cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experience in Renal and Extrarenal Transplantation with Donation after Cardiac Death Donors with Selective Use of Extracorporeal Support

Background Most reports of donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors are exclusive to kidney transplantation and report high rates of delayed graft function (DGF). Study Design From April 1, 2003, to October 3, 2007, we performed 53 kidney transplantations and 4 simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantations from DCD donors. All DCD donor kidneys were managed with pulsatile perfusion preservation, and all simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation donors were managed with extracorporeal support. Results Of 53 DCD kidney transplantations, 44 (83%) were from standard criteria donors (SCD) and 9 (17%) from expanded criteria donors (ECD). With a mean followup of 12 months, actual patient and kidney graft survival rates were 94% and 87%, respectively. Patient and graft survival rates were 100% in the 4 simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantations. Incidence of DGF was 57% (60% without versus 20% with extracorporeal support, p=0.036). Comparison of the 53 DCD donor kidney transplantations with 316 concurrent donation after brain death (DBD) donor adult kidney transplantations (178 SCD, 138 ECD) revealed no differences in demographics or outcomes, except that the DCD donor group had fewer ECDs (17% DCD versus 44% DBD; p=0.0002), fewer 0-antigen mismatch kidney transplantations (7.5% DCD versus 19% DBD; p=0.05), and more kidneys preserved with pulsatile perfusion (100% DCD versus 52% DBD; p Conclusions Despite a high incidence of DGF in the absence of extracorporeal support and greater initial resource use, comparable short-term results can be achieved with DCD and DBD donor kidney transplantations.
Studies of the interactions of H2 and CO with Pd/SiO2 promoted with Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs

The interactions of CO and H2 with PdSiO2 promoted with Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs have been investigated using temperature-programmed desorption and temperature-programmed surface reaction. Introduction of the promoter following the preparation of the PdSiO2 catalyst causes a small increase (∼-7%) in the dispersion of the Pd particles. Reduction of the promoted catalysts removes a significant quantity of oxygen from the promoter, but only a small portion of the promoter appears to cover the Pd particles. Alkali promotion of PdSiO2 does not significantly influence the amounts of H2 and CO that can be adsorbed on the metal. The alkali promoters have a slight influence on the distribution of H2 adstates but cause a significant change in the distribution of CO adstates. For low reduction temperatues, alkali promotion of PdSiO2 decreases the activity of Pd for the dissociation of CO. However, increasing the reduction temperature increases the CO dissociation activity of the promoted samples due to the increased degree of reduction of the promoter. This enhanced dissociation activity is reversed by the reoxidation of the promoter by the H2O or CO2 formed under reaction conditions. The nascent carbon formed by CO dissociation on alkali-promoted PdSiO2 is less reactive than that on unpromoted PdSiO2, and the promoted catalysts have a lower activity for CH4 synthesis relative to that for unpromoted PdSiO2 decreasing in the order: unpromoted > Li > Na > K > Rb > Cs.
Eating attitudes and temperament attributes of normal and overweight college students.

Abstract The aim of the present investigation was to compare temperament and eating attitudes in overweight versus “normal” weight samples of college students. In Study 1, the responses of women of normal and overweight status on measures of temperament and eating attitudes were analyzed. Overweight women were shown lower on self-rated “activity” and “oral control.” Given the suggestive nature of the results, a larger sample including both women and men was obtained for Study 2. The results of the first study were replicated for the women, and overweight men were additionally found lower in “emotional distress” and “fear,” with weight status related to all three aspects of eating behavior. That is, differences by weight status were discerned for both women and men on oral control, with overweight men also higher in “dieting” and “bulimia–food preoccupation.” Further research on overweight men versus women, their perceptions of their own temperaments, and their attitudes toward eating, may be beneficial in understanding more about risk factors for the development of obesity.
Optimal reconfiguration maneuvers for spacecraft imaging arrays in multi-body regimes

Abstract Upcoming National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission concepts include satellite arrays to facilitate imaging and identification of distant planets. These mission scenarios are diverse, including designs such as the terrestrial planet finder-occulter (TPF-O), where a monolithic telescope is aided by a single occulter spacecraft, and the micro-arcsecond X-ray imaging mission (MAXIM), where as many as 16 spacecraft move together to form a space interferometer. Each design, however, requires precise reconfiguration and star tracking in potentially complex dynamic regimes. This paper explores control methods for satellite imaging array reconfiguration in multi-body systems. Specifically, optimal nonlinear control and geometric control methods are derived and compared to the more traditional linear quadratic regulators, as well as input state feedback linearization. These control strategies are implemented and evaluated for the TPF-O mission concept.
Homotopy and homology of simplicial abelian Hopf algebras

Let A be a simplicial bicommutative Hopf algebra over the field \(\mathbb{F}_2\) with the property that \(\pi_0A \cong \mathbb{F}_2\). We show that \(\pi_\ast A\) is a functor of the Andre-Quillen homology of A, where A is regarded as an \(\mathbb{F}_2\) algebra. Then we give a method for calculating that Andre-Quillen homology independent of knowledge of \(\pi_\ast A\).
Provision of mental health services during a disaster: the Cuban immigration of 1980.

