cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Part III: Theoretical Perspectives

Three perspectives on the end of the GDR are considered. A.O. Hirschman’s exit, voice, and loyalty model of the options to organizational decline/failure; Pierre Bourdieu’s model of the distribution of power and capital in the field and habitus of society; and Erving Goffman’s discussion of stigma. Hirschman’s model explains how the Turn meant that the “exit” option allowed only for emigration, the “voice” option was eliminated by the 1990 vote in favor of unification, and East Germans no longer could legitimately express “loyalty” to the GDR, because it implied revanchist sentiment. Bourdieu’s and Goffman’s models explain why the GDR Academy of Sciences was closed and East German universities vetted; the consequence of these two actions was the dismissal of more than 60 percent of all GDR intellectuals who had worked at these institutions.
Robust 1-Median Location Problems: Dynamic Aspects and Uncertainty

In Chapter 2, Example 9, we introduced the robust 1-median location on a tree problem, and later in the same chapter we introduced a variation of this problem referred to as the dynamically robust 1-median location on a tree. The robust 1-median on a tree problem, as introduced in Chapter 2, addresses the location of a single facility on a tree network in the presence of significant uncertainty in the node weights (node demands) and edge lengths (transportation cost). Uncertainty is modeled with the use of multiple scenarios, where a scenario is a complete specification of the uncertain node demands and/or edge lengths. The dynamically robust 1-median location problem, as introduced in Example 10 of Chapter 2, uses again multiple data scenarios, however the multiplicity of scenarios is not caused by parameter uncertainty but by the dynamic evolution of the parameters of the location decision model (i.e., dynamic evolution of node demands and/or transportation costs). The purpose of this chapter is to propose a unifying approach for incorporating dynamic aspects (i.e., variation over time) and/or uncertainty of important input data (i.e., parameters of the decision model) in the location decision making process. The problem under consideration is a 1-median problem on a tree. All points of the network, nodes or not, are eligible for locating the facility. The weights (demands) of the various nodes are either of a dynamic nature or uncertain.
Corneal opacity in canine MPS I. Changes after bone marrow transplantation

Corneal opacification associated with glycosaminoglycan (GAG) deposition occurs in canine mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I), a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-L-iduronidase. In affected dogs corneal lesions appear similar to those in children with the same disease. Transplantation of bone marrow from unaffected littermates was performed in 5 MPS I affected dogs at 5 months of age. In three recipients that became long-term survivors corneal clouding was largely alleviated compared to affected control dogs. In no case, however, did the corneas remain totally clear throughout the course of the study (594, 628 and 1425 days). Light and electron microscopic findings correlated with the clinical impression of partial improvement. Glycosaminoglycan analysis of corneal tissue from two transplant recipients, one normal littermate, and one MPS I-affected, untransplanted dog showed quantitative and qualitative changes in stored GAG following bone marrow transplantation.
Severe preeclampsia. I. Peripartum hemodynamic observations.

With the use of peripheral and pulmonary arterial catheters, the peripartum hemodynamic patterns of 10 patients with severe preeclampsia were studied. At the time of line placement, our results demonstrated elevated cardiac outputs (9.3 + 1.3 L/min), high systemic vascular resistances (1,042 + 160 dynes · sec · cm−5), and hyperdynamic ventricular function. Immediately post partum (<30 minutes), a transient decline in left ventricular function in association with a rise in central venous and wedge pressures was observed. By 1 hour after delivery, ventricular function had returned to its hyperdynamic state. Swan-Ganz catheterization and cardiac output data were most helpful in the monitoring of patients with severe preeclampsia. Ventricular function in these patients appears to operate in the hyperdynamic zone or a “normal” ventricular function zone that is different from that in the nonpregnant patient. At the same time, as shown by our data and a review of the literature, severe preeclampsia appears to be a continuum, as determined by cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance measurements, which range from a high-output-low-resistance system to a low-output-high-resistance one. Therefore, in the evaluation of the patient with severe preeclampsia, a complete hemodynamic profile would be helpful in determining the “phase” of the disease and the status of ventricular function. This would be useful information with which one could theoretically direct therapy in a more precise fashion.
Metalloid Reductase of Pseudomonas moravenis Stanleyae Conveys Nanoparticle Mediated Metalloid Tolerance.

