cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A family with a complex clinical presentation characterized by arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy and features of branchio-oculo-facial syndrome.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is a familial form of cardiomyopathy typically caused by mutations in genes that encode an element of the cardiac desmosome. Branchio-oculo-facial syndrome (BOFS) is a craniofacial disorder caused by TFAP2A mutations. In a family segregating ARVD/C, some members also had features of BOFS. Genetic testing for ARVD/C identified a mutation in PKP2, encoding plakophilin-2, a component of the cardiac desmosome. Evaluation of dysmorphology by chromosome microarray (CMA) identified a 4.4 Mb deletion at chromosome 6p24 that included both TFAP2A and DSP, encoding desmoplakin, an additional component of the cardiac desmosome implicated in ARVD/C. A family member with both the 6p24 deletion and PKP2 mutation had more severe cardiac dysfunction. These findings suggest that this contiguous gene deletion contributes to both ARVD/C and BOFS, and that DSP haploinsufficiency may contribute to cardiomyopathy. This family provides a clinical example that underscores the need for careful evaluation in clinical scenarios where genetic heterogeneity is known to exist. Finally, it suggests that individuals with unexplained cardiomyopathy and dysmorphic facial features may benefit from CMA analysis. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mexico versus Canada: Stability benefits from making common currency with USD?

Abstract This paper explores the potential stability benefits from monetary union by examining volatility of PPP–GDP per capita and per hour under various de facto exchange rate regimes. It finds that, for Mexico unlike Canada, volatility is much greater during periods when the nominal dollar exchange rate changes appreciably than when it is quasi-pegged. Since Mexico is not in a position to run a credible peg, it must seek greater stability through dollarization. This finding suggests that the stability benefits of monetary union are greatest for emerging-market countries inside an economically integrating region and non-existent for financially highly advanced countries.
Biosynthetic studies of marine lipids-XXCIII. Use of sponge cell-free extracts in the study of marine sterol biosynthesis☆

Abstract Cell-free extracts from sponges facilitate the study of marine sterol biosynthesis. Experimental results from three sponges of the enzymatic alkylation of the sterol side chain are presented.
An adenosine nucleotide switch controlling the activity of a cell type-specific transcription factor in B. subtilis.

The sigma F factor establishes cell type-specific gene transcription during sporulation in B. subtilis. sigma F is negatively regulated by SpollAB, which forms complexes with sigma F or SpollAA. ATP and its nonhydrolyzable analogs stimulate the formation of the SpollAB.sigma F complex, whereas ADP stimulates the formation of the SpollAB.SpollAA complex. Which protein SpollAB associates with is determined by the concentrations of the two nucleotides, on which basis we propose a partner-switching model for the regulation of sigma F: [formula: see text] Consistent with this model, SpollAA reverses SpollAB-mediated inhibition of sigma F-directed transcription in a manner that depends on ADP. Cell-specific activation of sigma F could be due to an alteration in adenosine nucleotide levels in one cell of the sporangium.
Cerebellar norepinephrine depletion and impaired acquisition of specific locomotor tasks in rats

Abstract Previous work47 in our laboratory has shown that norepinephrine (NE)-depleted rats manifested impaired acquisition of a locomotor task as measured in a new rod runway paradigm. This paradigm involved the initial training of water-deprived rats on an equally spaced regular rod arrangement (REG), and subsequent testing, after intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA; 3 × 25 μg/μl free base) infusion, on a more difficult irregular rod arrangement (IRR). These NE-depleted animals manifested impaired acquisition of the task as measured by running times (RT, 25 trials/day) over a 4 day post-infusion test period (IRR). In this present study, this same REG/IRR paradigm was employed in combination with a localized 6-OHDA lesion of the coeruleo-cerebellar pathway. A bilateral infusion of 6-OHDA (8 μg/2 μl) induced cerebellar noradrenergic deafferentation (26% of controls) and produced a significant impairment of 4 day post-infusion RT. Thus, the coeruleo-cerebellar-lesioned rats demonstrated acquisitional impairment when tested on the new locomotor task (IRR). Moreover, the degree of impaired acquisitional, but not initial post-infusion motor performance, was found to correlate directly with the degree of cerebellar noradrenergic deafferentation. Furthermore, these rats showed no arousal, motivational or general cognitive learning deficits since no significant differences were observed in runway intertrial interval times. open field behavior, or in reversal of a T-maze position habit. Thus, cerebellar NE appears to be strongly associated with the adaptive ability to coordinate and choreograph the movements necessary to perform in this locomotor task.
Resonance fluorescence and resonance Raman spectra of molecular oxygen

Abstract Direct excitation of single rovibronic levels of the O 2 B 3 Σ − u state is reported. Laser radiation at 200, 188, and 184 nm is generated by stimulated Raman shifting harmonics of a Nd: YAG laser with hydrogen gas. Resonance fluorescence to vibrational levels of the ground state and Raman activity to the fundamental level are observed at all excitation wavelengths.
Absorption and luminescence of yttrium and lanthanide octaethylporphin complexes