The recent (1980) immigration of 125,000 Cubans to the U.S. presented health workers with a situation bearing many of the characteristics of a disaster. Some of the organizational, clinical, and ecological issues which are inherent in providing mental health care in disaster situations are discussed. Ultimately, the development of an effective response to the situation depended on an understanding not only of the individuals involved, but also on an appreciation for the characteristics of the different phases of disaster situations. Language: en
REVERSION OF RADIOSENSITIVITY IN AZACYTIDINE-TREATED XRS5 CELLS DOES NOT RESULT IN FULL RADIOPROTECTION BY WR-1065

A series of cell lines were previously generated from the radiation sensitive Chinese hamster ovary line xrs5 after treatment with azacytidine. Six of these lines have been examined for their resistance to killing by 0 to 20 Gray of 60Co gamma rays and the amount of radioprotection afforded by treatment with the drug 2-[(aminopropyl)amino]ethanethiol (WR-1065). As xrs5 cells have lost the ability to be protected by WR-1065, studies were performed to determine whether reversion to radio-resistance correlated with recovery of aminothiol radioprotection. Treatment of azacytidine-treated, radiation sensitive and resistant cells with four millimolar WR-1065 30 minutes prior to irradiation enhanced survival after exposure to gamma radiation, although the enhancement in survival was less than for wild type Chinese hamster ovary K1 cells. The data suggest that there is not an absolute linkage between recovery of gamma ray radiation resistance and protection by WR-1065 and other factors, such as chromatin organization, must play a role.
Vitamin D and the intracrinology of innate immunity.

Abstract An immunomodulatory role for vitamin D was first proposed more than 25 years ago, based on two salient observations. Firstly it was shown that monocytes/macrophages from patients with the granulomatous disease sarcoidosis constitutively synthesize the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) from precursor 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD). Secondly, the receptor for 1,25(OH)2D (vitamin D receptor, VDR) is detectable in activated, proliferating lymphocytes. These observations suggested a mechanism whereby 1,25(OH)2D produced by monocytes could act upon adjacent T-cells or B-cells, but the impact of such a system on normal immune regulation was uncertain. Indeed, it is only in recent years that a much clearer picture of the role of vitamin D as a determinant of immune responsiveness has emerged. Two new concepts have prompted this change. Firstly studies of innate immunity have shown that intracrine induction of antimicrobial activity by vitamin D is a pivotal component of monocyte/macrophage response to infection. Secondly, it is now clear that sub-optimal vitamin D status is a common feature of many populations throughout the world, with the potential to compromise monocyte/macrophage metabolism of 25OHD and subsequent actions of 1,25(OH)2D. The current review details these new developments with specific reference to the metabolic and signaling mechanisms associated with innate immune regulation by vitamin D and implications for human disease.
Structural Analysis of Yoked Chorionic Gonadotropin-Luteinizing Hormone Receptor Ectodomain Complexes by Circular Dichroic Spectroscopy

Binding of the heterodimeric glycoprotein hormone, chorionic gonadotropin (CG), occurs to the heptahelical LH receptor N-terminal ectodomain (ECD), a large portion of which has been modeled as a leucine-rich repeat protein. In this study, we expressed and purified three single chain N-CG-ECD-C complexes, one comprising the full-length ECD, 1–341 (encoded by exons 1–10 and a portion of 11), and two C-terminal ECD deletion fragments, 1–294 (encoded by exons 1–10) and 1–180 (encoded by exons 1–7). The fusion proteins, including yoked CG (N-β-α-C), were characterized by Western blot analysis and circular dichroism (CD). Analysis of the CD spectra obtained on the CG-ECD fusion proteins, and of the difference spectrum of each after subtracting the CG contribution, yielded secondary structures consistent with a repeating β-strand/α-helix fold as predicted in the homology model. A marked decrease in helicity was observed when the C-terminal 47 amino acid residues were removed from the ECD. Removal of an additiona...
Formation of 2-Heptanone from Caprylic Acid by Spores of Various Filamentous Fungi

IT was shown recently that washed, non-germinating spores of Penicillium roqueforti are capable of producing 2-heptanone from caprylic acid1. In examining the mechanism of this reaction2, other fungal spores were examined for their ability to produce a ketone from the fatty acid. It is significant that spores from almost half the fungi selected converted caprylic acid to heptanone, thus indicating the more general occurrence of a reaction thought to be limited to only a few moulds.
Transparency and ease of learning of symbols represented by Blissymbols, PCS, and Picsyms

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether significant differences existed among normally developing 3-year-old children in transparency and in the learning of symbols from three di...
Infrared Absorptivities of Transition Metals at Room and Liquid-Helium Temperatures*