A glutathione reductase (GSHR)-like enzyme in Pseudomonas moraviensis stanleyae was previously implicated as underlying the bacterium’s remarkable SeO32– tolerance. Herein, this enzyme is sequenced, recombinantly expressed, and fully characterized. The enzyme is highly adapted for selenodiglutathione substrates (Km = 336 μM) compared to oxidized glutathione (Km = 8.22 mM). The recombinant expression of this enzyme in the laboratory strains of Escherichia coli conveys a 10-fold increase in IC90 for SeO32–. Moreover, selenium nanoparticles are observed when the enzyme is overexpressed in the cells exposed to SeO32–, but not in the corresponding no-enzyme controls. The analyses of the structural homology models of the enzyme reveal changes in the parts of the enzyme associated with product release, which may underlie the Se substrate specialization. Combined, the observations of adaptation to Se reduction over oxidized glutathione reduction as well as the portability of this nanoparticle-mediated SeO32– tole...
What Is Important When Making Treatment Decisions in Metastatic Breast Cancer? A Qualitative Analysis of Decision‐Making in Patients and Oncologists

Background Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is an ideal environment for shared decision-making because of the large number of guideline-based treatment options with similar efficacy but different toxicity profiles. This qualitative analysis describes patient and provider factors that influence decision-making in treatment of MBC. Materials and methods Patients and community oncologists completed in-person interviews. Academic medical oncologists participated in focus groups. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using NVivo. Using an a priori model based on the Ottawa Framework, two independent coders analyzed transcripts using a constant comparative method. Major themes and exemplary quotes were extracted. Results Participants included 20 patients with MBC, 6 community oncologists, and 5 academic oncologists. Analysis of patient interviews revealed a decision-making process characterized by the following themes: decision-making style, contextual factors, and preferences. Patient preference subthemes include treatment efficacy, physical side effects of treatment, emotional side effects of treatment, cognitive side effects of treatment, cost and financial toxicity, salience of cutting-edge treatment options (clinical trial or newly approved medication), treatment logistics and convenience, personal and family responsibilities, treatment impact on daily activities, participation in self-defining endeavors, attending important events, and pursuing important goals. Physician decisions emphasized drug-specific characteristics (treatment efficacy, side effects, cost) rather than patient preferences, which might impact treatment choice. Conclusion Although both patients with MBC and oncologists considered treatment characteristics when making decisions, patients' considerations were broader than oncologists', incorporating contextual factors such as the innovative value of the treatment and life responsibilities. Differences in perspectives between patients and oncologists suggests the value of tools to facilitate systematic communication of preferences in the setting of MBC. Implications for practice Both patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and oncologists emphasized importance of efficacy and physical side effects when making treatment decisions. However, other patient considerations for making treatment decisions were broader, incorporating contextual factors such as the logistics of treatments, personal and family responsibilities, and ability to attend important events. Furthermore, individual patients varied substantially in priorities that they want considered in treatment decisions. Differences in perspectives between patients and oncologists suggest the value of tools to facilitate systematic elicitation of preferences and communication of those preferences to oncologists for integration into decision-making in MBC.
The Infant Gut Microbiota at 12 Months and Its Associations with Maternal Pre-pregnancy BMI, Human Milk Exposure and Infant BMI-for-age Z-score (OR01-05-19)

Determine if the infant gut microbiota at 12 months of age is associated with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI or infant human milk (HM) exposure. Additionally, determine whether infant BMI z-score at 12 months is associated with the infant microbiota composition and richness at 6 and 12 months. Fecal samples were collected from infants at 6 (n = 35) and 12 (n = 32) months of age. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, infant weight and height, and the amount of HM in the infant diet were self-reported. Infant BMI for age z-scores (BAZ) were calculated using WHO Anthro software. Fecal communities were analyzed by 16S rRNA (V4) sequencing on an Illumina Miseq. Infants who had HM at 12 months had lower microbiota richness than infants who only received it until 6 months or were not exposed. Microbial community membership (Sorensen) was also significantly different in infants who received any HM at 12 months compared to infants who only received it until 6 months or were not exposed. The 12-month microbiota was similar for infants who received HM until 6 months or had no exposure. Infant BAZ at 12 months positively correlated with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI. Fewer infants born to obese women were exposed to HM at 12 months compared to those born to normal weight women. However, HM exposure at 12 months was not associated with infant BAZ at 12 months. In the 12-month microbiota, Shannon diversity also positively correlated with maternal pre-pregnancy BMI. No alpha or beta diversity metrics of the infant microbiota at 6 months were associated with infant BAZ at 12 months. However, the Shannon diversity of the 12-month microbiota tended to be positively associated the 12-month infant BAZ. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with higher gut microbiota diversity at 12 months of age. This increase in diversity may influence host metabolism, providing a mechanistic link for elevated BAZ in infants whose mothers had an elevated BMI prior to becoming pregnant. Michigan State AgBioResearch, Child Health Advances through Research with Mothers, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, and the NIH Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program (Prenatal Exposures and Child Health Outcomes: A Statewide Study (UG3 OD023285)).
On Bayne and Chalmers’ Phenomenal Unity Thesis (or: Much Ado about Nothing)