Abstract Absorption spectra of yttrium octaethylporphin complex and of seven lanthanide complexes are quite similar, but emission properties vary greatly. The closed shell complexes, Y and Lu (f14), show moderately strong porphyrin fluorescence and phosphorescence, with the latter having decay times 55 ms (Y) and 7.8 ms (Lu) at 77 K. All six open shell lanthanides studied show weak porphyrin fluorescence. In addition, the Gd complex (f7) shows a very strong porphyrin phosphorescence at 702 nm, with decay time 103 μs at 77 K, and the Yb complex (f13) shows both a weak, non-exponential porphyrin phosphorescence at 704 nm and an f-shell emission, 2F 5 2 → 2F 7 2 , at 975 nm.
How public policy at the state level affects private higher education institutions

Abstract The effects of state policy on private higher education institutions were assessed by means of multivariate analyses of several national longitudinal data bases. Increases in the level of state student aid (dollars per student) were associated with: (a) overall enrollment increases in the less selective private institutions; (b) increased enrollments of low- and middle-income students; and (c) decreased tuition charges in the more selective institutions. In the less selective private institutions, direct institutional aid appears to be “passed through” to students in the form of increased educational and general expenditures.
The Closure of the PLO Offices

A scenario that is almost too familiar to a Middle East observer, particularly on the eve of or during a presidential campaign, is the hibernation of U.S. Middle East policy or its hijacking by politicians lobbied by pressure groups and preoccupied with their electoral prospects. Indeed, politicians crowd each other, outbid each other, and even scramble over each other to curry favor with the powerful lobbies that to a large extent hold the key to their political fortunes. But the bill to close the PLO's information office in Washington and its UN observer mission in New York is an example of "overkill."' For almost five decades, at four-year intervals the Palestinian Arabs have stood out as the uncontested sacrificial lamb on the altar of the U.S. electoral process. Pro-Israel lobbyists have successfully exploited this time factor over and over again by moving the Palestinian problem into the limelight at a moment when the U.S. is "subject to domestic electoral considerations." This most recent development in the unfolding of U.S. policy toward the Palestinian Arabs warrants examination by scholars of the U.S. political scene. Its implications are far-reaching; therefore, its background, the motivations behind it, its constitutional dimension (with a sharp focus on free expression as embedded in the First Amendment), and its place in
The Effort to Reverse Ethnic Cleansing in Bosnia-Herzegovina: The Limits of Returns

Two American-based geographers examine the international community's efforts to reverse ethnic cleansing in Bosnia-Herzegovina since the end of the war in 1995. The paper, based on extensive field work and semi-structured interviews, first examines the geography of the nearly one million refugees and internally displaced persons who have returned to their pre-war domiciles in Bosnia-Herzegovina. They then identify and discuss limits to the reversal of ethnic cleansing imposed by demographic, institutional, geopolitical, and economic factors. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: I31, O15, O19. 7 figures, 1 table, 60 references.
A method for measuring the density of irregularly shaped biological aerosols such as pollen

Abstract This paper introduces a method to measure the density of irregularly shaped particles. The technique, demonstrated on corn pollen, is based on measuring the settling velocity of the particles at low Reynolds numbers (Stokes flow) in two fluids with different density and viscosity. If different samples are used, they should have statistically similar shapes and size distributions, and should not absorb the fluids. The settling velocities are measured using digital holography. Based on the mean velocities, the density of corn pollen is 1.14×10 3 ±0.05×10 3 kg / m 3 . The uncertainty is mostly caused by natural size variations, measured using optical and scanning electron microscopy. The optically measured diameter is 78.1 μm . Pre-treatment for SEM in a vacuum chamber shrinks the grains to 71.2 μm , whereas in water they swell to 89.2 μm and become spherical. The paper contains a comparison to previous measurements, and explanations on causes for discrepancies.
Heterogeneous Uptake of Sulfur Dioxide On Aluminum and Magnesium Oxide Particles

In this study, the heterogeneous uptake of SO2 on α-Al2O3 and MgO particles at 296 K was investigated. Transmission FT-IR experiments reveal that under dry conditions SO2 reacts with α-Al2O3 and MgO to form strongly adsorbed bisulfite, HSO3-(aq), and sulfite, SO32-(aq), on α-Al2O3 and sulfite on MgO. To quantify the uptake of SO2 under dry conditions, heterogeneous uptake coefficients were measured with a Knudsen cell reactor. The Knudsen cell data were modeled to account for gas diffusion in to the underlying layers and surface saturation. The initial uptake coefficient, γo, is calculated using the BET surface area of the powdered samples as diffusion of SO2 into the powder is found to readily occur. Values of γo were determined to be 9.5 ± 0.3 × 10-5 and 2.6 ± 0.2 × 10-4 for SO2 uptake on α-Al2O3 and MgO, respectively, at 296 K under dry conditions at a gas concentration near 1 × 1011 molecules/cm3. Additionally, water uptake on sulfite-coated α-Al2O3 and sulfite-coated MgO particles was investigated wi...
Partitioning on Dynamic Behavior for Parallel Discrete Event Simulation