Evaluation of experimental data concerning the normal spectral absorptivities of the transition metals, nickel, iron, platinum, and chromium, at both room and liquid-helium temperatures in the wavelength range from 2.5 to 50 microns. The absorptivities were derived from reflectivity measurements made relative to a room-temperature vapor-deposited gold reference mirror. The absorptivity of the gold reference mirror was measured calorimetrically, by use of infrared laser sources. Investigation of various methods of sample-surface preparation resulted in the choice of a vacuum-annealing process as the final stage. The experimental results are discussed on the basis of the anomalous-skin-effect theory modified for multiple conduction bands. As predicted, the results approach a single-band model toward the longer wavelengths. Agreement between theory and experiment is considerably improved by taking into account the modification of the relaxation time due to the photon-electron-phonon interaction proposed by Holstein (1954) and Gurzhi (1958); but, particularly at helium temperatures, the calculated curve is consistently below the experimental results.
A REVIEW OF FIRST COURSE IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS BY PAUL CHANCE

Brooks/Cole Publishing has provided instructors with a creative option in the pursuit for innovative yet accurate introductory texts. Chance’s First Course in Applied Behavior Analysis is a notable attempt to provide readings that are thorough, informative, and interesting for beginning students. The text assumes no prior educational experiences in psychology or behavior analysis. The text is unambiguous and extremely easy to read while introducing the basic principles and procedures of applied behavior analysis. The majority of the text is written as a series of transcripts from a one-semester simulated classroom. These transcripts include questions, answers, and amusingly, interpretations from the students. The fictional characters provide the reader with opportunities to think critically and interact with the material, particularly when a character answers incompletely or incorrectly. The fictional professor (Dr. Cee) writes definitions on the board, provides examples of behavioral principles, gives handouts, and even assigns practice quizzes. The style is vaguely reminiscent of the instructor–student interactions found in Malott, Whaley, and Malott (1997). Each chapter begins with a brief summary of the previous chapter and ends with a review of the material in the current chapter. At the end of each chapter the reader finds supplements including exercises, abbreviated research article reprints (many of which are classics), mini essays, recommended further
Genetic algorithms applied to the scheduling of the hubble space telescope

A prototype system employing a genetic algorithm (GA) has been developed to support the scheduling of the Hubble Space Telescope. A non-standard knowledge structure is used and appropriate genetic operators have been created. Several different crossover styles (random point selection, evolving points, and smart point selection) are tested and the best GA is compared with a neural network (NN) based optimizer. The smart crossover operator produces the best results and the GA system is able to evolve complete schedules using it. The GA is not as time-efficient as the NN system and the NN solutions tend to be better.
Fading and attenuation of high frequency radio waves propagated over long paths crossing the auroral, temperate and equatorial zones

Abstract This investigation is primarily concerned with the fading and attenuation of high-frequency radio signals propagated over a long path crossing the auroral zone. The fading of high-frequency signals propagated over non-auroral paths of comparable length has also been studied, and some new results are obtained. The principal fading and attenuation measurements on which these conclusions are based were carried out in August 1957. For the auroral paths, there is no diurnal variation in fading speed except for a distinct minimum in time interval 1330–1900 PST, during which time the fading speed has little apparent dependence on magnetic activity along the path. In other time periods a positive correlation between magnetic activity and fading speed is found. It is suggested that the period of minimum fading speed is a consequence of the existence at that time of the kind of propagation mode made possible by ionospheric tilts. Attenuation over the long auroral-zone path is found to be associated with “polar blackouts” as indicated by the absence of returned echo in vertical sounders located along the path. The percentage association varies with the location of the station relative to the path. This variation is consistent with the inferred propagation modes. It is found that during the hours 1330–1900 PST the attenuation cannot be attributed to the absorption that gives rise to blackouts as it can in the other hours. This is also explainable on the basis of the postulated tilt-mode propagation. Similar observations for temperate-latitude and transequatorial paths of comparable length indicate that there is strong diurnal variation in fading speed. Some plausible explanations arc offered.
PHOTOREACTIVATION OF ULTRAVIOLET IRRADIATED NON‐DIVIDING POPULATIONS OF ICR 2A FROG CELLS

— Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of non-dividing populations of ICR 2A frog cells led to their detachment from the surface of the culture dish and eventual lysis. Exposure of the cells to photoreactivating light after UV irradiation prevented cell killing and was accompanied by a loss of endonuclease sensitive sites from DNA. This photoreversal did not take place when the cells were exposed at 4°C to photoreactivating light indicating that the reversal was the result of photoenzymatic repair. As the action of photoreactivating enzyme is specific for the repair of pyrimidine dimers in DNA, these results suggest that pyrimidine dimers in DNA are the critical lesions leading to the death of non-dividing populations of UV irradiated cells.
Dynamic shading of a building envelope based on rotating polarized film system controlled by one-dimensional cellular automata in regular tessellations (triangular, square and hexagonal)

