cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Public recognition of major signs and symptoms of heart attack: seventeen states and the US Virgin Islands, 2001.

Abstract Background Timely access to emergency cardiac care and survival is partly dependent on early recognition of heart attack symptoms and immediate action by calling emergency services. We assessed public recognition of major heart attack symptoms and knowledge to call 9-1-1 for an acute event. Methods Data are from the 2001 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a state-based telephone survey. Participants (n = 61,018) in 17 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands indicated whether the following were heart attack symptoms: pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, back; feeling weak, lightheaded, faint; chest pain or discomfort; sudden trouble seeing in 1 or both eyes (false symptom); pain or discomfort in the arms or shoulder; shortness of breath. Participants also indicated their first action if someone was having a heart attack. Results Most persons (95%) recognized chest pain as a heart attack symptom. However, only 11% correctly classified all symptoms and knew to call 9-1-1 when someone was having a heart attack. Symptom recognition and the need to call 9-1-1 was lower among men than women, persons of various ethnic groups than whites, younger and older persons than middle-aged persons, and persons with less education. Persons with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, or prior heart attack or stroke were not appreciably more likely to recognize heart attack symptoms than were persons without these conditions. Conclusions Public health efforts are needed to increase recognition of the major heart attack symptoms in both the general public and groups at high risk for an acute event.
A special type of filament in the Purkinje cells of the Syrian Hamster.

The Purkinje cells of the Syrian hamster cerebellum contain dense filaments 75 A in diameter and of relatively great hut undetermined length. These filaments occur in closely packed bundles that curve and twist through the perikaryal cytoplasm. They are always closely associated with mitochondria, never with the Golgi apparatus. Absence of previous descriptions of similar neuronal filaments indicates that they may be a unique feature in the hamster cerebellum.
Size isn't everything.

Much progress has been made recently towards uncovering the mechanisms that control the size to which organisms and their organs grow, and identifying some of the genes responsible. Size control, however, is only half of the equation. In growing to the right size, tissues must also grow to the right shape. A recent paper1 suggests that a hitherto overlooked cellular behaviour governs the size and shape of a growing tissue, and issues a challenge to developmental biologists to identify the molecular mechanisms involved. BioEssays 25:5–8, 2003. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A multistate model of the genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease.

The risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases rapidly with age. It is not clear whether this increase continues at the very oldest ages. A slowing of the rate of increase in risk could result from heterogeneity associated with genetic or other risk factors. This study models explicitly the effect of heterogeneity of risk on the age pattern of incidence of AD. The model is fitted to published data from five prevalence studies and nine studies of AD risk by genotype for the apolipoprotein-E (APOE) gene. The model suggests that the prevalence of AD among white males at age 100 is 41.5%. Heterogeneity in the risk of AD causes the incidence rate to level off at about 11.7% per year at age 102. Some of the heterogeneity of risk is due to differences by APOE genotype. The model estimates that at age 80, the l 3/4 genotype is associated with an incidence rate 3.40 times that of those with the l 3/3 genotype. The l 4/4 genotype is associated with a relative risk of 9.4. Carriers of the l 2 allele have a risk that...
Development of an affinity chromatography resin for the purification of carcinogen binding proteins from mouse liver.

Abstract Pyrene, a structural analog of benzo[a]pyrene, is an effective competing ligand for high affinity carcinogen binding proteins in mouse liver. A pyrenederivatized Sepharose gel was prepared for affinity chromatography purification of these proteins, and adsorbs all detectable [ 3 H]B[a]P-binding activity from hepatic cytosol with the adsorption of less than 1% of total protein. Specific carcinogen binding activity is recovered from pyrene-derivatized Sepharose columns with the enrichment of a 33 kDa polypeptide. This chromatograpy resin represents a major step in the isolation of these unusual receptor-like binding proteins for aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogens.
Spatial Variability of Sea Level Pressure and 500 mb Height Anomalies over the Southern Hemisphere

Abstract The spatial variability of mean sea level pressure (SLP) and 500 mb height anomalies over the Southern Hemisphere during summer (DJF) and winter (JJA) is determined using eigenvector analysis based on daily synoptic maps from 1972 to 1979. The patterns of spatial distribution of pressure and height anomalies are further verified and examined by means of station data, and the eigenvectors are compared between the seasons and to those found for the Northern Hemisphere. The first eigenvector shows that midlatitude anomalies of SLP and 500 mb height are of an opposite sign to those found over and around Antarctica. The pattern is highly barotropic and suggests strengthening and weakening of the zonal wind in alternating latitude belts. The 500 mb height differences are calculated for five midlatitude to Antarctic station pairs using data from the late 1950's onward. These latitudinal height differences are also used to describe the association between the hemispheric westerlies and the Southern Oscil...
Structural and Functional Analysis of SFT, a Stimulator of Fe Transport