Partitioning plays an important role in PDES performance due to the high communication cost in parallel platforms and the fine-granularity of most simulation models. Traditionally, models are partitioned by deriving the static communication graph of objects and applying graph partitioning to reduce the mincut while load balancing the number of objects. However, many, if not all, models exhibit great diversity in their dynamic behavior: objects communicate with each other with diverse frequencies that are commonly power-law distributed. Similar diversity exists in the activity of objects and the processing requirements of events. In this paper, we argue that partitioning based on static graphs ignores these effects, leading to poor partitioning. We explore how partitioning based on dynamic information should be approached and explore policies that focus on communication cost, load balancing and both. We show that on multicore clusters, dynamic partitioning achieves up to 4x better performance than static partitioning. On the AMD magnycours, where the communication latency is low, dynamic partitioning results in a 2x performance improvement over static partitioning for some of our models. Our future work considers how to derive the dynamic weights (in this study, we do that through profiling), and how to balance the importance of communication and computation in a way that is informed by the underlying architecture.
HIV Vaccine Acceptance Among HeterosexualClients of a Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinic

We evaluated the willingness of clients at a large urban sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic in the southeastern United States to participate in future trials of preventive vaccines for HIV type 1 (HIV-1). A single trained interviewer administered an oral survey instrument to STD clinic clients over a 4-week enrollment period. The participants were 167 randomly selected clients (90 men and 77 women), most of whom were young, African-American heterosexuals. Risk behaviors for HIV-1 infection were highly prevalent. Overall, 67% of clients expressed willingness to consider participation in an HIV-1 vaccine trial. By univariate analysis, prior HIV-1 testing was significantly associated with willingness to participate (P = 0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed that female gender (P = 0.05) and prior HIV-1 testing (P = 0.03) were significant predictors of willingness to participate.
A rapid purification method for rat liver pyruvate carboxylase and amino acid sequence analyses of NH2-terminal and biotin peptide

Abstract A rapid method for the purification of pyruvate carboxylase from rat liver has been developed. The method involves extraction of the enzyme from frozen liver powder followed by polyethylene glycol fractionation and avidin-affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme has a specific activity of 9–10 μmol/min/mg protein when assayed at 22 °C in the presence of acetyl-CoA. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the preparation in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate showed the presence of one protein band with an estimated M r 125,000 and no significant contamination by other biotin-containing enzymes. In addition to being rapid, the method is advantageous because prior isolation of mitochondria is not necessary. Using these preparations we have determined the sequence of the first 15 amino acids from the NH 2 -terminal end of the molecule to be SerGlyProValAlaPro LeuAsnValLeuLeuLeuGluTyrPro. The sequence of the 24 amino acid residues around the biotin site was determined to be GlyAlaProLeuValLeuSerAlaMet -biocytinMetGluThr ValValThrSerProThrGluGlyThrIleArg.
In utero exposure to chloroquine alters sexual development in the male fetal rat

Chloroquine (CQ), a drug that has been used extensively for the prevention and treatment of malaria, is currently considered safe for use during pregnancy. However, CQ has been shown to disrupt steroid homeostasis in adult rats and similar compounds, such as quinacrine, inhibit steroid production in the Leydig cell in vitro. To explore the effect of in utero CQ exposure on fetal male sexual development, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were given a daily dose of either water or chloroquine diphosphate from GD 16-18 by oral gavage. Chloroquine was administered as 200 mg/kg CQ base on GD 16, followed by two maintenance doses of 100 mg/kg CQ base on GD 16 and 18. Three days of CQ treatment resulted in reduced maternal and fetal weight on GD 19 and increased necrosis and steatosis in the maternal liver. Fetal livers also displayed mild lipid accumulation. Maternal serum progesterone was increased after CQ administration. Fetal testes testosterone, however, was significantly decreased. Examination of the fetal testes revealed significant alterations in vascularization and seminiferous tubule development after short-term CQ treatment. Anogenital distance was not altered. Microarray and RT-PCR showed down-regulation of several genes associated with cholesterol transport and steroid synthesis in the fetal testes. This study indicates that CQ inhibits testosterone synthesis and normal testis development in the rat fetus at human relevant doses.
What are the Views of Patients and Urologists on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Its Management