According to the Phenomenal Unity Thesis (“PUT”) – most prominently defended by Tim Bayne and David Chalmers – necessarily, any set of phenomenal states of a subject at a time is phenomenally unified. The standard formulation of this thesis is unacceptably vague because it does not specify what it is to be a subject. In this paper, I first consider possible meanings for ‘subject’ as used in PUT and argue that every plausible candidate definition renders the thesis trivially true. I consider and reject Tim Bayne’s proposal that ‘subject’ means ‘human being’. Then I argue, contra Bayne and Chalmers, that PUT is not incompatible with any major theory of consciousness, and contra Michael Tye, that split-brain patients do not provide evidence against PUT. I close by considering some nontrivial alternatives to PUT.
Influence of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria on Corn Growth under Drought Stress

Water availability is a major constraint affecting the growth and yield of crops/plants worldwide. Some studies have shown that specific strains of free-living bacteria found in the plant rhizosphe...
PREDICTORS OF READMISSION AFTER TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT: ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL READMISSION DATABASE

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become the treatment of choice in patients with severe aortic stenosis(AS) who are intermediate to high risk for surgical valve replacement. We performed analysis of the National readmission database to assess predictors of readmission. We
Optimized, Omnidirectional Surface Acoustic Wave Source: 152° Y -Rotated Cut of Lithium Niobate for Acoustofluidics

Here, we propose an optimized ${Y}$ -rotated cut of lithium niobate (LN) for multidirectional surface acoustic wave (SAW) propagation, simultaneously minimizing the anisotropic effects while maximizing the electromechanical properties of this cut of LN. The goal is to offer a piezoelectric material suitable for acoustofluidics applications that require greater flexibility in wave generation and propagation than the currently ubiquitous $128^{\circ }~{Y}$ -rotated ${X}$ -propagating cut. The 128YX LN cut is known to most effectively generate Rayleigh SAW along the ${x}$ -direction alone. Any SAW veering from this propagation direction is affected by beam steering and changes in resonance frequency and electromechanical coupling coefficients, consequently limiting the use of LN in various acoustofluidics applications, where more diverse configurations would be beneficial. The ${\mathcal {L}_{{2}}}$ -norm of these properties was evaluated under rotational transformation to produce a physical model with closed governing equations for 40-MHz surface wave propagation on the surface of a piezoelectric material. This was then utilized to obtain the surface wave velocity and coupling coefficient of the specific ${Y}$ -cut LN with respect to the propagating direction. Next, the averaged coupling coefficients of various ${Y}$ -cuts of LN in all propagating directions were calculated and integrated to simultaneously minimize anisotropy and maximize the electromechanical properties of the LN substrate. A $152^{\circ }~{Y}$ -rotated cut was found to be the optimal choice under these constraints, enabling multidirectional SAW propagation with greater coupling and lower variation in wave performance for SAW generated across the surface in any direction. Compared with the 128YX LN cut, this cut provides a 66.5% improvement in the in-plane isotropy and a 37.0% improvement in the average electromechanical coupling for in-plane SAW propagation. Experimental devices operating at the frequency of 40 MHz were designed, fabricated, and tested on the surface of this 500- $\mu \text{m}$ -thick specific cut of LN and served to verify the supporting analysis and the superior isotropic properties of the $152^{\circ }~{Y}$ -rotated cut in generating SAW.
Assessing land degradation induced by recreational activities in the Algodones Dunes, California using MODIS satellite imagery

Abstract This research investigated spatial and temporal environmental changes associated with climatic variability and off-highway vehicle (OHV) activity in the Algodones Dunes, California, using time-series analysis of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer imagery from 2001 to 2016. We compared changes in land cover, surface albedo, and surface temperatures between the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA) and areas with no OHV activity in the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness area (NADW). Both areas showed a decreasing normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and an increasing albedo from 2001 to 2016; however, ISDRA had a lower NDVI value and higher albedo compared to the adjacent NADW. Transects across these adjoining areas revealed substantial differences in daytime and nighttime land surface temperatures. ISDRA had an appreciably higher mean daytime temperature and a lower mean nighttime temperature compared to those within NADW. Results suggest direct association between increasing OHV activity and reduced vegetation cover, increased soil exposure, and higher daytime temperatures in the Algodones Dunes. We recommend enhanced monitoring of ecosystem and land use changes coupled with enhanced land use management to reduce the contributions of recreational OHV activity on land degradation and to maintain habitat for key species and ecosystems of interest in the dune field.
The Unfinished History of the Iran-Iraq War: Faith, Firepower, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, founded after the Iranian revolution in 1979, is one of the most powerful and prominent but least understood organizations in Iran. In this book, Annie Tracy Samuel provides an innovative and compelling history of this organization, and by using the Iran-Iraq War as a focal point, analyzes the links between war and revolution. Examining how the Revolutionary Guards have recorded and assessed the history of the war in the massive volume of Persian-language publications produced by top members and units of the IRGC, Tracy Samuel presents an internal view of the IRGC. This not only enhances our comprehension of the IRGC's roles and power in contemporary Iran, but it also demonstrates how the history of the Iran-Iraq War has immense bearing on the Islamic Republic's present and future. In doing so, it reveals how analyzing Iran's history provides the critical tools for understanding its actions today.
Veterans and Media: The Effects of News Exposure on Thoughts, Attitudes, and Support of Military Veterans:

The mass media are an important source of information concerning military service personnel and veterans. Veterans, veterans organizations, and others have criticized the mass media for providing t...
Informatics for COVID-19 in New York and California.

