cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Space Geodesy and Climate Change Studies Using COSMIC Mission

Abstract This study provides a preliminary assessment of the potential contribution of COSMIC to space geodesy and climate change studies. COSMIC is a 6-satellite constellation and a joint Taiwan-US (NSPO/UCAR) mission to be launched in 2005 with a 5-year mission life time, for research in climate change, meteorology, space weather, and space geodesy. This study complements earlier analyses conducted by Chao et al. [2000a, 2000b] on COSMIC's contribution to gravity field improvement and geodetic applications. It is anticipated that COSMIC will improve the current knowledge of surface pressure fields with an accuracy of 1 hPa and temporal resolution of several hours over a spatial resolution of a few hundred km, especially over Southern Ocean and the Antarctica continent pole-ward up to 72°S latitude (COSMIC inclination coverage). It is not clear that COSMIC would significantly contribute to secular gravity observations. However, COSMIC is anticipated to improve estimates of the seasonal and annual time-variable gravity observations with finer temporal and spatial resolutions due primarily to its 6-satellite constellation and its orbital inclination at 72°. The use of COSMIC data together with GRACE and GOCE data will allow improved separation of atmospheric effect from the observed time-variable gravity signals of oceanic, hydrological and glaciology origin, and will improve the accuracy of long-wavelength time-variable gravity field observations.
Detection of risk factors for coronary artery disease in children: Semmelweis revisited?

Readers may remember Holtzman9s commentary "Hyperlipidemia Screening: A Search for Heffalumps" in the August 1979 issue (Pediatrics 64:270, 1979). Dr Holtzman questioned whether the data supported attempts by pediatricians to screen for and prevent coronary artery disease, except in those with a very strong family history. He questioned "... whether those at risk will benefit from learning of the high probability that they will develop coronary disease or from diet modification...." Dr Glueck, supported by some of our reviewers, took exception at this point and wrote the commentary which follows. We gave Dr Holtzman an opportunity to respond, and his second commentary follows that of Glueck.
Exasperations as blessings: Meaning-making and the caregiving experience.

This study examines the process of how caregivers can shape the frustrations and exasperations of caring for a family member with Alzheimer's disease into blessings. Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenological perspective is used to interpret a caregiver's narrative, in which she describes caring for her husband with Alzheimer's disease. The interpretive analysis focuses specifically on how the caregiver finds meaning in the caregiving process. The analysis reveals that the caregiver constructs meaning by emphasizing particular aspects of her experiences, including cherished memories, creating a happy life by living life intensely, and counting her blessings. While some caregivers naturally find such meaning, this study suggests that reading the narratives of others as well as writing about one's own thoughts and feelings can facilitate this meaning-making process. Structured written emotional expression, in particular, fosters meaning-making, diminishes psychological distress, improves immune function, and promotes health and well-being.
Sedimentation in Chinese Aesthetics and Epistemology: A Buddhist Expansion of Confucian Philosophy

Li Zehou's theory of sedimentation seeks to explain the uniqueness of the human species through its use of tools, both physical and cognitive, leading to cultures grounded in aesthetic taste and the prospect of suprabiological beings. However, the very sedimentation that constructs human culture can stagnate into obstructing sediment. Buddhist philosophy offers an epistemology of desedimentation that avoids attachment to cultural sediment without summarily rejecting its potential usefulness. More specifically, Buddhist “wisdom embracing all species” allows us to recognize our interconnection (pratītya-samutpāda) with nature by transcending anthropocentrism, and opening more effective strategies for dealing with ecological challenges.
Pathologic evaluation of sentinel lymph nodes in colorectal carcinoma.

Abstract Background.—The identification of lymph node metastases in colorectal resection specimens is necessary for accurate tumor staging. However, routine lymph node dissection by the pathologist yields only a subset of nodes removed surgically and may not include those nodes most directly in the path of lymphatic drainage from the tumor. Intraoperative mapping of such sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) has been reported in cases of melanoma and breast cancer. We applied a similar method to cases of colorectal carcinoma, with emphasis on the pathology of the SLNs. Methods.—Eighty-three consecutive patients with colorectal carcinoma were evaluated after intraoperative injection of 1 to 2 mL of 1% isosulfan blue dye (Lymphazurin) into the peritumoral subserosa. Blue-stained lymph nodes were suture-tagged by the surgeon within minutes of the injection for identification by the pathologist, and a standard resection was performed. Designated SLNs were sectioned at 10 levels through the block; a cytokeratin immunost...
Effects of Craniofacial Birth Defects on Maternal Functioning Postinfancy

This study examined the relationships between children with craniofacial anomalies (cleft lip and palate, cleft palate only, and sagittal synostosis) and their mothers during late infancy and toddlerhood in an effort to identify early factors leading to the psychosocial problems that have been observed in this population of children at school age. Dyadic interaction was observed in play and teaching situations. Maternal self-reports of psychological/emotional status and the quality of relationships with spouse and others were gathered. As compared with mothers of healthy children matched for age and SES, mothers of children with craniofacial anomalies reported higher levels of stress, lower evaluations of self-competence, and a higher degree of marital conflict. The observational measures revealed no group differences in maternal response to the child or in the behavior and responsiveness of the children themselves. The implications of these findings for longitudinal research with children with craniofacial birth defects are discussed.
Facial expression recognition with regional hidden Markov models

