtained. Comparison of the solutions with experimental data shows that the model is compatible with available observations. The model is also applicable to growth of other cellular systems such as elongation of acrosomal process in sperm cells.
A lamellar liquid crystal as an in situ surface balance. I. The conformation of 5- (and 6-)carboxy-4-hexyl-2-cyclohexene-1-yl octanoic acid and its monosoap

Abstract The interfacial conformation of a dicarboxylic acid, 5- (and 6-)carboxy-4-hexyl-2-cyclohexene-1-yl octanoic acid, and its monosodium soap was determined from the change of liquid crystal dimensions after introduction of the diacid compounds. The results showed that both functional groups of the monosoap form were present at the interface and that increased water content of the liquid crystal matrix had little effect on the conformation of the monosoap. On the other hand, the results indicated the conformation of the diacid as such to depend on the water content of the matrix. At low water content, the diacid form was in a conformation similar to that found for the monosoap. However, increasing the water content of the matrix resulted in a sharp decrease in the calculated partial molecular areas for the diacid, indicating an extended conformation for the diacid.
Nanoparticle mediated silencing of DNA repair sensitizes pediatric brain tumor cells to γ-irradiation

Medulloblastoma (MB) and ependymoma (EP) are the most common pediatric brain tumors, afflicting 3000 children annually. Radiotherapy (RT) is an integral component in the treatment of these tumors; however, the improvement in survival is often accompanied by radiation-induced adverse developmental and psychosocial sequelae. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop strategies that can increase the sensitivity of brain tumors cells to RT while sparing adjacent healthy brain tissue. Apurinic endonuclease 1 (Ape1), an enzyme in the base excision repair pathway, has been implicated in radiation resistance in cancer. Pharmacological and specificity limitations inherent to small molecule inhibitors of Ape1 have hindered their clinical development. Here we report on a nanoparticle (NP) based siRNA delivery vehicle for knocking down Ape1 expression and sensitizing pediatric brain tumor cells to RT. The NP comprises a superparamagnetic iron oxide core coated with a biocompatible, biodegradable coating of chitosan, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polyethyleneimine (PEI) that is able to bind and protect siRNA from degradation and to deliver siRNA to the perinuclear region of target cells. NPs loaded with siRNA against Ape1 (NP:siApe1) knocked down Ape1 expression over 75% in MB and EP cells, and reduced Ape1 activity by 80%. This reduction in Ape1 activity correlated with increased DNA damage post-irradiation, which resulted in decreased cell survival in clonogenic assays. The sensitization was specific to therapies generating abasic lesions as evidenced by NP:siRNA not increasing sensitivity to paclitaxel, a microtubule disrupting agent. Our results indicate NP-mediated delivery of siApe1 is a promising strategy for circumventing pediatric brain tumor resistance to RT.
A 105-kDa protein is required for yeast mitochondrial RNase P activity.

Abstract RNase P from the mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was purified to near homogeneity > 1800-fold with a yield of 1.6% from mitochondrial extracts. The most abundant protein in the purified fractions is, at 105 kDa, considerably larger than the 14-kDa bacterial RNase P protein subunits. Oligonucleotides designed from the amino-terminal sequence of the 105-kDa protein were used to identify and isolate the 105-kDa protein-encoding gene. Strains carrying a disruption of the gene for the 105-kDa protein are viable but respiratory deficient and accumulate mitochondrial tRNA precursors with 5' extensions. As this is the second gene known to be necessary for yeast mitochondrial RNase P activity, we have named it RPM2 (for RNase P mitochondrial).
Turbulence Structure of a Compressible Base Flow With a Central Bleed Jet

The turbulent structures present in the outer shear layer of an axisymmetric, compressible base flow with a central bleed jet are examined with a planar Mie-scattering imaging technique. The effects of bleed rate on the mean size, shape, and orientation of large-scale structures and the steadiness of the shear layer itself are quantified through the use of spatial correlation, shape factor, and steadiness analyses. This study demonstrates that the bleed fluid significantly influences the evolution of the turbulent structures in the outer shear layer. The presence of the bleed jet enforces symmetry on the flowfield and reduces turbulent-structure interaction across the centerline, significantly decreasing end-view centroidal fluctuations throughout the flowfield. Increased mass injection into the separated region and increased base pressure lead to spanwise-dominated mean turbulent structure statistics near the base. As the bleed flow rate is increased, the recompression shock system weakens, and the dramatic increase in structure size seen in the no-bleed case between the recompression and reattachment imaging positions becomes less prominent. The differences in turbulent structure size, shape, and orientation as a result of mass injection into the base region appear to vanish as the structures pass downstream into the developing wake region. In the absence of strong pressure gradients and streamline convergence effects, the surviving turbulent structures seem to have a preferred size and orientation that is dependent only on their proximity to the symmetry line of the wake.
DFT Study of the Metal Coordination Center Domain of Fe(II)−Bleomycin