OBJECTIVE This study explores how social networks for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are differentiated by regions. METHODS This study employs a social network analysis for Twitter in New York and California. RESULTS National key players play an important role in New York, whereas regional key players exert a significant impact on California. Some key players, such as the US President, play an essential role in both New York and California. Hispanic key players play a crucial role in California. Each group is more likely to show communication networks within groups in New York, whereas it is more apt to exhibit communication networks across groups in California. Government players play a different role in social networks according to regions. CONCLUSIONS Governments should understand how social networks for COVID-19 are differentiated by regions to control the ongoing pandemic effectively.
Democracy’s capital: Black political power in Washington, D.C., 1960s-1970s: by Lauren Pearlman, Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina Press, 2019, 337 pp., $29.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1469653907

Our nation’s capital does not get the respect it deserves from the nation that it serves. The butt of countless jokes, D.C. is often depicted by scholars as “either a symbol of national politics or...
Privacy for the People? Exploring Collective Action as a Mechanism to Shift Power to Consumers in End-User Privacy

How might we use computer-supported collective action to hold data aggregators accountable to the individuals whose data they collect and monetize? In this article, we outline a vision for computer-supported collective action in the context of end-user privacy.
Increasing the Efficacy of a Powered Ankle-Foot Prosthesis with 3D Joint Angle Tracking

This research aims to utilize joint angle tracking from depth sensors to design a real-time, powered ankle-foot prosthesis assistive algorithm. These sensors are used primarily for computer vision tasks surrounding rehabilitation; however, their use in motor feedback control is limited. By extracting joint positions from a depth map, the joint angle is calculated. This, along with angular velocity collected from an external IMU, are used to train a neural network. This is deployed alongside human-in-the-loop optimization to determine how the most effective prosthetic regimen can be found most efficiently. The 3D joint angle method is evaluated with EMG data and metabolic cost from prosthetic use and is then compared to current control methods.
The effects of variation in egg water loss on the chick embryo and its fluid compartments

38 INTRODUCTION 40 MATERIALS AND METHODS 44 RESULTS 50 DISCUSSION 77 LITERATURE CITED 89 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 94 GENERAL SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 95 ADDITIONAL LITERATURE CITED 99 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 103
Chapter 78 Flow cytometric analyses and sorting of neural cells for transplantation

Publisher Summary Flow cytometry is a sophisticated, quantitative technique with many applications in biomedical research and clinical medicine, and can be applied to examine large numbers of individual cells, allowing rapid measurement of as many as eight different cellular parameters per cell, such as cell size, or light scatter. This chapter explores the data from flow cytometric analyses of several neural cell lines, which are used as alternate sources of donor tissue for transplantation and for the analyses of the developing rat hypothalamus. The chapter also discusses the preliminary results of electronically sorted neurons for transplantation and the requirements for obtaining these cells in an optimal condition. Flow cytometry has the potential to provide important analytical data on surface properties of transplantable cells, and surface glycoconjugates, such as specific glycoproteins and membrane fluidity measurements of differentiated cells have been quantified for several clonal neural cell lines. However, to obtain relatively rare populations of viable neurons for transplantation, retrograde transport of fluorescent markers to discrete CNS neurons followed by isolation by cell sorting is an experimental method, which has promise, and can be employed in transplantation studies.
Forced Labor, Revisited: The Thirteenth Amendment and Abortion

Many recent works on the Thirteenth Amendment break new ground, deploying the amendment in new and creative ways. This is not one of them. I here restate an argument I made twenty years ago, defending abortion rights on the basis of the amendment. I then consider how the work was received, offer some amendments to the argument, and conclude with some reflections on how, perhaps, it can have more influence in the future.
Relación del consumo de alimentos de alto índice glicémico en la dieta y los niveles de HbA1c en individuos Diabéticos Tipo 2 en tratamiento con dieta y/o Metformina