A regional hidden Markov model (RHMM) for automatic facial expression recognition in video sequences is proposed. Facial action units are described by RHMMs for the states of facial regions: eyebrows, eyes and mouth registered in a video. The tracked facial feature points in the spatial domain form observation sequences that drive the classification process. It is shown that the proposed technique outperforms other methods reported in the literature for the person-independent case tested with the extended Cohn-Kanade database.
Systems analysis of the transcriptional response of human ileocecal epithelial cells to Clostridium difficile toxins and effects on cell cycle control

Toxins A and B (TcdA and TcdB) are Clostridium difficile's principal virulence factors, yet the pathways by which they lead to inflammation and severe diarrhea remain unclear. Also, the relative role of either toxin during infection and the differences in their effects across cell lines is still poorly understood. To better understand their effects in a susceptible cell line, we analyzed the transciptome-wide gene expression response of human ileocecal epithelial cells (HCT-8) after 2, 6, and 24 hr of toxin exposure. We show that toxins elicit very similar changes in the gene expression of HCT-8 cells, with the TcdB response occurring sooner. The high similarity suggests differences between toxins are due to events beyond transcription of a single cell-type and that their relative potencies during infection may depend on differential effects across cell types within the intestine. We next performed an enrichment analysis to determine biological functions associated with changes in transcription. Differentially expressed genes were associated with response to external stimuli and apoptotic mechanisms and, at 24 hr, were predominately associated with cell-cycle control and DNA replication. To validate our systems approach, we subsequently verified a novel G1/S and known G2/M cell-cycle block and increased apoptosis as predicted from our enrichment analysis. This study shows a successful example of a workflow deriving novel biological insight from transcriptome-wide gene expression. Importantly, we do not find any significant difference between TcdA and TcdB besides potency or kinetics. The role of each toxin in the inhibition of cell growth and proliferation, an important function of cells in the intestinal epithelium, is characterized.
ZINC IN CARDIAC SURGERY

Six patients undergoing major thoracic surgical procedures were studied as controls for 28 patients who required cardiopulmonary bypass. The six thoracic surgical patients had either colon interposition or lobectomy. The pat,ients requiring cardiopulmonary bypass had various types of cardiac lesions repaired by procedures such as aortocoronary bypass, aortic and mitral valve replacement, ascending and arch aneurysmectomy, closure of atria1 septal defect, and correction of a t,et,ralogy of Fallot. Ages ranged from 20 to 60 years. Each patient had preoperative plasma zinc and magnesium concentration, serum sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide, calcium, phosphorus and proteins measured as well as arterial blood pH, POz, and PC02. All patients had the above determinat,ions measured every 15 minutes during surgery, hourly in the recovery room, and then daily for two days. Pump prime was also measured for all of the above. Twenty-four-hour urines were done on
Effect of Chemotherapeutic Agents upon Microorganisms Isolated from Cancer Patients

Attempting to explain the predominance of Pseudomonas in leukemic patients, five of the most common gram-negative organisms isolated from sites of infection in cancer patients were exposed to several of the chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of this disease (methotrexate, cytosine arabinoside, cyclophosphamide, and 6-mercaptopurine). At concentrations of 125 mug/ml or higher, methotrexate inhibited all organisms except Pseudomonas. Cytosine arabinoside inhibited Escherichia and Klebsiella but appeared to stimulate the growth of Pseudomonas slightly at the higher concentrations. Thus, significant differences existed in individual susceptibilities to these agents. Clinical isolates were more resistant than the corresponding laboratory strains not previously exposed to these compounds. The resistance of Escherichia coli to cyclophosphamide was decreased 26% when it was grown in mixed culture with Pseudomonas. Only Pseudomonas was resistant to all of these compounds whether in pure or mixed culture. These observations may help to explain, in part, the predominant role that Pseudomonas plays as an infectious agent in leukemic patients.
Dysregulation of the mesolimbic dopamine system and reward in MCH-/- mice

Background The hypothalamic neuropeptide melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) plays a critical role in energy homeostasis. Abundant expression of the MCH receptor is observed outside the hypothalamus, especially in the dorsal and the ventral striatum, raising the possibility that MCH modulates the function of the midbrain dopamine neurons and associated circuitry. Methods The MCH receptor 1 (MCHR1) expression was assessed by in situ hybridization. Expression of dopamine transporter (DAT) and the dopamine D1 and D2 receptor (D1R and D2R) subtypes in the caudate-putamen (CPu) and the nucleus accumbens (Acb) was evaluated by immunoblotting. Amperometry in ex vivo slices of the Acb was used to measure evoked-dopamine release in MCH −/ − mice. Catalepsy in MCH +/+ and MCH −/− mice was assessed by the bar test after haloperidol injection. Locomotor activity was measured after acute and chronic treatment with amphetamine and after dopamine reuptake inhibitor GBR 12909 administration. Results The psychostimulant amphetamine caused enhanced behavioral sensitization in MCH −/− mice. We found significantly elevated expression of the DAT in the Acb of MCH −/− mice. The DAT-mediated uptake of dopamine was also enhanced in MCH −/− mice consistent with increased expression of DAT. We also found that evoked dopamine release is significantly increased in the Acb shell of MCH −/− mice. The GBR 12909 administration increased the locomotor activity of MCH −/− mice significantly above that of MCH +/+ mice. Conclusions These results demonstrate that MCH, in addition to its known role in feeding and weight regulation, plays a critical role in regulating Acb dopamine signaling and related behavioral responses.
Factors affecting property tax reliance: Additional evidence

