cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of diabetes and osteoarthritis on the occurrence of stroke, acute myocardial infarction, and heart failure among older adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Hawaii: a retrospective observational cohort study.

To date, little is known about cardiovascular disease risks among older adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation by their association with diabetes and osteoarthritis status, based on longitudinal data with substantial amounts of non-white individuals. The objective of this study was to examine the risks for three cardiovascular diseases: stroke, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and heart failure (HF), by diabetes and osteoarthritis status among older adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Hawaii. We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study for older adults (65 years and older) with non-valvular atrial fibrillation using the Hawaii Medicare data 2009–2017. Their risks for the three cardiovascular diseases by diabetes and osteoarthritis status (diabetes, osteoarthritis, diabetes and osteoarthritis, and without diabetes and osteoarthritis) were examined by multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models. The analysis included 19,588 beneficiaries followed up for a maximum of 3288 days (diabetes: n = 4659, osteoarthritis: n = 1978, diabetes and osteoarthritis: n = 1230, without diabetes and osteoarthritis: n = 11,721). Among them, those diagnosed with the cardiovascular diseases were identified (stroke: diabetes n = 837, osteoarthritis n = 315, diabetes and osteoarthritis n = 184, without diabetes and osteoarthritis n = 1630)(AMI: diabetes n = 438, osteoarthritis n = 128, diabetes and osteoarthritis n = 118, without diabetes and osteoarthritis n = 603)(HF: diabetes n = 2254, osteoarthritis n = 764, diabetes and osteoarthritis n = 581, without diabetes and osteoarthritis n = 4272). After adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and other potential confounders, those with diabetes and osteoarthritis had higher risks for HF (hazard ratio: 1.21 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.33) than those without diabetes and osteoarthritis. They also had higher risks than those with osteoarthritis for HF. Those with diabetes had higher risks for all three cardiovascular diseases than the other three groups. Variation in cardiovascular disease risks for older adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Hawaii exists with diabetes and osteoarthritis status.
Terahertz spectra of 3D printed photonic structures

THz photonic structures composed of dielectric rods were realized by low-cost, rapid, and versatile 3D-printing technology. THz time-domain spectroscopy was employed for the experimental study of the structures' optical response. Results were interpreted by using simulations performed by an analytical exact solution of the Maxwell equations for a general incidence geometry. The structures show specific spectral forbidden bands of the incident THz radiation, depending on their optical and geometrical parameters. The effect of the position disorder was also quantified.
Colon cancer screening, lifestyle, and risk of colon cancer.

Objectives: Sigmoidoscopy screening and fecal occult blood (FOB) tests have been demonstrated as effective ways to reduce mortality from colorectal cancer. However, most studies of colorectal cancer screening and cancer mortality have not taken into consideration lifestyle factors that could account for the observed associations. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between screening and incidence of colon cancer, taking into consideration important lifestyle factors.
Dynamic Analysis of a Two-Stage Two-Spool Pressure Control Servovalve

Experimental results for a unique design of a two-spool pressure control valve were reported by Anderson (1984). The first stage is a dynamically stable flapper-nozzle valve for which a mathematical model is already available (Lin and Akers, 1989a). For the second stage, however, which consists of two parallel spools in a common body, no such model existed. The purpose of this paper was therefore to construct such a model and to compare results calculated from it to experimental values. Moderately good agreement with experimental values was obtained.
Peripherally Restricted Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Pain

The use of cannabinoids for the treatment of chronic diseases has increased in the United States, with 23 states having legalized the use of marijuana. Although currently available cannabinoid compounds have shown effectiveness in relieving symptoms associated with numerous diseases, the use of cannabis or cannabinoids is still controversial mostly due to their psychotropic effects (e.g., euphoria, laughter) or central nervous system (CNS)-related undesired effects (e.g., tolerance, dependence). A potential strategy to use cannabinoids for medical conditions without inducing psychotropic or CNS-related undesired effects is to avoid their actions in the CNS. This approach could be beneficial for conditions with prominent peripheral pathophysiologic mechanisms (e.g., painful diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy). In this article, we discuss the scientific evidence to target the peripheral cannabinoid system as an alternative to cannabis use for medical purposes, and we review the available literature to determine the pros and cons of potential strategies that can be used to this end.
I-Xe age and trapped Xe components of the Murray /C-2/ chondrite

A neutron-irradiated bulk sample of the Murray (C-2) carbonaceous chondrite was etched with H2O2 and then divided into colloidal and non-colloidal fractions. The H2O2 treatment removed about 80% of the trapped Xe and greatly increased variations in the Xe-129/Xe-132 ratio measured in stepwise heating. The colloid showed very little excess Xe-129, but the anti-colloid gave a fairly good I-Xe correlation corresponding to formation 3.7 + or - 2.1 m.y. after Bjurbole. Variations in the trapped Xe component were also observed; most notably the 550 C anti-colloid fraction has large deficiencies relative to AVCC at the heavy isotopes.
A spectroscopic study of GaAs homojunction internal photoemission far infrared detectors