Previous studies demonstrated that SFT (Stimulator of Fe Transport) facilitates both transferrin and nontransferrin-bound iron uptake in HeLa cells (Yu, J., and Wessling-Resnick, M. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 6909-6915). To further characterize the structure and function of SFT, we studied this human factor in rodent BHK cells. Kyte-Doolittle analysis suggests that SFT has six transmembrane-spanning segments. This transport protein also displays an REXXE motif resembling domains involved in iron binding by ferritin and in iron uptake mediated by the yeast transporter Ftr1. Using N- and C-terminal epitope tags, we have identified that modification of either protein terminus does not interfere with SFT function in nontransferrin-bound iron uptake. The N- and C-terminal domains are intracellularly disposed since antibodies against these epitopes fail to recognize expressed proteins unless BHK cells are solubilized with detergents. To define the topology of two large extramembranous loop domains, anti-peptide antibodies were employed; anti-loop 4 antibodies show no immunoreactivity unless cells are permeabilized but anti-loop 5 antibodies recognize and bind surface SFT. Thus, loop 4 must be intracellular while loop 5 is extracellular. These topological studies situate the putative iron-binding REXXE domain on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. However, 55Fe-binding studies reveal that the ability of SFT to bind and mediate transport of extracellular iron is defective in mutants with Glu --> Ala conversions in this motif. Curiously, we also find that depletion of intracellular iron by desferrioxamine impairs SFT transport and iron-binding functions. These observations lead to the speculation that the REXXE motif may play an important role in regulating SFT activity through interaction with intracellular iron and demonstrate that iron transport mediated by SFT is itself an iron-dependent process.
A Randomized Trial of the Effect of Prayer on Depression and Anxiety

Objective:To investigate the effect of direct contact person-to-person prayer on depression, anxiety, positive emotions, and salivary cortisol levels.Design, Setting, and Participants:Cross-over cl...
Health needs assessment of international students and their families at the University of Illinois.

Abstract Meleis, Afaf I. Arab Students in Western Universities: Social Properties and Dilemmas. Journal of Higher Education, 1982, 53 (July/August) pp. 439–447. Arab students in the U.S. have unique problems. Arab students have a tremendous need for affiliation due to their upbringing in extended families. They prefer close, personal relationships and shun impersonal Western-style business relationships. They put a high value on close eye-and body-contact in all relationships and are highly oriented to oral communication. Arab students therefore may have difficulty in completing reading and written assignments. Whereas the American educational system stresses the value of independent thought, problem-solving, and discussion, the Arab educational system stresses the value of receiving information from an authority. Arab students therefore appear passive and unoriginal when placed in an American educational setting. Arab students in American universities tend to express their loneliness and confusion throug...
Nuclear import and retention domains in the amino terminus of RECQL4

Mutations in a human RecQ helicase homologue, RECQL4, have been identified in patients with Type II Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS) with osteosarcoma predisposition, RAPADILINO syndrome, and Baller-Gerold syndrome. A role in DNA replication initiation has been demonstrated and mapped to the amino terminus upstream of the helicase domain; however, no nuclear localization signal (NLS) has been identified by sequence analysis. Here, we show both endogenous and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged RECQL4 are nuclear and cytoplasmic in transformed cell lines. Using GFP-tagged constructs we identified a major nuclear localization domain within amino acids (aa) 363-492 (exons 5-8) sufficient for nuclear localization of GFP and necessary for nuclear localization of RECQL4 as GFP-RECQL4 deleted for aa 363-492 is entirely cytoplasmic. Additional mapping within this domain revealed that a conserved block of 22 basic amino acids (aa 365-386; exons 5-6) is sufficient for nuclear localization of GFP, but not required for nuclear import of RECQL4. Conversely, even though the region encoded by exon 7-8 is not sufficient for nuclear import of GFP, GFP-RECQL4 deleted for exon 7 (aa 420-463), a mutation found in all reported patients with RAPADILINO syndrome, is cytoplasmic. Nuclear localization of the exon 7 deletion construct is increased in cells treated with leptomycin B suggesting that exon 7 encodes a domain required for nuclear retention of RECQL4. This retention activity is partially conveyed by a conserved VLPLY motif (aa 450-454) in exon 7 of the human sequence. In summary, unlike other RecQ proteins with carboxyl terminal NLS, RECQL4 nuclear localization and retention activities are amino terminal. This location would provide nuclear transport of putative truncated proteins encoded by RTS mutant alleles consistent with the proposed essential replication function in the amino terminus of RECQL4.
Parasite modification of predator functional response.