This paper contributes to the understanding of the variation in property tax reliance. Factors thought to underlie the relative use of property taxes in financing local public services are examined. Because of the importance of external debt and tax limits in determining both tax policies and local government organization, particular attention is paid to local government structure and the impact on tax composition. An index from the industrial organization literature is used to study the effects of local government fragmentation. The empirical results are consistent with expectations and indicate that external tax limits may increase property tax reliance by providing incentives to change the structure of local government.
Definition of a third VLR gene in hagfish

Jawless vertebrates (cyclostomes) have an alternative adaptive immune system in which lymphocytes somatically diversify their variable lymphocyte receptors (VLR) through recombinatorial use of leucine-rich repeat cassettes during VLR gene assembly. Three types of these anticipatory receptors in lampreys (VLRA, VLRB, and VLRC) are expressed by separate lymphocyte lineages. However, only two VLR genes (VLRA and VLRB) have been found in hagfish. Here we have identified a third hagfish VLR, which undergoes somatic assembly to generate sufficient diversity to encode a large repertoire of anticipatory receptors. Sequence analysis, structural comparison, and phylogenetic analysis indicate that the unique hagfish VLR is the counterpart of lamprey VLRA and the previously identified hagfish “VLRA” is the lamprey VLRC counterpart. The demonstration of three orthologous VLR genes in both lampreys and hagfish suggests that this anticipatory receptor system evolved in a common ancestor of the two cyclostome lineages around 480 Mya.
Role of Helicobacter pylori infection on nutrition and metabolism

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram-negative pathogen that is widespread all over the world, infecting more than 50% of the world's population. It is etiologically associated with non-atrophic and atrophic gastritis, peptic ulcer and shows a deep association with primary gastric B-cell lymphoma and gastric adenocarcinoma. Recently, the medical research focused on the modification of the gastric environment induced by H. pylori infection, possibly affecting the absorption of nutrients and drugs as well as the production of hormones strongly implicated in the regulation of appetite and growth. Interestingly, the absorption of iron and vitamin B12 is impaired by H. pylori infection, while infected subjects have lower basal and fasting serum levels of ghrelin and higher concentration of leptin compared to controls. Since leptin is an anorexigenic hormone, and ghrelin stimulates powerfully the release of growth hormone in humans, H. pylori infection may finally induce growth retardation if acquired very early in the childhood and in malnourished children. This review is focused on the nutritional effects of H. pylori infection, such as the reduced bioavailability or the malabsorbption of essential nutrients, and of gastrointestinal hormones, as well as on the relationship between H. pylori and the metabolic syndrome.
Use of Exopolysaccharide-Producing Cultures to Improve the Functionality of Low Fat Cheese

Abstract Lactic acid bacteria may produce exopolysaccharide (EPS) that is tightly associated with the bacterial cell wall (capsular EPS) or liberated into the growth medium (ropy EPS). Because EPS have viscosity enhancing and stabilizing properties, exopolysaccharide-producing (EPS + ) starter cultures are commonly used to enhance water binding and viscosity in yogurt and fermented milks. Previous work has shown that low fat Mozzarella cheese manufactured with an EPS + starter pair, Streptococcus thermophilus MR-1C and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus MR-1R, contained significantly more moisture and had better melt properties than cheese made with a control starter pair. Genetic studies demonstrated that this effect was due to the MR-1C capsular EPS, and industrial cheese trials confirmed that MR-1C can effect a 1.5% moisture increase in part-skim Mozzarella. Because EPS accumulation in cheese whey may retard whey protein concentration and drying efficiency, the effect of capsular and ropy S. thermophilus starter bacteria on Mozzarella cheese and whey was also compared. Moisture and melt properties were improved in cheeses made with either EPS + S. thermophilus , but 5× concentrated whey from the ropy S. thermophilus was significantly more viscous than concentrated wheys from capsule-producing or non-EPS-producing S. thermophilus . These data indicate that encapsulated, but not ropy, EPS + S. thermophilus can be used to increase moisture content and improve melt in Mozzarella cheese, without deleteriously affecting whey viscosity.
Automatic off‐resonance correction in spiral imaging with piecewise linear autofocus