Abstract A number of surveys have been published in recent years offering fundamental insight into patient and physician views of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), its impact on patient well-being, and its management. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to BPH are highly prevalent among ageing men and have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients and their spouses. The downstream consequences of LUTS, particularly bother and impact on daily activities, are a major concern for men. When considering medical treatment for BPH, studies have found a preference among patients for treatments that reduce the risk of long-term outcomes, such as acute urinary retention (AUR) and surgery, over the need for rapid symptomatic relief, demonstrating that men are able to trade off short- and long-term risks and benefits of therapy. Despite this, physicians appear to underestimate the concerns of patients about long-term outcomes; this is reflected in a preponderance of medical therapy prescriptions aimed at achieving symptom relief. Available evidence therefore suggests that urologists need to broaden their discussions with patients to encompass both short- and long-term consequences of BPH to allow more appropriate agreement on individual goals of therapy. In doing so, patients will be better able to weigh the benefit profiles of the 5α-reductase inhibitors, which have demonstrable benefits in reducing the risks of AUR and BPH-related surgery as well as providing symptomatic relief, against the more rapid symptomatic benefits of α-blockers achieved without significant reduction of long-term progression.
An attempt to construct the standard model with monopoles.

We construct a model in which stable magnetic monopoles have magnetic charges that are identical to the electric charges on leptons and quarks and the colored monopoles are confined by strings in color singlets.
Steady-state signatures of visual perceptual load, multimodal distractor filtering, and neural competition

The perceptual load theory of attention posits that attentional selection occurs early in processing when a task is perceptually demanding but occurs late in processing otherwise. We used a frequency-tagged steady-state evoked potential paradigm to investigate the modality specificity of perceptual load-induced distractor filtering and the nature of neural-competitive interactions between task and distractor stimuli. EEG data were recorded while participants monitored a stream of stimuli occurring in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) for the appearance of previously assigned targets. Perceptual load was manipulated by assigning targets that were identifiable by color alone (low load) or by the conjunction of color and orientation (high load). The RSVP task was performed alone and in the presence of task-irrelevant visual and auditory distractors. The RSVP stimuli, visual distractors, and auditory distractors were "tagged" by modulating each at a unique frequency (2.5, 8.5, and 40.0 Hz, respectively), which allowed each to be analyzed separately in the frequency domain. We report three important findings regarding the neural mechanisms of perceptual load. First, we replicated previous findings of within-modality distractor filtering and demonstrated a reduction in visual distractor signals with high perceptual load. Second, auditory steady-state distractor signals were unaffected by manipulations of visual perceptual load, consistent with the idea that perceptual load-induced distractor filtering is modality specific. Third, analysis of task-related signals revealed that visual distractors competed with task stimuli for representation and that increased perceptual load appeared to resolve this competition in favor of the task stimulus.
An examination of species-specific growing space utilization

A comparison is made among the size–density relationships of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Engelm.), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii). Species-specific minimum density of full site occupancy (NMCA) and average maximum density (NAMax) equations were developed using forest inventory data and existing models. NMCA and NAMax estimates were used to compare species growing space utilization over a range of stand diameters (12–50 cm). Results suggest growing space utilization varies among the evaluated species and that species differences may change over the diameter range evaluated. Analysis also highlights that a growing space usage gradient is present across species. One end of the gradient is occupied by species that maintain...
Recent advances in nonopioid analgesics for acute pain management

Nonopioid analgesics are compounds which by themselves have undesirable side effects or low potency, but in combination with opioids allow a reduction of narcotic dosing for postoperative pain control. Nonopioid analgesics are needed for postoperative pain management due to side effects of opioid analgesics, which hinder recovery, especially with the increased utilization of ambulatory surgical procedures. Of great benefit are the NSAIDs and the COX-2 inhibitors, which lead to about 30% to 40% reduction in opioid use for postoperative pain relief. NMDA antagonists have psychomimetic side effects at high doses, but at moderate doses do not cause stereotypic behavior but allow reduction in opioid dose to obtain better pain control. Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists cause sedation, hypotension, and bradycardia at moderate doses, but at low doses can be opioid-sparing, especially in spinal administration. Gabapentin-like compounds have low potency against acute pain, but in combination with opioids allow a reduction in opioid dose with improved analgesia.
Tumour Necrosis Factor in Sarcoidosis and its Potential for Targeted Therapy

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a potent cytokine involved in the inflammatory reactions of many acute and chronic diseases. Recently, agents that block TNFalpha either directly or indirectly have been successful in the treatment of a variety of immune-mediated inflammatory disorders including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Sarcoidosis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disorder characterised by the formation of granulomas. TNFalpha is important in the initiation and perpetuation of inflammation in sarcoidosis, contributing to the initiation of granulomas and the progression of fibrosis, as well as to nongranulomatous inflammation. Various agents used to treat sarcoidosis affect TNF, including the most widely used drug class, corticosteroids, which are usually effective in blocking TNFalpha release from cells. Other agents that nonspecifically inhibit TNFalpha release include methotrexate, azathioprine and pentoxifylline. Specific TNF-antagonising biological agents such as infliximab and etanercept are being tested in patients with sarcoidosis, with mixed success. Infliximab has been shown to produce clinical improvement and reduce the requirement for corticosteroids in a small number of patients with sarcoidosis. However, as infliximab can be associated with reactivation of tuberculosis, which could be mistaken as worsening sarcoidosis, it should be used with caution in this patient group.
Improved predictions of the flow field in submerged and confined impinging jets using the Reynolds stress model