At present there is still no clear consensus on recommendations on the use of GI of foods for the dietary management of T2DM. Rather different entities propose the use of carbohydrate counting, because there is not even enough evidence for dietary planning based on this index. The aim of this study was to relate consumption of high GI food with glycemic control of type 2 diabetes patients from the cardiovascular health program of 3 CESFAM (Family Health Centers) in Santiago, Chile. Forty individuals were selected, anthropometric measurements were conducted as well as a modified poll of frequency of food consumption of 30 days. Data from GI, GL, number of servings with high GI consumed per day and total amount of CARB consumed per day. Correlations were determined with values of HbA1c of the last 3 month obtained from the medical record. The average age was 58.6 +/- 9.5 years. The percentage of obesity was 62.5% and the average BMI was 32.5. The average HbA1c value was 7.08 +/- 1.6, for HbA1c 0.05). For each extra serving of high GI food there was an increase of 0.9% of HbA1c. In our research population the amount of food with high GI ingested per day was significantly correlated with values of HbA1c.
Representations on pre-Columbian spindle whorls of the floral and fruit structure of economic plants

A few of the numerous small clay discs from Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and South America contain accurate illustrations of the reproductive structures of important economic plants. The arrangement of seeds in fruit sections, axial or parietal, is shown for the Solanaceae (tomato, pepper) and the Cucurbitaceae (squash). The number of locules in Gossypium (cotton) bolls and the external appearance of the boll including the precise arrangement of the gossypol glands are illustrated. What are probably floral diagrams of these plant families are represented. The bell-shaped spindle whorls from the Quimbaya culture of Colombia have varied designs that resemble the campanulate flowers o/Brugmansia (Datura, Solanaceae), which is known for its contorted flowers, and hallucinogenic effects. The native mythology and language, recorded in Mexico at the time of the conquest, indicates a pervasive interest in fruit and flower structure, which is reflected in the designs on the spindle whorls. These functional artifacts provide evidence of the accurate plant observation in the less well known cultures of Colombia and Ecuador.
Finite element modeling of Adhesive joint behavior for Automotive Applications

One of the main objectives of the automotive industry is to build more fuel efficient cars. The most dominant factor, among the many that determine fuel efficiency, is the weight of the vehicle. Any overall attempt to reduce weight involves all areas of the vehicle. Over the years the industry has addressed this need by developing new or modified materials and innovative production processes, combining these with one another and transforming them into viable production solutions.
The T Cell Costimulator TL1A Is Induced by FcγR Signaling in Human Monocytes and Dendritic Cells

The recently described TL1A/DR3 ligand/receptor pair mediates strong costimulation of Th1 cells. Activation of T and NK cells induces DR3 expression, permitting soluble recombinant TL1A to increase IFN-gamma production and proliferation of these cells. Gut T cells and macrophages express TL1A, especially in Crohn's disease (CD), and there is a strong association between CD and tl1a single nucleotide polymorphisms. Murine studies implicate TL1A in gut inflammation. To determine whether professional T cell-activating cells can express TL1A, fresh blood monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells were stimulated with various activating ligands, including TLR agonists, IFN-gamma, and immune complexes. FcgammaR stimulation strongly induced TL1A mRNA in both cell types, which correlated with the detection of TL1A on the cell surface and in cell culture medium. TLR agonists capable of inducing IL-6 and TNF-alpha in monocytes and dendritic cells did not induce surface nor soluble TL1A. Furthermore, we demonstrate that TL1A production in monocytes leads to enhancement of T cell responses. The induction of TL1A on APCs via specific pathway stimulation suggests a role for TL1A in Th1 responses to pathogens, and in CD.
A Survey of Classical Knot Concordance

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the concordance group of knots in three-dimensional space. It begins with a review of the definitions of knots and concordance and then presents aspects of the algebraic theory of concordance. There are two related theories of concordance, one in the smooth category and the other topological. There are alternative approaches to algebraic obstructions to a knot being slice. A surgery obstruction to finding such a manifold W is determined by the Seifert form, and for a knot of Alexander polynomial one that is the only obstruction, and it vanishes. Although these powerful techniques have revealed a far greater complexity to the concordance group than had been expected, as of now they seem incapable of addressing some of the basic questions: for instance, the slice implies ribbon conjecture and problems related to torsion in the concordance group. Recent work of Cochran, Orr and Teichner has demonstrated a deep structure to the topological concordance group. A discussion of the interplay between three-dimensional knot properties and concordance is also presented in the chapter. The chapter concludes with a brief list of open problems.
Metallothionein 1 h tumour suppressor activity in prostate cancer is mediated by euchromatin methyltransferase 1