Cellular automaton (CA) based shading is contextualized as a daylight control system.Polarized film shading system (PFSS) based on opto-mechanical modules is introduced.Opacity of PFSS modules is a function of dihedral rotation of polarized film elements.PFSS in regular grids: triangular, square & hexagonal are discussed and illustrated.Visual attractiveness of emergent CA patterns (particles, solitons) is discussed. The original prototype of the cellular automaton (CA) shading system (CASS) for building facades was based on rectangular array of cells and used liquid crystal technology. This paper introduces polarized film shading system (PFSS) - an alternative approach based on opto-mechanical modules whose opacity is a function of the rotation of polarized film elements. PFSS in regular tessellations: triangular, square and hexagonal are discussed. Simulations for each type of tessellation are presented and visualized. Visual attractiveness of emergent CA patterns manifested by "particles" and "solitons" is discussed.
A Risk Score to Predict In-Hospital Mortality for Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

Objectives Our purpose was to develop a risk score to predict in-hospital mortality for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using a statewide population-based PCI registry. Background Risk scores predicting adverse outcomes after PCI have been developed from a single or a small group of hospitals, and their abilities to be generalized to other patient populations might be affected. Methods A logistic regression model was developed to predict in-hospital mortality for PCI using data from 46,090 procedures performed in 41 hospitals in the New York State Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Reporting System in 2002. A risk score was derived from this model and was validated using 2003 data from New York. Results The risk score included nine significant risk factors (age, gender, hemodynamic state, ejection fraction, pre-procedural myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, congestive heart disease, renal failure, and left main disease) that were consistent with other reports. The point values for risk factors range from 1 to 9, and the total risk score ranges from 0 to 40. The observed and recalibrated predicted risks in 2003 were highly correlated for all PCI patients as well as for those in the higher-risk subgroup who suffered myocardial infarctions within 24 h before the procedure. The total risk score for mortality is strongly associated with complication rates and length of stay in the 2003 PCI data. Conclusions The risk score accurately predicted in-hospital death for PCI procedures using future New York data. Its performance in other patient populations needs to be further studied.
Carbuncle of the kidney

Abstract A case of renal carbuncle with recovery following nephrectomy is reported. Carbuncle of the kidney is a definite pathologic entity and should be so recognized. The gross appearance is similar to that of a carbuncle found on the superficial portions of the body. It must not be confused with other suppurative conditions of the kidney. The diagnosis is difficult but if considered, especially when the condition arises following a superficial infection, plus the aid of certain laboratory procedures, it may be more frequently recognized. The disease is a serious one. The treatment is surgery, the procedure being either incision and drainage, nephrectomy, or excision of the carbuncle. The sooner treatment is instituted, the better the prognosis.
Safety and efficacy of loperamide

Loperamide is a safe and effective antidiarrheal for the treatment of acute diarrhea. Efficacy data suggest that loperamide is more effective than the prescription drug diphenoxylate and an over-the-counter bismuth subsalicylate preparation. Loperamide is a safe drug, with few adverse reactions reported worldwide. It also lacks significant abuse potential. Loperamide may prove to be the antidiarrheal agent of choice when compared with currently available nonprescription treatments for acute diarrhea.
Attribution of Responsibility to Rapist and Victim The Influence of Victim's Attractiveness and Rape-Related Information

This study tested the hypothesis that providing information about the prevalent motives of rape (power and anger) will influence observers' attribution of responsibility to a rape victim. Forty male introductory psychology students were randomly assigned to one of four groups: rape motivation information (informed, uninformed), and attractiveness of the target victim (attractive, unattractive). All subjects read a description of an alleged rape and responded to a questionnaire that measured the amount of responsibility attributed to the victim and to the rapist. The analysis of variance suggested that information about rape motivation decreases the amount of responsibility attributed to the victim.
Student cheating and attitude: A function of classroom control technique☆

The effects of a teacher's classroom utilization of certain means of social influence, i.e., bases of social power (reward, coercive, referent, legitimate, and informational), upon the level of student cheating and attitude of the student toward the teacher are examined. A total of 588 white, middle-class fourth-sixth grade students participated in the study. The findings reveal significant differences in both student cheating and attitude as a function of power base strategy. Coercive power produces both the least cheating and the most favorable attitudes. A significant positive correlation (p < .01) was obtained between the measures of student cheating and attitude for the six treatment groups utilized. Precautions as to the interpretation and possible application of the findings are noted.
A lightweight framework for cross-application user monitoring

The human-computer interaction community has often focused on the face applications present to the user. The authors present a new framework that monitors higher-level events to learn how people access, create, and modify information rather than how they use applications. By associating information sources with tasks and processes and monitoring user actions, the system can offer task-specific help.
Thermoacoustic tomography - : Numerical results

Filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction is the method of choice for diagnostic xray CT, despite the fact that backprojection is computationally costly. FBP image quality is superior over fast Fourier reconstruction techniques because interpolation errors are localized and the backprojector applies the Radon transform, annihilating all measurement errors orthogonal to its range. We discuss computational complexity, sampling rates, and quadrature techniques for FBP reconstruction of thermo/photo/optoacoustic data.
Canopy gaps facilitate establishment, growth, and reproduction of invasive Frangula alnus in a Tsuga canadensis dominated forest

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the exotic, invasive shrub, glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), is more abundant in canopy gaps created by logging than in uncut forests. Secondary objectives were to determine whether buckthorn abundance in gaps is related to gap size, and whether or not buckthorn exhibits advanced regeneration. The abundance of glossy buckthorn was estimated in five patch cuts and three single-tree cuts in a 90 year old eastern hemlock–eastern white pine–sweet birch forest at the Woodman Horticultural Farm in Durham, NH, USA. Glossy buckthorn was 96 times more abundant in logged areas than in uncut control plots. The three largest but youngest gaps (>0.08 ha; 5 years old) had the greatest proportion of tall (>2 m), reproductively mature glossy buckthorn individuals, with 18.4% fruiting. The older, medium-sized gaps (ca. 0.03 ha; 10 years old) contained the highest overall densities of glossy buckthorn, but few stems were flowering (~2%) and none were fruiting at the time of sampling. Small gaps ( 4 years old. As age and size of gaps were correlated, it was difficult to determine which factor played a larger role in the establishment and persistence of glossy buckthorn. However, the greater proportion of individuals >2 m tall and greater reproductive vigor of glossy buckthorn in large gaps relative to small gaps—despite fewer years available for growth—suggest that larger disturbances lead to more resources available for buckthorn growth, survival, and reproduction. Individuals <0.5 m tall were observed in uncut control plots at low density (<30 stems/ha) and 5% of stems in large gaps were older than the gaps themselves, suggesting that gap formation released previously established glossy buckthorn individuals (i.e., advanced regeneration).
Soil property variation within an aridisol in Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA

Abstract The ecological and edaphic characteristics that dictate the existence and extent of typical vegetation cover types on Tornillo loam (Ustifluventic Haplocambid), a soil common to the northern Chihuahuan Desert region within the boundaries of Big Bend National Park (BBNP) and prone to erosion, are not well-known. The objective of this study was to evaluate near-surface soil physical and chemical properties as potential explanatory characteristics for different patchy vegetation types [i.e., bare soil, creosote ( Larrea tridentate ) flat, and grass] on Tornillo loam in the northern Chihuahuan Desert region of BBNP in southwest Texas. Results showed that soil bulk density in the top 5 cm and penetration resistance in the top 20 cm were similar (P > 0.05) among all three vegetation cover types, but soil particle-size distributions in the top 20 cm differed significantly (P − 1 and 8.9, respectively) than in the grass patches or creosote flats, which did not differ (115 mg kg − 1 and 8.5, respectively). Future research should further investigate interactions between near-surface soil chemical characteristics, particularly soil Na concentration and pH, and past and future restoration activities to promote revegetation and control erosion.
Watery diarrhea and hypokalemia associated with increased plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide in a child

THE SYNDROME of watery diarrhea and hypokalemia associated with pancreatic tumors was first described in adults in 1958.' The syndrome has recently been associated with increased blood levels of the gastrointestinal hormone vasoactive intestinal peptide. 2:~ Although pancreatic islet cell tumors are found in most patients with the syndrome, others have islet cell hyperplasia or normal pancreatic tissue. ~' ~ To our knowledge the syndrome has not b e e n previously described in childhood.* The following case is that of a 7-year-old boy with watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, normal pancreatic islet cells, but high plasma levels of VIP.
Pharmacodynamics of methyl mercury in the murine maternal/embryo:fetal unit

To investigate fetal uptake of methyl mercury (MeHg) during organogenesis, a single dose of MeHg (5 mg of Hg/kg), 100 μCi203 Hg/kg in 0.13 m NaCl, 0.01 m Na2HPO4, pH 7.4) was administered sc to pregnant Swiss-Webster CFW mice on Days 7 through 13 of gestation. Fetal accumulation of mercury increased with fetal age at time of administration at least up to Day 13 of gestation. MeHg administered on Days 10 through 13 of gestation produced fetal mercury concentrations higher than maternal blood concentrations by 7 (injected on Day 10 or 11) or 5 (injected on Day 12 or 13) days post administration. Peak fetal mercury concentrations were reached 3 days post administration, averaging 4.8 mg/kg in animals injected on Day 13 of gestation. Placental mercury concentrations were always equal to or higher than maternal blood mercury concentrations. An increase in maternal liver net elimination rate (1.3 μg of Hg/day when MeHg was administered on Day 7; 3.4 μg of Hg/day when administered on Day 13) was associated with the increased fetal sequestration of MeHg during later gestational stages. Maternal blood elimination rates increased slightly throughout the same period. To determine the uptake of mercury via suckling, offspring of dams given MeHg on Day 12 of gestation and control dams were cross-fostered. All tissue mercury concentrations of MeHg × MeHg offspring were nearly identical to those of the dams at 10 and 21 days postpartum. Tissue mercury concentrations in MeHg × Sal offspring (in utero mercury exposure) were 15 to 30 times greater than in Sal × MeHg offspring (suckling mercury exposure), indicating far greater mercury transfer in utero.
The role of MAP kinases in endothelial activation