Off-resonance generates blurring artifacts in spiral images. Applications that often utilize spiral trajectories, such as fine-resolution imaging and rapid scanning, typically preclude the measurement of accurate field maps needed for effective off-resonance correction. Automatic deblurring, or autofocus, algorithms have been developed to estimate the field map directly from the corrupted data prior to off-resonance correction, eliminating the need for field map measurements. These algorithms rely in whole or in part on optimizing an objective function, and suffer from problems related to the accurate minimization and utility of the function. Here, a new method is presented to correct off-resonance blurring automatically without an objective function using a piecewise linear framework. Local linear field maps are estimated with a combination of k-space spectral analysis and mapdrift, an image feature-based correlation technique, for subsequent piecewise linear deblurring. This approach enables field map estimation without optimization, provides accurate off-resonance correction, is suitable for low signal-to-noise ratio and fine-resolution applications, and does not require access to the raw data. Deblurred images from fine-resolution spiral scans of a phantom and healthy volunteers at 3T show that the proposed method can be superior to conventional autofocus and comparable to field map-based correction.
Rotation of fluorescent probes localized within lipid bilayer membranes.

Abstract Measurements of the steady state polarization of fluorescence from perylene and 9-vinylanthracene embedded in bilayer membranes were performed as a function of temperature. Similar measurements were made when these probes were dissolved in hydrocarbons as model solvents. The effects of cholesterol and n-alkyl alcohol additions to bilayers and head group variation were also examined. Results were expressed in terms of the average rotation rates of the probes. At 25°C, the calculated rotation rate for perylene in egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles was 275 × 106 sec−1 as compared to 2400 × 106 sec−1 for perylene in n-hexadecane. However, the activation energies for probe rotation in both environments was about 7 kcal/mole suggesting similar rotational diffusion mechanisms. Membrane microviscosity evaluations were performed according to a recently published scheme and an assessment of this method of viscosity estimation was given. The presence of an approximately equimolar amount of cholesterol impeded probe rotation (90 × 106 sec−1 at 25°C) and reduced the activation energy (4.9 kcal/mole) for probe rotation. In contrast, addition of n-alkyl alcohols to the vesicle suspension acted to increase probe rotation rates, an indication of fluidization of the membranes. This is in accord with spin label and cation permeability data for similar membranes. It was concluded that this method of probing can adequately report changes in membrane dynamic structure when these changes occur uniformly over the membrane surface. The interpretation is less clear when structural changes occur only in patches or domains of the membrane thereby producing a non-uniform surface distribution of probes.
Quantitative real-time kinetics of optogenetic proteins CRY2 and CIB1/N using single-molecule tools

In this work we evaluate the interaction of two optogenetic protein variants (CIB1, CIBN) with their complementary protein CRY2 by single-molecule tools in cell-free extracts. After validating the blue light induced co-localization of CRY2 and CIB1/N by Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in live cells, a fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) based method was developed to quantitatively determine the in vitro association of the extracted proteins. Our experiments suggest that CIB1, in comparison with CIBN, possesses a better coupling efficiency with CRY2 due to its intact protein structure and lower diffusion rate within 300 s detection window.
Tracheostomy in preterm infants: current trends.

Objective To study the indications for and outcomes of tracheostomy in a population of preterm infants. Design Retrospective analysis of case records. Setting Two university-affiliated tertiary care children's hospitals. Patients We identified premature infants who required tracheostomies from January 1, 1997, through January 31, 2001. Information on weight, gestational age, comorbid conditions, indication for tracheostomy, and outcomes was collected. Infants were divided by birth weight into group 1 ( Results Group 1 had a higher incidence of patent ductus arteriosus, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular hemorrhage, and retinopathy of prematurity. The incidence of congenital or genetic defects was equal in groups 1 and 2 (11 infants [58%] and 8 infants [57%], respectively). Group 1 had a higher average number of failed extubations (5.17 vs 3.18) and a higher oxygen requirement (48.7% vs 30.3%) compared with group 2. Weight at tracheostomy was essentially equal in groups 1 and 2 (3.6 vs 3.7 kg). Subglottic stenosis and laryngotracheomalacia were equally common findings in groups 1 and 2. The average comorbidity score for group 1 was higher than that for group 2 (6.7 vs 2.8). The most common indication for tracheostomy was ventilatory dependence (n = 24 [73%]), compared with airway obstruction (n = 6 [18%]) and pulmonary toilet (n = 3 [9%]). Overall, 6 patients (18%) had a complication related to the tracheostomy. Conclusions Severity of pulmonary disease was the most significant factor associated with the need for tracheostomy in preterm infants. A tracheostomy can safely be performed in these infants with minimal morbidity.
An experimental investigation of various materials on thrust washer bearing operation

This research experimentally quantifies and maps the behaviour of various thrust washer configurations under various conditions. The bearings are tested at controlled loads and speeds for a governed period of time (up to 14 h) or until failure. The experimental results show that at some loads and speeds the bearing operates with a near full hydrodynamic film and under more harsh conditions it operates in the boundary lubrication regime. The experimental results indicate that coatings enhance performance by decreasing friction and thus decreasing the heat generated. By decreasing the generated heat, the physical mechanisms of thermoelastic instability and thermoviscous distress are less likely to occur. Using bronze will decrease the friction between the bearings, although it may also decrease the life of the bearing. However, using more than one round washer appears to not significantly benefit washer-bearing performance.
Partial Normalization of the Heart Rate Response to Exercise After Cardiac Transplantation: Frequency and Relationship to Exercise Capacity