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a group of metal binding proteins thought to play a role in the detoxification of heavy metals. Here we showed by microarray and validation analyses that MT1h, a member of MT, is down-regulated in many human malignancies. Low expression of MT1h was associated with poor clinical outcomes in both prostate and liver cancer. We found that the promoter region of MT1h was hypermethylated in cancer and that demethylation of the MT1h promoter reversed the suppression of MT1h expression. Forced expression of MT1h induced cell growth arrest, suppressed colony formation, retarded migration, and reduced invasion. SCID mice with tumour xenografts with inducible MT1h expression had lower tumour volumes as well as fewer metastases and deaths than uninduced controls. MT1h was found to interact with euchromatin histone methyltransferase 1 (EHMT1) and enhanced its methyltransferase activity on histone 3. Knocking down of EHMT1 or a mutation in MT1h that abrogates its interaction with EHMT1 abrogated MT1h tumour suppressor activity. This demonstrates tumour suppressor activity in a heavy metal binding protein that is dependent on activation of histone methylation.
Thermal Shrinkage of Oriented Nylon 66 Yarns as a Function of Time, Temperature, and Stress:

A method employing a linear variable displacement transducer has been adapted to measure the thermal shrinkage of oriented yarns of nylon 66. The thermal shrinkage of this material has been found t...
An Increase in Reactive Oxygen Species by Dietary Fish Oil Coupled with the Attenuation of Antioxidant Defenses by Dietary Pectin Enhances Rat Colonocyte Apoptosis

We showed previously that the dietary combination of fish oil, rich in (n-3) fatty acids, and the fermentable fiber pectin enhances colonocyte apoptosis in a rat model of experimentally induced colon cancer. In this study, we propose that the mechanism by which this dietary combination heightens apoptosis is via modulation of the colonocyte redox environment. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 60) were fed 1 of 2 fats (corn oil or fish oil) and 1 of 2 fibers (cellulose or pectin) for 2 wk before determination of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative DNA damage, antioxidant enzyme activity [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] and apoptosis in isolated colonocytes. Fish oil enhanced ROS, whereas the combination of fish oil and pectin suppressed SOD and CAT and enhanced the SOD/CAT ratio compared with a corn oil and cellulose diet. Despite this modulation to a seemingly prooxidant environment, oxidative DNA damage was inversely related to ROS in the fish oil and pectin diet, and apoptosis was enhanced relative to other diets. Furthermore, apoptosis increased exponentially as ROS increased. These results suggest that the enhancement of apoptosis associated with fish oil and pectin feeding may be due to a modulation of the redox environment that promotes ROS-mediated apoptosis.
Inosine analogs as substrates for adenosine kinase--influence of ionization of the N-1 proton on the rate of phosphorylation.

This study was undertaken to attempt to rationalize previously obtained and apparently conflicting findings that although adenosine kinase (EC 2.7.1.20) from H.Ep. # 2 cells did not accept inosine as a substrate, these cells became resistant to an inosine analog, 8-azainosine, only when activities of both hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase [H(G)PRTase] and adenosine kinase were lost. No evidence could be found for the presence of inosine kinase in H.Ep. # 2 cells: crude supernatants from these cells converted ring-labeled inosine to IMP, but the conversion was prevented by the addition of hypoxanthine and therefore apparently was achieved by the alternative pathway involving the action of H(G)PRTase on hypoxanthine. An investigation of inosine and inosine analogs as substrates for adenosine kinase revealed that certain inosine analogs were substrates and that the substrate activity could be correlated with the degree of ionization of the N-1 proton. Of four 6-oxo and 6-thio nucleosides studied. 8-aza-6-thioinosine had the lowest pKa (6.75) and was the only one that was a good substrate at pH 7.0; the Km was 210μM and the Vmax was about 1.5 times that of adenosine. The rate of phosphorylation of 8-aza-6-thioinosine increased markedly as the pH of the reaction mixture was increased in the pH range 6.0 to 7.0. Phosphorylation of 8-azainosine (pKa 7.45) and 6-thioinosine (pKa 7.60) was much poorer and could be demonstrated at pH 7.0 only after overnight incubation with the kinase. The fact that 8-azainosine and 8-aza-6-thioinosine are substrates whereas ionsine is not, can be rationalized by the facts that (a) the substitution of an N-atom for the C-8 atom of the nucleoside lowers the pKa so that the N-1 proton is more strongly ionized at physiological pH; and (b) the ionized form of a 6-oxo or 6-thio nucleoside resembles adenosine with respect to the bond structure at the 1- and 6-positions of the purine ring whereas the unionized form does not.
Evidence for a polysaccharide surface coat in the developmental stages of Leishmania donovani: A fine structure-cytochemical study