Abstract We report a spectroscopic study of absorption and photoconductivity in GaAs homojunction interfacial workfunction internal photoemission (HIWIP) far-infrared (FIR) detectors utilizing molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown multilayer (p+−p−−p+−p−) structures. Strong FIR (50–200 μm) free carrier absorption has been observed and analyzed for a p+ GaAs thin film, revealing the suitability for FIR detection. The basic physical mechanism of free carrier absorption in the HIWIP FIR detectors has been determined to be an acoustic phonon-emission assisted process. A simple recombination model is proposed to account for the bias dependence of the responsivity and the saturation behavior. Using the measured responsivity and dark current data, detectivity (D λ ∗ ) of the FIR detectors has also been estimated.
Numerical Study of an Integral Abutment Bridge Supported on Drilled Shafts

The majority of integral abutment bridges (IABs) in the United States are supported on steel H-piles to provide the flexibility necessary to minimize the attraction of large lateral loads to the foundation and abutment. In Hawaii, steel H-piles have to be imported, corrosion tends to be severe in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the low buckling capacity of steel H-piles in scour-susceptible soils has led to a preference for the use of concrete deep foundations. A drilled shaft-supported IAB was instrumented to study its behavior during and after construction over a 45-month period. This same IAB was studied using the finite-element method (FEM) in both two- (2D) and three dimensional (3D). The 3D FEM yields larger overall pile curvature and moments than 2D because in 3D, the high plasticity soil is able to displace in between the drilled shafts thereby “dragging” the shafts to a more highly curved profile while soil flow is restricted by plane strain beam elements in 2D. Measured drilled shaft axial ...
Identification of multi-zone building thermal interaction model from data

Constructing a model of thermal dynamics of a multi-zone building requires modeling heat conduction through walls as well as convection due to air-flows among the zones. Reduced order models of conduction in terms of RC-networks are well established, while currently the only way to model convection is through CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). This limits convection models to a single zone or a small number of zones in a building. In this paper we present a novel method of identifying a reduced order thermal model of a multi-zone building from measured space temperature data. The method consists of first identifying the underlying network structure, in particular, the paths of convective interaction among zones, which corresponds to edges of a building graph. Convective interaction among a pair of zones is modeled as a RC network, in a manner analogous to conduction models. The second step of the proposed method involves estimating the parameters of the RC network model for the convection edges. The identified convection edges, along with the associated R and C values, are used to augment a thermal dynamics model of a building that is originally constructed to model only conduction. Predictions by the augmented model and the conduction-only model are compared with space temperatures measured in a multi-zone building in the University of Florida campus. The identified model is seen to predict the temperatures more accurately than a conduction-only model.
Why Do Captured Archives Go Home? Restitution Achievements under the Russian Law

The return of captured French archives—not art—ignited debate in the Russian Duma in the spring of 1994, leading to the passage of the 1998 Federal Law “On Cultural Valuables Displaced to the USSR as a Result of the Second World War and Located on the Territory of the Russian Federation.” Yet, a decade since the law was signed, there have been five cases of captured archives from the Second World War returned to Western European countries, as explained in the recent book, Returned from Russia . The aim of this article is to examine major factors involved in the restitution of archives from Russia, and why amid the politics of restitution the return of archives has been more successful than art. The article first successively examines the major factors involved, namely, foreign political pressure; the underlying support of international law, both in specific instruments and historical archival practice; the circumstances and Soviet aims of archival plunder; the present contrast with Soviet political ideology and alignments; the fact that Russian archivists were more willing to return their loot than museum directors; and that archival returns were easier to conform to the 1998 law, because the receiving countries were willing to offer the “compensation” Russian archivists were demanding. Country by country, first in Western Europe starting with France and now Austria and Greece, archives have been going home, but so far only a few symbolic files from Germany have been returned. A final section of the article briefly singles out the captured records from several other countries remaining in Moscow, including many Jewish records, even some representing Holocaust losses.
Thermodynamics and kinetics of methylglyoxal dimer formation: a computational study.

Density functional theory (B3LYP//6-311+G*) calculations including Poisson−Boltzmann implicit solvent were used to study the hydration of glyoxal and subsequent formation of dimeric species in solution. Our calculations show that the dioxolane ring dimer is the thermodynamic sink among all monomers and dimers with varying degrees of hydration. Although fully hydrated species are thermodynamically favored over their less hydrated counterparts, we find that a preliminary dehydration step precedes dimerization and ring closure. Ring closure of the open dimer monohydrate to the dioxolane ring dimer is kinetically favored over both hydration to the open dimer dihydrate and ring closure to form the dioxane ring dimer. The kinetic barriers for different geometric approaches for dimerization suggest an explanation why oligomerization stops after the formation of a dioxolane ring trimer as observed experimentally.
Effects of Participation in the Fifth Dimension on Far Transfer