Objective To determine the frequency of partial normalization of the heart rate response to graded exercise and its relationship to exercise capacity in cardiac transplant recipients. Subjects and Methods The study subjects were 95 adults (77 men, 18 women) who were available to perform a cardiopulmonary exercise test 1 year after orthotopic cardiac transplantation, which occurred between June 1988 and September 1998. All subjects received standard immunosuppressant medications. At the time of the exercise tests, the mean ± SD age of the subjects was 49±14 years. The mean ± SD resting left ventricular ejection fraction was 62%±8%. All subjects participated in a 6- to 8-week supervised exercise program, starting no later than 1 month after surgery. Subjects were given an exercise prescription for independent exercise training after finishing the supervised program. Self-reported weekly exercise training had a median value of 90 minutes (interquartile range, 0-210 minutes). Symptom-limited graded exercise was performed on a treadmill, with breath-by-breath analysis of expired air. Results For the entire cohort, peak exercise oxygen uptake was 19.9±4.8 mL · kg −1 · min −1 (61%±15% of age and sex predicted). Thirty-two subjects (34%) had a partially normalized heart rate response to graded exercise. The frequency was similar for men (25/77 [33%]) and for women (7/18 [39%]) and was independent of recipient or donor age. Peak exercise heart rate (147±18 vs 134±21 beats/min; P =.008) and heart rate reserve (46±15 vs 33±15 beats/min; P −1 · min −1 ; P =.22). Submaximal exercise oxygen uptake during the first few minutes of exercise was also not affected by normalization of the heart rate response. Conclusion At 1 year after cardiac transplantation, approximately one third of subjects had partial normalization of the heart rate response to graded exercise. However, a higher peak exercise heart rate and a larger heart rate reserve did not result in better aerobic exercise capacity.
Second-Generation Prisoners: Adjustment Patterns for Inmates With a History of Parental Incarceration

The authors investigated whether prisoners who had a parent in prison, “second-generation prisoners,” had poorer rates of adjustment compared to those inmates who did not report a history of parental incarceration. Among a sample of 459 men and women in prison, approximately half reported having had a parent in prison or jail. There was considerable self-reported childhood adversity within the entire sample, with relatively higher levels reported by the second-generation prisoner group. Second-generation prisoners self-reported more anger and prison violence and demonstrated a greater presence of institutional rule breaking in comparison to first-generation prisoners. Results were maintained after statistical control for the high rates of adversities in childhood. Post hoc analysis revealed differences on adjustment variables between first-generation prisoners and individuals with a mother incarcerated or with both parents incarcerated, suggesting the pronounced impact of maternal incarceration on long-te...
Cadmium, lead, and zinc in reclaimed phosphate mine waste dumps in Idaho.

Phosphate ore mined in southeastern Idaho contains significantly high levels of certain trace elements such as cadmium and zinc. The average concentrations of cadmium and zinc in the ore are 90 and 250 ppM, respectively. The actual levels of trace elements in the reclaimed waste dumps and their effects on the environment are not known. This study was designed to investigate the distribution of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the soil and in vegetation grown on the reclaimed phosphate waste dumps.
The Impact of Taxation on the Currency-of-Denomination Decision for Long-Term Foreign Borrowing and Lending

This paper shows the distorting effects of different tax regulations on the effective absolute and relative costs of long-term borrowing in different currencies. In particular, if expected borrowing costs are equal before tax, then the process of minimizing expected after-tax borrowing costs generally involves borrowing the weakest currency.
Teratoma in the Orchiectomy Specimen and Volume of Metastasis are Predictors of Retroperitoneal Teratoma in Post-Chemotherapy Nonseminomatous Testis Cancer

ABSTRACTPurpose: Patients who require post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection after induction chemotherapy for metastatic testis cancer derive therapeutic benefit from resection of teratoma but resection of necrosis is not beneficial. We determine if the absence of teratoma in the orchiectomy specimen is a reliable predictor of the absence of teratoma in the retroperitoneum at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of the Indiana University testis cancer data base was performed. A total of 644 patients who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection after induction chemotherapy only were selected for study. The presence or absence of teratoma in the orchiectomy specimen and volume of retroperitoneal tumor were analyzed as predictors of retroperitoneal teratoma at post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.Results: Of the patients with teratoma in the orchiectomy specimen 85.6% had an element of teratoma in the ...
Increased PKC activity in cultured human keratinocytes and fibroblasts after treatment with 1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3

1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (10−12 M to 10−8 M) caused a dose dependent increase in PKC activity in the solubilized membrane fractions of cultured human keratinocytes and in the cytosolic fractions of cultured human fibroblasts. Maximum activity was induced by 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 at 24 h. Sphingosine, which is believed to inhibit PKC mediated biological responses, blunted 1α,25(OH)2D3′s inducement of PKC activity in both keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Identical hormone treatment of vitamin D receptor deficient fibroblasts did not increase PKC activity. Treatment of keratinocytes and fibroblasts with 1β,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, which is believed to be ineffective in inducing genomic responses, did not induce PKC activity.
THE MOLECULAR BASIS FOR INHIBITION OF ADIPOSE CONVERSION OF MURINE 3T3-L1 CELLS BY RETINOIC ACID