Parasite alteration of the host (predator) functional response provides a mechanism by which parasites can alter predator–prey population dynamics and stability. We tested the hypothesis that parasitic infection of a crab (Eurypanopeus depressus) by a rhizocephalan barnacle (Loxothylacus panopei) can modify the crab’s functional response to mussel (Brachidontes exustus) prey and investigated behavioral mechanisms behind a potential change in the response. Infection dramatically reduced mussel consumption by crabs across mussel densities, resulting in a decreased attack rate parameter and a nearly eightfold reduction in maximum consumption (i.e. the asymptote, or inverse of the handling time parameter) in a type II functional response model. To test whether increased handling time of infected crabs drove the decrease in maximum consumption rate, we independently measured handling time through observation. Infection had no effect on handling time and thus could not explain the reduction in consumption. Infection did, however, increase the time that it took crabs to begin handling prey after the start of the handling time experiment. Furthermore, crabs harboring relatively larger parasites remained inactive longer before making contact with prey. This behavioral modification likely contributed to the reduced mussel consumption of infected crabs. A field survey revealed that 20 % of crabs inhabiting oyster reefs at the study site (North Inlet estuary, Georgetown, South Carolina, USA) are infected by the barnacle parasite, indicating that parasite infection could have a substantial effect on the population level crab-mussel interaction.
V. O. KLIUCHEVSKII AS HISTORIAN OF RELIGION AND THE CHURCH

Historien russe mort en 1911| il a donne une idee faussee de la vieille Russie en ramenant la religion a la politique et a la sociologie, d'ou son succes en URSS dans les annees 1930 et 1950
The reinforcement-enhancing effects of nicotine: implications for the relationship between smoking, eating and weight

Concerns about body weight represent an important barrier to public health efforts aimed at reducing smoking. Epidemiological studies have found that current smokers weigh less than non-smokers, smoking cessation results in weight gain, and weight restriction is commonly cited as a reason for smoking. The mechanisms underlying the relationship between smoking and weight are complex and may involve a number of factors including changes in caloric intake, physical activity, metabolic rate, and lipogenesis. Amongst these possible mechanisms, nicotine-induced enhancement of food reinforcement may be particularly important. In this paper, we first review data from our laboratory that highlight two distinct ways in which nicotine impacts reinforced behavior: 1) by acting as a primary reinforcer; and 2) by directly (non-associatively) enhancing the reinforcing effects of other stimuli. We then elaborate on the reinforcement-enhancing effects of nicotine as they pertain to behaviors and stimuli related to food. Data from both laboratory animals and humans support the assertion that nicotine enhances the reinforcing efficacy of food and suggest that the influence of these effects on eating may be most important after nicotine cessation when nicotine's effects on satiety subside. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and clinical implications of this perspective for understanding and addressing the apparent tradeoff between smoking and weight gain. Better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the reinforcement-enhancing effects of nicotine broadly, and the effects on food reinforcement per se, may aid in the development of new treatments with better long term outcomes.
Isotope Edited Internal Standard Method for Quantitative Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

A new isotope edited internal standard (IEIS) method for quantitative surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is demonstrated using rhodamine 6G (R6G-d0) and rhodamine 6G (R6G-d4) edited with deuterium. The reproducibility and accuracy of the IEIS method is investigated both under optical resonance (SERRS) and nonresonance (SERS) conditions. A batch-to-batch concentration measurement reproducibility of better than 3% is demonstrated over a concentration range of 200 pM−2 μM with up to a factor of 3 difference between the concentration of the analyte and its IEIS. The superior performance of the IEIS method is further illustrated by comparing results obtained using absolute SERS/SERRS intensity calibration (with no internal standard) or using adenine (rather than R6G-d4) as an internal standard for R6G concentration quantization. Potential biomedical gene expression and comparative proteomic applications of the IEIS method are discussed.
Laryngeal Amyloidosis Causing Hoarseness and Airway Obstruction

Amyloidosis constitutes a fraction of 1% of benign localized laryngeal tumors and may occasionally be associated with systemic disease. A chronic, insidious, progressive, recurrent disease characterized by hoarseness, dyspnea, and stridor, it is caused by extracellular deposition of insoluble, abnormal tissue injurious fibrils. Submucosal lesions occur frequently in the vestibular folds and ventricles, less commonly in the subglottis and aryepiglottic folds and least on the vocal folds. Apple green birefrigence under polarized light after Congo red staining, electron microscopic fibrillar structure, and a beta-pleated sheet structure observed by x-ray diffraction are confirmatory. Two presented cases add to the small literature review of similar patients. Case 1 was a 70-year-old man with severe hoarseness, incomplete glottic closure, ovoid concentric stenosis of the inferior glottis and subglottis, who initially was not diagnosed by several laryngologists and speech therapists. He required multiple microlaryngoscopic excisions and dilations. Because low dose radiation induces plasma cell apoptosis in other diseases, external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) was hypothesized to eliminate amyloidogenic plasma cells. Case 2 was a 46-year-old welder with progressive dyspnea for 2-3 years and hoarseness, voice loss, and stridor over 6-7 months. Masses caused airway obstruction of the anterior commissure, vestibular, and vocal folds, with extension to the subglottis. Two phonomicrosurgical CO(2) laser-assisted resections relieved upper airway obstruction and restored voice. Conservative surgical intervention and long-term followup are essential. Further studies are needed to determine if a radiation dose response relationship exists to control laryngeal amyloidosis.
Theory of Raman scattering in layered cuprate materials.