The Fifth Dimension is a distributed literacy consortium comprised of after-school programs located in Boys and Girls Clubs, YM & YWCAs, recreation centers, and public schools across America, Mexico, Australia, Sweden, and Russia. The Fifth Dimension is also a mixed activity system designed to continue the projection of a second psychology [1] and to instantiate cultural-historical activity theory [2]. At the macro level the Fifth Dimension is a cultural system containing rules, artifacts, divisions of labor, and outcomes that appropriate local Fifth Dimension cultures. The four overarching goals of the Fifth Dimension are: 1) to create sustainable activity systems in different institutional settings that instantiate cultural-historical activity theory, 2) provide contexts for children to master knowledge and skills and acquire practices mediating cognitive and social development, 3) deepen our understanding of how the social and individual create each other, and 4) to provide a context in which undergrad...
Antiphospholipid (Anticardiolipin) Syndrome Leading to Budd-Chiari Syndrome and Anomalous Hepatic Vein Collateral Formation

Most cases demonstrating extrahepatic venous collateral formation are the result of extensions of the portal venous system. This provides an outlet for venous drainage from the congested liver, usually in cases of portal hypertension. The case presented here, in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, and Budd-Chiari syndrome, is a demonstration of extrahepatic venous collateral formation originating from the hepatic veins in the liver. This rare case has features that are easily demonstrated using color and pulsed-wave Doppler sonography.
School board politics, school district size, and the bargaining power of teachers' unions

This paper presents a public choice theory of the bargaining power of teachers’ unions. The theory predicts that the power of the unions rises with the size of a district. The theory is tested by examining the relationship between district size and various bargaining outcomes for a sample of 771 California school districts in 1999–2000. As hypothesized, teachers’ salaries rise and the ratio of teachers per pupil falls with increasing district size. The paper also considers several alternative explanations for these results.
Excitonic mechanism for superconductivity in a quasi-one-dimensional system.

The properties of a one-dimensional electron-exciton model are studied using weak- and strong-coupling perturbation theory, along with Monte Carlo simulations in the intermediate-coupling regime. We focus on the charge-density wave (CDW) and singlet-pairing susceptibilities, and determine their behavior as functions of the parameters in the Hamiltonian. We also discuss the properties of an array of weakly coupled chains. Our conclusions are that for a single chain it is possible, although difficult, to have pairing correlations dominate over CDW correlations. For an array of weakly coupled chains, however, it is highly unlikely that one would obtain a transition to a superconducting state.
Presurgical maxillectomy prosthesis

Abstract The use of the presurgical maxillary prosthesis in patients undergoing maxillectomy procedures for cancer greatly decreases the general morbidity connected with the procedure and aids the patient to adjust both physiologically and psychologically following the operation. Excellent speech quality and oral function can be attained almost universally. The historical, surgical, and prosthetic considerations concerning the presurgical maxillary prosthesis have been discussed, and the treatment of a patient is described to demonstrate the surgical and prosthetic principles involved in the management of cancer of the maxilla.
PR 879-317A enhances in vitro immune activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with down syndrome

Abstract Down syndrome is associated with immune deficiencies which result in increased incidences of respiratory infections and lymphocytic leukemia. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC) from patients with Down Syndrome were assayed in several in vitro assays following incubation in medium or various concentrations of PR 879-317A (2,3,5,6,7,8- hexahydro-2-phenyl-8,8-dimethoxyimidazo (1,2a) pyridine), a selective immunorestorative agent. PBMC of the patients, incubated in medium, exhibited significantly reduced activities in the natural killer (NK) cell, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), T-cell blastogenesis and leukocyte-inhibiti on factor (LIF) assays. Incubation in PR 879-317A significantly increased the NK and ADCC activities of PBMC from both patients and healthy subjects. However, the effect was much more pronounced on the patients' cells increasing their NK and ADCC activities to normal levels. Incubation in PR 879-317A augmented to normal levels the responses of patients' cells in various assessments of T-cell immunity including blastogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A and production of LIF. In addition, the number of patients' cells forming spontaneous rosettes with sheep red blood ells was increased following incubation in PR 879-317A. In contrast this compound did not significantly modify the T-cell responses of cells from the healthy subjects suggesting that this compound does not affect normal T-cell function.
Reconsidering Risk Groups: A Case of Ethical Reconstruction

The initial and continual identification of risk groups is an ethical decision at all levels of discourse. Because of the normative aspect of identifying risk groups, especially within the biomedical sciences, we recommend considering reconstruction of the identification of risk groups that acknowledges community as preceding individuality before individuals are labeled as members of specific risk groups. This is an alternative to the common Western ap- proach to risk groups that assumes individuals to be atomistic entities whose individuality pre- cedes any group membership. In addition, we suggest that risk group identification be based on specific behaviors suspected as corollary with a particular health status when such identifi - cation is possible. In doing so, we offer a set of ethical tools that provides researchers a foun- dation by which to reconsider risk with regard to the community as a whole and the specific behaviors that increase risk within the community. As an example of the problems concerning normativity and risk groups, we examine the early case of AIDS and the initial labeling of ho- mosexual men as the risk group for the disease. Our examination of this case reveals that the risk group label has, at times, been an ethically precarious one with dangerous consequences.
On the grain size dependence of Harper-Dorn creep