Activation of endothelial cells by proinflammatory stimuli results in increased migration of leukocytes across the endothelium, which contributes to the progression of atherosclerosis. Thus, control of the inflammatory status of endothelial cells, which is achieved by a balance of pro- and antiinflammatory signals, is crucial to limiting the disease. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a family of central signaling molecules that respond to numerous stimuli by phosphorylating a variety of substrates including transcription factors, enzymes, and other kinases. While the extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK1/2) and big MAPK-1 (BMK1) are primarily involved in growth and cytoprotective functions, Jun amino-terminal kinases (JNK) and p38 proteins play an important role in inflammatory and stress responses. Because they have contradictory roles, the relative activation of these proteins is important to the inflammatory status of the cell. Additionally, there is known to be a crosstalk between MAPK cascades whereby the activity of one MAPK can be influenced by another. Thus, these proteins collectively integrate the pro- and antiinflammatory stimuli acting on the cell to produce the appropriate downstream effects. Here we review the roles of the MAPKs and the implications of MAPK crosstalk on endothelial activation.
New therapeutic approaches to non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To review the new treatment strategies for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Methods: Various measures aimed at either increasing insulin secretion or decreasing insulin resistance are outlined. In addition, the management of obesity in patients with diabetes is discussed. Results: Two new sulfonylureas being investigated are repaglinide, which has a rapid onset of action, rapid reversal, and potential usefulness as a preprandial treatment of NIDDM, and glimepiride, the most potent sulfonylurea on a weight basis with an efficacy similar to that for glyburide. Metformin, an orally administered biguanide hypoglycemic agent, decreases blood glucose levels by 50 to 100 mg/dL and consistently improves triglyceride levels. Another agent for NIDDM therapy is acarbose, an a-glucosidase inhibitor. This agent avidly binds to intestinal disaccharidases and limits the postprandial increase in blood glucose. Troglitazone, a member of the thiazolidinedione class of insulin sensitizers, enhance...
A Proportional Piezoelectric Electro-Fluidic Pneumatic Value Design

The development of a proportional electro-fluidic pneumatic valve is presented. The first stage of the valve consists of a piezoelectric bender element of bimorph construction centered between two nozzles. The bimorph is deformed by an electrical input signal. This, in turn, causes a change in pressure at the output of the nozzles, which will then be amplified to a usable level using cascaded laminar proportional amplifiers. A mathematical model of the valve’s behavior is discussed and verified with experimental measurements.
Efficiency Trade-Offs in the Design of Competition Policy for the Telecommunications Industry

Trade-offs between imitation and innovation create natural tensions in the design of competition policy for the telecommunications industry. We explore the relationship between the prices of unbundled network elements (UNEs) and static/dynamic efficiency. We find that even when UNEs are priced to induce efficient make-or-buy decisions from a static perspective, mandatory unbundling reduces the incumbent's incentive to invest from a dynamic perspective. Moreover, while the literature focuses on disincentives for investment in innovation associated with low UNE prices, we find that raising prices for UNEs, when such prices preserve the efficient make-or-buy decision, can discourage investment in process innovation.
Silicone-foam molding of the canine ileocolonic junctional zone.

Molds of the isolated ileocolonic junctional area were made in 61 dogs (2 conscious, 6 anesthetized, and 53 immediately after death) by the forceful injection into the proximal colon of a mixture of expanding silicone-foam rubbers. An annular constriction (mean width 0.83 cm. S.E.M. ±.067, mean length 0.40 cm. S.E.M. ±.026) was consistently demonstrated on the molds at the junction of small and large intestine. A similar ring-like impression (mean width 1.14 cm. S.E.M. ±.060, mean length 0.31 cm. S.E.M. ±.028) occurred at the point of meeting of cecum and colon. The configuration of the molds at both junctional zones indicates the presence of a narrow band of less distensible bowel at these sites.
On the Connection between Dense Water Formation, Overturning, and Poleward Heat Transport in a Convective Basin*