The line shape of Raman scattering in a two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet at zero temperature is studied within spin-wave theory, by using the Dyson-Maleev transformation. Besides the well-known dominant contribution coming from two-magnon scattering, a systematic analysis of the contribution coming from the production of four magnons is carried out. It is found that the four-magnon contribution is very small compared with the two-magnon intensity. However, it occurs at such large energies that the ratio of the first two frequency cumulants is enhanced by a factor of 2.5 for S=1/2, in fairly good agreement with recent series-expansion estimates. This is true despite the fact that the total line shape that we obtain is still in rather poor agreement with the experimental line shape obtained in experiments on undoped ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$. As a by-product of the analysis of the effects of spin-wave interactions on the magnon propagator, the renormalization factor of the spin-wave velocity is computed to O((1/S${)}^{2}$). For S=1/2, the number that we find is ${\mathit{Z}}_{\mathit{c}}$=1.177, in very good agreement with the series-expansion result.
Parametric stability of non-linear time delay equations

The stability behaviour of delay differential equations describing chatter instability in machining operations has been studied. A transcendental characteristic equation characterizing the onset of the instability is analysed. It is found that increasing the feed rate increases stable machining regions as the depth of cut is continuously increased near a critical value. Furthermore, the non-linear behaviour occurring when stable machining is lost has been shown to be super- and subcritical bifurcations without the assumption of small time delay between successive tool cuts.
Is Counseling's Bottom Line at the Top?.

Decreases in higher education student enrollments and budget declines present problems for counseling. Some changing roles and responsibilities of counselors are discussed.
Total Heating Characteristics of the ISCCP Tropical and Subtropical Cloud Regimes

AbstractComposite profiles of the apparent heat source Q1 and moisture sink Q2 are calculated for the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) cloud regimes (or “weather states”) using sounding observations from 10 field campaigns comprising both tropical and subtropical domains. Distinct heating profiles were determined for each ISCCP cloud regime, ranging from strong, upper-tropospheric heating for mesoscale convective systems (WS1) to integrated cooling for populations typically associated with marine stratus and stratocumulus clouds (WS5, WS6, and WS7). Despite being primarily associated with thin cirrus, the corresponding regime (WS4) has heating maxima in the lower and midtroposphere due to the presence of underlying clouds. Regime-averaged Q2 profiles showed similar transitions with strong drying observed for deep convection and low-level moistening for marine boundary layer clouds. The derived profiles were generally similar over land and ocean with the notable exception of the fa...
Rietveld analysis of high pressure powder diffraction data

Abstract X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data obtained from samples contained within high pressure cells are generally of lower quality than data collected from samples at ambient conditions. The far smaller sample size as well as possible contamination of the pattern by the pressure cell means that Rietveld refinement techniques must be adapted to extract the maximum useful information from the data. These problems become paramount as larger structures at high pressure are attempted. Techniques such as “leBail extraction”, “soft restraints” and “rigid body refinement” will be discussed with application to analysis of high pressure neutron powder diffraction data.
Point-of-Care Technologies for Health Care

The increasingly global focus on health care issues continues to underline the importance of point-of-care technologies and their ability to provide cost-effective solutions that address many unmet health care needs. Further, the current crisis in health care costs has critically underscored the need for research and development into highly effective, but low cost means of delivering health care. With a focus on providing clinically actionable information at or near the patient, point-of-care devices provide clinicians with information that is critical to the management of patient care while they are still with the patient. Rapid information results in various advantages for POC testing in different kinds of health care settings. In primary care settings in developed countries, the shortened timeline between testing and availability of results reduces the need for extra office visits or follow-up phone calls to convey testing results and adjust clinical intervention. This strategy can reduce cost and increase access of otherwise underserved populations to medical care. For diseases that are infectious, such as sexually transmitted infections or respiratory diseases, POC testing can facilitate treatment modalities quickly, thus prevent ing further spread of the infection for better and timely clinical management. In acute care settings, timely access to diagnostic information is most critical for providing an effective medical response. In disaster settings, POC diagnostics can speed triage and enable rapid establishment and delivery of medical services. While in the developed world, POC testing is primarily de signed as an adjunct to central lab testing, not as replacement, POC testing can enable local health care providers to deliver cost-effective care in developing countries or at rural locations with lack of access to central laboratory infrastructure. Further, a growing number of point-of-care technologies enable clinicians to remotely assess/monitor patients who are home bound or unable to meet the clinician in their clinical setting. The underlying theme is to multiply the effectiveness of physicians by providing better/faster information that enables timely delivery and management of health care.
Prehospital intravenous access and fluid resuscitation in severe sepsis: an observational cohort study.