Abstract The effect of grain size on the Harper-Dorn creep rate is re-examined through an analysis of the data on several metals and alloys. It is shown that the creep rate γ varies with the grain size d as γ ∂ (b/d) p where b is the Burgers vector and p is the grain size exponent, when the number of grains across the specimen thickness exceeds four. The magnitude of this exponent was estimated to be 1 ⩽ p ⩽2. However, the grain size effect is insignificant in multicrystals with a smaller number of grains across the cross-section, and the creep rate is similar to those for single crystals.
Efficient implementation of tuple pattern based retrieval

Tuple pattern based retrieval is a language construct that matches a tuple pattern against a set of tuples to retrieve components of those tuples. This high-level abstraction allows programs to be written more easily and clearly than otherwise. This paper describes a clean and automatic method for transforming tuple pattern based retrievals into efficient implementations. The paper also presents two systems that implement the method, and describes successful experience and experiments in generating efficient implementations for graph algorithms, program analysis, security, and other applications.
Tesamorelin: A Growth Hormone–Releasing Factor Analogue for HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tesamorelin, a growth hormone releasing factor analogue approved by the Food and Drug Administration in November 2010 for the treatment of lipodystrophy associated with HIV infection.Data Sources:Literature was obtained through MEDLINE (1948-November 2011) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-october 2011) using the search terms tesamorelin, TH9507, growth hormone releasing factor, and HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome. Additional publications were obtained through review of references within primary literature publications as well as pertinent Web sites.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All articles published in English identified from the data sources were evaluated and all pertinent information was included. All studies relevant to the evaluation of efficacy and safety of tesamorelin in the management of HIV-associated lipodystrophy were included, with a focus on trials completed in humans.Data Synthesis:In 2 Phase 3 clinical trials and...
Anatomy of thyroid and parathyroid glands and neurovascular relations

Historically, thyroid surgery has been fraught with complications. Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve, superior laryngeal nerve, or the parathyroid glands may result in profound life-long consequences for the patient. To minimize the morbidity of the operation, a surgeon must have an in-depth understanding of the anatomy of the thyroid and parathyroid glands and be able to apply this information to perform a safe and effective operation. This article will review the pertinent anatomy and embryology of the thyroid and parathyroid glands and the critical structures that lie in their proximity. This information should aid the surgeon in appropriate identification and preservation of the function of these structures and to avoid the pitfalls of the operation.
Arylsulfatase B regulates colonic epithelial cell migration by effects on MMP9 expression and RhoA activation.

Arylsulfatase B (ASB; N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase; 4-sulfatase; ARSB) is the enzyme that removes 4-sulfate groups from N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate, which combines with glucuronate to form the disaccharide unit of chondroitin-4-sulfate (C4S). In this study, we report how variation in expression of ASB affected the migration of human colonic epithelial cells. In the T84 cell line, derived from lung metastasis of malignant colonic epithelial cells, the activity of ASB, as well as steroid sulfatase, arylsulfatase A, and galactose-6-sulfatase, were significantly less than in normal, primary colonic epithelial cells and in the NCM460 cell line which was derived from normal colonocytes. In the T84 cells, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), activated RhoA, and cell migration, as well as C4S content, were significantly more than in the NCM460 cells. Silencing and overexpression of ASB had inverse effects on MMP9, activated RhoA, and cell migration, as well as the C4S content, in the NCM460 and T84 cells. When ASB expression was silenced by siRNA in the NCM460 cells, MMP9 secretion increased to over 3 times the basal level, activated RhoA increased ~85%, and cell migration increased ~52%. Following overexpression of ASB, MMP9 declined 51%, activated RhoA declined ~51%, and cell migration decreased ~37%. These findings demonstrate marked effects of ASB expression on the migratory activity of colonic epithelial cells, activated RhoA, and MMP9, and suggest a potential vital role of ASB, due to its impact on chondroitin sulfation, on determination of the invasive phenotype of colonic epithelial cells.
Calcium mobilization in activated mast cells monitored by flow cytometric analysis

Changes in intracellular calcium levels induced in mast cells by either antigen or ionomycin were monitored using flow cytometry and the calcium binding dye indo-1. Both stimuli increased calcium levels in responsive cells by a similar amount, but not all cells examined were responsive to antigen. Antigen-induced increases in intracellular calcium levels could be completely blocked by the calcium antagonist TMB-8. Flow cytometry appears to be a useful method for monitoring mast cell calcium concentrations, as it provides the capability to study large numbers of individual cells.
DNA sequence analysis of conserved and unique regions of swinepox virus: identification of genetic elements supporting phenotypic observations including a novel G protein-coupled receptor homologue.