A polysaccharide surface coat was demonstrated in the various developmental stages of Leishmania donovani at the fine structural level by several cytochemical methods. During the course of in vitro cultivation, amastigote forms which had lost the outer membrane gave positive surface coat staining reactions following Alcian blue-lanthanum nitrate treatment. Coat matrix deposition appeared to increase during cultivation of the transforming amastigotes, reaching a maximum thickness at ∼7 hr characteristic of that observed with the promastigote stages. Differences were observed in the appearance of the surface coat materials in amastigotes treated with Alcian blue and lanthanum nitrate at 0°C and 24°C. Heavy deposits of coat-like material were observed in the flagellar tip region of promastigotes. Results of growth studies indicated that total rosette formation increased during the first 5 days of the promastigote growth phase. No differences were observed, however, in the appearance of the surface coat in promastigotes obtained from culture after various periods. Surface coat materials also were observed in promastigotes treated with purified ruthenium red and violet fractions. It was suggested that the surface coat might have a role in the adhesion of the organisms to various substrates and other cells in culture.
Single Round of Antigen Receptor Signaling Programs Naive B Cells to Receive T Cell Help

To simulate transient B cell activation that is the likely initiator of T-dependent responses, we examined the molecular and functional consequences of a single round of immunoglobulin M (IgM) signaling. This form of activation triggered early cytosolic signaling and the transcription factor NF-kappaB activation indistinguishably from conventional continuous IgM crosslinking but did not induce G1 progression. However, single round IgM signaling changed the expression of chemokine and chemokine receptor genes implicated in initiating T-dependent responses, as well as accentuated responsiveness to CD40 signaling. Several features of single-round IgM signaling in vitro were recapitulated in B cells after short-term exposure to antigen in vivo. We propose that transient BCR signals prime B cells to receive T cell help by increasing the probability of B-T encounter and creating a cellular environment that is hyper-responsive to CD40 signaling.
Kidney disease in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Glomerulonephritis is a major determinant of outcome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Persistently active lupus nephritis imposes serious threats of end-stage renal failure and cardiovascular morbidity. Sustained corticosteroid treatment has been characterized as having an uncertain net benefit on the control of lupus nephritis, mainly because these drugs have relatively weak efficacy and they have been shown to confer their own set of cardiovascular risk factors. Controlled trials of corticosteroids, azathioprine and cyclophosphamide have demonstrated that the best control of clinical activity of proliferative lupus nephritis is attained with cyclophosphamide. To date, intermittent pulse cyclophosphamide treatment has produced the most facorable balance of efficacy and toxicity in patients with lupus nephritis.
A Separation-of-Timescales Approach to the Coalescent in a Continuous Population

This article presents an analysis of a model of isolation by distance in a continuous, two-dimensional habitat. An approximate expression is derived for the distribution of coalescence times for a pair of sequences sampled from specific locations in a rectangular habitat. Results are qualitatively similar to previous analyses of isolation by distance, but account explicitly for the location of samples relative to the habitat boundaries. A separation-of-timescales approach takes advantage of the fact that the sampling locations affect only the recent coalescent behavior. When the population size is larger than the number of generations required for a lineage to cross the habitat range, the long-term genealogical process is reasonably well described by Kingman's coalescent with time rescaled by the effective population size. This long-term effective population size is affected by the local dispersal behavior as well as the geometry of the habitat. When the population size is smaller than the time required to cross the habitat, deep branches in the genealogy are longer than would be expected under the standard neutral coalescent, similar to the pattern expected for a panmictic population whose population size was larger in the past.
Competitive Irrationality in Transitional Economies: Are Communist Managers Less Irrational?

Why do marketing managers in the transitional economies of Eastern Europe and China often engage in competitively irrational behavior, choosing pricing strategies that damage competitors’ profits, rather than choosing pricing strategies that improve their firm’s profits? We propose one possible reason, the moral vacuum created by the collapse of communist ideology. We hypothesize and find that managers who experienced formal communist moral ideological indoctrination are less likely to be competitively irrational than the post-communist managers who did not. Implications are discussed.
MRCISD and GVVPT3 study of the low-lying electronic states of NO−

The ground electronic state (X 3Σ−) and three low-lying excited electronic states, 11Σ+, 11Δ, and 13Π, of NO− were studied using MRCISD and GVVPT3 with the aug-cc-pVXZ (X = D, T, Q) basis sets and extrapolated to complete basis set limits. The thermodynamic constants, re , ωe , ωexe , and De , are predicted to be in good agreement with experimental values, where available. The increase of basis set lowers substantially the potential well of 13Π with respect to the ground state, e.g. the value of Te , 18425 cm−1 by MRCISD/aug-cc-pVDZ, decreases to 10829 cm−1 by MRCISD at the complete basis set limit. Additional calculations, using perturbative corrections for triple and quadruple excitations to MRCISD, i.e. MRCISD(TQ), showed that inclusion of triples and quadruples are essential to predictions of the electron affinity of NO, resulting in an increase in electron binding of over 0.36 eV.
Thin-film birefringent devices based on form birefringence