Introduction: Prompt treatment of severe sepsis in the Emergency Department reduces deaths, but the role of prehospital fluid resuscitation is unknown. We sought to determine the risk-adjusted association between prehospital fluid administration and hospital mortality among emergency medical services (EMS) patients admitted with severe sepsis. Methods: We performed a prospective, observational study of patients hospitalized with severe sepsis on admission among 45,394 adult EMS encounters taken to 15 hospitals from 11/2009 to 12/2010 by a two-tier EMS system in King County, Washington. The region mandated recording of prehospital intravenous catheter and fluid administration in prehospital records, along with detailed demographic, incident, physiologic, and hospital adjustment variables. We determined the effect of prehospital intravenous catheter or fluid versus no catheter or fluid on all-cause mortality using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Of all encounters, 1,350 met criteria for severe sepsis on admission, of whom 205 (15%) died by hospital discharge, 312 (23%) received prehospital intravenous fluid, 90 (7%) received a prehospital catheter alone and 948 (70%) did not receive catheter or fluid. EMS administered a median prehospital fluid volume of 500 mL (interquartile range (IQR): 200, 1000 mL). In adjusted models, the administration of any prehospital fluid was associated with reduced hospital mortality (Odds ratio =0.46; 95% Confidence interval: 0.23, 0.88; P =0.02) compared to no prehospital fluid. The odds of hospital mortality were also lower among severe sepsis patients treated with prehospital intravenous catheter alone (Odds ratio =0.3; 95% Confidence interval: 0.17 to 0.57; P <0.01). Conclusions: In a population-based study, the administration of prehospital fluid and placement of intravenous access were associated with decreased odds of hospital mortality compared with no prehospital catheter or fluid.
Performance monitoring in transparent optical networks using self-monitoring optical-labels

A novel optical layer performance monitoring method in transparent optical-label switching networks is presented. It is based on the signal quality correlation between the data payload and the label, which allows monitoring of the data payload signal quality by monitoring the label bit error rates. Experimental results indicate effective estimations of payload data bit error rates over approximately a 15 dB dynamic range of signal-to-noise ratio.
The effect of intrathecally administered imiloxan and WB4101: possible role of α2-adrenoceptor subtypes in the spinal cord

Abstract To define the antagonist pharmacology of spinal antinociceptive effect of α 2 -adrenoceptor agonists, the ability of WB4101 (2-(2,6-dimethoxyphenoxyethyl)-aminomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane) and imiloxan to antagonize the effect of spinal ST-91 (2-[2,6-diethylphenylamino]-2- imidazoline), clonidine and dexmedetomidine was examined. Antinociceptive effects of ST-91 were antagonized by WB4101 and imiloxan; clonidine only by WB4101; and, dexmedetomidine was not antagonized by either antagonist. It is hypothesized that the α 2 adrenoceptor subtype α 2A involved in the antinociception of spinal clonidine and dexmedetomidine, and α 2B is involved in that of ST-91.
Square spirals, dimensionality and biopolymers

This paper illustrates the diversity and esthetic beauty of the spatial patterns produced by a class of heuristic procedures describable by a one-parameter algorithm. While the patterns may provide insight into the structures of biopolymers and other macromolecules, the main focus of this work is the demonstration of how two-dimensional order may arise from one-dimensional processes.
Ryanodine Receptors/Calcium Release channels in Heart Failure and Sudden Cardiac Death

Abstract Calcium (Ca 2+ ) ions are second messengers in signaling pathways in all types of cells. They regulate muscle contraction, electrical signals which determine the cardiac rhythm and cell growth pathways in the heart. In the past decade cDNA cloning has provided clues as to the molecular structure of the intracellular Ca 2+ release channels (ryanodine receptors, RyR, and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors, IP3R) on the sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticulum (SR/ER) and an understanding of how these molecules regulate Ca 2+ homeostasis in the heart is beginning to emerge. The intracellular Ca 2+ release channels form a distinct class of ion channels distinguished by their structure, size, and function. Both RyRs and IP3Rs have gigantic cytoplasmic domains that serve as scaffolds for modulatory proteins that regulate the channel pore located in the carboxy terminal 10% of the channel sequence. The channels are tetramers comprised of four RyR or IP3R subunits. RyR2 is required for excitation-contraction (EC) coupling in the heart. Using co-sedimentation and co-immunoprecipitation we have defined a macromolecular complex comprised of RyR2, FKBP12.6, PKA, the protein phosphatases PP1 and PP2A, and an anchoring protein mAKAP. We have shown that protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of RyR2 dissociates FKBP12.6 and regulates the channel open probability (P o ). In failing human hearts RyR2 is PKA hyperphosphorylated resulting in defective channel function due to increased sensitivity to Ca 2+ -induced activation.
The Longing for Order: Oregon's Medical Advance Directive for Mental Health Treatment

The sirenes-half women, half birds endowed with enchanting song—lived on an island near Scylla and Charibdis. Sailors were lured to the island by their charmed singing. Once there, the seafarers would forget everything in their past and die, the songs literally stealing their lives away. Odysseus (also known by his Roman name, Ulysses), who had to sail past this place, was forewarned about these creatures who seductively promised men knowledge, but brought about their death. He instructed his crew to fill their ears with wax. However, he desired to hear the enchanted song and ordered his sailors to tie him to the mast. The verses were even more enthralling than the melody, the promise of wisdom and a “quickening of the spirit” made Odysseus' heart throb with yearning, but his bonds held and the danger was safely averted.
Critical contribution of beta chain residue 57 in peptide binding ability of both HLA-DR and -DQ molecules