The effect of retinoic acid (RA) on the adipose conversion of 3T3 cells has been studied. Differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells was initiated by addition of 0.5 mM methylisobutylxanthine, 0.3 microM dexamethasone and 10 micrograms/ml insulin (MDI) to confluent monolayers of preadipocytes for 48 h. During this time, the cells underwent DNA replication and cell division prior to the expression of adipose specific genes. RA administration had no apparent effect on the rate or extent of cell growth, cell division, or DNA replication. However, RA treatment concomitant with MDI addition inhibited triacylglycerol accumulation (I0.5 = 6 nM) and the accumulation of the differentiation-dependent mRNAs encoding the adipocyte lipid-binding protein (ALBP) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1). No inhibition occurred with RA addition either prior to or after MDI treatment. Runoff transcription revealed that the inhibitory effects of RA occurred at the level of transcription and were persistent. Cells treated with RA during the MDI regimen did not appreciably transcribe ALBP or SCD1 mRNAs several days following RA withdrawal. The effects of RA were specific for differentiation-dependent transcripts: 10(-6) M RA did not inhibit expression of the mRNAs encoding beta-tubulin or glutamine synthase. Examination of immediate-early transcription factor expression during the MDI regimen revealed that RA mediated an elevated, prolonged expression of c-Jun mRNA accompanied by diminished expression of c-Fos and Jun-B mRNAs. Given the previously demonstrated role of transcription factor AP-1 in ALBP gene expression, our results suggest that the initiation of expression of this and other adipocyte-specific genes during adipose conversion is regulated by the relative composition of transcription factor AP-1.
Formation of Highly Reactive γ-Ketoaldehydes (Neuroketals) as Products of the Neuroprostane Pathway

Neuroprostanes are prostaglandin-like compounds produced by free radical-induced peroxidation of docosahexaenoic acid, which is highly enriched in the brain. We previously described the formation of highly reactive γ-ketoaldehydes (isoketals) as products of the isoprostane pathway of free radical-induced peroxidation of arachidonic acid. We therefore explored whether isoketal-like compounds (neuroketals) are also formed via the neuroprostane pathway. Utilizing mass spectrometric analyses, neuroketals were found to be formed in abundance in vitroduring oxidation of docosahexaenoic acid and were formed in greater abundance than isoketals during co-oxidation of docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid. Neuroketals were shown to rapidly adduct to lysine, forming lactam and Schiff base adducts. Neuroketal lysyl-lactam protein adducts were detected in nonoxidized rat brain synaptosomes at a level of 0.09 ng/mg of protein, which increased 19-fold following oxidationin vitro. Neuroketal lysyl-lactam protein adducts were also detected in vivo in normal human brain at a level of 9.9 ± 3.7 ng/g of brain tissue. These studies identify a new class of highly reactive molecules that may participate in the formation of protein adducts and protein-protein cross-links in neurodegenerative diseases and contribute to the injurious effects of other oxidative pathologies in the brain.
Elevated Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 Abundance Contributes to Increased Angiogenesis in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1–Deficient Mice

Background—Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1/Flt-1) is a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases, but its role in angiogenesis remains controversial. Whereas germline Vegfr-1−/− embryos die of abnormal vascular development in association with excessive endothelial differentiation, mice lacking only the kinase domain appear healthy. Methods and Results—We performed Cre-loxP–mediated knockout to abrogate the expression of all known VEGFR-1 functional domains in neonatal and adult mice and analyzed developmental, pathophysiological, and molecular consequences. VEGFR-1 deficiency promoted tip cell formation and endothelial cell proliferation and facilitated angiogenesis of blood vessels that matured and perfused properly. Vascular permeability was normal at the basal level but elevated in response to high doses of exogenous VEGF-A. In the postinfarct ischemic cardiomyopathy model, VEGFR-1 deficiency supported robust angiogenesis and protected against myocardial infarction...
Reply to “testing restrictions on cointegrating vectors: A comment”

In a comment on an earlier paper, Khadaroo argues that we reported inflated p -values by using Johansen's H 5 test instead of his H 6 test. This reply argues that our results showing evidence of a stable money demand vector and efficiency gains from a full system estimation still exist with corrected p -values. We further show, using Monte Carlo methods, that identifying a multivector-cointegrated system is challenging under the best of circumstances. We demonstrate that it is often the case that testing must be done on single vectors prior to attempting to establish their existence in a joint test.
Predictive Force Modeling in MQL (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) Grinding