An isopycnal, two-layer, idealized model for a convective basin is proposed, consisting of a convecting, interior region and a surrounding boundary current (buoyancy and wind-driven). Parameterized eddy fluxes govern the exchange between the two. To balance the interior buoyancy loss, the boundary current becomes denser as it flows around the basin. Geostrophy imposes that this densification be accompanied by sinking in the boundary current and hence by an overturning circulation. The poleward heat transport, associated with convection in the basin, can thus be viewed as a result of both an overturning and a horizontal circulation. When adapted to the Labrador Sea, the model is able to reproduce the bulk features of the mean state, the seasonal cycle, and even the shutdown of convection from 1969 to 1972. According to the model, only 40% of the poleward heat (buoyancy) transport of the Labrador Sea is associated with the overturning circulation. An exact solution is presented for the linearized equations when changes in the boundary current are small. Numerical solutions are calculated for variations in the amount of convection and for changes in the remotely forced circulation around the basin. These results highlight how the overturning circulation is not simply related to the amount of dense water formed. A speeding up of the circulation around the basin due to wind forcing, for example, will decrease the intensity of the overturning circulation while the dense water formation remains unvaried. In general, it is shown that the fraction of poleward buoyancy (or heat) transport carried by the overturning circulation is not an intrinsic property of the basin but can vary as a result of a number of factors.
Nanoporous silica colloidal membranes suspended in glass

We prepared silica colloidal membranes suspended in glass openings and containing no major mechanical defects. The surface of these colloidal membranes was modified with amine groups. The diffusion rate of Fe(bpy) 3 2+ through the suspended amine-modified colloidal membranes was attenuated by adding acid to the solution. The amine-modified colloidal membranes displayed an average selectivity (the ratio of diffusion rates in the absense and presence of the acid) of 2.6 for Fe(bpy) 3 2+ . This selectivity is believed to result from the electrostatic repulsion between the protonated amine-modified membrane surface and positively charged Fe(bpy) 3 2+ and was confirmed by observing no change in (1) the diffusion rate of Fe(bpy) 3 2+ through an unmodified suspended colloidal membrane, and (2) the diffusion rate of a neutral molecule through the amine-modified colloidal membrane with and without the acid present in solution.
A new Role for the Dynamin Gtpase as a timer that Controls Fusion Pore Expansion

Dynamin is a master regulator of membrane fission in endocytosis. However, a function for dynamin immediately upon fusion has also been suspected from a variety of experiments that measured release of granule contents. The role of the dynamin GTPase activity in controlling fusion pore expansion and post-fusion granule membrane topology was investigated using the powerful membrane curvature-imaging technique of polarized TIRF microscopy and amperometry. A dynamin-1 mutant with increased GTPase activity resulted in faster fusion pore widening and flattening of the granule membrane after exocytosis; dynamin-1 mutants with decreased activity slowed fusion pore widening by stabilizing post-fusion granule membrane curvature. The experiments indicate that the GTPase activity of dynamin functions as a timer determining the rapidity of fusion pore expansion from 10's of milliseconds to seconds after fusion, in addition to its role in endocytosis. These findings expand the membrane-sculpting repertoire of dynamin to include the regulation of immediate post-fusion events in exocytosis that control the rate of release of soluble granule contents.
P38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activity Is Required during Mitosis for Timely Satisfaction of the Mitotic Checkpoint But Not for the Fidelity of Chromosome Segregation

Although p38 activity is reported to be required as cells enter mitosis for proper spindle assembly and checkpoint function, its role during the division process remains controversial in lieu of direct data. We therefore conducted live cell studies to determine the effect on mitosis of inhibiting or depleting p38. We found that in the absence of p38 activity the duration of mitosis is prolonged by approximately 40% in nontransformed human RPE-1, approximately 80% in PtK2 (rat kangaroo), and approximately 25% in mouse cells, and this prolongation leads to an elevated mitotic index. However, under this condition chromatid segregation and cytokinesis are normal. Using Mad2/YFP-expressing cells, we show the prolongation of mitosis in the absence of p38 activity is directly due to a delay in satisfying the mitotic checkpoint. Inhibiting p38 did not affect the rate of chromosome motion; however, it did lead to the formation of significantly (10%) longer metaphase spindles. From these data we conclude that normal p38 activity is required for the timely stable attachment of all kinetochores to spindle microtubules, but not for the fidelity of the mitotic process. We speculate that p38 activity promotes timely checkpoint satisfaction by indirectly influencing those motor proteins (e.g., Klp10, Klp67A) involved in regulating the dynamics of kinetochore microtubule ends.
Cultural Factors Affecting Nursing Home Care for Minorities: A Study of Black American and Japanese-American Groups

In a pilot study of two nursing homes serving primarily different ethnic groups, differences were found in the importance black patients and their relatives attached to the ethnic character of the institution compared with respondents in a Japanese home. The latter placed more emphasis on all aspects of ethnic programming and homogeneity of patients and staff. The blacks placed more emphasis on access to family than on ethnic orientation per se.
Space-time finite elements derived by convolution for the efficient solution of transient eddy current problems