The flow field of a normally impinging, axisymmetric, confined and submerged liquid jet is predicted using the Reynolds stress turbulence closure model in the FLUENT finite-volume code. The results are compared with experimental measurements and flow visualizations, and are used to describe the position of the recirculating toroid in the outflow region which is characteristic of the confined flow field. Changes in the recirculation pattern features due to changes in Reynolds number, nozzle diameter and nozzle-to-target plate spacing are documented. Results are presented for nozzle diameters of 3.18 and 6.35 mm, jet Reynolds numbers in the 2000-23000 range, and nozzle-to-target plate spacings of 2, 3, and 4 jet diameters. Up to three interacting vortical structures are predicted in the confinement region at the smaller Reynolds numbers. The primary recirculation pattern center moves away from the jet center line with an increase in Reynolds number, nozzle diameter, and nozzle-to-target plate spacing. Computed flow patterns were in very good qualitative agreement with experiments. The radial location of the primary toroid center was predicted to within /spl plusmn/40% and /spl plusmn/3% of the experimental position for Re=2000-4000 and Re=8500-23000, respectively. The jet center line velocity after the nozzle exit was computed with an average error of 6%. Reasons for the differences between the numerical predictions at Re=2000-4000 and experiments are discussed. Flow field predictions using the standard high-Reynolds number k-/spl epsiv/ and renormalization group theory (RNG) k-/spl epsiv/ models are shown to be inferior to Reynolds stress model predictions.
Antimicrobial Activity of Human EPPIN, an Androgen-Regulated, Sperm-Bound Protein with a Whey Acidic Protein Motif

The role of epididymal sperm-binding proteins in reproductive tract immunity is now well recognized in addition to their role in sperm maturation. Spermatozoa acquire forward motility and fertilizing ability during their passage through the epididymis, where they acquire a wide variety of proteins belonging to different classes. Previously, we demonstrated that EPPIN (epididymal protease inhibitor), an androgen-regulated, sperm-binding protein containing protease-inhibitory motifs, is expressed specifically in the testis and epididymis. In the present study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of EPPIN against Escherichia coli and the mechanism of antimicrobial action. EPPIN exhibited dose- and time-dependent antibacterial activity that was relatively insensitive to salt. However, EPPIN lost its antibacterial activity completely on reduction and alkylation of its cysteines, indicating the importance of disulfide bonds for its activity. EPPIN permeabilized the outer and inner membranes of E. coli, which is consistent with its ability to induce striking morphological alterations of E. coli membranes as shown by scanning electron microscopy. EPPIN did not cause disruption of eukaryotic membranes in the rat erythrocyte hemolytic assay. The present results indicate that EPPIN has a role in the innate immune system of human epididymis.
Finding new therapies for sepsis: the need for patient stratification and the use of genetic biomarkers

Reversing the immunoparalysis associated with septic shock remains a priority for improving the outcome of patients suffering from sepsis. The efficacy of future therapies may be better studied under an effective system of patient stratification. Gene expression biomarkers offer a mechanism by which patients may be appropriately stratified in such clinical trials.
Uncertainty-aware Wireless Sensor Networks

The characterisation of uncertainty and the management of Quality of Service are important issues in mobile communications. In a Wireless Sensor Network, there is a high probability of redundancy, correlation and noise in the sensor features since data is often collected from a large array of densely deployed neighbouring sensors. This article proposes a soft computing approach to manage uncertainty by reasoning over inconsistent, incomplete, and fragmentary information using classical rough set and dominance-based rough set theories. A methodological and computational basis is provided and is illustrated in a real world sensor network application of aquatic biodiversity mapping under uncertainty.
A Hierarchical Tin/Carbon Composite as an Anode for Lithium‐Ion Batteries with a Long Cycle Life

Tin is a promising anode candidate for next- generation lithium-ion batteries with a high energy density, but suffers from the huge volume change (ca. 260 %) upon lithiation. To address this issue, here we report a new hierarchical tin/carbon composite in which some of the nanosized Sn particles are anchored on the tips of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are rooted on the exterior surfaces of micro-sized hollow carbon cubes while other Sn nanoparticles are encapsulated in hollow carbon cubes. Such a hierarchical structure possesses a robust framework with rich voids, which allows Sn to alleviate its mechanical strain without forming cracks and pulverization upon lithiation/de-lithiation. As a result, the Sn/C composite exhibits an excellent cyclic performance, namely, retaining a capacity of 537 mAh g 1 for around 1000 cycles without obvious decay at a high current density of 3000 mA g 1 .
FLOW FIELD INVESTIGATION IN THE EXIT REGION OF A RADIAL INFLOW TURBINE USING LDV