Abstract Swinepox virus (SPV) contains a double-stranded cross-linked linear DNA genome of approximately 175 kilobase pairs with terminal inverted repetitions (TIRs) of 4.3 kb. The nucleotide sequence was determined for fragments from several regions of the genome including a 2.85-kb fragment from the central potentially conserved portion and two fragments within the presumed variable near-terminal regions which tend to be unique to a given poxvirus. The core sequence contains one partial and two complete open reading frames that are highly conserved and colinear with three contiguous ORFs within the Hind III D fragment of vaccinia virus (VV). The two near-terminal fragments, encompassing 14.2 and 3.6 kb, are respectively located 2.1 kb internal to the left and right cross-linked termini of the DNA and span the TIR junctions. The sequences encode 25 open reading frames including numerous proteins predicted to be membrane-bound or secreted in infected cells. Several ORFs unique to SPV were identified that may be involved in cell attachment, immune modulation, and pathogenesis including a novel poxvirus G protein-coupled receptor. In addition, several polypeptides encoded within the near-terminal regions of vaccinia virus DNA that function as host range or virulence factors are lacking within this region of swinepox virus including the VV growth factor, complement-binding protein, and ORFs C7L and K1L, associated with host range. The lack of these functional homologues could explain the characteristic attenuated phenotype and limited host range of SPV.
Present and future directions in data warehousing

Many large organizations have developed data warehouses to support decision making. The data in a warehouse are subject oriented, integrated, time variant, and nonvolatile. A data warehouse contains five types of data: current detail data, older detail data, lightly summarized data, highly summarized data, and metadata. The architecture of a data warehouse includes a backend process (the extraction of data from source systems), the warehouse, and the front-end use (the accessing of data from the warehouse). A data mart is a smaller version of a data warehouse that supports the narrower set of requirements of a single business unit. Data marts should be developed in an integrated manner in order to avoid repeating the "silos of information" problem.An operational data store is a database for transaction processing systems that uses the data warehouse approach to provide clean data. Data warehousing is constantly changing, with the associated opportunities for practice and research, such as the potential for knowledge management using the warehouse.
Matrix formulation of special relativity in classical mechanics and electromagnetic theory

The two-component spinor theory of van der Waerden is put into a convenient matrix notation. The mathematical relations among various types of matrices and the rule for forming covariant expressions are developed. Relativistic equations of classical mechanics and electricity and magnetism are expressed in this notation. In this formulation the distinction between time and space coordinates in the four-dimensional space-time continuum falls out naturally from the assumption that a four-vector is represented by a Hermitian matrix. The indefinite metric of tensor analysis is a derived result rather than an arbitrary ad hoc assumption. The relation to four-component spinor theory is also discussed.
MILLIARCSECOND N-BAND OBSERVATIONS OF THE NOVA RS OPHIUCHI: FIRST SCIENCE WITH THE KECK INTERFEROMETER NULLER

We report observations of the nova RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph) using the Keck Interferometer Nuller (KIN), approximately 3.8 days following the most recent outburst that occurred on 2006 February 12. These observations represent the first scientific results from the KIN, which operates in N band from 8 to 12.5 μm in a nulling mode. The nulling technique is the sparse aperture equivalent of the conventional coronagraphic technique used in filled aperture telescopes. In this mode the stellar light itself is suppressed by a destructive fringe, effectively enhancing the contrast of the circumstellar material located near the star. By fitting the unique KIN data, we have obtained an angular size of the mid-infrared continuum emitting material of 6.2, 4.0, or 5.4 mas for a disk profile, Gaussian profile (FWHM), and shell profile, respectively. The data show evidence of enhanced neutral atomic hydrogen emission and atomic metals including silicon located in the inner spatial regime near the white dwarf (WD) relative to the outer regime. There are also nebular emission lines and evidence of hot silicate dust in the outer spatial region, centered at ~17 AU from the WD, that are not found in the inner regime. Our evidence suggests that these features have been excited by the nova flash in the outer spatial regime before the blast wave reached these regions. These identifications support a model in which the dust appears to be present between outbursts and is not created during the outburst event. We further discuss the present results in terms of a unifying model of the system that includes an increase in density in the plane of the orbit of the two stars created by a spiral shock wave caused by the motion of the stars through the cool wind of the red giant star.
Purging of peripheral blood stem cell grafts