Position 57 in the beta chain of HLA class II molecules maintains an Asp/non-Asp dimorphism that has been conserved through evolution and is implicated in susceptibility to some autoimmune diseases. The latter effect may be due to the influence of this residue on the ability of class II alleles to bind specific pathogenic peptides. We utilized highly homologous pairs of both DR and DQ alleles that varied at residue 57 to investigate the impact of this dimorphism on binding of model peptides. Using a direct binding assay of biotinylated peptides on whole cells expressing the desired alleles, we report several peptides that bind differentially to the allele pairs depending on the presence or absence of Asp at position 57. Peptides with negatively charged residues at anchor position 9 bind well to alleles not containing Asp at position 57 in the beta chain but cannot bind well to homologous Asp-positive alleles. By changing the peptides at the single residue predicted to interact with this position 57, we demonstrate a drastically altered or reversed pattern of binding. Ala analog peptides confirm these interactions and identify a limited set of interaction sites between the bound peptides and the class II molecules. Clarification of the impact of specific class II polymorphisms on generating unique allele-specific peptide binding "repertoires" will aid in our understanding of the development of specific immune responses and HLA-associated diseases.
Frictional behavior and adhesion of Ag and Au films applied to aluminum oxide by oxygen-ion assisted screen cage ion plating

Abstract A modified d.c. diode ion plating system, by utilizing a metallic screen cage as a cathode, is introduced for coating non-conductors such as ceramics. Screen cage ion plating (SCIP) is used to apply Ag and Au lubricating films on aluminum oxide surfaces. This process has excellent ability to coat around corners to produce three-dimensional coverage of the substrate. A dramatic increase in adhesion is achieved when plating is performed in a reactive 50% O 2 -50% Ar glow discharge compared with the adhesion when plating is performed in 100% Ar. The presence of oxygen ion assistance contributes to the excellent adhesion as measured in a pull-type adhesion tester. The Ag and Au film adhesion is significantly increased (above 70 MPa) and generally exceeds the cohesion of the substrate such that portions of the alumina are pulled out. The deposited Ag and Au lubricating films not only reduce the coefficient of friction during sliding contact but also reduce the surface tensile stresses that contribute to undesirable subsurface cracking and subsequently to severe wear. The strong adhesion of Ag and Au films to alumina imparted by reactive SCIP is of critical importance in achieving low and steady friction coefficients and low wear.
Uncovering communities in multidimensional networks with multiobjective genetic algorithms

A framework for community discovery in multidimensional networks based on an evolutionary approach is proposed. Each network is clustered by running a multiobjective genetic algorithm that tries to maximize the modularity function of the current network and, at the same time, to minimize the difference between the current community structure and that obtained on the already considered dimensions. Experiments on synthetic datasets show the capability of the approach in discovering latent shared group organization of individuals.
Tracking the net: Using domain names to measure the growth of the internet in U.S. cities

(1997). Tracking the net: Using domain names to measure the growth of the internet in U.S. cities. Journal of Urban Technology: Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 47-60.
Multipath exploited Bayesian and Cramér-Rao bounds for single-sensor target localization

In urban scenarios, radar returns consist of a direct path return along with multipath returns from signal reflections off surfaces such as building walls or floors. When multipath is resolvable, and given the knowledge of the geometry of the reflecting surfaces, it has recently been demonstrated that multipath returns create additional “virtual” radar sensors, thereby permitting target localization with a single radar sensor. The goal of this article is to determine theoretical variance lower bounds on how well a single-sensor system is able to localize a target in the presence of exploitable multipath and discuss several practical issues that arise in this context, including the multipath association problem, clutter, and the impact of wall roughness. Exploiting multipath, rather than viewing it strictly as a hindrance, is an emerging topic in the radar community whose potential is not yet fully understood. Towards this goal, we first derive the Cramer-Rao and the Bayesian Cramer-Rao bounds on target localization using a single-sensor which exploits resolvable multipath. For a wide class of radar-target geometries, functions termed multipath preservers are derived which indicate when multipath is physically observable in the radar returns; these functions assist in evaluating the potential of multipath exploitation in urban sensing. Given a reflecting geometry, the obtained lower bounds allow the radar operator to anticipate blind spots, place confidence levels on the localization results, and permit sensor positioning to optimally aid in exploiting multipath for target localization. It is shown that variance bounds on the location parameters improve with richer resolvable multipath generating mechanisms.
Fast two-dimensional standing-wave total-internal-reflection fluorescence microscopy using acousto-optic deflectors

We report a scheme for 2D standing-wave total-internal-reflection fluorescence microscopy. Standing-wave patterns are generated by two interfering beams coupled through the objective lens. Period, angular orientation, and phase of standing waves are controlled entirely by acousto-optic deflectors. The lateral resolution improvement of 100 nm is combined with an axial selectivity of <100 nm by utilizing an evanescent standing-wave pattern. This technique can provide real-time imaging of subresolution structures in live biological specimens near a glass-water interface.
A generation expansion model for electric utilities with stochastic stranded cost