Detailed flow investigation in the downstream region of a radial inflow turbine has been performed using a three component Laser Doppler Velocimetry. The flow velocities are measured in the exit region of the turbine at off-design operating conditions. The results are presented as contour and vector plots of mean velocities, flow angles and turbulent stresses. The measured parameters are correlated to the rotor blade rotation to observe any periodic nature of the flow. The measurements reveal a complex flow pattern near the tip region at the rotor exit due to the interaction of the tip clearance flow. The degree of swirl of the flow near the tip region at the rotor exit is observed to be high due to the gross under turning of the flow near the tip region. The effect of the rotor on the exit flow field is observed in the proximity of the rotor exit.Copyright © 1994 by ASME
Thrombin Inhibits Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Receptor Activity in Cultured Bovine Endothelial Cells

Thrombin and the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) possess a number of functionally antagonistic properties in vascular endothelial cells. Thus, regulatory interactions that modulate the activity of one or the other could have important sequelae with regard to cardiovascular homeostasis. Thrombin treatment effected a dose- and time-dependent reduction in ANP receptor activity (maximal 70% to 80% inhibition) in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. This resulted from a decrease in total receptor number as well as a modest reduction in the affinity of the receptor for its ligand. The inhibition was largely confined to the type C receptor population, in that thrombin had no effect on maximal type A receptor–linked cGMP accumulation. The protein kinase C–activating phorbol ester 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate effected a similar reduction in binding activity; however, suppression of protein kinase C activity did not reverse the thrombin effect. Pretreatment of endothelial cells with cycloheximide did not completely prevent the thrombin-dependent inhibition, and thrombin did not effect a reduction in type C receptor mRNA levels, findings that argue for a postsynthetic inhibitory locus. The inhibition of receptor activity was effectively irreversible in that suspension of protein synthesis blocked the recovery of receptor density on the cell surface. Reduction in type C receptor density was accompanied by modest increases in the stability of ANP in the culture medium and enhancement of the cellular cGMP response to the peptide, particularly at low ligand concentrations. These findings demonstrate a potentially important interaction between these two agonist systems in regulating endothelial cell function within the vascular wall.
True value: assessing and optimizing the cost of computing at the data center level

There are five main components to the cost of delivering computing in a data center: (i) the construction of the data center building itself; (ii) the power and cooling infrastructure for the data center; (iii) the acquisition cost of the servers that populate the data center; (iv) the cost of electricity to power (and cool) the servers; and (v) the cost of managing those servers. We first study the fundamental economics of operating such a data center with a model that captures the first four costs. We call these the physical cost, as it does not include the labor cost. We show that it makes economic sense to design data centers for relatively low power densities, and that increasing server utilization is an efficient way to reduce total cost of computation. We then develop a cost/performance model that includes the management cost and allows the evaluation of the optimal server size for consolidation. We show that, for a broad range of operating and cost conditions, servers with 4 to 16 processor sockets result in the lowest total cost of computing.
Hocking and the Dilemmas of Modernity

Many are deeply aware that contemporary civilization is in travail. The root causes of this condition and the patterns of life that will finally emerge from the current political, ideological, and religious conflicts are highly ambiguous. Professor William Ernest Hocking in his book The Coming World Civilization 1 approaches these problems with a fully developed philosophic system and after a rich experience of world cultures. His analysis is many-dimensional, presenting significant comments on contemporary civilization and finely integrating the threads of the discussion.
Agency Input as a Policy-Making Tool: Analyzing the Influence of Agency Input on Presidential Policy Success in Congress

This study posits a theoretical framework for understanding the role and value of agency input in presidential-legislative policy making. The author as- serts that by using agency input for policy development, presidents instill their proposals with a degree of bureaucratic objectivity, expertise, process transparency, and agency support, which aids their legislative passage while lowering the extent of changes made to policy substance in the process. To test his hypotheses, the author conducts binary and ordered logistic regres- sion analyses using pooled cross-sectional data across 12 administrations from 1949 to 2010. The author finds that agency input serves as a key com- ponent for increased presidential-legislative success.
Phase I and pharmacological study of cytarabine and tanespimycin in relapsed and refractory acute leukemia.