The shortage of HLA-matched sibling donors for bone marrow transplant patients has stimulated interest in the use of alternative donors. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of autologous marrow transplantation, which avoids the complications of graft-versus-host disease, but may deprive the patient of a potentially beneficial graft-versus-disease response and runs the risk of returning occult tumor cells with the graft. There is increasing evidence that these cells may be associated with disease relapse post-transplant, and many methods have been developed for their removal ex vivo. Combinations of negative and positive selection may achieve elimination of tumor cells to the limits of detection of the most sensitive assays currently available. The marked trend toward the use of autologous grafts derived from blood rather than marrow has raised the question as to whether peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) preparations should be purged of tumor. Data indicate that these grafts generally contain a lower tumor burden, although the stem cell mobilization procedure may recruit tumor cells into the peripheral circulation. Enrichment of CD34+ cells from apheresis products appears, at present, to be less efficient than from marrow and provides at best about a 2-3 log depletion of tumor. This has prompted proposals to follow positive selection by a small-scale purging procedure. Technical issues, such as preprocessing and pooling of collections prior to purging, remain to be addressed. Ultimately, the development of successful purging procedures for PBSC grafts will simply reemphasize the necessity of improving the efficacy of high-dose therapy.
Gβγ Binds Histone Deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) and Inhibits Its Transcriptional Co-repression Activity

In a yeast two-hybrid screen designed to identify novel effectors of the Gβγ subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins, we found that Gβγ binds to histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5), an enzyme involved in a pathway not previously recognized to be directly impacted by G proteins. Formation of the Gβ1γ2-HDAC5 complex in mammalian cells can be blocked by overexpression of Gαo, and this inhibition is relieved by activation of α2A-adrenergic receptor, suggesting that the interaction occurs in a signal-dependent manner. The C-terminal domain of HDAC5 binds directly to Gβγ through multiple motifs, and overexpression of this domain mimics the C terminus of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, a known Gβγ scavenger, in its ability to inhibit the Gβγ/HDAC5 interaction. The C terminus of HDAC4 shares significant similarity with that of HDAC5, and accordingly, HDAC4 is also able to form complexes with Gβ1γ2 in cultured cells, suggesting that the C-terminal domain of class II HDACs is a general Gβγ binding motif. Activation of a Gi/o-coupled receptor results in a time-dependent activation of MEF2C, an HDAC5-regulated transcription factor, whereas inhibition of the interaction with a Gβγ scavenger inhibits MEF2C activity, suggesting a reduced potency of HDAC5-mediated inhibition. Taken together, these data imply that HDAC5 and possibly other class II HDACs can be added to the growing list of Gβγ effectors.
Eaters, Food, and Social Hierarchy in Ancient India: A Dietary Guide to a Revolution of Values

IN THE MOST ANCIENT texts of India, power and dominance were unabashedly embraced and unashamedly displayed-in the "religious" sphere of ritual no less than in more "secular" domains. The Vedic ideology Sylvain Levi once called "brutal" and "materialistic" (Levi:9) is nowhere more brutally and materialistically articulated than in the discourse concerning "food" and "eaters." As one text succinctly puts it, "The eater of food and food indeed are everything here" (SB 11.1.6.19), and what might appear as a culinary metaphor was really meant as a descriptive account of the natural world organized into a hierarchically ordered food chain. The later Indian image of ungoverned life reverting to the "law of the fishes" (bigger fish eat littler fish) has its roots in this Vedic vision. But in the older literature the harsh reality of a dog-eatdog world was not contrasted to a more easily digestible ideal or a soteriological alternative (i.e. moksa or "liberation"). In the Veda, violence and power-that is, power over another, the power the eater has over food-were celebrated on their own terms.'
Pathways of complement activation in chronic discoid lupus

To assess the relative roles of the classic and alternative pathways of complement activation in chronic discoid lupus erythematosus (CDLE), serum levels of properdin, C3, and C4, and deposition of these proteins in the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) of 20 CDLE patients were compared to the findings in patients with clinically active and inactive SLE. Properdin was demonstrated in the DEJ of 10 of 14 (71%) histologically typical skin lesions from patients with CDLE, usually in association with deposits of immunoglobulin, C3, and C4. Properdin levels in CDLE patients were significantly increased (137 +/- 34%) (P less than 0.05) when compared to normal controls (101 +/- 18%) or to patients with clinically active SLE (89 +/- 32%). C3, C4, DNA-binding, and antinuclear antibody tests in CDLE were indistinguishable from those in normals, but significantly different from patients with active SLE (P less than 0.05). The complement profiles of patients with clinically inactive SLE resembled those of CDLE patients more closely than those of active SLE patients.
IS PEROXYNITRITE-INDUCED APOPTOSIS INVOLVED IN INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RETARDATION? † 1429