Using grinding fluid is the most common strategy to generate cooling and lubrication during the grinding process. However, economic and environmental drawbacks have been noticed for conventional flood cooling. MQL, which is to apply minimum amount of lubricant directly into the contact zone, is an alternative to deal with those concerns. In order to advance the MQL technique into practical manufacturing situations, understanding of the process and evaluation of the performance is necessary. This paper presents the predictive modeling of MQL grinding force through considerations of boundary lubrication condition, single grit interaction, wheel topography, material properties, and dynamic effects. The friction coefficient was first calculated based on boundary lubrication theory. Subsequently, the single grit interaction is studied considering both chip formation and ploughing mechanisms. Then the undeformed chip thickness distribution and dynamic grit density has been calculated for extrapolating the single grit interaction to the whole wheel. Finally, the predicted tangential and normal forces were presented and compared to surface grinding experiment data.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Towards Quantum Simulation with Neutral Atoms in Optical Lattices

A key approach to initializing a neutral atom quantum computer is the superfluid to Mott-insulating quantum phase transition. This paper elucidates the wedding cake structure when Bosonic atoms are in a harmonically confined optical lattice.
The effect of kappa opioid receptor antagonism on energy expenditure in the obese Zucker rat.

Food intake and, subsequently, body weight are influenced by endogenous opioids acting in the central nervous system. Agonists for the opioid receptor increase food intake, whereas antagonists redu...
Optimal procedures for the installation of a unit subject to stochastic failures

Suppose we have a unit which we observe at discrete periods of time, and which at any given moment may be in one of three possible states, 0, 1, or 2, where 0 is the “failed” state, 1 is the “turned-off” state, and 2 is the “good” state. If a unit is in state 0 then we may decide to either leave it alone or to replace it with a new unit; and in the latter case the replacement will take a time X, where, in general, X will be a random variable. A unit which is in state 2 may be “turned off” (which we assume to be instantaneous), and this transforms a unit from state 2 to state 1. On the other hand, a unit in state 2 may be allowed to “run,” and in this case it has probability /I”-l( 1 ,LI) of surviving K time periods. Finally, if a unit is in state 1 we may either leave it in state 1 or we may “restart” the unit which we assume takes one period of time. At the end of this restart time we shall find the unit in state 2 with probability 01 or in state 0 with probability 1 cy. Successive “restarts” are to be independent Bernoulli trials with probability OL for success. Successive replacements X1 , Xs , . . . and successive failures are to be independent random variables, and the Xi are to have the common distribution
N-ion irradiation studies of VN thin films

Thin films of VN have been formed by reacting films of vanadium metal, which were previously prepared by e-beam evaporation, with N 2 gas. The superconducting transition temperature T 2 , the electrical resistivity ϱ, the X-ray diffraction spectra, and the temperature dependent upper critical field H c2 of these films were studied as a function of nitrogen ion irradiation. T c is found to decrease exponentially with incident ion fluence to a total change of 42%, while the residual resistivity increases, both saturating at about the same fluence. This exponential behavior is derived from a simple defect production and annealing model. H c2 is found to fit WHH theory at all ion doses, with a maximum H c2 (0) at 4 × 10 14 N-ions/cm 2 . The electronic heat capacity coefficient γ * , calculated from the slope of H c2 at T c , is observed to be correlated with T c ; therefore, γ * also decreases with fluence.
Computational study of local and global ECM degradation and the effects on cell speed and cell–matrix tractions

a b s t r a c t Cell migration is important to biological processes such as wound healing and cancer invasion. Cell movement involves forming bonds between cell surface receptors and ligands present in the extracellular matrix (ECM) in order to generate the necessary forces on the matrix. For three-dimensional cell migration, partial degradation of the adjacent ECM using matrix metalloproteinases is necessary to create a passage with less motion resistance. Our mathematical model takes into consideration cell-ECM tractions needed to drive cell movement, viscous drag forces, and a transient matrix degradation process. Simulations were performed for global and highly localized matrix degradation processes, where the latter occurred at the cell-ECM interface. It was observed that the higher the speed of the cell boundary, the higher the matrix concentration after localized degradation. The results showed that a greater ECM degradation coefficient was needed for optimal cell migration to occur for the local process and that cell-ECM tractions were larger. The results from this investigation complement those obtained by other studies where it has been shown that cell speed is a biphasic function of ligand and matrix metalloproteinase concentration, and would also be of use for research on wound healing, cancer cell invasion, and tissue engineering.
Strategy-Proof Allocation Mechanisms at Differentiable Points

Consider allocation mechanisms that are single valued and where each agent's strategy space is a set of a priori admissible utility functions. Such an allocation mechanism is strategy-proof if, for each agent, faithfully reporting his true utility function is a dominant strategy. The purpose of this paper is to characterize for the restricted domains associated with economic environments strategy-proof allocation mechanisms at points at which they are differentiable with respect to agents' preferences. Our concern with classical economic environments dictates a framework in which (a) the set of attainable alternatives is a subset of a i-dimensional Euclidean space, (b) the domain of admissible preference n -tuples is restricted (utility functions may be required to satisfy such properties as continuity, monotonicity, and quasiconcavity), and (c) the standard representations of economies are admissible; in particular, the analysis applies to economies with and without production, with and without public goods, and with and without externalities. Indeed, our goal has been to provide a result on strategy-proofness that is as basic for allocation mechanisms within economic environments as the Gibbard-Satterthwaite Theorem (Gibbard 1973 and Satterthwaite 1975) is for voting procedures with unrestric
A CREB1–TGFβ2 Self-Sustaining Loop in Glioblastoma