Background In preclinical studies the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor tanespimycin induced down-regulation of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) and other client proteins as well as increased sensitivity of acute leukemia cells to cytarabine. We report here the results of a phase I and pharmacological study of the cytarabine + tanespimycin combination in adults with recurrent or refractory acute leukemia. Design and Methods Patients received cytarabine 400 mg/m2/day continuously for 5 days and tanespimycin infusions at escalating doses on days 3 and 6. Marrow mononuclear cells harvested before therapy, immediately prior to tanespimycin, and 24 hours later were examined by immunoblotting for Hsp70 and multiple Hsp90 clients. Results Twenty-six patients were treated at five dose levels. The maximum tolerated dose was cytarabine 400 mg/m2/day for 5 days along with tanespimycin 300 mg/m2 on days 3 and 6. Treatment-related adverse events included disseminated intravascular coagulation (grades 3 and 5), acute respiratory distress syndrome (grade 4), and myocardial infarction associated with prolonged exposure to tanespimycin and its active metabolite 17-aminogeldanamycin. Among 21 evaluable patients, there were two complete and four partial remissions. Elevations of Hsp70, a marker used to assess Hsp90 inhibition in other studies, were observed in more than 80% of samples harvested 24 hours after tanespimycin, but down-regulation of Chk1 and other Hsp90 client proteins was modest. Conclusions Because exposure to potentially effective concentrations occurs only for a brief time in vivo , at clinically tolerable doses tanespimycin has little effect on resistance-mediating client proteins in relapsed leukemia and exhibits limited activity in combination with cytarabine.
Information-Theoretic Key Agreement of Multiple Terminals—Part I

We study the problem of information-theoretically secure secret key agreement under the well-known source model and channel model. In both of these models, multiple terminals wish to create a shared secret key that is secure from a passive eavesdropper. The terminals have access to a noiseless public communication channel and an additional resource that depends on the model. In the source model, the resource is an external source that repeatedly beams correlated randomness to the terminals; whereas in the channel model, the resource is a secure but noisy discrete memoryless broadcast channel. We derive new lower and upper bounds on the secret key capacity under both the source model and the channel model. The technique used for deriving our bound for the source model is to find certain properties of functions of joint probability distributions which, applied to the joint distribution of the source, will imply that they dominate the secret key capacity, and then prove the bound by a verification argument. A similar technique is used for the channel model. Finally, we also define a problem of communication for omniscience by a neutral observer and establish the equivalence between this new problem and the problem of secret key agreement. This generalizes an earlier result of Csiszar and Narayan.
HYPER: A Heuristic for Yield/Area imProvEment Using Redundancy in SoC

In this paper we present an efficient heuristic to significantly enhance yield/area of die in technologies where the inherent yield is low. Our technique makes use of a judicious use of redundancy and switching circuitry. Though our presentation is focused on pipeline (linear) structures, our techniques can be extended to apply to more general structures. The time complexity of our procedure is O(n3) for an n-stage pipeline.
The importance of abiotic reactions for nitrous oxide production

The continuous rise of atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) is an environmental issue of global concern. In biogeochemical studies, N2O production is commonly assumed to arise solely from enzymatic reactions in microbes and fungi. However, iron, manganese and organic compounds readily undergo redox reactions with intermediates in the nitrogen cycle that produce N2O abiotically under relevant environmental conditions at circumneutral pH. Although these abiotic N2O production pathways have been known to occur for close to a century, they are often neglected in modern ecological studies. In this Synthesis and Emerging Ideas paper, we highlight the defining characteristics, environmental controls, and isotopic signatures of abiotic reactions between nitrogen cycle intermediates (hydroxylamine, nitric oxide, and nitrite), redox-active metals (iron and manganese) and organic matter (humic and fulvic acids) that can lead to N2O production. We also discuss the emerging idea that abiotic reactions coupled to biotic processes have widespread ecological relevance and encourage consideration of abiotic production mechanisms in future biogeochemical investigations of N2O cycling.
Spandrel-Slab Interaction

The twisting moments in a spandrel and the bending moments in a slab, butting into it and uniformly loaded, are relaxed by the rotation and the horizontal and vertical displacements of the spandrel, as well as by the rotation of the columns. The influence of these relaxations may be significant and can be assessed by the tables of effective widths, slab bending moments, and spandrel twisting moments given in this paper.
Sequential expression of multiple POU proteins during amphibian early development.