Placental vasoconstriction has been proposed as a primary mechanism for fetal growth retardation. To challenge this hypothesis, we developed a model of fetal growth retardation characterized by increased release of vasodilators: maternal exposure to low dose endotoxin (LPS). This study addressed the hypothesis that LPS administration compromised fetal growth by inducing apoptosis in the utero-placental unit. METHODS: Timed-pregnant dams were randomly assigned to a control or endotoxin treated groups (30μg/kg i.p. daily). At term, fetal and placental weights, immunohistochemical evidence for nitrotyrosine (a marker for peroxynitrite formation) and apoptosis (TUNEL) in the utero-placental unit were determined. Positive TUNEL immunoreactivity results from the incorporation of digoxygenin-labeled UTP to 3′ ends of DNA by the enzyme terminal deoxynucleotide transferase. Multiple 3′ ends is a hallmark of apoptosis. NO release was also determined in explants of uterus and placenta by electrochemistry. RESULTS: Endotoxin administration resulted in growth retardation of both the fetus and placenta. NO release from explants was increased in placenta (6-fold) and uterus (21-fold) in response to LPS. Nitrotyrosine and DNA fragmentation(TUNEL) were absent in control animals but marked in placenta and uterus following endotoxin administration. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal exposure to LPS results in fetal growth retardation. Fetal growth retardation may occur independent of placental vascular insufficiency but in response to DNA damage induced by free radicals and oxidants (possibly peroxynitrite) leading to apoptosis and a net reductin in fetal and placental growth.
The orbital evolution of binary galaxies

We present the results of self-consistent numerical simulations performed to study the orbital circularization of binary galaxies. We have generalized a previous model (Junqueira & de Freitas Pacheco 1994) and confirmed partially their results. The orbital evolution of pairs of galaxies is faster when we consider interacting pairs with contacting "live"galaxy halos but the circularization time remains larger than the Hubble time. Besides, the time behavior of the orbits has changed in comparison with previous work because of tidal forces and dynamical friction acting on the halos.
Two Homologous Enhancer Elements in the Chicken Vimentin Gene May Bind a Nuclear Factor in Common with a Nearby Silencer Element

Abstract Vimentin, a cytoskeletal protein belonging to the intermediate filament protein family, exhibits a complex pattern of expression. In the case of the chicken vimentin gene, several regulatory elements within the 5′ region of the gene have been characterized, including an enhancer activity between −160 and −320, which may contribute to the down-regulation of vimentin expression during myogenesis. In this study, sequences within this region were examined via transient transfections of various deletion constructs, and two distinct enhancer elements were found, one on either side of a previously described silencer element. These two enhancer elements also enhanced transcription when fused separately to the basal promoter region of the chicken vimentin gene. Gel mobility shift assays, UV cross-linking experiments, and DNase I protection studies indicate that these two enhancer elements and the silencer element all contain a common binding site for the previously described 95-kDa silencer element binding protein, suggesting that this regulatory protein can act as both an activator and a repressor.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D-Mediated Hypercalcemia in a Renal Transplant Recipient

Hypercalcemia occurs in 10 to 30% of renal transplant recipients and is most often due to persistent hyperparathyroidism. Herein we describe a patient with a history of hyperparathyroidism who sought medical assessment because of recurrence of hypercalcemia 7 years after a successful renal transplantation. The hypercalcemia was associated with a normal serum phosphate level, a low to normal parathyroid hormone level, virtually undetectable levels of parathyroid hormone-related protein, and increased 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels. Further assessment led to the diagnosis of an underlying lymphoma. To our knowledge, this is the first report of 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin U-mediated hypercalcemia in a renal transplant recipient with lymphoma. The possibility of an underlying lymphoproliferative disorder should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia in a renal transplant recipient.
Diacylglycerol analogs inhibit the rod cGMP-gated channel by a phosphorylation-independent mechanism.

The electrical response to light in retinal rods is mediated by cyclic nucleotide-gated, nonselective cation channels in the outer segment plasma membrane. Although cGMP appears to be the primary light-regulated second messenger, cellular levels of other substances, including Ca2+ and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate, are also sensitive to the level of illumination. We now show that diacylglycerol (DAG) analogs reversibly suppress the cGMP-activated conductance in excised patches from frog rod outer segments. This suppression did not require nucleoside triphosphates, indicating that a phosphorylation reaction was not involved. DAG was more effective at low than at high [cGMP]: with 50 microM 8-Br-cGMP, the DAG analog 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (1,2-DiC8) reduced the current with an IC50 of approximately 22 microM (Hill coefficient, 0.8), whereas with 1.2 microM 8-Br-cGMP, only approximately 1 microM 1,2-DiC8 was required to halve the current. DAG reduced the apparent affinity of the channels for cGMP: 4 microM 1,2-DiC8 produced a threefold increase in the K1/2 for channel activation by 8-Br-cGMP, as well as a threefold reduction in the maximum current, without changing the apparent stoichiometry or cooperativity of cGMP binding. Inhibition by 1,2-DiC8 was not relieved by supersaturating concentrations of 8-Br-cGMP, suggesting that DAG did not act by competitive inhibition of cGMP binding. Furthermore, DAG did not seem to significantly reduce single-channel conductance. A DAG analog similar to 1,2-DiC8--1,3-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (1,3-DiC8)--suppressed the current with the same potency as 1,2-DiC8, whereas an ethylene glycol of identical chain length (DiC8-EG) was much less effective.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Application of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fingerprint Characterization in Site Investigation and Remediation