We present a comprehensive analysis of the geometric and electronic properties of the metal coordination center domain of the iron(II) complex of the antitumor drug bleomycin (BLM) using density functional theory (DFT). The various experimental studies devoted to establishing the nature of the metal coordination center in BLM suggest that the metal is five-coordinated, with a sixth site available for exogenous ligand binding. Among the five ligands, four of them form an equatorial coordination sphere, but the nature of the fifth axial ligand remains controversial. To elucidate the nature of the metal coordination center in Fe(II) -BLM, six structurally different conformers resembling the active site have been investigated using DFT. An optimal geometry has been found for each conformer in the singlet, triplet, and quintet electronic states. The electronic ground state was identified as a four-coordinate species with intermediate spin state. However, when the results of these calculations were compared with the latest 2D NMR data, the best agreement was found between the five-coordinated theoretical model and experiment. Stereoelectronic analysis of four-coordinate conformers has shown that the Fe out-of-plane displacement controls the spin state. The high-spin state potential energy surface intersects the triplet state potential energy surface along the doming-mode coordinate when the iron atom is displaced about 0.4 A from the equatorial nitrogens average plane. This intersection is the result of different iron d orbital occupancy in quintet and triplet electronic states.
Fast efficient channel change [set-top box applications]

A system for enabling fast channel change response time in a set-top box while improving video compression efficiency is proposed. Additional low bitrate channel change I pictures are transmitted in the video stream, to enable frequent random access points without requiring frequent high bitrate I pictures.
Persistence of sce-inducing lesions in lymphocytes of mice exposed to diaziquone

Male C57B1/6 mice were injected i.p. with either 1.25 or 5.0 mg/kg diaziquone (AZQ) and killed at various time intervals from 1 to 99 days post treatment for examination of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) persistence in the peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and splenocytes. SCE frequencies were found to decay steeply during the first week after exposure in both PBLs and splenocytes. This pattern was followed by a slower decline to baseline over the next week. However, high-frequency cell (HFC) analysis indicates that significant numbers of HFCs persist in the PBLs through day 28 and splenocytes at day 99 post exposure. Mathematical modeling of the time-response curves indicates that the average life span of the majority of AZQ-induced SCE-producing lesions in murine PBLs and splenocytes responsive to phytohemagglutinin is between 3 and 5 days.
Quasi-Monte Carlo, low discrepancy sequences, and ergodic transformations

Abstract There has been much recent attention given to the applications of number theory to numerical analysis. One especially noteworthy application involves the numerical approximation of integrals by quasi-Monte Carlo methods (see, for example, Grosswald's 1983 review of a book by Loo Keng Hua and Yuan Wang [3]). It follows from fundamental number theoretic results of Koksma and of Hlawka that good quasi-Monte Carlo formulae evolve by taking nodes from low discrepancy sequences, and so the construction of such sequences becomes important. It will be pointed out how certain low discrepancy sequences may be generated from ergodic transformations. As an instance of this, the well-known van der Corput sequence derives from an example of von Neumann and Kakutani. More specifically, the van der Corput sequence and other low discrepancy sequences can be perceived as orbits of ergodic measure preserving transformations constructed on the unit interval by “splitting and stacking” techniques.
Design considerations for stratified finite populations using the linear least-squares prediction approach

This paper presents results concerning the implementation of two estimators for the total of a finite populations each of which is optimal under either and additive are purely interaction model. Assumptions under which the estimators are derived, some mathematical properties of the estimators, and tables which compare the estimators and give optimal allocation rules as a function of relevant parameters are given.
Planetary-Scale Waves in the Southern Hemisphere Winter and Early Spring Stratosphere: Stability Analysis

A barotropic stability model linearized about a zonally symmetric flow is used to examine the stability characteristics of horizontal zonal-mean flow profiles representative of the Southern Hemisphere middle stratosphere during winter and early spring, with emphasis on periods when planetary wave growth appears confined to the stratosphere. Unstable modes of eastward-travelling waves 2 and 3 are found to have period sand spatial structures, similar to observations. Wave-2 and wave-3 momentum fluxes are similar in observations and model results and are consistent with the transfer of kinetic energy from the zonal-mean flow to the wave. When a barotropic model with a zonally symmetric basic flow is used, wave 3 is usually most unstable. Including a stationary wave 1 in the basic flow destabilizes both wave 2 and wave 3, but has little effect on their periods or spatial structures. The similarity between observed fields and model results in a number of cases when wave 2 appears to grow within the stratosphere suggests that in situ instabilities play a role in the evolution of the eastward-traveling wave-2 characteristic of the Southern Hemisphere winter and early spring stratosphere.