Abstract The octamer motif is a common cis-acting regulatory element that functions in the transcriptional control regions of diverse genes and in viral origins of replication. The ability of a consensus octamer motif to stimulate transcription of a histone H2B promoter in frog oocytes suggests that oocytes contain a transcriptionally active octamer-binding protein(s). We show here that frog oocytes and developing embryos contain multiple octamer-binding proteins that are expressed in a sequential manner during early development. Sequences encoding three novel octamer binding-proteins were isolated from Xenopus cDNA libraries by virtue of their homology with the DNA binding (POU) domain of Oct-1. The predicted POU domains of these proteins were most highly related to mammalian Oct-3 (also termed Oct-4), a germ line-specific gene required for mouse early development. Transcripts from these amphibian POU-domain genes were most abundant during early embryogenesis and absent from most adult somatic tissues. One of the genes, termed Oct-60, was primarily expressed as a maternal transcript localized in the animal hemisphere in mature oocytes. The protein encoded by this gene was present in oocytes and early embryos until the gastrula stage of development. Transcripts from a second POU-domain gene, Oct-25, were present at low levels in oocytes and early embryos and were dramatically upregulated during early gastrulation. In contrast to the Oct-60 mRNA, translation of Oct-25 mRNA appeared to be developmentally regulated, since the corresponding protein was detected in embryos during gastrulation but not in oocytes or rapidly cleaving embryos. Transcripts from the third POU protein gene, Oct-91, were induced after the midblastula transition and reached their highest levels of accumulation during late gastrulation. The expression of all three genes decreased during late gastrulation and early neurulation. By analogy with other members of the POU-domain gene family, the products of these genes may play critical roles in the determination of cell fate and the regulation of cell proliferation.
Timing matters: tuning the mechanics of a muscle–tendon unit by adjusting stimulation phase during cyclic contractions

A growing body of research on the mechanics and energetics of terrestrial locomotion has demonstrated that elastic elements acting in series with contracting muscle are critical components of sustained, stable and efficient gait. Far fewer studies have examined how the nervous system modulates muscle-tendon interaction dynamics to optimize 'tuning' or meet varying locomotor demands. To explore the fundamental neuromechanical rules that govern the interactions between series elastic elements (SEEs) and contractile elements (CEs) within a compliant muscle-tendon unit (MTU), we used a novel work loop approach that included implanted sonomicrometry crystals along muscle fascicles. This enabled us to decouple CE and SEE length trajectories when cyclic strain patterns were applied to an isolated plantaris MTU from the bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). Using this approach, we demonstrate that the onset timing of muscle stimulation (i.e. stimulation phase) that involves a symmetrical MTU stretch-shorten cycle during active force production results in net zero mechanical power output, and maximal decoupling of CE and MTU length trajectories. We found it difficult to 'tune' the muscle-tendon system for strut-like isometric force production by adjusting stimulation phase only, as the zero power output condition involved significant positive and negative mechanical work by the CE. A simple neural mechanism - adjusting muscle stimulation phase - could shift an MTU from performing net zero to net positive (energy producing) or net negative (energy absorbing) mechanical work under conditions of changing locomotor demand. Finally, we show that modifications to the classical work loop paradigm better represent in vivo muscle-tendon function during locomotion.
Third Party Doctrine Redux: Internet Search Records and the Case for a 'Crazy Quilt' of Fourth Amendment Protection

The dark secrets brought to light by America Online's recent exposure of 658,000 of its users' search records reveal both a societal expectation of privacy in Internet searches, and an increased likelihood that such information will be used as evidence in criminal proceedings. In the absence of a statutory suppression remedy, the only bar to those records becoming Exhibits A-Z is a Fourth Amendment that, while purporting to protect expectations of privacy society would deem reasonable, utterly fails to consider what society has said about Internet searches. Increasingly, this means that courts will be faced with a choice: uphold the third party doctrine to the letter of Smith v. Maryland - or protect those expectations of privacy, legal as well as technological, that society is prepared to recognize as reasonable. This Comment aims to facilitate judicial adoption of the latter by showcasing the antipodal treatment of Internet search records under the third party doctrine as against the "operational realities test," and providing support for a rights-based re-reading of the doctrine that would restore constitutional consistency.
Cardiac Complications of HER2-Targeted Therapies in Breast Cancer.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer is associated with aggressive disease and a poor prognosis. There are a number of anti-HER2 therapies currently available and more in development. Cardiac concerns raised by early experience with HER2 inhibitor trastuzumab had led to subsequent trial designs focused on a more selective patient population with a lower cardiac risk, generally with a median age of 50–55 years old, with a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at study entry, and with no clinical cardiovascular disease or uncontrolled cardiac risk factors. Within this context, the cardiac safety profile of the agents outlined in this review appears to be quite acceptable and thus the risk to benefit ratio is favorable. Given the theoretical cardiac concerns of this class of cancer therapeutics that prompted the stringent patient selection and eligibility criteria in clinical trials, clinicians should exercise reasonable caution and monitor patients carefully for cardiac sequelae when using these agents outside of the controlled conditions applied in the clinical trials.
A Course in Insecticides for Pharmacists

A course in insecticides for pharmacy students offered by Purdue University, and other efforts of the university to promote availability of insecticides and better understanding of their use by dealers, are described. It is believed this will be a valuable aid to better insect control.
LGBTQ politics and International Relations: Here? Queer? Used to it?

The politics surrounding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) claims have received increasing attention in the past few years. LGBTQ advocates pursue their diverse interests at the local, national, regional and global levels, in the course stimulating an interesting discussion about sexual rights in International Relations. The books that have emerged on this topic in the recent past show the promise of a nuanced and lively debate on this topic for years to come.