Summary: A subset of glioblastomas (GBM) has high levels of TGFβ signaling, and anti-TGFβ therapies are being pursued as treatments for GBM. The work presented here identifies CREB1 as a potential biomarker for TGFβ-dependent GBM. CREB1 integrates signaling from TGFβ and the PI3K pathway and nucleates a self-sustaining signaling loop that maintains TGFβ2 expression in GBM with high CREB1 levels. Cancer Discov; 4(10); 1123–5. ©2014 AACR . See related article by Rodon et al., p. 1230
Three-dimensional nuclear analysis of the final optics of a laser driven fusion power plant

Abstract The High Average Power Laser (HAPL) power plant has targets that are directly driven by forty KrF laser beams. The final optics system includes a grazing incidence metallic mirror (GIMM) located at 24 m from the target. Several options were considered for the substrate material. We performed three-dimensional (3-D) neutronics calculations to assess the impact of the GIMM design options on the nuclear environment at the dielectric focusing and turning mirrors. We used the recently developed MCNPX-CGM Monte Carlo code that allows performing the neutronics calculations directly in the exact CAD model. Neutron traps are used behind the mirrors to reduce radiation streaming. The results indicate that material choice, density, and thickness for the GIMM impact the nuclear environment at all mirrors. The neutron flux and nuclear heating at the dielectric mirrors are a factor of ∼1.6 higher when AlBeMet is used instead of SiC as substrate in the GIMM. The fast neutron flux decreases by about three orders of magnitude as one moves from the GIMM to the focusing mirror with an additional two orders of magnitude attenuation at the turning mirror accompanied with significant spectrum softening.
Reduction of Cr(VI) by soil humic acids

The rate of hexavalent chromium reduction by a soil humic acid (SHA) was investigated in aqueous solutions where concentrations of Cr(VI), H + , and SHA were independently varied. Rate experiments were done with a large excess of SHA over Cr(VI). Rates of reduction depend strongly on [H + ], increasing with decreasing pH. Typical Cr(VI)-SHA reactions display a nonlinear reduction of Cr(VI) with time that cannot be modelled with simple first- or second-order rate equations. An empirical rate equation is developed for Cr(VI)-soil humic acid reactions over a range of experimental conditions. The model is in part based on a reactive continuum concept developed for soil fulvic acids. The rate equation describing Cr(VI) reduction by SHA is: R =-(k 0 +k[H+]1/2)[HCr0 4 - ] l/2 X e -1 where k o is (8.3 ±1.2)x10 -12 , s- 1 , k is (2.04± 0.05) x10 -9 1 1/2 mol -1/2 s -1 , and X e is the equivalent fraction of SHA oxidized. The rate equation adequately models Cr(VI) reduction in an experiment with [Cr(VI)] o four times greater than the maximum concentration used in its derivation. Cr(VI) reduction at pH 3 by two other SHAs can also be modelled using the rate equation. The difference between the rate coefficients for the humic acid and the fulvic acid from the same soil was greater than the difference in the rate coefficients for humic acids from different soils.
Comparison of the predicted structure for the activated form of the P21 protein with the X-ray crystal structure.

The predicted conformation and position of the central transforming region (residues 55–67) of the p21 protein are compared with the conformation and position of this segment in a recently determined X-ray crystal structure of residues 1–166 of this protein in the activated state bound to a nonhydrolyzable GTP derivative. We previously predicted that this segment of the protein would adopt a roughly extended conformation from Ile 55-Thr 58, a reverse turn at Ala 59-Gln 61, followed by an α-helix from Glu 62-Met 67. We further predicted that this region of the activated protein occupies a position that is virtually identical to corresponding regions in the homologous purine nucleotide-binding proteins, bacterial elongation factor (EF-tu), and adenylate kinase (ADK). We find that there is a close correspondence between the conformation and position of our predicted structure and those found in the X-ray crystal structure. A mechanism for activation of the protein is proposed and is corroborated by X-ray crystallographic data.
Defective Fas-Mediated Apoptosis in AIDS-associated Lymphomas: A Lack of Correlation with CD95(Fas) Expression 749

Defective Fas-Mediated Apoptosis in AIDS-associated Lymphomas: A Lack of Correlation with CD95(Fas) Expression 749
Nutritional adequacy of reported intake of edentulous subjects treated with new conventional or implant-supported mandibular dentures

The nutrient content of the diet of edentulous patients who have various oral prostheses is of concern. This study compared baseline food records to those records kept semiannually for 3 years after treatment to ascertain whether nutrient intake of edentulous patients changed after they received new implant-supported mandibular dentures ( n =41) or new conventional dentures ( n =30). No significant differences in intake of calories or of 27 nutrients were noted between the two groups ( p >0.01). A decline in the percent of calories from fat with a corresponding increase in carbohydrate calories within both groups ( p p 6 and/or magnesium. Intakes were similar to those reported for two age-matched populations.