Abstract We design and analyze a generation expansion planning model considering the stochastic nature of stranded cost. The stranded cost is the investment balance outstanding when a generation unit is forced to shut down because it is not economically competitive. This is an important issue nowadays due to the on-going transition of the electric power industry from regulated monopolies toward competition with substantial financial uncertainties. In this paper, specifically, we mathematically formulate a generation expansion planning model with stochastic stranded cost based on the mean–variance method. Next, based on experts' estimation of elementary relations among projects over periods, we derive mathematical formulae for covariances among projects and periods. This is shown to enhance the implementability of the generation expansion planning model. Also, managerial insights are provided (e.g. a set of negatively correlated projects will reduce the financial risk associated with stranded cost). Finally, by way of a numerical example, the features of our model are illustrated.
Pyrimidine dimer dependent cleavage of single-stranded DNA by T4 UV endonuclease

T4 UV endonuclease cleaves double- and single-stranded DNA with equal specificity for photo-pyrimidine dimers. Thus, the enzyme can be used for mapping and quantifying pyrimidine dimers in single-stranded DNA as well as in double-stranded DNA. Mapping of pyrimidine dimers shows that rates of UV-dimerization are not only affected by 5', 3' adjacent bases, but also by position within pyrimidine tracts. Di-pyrimidines at 3' ends of tracts are more photoreactive than those at 5' ends.
Synthesis and characterisation of gallium antimonide nanoparticles: reaction between tris (trimethylsilyl)antimonide and gallium trichloride

The reaction between GaCl3 and Sb(SiMe3)3 in a 1:1 mole ratio at 110°C in toluene leads to gallium antimonide, GaSb, which has been characterised by electron diffraction studies and EDX and elemental analyses. Microscopy studies (SEM and TEM) show the formation of nanocrystals with a predominant crystal size of 20–30 nm.
Apoptotic Death of Peripheral Leukocytes in Channel Catfish: Effect of Confinement-Induced Stress

Abstract Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were stressed by net confinement for 0–12 h, and the percentages of apoptotic peripheral leukocytes were determined. The frequency of apoptosis was lower in stressed animals than in nonstressed controls, and the degree of reduction was dependent on the duration of stress. Leukocytes isolated from control fish were incubated in autologous plasma or plasma from stressed fish. The cells cultured in plasma from stressed fish showed decreased apoptosis, indicating a direct effect of stress on the individual cells rather than redistribution or cell lysis. Hydrocortisone (0.l mg/mL) had no effect in vitro on apoptosis in leukocytes. The mechanism, as well as the significance, of stress-induced changes in apoptosis in circulating leukocyte populations remains to be explained.
Environmental Interventions in Developing Countries: Interactions and Their Implications

This study assesses the effect of drinking water quality on diarrheal disease in good and poor sanitary conditions using a random sample of 2355 Filipino infants over the first year of life. The study provides powerful confirmation of the importance of environmental factors on diarrhea: The effects of water quality household sanitation and community sanitation are strong consistent and statistically significant. The positive impact of improved water quality is greatest for families living under good sanitary conditions with the effect statistically significant when sanitation is measured at the community level but not significant when sanitation is measured at the household level. Improving drinking water quality would have no effect in neighborhoods with very poor environmental sanitation; however in areas with better community sanitation reducing the concentration of fecal coliforms by two orders of magnitude would lead to a 40% reduction in diarrhea. Providing private excreta disposal would be expected to reduce diarrhea by 42% while eliminating excreta around the house would lead to a 30% reduction in diarrhea. The findings suggest that improvements in both water supply and sanitation are necessary if infant health in developing countries is to be improved. They also imply that it is not epidemiologic but behavioral institutional and economic factors that should correctly determine the priority of interventions. (authors)
Participation of an intermediate sulfoxide in the enzymatic thiolation of the imidazole ring of hercynine to form ergothioneine.

Cell-free extracts of Neurospora crassa have been obtained which in the presence of O2 and Fe2+ catalyze the transfer of the sulfur atom of cysteine to the imidazole ring of hercynine (histidine betaine) to form ergothioneine (2-mercaptohistidine betaine). The general nature of the conversion has been established by the isolation of an intermediate compound, S-(β-amino-β-carboxyethyl)ergothioneine sulfoxide, which is subsequently converted by a pyridoxal-requiring enzyme to ergothioneine and pyruvate. Chemical synthesis of the intermediate sulfoxide has been accomplished by the condensation of β-chloroalanine with ergothioneine and oxidation of the resultant thioether with hydrogen peroxide.
Neuroprotective FK506 Does Not Alter In Vivo Nitric Oxide Production During Ischemia and Early Reperfusion in Rats