The twisted nematic liquid crystal display (TN-LCD) is the leading technology for high performance flat panel displays. However, the region of high contrast for TN-LCD's is limited. Birefringent elements, of compensators, may be used to provide improved contrast at high viewing angles. The phenomenon of form birefringence has been used to design a compensator that can be fabricated by physical vapor deposition of silica and titania, two common coating materials. Improved viewing angle characteristics, particularly in the horizontal direction, have been demonstrated using the compensator. The 20:1 isocontrast region has been extended to +/- 50 degree(s) in displays incorporating the compensator, an improvement of 10 degree(s) or more relative to uncompensated displays. The compensator design includes integrated antireflection coatings to reduce glare. In this way, display legibility is maximized in the presence of both high and low ambient illumination.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Collisional Depolarization in Laser-Induced Fluorescence of OH†

Laser-induced fluorescence in a flame can be polarized when excited by a polarized laser beam. This can produce apparently anomalous rotational line intensities resulting in errors in concentration and temperature measurements. Collisional depolarization does occur, but it must compete with vibrational and rotational energy transfer and quenching and is therefore not complete. We have measured collisional depolarization of LIF in OH at room temperature, using a discharge flow cell. The cross sections for F 1 (4) in the A state (v' = 0) are 3 A 2 for the He collider, 15 A 2 for nitrogen, 6 A 2 for oxygen, 9 A 2 for carbon dioxide, 20 A 2 for argon, and an upper limit of 30 A 2 for water. For He as a collider, the cross sections for F 1 (2) and F 1 (1) are 6 A 2 and 9 A 2 , respectively.
Predicted Turbine Heat Transfer for a Range of Test Conditions

Comparisons are shown between predictions and experimental data for blade and endwall heat transfer. The comparisons of computational domain parisons are given for both vane and rotor geometries over an extensive range of Reynolds and Mach numbers. Comparisons are made with experimental data from a variety of sources. A number of turbulence models are available for predicting blade surface heat transfer, as well as aerodynamic performance. The results of an investigation to determine the turbulence model which gives the best agreement with experimental data over a wide range of test conditions are presented.
Single-Session Personalized Cognitive Counseling to Change HIV Risk Behavior among HIV-Negative Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Two-Part Case Study.

Abstract Two previous randomized controlled clinical trials have shown the effectiveness of a single-session cognitive intervention, personalized cognitive counseling (PCC), in decreasing HIV risk among men who have sex with men (MSM; Dilley et al., 2002; Dilley et al., 2007). PCC is a counseling technique based on social cognitive theory and the stages of change model and incorporates techniques from cognitive therapy and motivational interviewing. Theoretically, PCC encourages the client to examine his self-justifications, or rationalizations, at the time of intercourse, so he will better understand the thinking behind his decision to have unprotected anal sex. Upon exploring self-justifications that increased risk, we hypothesize that men became more self-aware of the ways in which they made sexual decisions and were thereby better prepared to more realistically assess risk in future sexual situations and make different decisions to decrease their HIV risk. This case study analyzes the PCC intervention of 2 HIV-negative men who have high-risk unprotected sex with men of uncertain HIV status. We present excerpts from the recordings of the interventions to better understand how the technique works. We believe that PCC can be a powerful tool in changing HIV risk behavior and merits more application and study to decrease HIV transmission.
Measurement of the migration of a cemented hip prosthesis in an in vitro test.

Abstract Objective . To develop a method to measure the migration of a cemented hip prosthesis in an in vitro experimental test. Design . A device to measure prosthesis movement relative to bone was designed and fabricated. It was tested using a Lubinus prosthesis (W. Link, Germany) implanted in a composite femur. Background . Clinical studies using radiostereophotogrammetry have shown that those cemented hip prosthesis that migrate rapidly in the first two post-operative years are the ones that require early revision. If migration be used as a basis for a pre-clinical test, then it should be possible to screen-out inferior designs before implantation in animal or clinical trials. Methods . The micromotion measurement device consisted of a `target' of three spheres arranged in a cruciform structure. Six linear variable displacement transducers were aligned with the spheres so that motion of the prosthesis relative to the bone could be measured. Results . The displacement and rotation of the prosthesis relative to the composite femur was recorded for two million cycles. Relative rapid initial migration was found, followed by a period of steady-state migration. Distal migration (called `subsidence' in this paper) of up to 0.1 mm was measured; however the variability in absolute prosthesis migration was very high despite efforts to ensure that all extraneous factors were minimised. In the majority of cases, the prostheses migrated medially, distally and anteriorly. The absolute subsidence, and its variability, were similar to that recorded clinically. Conclusions . A method has been designed and tested which measures prosthesis migration in an experimental test. It provides a basis for a pre-clinical testing standard. Relevance Hip prostheses need to be tested experimentally before implantation. However, no reliable test exists for such experimental tests. Rapid migration of a cemented prosthesis relative to bone has been shown in vivo to correlate with early failure, and in this paper a method to make such migration measurements in vitro is described and tested.