A procedure for transient-eddy-current analysis is reported that is more efficient than conventional methods. Convolution in the time domain is used to convert the time operator into a symmetric form. A projective method is used to approximate the solution in the time domain by nth-order polynomials. The result is a general prismatic space-time finite element that is defined for any order of discretization in both time and space. First- to third-order time-finite-element matrices are calculated and tabulated. The stability and convergence of the method has been demonstrated numerically. The solution of two test cases is presented: a simple problem in one spatial dimension and the two-dimensional Felix cylinder problem. >
FcγRIIB-mediated inhibition of T-cell receptor signal transduction involves the phosphorylation of SH2-containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP), dephosphorylation of the linker of activated T-cells (LAT) and inhibition of calcium mobilization

The low-affinity receptor for immunoglobulin G, FcgammaRIIB, is expressed on most B-cells and on immature and activated mature T-cells. Co-aggregation of FcgammaRIIB with the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) leads to attenuation of BCR-induced blastogenesis and cell proliferation via inhibition of p21(ras), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) and phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma) activation. These effects are mediated, at least in part, by the recruitment of SH2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) and -2 (SHP-2) and SH2-containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP). In this report, we demonstrate that FcgammaRIIB co-aggregation with the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR), which may occur when T-cells recognize antibody-coated target cells, leads to inhibition of TCR-induced phosphorylation of the linker of activated T-cells (LAT). When phosphorylated, LAT functions as an adapter molecule and recruits PI3-K. Additionally, we demonstrate that PI3-K is required for TCR-induced Ca(2+) mobilization. Together, these data suggest that FcgammaRIIB may inhibit TCR-mediated Ca(2+) mobilization, in part via inhibition of LAT phosphorylation and subsequent inhibition of PI3-K activation. A similar mechanism has been described in B-cells, where FcgammaRIIB co-aggregation with the BCR leads to inhibition of PI3-K activity via dephosphorylation of CD19. It is likely that, in both cell types, levels of PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) are additionally modulated via the enzymic activity of SHIP.
Erratum: ``Planetary Nebulae in the Globular Clusters PAL 6 and NGC 6441'' [Astron. J. 114, 2611 (1997)]

The conclusion on page 2623 was incorrectly printed; it should read as follows: (5) If, in fact, a low mass single star (e.g., the 0.8M⊙ stars in GCs) cannot form a PN, then, contrary to common belief, it becomes questionable whether a single 1 M⊙ star (e.g., the Sun) will go through a PN phase. The uncertainty in the initial-to-final mass relation at low masses is sufficiently large that the future evolutionary path of the Sun may need to be reevaluated.
Massive IIA flux compactifications and U-dualities

We attempt to find a rigorous formulation for the massive type IIA orientifold compactifications of string theory introduced in [1]. An approximate double T-duality converts this background into IIA string theory on a twisted torus, but various arguments indicate that the back reaction of the orientifold on this geometry is large. In particular, an AdS calculation of the entropy suggests a scaling appropriate for N M2-branes, in a certain limit of the compactification, though not the one studied in [1]. The M-theory lift of this specific regime is not 4 dimensional. We suggest that the generic limit of the background corresponds to a situation analogous to F-theory, where the string coupling is small in some regions of a compact geometry, and large in others, so that neither a long wavelength 11D SUGRA expansion, nor a world sheet expansion exists for these compactifications. We end with a speculation on the nature of the generic compactification.
Operant conditioning of trigeminal nuclear evoked potentials

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate operant conditioning of potentials in the rat's trigeminal complex evoked by stimulation of the primary descending trigeminal tract. The amplitude of the prominent component of the potential, with a peak at 10 to 22 msec after the stimulus, was conditioned. Reinforcement was electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle. A bidirectional conditioning paradigm was used to control for noncontingent effects of the reinforcer. Eight of the thirteen animals demonstrated control of the evoked potential. Application of the neural conditioning paradigm to the investigation of loci of neuronal plasticity is discussed.
Theoretical and experimental investigation of ultrasonic waves radiated from a wet surface using a line-focused laser beam

In this paper we use with a theoretical model and experimental study to predict the characteristics of the ultrasonic waves irradiated from a wet surface illuminated by a line-focused laser beam. The theoretical model is developed by assuming normal surface tractions distributed elliptically over the illuminated source. The solutions for both longitudinal and shear waves are obtained using Fourier analysis, in which the transform integral is evaluated asymptotically. The theory was evidenced by the experimental study which allows direct quantitative comparisons between the theoretical and experimental directivity patterns. The effects of beam diameter and frequency of the propagating wave, which are the most influential parameters on the characteristics of the generated wave, are investigated in the experimental work. The experimental results are in strong agreement with the theoretical predictions.
Cooperative strategy: Theory and practice

The theoretical literature suggests 12 strategies through which cooperatives could produce differential benefits for members. Six of these strategies would primarily generate additional returns, and six would primarily operate to reduce the risk inherent in returns. Through in-depth interviews with CEOs from 21 northeastern US cooperatives, it was determined that: the taxonomy of theoretical strategies matched will with actual strategies, cooperatives use a mix of returns and risk-management strategies, actual strategic motivations are sometimes at odds with those suggested by theory, and cooperative information systems appear inadequate to support strategic decision making. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.