Background and Purpose —Previous studies have demonstrated that the immunosuppressant FK506 provides neuroprotection in experimental brain injury and suggest that this action may be mediated by suppression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase activation that occurs after ischemic depolarization. We sought to determine whether FK506 reduces histological injury after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the rat and whether the neuroprotective effect is mediated via suppression of in vivo nitric oxide (NO) production during ischemia or early reperfusion . Methods —Under controlled conditions of normoxia, normocarbia, and normothermia, halothane-anesthetized male Wistar rats were subjected to 2 hours of MCAO by the intraluminal occlusion technique in a blinded, randomized experimental trial. Ipsilateral parietal cortical laser-Doppler flowmetry was monitored throughout ischemia. Animals were randomly assigned to 4 pretreatment groups: intravenous FK506 0.3 mg/kg or 1.0 mg/kg, vehicle (cremaphor), or an equivalent volume of saline administered 30 minutes before MCAO. Infarction volume was assessed by a triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining at 22 hours of reperfusion. In separate experiments, microdialysis probes were placed bilaterally into the striatum. Rats were perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid containing 3 μmol/L [14C]- l-arginine for 3 hours and then subjected to 2 hours of right MCAO. Intravenous 0.3 mg/kg FK506 or cremaphor was given 30 minutes before right MCAO. Right-left differences between [14C]-l-citrulline in the effluent were assumed to reflect differences in NO production. Results —All values are mean±SE. FK506 at 0.3 mg/kg reduced infarction volume in cortex: 40±12 mm3 compared with saline (109±15 mm3) and cremaphor vehicle (148±23) ( P <0.05). Striatal infarction was also reduced by low-dose FK506: 16±4 mm3 versus 36±4 mm3 and 34±4 mm3 in saline and vehicle groups, respectively ( P <0.05). High-dose treatment reduced infarction volume in cortex (61±14 mm3, P <0.05 from saline and vehicle groups) and in striatum (22±5 mm3, P <0.05 from saline and vehicle groups). [14C]-l-citrulline recovery via microdialysis was markedly enhanced in ischemic compared with nonischemic striatum. However, ischemia-evoked [14C]-l-citrulline recovery was not different in FK506-treated rats compared with vehicle-treated animals. Conclusions —These data demonstrate that FK506 provides robust neuroprotection against transient focal cerebral ischemia in the rat. The mechanism of protection in vivo is not through attenuation of ischemia-evoked NO production during MCAO and early reperfusion .
Cardinal interpolating multiresolutions

Abstract The basic method of constructing wavelets is by means of a multiresolution approximation of L 2 ( R ). In this paper we present a class of multiresolution approximations for which the associated scaling function has a simple cardinal interpolating property. We present the construction of such multiresolutions and discuss the symmetry, decay, and regularity properties of the associated scaling functions and wavelets.
Reversed "C" Bypass for Multiple Extremity Ischemia—A Case Report

Extraanatomic bypass has been utilized increasingly in both elective and emergency situations over the last ten years. The three major indications are: (1) a poor-risk patient, (2) an alternative to direct primary or secondary recon struction, and (3) a need to bypass an infected area. In some patients, it may be necessary to perform more than one extraanatomic bypass for symptomatic relief or limb salvage.
Major Histocompatibility Complex Heterozygote Superiority during Coinfection

Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a critical role in immune recognition, and many alleles confer susceptibility to infectious and autoimmune diseases. How these deleterious alleles persist in populations is controversial. One hypothesis postulates that MHC heterozygote superiority emerges over multiple infections because MHC-mediated resistance is generally dominant and many allele-specific susceptibilities to pathogens will be masked by the resistant allele in heterozygotes. We tested this hypothesis by using experimental coinfections with Salmonella enterica (serovar Typhimurium C5TS) and Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) in MHC-congenic mouse strains where one haplotype was resistant to Salmonella and the other was resistant to TMEV. MHC heterozygotes were superior to both homozygotes in 7 out of 8 comparisons (P = 0.0024), and the mean standardized pathogen load of heterozygotes was reduced by 41% over that of homozygotes (P = 0.01). In contrast, no heterozygote superiority was observed when the MHC haplotype combinations had similar susceptibility profiles to the two pathogens. This is the first experimental evidence for MHC heterozygote superiority against multiple pathogens, a mechanism that would contribute to the evolution of MHC diversity and explain the persistence of alleles conferring susceptibility to disease.
Performance Comparison of Ed, TR and Dtr IR-UWB Receivers for Combined Pam-Ppm Modulation in Realistic UWB Channels

This paper studies the bit error rate (BER) performance of non-coherent impulse-radio ultra wideband (IR-UWB) correlation receivers in the IEEE 802.15.3a channel for combined binary pulse amplitude modulation-pulse position modulation (BPAM-PPM) scheme. The BER performance is based on the channel averaged signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The study includes simple transmitted reference (TR), difierential TR (DTR), and energy detection (ED) receiver structures. Moreover, difierent performance parameters are addressed, namely the signal bandwidth integration window factor, number of pulses per bit, and receiver power consumption. ED receivers with BPAM-PPM are shown to outperform simple TR receivers and have a performance which approaches that of difierential TR (DTR) receivers with smaller power consumption for the same design parameters.