Tremendous resources have been and continue to be spent investigating and remediating petroleum hydrocarbon compounds (PHCs) in soil and ground water. Investigating and planning a remedial strategy for sites affected by PHCs is often a challenging task because of the complex chemical nature of the PHCs. the complex regulatory environment related to PHC cleanup, and the use of analytical methods that provide quantitation but not identification of PHCs. From a technical standpoint, the PHC impacting soil and/or ground water is frequently inadequately characterised, both in identification as well as in is general properties (solubility, toxicity). From a regulatory standpoint, promulgated or recommended total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) cleanup levels generally relate to assumed properties of specific unweathered products and are inconsistent among different agencies and regions. This produces a prime situation for unwillingly spending more resources on investigation or remediation than may be necessary, especially when the PHC in the subsurface has different properties from unweathered products such as gasoline or diesel. Accurately identifying the PHC and its nature, a process known as fingerprint characterization, is critical to the determination of appropriate regulatory goals and design of cost-effective remedial approaches. This paper presents several case studies in which fingerprint characterization made a significant difference in the project outcome. In each instance the nature of the organic material was better understood, the regulatory cleanup levels were negotiated based on the nature of the material, and a remedial approach was implemented that differed significantly from and was generally less costly than what would have been required without fingerprint characterization data.
Clinical research update

The prolonged administration of bisphosphonates can reduce the frequency of morbid skeletal events in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma or multiple myeloma. The development of more potent bisphosphonates will simplify current therapeutic schemes and could improve the therapeutic effectiveness of bisphosphonate therapy. Zoledronate (CGP-42446) is the most potent of the clinically tested compounds. It is a cyclic third-generation bisphosphonate that is 100-850 times more active than pamidronate in several in vivo and in vitro pharmacological test systems. The first therapeutic trial with zoledronate has been performed in patients with tumor-induced hypercalcemia (corrected calcium [Ca] > 2.75 mmol/L after rehydration). In a Phase I multicenter trial, it was shown that a single infusion was already effective at dose levels of 0.02 and 0.04 mg of zoledronate/kg bodyweight, thus 1.2 and 2.4 mg total dose for an average 60-kg individual. Five of 5 patients became normocalcemic after a dose of 0.02 mg/kg, and 14 of 15 (93%) after a dose of 0.04 mg/kg. The median time to normalization of serum Ca was 2 days and the median duration of action was 33 days, suggesting that zoledronate has a faster onset and a longer duration of action than other clinically tested bisphosphonates. Zoledronate was well tolerated; the only side effect was an increase in body temperature in 30% of the cases, which was probably not drug-related in many patients. A Phase I trial also has been initiated in patients with lytic bone metastases. Zoledronate was given as monthly short infusions (5-30 minutes) at doses between 0.1-8.0 mg. There was an analgesic effect and even at low doses (2 mg and above), the effects on the biochemical markers of bone resorption appeared to be greater than after 90-mg pamidronate infusions. These initial human data suggest that zoledronate can be administered as convenient short intravenous infusions and lead to a more marked and a more prolonged inhibition of bone resorption than is currently possible with available compounds. Future trials will have to determine whether prolonged treatment with this extremely potent bisphosphonate also can have a greater effect on the morbidity of bone metastases. Cancer 1997; 80:1699-701.© 1997 American Cancer Society.
Automated Synthesis and Optimization of Gear Train Topologies

A method for automating the design of simple and compound gear trains using graph grammars is described. The resulting computational tool removes the tedium for engineering designers searching through the immense number of possible gear choices and combinations by hand. The variables that are automatically optimized by the computational tool include the gear dimensions as well as the location of the gears in space. The gear trains are optimized using a three-step process. The first step is a tree-search based on a language of gear rules which represent all possible gear train configurations. The second step optimizes the discrete values such as number of teeth through an exhaustive search of a gear catalog. The final step is a gradient-based algorithm which optimizes the non-discrete variables such as angles and lengths in the positioning of the gears. The advantage of this method is that the graph grammar allows all possible simple and compound gear trains to be included in the search space while the method of optimization ensures the optimal candidate for a given problem is chosen with the tuned parameters.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Carbon dioxide laser based multiple ATR technique for measuring glucose in aqueous solutions

Conventional IR transmission methods are not suitable to measure accurately the concentration of biological molecules in aqueous solutions since the dominant water component has a high intrinsic absorption band over a wide range of the IR spectrum. This limitation can be largely overcome by the use of a laser as a light source. This paper describes the design of an experimental IR spectrometer based on a CO(2) laser and an ATR technique. To demonstrate the applicability of this laser spectrometer in medical diagnosis, we compared quantitative measurements of D-glucose solutions obtained from the IR spectrometer with measurements made by a standard laboratory glucose analyzer.